Product Description
***CLICK HERE TO VIEW OUR OWN DEVICE INSTRUCTIONS,
PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE PURCHASE AND UNDERSTAND FULLY***
**PLEASE NOTE THAT POWER AND DERESTRICTION ADVANTAGES WITH OUR FLASH ARE GREATER ON THE 17+ K1600 THAN THE 13-16 K1600**
BUILT ON THE FOUNDATION OF OUR ALREADY POPULAR STAGE 1 K1600 MAPPING, STAGE 2 GOES A STEP FURTHER.
WHAT’S INCLUDED IN STAGE 2? (To see Stage 1 benefits scroll down)
- More power
- Goes beyond just removing restrictions
- Fueling
- Ignition advance
- Lower fan-on temp
- Torque tables
- EGT tables
- Aftermarket exhaust mapping
HOW DO WE ACCOMPLISH THIS WITH STAGE 2?
- Extensive research and development has allowed us to make more power with this platform. Not only are we making more power but we are also revising ECU tables to make the bike safer and more reliable for those long trips where having issues isn’t an option.
- Stage 1 was derestricting the K1600. Stage 2 is optimized for best performance at all times without sacrificing reliability or rideability. We left no stone unturned in our Stage 2 development and spent hours, days, and months to perfect Stage 2 with our R&D.
- The air/fuel ratio has been carefully measured in testing with the other changes we’ve made optimizes your K1600 for peak performance and reliability.
- The K1600 has multiple ignition maps (timing maps). The point to this is to ensure your bike runs at peak performance and reliablity, even when bad fuel is present. Bad fuel would be defined as a fuel that has lower than advertised octane, old fuel that’s been sitting in the bike that has now going bad, or a forgetful user that just pumped incorrect octane fuel at the gas station. With our extensive R&D process we’ve been able to optimize each ignition map to not only add more power to your K1600, but also make sure that if bad fuel is present, the motorcycle will still maintain it’s reliability.
- In an effort to cool the engine down more, we have lowered the temperature in which the radiator fans come on. This keeps your bike cooler and more consistent with power.
- Torque limit tables in dynamic mode have all been raised to give you maximum performance.
- We changed the EGT (exhaust gas temperatures) tables for maximum performance. Expect large increases in low-end and mid-range throttle response through 100% direct throttle opening in dynamic mode.
- After testing, we have mapping available for aftermarket exhaust systems. We support the stock system, of course, as well as Remus and Akrapovic Systems.
***”Iron Butt” bikes on trips with questionable fueling on stock exhaust systems, please use Stage 1 (INCLUDED WITH YOUR STAGE 2 PURCHASE)***
STAGE 2 DYNO RESULTS (13-16 BIKES WILL SEE A SMALLER GAIN)
Gain 10whp and 7wtq over our already robust Stage 1 flash. Stage 2 is designed for 93 octane but will run just fine with 91 octane.
(ALL STAGE 1 FEATURES ARE INCLUDED IN STAGE 2)
The BrenTuning Moto Stage 1 Flash is the single best modification you can do to the motorcycle! After months of testing we have had successfully calibrated our in-house test bike, a 2018 K1600B Grand America. This calibration will work for all B/GA/GT/GTL bikes as the ECU’s are the same with minor differences between them.
WHY IS THIS THE BEST UPGRADE YOU CAN BUY?
The biggest complaints from owners revolved around the pitiful throttle response and of course, the terribly restrictive top speed limiter. First we baselined the motorcycle in 100% stock ECU form, the motorcycle we used for testing has around 8,000 miles and was well broken in. In stock configuration we found all the talk of poor throttle was spot on. The power also flattened out and the motor was very rich and under-timed.
With or without custom mapping, we all know the BMW K1600 is a wonderful bike that’s amazing for touring! We also know it isn’t perfect. Issues that we’ve verified ourselves and what customers have reported include the following:
- Bad throttle response
- Top speed limiter
- Under-timed engine that may feel lazy when power is needed
- Mapping only good for one kind of fuel
WHAT DID WE DO ABOUT THIS?
After months of testing we have had successfully calibrated our in-house test bike. This calibration will work for all B/GA/GT/GTL bikes as the ECU’s are the same with minor difference between them. We have also tested our mapping on the road while logging all parameters of the bike to ensure reliability and consistency. So what did we change?
