V2 MotoAmerica Race Bike Build

Mo' problems:

• Downshift / Auto blip didn't work.
  • To fix this, I needed to input the correct sprocket combination and tire diameter(s) in to their respective parameters on Mecal.
  • I tried a lot of stuff before doing this. None of this software Mecal stuff is inutive -- in my opinion. Mecal / Mectronics is World level stuff, and not some dumb "plug and play" thing like Dyno Jet or Bazzaz. If you're trying to do this alone, you will likely suffer.
  • I had help from Chloe, at Unical Racing. I believe she is the head data person for M4 racing, and is the real deal. She offers consulting services for not only Mecal / Mectronik, but also a wide array of other racing softwares and data management. I cannot recommend her enough. Her email is: [email protected]. She is absolutely awesome. (No, no kickbacks to me for posting this.)
  • She has a consultant working for her, Michael, and he and I are going to spend some time reviewing my system at next race.

• Oil Pressure sensor doesn't "work."
  • First, I was sent the wrong wire connector to connect the harness to the OEM oil pressure sensor. (Grr.)
  • Upon getting the right one, I've hooked it up, and it still doesn't seem to be working. In the software you need to go in and change the Calibration setting from "Racing Sensor" (the default setting, at least in mine), to "OEM sensor." I think. I've done this, and the system is working. My bike shuts down when I start it, because it's "sensing" low oil pressure. But it doesn't have low oil pressure. I'm sure of it.
  • So I think the problem may be with the OEM sensor -- which is supposed to work. I think maybe this new radiator / oil cooler combination may be changing the flow of oil in to the pressure sensor and thus making it think that it's not under pressure.
  • If anyone has any input on this, let me know. Otherwise, I'll be doing a consulting session on this soon. A buddy of mine is also building a V2, and he's about to start his. So we'll see if it's something unique to just my bike...
  • EDIT to this: that can't be right. The bike ran fine, and did not have a low oil pressure light, or cut off, when I had this radiator on with the OEM electronics.

Kev242 said:

CVMA will let the V2 run with the MA ECU in middleweight and I assume ASRA will as well but haven’t read their 2025 rule book yet.

Click to expand...

Here's the Panam Rules, with Next Gen. If you haven't raced with them, I recommend it. Very organized, friendly staff, easy and quick registration -- even the day off.

Kev242 said:

Thanks man....need to move to the South to take advantage of that series. Good to see the adoption of those rules taking root everywhere.

Patiently waiting for the '25 V2 to come out, my dealer wants to build me a current V2, had a 959 and still have a 1098R, like the bike but the more modern Pani's are so much roomier. Love my V4 but it is really just a power trip, which is intoxicating, but not improving my amateur skills. Want a bike that has way less emphasis on power and fits into middleweight race categories, don't need the guy on the R6 in 16th place protesting my 15th spot! : )

Click to expand...

Haha. No problem. I'm not "big" on the big bikes, either. Even the V2, in full form, was a handful for me. I'm much more enjoying this tuned-down version.

Well, depends on what your "purpose" is. If you're just going to do club, I wouldn't bother with a next gen build V2. Yes, maybe wait for the new V2, as it may be allowed in the supersport (600) classes, without modification. (It will be about 25-30hp less than the current V2 955 -- I think.). But then, of course, you start getting in to the R9 and RC8 categories, which, I'd assume will be much cheaper. The R9, at $12.5k, is simply going to take over supersport, in my opinion. How can you beat that? I think it's going to be, well.. the new R6... haha.

Kev242 said:

Considered going down the dark path of GSXR's, R9, RC8 but like the Ducati brand and support at my dealer. Purpose is fun and legal to compete in amateur club racing. Will have a chance to ride a full MA V2 build out in Chuckwalla in December so holding my decision until then and see how the new V2 fairs against the NextGen hardware.

Click to expand...

Sounds like a plan. Honestly, my next gen just works so much better than OEM. There's just so much more "stuff" do deal with on the OEM. It's hard to tune and lots of stuff to go wrong.

If I'm not broke or in jail, I will be at Chuck in December, also. Hit me up with a PM, if you'd like to meet up. I can show you my set up.

Forewarned said:

I've raced against the RC8C with my 959 and they are pretty even. The 959 pulls on it a little down the straight but not as much as I thought I would. I was hoping to pull it like a liter bike pulls on me.

Click to expand...

