Hill start

Scotsrick

Scotsrick

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I’m having a problem with the hill start on my ‘22 1250.

The hill start activates fine but seems to come off very early in the clutch movement.

If I have the clutch pulled right back it doesn’t need to move much for the hill start to disengage and it feels like it’s coming off before the clutch is engaging so it feels like it’s going to run back.

It all seems so ‘hurried’
 
I found it takes a bit of practice and getting used to it to pull away uphill smoothly, especially at a Y-junction facing uphill and looking over your shoulder for approaching traffic on the major route. I have stalled mine a couple of times and other times I've had to rev the tits off it as I feed the clutch out in stages, rather than the old school way of easing off the back brake. It seems to try and reapply the bloody thing as I am attempting to pull away.

Hill start assist is a solution to a problem I never had.
 
Mine disengages too late (2021 GS). It makes bike jump forward badly. That is why I don't use it. I don't even need it after 40 years of riding without it.
 
Scotsrick said:
I’m having a problem with the hill start on my ‘22 1250.

The hill start activates fine but seems to come off very early in the clutch movement.

If I have the clutch pulled right back it doesn’t need to move much for the hill start to disengage and it feels like it’s coming off before the clutch is engaging so it feels like it’s going to run back.

It all seems so ‘hurried’
Click to expand...

Hi Scotsrick,

On my previous '19 GSA 1250 the Hill Start Control worked perfectly as it should (5 axis IMU) however steep or level of the road, but on my '21 GS1250 it's been terrible and releases early just as you describe.

In the end I found that it appears to be due to the new 6 axis IMU knowing how steep the Hill is that you are stopped on and so releases early if it doesn't think the Hill is steep enough. Try using it on a steeper Hill and I think you will find it's OK, but on a less steep Hill then the Hill Start Control releasing early allows the bike to roll backwards unless you are holding on the Brakes, which on the '19 model you didn't need to.

I talked to my Dealer and also wrote to BMW UK but got no sense out of any of them, so although I believe the 6 axis IMU bikes have a problem, I've now set Hill Start Control to Manual and only use it when I want to hold the Bike still with my hands off the brakes when parked on a Hill, releasing it by another pull on the Brake lever and holding on that as I pull away.
 
Best way to use hill start is to pull the brake hard to engage it. When moving on, pull the brake on hard again, disengaging the hill start, and then riding away as we were taught back when we learnt to ride. It saves hanging on to the brakes when stopped, but is smooth as silk on the pull away.
 
Unless you’re on Hardknott Pass, simply place either your left or right foot against the tarmac/gravel/grass/mud (delete as appropriate) and when required reverse the actions of placing the foot in a downward motion on the aforementioned surfaces and away you will go. This is how it’s been done for centuries, well decades at least! :green gri
 
I got caught out a couple of times with HHC where I needed to creep out of a junction to see, then ease back to let traffic pass. That last bit was difficult with HHC engaged!
 
Flipfly said:
Best way to use hill start is to pull the brake hard to engage it. When moving on, pull the brake on hard again, disengaging the hill start, and then riding away as we were taught back when we learnt to ride. It saves hanging on to the brakes when stopped, but is smooth as silk on the pull away.
Click to expand...

That's what I wrote above! But the system as supplied now doesn't work as well as it did on the earlier '19 model Bikes. Where Hill Hold Control meant you didn't need to mess with holding on the brakes as Hill Hold did it for you.

I understand all the Blah, blah from several about how we were taught in the past, but if BMW fit a feature then it ought to work 100% as it did originally on the '19 model. And yes I have been riding for a while, probably since before many of you were born and did 15,000 miles on the '19 GSA where the system worked and 9,000 on the '21 GS where it doesn't.
 
Flipfly said:
Best way to use hill start is to pull the brake hard to engage it. When moving on, pull the brake on hard again, disengaging the hill start, and then riding away as we were taught back when we learnt to ride. It saves hanging on to the brakes when stopped, but is smooth as silk on the pull away.
Click to expand...

+1 For this method on my 2021 which is far better than it was on my 2018
 
The system may be good for some lads but for me it is not and I don't use it. If it works perfectly in cars, BMW's or the cheapest brands, it is still far away to work that well on GS (I don't know how it is on other brands).
 
I used mine a few times trying to figure out what i was doing wrong.

i was on a very steep hill and it released unexpectedly, i rolled back ward and pulled front brake...front wheel slid and i nearly dropped the bike.
i put so much strain on my leg i pulled a muscle.

I will never use it again.... left foot down and back brake on as normal again for me, i just dont trust the hill start.

Works brilliant in the car (insignia) but on the bike forget it.

It either comes off too soon, or stays on and you have to rev like feck to release it?
 
The system fitted to my 2018GSA was not the best, and would sometimes dissengage with a jolt. But the system on my 2021GSA is just as good as fitted to my car and works faultlessly. I'm pretty sure the activation is proportional, so the harder you pull the brake lever, the harder the brake is applied. This may be having a factor on how smooth it releases for some.

I use mine all the time, even when sat waiting on a flat surface, as it make selecting 1st gear smoother. You don't get the drive train backlash clunk.
 
Deleted account 221212001 said:
Unless you’re on Hardknott Pass, simply place either your left or right foot against the tarmac/gravel/grass/mud (delete as appropriate) and when required reverse the actions of placing the foot in a downward motion on the aforementioned surfaces and away you will go. This is how it’s been done for centuries, well decades at least! :green gri
Click to expand...
If you are on Hardknott pass, have a little lie-down. Preferably NOT with the engine guard on top of your foot. DAMHIK.
 
Last edited:
2020 bike, it seems to work well, my drive is steep, and it is convenient to use.
 
I've never had it before, but find it really convenient at traffic lights with gradient. I do the hard pull to disengage before moving off.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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