Roger 04 RT
Registered user
For the past couple years, since BMW snuck in a new test of the O2 sensor on R1200 LCs, the AF-XIED hasn’t been offered for sale on those models because the new test caused bikes with AF-XIEDs to throw error codes. It took almost a year but a few riders in the USA helped Nightrider and they now have a working solution which is going on sale in limited quantities. Nightrider will ramp production over the coming weeks.
BACKGROUND AND PERFORMANCE for the R1200 LC
Those who followed the Wideband O2 thread I wrote on other forums know that there was extensive testing on LC-1s and AF-XIEDs on R1150s, R1100s and R1200s through the Camhead. On my R1150RT, the Innovate Motorsports LC-1 brought performance benefits and gave me extensive AFR datalogging capability, which allowed measurement and documenting of many of the Motronic’s and BMSK’s features which had long been unknown. Wideband O2 Testing on the R1150RT
In short, lambda-shifting technology (AF-XIED or LC-1 or LC-2) modifies the O2 sensor signal in such a way that the Motronic, BMSK or BMSX (in the Wethead) is persuaded to richen the mixture by 2-8% (user selectable). Because of long term trims which are in all BMW fueling computers, the fueling gains which are “learned” in Closed Loop during lambda-shifting get applied to the entire fueling map. This means there is a richer mixture from idle right up through WOT.
I’ve been riding a 2017 R1200RTW now for several months and like everything about the bike, including its performance and fueling. I was surprised that compared to my 2004 R1150RT with 8% richer mixture, the stock RTW required higher RPMs before up-shifting but the engine is really smooth so it wasn’t an issue that needed to be “fixed”. I have also noticed that compared to my 1150, the RTW needs more throttle from a stop to get going—but that too, I adapted to.
The problem that caused the AF-XIED to be pulled from new water cooled bikes is that BMW added a new O2 Sensor test in 2016 that caused its BMSX to generate an error code, which kept the engine from entering Closed Loop operation, defeating the function of the AF-XIED. Worse yet, BMW added that test to older bikes’ software updates so bikes which had been running fine with AF-XIEDs stopped working. To my knowledge, no one has yet added LC-2s to a water-cooled bike, but they wouldn’t have worked either.
Over the last year, a couple of us have been helping Steve at Nightrider to figure out what the new O2 was doing and find a way around it. The first software solution to the AF-XIED (Rev G Software) looked promising initially but didn’t work. Then we generated a better model for what the test was doing and came up with a hardware Relay Adapter Module (RAM) that has been through Beta testing, Pre-Production units on various RTWs and GSAWs and now a couple dozen units as a first production release.
Since I finally had an RTW, I became one of the the Beta testers. The bottom line is that the RAM functions to allow the new O2 to pass. The add-on RAM will work for all existing AF-XIEDs, rev F or rev G.
Because of the RTW's generally good manners and strong performance, I didn’t expect to notice a dramatic improvement from the AF-XIEDs . Boy was I wrong!
Setting 7 on the AF-XIED produced much better performance off the line, much better torque response between 1500 and 3000 RPM, and to my great surprise much better gearshift-pro performance. Off the line, the bike requires much less throttle to get going without stalling, even allowing starts easily in 2nd gear. At riding speeds, just as with my R1150RT, I’m generally riding one gear higher (e.g. 6th instead of 5th) when acceleration isn’t the objective. The bike accelerates much more eagerly at 2000 RPM and less downshifting is required. I’m not saying I always ride like a poke—far from it—but when I’m cruising or in traffic, the bike needs a lot less downshifting to feel comfortable.
The operation of Gearshift-Pro has changed noticeably, especially from 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd. It’s smoother, with less tendency to lurch. And the effect is true for up and downshifts. I now use Gearshift-Pro most of the time—light and heavy throttle.
For those of you interested, keep in touch with Beemerboneyard and Nightrider. They will have some units soon.
BACKGROUND AND PERFORMANCE for the R1200 LC
Those who followed the Wideband O2 thread I wrote on other forums know that there was extensive testing on LC-1s and AF-XIEDs on R1150s, R1100s and R1200s through the Camhead. On my R1150RT, the Innovate Motorsports LC-1 brought performance benefits and gave me extensive AFR datalogging capability, which allowed measurement and documenting of many of the Motronic’s and BMSK’s features which had long been unknown. Wideband O2 Testing on the R1150RT
In short, lambda-shifting technology (AF-XIED or LC-1 or LC-2) modifies the O2 sensor signal in such a way that the Motronic, BMSK or BMSX (in the Wethead) is persuaded to richen the mixture by 2-8% (user selectable). Because of long term trims which are in all BMW fueling computers, the fueling gains which are “learned” in Closed Loop during lambda-shifting get applied to the entire fueling map. This means there is a richer mixture from idle right up through WOT.
I’ve been riding a 2017 R1200RTW now for several months and like everything about the bike, including its performance and fueling. I was surprised that compared to my 2004 R1150RT with 8% richer mixture, the stock RTW required higher RPMs before up-shifting but the engine is really smooth so it wasn’t an issue that needed to be “fixed”. I have also noticed that compared to my 1150, the RTW needs more throttle from a stop to get going—but that too, I adapted to.
The problem that caused the AF-XIED to be pulled from new water cooled bikes is that BMW added a new O2 Sensor test in 2016 that caused its BMSX to generate an error code, which kept the engine from entering Closed Loop operation, defeating the function of the AF-XIED. Worse yet, BMW added that test to older bikes’ software updates so bikes which had been running fine with AF-XIEDs stopped working. To my knowledge, no one has yet added LC-2s to a water-cooled bike, but they wouldn’t have worked either.
Over the last year, a couple of us have been helping Steve at Nightrider to figure out what the new O2 was doing and find a way around it. The first software solution to the AF-XIED (Rev G Software) looked promising initially but didn’t work. Then we generated a better model for what the test was doing and came up with a hardware Relay Adapter Module (RAM) that has been through Beta testing, Pre-Production units on various RTWs and GSAWs and now a couple dozen units as a first production release.
Since I finally had an RTW, I became one of the the Beta testers. The bottom line is that the RAM functions to allow the new O2 to pass. The add-on RAM will work for all existing AF-XIEDs, rev F or rev G.
Because of the RTW's generally good manners and strong performance, I didn’t expect to notice a dramatic improvement from the AF-XIEDs . Boy was I wrong!
Setting 7 on the AF-XIED produced much better performance off the line, much better torque response between 1500 and 3000 RPM, and to my great surprise much better gearshift-pro performance. Off the line, the bike requires much less throttle to get going without stalling, even allowing starts easily in 2nd gear. At riding speeds, just as with my R1150RT, I’m generally riding one gear higher (e.g. 6th instead of 5th) when acceleration isn’t the objective. The bike accelerates much more eagerly at 2000 RPM and less downshifting is required. I’m not saying I always ride like a poke—far from it—but when I’m cruising or in traffic, the bike needs a lot less downshifting to feel comfortable.
The operation of Gearshift-Pro has changed noticeably, especially from 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd. It’s smoother, with less tendency to lurch. And the effect is true for up and downshifts. I now use Gearshift-Pro most of the time—light and heavy throttle.
For those of you interested, keep in touch with Beemerboneyard and Nightrider. They will have some units soon.