Retro fit Hill Start Control

Rockred said:
Just got back from the dealership after having the hill start , retro fitted to my March 15 GS . Well tried it at the first set of lights on a slight incline, it took a couple of attempts to release it, but I didn't stall it. It made me realise that I needed more practice,so set off for a steep hill on an abandon road. First attempt stalled it, second attempt squeezed the front brake until I saw the light come on the dash, then released the brake, and it held perfectly, then lightly pressed the back brake , then a quick squeeze on the front to release the hill start ( light goes out on dash ) and pull away as normal. Tried it a few more times, and that method worked ok for me. If any body has another way, I would like to try it.

Price in Spain was Euro 303. 36 plus 21% Iva total Euro 367.07.

Expensive I thought., was thinking around the 250 ish mark.
Click to expand...

I think the idea is that it just auto releases when you move forward, like an electronic handbrake in a car, so in theory no need to manually release and switch to the rear brake before pulling away. However, having tried it a few times, I've found that you need to use more revs than usual when pulling away or you can stall, and a couple of times I've ended up repeatedly pulling the clutch to avoid stalling, putting me into a nasty stop/start cycle until I finally got it to release automatically. Obviously needs decisive and fairly heavy application of the throttle when starting off, which doesn't come naturally to me, so I will have to find somewhere quiet to practice. In the meantime I've decided to release it manually as you are.
 
Thanks for all your replies. I will try upping the revs to see if it releases on its own. It's a work in progress.

:beerjug:
 
fredaroony said:
That's pretty harsh and have you never been caught out on a awkward off camber slope before? If you say no it's clear you are lying.
Click to expand...

I AM being harsh, not because of the stall ( and yes of course I’ve done the same ), but because he’s faffing around in the aftermath, just like an inexperienced rider and then bu**ers off leaving the girl who helped pick up the bike , way behind....... as if he didn’t have any thoughts for her.
Also those hairpins on hardknott cannot be taken in any gear other than 1st, especially two-up and that gives us another clue. Maybe I’m missing judging the entire situation .
p.s. I’m very familiar with the hardknott , wrynose and kirkstone passes of our Lake District.
 
GrinningGSer said:
I AM being harsh, not because of the stall ( and yes of course I’ve done the same ), but because he’s faffing around in the aftermath, just like an inexperienced rider and then bu**ers off leaving the girl who helped pick up the bike , way behind....... as if he didn’t have any thoughts for her.
Also those hairpins on hardknott cannot be taken in any gear other than 1st, especially two-up and that gives us another clue. Maybe I’m missing judging the entire situation .
p.s. I’m very familiar with the hardknott , wrynose and kirkstone passes of our Lake District.
Click to expand...

You're not really, its fair, his riding was poor, thats why he fell off.

Its a big heavy bike, a steep off camber road, fully loaded. He is also probably scared of the rain, trying not to lean the bike. He needs to use the power the bike has and control it.
 
Rockred said:
Thanks for all your replies. I will try upping the revs to see if it releases on its own. It's a work in progress.

:beerjug:
Click to expand...
No need to go mental with the revs. Don't be tempted to slowly ease out the clutch, as that increases likelihood of stalling. The temptation is to feel the fight between engine and brakes and slowly release the clutch or pull the lever back in. It's counter intuitive, but that's not the right thing to do.

Slightly more revs than normal and positive, quick (but not dump) clutch release.
 
Thanks daesimps, I will give that a go on the next ride out.......:beerjug:
 
fredaroony said:
That's pretty harsh and have you never been caught out on a awkward off camber slope before? If you say no it's clear you are lying.
Click to expand...

I've been caught out on off camber and smashed the LH rocker cover on the kerbstone the bike hit. But that was a sudden engine stall not helped by the high bottom gear.

I think an auto hill start would have made problems worse not better. I've never had problems hill starting with front brake. Back brake only needed on really steep hills.
 
Sigh! So after all this is the hill start function actually worth it? I have it and actually apart from being able to scratch my bollocks with my right hand at traffic lights, can't see any benefit over using the rear brake, then again I've been riding bikes for nearly 40 years so probably used to it by now. If only it released properly when you accelerate then it would be ok, but having to squeeze again before take off makes it less than optimal as I still need to use the rear brake on hills. So nearly right, perhaps next gen will get it right. In the meantime I will continue to have itchy bollocks.
 
Carlosfandango said:
but having to squeeze again before take off makes it less than optimal as I still need to use the rear brake on hills..
Click to expand...

That doesn't sound like it's working right. The whole point of my wife having it activated was that it releases automatically when pulling away. She uses it when she has to put her right leg down as she had tiny hands, so working front brake and throttle at the same time is awkward.

