GPS Swap – From a Garmin Navigator 5 to a Zumo XT

GPS Swap – From a Garmin Navigator 5 to a Zumo XT

So I decided to get rid of the Navigator 5, which I was using on both bikes. Slow, crashing easy, terrible screen in bright daylight, prone to lead you astray at a minutes notice, and just hard to work with. So I decided to try a Garmin Zumo XT, which is the newest iteration of motorcycle GPS from Garmin.

The XT has a very nice, super-bright screen, which works very good in day / sun light. It looks like the OS has been revamped completely. Evidently it is running an Android OS. Fine with me, as long as it works.

The old Nav 5 was sitting on a OEM Nav mount that came installed on the R1200 GSA as well as the S1000 XR. However, the mount on the XR was not lockable, so re-did the entire mount (basically a new mount including the lock cylinder. I also had to build out the mount enough with spacers behind the mount in order to clear the left side windshield bracket. But I digress.

In order to power the new XT and use it on the original mount as the Nav 5, I went ahead and ordered a conversion plate, 3D printed by a company called Adapter 3D Motorrad, based in Italy. This adapter sits between the original back plate and the XT mounting plate. Since I am using the original mount, the GPS is also locked when in place. They were kind enough to send me an additional lock lever since I was using it on two bikes.

Adapter:

This is the original Nav backplate, with the adapter mounted. The GPS sits on the front square adapter. The GPS will sit a bit off the back plate compared to the original, which is not a big deal. 

Fit right in there. I’ll do a better write-up when I have used it for a while.

 

BMW S1000 XR Brentune Stage 1-3 flash

BMW S1000 XR Brentune Stage 1-3 flash

Went ahead and pushed up stage 1-3 Brentune flash for my S1000 XR. This something I had been wanting to do for a while. Wow, big difference in every way. More torque, horsepower, smoother quick shift, and a lot more. You load down your original ECU flash down to the handheld, send it to Brentune Moto, and they send back a modified file that is pushed to the bike, again, using the handheld. Good stuff.

Stage 1:

  • Full exhaust flap control for valved exhausts
  • Full recalculation of the ASC torque control for straight line and cornering performance
  • Per-cylinder fuel tuning designed around aftermarket exhaust systems
  • Remapped throttle angles for increased power through the entire RPM range
  • Better power on all fuels leading to higher trap/lap times in testing
  • Smoother idle speeds and fueling for full exhaust
  • Fully recalibrated UP and DOWN shifts for faster quick shifter timing (30% faster over Stage 2)
  • Better cooling and engine prevention in staging lanes idling for drag strip or circuit
  • Early fan-on for better cooling
  • More aggressive and stronger launch control with no launch limit
  • Each cylinder tuned individually for maximum power and reliability
  • Recalibrated knock control to rule out “false knock” caused by engine vibration
  • Recalibrated torque control for all traction control modes (sport, race, slick)
  • Adjustable tire size and TC/ABS per customer request
  • Full AlphaN fueling conversion
  • Secondary air control (block off plate not needed)
  • Transmission gear box limiters raised
  • Factory exhaust control over exhaust valves for more power and better sound
  • Recalibrated intake air temp and coolant temp compensation tables for max performance in all weather conditions
  • Raised load torque limits for additional power
  • Air mass, idle, part/full throttle and Lambda correction maps for all exhausts
  • Ignition mapping optimized for more power
  • Removed 80% WOT (wide open throttle) limiter
  • Adjusted torque model to align with new power of bike and limiter removal
  • Shorter up and downshift dead times for maximum driveability and acceleration
  • Ignition/fuel calculation for maximum performance and response for almost all fuels and race gas

That’s a lot of changes and improvements. and you can certainly feel it when riding. Should have done this long time ago.