ShipFixer

So more like what didn't I do, but...bike badly needs a starter valve sync and idle reset.  Runs great with everything fixed up on the electrical side over the last few months but often doesn't like starting. 
 

I can't get to it because the guy I sold the bike to in 2011 waaaaay overtightened exactly one of the airbox screws, and now its rounded out.  Have to wait for a new one before I really go to town on it. 😡

6th gen for the win! 😄

I must have missed this, but do we need extension cables for the O2 sensors? 

Hi ShipFixer,

Thank you for your donation of --. We look forward to improving the forums with your donation.

Thanks VFRDiscussion

The software download comes with two manuals.  The first one is titled "RB Master Free 1-2-3 guide ENG" and doesn't tell you much.  The next PDF is the full manual, and it's "Software RB Master Free - ENG."  That's the one you want.

There are some differences between the latest software and what's in the manual, and the screen shots from others in this thread going back six years look really different.  It's enough to get you started with the software I guess, but there are things like engine braking that aren't well explained enough for me to mess with it.

Also...pretty sure someone in this thread did it, didn't like it, and went back to the auto tune map?

Not having seen Dynojet's software interface, it seems like this would be easy to do?  Like just make your own map in lieu of the one RB ships with.  But...the self tuning is going to make it OBE real quick I think.  Like  mine can go +/-8 out of the box, and a lot of my self tune adjustment values are already at the max values.

I think the ignition advance adds some complexity that doesn't fit with the PC map crossover either.

12 hours ago, Cogswell said:

 

And isn't that the beauty of having a perfectly tuned V-4 . . . a delicious, meaty power band that's wide from a motor that's smooth - and you don't have to row through gears constantly.  I'll never understand why more riders don't get it.  And on top of all that, a sound like no other.  Just one awesome package! 

I didn't when I bought it, for sure.  But pretty glad I have it.  

I went back through the thread, and other people's screen shots of ignition advance doesn't look like mine.  And the engine braking screen is completely different now.  I don't feel a need to play with ignition (I can see it applied a map with advances up to four degrees in spots already) but would kind of like to figure out engine braking.  I enabled "something" but it doesn't seem to behave any differently than before.  Closing the throttle down shuts down the fuel pretty quick.

Did a 100 mile ride from San Diego to the other side of the Cleveland National Forest today to shake things out.  81 degrees at sea level here, 65-ish degrees at around 4,000 feet there on the Sunrise Highway.  Lots of cruising on I-8 at 75-85 mph and rolling through twisty mountainside stuff.

The stupid closed loop behavior is gone, and with the power curve smoothed out, it's a whole lot easier to hold speed on top of that.  And the mid range power and response is just fantastic.  I was able to just stay in 6th gear going uphill on I-8 with plenty of roll-on reserve to get way fast for passing.  Before, at sea level, would usually tend to drop to 5th or 4th.  On the mountain side, I stayed in third or fourth for reeeaaaally long stretches, using the whole power band just because I could.  Definitely did not have to think much about gears, or worry about getting stuck in the wrong end of the rev range somewhere in a corner, or between corners.  

This is after ~200 total miles or so.  As I do more miles I'm watching it continue to self-tune.  If I did nothing else, I'd be pretty happy with how the bike is.

Not sure who the OP is at this point in this thread.  I will almost certainly get a wideband O2 to go with my headers in a month or two though.  My VFR is stock right now, except for "mods that don't matter but people think they matter" like the snorkel and flapper.  

I am pretty sure I can feel the map steps (aka piecewise linear logic) right now when I am feeling around for them, while the drop/surge behavior is gone.  I can only imagine the wideband sensor tuning makes them less obvious, along with making smaller pieces in the map of course.

Interesting...thanks!  Anyone play with the fuel injection and ignition advance much?  The manual doesn't say a whole lot other than rider preference plays a part :lol:

I'm not too worried about tuning at WOT, pretty happy with the mid-range steady state and roll-on behavior.  Like if I got no more improvements and never had drop/surge behavior come back, I'd be content.  Useability of the bike is waaaaaaay up, it's nice not having to futz with gear and throttle management too much in corners!

Again...the manual could be better.  But my bike is automatically tuning itself with the stock O2 sensors as far as I can see, and in line with previous posters' examples:

I've only jetted up and down the highway a few times and gone on a few errands.  So very little time spent above 7,000 RPM or with lots of throttle for the RB to observe.  The numbers match my feeling as to what it's adjusting to, where the bike is happier sitting between 4K and 6K RPM without downshifting as much.  From what I can tell, the "RBo2 Active" box must be checked for it to use the O2 signal.  Mine was checked already.

What I did just enable tonight...I think...is ignition and fuel advance (section 3.6.3 in the manual).  Will see if that makes a difference tomorrow.

For those who might be interested, here's where I ended up putting this thing:

That's the RB Racing unit on the left side of the photo (right side of the bike), with the USB and other cable plugs inside the plastic bag by the rear brake reservoir.  The red rag on the other side is around my shock reservoir (I have some neoprene foam sheets coming to make all of this look a lot nicer).

The tools are in there...but hidden under the center spine, running between both pockets.  I can pull out the RB unit or the shock reservoir very easily and get to them.

The harness has just enough length to meet the stock O2 sensors on the left side of the bike, running right by the rear cylinder heads and down inside the frame near the coolant reservoir.  The other connectors have excess length that's loosely running under the fuel tank on the right side, and coiled a bit behind the plastic body panel in front of the rear brake reservoir.  In other words...this thing is clearly meant to go on the left side of the bike, but my WP shock was there first!

