So Dyno 101 begins...
Let me apologize in advance if my replies from this point forward are a bit delayed. Our infield display with BMW Motorrad USA at Moto GP Indy was important enough to put my entire company on hold for a while, so I am playing catch up like a madman, and surely will be for a while.
First off, let me begin by saying that all dyno tests are subjective and a vast array of variables come into play to obtain accurate readings… add to this the fact that no two dynos read the exactly the same with daily weather (especially humidity) having a dramatic effect on outcome, and you can see how the dyno game can get quite tricky. I little background on Brock: my first experience dyno testing was on a Superflow engine dyno with Ray Bellucci in Chicago in the early 1990’s and I have had constant rear wheel dyno access since about 1995. I was American Suzuki supported from 1997 to 2004 to drag race sportbikes-based machines. In addition, I was the 2000 AMA/Prostar 750 Superbike National Champion, and I was the first person in the world to break into the sevens in the quarter mile on a street legal motorcycle – a 1997 1570cc Nitrous Oxide injected Suzuki Bandit, of all things. I have set over 25 national performance records myself, and my customers and sponsored racers have set/currently hold many more. I have been a crew chief for some of the highest profile names in motorcycle drag racing… most recently would be 9 time AMA national champion, Rickey Gadson, who won his ninth championship last year in a stock-based class called SuperSport riding a Monster Energy ZX-14 built by my satellite team Quantum Motorsports, to my specifications, and tuned by me personally. Rickey currently holds the ET record in the class at an 8.90, and the MPH record is held by the 2008 champion, Keith Dennis, on a GSX-R1000 at 165 MPH (both in the ¼). Keith’s bike was also built by Quantum Motorsports, and tuned by me.
Oh, that’s right… you guys don’t drag race. In 2010, I am supporting (and dyno tuned) the A Superstock championship winning machine of Tim Hunt of the Hooter’s WERA Suzuki team. (I also designed the exhaust used to win the championship.)
NEWS RELEASE: BROCK'S PERFORMANCE-EQUIPPED TIM HUNT WINS WERA SUPERSTOCK NATIONAL TITLE
I also dyno tuned Nate Kern’s BST-clad S 1000 RR in his 4 regional championship leading CCS leading effort, and have developed a great relationship with Jeremy Toye and his BMW of San Diego/ Roadracingworld.com team as a result of Jeremy’s love of our BST wheels with ceramic bearings. Glad that’s out of the way, and very nice to meet you.
My current dyno facility here at Brock’s Performance is housed at a former state emissions testing facility, and I am quite confident that our supply/ventilation system, testing means, and calibration are all of the highest standards available (check the run notes comparing our independent weather data as a reference compared to the dynos self measured data from its weather ‘stack’). This is the way we do business, I quite literally stake my company and personal name on this… on a daily basis. Before I agreed to perform the S 1000 RR vs. GSX-R1000 dyno comparison for Super Streetbike Magazine, in order to check test validity, I used the stock S 1000 RR to gauge for accuracy on my in-house dyno (less than 1 year old Model 250I Dynojet in our state of the art, semi-climate controlled room sealed and ‘employee friendly’ vs. no climate control open to atmosphere) and then rolled it 30 feet away to my friend, Dyno Bob’s, mobile dyno (15 year old model 150 Dynojet in a trailer with swing out vendor doors/windows, open to atmosphere) within minutes.
You can tell from the dyno chart that I ended up with a mess! Our tests were within minutes, same altitude and weather conditions with a TWELVE HORSEPOWER variance?! FYI: You can see in the run notes that Bob’s dyno clock was not set correctly. Our race teams had been reporting consistent readings in the low 180 to 184 HP range from multiple dynos in various regions of the country. Now, TO BE CLEAR… racers/Internet bench racers, who want the conversation to be IN THEIR FAVOR, and most businesses and marketers quote STD numbers, because they read HIGHER than SAE numbers (usually @ 3-5 HP higher in this range). Magazines typically quote SAE. The general standard for speaking dyno language is STD because no one wants to quote smaller numbers. Think penis size… it’s just not what guys do.
So which was correct? My brand new state of the art $100K dyno/room at 171 RWHP on BMW’s new killer… or Dyno Bob’s 15 year old model 150 running a DOS based system and a 386 processor?! You guessed it… my new dyno had a problem with the hardware stack, and was calculating incorrectly from the base readings, even though the pressure was not alarmingly off and the humidity was within reason for an indoor (concrete floor warehouse) vs. an outdoor test.
After a sending the stack to Montana for repairs, I was able to perform the test video for Super Streetbike Magazine with confidence, and will stand by my results 100% (and so will the editor, Dave Sonsky.)
BMW S 1000 RR vs. GSX-R1000 Video Test Comparison for Super Street Magazine:
YouTube - BMW S 1000 RR vs GSX-R1000 Dyno Comparison
I also posted the dyno charts, compared to a stock 2009 GSX-R1000 as a reference, to prove my dyno isn't "happy":
And lastly… OF COURSE, adding an exhaust ALONE will not make your new BMW make over 200 RWHP. The stock exhaust works too well for this -- unlike a Busa, ZX-14 or GSX-R1000 ;( I did not and never will say such a thing; although I will admit that some Dyno's WOULD register such readings… mine would not.
I will say, that if you add all of the bolt-on items that I suggest (exhaust, map, oil, gas, and several other items,) exactly as I suggest, then your bike can, and will, break 200 RWHP on my dyno without ever touching the engine. Here is some proof:
I have been beating the hell out of the bike all year, and just tested it again last Tuesday… still made 203 HP, four months and 180 drag strip miles later.
I hope this helps.
Brock
Brock's Performance Products
