Remap for an R1250RT - any experience??

[jesim1]

Hi Guys

I have a new R1250RT and have run it in and put about 1500 miles on it now.

Overall it's a nice bike, and there is plenty of performance for me, but I would like it a bit lower down and smoother, which may be harder with the way the cams work on the newer models?

Does anyone have any experience of remapping this engine? I did have my R1200GS done by Hilltop and it was noticeably smoother and more torquey, so I'd be keep to try it again if I could find the right place and results??

Thanks

James

[Stu]

This is something I am looking at doing too and also from Hilltop motorcycles

[Elkinell]

While I don't have any experience with Hillltop or any of their products there was a time a few years ago in a K1600 FB group of which I was a member, when a lot people were raving about this Hilltop remap for the K1600 that was all singing and dancing, did the ironing etc, so a lot more people had their bikes done too. Sooner or later people started dyno- ing their bikes and it all turned out to be a bit of the Emporers new clothes. It wasn't cheap either, think it was about £500 a pop .

[Casbar]

Not sure if anything has improved, but loads of posts on UKGSER a couple of years back, where Hilltop had put their secret "hidden" maps on to 1200s and claimed BMW couldn't find the update. But as above, independent dynoed the bikes and it was all rubbish, nothing there, no improvement. But Hilltop have done other makes, just not sure if they can actually fiddle with the latest ecu of the lc range.

[jesim1]

Here is the dyno from the R1200GS I had, I'm fine with using another company, just exploring peoples experience if they have had a 1250 done??

[Stu]

I have heard the second hand stories of they are bull but I have never heard anyone who has one say a bad word against them!

[Stu]

WHat about these

[Doctor T]

I was going to take my 1200 to Hilltop as people here and at other sites highly recommended them. I looked for a B&B around Hinckley and called Hilltop with my bike and reg to book in. Turns out the PO had the remapping done by them in 2019. Can't comment if there was any improvement as it's been a very long time since ive ridden another 1200. I do have a lot of low down torque but that is what the boxer engines are known for. The power is linear throughout the rev range. Ride to the limiter in each gear and the power may surprise you and others
.

[Casbar]

There is another thread on UKGSER at the moment, some chap in the States had his bike mapped, then had a problem and took it to BMW for a warranty look and they could tell the ECU had been messed with, so they voided his warranty.

But as regards Hilltop, their mapping is hidden and they claim BMW can't find it. How that works when BMW flash the ECU I have no idea. That is where a lot of the bull claims come from, how can you hide software on an ECU which impacts the running of the bike? Also it's all very well looking at a Hilltop Dyno run, but Dyno can be altered. The only way is to get your bike dyno at an independent, then get it mapped and then have it Dyno again and see if there is actually any improvement, that is what people did when they had their bikes mapped at Hilltop and guess what

[Stu]

There is another thread on UKGSER at the moment, some chap in the States had his bike mapped, then had a problem and took it to BMW for a warranty look and they could tell the ECU had been messed with, so they voided his warranty.

But as regards Hilltop, their mapping is hidden and they claim BMW can't find it. How that works when BMW flash the ECU I have no idea. That is where a lot of the bull claims come from, how can you hide software on an ECU which impacts the running of the bike? Also it's all very well looking at a Hilltop Dyno run, but Dyno can be altered. The only way is to get your bike dyno at an independent, then get it mapped and then have it Dyno again and see if there is actually any improvement, that is what people did when they had their bikes mapped at Hilltop and guess what

After reading your first post I went in search for these claims!

I do keep getting conflicting evidence about hilltop and the remap and some people talk sense when it comes to hiding the map!

I am on the fence about it now and I was going to go to hilltop but not sure I want to risk it now

[Casbar]

I think hilltop have done lots of different bikes with success. It just seems to be the LC bikes people have had issues with. I would think they wouldn’t still be in business if all their mapping was bull.

[Stu]

Yes I was thinking the same!

Or could there be a failure rate? Not sure how though as they would still need to dyno it to show the results

[jesim1]

I can't see Hilltop making up dyno charts when they are dynoing your bike, yes, its possible, but also a bit conspiracy theory also I had a bike done by them previously and have no doubt it made a difference straight away as soon as I was on it. I don't know about whether BMW can see the changes they make or not, I guess it would depend on whether they were actually looking for them, most will simply plug your bike in and away they go I'm not overly worried about warranty work, I've had the bike about 10 months and done 1500 miles on it and just had it in for servicing with all being well, I don't know if the warranty is 12 or 24 months, but I would not let it bother me either way.

Just try to see if anyone with a similar engined bike can give me some real world first hand experience of having it mapped

[Doctor T]

Unless a BMW tech is looking deep into the ECU parameters, they wouldn't see any difference from an OE ECU. Hilltop has its own basic mapping for each bike/model and from there they adjust to the customer's requirement. So each bike can have its own personal remap. Every turner has its own basic mapping.
Dynos are checked regularly and have to fall into certain specs. IRC it must be +/ 3% hence why some Dynos may show a different graph.
After years of Trading, HillTop has no reason to falsify its Dynos reading.

[Casbar]

The trouble is, all your assumptions are just assumptions. Do some research around Hilltop and the views on UKGSER and other forums, about their practices. They told everyone that their map was hidden and they were not adjusting the main map at all. Many took their bikes to Hilltop but had them dyno at independent operators, then had the map done at Hilltop and then took the bike back to the independent and found no change. Dynos are calibrated, but a skilled operator can make the dyno give optimistic results by altering parameters. This has come up around the later bikes not older bikes which can be mapped successfully. If you have a LC, get it mapped if you want, people are only giving advice and people can spend their money as they wish. I have had many bike and cars mapped when I was racing, its not the technology in question, its the "hidden map" and the difficulty with mapping the newer ECUs, which may now be resolved. A rival company actually reported them to Trading standards, but it has all died down now.

Last point, if BMW can't tell if someone has accessed their ECU, how did the chap in the states have his warranty voided, because they could tell how many times the ECU has been accessed?