If the display didnt tell you what full power mode you were in

[GS TRV]

would you be able to tell the difference??

I must be a bit insenstive or else just riding on the road means you never get the chance to really check the performance/power delivery consistently but I honestly could say that if the display was blanked out Id wouldnt be able to tell the difference between SPORT,RACE or SLICK.

Is it just me??

Trev

[DrIoannis]

Not so easy between Sport and Race but really easy between Slick and any other mode...

[1000RR]

I run on the street in race mode and have tried sport. But taking off from a stop just feels "mushy" to me. Doesn't get up and go. That was the big difference I noticed. The throttle is less sensitive to 'blips' due to bumps too. So if you're hand isn't steady, the bike can get a little more jerky in race and slick. Again, it has to do with the little delay (my interpretation of being "mushy") in the throttle in sport mode.

[YELLOPER1L]

I think so. I usually ride to work in Sport mode unless it's a particularly nice day when I'd use Race. I do use Rain if it's raining. I might struggle on the street to tell the difference between Race and Slick but not the other three modes.

[R35 GTR]

I stay in Slick mode, everything else doesn't let you have fun lol. The wheelie and traction control kick in to soon in anything else. Couldn't really tell the difference between sport and race but race to slick is noticeable. I mainly feel the electronics difference from mode to mode.

[Slicky]

I think there is a distinct difference between sport and race. I don't use rain and haven't ventured to slick but have the plug in.

[Spd_Dmn]

I keep it in Race unless it's wet out, in which case I use Rain. The dulled throttle response in Street was more for me learning the bike and I haven't used it since.

IMHO, those who use any other mode than Rain when it's wet are throwing money in the toilet. The allowance for slippage is lower becuase it's not as recoverable when the tire really spins up. And the same goes for those who leave it in Slick. Why not just order the non ABS/DTC version. Race tires have the traction to be able to maintain a slide controllably, but others do not. The only time I switch to Slick is when I turn off the DTC to play with wheelies so I get the instant throttle response.

Reminds me of the old thread from Pure Awesome when he high-sided because he out-rode his ability and his DTC was non-functional.

If you've got the skills, go ahead and ride around in slick the whole time, but you wasted your money buying a bike with ABS/DTC.

[d40]

Originally Posted by Spd_Dmn

I keep it in Race...And the same goes for those who leave it in Slick. Why not just order the non ABS/DTC version....If you've got the skills, go ahead and ride around in slick the whole time, but you wasted your money buying a bike with ABS/DTC.

Because if you choose to ride Slick on the street, a little electronic assistance is still better than none, or having an R1 or Gixxer for that matter and having neither the chance to let it help nor the choice to use it. I usually keep it in Race mode, but IMO, the few extra feet of rope that Slick mode provides over Race is insignificant in a normal street application. If you wipe out in Slick, you probably would have wiped out in Race as well. The notable differences between Race and Slick modes are as follows:

* ABS does not operate when only foot brake is used
* No rear wheel lift detection
* Wheelies allowed up to a lean angle of 23 degrees and for up to 5 seconds
* Full power with an aggressive and instant throttle response.


On the street with a sportbike, who uses the rear brake by itself for normal or panic stops, and how many stops on the street require rear wheel lift detection? The anti wheelie kicks in a little earlier in Race, but I find that the system needs to be cut off completely to do real good ones anyway. As far as the delay before DTC intervention is concerned, it's most pronounced between Sport and Race; the threshold between Race and Slick is really not that large if at all.

In other words, if a person is riding around in Race mode on the street, then Slick mode is not that much further a leap besides the slightly more aggressive throttle response that some claim to not notice anyway...IMO of course

[SliderR1]

Originally Posted by 1000RR

I run on the street in race mode and have tried sport. But taking off from a stop just feels "mushy" to me. Doesn't get up and go. That was the big difference I noticed. The throttle is less sensitive to 'blips' due to bumps too. So if you're hand isn't steady, the bike can get a little more jerky in race and slick. Again, it has to do with the little delay (my interpretation of being "mushy") in the throttle in sport mode.

I agree with this completely.

[legzr1]

9000 miles on mine now covering everything from boring 75 mile commutes to trackdays and everything between.

Rain and Slick modes are extremes and are easy to tell apart (one makes the bike feel castrated and frustrating,the other...well ).

Sport and Race however - it's weird.

Sport seems to bolster the low revs (tickover - 4500rpm) then it goes flat and makes a ZX10 feel well endowed with midrange (not quite but you get the idea) then takes off at the top end.

Race gives much quicker throttle response and can make maintaining a steady speed a little awkward - want to sit at 75mph with the traffic?Tough!You'll have to do between 71 and 79 and hope it averages out!

In Race mode the motor seems to rev out better from 5000rpm upwards compared to Sport.

No definite figures here but Sport Mode seems more economical too - in Race,I do my commute then fill up everyday - takes between £12 and £13 quids worth to top up.

In Sport however,exactly the same journey (to within 0.5 mile) and £10 fills the tank.

Not something I worry about (my last bike was a Duc 1198S - refils every 75 miles!!!) but worth noting if fuel economy is important.

Something else I've noticed which isn't exactly scientific but the engines 'sounds' a lot smoother in Sport Mode too - In Race it sounds harsh


So,I reckon I can tell the difference without looking