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K1600 B and GA Speed limiter Removed !!!

80K views 169 replies 64 participants last post by  pkenahan 
#1 ·
Anyone in the Massachusetts area wanting to have their bagger and/or Grand America speed limiter removed and HP tuned?
Please Message me !
 
#48 ·
Just to keep the facts straight. The 2018 1600B that I own is limited to 130 MPH. I have had it on the speed limiter 3 or 4 times now and it is perfectly stable. The 1600 GA has the 101 limiter. Never ridden one, I can't comment on how it feels. But it's hard for me to imagine it being any more unstable than my Harley Road Glide at 120 MPH. The Harley is downright scary when cornering at any speed above 80. I know, It's amazing I'm still alive after breaking the speed limit. I still run with scissors too. Just lucky I guess?



SG
 
#50 · (Edited)
Just to keep the facts straight. The 2018 1600B that I own is limited to 130 MPH. I have had it on the speed limiter 3 or 4 times now and it is perfectly stable. The 1600 GA has the 101 limiter. Never ridden one, I can't comment on how it feels. But it's hard for me to imagine it being any more unstable than my Harley Road Glide at 120 MPH. The Harley is downright scary when cornering at any speed above 80. I know, It's amazing I'm still alive after breaking the speed limit. I still run with scissors too. Just lucky I guess?

SG
Thanks for the laugh this morning Steve. But I would never ride like that.....I ride dainty! >:)

When I rode the GA, my experience was twist the wick all the way up to about 98 mph, roll the throttle back off and then stab it again and the bike would go up to about 110 mph (according to the speedometer....I didn't have my gps on it) before the limiter would kick in. I did this several times with the same results. I did not notice any instability at all on the B or the GA at any speed. But that may have something to do with my growing complacency with instability of Harleys over the decades.....I've just built up a tolerance.
 
#58 ·
Ok, I understand the GA riders may not understand, but my GT gets to 120-130 VERY quickly when passing slower traffic. As I am concentrating on riding and not looking at the dash, I have to look at the GPS to confirm as KBiK reverts to the normal cruise control velocity. >:)
 
#63 ·
Wish I was in the area. I don't care about removing the top speed, but I'd be interested in getting the "Dynamic" mode to act "Dynamic" again, like on the GTL. The throttle response is lagging way behind. I'm sure I'll get used to it eventually, but after owning a GTL it is like going back to my Victory or Harley before that. Does your remapping do anything about that?
 
#65 ·
Being a libertarian, I'm all for people doing what they want, as long as they don't run into me. As someone stated earlier, you're money and your life.

Funny thought, as I've gotten older, the need for speed has diminished greatly. F104's down to almost a speed record in a helicopter (Boeing 360 at 246mph). Then 190 on a S1000RR (track only).

Now, 100mph is fine, even if the B will do 130. Haven't bothered to check if it will go that fast.

Even Buicks are starting to look okay :grin:
 
#66 ·
Yes, yes, I know.....
Holy resurrection, Batman!

I test rode a 2014 1600GT back in 2014 and wound up buying the 1200RT instead.
That said, I just rode the B and was thinking that I thought the GT was quicker and had much better throttle response. A little disappointing, especially since the B is a few pounds lighter. (Of course Im more than a few pounds heavier since then and that could be it too.)

Also, any performance mod I would be interested in, and maybe others as well, isnt so much to achieve a higher top speed but to improve the acceleration to whatever that top speed is.
Take the B and twist the throttle twice quickly. The bike will only rev once. That is not how a throttle should operate. Overall the B is great bike but that tuning or whatever is off. Its a design flaw. One that should not roll out to customers on a premium bike.
Sorry, but thats the truth. I was surprised how the 2 bikes felt so different but had the same engines.

Im still going to buy the B but at this point I might as well wait for the 2019 model. Who know, maybe they will fix the throttle. Doubt it, but I can hope.
Plus my dealer has no more Bs with forged rims anyway and I dont want to start messing with other dealers. Plus Im cool with Blue. I like black and all, its just so.....original. :)
We'll see what happens.

Oh, and the bike I rode was a demo with 2400 miles on it and I was in dynamic mode so I know it isnt a "download" issue or software fix after break in miles.

The reason there is such a shortage of aftermarket parts for these bikes is that for 1 hardly anybody buys them. Not a knock, but this is a niche market, and 2, the people who buy these bikes dont typically want performance mods. This thread is a perfect example of that.

Dont get the wrong idea, I love the brand, I love the bike but I calls em how I sees em.
 
