Rich22

It sounds like you may have a bad connection causing an intermittent fault.
Check and re install all connections as a starting point.
We have not come up against this fault on any units to date. With many sold and fitted.
The software should load from the unit to your pc to allow you to install alternative maps. Will check in with rapid bike to see why this is not the case.

SPJ

Frustrating re the software. My serial number was 8 digits (120115XX). I'd email Dimsport and ask them to setup an account for you. Alternatively PM me and I'll forward you my username and password so you can download it.

Rich22

When you plug the unit into your pc what happens?

SPJ

When plugged in via the USB both my computers recognised that a device had been plugged in 'USB Bike Unit' or something similar but no window opened for software installation. Windows then searched the Internet to try and find the software but failed. I couldn't find any way of accessing the unit through 'my computer' or other likely routes.

Registration via the website Dimsport Technology – Area Riservata was very straightforward and downloaded the software with no problems.

lardawge

I am heading out to California superbike school today so won't get a chance to go over the harness to check for loose connections but will do it tomorrow. Thanks for the idea, sounds plausible. The one connector that was a real pain and I can see having issues with was the metal one to the airbox. Was very tough to get tightened down all the was as well as finding room for both connectors. Will post back if I find something.

@rich, I will email you so you can send me the latest slipon map so I can make sure I have the latest when I get the software to install it.

Trauma

this could just be your computer. Have you tried it on any other computers? Maybe a friends that is not even in your network? Different versions of Windows and setups can prevent the computer from "seeing" your device.

SPJ

Trauma - you might be right although my computers are not linked, have different versions of windows and anti virus software.

Anyway I took the bike out this afternoon, first impressions of the Rapidbike are positive. lardawge described the bike as being 'snappier' and I would agree with that, it's noticeably quicker between 3-7k. Generally the bike feels stronger and smoother throughout the rev range, the fuelling is definitely improved.

Is it worth it? My first impression is yes, especially if you are going to have the bike a while and rack up some miles. I think my bike could probably be improved further with some dyno time or playing with the adaptive mapping. Obviously the system isn't cheap, fair weather/low mileage riders might want to think twice.

Trauma

At about $1k US, certainly not cheap. How much time to install?

SPJ

Depends who's fitting it! It took me around 3hrs, but you could do it in half that if you knew where to route the harness and had a spare pair of hands. The instructions from Rapidbike aren't the best they purely tell you what to plug where. A colour diagram with a suggested route would help.

Trauma

I've read that. What faring pices need to be removed for installation, both lowers?

SPJ

Both lower and upper fairings, on the RHS remove the ECU casing to get to the Injection/TPS connector. Also on the RHS are the O2 sensors for both cylinders. You then need to pass the loom behind the radiator, down past the battery and connect to the battery and crankshaft sensor. The actual unit itself sits on the LHS of the bike under the generator. Getting a good route and fitting it all in under the fairing is the key.

lardawge

Quick update;

Thanks to spj, I was able to acquire the software. Three computers later I was able to connect to the rapidbike module. Ugh. Windowz needs some kind of driver that doesn't get installed with the software and I don't have Internet in the garage. The last computer I used seemed to automagically install the driver at which point the module connected. That really needs to be sorted out on there end or documented as to which driver is needed so it can be installed before it is connected.

Once connected first thing I checked was auto adaptivity. It was on so I switched it off.

The map that was installed was the one that comes shipped with the rapidbike so AR never changed it per my request. Rich, what's up with that!? Anyway, installed the map Rich sent me and will have a go this afternoon.

Glad to at least be able to get connected and find some thing that need adjusting.

Rich22

We did install the correct map prior to shipping but as you say it does not clearly name the map.

lardawge

I am not arguing the point because I think you guys make awesome products and have been easy to deal with but... I am not going by the name of the map. The map is identical in all aspects to one of the maps that ship with the module (1199_12_MOD). Not a big deal just something to be aware of... maybe that IS the one you installed?

lardawge

So, I finally figured out why I couldn't connect to the other two computers. For whatever reason the OS couldn't detect that there were drivers available that were installed with the software installer. They are not directly installed in the system32 directory until needed. I manually went into the folder and ran the installer and BINGO.

Rich, Am I correct in assuming that auto adaptivity really doesn't do anything except collect data from the 02sensors at which point you can make a map from the data? Having it activated wouldn't have done anything to the fueling?

Rich22

We have a meeting with Rapidbike at Milan in November, hold off until we chat it through with them in detail. It is capable of very precise real time mapping but we first want to be comfortable with the system before recommending you turn it on.

SPJ

Hi Rich, I have a couple of more questions for you regarding the Racing unit and AM (adaptive mapping) - I guess you may be able to provide a better answer after your meeting with them.

My understanding of the system so far is that a master map (fuelling and ignition) has been produced which gives a good baseline for my bike (stock headers/termi slip ons). From there AM runs real time (if turned on) and within the parameters defined makes fuelling corrections to give me what it believes is the best setting. Correct?

My questions are:-

1) Assuming the AM works, what advantage is there of having the bike fine tuned on the dyno if the unit will compensate anyway for what it believes to be the best setting?

2) Do Rapidbike advise updating the master map with the adaptive map? (My understanding is that the adaptive map the unit creates is saved. This can then be combined with the master map which creates a new master and resets the adaptive map to zero, correct?)

3) Do Rapidbike suggest leaving the AM on permanently and if so which settings (RPM, min/max values) do they recommend?

Rich22

I will have definitive answers to those questions after meeting Rapidbike.

You are correct in what you say in that you set the parameters on the AM and the unit adjusts fuelling within that. What I am not sure about is if it works like the Pcv autotune and offers you a trim you can accept or ignore or if it is real time adjustments it is capable of making.

In past experience autotune devises are never as good as a custom dyno map. They are good if you can not get to a dyno but remember that a target AFR set in an autotune unit is not always the best point for fuelling to be set over the entire rev range or throttle position.

I look forward to meeting RB at Milan November 14th.

lardawge

I will give you my impressions after having turned off AM and installed the newest map from AR.

Amazing! No joke, the fueling issues I was having between 4-6k rpms is all but non-existent. The rev range is smooth as butter and I can actually cruise the bike at a steady rpm without surging.

I had the opertunity yesterday to ride a Pani with the new map provided by Ducati. Although it is a major improvement over what originally came on my bike, it felt sluggish. I will say that they have drastically cleaned up the mid range fueling problem but I still feel that the rapidbike adds more power to the bottom end.

Rich, I think it would be the best of both worlds to have a map created against the new stock map that Ducati came out with. Although it may not offer any gains, I would like to be able to compare the new upmap for the slipons against the rapidbike. Any chance you guys have been already created one?

Rich22

The rapidbike mapped correctly and carefully will outperform any upmaps from a manufacturer, you are fortunate enough to have proven that by riding an example of the latest upmap. It really makes no difference at all to fuelling if you map the rapidbike with or without any of the upmaps installed, we tune to the bikes current state optimising the fuel and ignition for its pre rapidbike state, upmaps present or not.
The only critical point is to use the rapidbike as stated for the map supplied with it, to work with or without an upmap first pre loaded into the bike.