2010 RT and Booster Plug

[168217]

I ride with a group of RT riders and they all swear the Booster Plug works as advertised, better starts, acceleration etc. My RT does not surge and seems to start and accellerate fine. Does this work and should I consider a purchase? Most of the guys have free flow canisters installed.

[jduke]

I've had one on my last 2 oilheads and my current hexhead.
I noticed improvement at the off-idle, parking lot type throttle control.
Well worth the $65 I paid. I don't know if I would pay the $150 for a BoosterPlug.

Accelerator, $65 USD:
http://www.sol2.be/Performance/ENG/Home/index.html

ReCyclizer, about the same:
http://www.novitech.nl/abouteng.html

[PeterV]

I also have one also. I was having clutch stalling problems. Now very few. For me it was worth the cost.

[ckbowen]

My guess is that if we were sitting down over a beer and I asked why you purchased an (expensive) BMW over other brands you would allude to the German engineering. Or maybe the attention to detail and thought process behind the design of the motorcycle. BMW spends countless dollars on all of the above. If there was a simple plug (circuit board) that would improve the overall performance of the bike they would be using it. (Or at the very least selling it.) Spend the $$$ on farkels that will improve your riding comfort / enjoyment.

[32232]

My guess is that if we were sitting down over a beer and I asked why you purchased an (expensive) BMW over other brands you would allude to the German engineering. Or maybe the attention to detail and thought process behind the design of the motorcycle. BMW spends countless dollars on all of the above. If there was a simple plug (circuit board) that would improve the overall performance of the bike they would be using it. (Or at the very least selling it.) Spend the $$$ on farkels that will improve your riding comfort / enjoyment.

That's all very true, but the OEM BMW tune has to meet EPA emission standards, so will always compromise to the lean side of what will run well. Surging was a significant problem with several BMW models, notably many of the R1150's. I had an R1150R that was miserable to ride at a constant throttle setting. An aftermarket FI chip was a massive improvement on BMW's idea of the correct FI settings. BMW admitted as much when they went to the twin spark head to help cure the surging problem, while still meeting emission requirements.

The aftermarket tuning setups enrich the fuel mixture to a point the bike will run smoother, but may not meet the EPA requirements. It is possible to improve on the OEM fuel map at the expense of meeting emission requirements.

That's something the OEMs cannot afford to do.

[jduke]

+1

[deilenberger]

The Booster plug only is effective when the O2 sensors are being ignored by the ECU. It doesn't richen mixture if the sensors are in closed-loop mode. As such - it primarily is working when the bike is accelerating. Most people I know who have one claim to feel either no change, or a slightly smoother acceleration at low engine speed.

There was an interesting test done with a GS911 on another forum - where the GS911 looked at what the ambient air temp sensor thought the air temperature was with and without the booster plug. At (from memory) 64F - the sensor accurately reflected the ambient temps with the Booster Plug out of circuit. With the BP in circuit - I seem to recall a 22 degree F lower reading (around 42F).. meaning the ECU would call for a richer mixture when out of closed-loop operation.

Could it work? Sure, if you feel you need smoother low RPM operation. Will it effect emissions? Sure. A lot? Probably not.

When I first got my R12R - I always was afraid to stall the engine at very low RPMs. Finally got used to it - and found it really doesn't want to stall at all, it's got lots of grunt, and doing low speed takeoffs is just a matter of trusting the bike to do what it's designed to do. I probably would have considered a BoosterPlug when I was uncertain of the bike - now I wouildn't bother.

This is really a case where YMMV.

[RoboRider]

I'm not familiar with the booster plug, but instead with the type that do eliminate the O2 sensor function or completely replace the CPU entirely and are hence not "street legal". But I do agree that I'm pretty happy with the performance of my R12 stock. If I needed more, I'd go to a K.

[RoboRider]

That's all very true, but the OEM BMW tune has to meet EPA emission standards,

The aftermarket tuning setups enrich the fuel mixture to a point the bike will run smoother, but may not meet the EPA requirements.

Hit the nail on the head. Just like cars, if you modify the fuel map and airflow, you can improve the power and function of the engine noticeably. It will no longer be "smog legal" and it will run richer and the MGP will likely drop as well. The manufacturer knows how to do this, but they are tied to the emissions laws.

