Beetle Map/demonic non functioning radio

[Shiffrod]

Hello All,

At least a year ago I attempted to get my MGX21 tuned or mapped to no avail.  I purchased, and waited entirely too long for them to get through customs, the connectors and other hardware to access the ecu.  I found all the forum posts possible from Beetle regarding the programs and files needed to put a new map on the ECU at the time and sent them collectively to a local Tuner I wanted to give my business to.  The Tuner personally contacted Beetle for the additional information he needed to do the work.  Unfortunately, after a couple days of attempts, the Tuner was not able to do the job because he could not decipher the program or find a way to convert the files to the format needed to put the map on the ECU.  Rather than much up the job, he handed me back the hardware and admitted defeat.  I have yet to find someone in my area that can make this happen for me. 

Upon purchasing my MGX21 in october of 2017, I had the dealership core out the stock exhaust and it SCREAMS.  It makes my ears ring through my "custom" ear plugs.  I have put over 12k miles on the bike without the tune/map so its clearly doing alright but I can't help but think I am missing out on getting that last bit of something something that I could be getting out of this machine.

Also, as the subject line suggests, the radio has never ever worked correctly.  The stations constantly spin the dial and whenever the radio does decide to stop on a certain frequency, its never a legitimate station in my area.  It always seems to land on a frequency thats a couple of digits off from the actually station frequency.  For example, a real radio station where I live is 102.1 fm but the dial will stop on 101.9 or 102.5.

Thanks for reading and I hope I can find some solutions here.

Cheers

[Bulldog9]

Hello All,

At least a year ago I attempted to get my MGX21 tuned or mapped to no avail.  I purchased, and waited entirely too long for them to get through customs, the connectors and other hardware to access the ecu.  I found all the forum posts possible from Beetle regarding the programs and files needed to put a new map on the ECU at the time and sent them collectively to a local Tuner I wanted to give my business to.  The Tuner personally contacted Beetle for the additional information he needed to do the work.  Unfortunately, after a couple days of attempts, the Tuner was not able to do the job because he could not decipher the program or find a way to convert the files to the format needed to put the map on the ECU.  Rather than much up the job, he handed me back the hardware and admitted defeat.  I have yet to find someone in my area that can make this happen for me. 

Upon purchasing my MGX21 in october of 2017, I had the dealership core out the stock exhaust and it SCREAMS.  It makes my ears ring through my "custom" ear plugs.  I have put over 12k miles on the bike without the tune/map so its clearly doing alright but I can't help but think I am missing out on getting that last bit of something something that I could be getting out of this machine.

Also, as the subject line suggests, the radio has never ever worked correctly.  The stations constantly spin the dial and whenever the radio does decide to stop on a certain frequency, its never a legitimate station in my area.  It always seems to land on a frequency thats a couple of digits off from the actually station frequency.  For example, a real radio station where I live is 102.1 fm but the dial will stop on 101.9 or 102.5.

Thanks for reading and I hope I can find some solutions here.

Cheers

On your Map, don't waste your time with local tuners, they will likely not be able to help. Best is to go to Griso.org, and reach out to Beetle.  As I understand it, you need Guzzi Diag, and the proper Guzzi Diag reader and writer programs. You will need to download a copy of your map, send it to Beetle, who will modify YOUR map and send back. Then you have to write it to your ECU and reset the system.

On your radio, there are a few things you can do.
1. Go into the system menu accessed through the left hand controls and reset to factory stock.
2. In the settings make sure that the country is set to US

Keep in mind that the radio has HORRIBLE signal reception, and is a waste of time. Most people just stream music from their phone or plug a thumb drive with music into the USB port. It is worthless for charging most high capacity phones anyway.