Sorry, I meant the KTM 990 RC R

JBJR said:

Mo' problems:

• Downshift / Auto blip didn't work.
  • To fix this, I needed to input the correct sprocket combination and tire diameter(s) in to their respective parameters on Mecal.
  • I tried a lot of stuff before doing this. None of this software Mecal stuff is inutive -- in my opinion. Mecal / Mectronics is World level stuff, and not some dumb "plug and play" thing like Dyno Jet or Bazzaz. If you're trying to do this alone, you will likely suffer.
  • I had help from Chloe, at Unical Racing. I believe she is the head data person for M4 racing, and is the real deal. She offers consulting services for not only Mecal / Mectronik, but also a wide array of other racing softwares and data management. I cannot recommend her enough. Her email is: [email protected]. She is absolutely awesome. (No, no kickbacks to me for posting this.)
  • She has a consultant working for her, Michael, and he and I are going to spend some time reviewing my system at next race.

• Oil Pressure sensor doesn't "work."
  • First, I was sent the wrong wire connector to connect the harness to the OEM oil pressure sensor. (Grr.)
  • Upon getting the right one, I've hooked it up, and it still doesn't seem to be working. In the software you need to go in and change the Calibration setting from "Racing Sensor" (the default setting, at least in mine), to "OEM sensor." I think. I've done this, and the system is working. My bike shuts down when I start it, because it's "sensing" low oil pressure. But it doesn't have low oil pressure. I'm sure of it.
  • So I think the problem may be with the OEM sensor -- which is supposed to work. I think maybe this new radiator / oil cooler combination may be changing the flow of oil in to the pressure sensor and thus making it think that it's not under pressure.
  • If anyone has any input on this, let me know. Otherwise, I'll be doing a consulting session on this soon. A buddy of mine is also building a V2, and he's about to start his. So we'll see if it's something unique to just my bike...
  • EDIT to this: that can't be right. The bike ran fine, and did not have a low oil pressure light, or cut off, when I had this radiator on with the OEM electronics.

Click to expand...

The OEM oil pressure sensor needed to be configured in the "Calibration" settings. See screenshot below. It's working now (it seems...):

Calibration, ECU IO Summarize and in the Pull Up box tick the AN1 box, save and send/flash to the ECU.

Added a Yoyodyne slipper. I tested it on the street, and it's working.

I've had a few Yoyodynes and love them. However, this is my first one set up to for a hydraulic master. So it has an unusual feel on the lever, when it's slipping. Namely. the clutch lever releases back slowly. Will take some getting used to.

Also put in a race air filter (finally...).

On the H20 radiator, there's a "secondary" over flow nipple, coming of the side of the fill neck. We weren't sure what this was for -- perhaps for stacking a secondary radiator -- so we capped it off.

Similarly, on the H20 manifold, there was a hole / port that were weren't sure what it was for, either. So we also plugged that with a bolt and crush washer The bike ran, and cooled fine with it in this state.

However, upon reviewing some photos of pro teams' builds, I realized that they had re-plumbed the "old" oil heat exchanger line from this "second" radiator neck overflow nipple to the manifold. I'm assuming that it just circulates coolant back in to the cooling system; acting as an overflow. When I put this back in, only coolant came out of the plugged hole, and not oil, so this seems to be right.

Somebody tell me is that's totally wrong, but a friend doing a build also did it to his, and it seems to be the right move.

Future builders are hopefully smarter than me, and picked up on this right away, but, if not, hopefully this helps!

I'm still learning this thing, I guess!

I took off this fiberglass shroud that comes with the H20 radiator. This came as a recommendation from a buddy doing a similar build. The shroud is supposed to help channel air in to the radiator, thus making better / more efficient cooling, but from looking at it removed, I'd assume this air flow increase is marginal, if not negligible.

It's a total pain in the ..., even with trimming, to fit your bodywork with it on. With it gone, the bodywork goes on way easier now. Great improvement. If I overheat, I'll let you know!

I realized that upon my initial build, I installed the wheel sensor in a manner in which it was rubbing and was cut a bit. I think by the rotor, but it could have been the tire.

Anyway, I got a new one and routed it differently. There's a few ways to do it, but I chose to do like the pic below: "behind" the fork.

Whatever way you do it, just make sure it's not rubbing! And also has enough slack to "move" with the articulation of the forks.

cu260r6 said:

How much of a temp drop have you noticed with the full H20 radiator? I ordered their supplementary radiator and larger oil cooler only and hoping that will net at lest 15 degrees.

Click to expand...

Well, considering that it was getting up to the mid 230s (Fahrenheit) with the OEM cooling set up... I'd say about a 45-50 degree drop, lol. No .....