- Improved throttle response! Throttle tables maximized to provide a snappier and more responsive throttle.
- Top speed limiter removed. We tested our own K1600 all the way to 170 MPH on our in-house dyno (NOT EVER RECOMMENDED ON THE ROAD).
- HP gains of +18HP with a climbing HP curve from 5000RPM to redline – we did this by modifying the throttle which is stuck at a 75% max opening in factory configuration; with light changes to ignition timing and torque, along with other tables that have proven to work great in the BMW tuning world. (17+ model power estimates)
- Ignition advanced with safety in mind – there are multiple ignition maps for the K1600. We have altered these maps to give you maximum power. We also have safety built in. If your bike detects a lower octane fuel or fuel that may be bad out of the pump, our mapping will pull power out of the bike until it gets quality fuel.
- With our handheld tuner we can configure and maximize mapping for any kind of fuel with the ability to go back to your stock mapping if you need to go to the dealer for servicing or warranty issues.
**All riding modes still work as designed and all will have the throttle improvements that we have implemented. Dynamic mode will still be what you want to use for maximum performance and power.**
DYNO TESTING (13-16 BIKES WILL SEE A SMALLER GAIN)
**All in-house testing performed with 93 octane pump gas. Usage of a lower octane will yield smaller power gains.**
Customer Testimonials
THE BRENTUNING MOTO HANDHELD TUNER
WHAT IS A HANDHELD TUNER AND WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF HAVING ONE?
Thoroughly tested by our own engineers, not just for its function but also durability. We purposefully dropped this thing about 100 times just to make sure if you accidentally dropped it, it would still be a usable device.
So why buy it when you can just send in your ECU for flashing and spend less? Let’s see the breakdown.
NO DOWNTIME – No need to send in your ECU or remove it from your bike at all. You order the handheld, it get’s delivered to you, you flash your bike. You never miss a day of riding and no effort removing the ECU.
STORE MULTIPLE MAPS – When you send in your ECU, you only get one map. You might be thinking, “why would I need more than one map?”. Storing multiple maps means you’re able to flash for different fuels. If you’re a serious track competitor, we can work with you to get you different mapping for different tracks. If, for example, you’re add an exhaust to your stock bike, we can email you a file that takes the new exhaust into account with the changes you need to optimize your bike’s new modifications.
GO BACK TO STOCK ANYTIME – Not only can you store multiple race maps, you can also flash the original, stock file back into the bike at any time and for any reason.
Charlie Garalis –
First let me say I know this a long article and in the day of “memes” odds of anyone but the most serious will take the time to read it all. But that’s OK, that’s who I’m addressing. BUT, if you want to “cut to the chase” scroll down to the “Summary” section.
Why?
Well, if that isn’t the first and probably best question. See, I had a 2015 BMW K1600 GTL. When I traded it in it had 55K miles that I logged in 3 years. The bike was simply a rocket ship. I’m not a high end top speed type rider. Sure I’ll “do the ton” (>100mph) from time to time. But it’s fairly rare. What makes me giggle is a great handling bike that will JUMP when I say go. I purchased the BMW Grand America (2018) without taking a test ride. I know, silly boy. But it was the SAME engine that I had just rode for the past 3 years. The bike had not hit the showroom floor yet but after falling in love with it during the motorcycle show I had to have one. On delivery day, before I even left the showroom floor, I knew something wasn’t quite right. I was able to tell the throttle response that I so loved was gone gone gone. After many calls, visits to the shop, emails to every email address I could find I learned that the response was taken away in favor of passing the European emission standards. Well, dang! Hey, I don’t live in Europe how about giving us State side a “free pass”? No such luck. So, that’s my motivation to find a “fix”.
Booster Plug
Someone told me about a product that would cure all my ills. It’s the “Booster Plug”. It simply “fools” the bike into thinking it’s colder outside than it really is. So, the fuel adjustment was to make up the difference and I would be a happy camper once again. Well, WRONG! IMHO it did absolutely NOTHING. Now I know some people think it’s the “Bees Knees”. I think it’s closer to Snake Oil. So, the search for cure went on.