Have you paired your phone or device to stream music? If so, you need to pair the device to the MGSINK bluetooth radio in the MGX
Have you been able to get the MGMP to work? It is doable, but ALL the modules need to be updated to the latest firmware. Only a dealer can do that. Once you do, or even now, download the MGMP app, and pair the bike to the BTRouter bluetooth radio. That is what the bike uses. Once you do that, you can connect your phone for calls, intercom, etc. It is a wonky system but does all work if you navigate it. Took me 5 months to get it sorted.

I had everything working fine on my bike when I sold it (too big/heavy for my needs) but gave up on the radio due to poor reception.

I've heard the MGX with gutted pipes, too loud, and ratty sounding IMO.  I had Agostini's and ran them with and without the DB reducer. Without was too loud, but there was a NOTICEABLE loss of midrange power and punch. If your running gutted pipes, the bike will run, but you are losing overall performance as well as disturbing the peace 

[Shiffrod]

On your Map, don't waste your time with local tuners, they will likely not be able to help. Best is to go to Griso.org, and reach out to Beetle.  As I understand it, you need Guzzi Diag, and the proper Guzzi Diag reader and writer programs. You will need to download a copy of your map, send it to Beetle, who will modify YOUR map and send back. Then you have to write it to your ECU and reset the system.

On your radio, there are a few things you can do.
1. Go into the system menu accessed through the left hand controls and reset to factory stock.
2. In the settings make sure that the country is set to US

Keep in mind that the radio has HORRIBLE signal reception, and is a waste of time. Most people just stream music from their phone or plug a thumb drive with music into the USB port. It is worthless for charging most high capacity phones anyway.

Have you paired your phone or device to stream music? If so, you need to pair the device to the MGSINK bluetooth radio in the MGX
Have you been able to get the MGMP to work? It is doable, but ALL the modules need to be updated to the latest firmware. Only a dealer can do that. Once you do, or even now, download the MGMP app, and pair the bike to the BTRouter bluetooth radio. That is what the bike uses. Once you do that, you can connect your phone for calls, intercom, etc. It is a wonky system but does all work if you navigate it. Took me 5 months to get it sorted.

I had everything working fine on my bike when I sold it (too big/heavy for my needs) but gave up on the radio due to poor reception.

I've heard the MGX with gutted pipes, too loud, and ratty sounding IMO.  I had Agostini's and ran them with and without the DB reducer. Without was too loud, but there was a NOTICEABLE loss of midrange power and punch. If your running gutted pipes, the bike will run, but you are losing overall performance as well as disturbing the peace 

Thanks for the response,

Will guzzi diag and those other programs work on an android phone? I dont have a laptop and can't wheel the bike into my house to get it close to my desktop.   

Did you notice the drop in performance with the DB killers out or in?  I rather enjoy disturbing the peace but I think my ears might be tired of it.  I had a ten hour ride to Ohio last spring and my head felt funny and my hearing sounded like i was at the bottom of a swimming pool listening to house music.  From what I've been told modern ecus and air sensors can compensate for the exhaust change but engines are tuned very lean at the factory to pass emissions.  Whatever the case, I just want it running as best as I can get it. My dealership said they updated the ecu at my 12k service but I dont think that changed anything about how the bike runs.

I did indeed get my phone tethered to the bike when I first purchased it but after getting bluetooth speakers in my helmet it seemed redundant.  I suppose on a longer trip it would save me some phone battery to connect my helmet speakers to the bike and use a thumb drive.  The fairing speakers are pathetically under powered too.

I never had trouble getting MGMP to work on my bike, though I did hear a customer at my dealership giving them hell about it not working.  I tried to make him feel better by advising him that if he really wanted to love his moto guzzi, then he was just going to have to accept that many things just weren't going to work like the adverts said they would.  He was in a shit mood though so I don't think it helped him find solace lol.  To be honest, I never found that MGMP provided me any information that mattered enough to use it so I haven't bothered with it in years. I just figured I paid over 20k USD after my service plan, tire plan, and loan interest was factored in so I might as well get things that I had been ignoring to work properly.

