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Nemesis - TCS

 

Motorcycle traction control system.
Welcome to our all-new Traction Control System, Nemesis-TCS. For several years now a professional and well-developed traction control system for motorbikes has only been available to those with larger budgets or a top-level superbike team behind them. All of this has now changed ! Using knowledge gained while working at the highest levels of bike sport we have created a programmable aftermarket 'plug n play' Traction Control System with fully developed TC maps.


All you need to do is plug it in and ride.

  • ​Compatible with standard and aftermarket ECU systems, and every Ducati, in fact any 2-cylinder bike can use this system.

  • Intelligent control with nine levels as well as TC-Off. All available from the handlebar mounted push buttons.

  • Rider display showing the Traction Control level and bar graph showing real-time TC activity.

  • Adjustment for wheel size and trigger tooth quantity. But we provide documentation of this for most popular wheel / rim sizes.

  • Intelligent slip correction response using one or more of the following to keep your bike in line.

    • Variable ignition retard provides a soft progressive reaction to modulate power.

    • Soft cut using only 1 cylinder.

    • Soft Cut + Ignition retard

    • Pulsed irregular Cut cycle to provide a longer tyre recovery time without loss of forward momentum

 

  • Internal sensors are able to determine if the bike is at mid corner or at any point during the acceleration out of the corner, vital for applying the correct slip control

  • Unique wheelie detection strategies and 'virtual front wheel speed' makes Traction Control possible even with the front wheel in the air.

  • Quick Shifter input with retard and cut strategies

  • Pit lane speed limiter using soft cut technology

  • Installation hardware kit as well as 'plug n play' wiring for each bike model.

  • Minimal user programming required via USB interface as we provide slip maps that have all been track tested for club or professional use.

  • Integrates with existing bike CAN bus systems where necessary.

  • Built in diagnostics continually monitor all internal and external system functions and sensors and will notify the rider via the TC-Pod display of any problem

 

How does traction control work on a motorcycle?
Acceleration from mid corner fully banked over through to powering out on full throttle requires completely different tyre slip levels - Fact. The image below is a slip map for a set of 848 race tyres. As you can clearly see, at mid corner when the bike is not accelerating the slip control needs to be kept at a low level (bottom left of graph), with gradual increase in slip over a predefined slope as the bike powers out of the corner. These slip maps are different for each tyre type and profile, which is why we provide them for you based on our research.

 

Recent Shop Photos

 

Schedule Appointment

 

Why do I need 9 maps?
These slip profiles change during wet conditions (although not as much as you would imagine) and also when the tyre wears. There is also the rider factor, different lean angles give a different rolling radius comparison from front to rear which again affects this slip profile. Hence we build in 9 maps.

Why does Traction Control make me faster?

Professional riders are able to exploit the optimum grip from their rear tyre using a great deal of skill and experience, they are also able to push the limit of the slip curve with the underlying confidence that if they push it too far, their abilities will help them to recover it. This can however go wrong even in the hands of professionals and the resulting ‘highsides’ are never pleasant.A well set up motorcycle traction control system allows all levels of rider to push these limits with more confidence knowing that the electronics are there to back them up.

 

Just how quick can it react, and will I feel it?

 

Look at the slip response image-2 below and you will see an event where the wheel slips rapidly, jumping from 0.8% up to 3.5%, this resulted in a rapid response from the Nemesis-TCS as the Slip_index rapidly changes from a low level power modulation (slip index 1>4) to a soft cut at level 5 which immediately stopped the slide. All within .079 of a second and the rider hardly felt it. The other more severe responses from 6>16 were not required.The fundamental concept of Traction Control is ‘control’ it would be very easy to cut the ignition as soon as the slip exceeds the desired ‘slip curve', but it would be horrible to ride. We begin the control using ignition retard to progressively modulate the power around a slip map, if there are any sudden slips which require a greater reaction then we have a host of other system reactions to deal with it and put the power back down without loss of forward drive.

 

View the images below to help you understand:​​​​​​​​​​

 

Wheelies
What is ‘Virtual front speed’ ?
Unlike cars, bikes pull wheelies and when this happens the front wheel speed can no longer be trusted for evaluating slip. 
The Nemesis-TCS uses internal sensors and clever ‘real time’ mathematics to identify the start of a wheelie and then use other sensors to create a whole new ‘virtual front speed’ as a comparator of slip all the time the normal front wheel is in the air. 
The end of a wheelie is also clearly identified by these sensors and the front wheel is then re-used for slip calculation once it has fully caught up with normal road speed again. View the image below to help you understand this.