The software ran, but I didn't see anything obvious like "Self-learn" or "optimize," it had some windows that looked related but nothing clear.  Kinda like the website 😄

I've put about 80 miles on it, I'm going to go down to the garage with my laptop and see if it made any adjustments in a few hours.

Well that was a successful test ride!  I want to see how it does on longer trips, but I think this absolutely defeats the annoying drop/surge behavior with closed loop control.  Did a normal start, full ECU boot, and never did the bike obviously lean out power on me.  There were a couple times later on in 4th gear around 5K RPM that I thought it was dialing it back just slightly, with the RB maybe adjusting it right back...but it was so subtle I'm not completely sure, where the Honda dial-back is very obvious.

Power curve is very obviously filled-in mid range too.  5th and 6th are much, much more useful and I didn't have to downshift nearly as much.  Bike wanted to hit every ramp much faster than usual, which is what I think most people are looking for.  No more flat spots 😄

Oh, and I managed to shove my tool kit under the center spine of the rear subframe, across both pockets.  It'll be awkward to get them in and out but I really don't use them that much anyway.  Will post pictures later.

Going to be a while, but now I'm very interested to see what the mid range will feel like after I install the VFRD headers.  And come back with a wide band O2 sensor of course!

Ok I have it installed, and plugged in everywhere.  The harness was clearly meant for the left side of the bike where I have my shock reservoir so it took many tries to get it to go far enough on the left to the O2 sensors.  May re-attack and alternate spot later.  But for now, on to riding!

So question...bike starts, Rapid Bike software connects to the unit via USB just fine and shows bike status.  Appears to have a map loaded already.  Do I just ride this thing for a while and let it figure itself out?

One other thing I had forgotten about...I actually did the O2 sensor eliminator thing with resistors ~15 years ago.  At first I thought "WTF" but then as I pulled the tape off I recalled I did it.  Sadly, stock bike still goes into closed loop mode unless you do the key trick.  Now that I know what no closed loop looks like...the O2 sensor eliminators by themselves do nothing to change it.  Hopefully the RB does.  I can see voltage from my stock O2 sensors and they are in line with what I expect from cars idling so...here goes, suiting up for a late night grocery-get and test ride...

Here's where I got it:

https://rapidbike.us/contact

Don't know why, but the software link is in the contact page.  The website has confused me on a regular basis.  I'm just glad the physical install instructions they mailed with the device are pretty straightforward!

Oh, and the RB Master Free version software also asked to update something itself following download...there's that too.

Have not installed my RB Racing or played with this yet, but the software appears to run.

1 hour ago, Cogswell said:

 

There are several of us that have RB Racing modules, but are unable to load the RB software in to Win 10. The install returns an error that something is missing from Win 10, but it can't be updated. If you did successfully, a link to the source for RB software  would be helpful.  Any tips for getting the software loaded  would be appreciated!   

 

I just loaded my software this morning.  When I did, Windows prompted me to install a different version of .NET framework.  I want to say it was 3.5, which is now present on that laptop next to 4.8.  The desktop I'm on already has it, so this may not be the 100% answer...

If you want to see what you've got, type "Windows Features" in the search bar and click on "Turn Windows Features on and off" when it comes up.

3 hours ago, Madfox said:

I'm thinking I'll sell the Rapidbike and get a PCV. I cant justify the cost of the wideband controllers from RB when I'm not getting the full benefit of the Race module on the 5th gen. Turns out Mohawk knows best and i shouldve listened to his advice. So a RB Race module for 6th gen will be in the classifieds soon

Sure...you're selling one in Oceanside a week after mine arrived in San Diego?  :lol:

Received my RB Racing unit and an M18 plug and gasket today.  Gotta get my front suspension re-installed so I can tackle this next 😄

2 hours ago, Gotama said:

Wait you all had gaskets with your new headers ?

It was one of two options with the buy.  Slightly wider gaskets that don't intrude into the inner pipe diameter, and passivation.

2 hours ago, boOZZIE said:

Do you do any 2 up riding? 

If not, try relocating tools like this

 

I do a little bit - but I also don't want to cut into my new Seargeant 😄 It comes with a little storage area under the pillion spot as well.  Really good spot for insurance and registration cards, will see how much else I can get in there.

2 hours ago, Cogswell said:

 

Ya know, you just might be on to something with the seat mount option.  Since mine is in (a million) pieces, I grabbed the RB unit and placed it in the seat cargo slot - to my surprise it fits.  The cover wouldn't quite close and there's the issue of getting the wiring harness through the lid, but it looks like maybe with some cutting here and there it just might be made to work.  If you do that, please post up some pics - would love to see how you do it. 

Oh, I'm thinking of re-arranging the tools into the remaining space in the underseat tray and inside the saddle, to free up space on the right side for the RB.  Among other things I could probably slim down the tool kit with some smaller alternatives.  I'm not sure I'd like to hassle with wiring in and out of the saddle :lol:

1 hour ago, Cogswell said:

Sorry to tell you that I had to mount it under the seat on the rider's right.   The wires to the O2 sensors will have to run down to the stator cover, and the RB harness connects to the harness on the right side of the throttle body under the tank, so it was constrained by that.  Honestly, I don't know where else it could fit on 6G. 

Well, maybe between the tiny cargo slot in my Seargeant saddle and what space is left towards the back of the two pockets, I can make something work.  Time to get creative...

My RB Racing unit shipped!  Question for all of you with a 6th gen, where did you put it?  I have the reservoir for my WP shock in the left storage compartment under the seat, and the VFR tools, etc in the right side, so hopefully its small enough to fit in elsewhere, or somewhere among all those thing.  My options for relocating the reservoir are pretty much zero and I could relocate the tools if i have to, but don't want to have to run saddle bags all the time.