Traction Control Yes or NO

[geek]

Quite right but there is a balance somewhere between loading everything imaginable on a bike and the alternative. I'm thinking something along the lines of the 1100 / 1150 or a KTM 950 isn't too much to ask.

Maybe I've got the wrong impression but BMW seem to be in the former category of loading there bikes up with everything.

oh yes, but i think it always has been so.

i think that cruise control is an aberration on a bike (and a health risk!). i thought it was a joke when i first read it as an option for one of the other Beemers.

that said there is no reason why they shouldn't make tricked out electronic bikes, and they shouldn't work forever. as I was cleaning my bike at the weekend, a neighbour who i hadn't met before pitched up on a K1100something. G reg, 163k miles. his ABS had caught fire rather spectacularly that morning as he had jetwashed the bike a bit too much....

 

[Gipsy]

How many of us have actually ridden a bike with traction control for a long enough period to be able to make sensible comments. IMHO it's only worth reading the opinions from those who have. I don't have it so I'm off.

 

[Foto John]

It's fun.................

It really does make life fun on poorly surfaced roads!
For example, on roads like this cobbled one below, the ASC came on many times whilst riding in the wet over 1km on this road with zero grip. The bike started to step out a little, but instead of riding extremely gingerly as I would on my 1150GSA with my feet hovering over the ground I was able to make "good progress" on my ASC fitted 1200GS!

Whilst riding many passes in the Swiss Alps last month, I found it to be a benefit, especially when I found some slippery surfaces coming out of hairpin bends! In more than 5000 kms, I haven't found anything negative about having it and when I come to sell, hopefully it'll benefit me too!
I'd certainly recommend it!

 

[Peter Reilly]

I have done about 2,500 miles on my ASC-equipped bike. I ride in London a lot where the roads get slippery when wet. I have activated it once so far and it came in very gently. The only sign was the yellow warning light on instruments, I could not feel the power being cut. My view is that it is an excellent, unobtrusive and inexpensive safety aid. According to the manual it works in two stages. Stage 1 retards the ignition and Stage 2 cuts the spark completely. I think I probably only reached stage 1 and hence didn't feel much.

Just like ABS, many people will prefer not to have ASC, which is why it is an option. The early BMW ABS systems were unreliable, as I found out when my K1 suffered total brake failure. Very thoughtfully, the warning light then came on about 5 miles later. The recent ABS/ASC systems seem to be a lot more reliable than the rest of the electronics so I was not concerned about ASC making the bike less reliable.

 

[Malcvtr]

I worry sometimes that I might suddenly turn the handlebars too quickly and cause an accident. If only BMW would develop an AFTH (Anti Fast Turning Handlebar) system, I'd feel so much more secure over slippery surfaces and even on those occasions where I had a total loss of brain power.

 

[NLS]

...and someone that would reply to this, would be hypersensitive, over-defending, limited-ability rider, that doesn't understand good humor?

 

[CliveS]

Thanks to all you you

Thank you all for your replies. I have taken all the advice onboard and I am acting on it. I do not want to say which way I am going as no matter what I do half of you may be offended.
It has been a great topic and very informative.
Thanks again

CliveS

 

[seanred]

Hi
I have just ordered a new R12200GS and they are offering Traction Control option. How good is it, is it a necessary and would you consider it safety add on like ABS. I am not off roading and as we little snow or ice and indeed little rain in Australia is it an option I should go with
Safe Riding
CliveS

Your "Location" is Spain, but you ride in Australia. Cool. Most of the replies have been about rain and wet roads. No rain or very little in Australia, so do you really need the TC??

My 50c

 

[riderbob]

I saw this on another site and thought it was relevant. It was published by the Bridgestone bicycle company in the US in the early 90s.

 

[NLS]

I won't be offended if you didn't get it. Why would someone be offended with YOUR choice? We made ours.

So tell us what you did.

 

[geek]

announced friday on the BMW Motorrad website

The most important piece of news of model year 2008 is the new special equipment packages – in particular the safety package offered for nearly all models which includes ASC (Automatic Stability Control), ABS and RDC (tyre pressure control) as a combined feature. The advantage of these packages is that they offer tried and tested combinations with a clear price benefit.

 

[GSmonkey]

To re-open the thread:

Having now owned a bike and put a few hundred miles on it in generally shitty conditions i.e. wet roads, covered in leaves, mud on road, etc. etc. I can say that ASC is not worth bothering with.

Two immediate examples come to mind. Firstly when giving it some berries going over a sleeping policeman. Normally I'm up on the pegs, gas it and it pops over nicely. With the ASC, as soon as the rear wheel crests the hump, it cuts power and you're left wondering what's happened with some stupid light flashing on the dash.

Secondly when riding over say a manhole cover in the wet. Normally you try to avoid them obviously, but there's normally no real drama if there is one right on the line you'd like to take for other reasons. Keep gentle power on, there's a slight shimmy and you just continue to power through. With ASC, it decides you're about to die and cuts power, then re-applies shortly after making the bike jerk a lot more violently than it would have done with a slight shimmy.

Ironically, I found myself turning it off in poor conditions to stop its inadvertent activation for normal sliding around in the wet.