Alternative Systems
Beware of cheap imitations!
Before spending any money on a traction control system you need to know that it is designed to fit your bike and that it really can offer you the level of control you are looking for. Any system that lets you down or only works under specific circumstances is of no use, and you will quickly learn not to depend on it.
Why not ask our competitors these questions:

 

  • Does your system correct slip at differing levels for corners as well as each stage of acceleration?

  • Can it retain control with a bike that is pulling a wheelie out of a corner?

  • Can it cope with a ‘wind up’ slide where the engine accelerates at a normal rate but the back gradually slips out?

  • Is it able to retard the ignition for progressive power modulation, or only cut?

  • Can it do soft or pulsed ignition cut?

  • Does it come with a wiring loom specifically designed for your bike?

  • Does it come with a hardware fitting kit and robust sensors specifically designed for your bike?

  • Does it have a rider display showing slip correction, map level and diagnostics?

  • Can you change the maps or turn it off at the touch of a button, or do you need to turn a rotary switch that is hard to do with gloves on?

  • Does it have a quick shifter input?

  • Does it have a pit lane limiter?

  • Can it react fast enough to retain control when the surface grip changes, such as white lines.

  • Can it read the engine data over CAN from the standard ECU.

  • And has the manufacturer actually worked with pro-superbike teams to understand what is necessary to make fast reliable motorcycle traction control system, or has it been adapted from a car system?

 

Quick shifter
Quick shift input
Quick shift technology is a fundamental part of the traction control system. Most systems on the market are able to cut the coils. But what is missing from these is the ability to re-apply the power after the shift in a progressive way. This kind of control is normally only found on professional superbike electronics but we have built this into the Nemesis-TCS system.
Primarily the user is able to choose a cut time as with any other system, but after the cut the user can choose to retard the ignition by a programmable amount and then ramp back the retard over a programmable period until full power is restored.

 

Why is this necessary?

Quick shifters work by reducing the engine power sufficiently so all of the backlash in the transmission is reversed, this short period when the engine is not driving the back wheels takes the pressure of the gearbox internals and permits the shift. But when the power comes back on the engine very rapidly takes up this backlash in the forward direction, the revs rise and are suddenly halted when all backlash is taken up. This abrupt shock is carried through to the back wheel via the chain and can initiate a slide. By making a power reduction using ignition retard after the shift this initial shock is reduced and power is re-applied in a more gradual and controlled way. Although the slide would be caught by the TCS anyway it makes no sense create unnecessary work or correction, when all you really want is a smooth and controlled acceleration out of the corner.

 

 

Do I have to use the ignition retard?No, you can choose any of the following:

​

  • Cut only

  • Retard only

  • Cut + retard ramp

  • Retard + retard ramp

 

What quick shifter hardware can I use?

The system is triggered by the input signal being pulled to ground, so any switch type system is able to do this including our own products listed below. For users who wish to use alternative powered systems we have provided a 12v feed on the 3-way shifter connector.

 

The rider's view

No ordinary day at work… 

As a fan of all electronic systems of a modern racing motorcycle I was full of anticipation when the offer came to test the Nemesis Traction Control System (TCS) on my 848 with 1098 engine. I really didn’t know what to expect since my only previous experience of Traction Control was from riding Ducati 1198S on the road and Multistrada 1200 on some gravel road. I had no experience of TCS when ridden in ‘anger’ on a racetrack. 

 

The conditions for my first experience were perfect, dry track and we had it pretty much to ourselves. We started the day on level 9 setting with quite a lot of intervention from the TCS, this way I got the idea of how things felt once the ignition cut began. I was soon surprised how smooth everything felt. Not at all the ‘rev-limiter feel’ that I was expecting. The TCS works with both retard and cut of the ignition but the only thing that I felt was when the cutting took place.

 

However, the setting was on the strong side so after two laps gathering data I went back to the pits. After some adjustments I was told to use level 7 and it was time to test again.

 

This time the ride felt much better, less intervention but I was regularly reminded that the TCS was there to make sure things didn’t get out of hand. I was amazed how quickly my confidence was building up to start make some, in my world, aggressive throttle openings. I did some more laps to get the feel and data, and then I was back to the pits for some more adjustment. 

 

Now things were getting really exciting and I was using level 5. Only able to feel the cut on one part of the track, this was a setting that made me feel really good and relaxed. Just laughing to myself and enjoying my ride.

 

For me this really adds a new dimension to my track days. I can honestly say that I feel much more secure on the bike and am able to relax more even if my lap time was over two seconds faster than my previous best. 

 

But it’s not all about lap times. I often hear guys not wanting to take their bike to the track because they are afraid to crash. A TCS will help everyone to feel more secure. A TCS won’t stop you out brake yourself etc. But it will be hard for you to crash on your way out of a corner.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

 

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