Mastering the Empulse

[Richard230]

Transmissions typically take about a thousand miles, or more, before they "break-in" and shift smoothly.  The transmission on my Yamaha FZ1 was "notchy" for about 10,000 miles, before it finally smoothed out. (Switching to a slightly heavier weight oil and a different brand of oil, seemed to help, in that case.)

[BrammoBrian]

I'm at about 900 miles on my personal bike and I can confirm that the transmission is feeling smoother.  Plus the rider gets "broken-in" as well and instinctively learns how best to ride the bike. 

Here's a quick video of a merge onto the freeway from 1st to 6th gear in Normal mode.  Speed at the end of the merge lane was 80+mph, which should be sufficient to join safely with traffic no matter where you're riding...



Hmmm... couldn't get the video to embed for some reason...

[Brammofan]

It won't embed the short URL.

[Brammofan]

Hmmm - also, I had to take the "s" out of the https.  You learn something new every day.

Great video. Wish I could take a test ride somewhere close by, but I'm not sure the midwest is ready for the electric brammorevolution.

[skuzzle]

Thanks for the videos Brian & BrammoFan.  Please correct me if I'm wrong.  It looked like on the exit you closed the throttle then did multiple down shifts by pulling the clutch, down shift, let out the clutch.  Your throttle hand wasn't doing anything, just leaving it closed.  That's what I've been doing, although not as fast.  Is the sound that we hear the regen kicking in, and not really the clutch spinning up the motor due to the change in gear ratio? 

[oml]

from his other uploads:


i think the best brammo empulse video ive seen this far, very compelling, beautiful scenery and acceptable (or better) driving
much better than most review videos. just stunning.
Brammo should consider buying it from you and make it an uncommented advertisment.

Did you know that gsx750s guy (which had to take out his earplugs after the ride, harhar ) or did you just randomly spot him and decided to follow him?

(sorry for capturing this thread. would post a comment on YT but dont have an account)

did i mention the quite perfectly adjusted camera? i love it.

[BrammoBrian]

Thanks for the videos Brian & BrammoFan.  Please correct me if I'm wrong.  It looked like on the exit you closed the throttle then did multiple down shifts by pulling the clutch, down shift, let out the clutch.  Your throttle hand wasn't doing anything, just leaving it closed.  That's what I've been doing, although not as fast.  Is the sound that we hear the regen kicking in, and not really the clutch spinning up the motor due to the change in gear ratio?

Correct!  I do not "blip" the throttle on the downshifts.  You can manage to make this work if you have really good timing, but I've found there to be no real benefit to it.

Trying to embed once more...



Got it.  Sweet!

[Gavin]

love that video of riding in the countryside at 100 mph...crazy

I assume the gsxr is a friend by the Icon jacket and Icon Stack helmet (same as mine).

Gavin

[BrammoBrian]

love that video of riding in the countryside at 100 mph...crazy

I assume the gsxr is a friend by the Icon jacket and Icon Stack helmet (same as mine).

Gavin

Yes, whomever was riding that bike is crazy!  The GSXR rider is a friend of his, I've heard.  There was also a Yamaha R6 giving chase to the Empulse R. 

[protomech]

I dropped the video on reddit. You might mention it the next time you see your friend.

http://www.reddit.com/r/motorcycles/comments/1ei4rg/brammo_empulse_r_ridden_in_anger_chasing_a_gsxr/

Commenters seem split between "woah there, stay in your lane!" and "seems like a normal everyday ride to me.."

I see the speedometer hit 100+ as advertised. Pretty quickly too.

What limits the Empulse's top speed? I would think a bike with 54 hp could hit 120+ with the right gearing, though extended 120 mph operation will certainly be detrimental to range.

Empulse R is geared currently for 7000 RPM in 6th gear at 120 mph, which is well past the power peak. Adjusting the final drive would reduce 0-60 acceleration, which certainly fits into the "no bueno" camp. Given that many reviewers have suggested fewer gears required for "standard" operation, could a wider ratio gear box have been selected? Or is a close ratio gearbox a better fit, more durable, etc etc?

PS the easy "whom" vs "who" test for this grammar-challenged person is to replace with "he" vs "him" and see what sounds best

[BrammoBrian]

I dropped the video on reddit. You might mention it the next time you see your friend.

http://www.reddit.com/r/motorcycles/comments/1ei4rg/brammo_empulse_r_ridden_in_anger_chasing_a_gsxr/

Commenters seem split between "woah there, stay in your lane!" and "seems like a normal everyday ride to me.."

I see the speedometer hit 100+ as advertised. Pretty quickly too.

What limits the Empulse's top speed? I would think a bike with 54 hp could hit 120+ with the right gearing, though extended 120 mph operation will certainly be detrimental to range.

Empulse R is geared currently for 7000 RPM in 6th gear at 120 mph, which is well past the power peak. Adjusting the final drive would reduce 0-60 acceleration, which certainly fits into the "no bueno" camp. Given that many reviewers have suggested fewer gears required for "standard" operation, could a wider ratio gear box have been selected? Or is a close ratio gearbox a better fit, more durable, etc etc?

PS the easy "whom" vs "who" test for this grammar-challenged person is to replace with "he" vs "him" and see what sounds best

My friend found the comments about his lack of riding skills amusing.  I'll tell him to stay off the streets the next time I see him as he's obviously a danger to himself and others...

Regarding the gearing, the actual top speed with the current gearing is about 108 mph (next video? ).  Yes, you could extend the gearing to achieve a higher top speed while sacrificing acceleration or asking the motor controller to work harder (deliver more current) at low speed to get launched.  A wider ratio gearbox might be a good future improvement. 

[Brammofan]

Thanks for posting that video to reddit, proto. I upvoted you!

[protomech]

My friend found the comments about his lack of riding skills amusing.  I'll tell him to stay off the streets the next time I see him as he's obviously a danger to himself and others...

Bear in mind that /r/motorcycles/ has a share of internet badasses. I've never trained on a track; I would personally be uncomfortable riding that aggressively, particularly using all of the road as your friend does in a couple of spots - but visibility is generally good and your friend isn't a jerk to other road traffic. So.

[kingcharles]

Regarding the gearing, the actual top speed with the current gearing is about 108 mph (next video? ).  Yes, you could extend the gearing to achieve a higher top speed while sacrificing acceleration or asking the motor controller to work harder (deliver more current) at low speed to get launched.  A wider ratio gearbox might be a good future improvement.

Looked like a fun ride, if only the roads where I live would be that quiet!

From looking at the video I think that the rider on that Empulse R would want a bit more power and a little more top speed. I am sure that the rider will make sure his experiences are understood by Brammo development 

Nasty cracks in the road on some of those corners by the way!

[Shinysideup]

Nice vid. Makes me want to move to Oregon.

I don't know WHO that Empulse rider could be... let's see... black and red bike, Rizoma bars, Rizoma turn signals, bar end mirrors (that need tightening!), daypack strapped on the back... just don't know that possibly could be...