In summary, great if you don't know one end of a bike from the other and should really be riding round on a CB500 for a few years. If you know how to ride a bike, don't bother.

 

[Shep]

To re-open the thread:

Having now owned a bike and put a few hundred miles on it in generally shitty conditions i.e. wet roads, covered in leaves, mud on road, etc. etc. I can say that ASC is not worth bothering with.

Two immediate examples come to mind. Firstly when giving it some berries going over a sleeping policeman. Normally I'm up on the pegs, gas it and it pops over nicely. With the ASC, as soon as the rear wheel crests the hump, it cuts power and you're left wondering what's happened with some stupid light flashing on the dash.

Secondly when riding over say a manhole cover in the wet. Normally you try to avoid them obviously, but there's normally no real drama if there is one right on the line you'd like to take for other reasons. Keep gentle power on, there's a slight shimmy and you just continue to power through. With ASC, it decides you're about to die and cuts power, then re-applies shortly after making the bike jerk a lot more violently than it would have done with a slight shimmy.

Ironically, I found myself turning it off in poor conditions to stop its inadvertent activation for normal sliding around in the wet.

In summary, great if you don't know one end of a bike from the other and should really be riding round on a CB500 for a few years. If you know how to ride a bike, don't bother.

Thanks a good review

Would it be worth having if only to switch it on in extreme circumstances, snow etc?

Shep

 

[GSmonkey]

Would it be worth having if only to switch it on in extreme circumstances, snow etc?

Not sure really. Have to test it this winter.

 

[GrinningGSer]

This is a bit like one of those 'do we need ABS' threads. ABS will give you strange feelings when braking on rumble strips. Both have the potential to save our lives. ESP could be very useful if powering out of a corner and you lose grip, for whatever reason.

Bring it on... I like it and I like the TPS also !

 

[Malcvtr]

This is a bit like one of those 'do we need ABS' threads. ABS will give you strange feelings when braking on rumble strips. Both have the potential to save our lives. ESP could be very useful if powering out of a corner and you lose grip, for whatever reason.

Bring it on... I like it and I like the TPS also !

ESP? I thought it was called ASC? After reading GSMonkey's telling review, maybe it should be renamed CRAP?

 

[Moto loca]

So there is ABS, TPC, ASC, BC, Alarm, Heated Grips, Oilcheck, Service indicator. Shall we place bets ESA will follow sooner rather than later ?

I think you forgot TRAINING WHEEL option is a must to have

 

[Jon P]

I read a lot of the comments debating the pros and cons of 'gadgets' - "should I, should I not" etc etc..............and some responses suggesting that the older 1100s and 1150s were simpler and possibly more suited to a rougher life of extended third World travel.............if that was so I would suggest getting a good 2 valve 800 or 1000 GS. I had both and reckon that I had just as much fun on those as I have had on subsequent GSs..........I guess that if you want to have a 'new' bike then get used to the tech because it goes hand in hand. It is called advancement.............and remember the manufacturers are not stupid - they give us what we want...NO - they give us what we demand!!

Despite my comments about getting an older 2 valve GS (which I just might do myself one of these days - so many memories!) I remember a few years ago 9about 1986) an occasion when I was on my then new 800GS and I met a guy with an identical bike in the middle of the lake District (I think I was riding a trail called the coach road?) he was telling me that he felt he was cheating with his new beemer, he went on to explain that he felt these modern machines with all their technology took the fun out of riding - of course I defended the GS as being a pretty simple machine - to which he told me that his other bike was an MZ250................and that he had just finished riding around the World on it! Is this ?? not really sure?

I just reckon that the best thing is keep moving forward, embracing technology and keep a firm grip on the rose tints

The GSA I bought a few months ago didn't have traction control fitted but I would have happily parted with a bit more cash if it did have it............and I would kill for ESA - OH YES!

 

[Backmarker]

..... It is called advancement.............and remember the manufacturers are not stupid - they give us what we want...NO - they give us what we demand!!

Like Servo brakes. We all demanded them, and BMW gave them to us. And they are not stupid, it was progress (or advancement).
Only now they wont give them to us even if we beg.....

I used to believe in the new stuff argument.......car drivers bemoaning the move to two headlights (more weight and complexity, a skilled driver doesnt need two) automatic advance and retard for the ignition (takes control away from the skilled driver), the loss of the starting handle (what are you gonna do when the battery is dead?), ABS, Traction Control etc etc
But the Servo brakes debacle has made me rethink my position on this. And credit to BMW for admitting that this was not the way forward. But it has made me rethink my assumption that all progress was as beneficial as auto advance/retard for the ignition.

And yes, Tyre pressure monitors, yes please, yes yes yes. But ESA? Not until it offers full adjustment of everything individually, not just 3 set combo settings.

 

[herrdirektor]

Backmarker has a point here. I did order ASC, knowing very well that it is rather crude and under developed. The investment however is quite low.

ESA is too new for the ADV and soo costly, I'd rather make manual adjustments tot the suspension. There is plenty of info on adjusting on the internet/manual. If not to my taste, there is always something like Ohlins to switch to.