It took a bit of getting used to, but now she applies it when stopped and then just sets off with slightly more revs than normal and a positive, quickish release of the clutch. The system releases the brakes and she's off. No drama, rolling back of stalling.
 
Spareparts said:
Did no one learn how to ride off up a hill on their bike test?
Click to expand...
They probably did, but being able to do something and preferring to do it an easier way are two different things.

We could still cut logs with axes instead of chainsaws, or beat carpets instead of vacuuming, but chainsaws and vacuums were invented to make life easier.

Some people prefer the convenience. It doesn't mean they can't do it the old way, or that anyone is being forced to adopt new fangled technology. Hill start control requires manual activation, so if it's not for you then don't have it fitted, or if it's standard on your bike then don't use it.

As someone with bad arthritis I'll definitely be getting it enabled on my bike. I can manage without it, and have for my entire biking life, but now there's something available which means I don't have to is great for me.
 
daesimps said:
They probably did, but being able to do something and preferring to do it an easier way are two different things.

We could still cut logs with axes instead of chainsaws, or beat carpets instead of vacuuming, but chainsaws and vacuums were invented to make life easier.

Some people prefer the convenience. It doesn't mean they can't do it the old way, or that anyone is being forced to adopt new fangled technology. Hill start control requires manual activation, so if it's not for you then don't have it fitted, or if it's standard on your bike then don't use it.

As someone with bad arthritis I'll definitely be getting it enabled on my bike. I can manage without it, and have for my entire biking life, but now there's something available which means I don't have to is great for me.
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear about your long term physical ailment, and Hill Start is clearly helpful to you. But for the other 99.999% of riders who do not suffer your physical limitations, paying to add this feature at cost begs the question...
 
Spareparts said:
Sorry to hear about your long term physical ailment, and Hill Start is clearly helpful to you. But for the other 99.999% of riders who do not suffer your physical limitations, paying to add this feature at cost begs the question...
Click to expand...
It's down to a simple question; is the convenience worth the cost? For those that think so, like me with a medical issue or my wife with a hand size issue, they'll probably happily pay. For those that don't they'll simply not purchase it.

It's certainly nice to have the option to customise the bike if it makes life easier, and I won't be judging anyone who has it done or think that it in any way says anything about their riding ability.
 
£200 is a lot of money for a software update. Tesla hand those out for free OTA and with the new models coming with a data connection they should include updates anyway.

Price should just be labour for the time it takes to plug the bike in and upload.

Won’t be buying it for £200.
 
It also depends where you do most of your riding, if it is in East Anglia for example, you would not use it very often. Most of my rides are in the mountains around Ronda on B roads and A roads mainly solo, but occasionally with a passenger. I can think of a good few times over the years that I would have been glad of it.
 
wileeeeeey said:
£200 is a lot of money for a software update. Tesla hand those out for free OTA and with the new models coming with a data connection they should include updates anyway.

Price should just be labour for the time it takes to plug the bike in and upload.

Won’t be buying it for £200.
Click to expand...

BMW motorrad would probably give them free if you paid 60k for a GS
 
Different dealer quoted me £174 for the softare and £58 to install it without categorically being able to tell me if it would work on my bike.
BTFAGOS.
 
Just got back from riding in the Pyrenees and there were a few times I could have done with it.

Two up, gravel road, very steep uphill with T junction and turning left to continue up very steep uphill. Front wheel locked and sliding back, cross slope too much to safely use back brake so feathering clutch. Mate behind on RT with HSC laughing at me 😎

I'll get it done for just those odd occasions when it could easily save it's cost in potential broken bits/screams from scared wife/burning clutch etc.
 
Aberdeen GS which dealer did you get your HSC activated at? By the look of it my 2016 Triple Black has got ABS Pro fitted as standard so I should be able to get it too.
PM me if you wouldn't mind :thumby:

Cheers
 
Been out practising today, tried everything, unless I squeeze the brake lever again I still either stall it or pogo off like a demented kangaroo, my mate loves his, I must be doing something wrong.......
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Emoto
Accessorizing the R1200GSW: AltRider Skid Plate and Crash Bars
Replies
1
Views
3,817
NickD
Tsiklonaut
08.2010 Pakistan (Part II)
Replies
12
Views
16,764
mac163
mac163
Firebird
BMW Off-Road Trip to Portugal - Report & Pics
2
Replies
33
Views
6,310
RBZ8532
Aberdeen to Kathmandu
2
Replies
33
Views
37,078
Namastebuzz


Back
Top Bottom