#67 ·
Yes, yes, I know.....
Holy resurrection, Batman!

I test rode a 2014 1600GT back in 2014 and wound up buying the 1200RT instead.
That said, I just rode the B and was thinking that I thought the GT was quicker and had much better throttle response. A little disappointing, especially since the B is a few pounds lighter. (Of course Im more than a few pounds heavier since then and that could be it too.)

Also, any performance mod I would be interested in, and maybe others as well, isnt so much to achieve a higher top speed but to improve the acceleration to whatever that top speed is.
Take the B and twist the throttle twice quickly. The bike will only rev once. That is not how a throttle should operate. Overall the B is great bike but that tuning or whatever is off. Its a design flaw. One that should not roll out to customers on a premium bike.
Sorry, but thats the truth. I was surprised how the 2 bikes felt so different but had the same engines.

Im still going to buy the B but at this point I might as well wait for the 2019 model. Who know, maybe they will fix the throttle. Doubt it, but I can hope.
Plus my dealer has no more Bs with forged rims anyway and I dont want to start messing with other dealers. Plus Im cool with Blue. I like black and all, its just so.....original. :)
We'll see what happens.

Oh, and the bike I rode was a demo with 2400 miles on it and I was in dynamic mode so I know it isnt a "download" issue or software fix after break in miles.

The reason there is such a shortage of aftermarket parts for these bikes is that for 1 hardly anybody buys them. Not a knock, but this is a niche market, and 2, the people who buy these bikes dont typically want performance mods. This thread is a perfect example of that.

Dont get the wrong idea, I love the brand, I love the bike but I calls em how I sees em.

Throttle response has been discussed over and over again, it tamed down a lot for all 2018- bikes. You will be disappointed in a 2018 GT like I am, BMW took the bite out of dynamic, it is is worse than a 2014 rain mode when it comes to response characteristics .
 
#77 · (Edited)
Let me get back home from a short vacation on a Greek island and I get to work the numbers into an excel chart.
For acceleration the available torque at the rear wheel is the factor. It is determined by torque at the crank and all the ratios all the way to contact patch between tire and road surface.
 
#78 ·
You don’t take your laptop on vacation so that you can do spreadsheet work on the beach? Slacker! :grin:

Yes, acceleration is a function of force applied at the tire contact patch and that is a function of torque at the rear wheel. Once you have the spreadsheet you will be able to also quickly see that the most torque at the rear wheel, at a given rear wheel RPM, occurs not at the torque peak of the engine, but at the horsepower peak if the gearing is adjusted so that the rear wheel RPM is the same in both cases.

The reason people have long had the misconception that engine peak torque rating was the determining factor in acceleration is because we historically have had only a few ratios available in the transmission so it is hard to keep the engine near the peak horsepower RPM. With CVT and 10 speed transmissions, we can now better approach that ideal and get even more acceleration.
 
#79 ·
WoW! I was just out for a Sunday speed run and my GA pauses at ~ 110 MPH. I have not been over 101 and tried to gun it to see what happens? Then I came home and seen this post! The reality for me is I think I want the speed to go 150mph, but I very happy with the balance of speed, convenience of the storage and comfort of riding on the GA. Plus, the Dynamic mode, with the speed shifter gives me a thrill!
I was down looking at Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX more than a few times now and I know I would enjoy the thrill for the first week or so, but I ride 46 miles one way to work and I go with my wife to rallies and on vacations. Thrill would wear out quickly on the Kawasaki! So, the point of this post is different strokes for different folks!
P.S. There is always the dream that Kawasaki will update the Concours 14 with the H2 motor and cruise control? lol - though not a BMW
 
#81 ·
WoW! I was just out for a Sunday speed run and my GA pauses at ~ 110 MPH. I have not been over 101 and tried to gun it to see what happens? Then I came home and seen this post! The reality for me is I think I want the speed to go 150mph, but I very happy with the balance of speed, convenience of the storage and comfort of riding on the GA. Plus, the Dynamic mode, with the speed shifter gives me a thrill!
Interesting.........There are a couple of active posts here that claim the GA (and the B) is dangerously unstable at speeds above 80 mph. Wonder why your riding or your bike are not affected.:wink: I only have about 300 miles on my B and I have had it up to 90 for a couple of moments and notice no instability whatsoever.
 
