So guys I generally leave my bike in race mode. The last few rides ive been using SPORT for pretty much most of the ride, perhaps a flick up to race at some point for comparison. Just been out for an hour tonight, again in SPORT. All is great, bike is still fast, and throttle response is really smooth, stops me wheelieing too so I find I can be faster/smoother in sport mode on certain roads. After 30 mins of riding, and nearly running out of fuel I thought it was time for some fuckery, so on went RACE mode. Riding full leathered here so well equipped, looking and feeling like an absolute daddy of motorcycling putting modesty aside. I can definitely say that RACE mode is a whole different bike. Power wheelies in 4th no trouble, savage acceleration which can run you wide if exiting a corner at too high rpm, but all the more exciting. In SPORT mode it kind of reminds me of my old GSXR1000 K6 which was smooth and fast, but RACE mode just demonstrates how the 1299 is totally savage in comparison. I guess most of you have experienced this already, but for those who haven't.....give it a go and enjoy. Absolutely incredible the way it propels you and lofts the front wheel in almost every gear. Destroyed my right knee slider tonight so feeling proud of myself.
I use mostly sport on my 899. I just find the 'medium' throttle response more manageable on the road. Don't get me wrong, race mode does get your heart racing, but on the tight, twisty, gravel/mud/shit covered roads here in Suffolk/Norfolk, the snatchier throttle response in race mode can make it a little hairy coming out of tight corners and a pain in the arse through slow moving traffic.
I think it's smoother in race mode. In traffic and when the bike gets hot the throttle gets inconsistent in medium. It sometimes gets wooly. Also its easier to blip on downshifts in high. I have mine in sport set to EBC 1 TC 4 ABS 1 I have race mode as EBC2 TC 3 ABS 1
I have noticed that no two rides are the same on the 899. I remember when I first got it I changed the engine setting in sport mode to high, as like you, the medium throttle was jerkier than high. But yesterday I thought I'd change it back and give it another go and it was lovely and smooth.
I think engine temp has a lot to do with it and also riding in traffic. With the EBC and all the other stuff it's got a lot to think about so riding in heavy traffic maybe confuses it slightly I do prefer it with reduced interventions though. Even though the TC light doesn't flash in certain it's doing something and I'm sure in ABS 2 it applies the back brake for you as if you trail brake it tends to want to stand the bike up where as in 1 it rides like a normal bike
It would be interesting to have a little 'Gran Turismo' style screen in which you could see in real time what was being used by the ECU and when. Although that would be far too distracting
I only have a 959, but have changed the throttle setting in Sport the same as Race... So throttle/engine response is the same, with slightly more ABS/Traction.
Try it in Wet mode. The response is dreadful, but perfect for what it was intended. Big thunderstorm shortly after getting off the boat in Santander yesterday. Greasy roundabouts. Supercorsas. Nice...
Just to follow up what I said, I live in a small village in Suffolk and use a lot of back roads/narrow country lanes and they are all so bumpy, pot hole ridden and there's all sorts of crap on them. The light throttle coupled with the high engine mode means it's very easy for a bump to inadvertently alter my throttle position. Been riding for 9 years and feel like I have good throttle control, and on lovely smooth roads (few and far between round here) high engine mode is indeed smoother and much more exciting, but I personally find the medium much easier to manage
All these 1299 modes are perfect I find. With some bikes you choose one mode for the life of the bike.
Mine's permanently used in Race mode, except when noise testing when it goes to Wet mode Watch some of the other settings in race (i.e. TC is reduced), or try playing with them. With the engine breaking turned off it's like riding a two stroke again (be careful).
I had a read through the manual the other day and he's right the rear brake is applied slightly with the front if abs is in 2 or 3. It also has "anti flip" unless it's in abs 1, that's why people behind me were saying the brake light was coming on when I'm clutching up wheelies. My 1199 is now on abs 1
I have mine in abs 1 in no the sport and race Had a play around the other day and settings I've chosen are TC 5 in sport and EBC 2 engine medium Race is TC 4 EBC 3 and engine high