It is sort of like saying that BMW engineering is the best, and if a better more comfortable seat could be made, they'd be doing it. Clearly, they are not, and aftermarket seat sales are strong.

The statement that a circuit board will make any difference shows an ignorance of modern engines. The computer controls all on a modern engine: the timing, the fuel injectors, etc. When you add this circuit board, you are changing the fuel map, timing, etc. That's a lot.

This all being said, mine is stock and runs great.

[Roger 04 RT]

My guess is that if we were sitting down over a beer and I asked why you purchased an (expensive) BMW over other brands you would allude to the German engineering. Or maybe the attention to detail and thought process behind the design of the motorcycle. BMW spends countless dollars on all of the above. If there was a simple plug (circuit board) that would improve the overall performance of the bike they would be using it. (Or at the very least selling it.) Spend the $$$ on farkels that will improve your riding comfort / enjoyment.

Hi to everyone over on this side of the Garage. I own an R1150RT 2004 so post mostly over in Oilheads. That said, I think there's a lot of truth in what you say about the high quality design of the BMW and Motronic. Many aftermarket solultions for fuel enrichment reduce the role of the good Motronic design.

I have a BoosterPlug installed. It is a well made product that tells the Motronic the air is 20C colder than actual, leading the Motronic to increase its fueling point by 6% ... before any other Motronic corrections are applied (e.g. cold engine, air pressure, O2correction).

After much study and testing of my 'RT (Fuel Trim and O2 Sensor), two things stand out:

1. The Motronic spends about 50% of the time in Closed Loop, including during some phases of acceleration.

2. The Motronic is like most every other ECU (including automotive Motronics) in that it "learns" about the fueling requirements of the bike in Closed Loop and then applies what it learns to Open Loop fueling. (Unless you reset the Motronic and disconnect the O2 sensor permanently.)

The significance of point (2.) is that the Motronic will learn that it must reduce the increase of the BoosterPlug during Closed Loop and then over the longer term apply that knowledge to Open Loop--reversing the effect of the BP. If you believe that the BMW motorcycle Motronic is a special case that doesn't apply Closed Loop learning to Open Loop operation or you have disconnected your O2 sensor, you could reach a different conclusion.

So why do I have the BoosterPlug? Because I have used a Wideband O2 to reduce Closed Loop AFR from stock 14.7 to 14.2:1 (3% richer) and the BoosterPlug gives the Motronic a better starting point. I have the BP installed directly in the intake airflow.

I think BoosterPlug is one of the better aftermarket fueling add-ons because it interferes the least with the Motronic operation and leaves the O2 sensor connected and functioning together with the Motronic.

[jkbales]

I tried one on my 2010 RT, could detect no difference in performance or mileage over 1,100 miles. I expected to see something at low RPM, roll on and roll off, but didn't. I disconnected it and again, found no noticeable difference. YMMV.

[tonk]

This is an interesting thread to me, because one of the reasons I bought a BMW is that I expected it to run well out of the box. It did. No surging, no coughing, no complaints.

[RTinger]

I tried one on my 2010 RT, could detect no difference in performance or mileage over 1,100 miles. I expected to see something at low RPM, roll on and roll off, but didn't. I disconnected it and again, found no noticeable difference. YMMV.

You must have connected it to your saddle bags.

More likely, if you run booster and don't notice the difference maybe you are riding a Harley; have you looked at the label on the bike?

[Alfred02]

You must have connected it to your saddle bags.

More likely, if you run booster and don't notice the difference maybe you are riding a Harley; have you looked at the label on the bike?

Well, a lot of us must be idiots then.
I purchased a BP for my previous 04 1150RT and never got around installing it before it got traded in for a 05 1200RT.

I contacted the maker who insured me that it was the same for both bikes. After installation, I checked it with the GS911 (which showed the temperature difference), proven it to work as showing lower temperature.

Well, I can't tell dick of a differences and will be pulling it out the next time I take the fairing off on both sides.

No point having it there, unless it's an improvement. Now it's just an added failure point.

[pipestone]

Sole dealer in U.S.A....I think

Looks interesting to me..

http://www.cyclopsadventuresports.co...id=126&opt=240