#89 ·
Well get the "B" broke in and see how she handles at speed? I maybe getting use to a little wobble here and there as I have 7K miles on my GA already. I drive 46 miles one way to work and frequently take it up to 100 plus through traffic in Houston, that is till I get a speeding ticket. But seriously, it all what your comfortable with and to be safe as one of the post says, keep the high speeds for the track. Congrats on the new B and let us know how your bike handles as you put miles it!
 
#90 ·
Hello Ron, I have had similar experiences with windy conditions and dirty air. I would most likely think that my 110 on the speedo is actually 104 and like you I am okay with that speed. I do enjoy ripping through the gears with the speed shifter up to that speed! Best, Frank
 
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#93 ·
So I scanned through all the posts in this thread quickly and I didn't see that anyone is talking about their "tuned" B or GA. Maybe I missed it. So a question to OP. Have you tuned any of these bikes yet? If so why is there no one talking about the improved throttle response and acceleration?
 
#97 ·
I did about 150 miles on the bagger yesterday. I noticed that at about 80 with an additional 10-15 mph headwind that the bike started occilating a bit. Low frequency, maybe 3-4 times per second. Decreasing speed make it go away. It has the aeroflow windshield but no difference was noticed with it full up or down. The only other options are a center stand, "mag" wheels, new Avon tires, and a small attached bag between the screen and dash.


I will find out for sure if the foot rests are the problem as I have Ilium's front crash bar and foot pegs on order. The OEM foot rests are removed (of course) for this mod.


I'm 6'2", 280
 
#98 ·
I guess everything in life is relative but coming from Harleys and spending my first weekend on my new GA I felt the bike was incredibly stable all the way up to the limiter. On first day on bike I went through a very windy stretch on the freeway for about 20 miles and of course the bike got a bit squirmy but nothing compared to what my Harleys would have felt like under same circumstances. I was telling my buddy that the GA at 100 felt like the Harley at 50. Very frustrated that the bike hits the wall at the limiter. Working on getting that removed this week with a tuner in SoCal that has been doing it on a few other GA's including a friend of mine who used him and that says he not only removes the limiter but takes out the throttle lag, smooths out the shift assist (didn't think it was clunky but ok..) and a couple other things. My buddy showed me a video of a Hells Angel that just got his B done by this guy (yea, quite a few HA guys in SoCal running around on B's) flying by a guy holding a radar gun that registered 170MPH.
Thats insane but I am excited to get my bike back and feel what he did.
 
#102 ·
Working on getting that removed this week with a tuner in SoCal that has been doing it on a few other GA's including a friend of mine who used him and that says he not only removes the limiter but takes out the throttle lag, smooths out the shift assist (didn't think it was clunky but ok..) and a couple other things.

Let us know how it goes. CA is a lot closer than MA!
 
#99 ·
170 mph? hahahaha, I'll throw the flag on that one.. You had me up to that point.

Duane
 
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#100 ·
Like a video game, there is apparently another level to the B that we are not aware of.....:)
 
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#109 · (Edited)
Found the limiter today. It is at 130 mph indicated speed on my B. Still accelerating, then right at 130 indicated, it feels like I backed out of the throttle slightly, even when I did not. GPS showed slightly less than 130 mph, but I did not capture the exact indicated speed from the GPS.


No stability issues. Have the Puig windshield, and had my feet out on the floorboards at 130 mph.
 
#111 · (Edited)
That is amazing.

Dyno reads 170+ mph which probably is real world top speed of 140-150 mph? With rider, wind, etc.

I doubt I would ever see that but the extra 15-20 hp might come in handy.
 
#112 ·
I was at the dealership getting the 36,000 mile service done on my GTL, recently, and in talking with the owner and salesmen, asked about the ramifications of removing the speed limiter on GTLs, Baggers and Grand Americas. I was told, unequivocally, that this mod voids the warranty. As I stated earlier in this thread, I don't give a dämn what anybody does with their own bike but felt this information would be of some value to those who are considering such a modification.
 
#116 ·
Just curious, exactly where is the ECU located on the B and how much trouble is it to remove/install?

If it is damaged somehow, what is required to get another one? What if Bren bricks it?
 
#118 ·
My grand America at about 75 is all I need, we travel back roads,
ya'll must not have a CDL cuz I drive a school bus and I anything over 15 miles over is a serious violations two of them and your suspended.
I guess at 58, really in no hurry to get anywhere
 
#119 ·
I have had a CDL for 25 years. I just choose wisely where I open the throttle up, then its back to reality and laid back cruising. I think most people that really love to ride have the erg to open it up once in a while, maybe not ??
 
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