ECU Tuning
I found many conversations around “tuning”. This is a process that they remap/reprogram your bike’s brain. Knowing that the engine in my 2018 was the SAME engine that was in my 2015 I knew the power was lurking in there someplace. But not only was there nobody (that I could find) that was tuning the K1600 it was quite frankly pretty scary. Even if your child isn’t perfect, do you just send her in for brain surgery in hopes of an improvement at some level? I mean, your kid may be ugly as sin, but you still love it. Right? You can love an ugly kid. So, although I felt like I had an ugly baby, it was MY ugly baby. But still, getting beat off the line by a Gold Wing was still quite embarrassing. I mean, I “saved face” by saying I’ll get him by the time we get to 2rd gear… but DAMN IT! On my 2015 all they ever saw was my bouncing top box within a fraction of a second of seeing the light turn green.
They did it!
Next thing I know someone in our Grand America Facebook Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/144735996199684/) said he just dropped his bike off at Bren
Tuning for a lobotomy. WAIT WHAT??? What are they going to do? How are they going to do it? How long is it going take? AND HOW LONG BEFORE YOU CAN TELL US IF IT WORKED? Next thing I know the initial post op reports were all positive. Not only did the patient survive the surgery she came out feeling like a whole new person (I mean bike). Then they posted a video showing that pesky top speed limiter was gone. Now it only shuts down at redline; which of course is something you would always want. And the scouting reports said the throttle response was incredible.
Do it Yourself!
Next, I learned from the good folks at Bren Tuning, not only could the surgery be done as an “outpatient” basis I could do the lobotomy myself and just ship them the brain. So, I had a heart to heart with my girl. Told her it looks like she may be like the “Scarecrow” in the Wizard of Oz and be without a brain for a short time. But when we get your brain back you will be the smartest kid on the block. She reluctantly agreed because deep inside she really wanted to run as fast as her older cousins. It took all of about 15mins to yank out her guts and stuff them in a box for shipping to Bren Tuning.
The Wait is Over
The big day finally arrived. The reprogrammed brain arrived as promised. It took even less time to install it than it did to take it out. Of course, I didn’t even put the Tupperware back on before I punch the starter button. When I first twisted the throttle I was a bit concerned. The RPMs still weren’t just jumping off the page. So, of course, I made sure nothing was dangling around too much and I took her for a spin around the block. Before I hit second gear I knew that WE HAD A CURE!!! That throttle response from my 2015 was back! OH and the ride modes actually are meaningful! “Rain” is well basically how the bike felt before “tuning”. “Dynamic” is a rocket-ship and “Road” is somewhere in the middle. Exactly the way it is supposed to me. I put the Tupperware back on and took it for a second confirmation spin. WOO HOO!! I have fell in love with the bike all over again.
Concerns
OK, so to address the elephant in the room. Ya, I am a little concerned about how modifying the ECU could impact the warranty. Right wrong or indifferent here’s my view. These engines are pretty solid. The tuning isn’t doing anything crazy. In fact, it is VERY conservative. The tuning didn’t do anything more than what came stock on the K1600 just a few years ago. Now, I suppose if you asked for more, they could do it. But then I would agree you are risking breaking something. But what kind of risk is there if you aren’t doing anything more than what the manufacturer was doing before they had to comply with emission regulations? Could it all go to Hell in a handbasket? I suppose, but I rode the stink out of my last K with no issues and I have logged 15K on this bike. And I think that’s pretty much the norm for most owners. The icing on the cake is that, from what I understand, the changes made are invisible to BMW. One other downside; if the shop hooks her up to the BMW mothership and reflashes the ECU, well your tuning is erased and you will have to ship it back to Bren Tuning to be redone. They will, as you would expect, cut you a break on pricing to get it redone. But, it’s not free and you are without your bike (again) while the reprogramming happens. So, best thing you can do is tell the shop NOT to re-flash you bike. Tell them you like the way it rides and don’t want any updates. They should do as you asked.
To Summarize it all
If you are happy with the performance of your bike, then don’t do it. But, if you have a newer K1600 GT/GTL/B/GA and you aren’t so happy with the “dumbed down” throttle response well you have an option. If you have a newer bike and you don’t know what I’m talking about I urge you to take a “older” K out for a ride. Find a 2014 or a 2015 and take it for a spin around the block one time. I’m not saying you will necessarily like it better. Many are very happy with the lower throttle response. It is smoother and a lot less “jumpy” (which probably means the same thing). For me I miss having to fix a dislocated shoulder after every green light and my tires are lasting way too long. With this update I have the machine I thought I ordered a year ago. Which makes me a very happy rider.