Thanks for the reply.  Ill take your suggestions and try them out when it stops raining here.

[alanp]

you need an actual computer (desktop or laptop) to do guzzidiag.  if you look at Beetles directions carefully, they are not difficult to follow, you just need to follow them exactly.  If you have questions, ask here first.

As for the computer, I would suggest moving your desktop to the garage or the shade tree, or just buy a cheap laptop with the appropriate software.  The bike cost $1000's, spending a few hundred extra to have a laptop that can access the bikes ECU seems worth it if you don't want to move your existing computer. 

[Shiffrod]

you need an actual computer (desktop or laptop) to do guzzidiag.  if you look at Beetles directions carefully, they are not difficult to follow, you just need to follow them exactly.  If you have questions, ask here first.

As for the computer, I would suggest moving your desktop to the garage or the shade tree, or just buy a cheap laptop with the appropriate software.  The bike cost $1000's, spending a few hundred extra to have a laptop that can access the bikes ECU seems worth it if you don't want to move your existing computer.

No garage.  I'll have to figure out something with my desktop.  I've been laid off since the 2nd week of March so trying to work with what I have.

[Bulldog9]

Yes, noticable drop in midrange throttle response and power.

Glad to hear your MGMP works, you are one of the few.

You will need a laptop for Guzzi Diag, windows ia best from my observations. I would borrow one from a friend or buy a used beater off e-bay.

[alanp]

No garage.  I'll have to figure out something with my desktop.  I've been laid off since the 2nd week of March so trying to work with what I have.

You can do it!  I did, and I know next to nothing about computers/software.  Download the software, read through the step by step instructions in the guzzidiag thread, and ask here if you have questions.  Then proceed...it will take only a few minutes once you are setup and ready. 

[Shiffrod]

Yes, noticable drop in midrange throttle response and power.

Glad to hear your MGMP works, you are one of the few.

You will need a laptop for Guzzi Diag, windows ia best from my observations. I would borrow one from a friend or buy a used beater off e-bay.

HP seems to be alright on my dyno.  I suppose the dip in torque might be what you are describing

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=c0bdf111ee&attid=0.1&permmsgid=msg-f:1596862822856634914&th=16293246df65b222&view=fimg&disp=thd&attbid=ANGjdJ9X5LX1AsngIHHQR83azMhPfAC6M4DgyY4pijBLM4y0S31Qzj9iSNlbkGYMC8gjrCcxIQHMabD9_Rmn8zxEi5JSkJqaNMHTwPAOWKUniWzriEwlrYMEfbEuUms&ats=2524608000000&sz=w1817-h901

[fotoguzzi]

HP seems to be alright on my dyno.  I suppose the dip in torque might be what you are describing

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=c0bdf111ee&attid=0.1&permmsgid=msg-f:1596862822856634914&th=16293246df65b222&view=fimg&disp=thd&attbid=ANGjdJ9X5LX1AsngIHHQR83azMhPfAC6M4DgyY4pijBLM4y0S31Qzj9iSNlbkGYMC8gjrCcxIQHMabD9_Rmn8zxEi5JSkJqaNMHTwPAOWKUniWzriEwlrYMEfbEuUms&ats=2524608000000&sz=w1817-h901

shoulda used a tiny url, then the page wouldn't be so W       I      D       E

[Shiffrod]

shoulda used a tiny url, then the page wouldn't be so W       I      D       E

Sorry, I was just using the "Add image to post" thing.  I'm not really a forum person so I'm not great at using this format.

I neglected to mention that I am only getting pops and the like when running down in 1st gear, which I stopped doing after it happened the first time.  Run down in all other gears sounds fine.

[Bulldog9]

HP seems to be alright on my dyno.  I suppose the dip in torque might be what you are describing

Yes, I'm sure that the open pipes may even give a bump in max HP at top of the rev range, but at the expense of midrange response which is torque.

[oldbike54]

 ;

 Dusty

[oldbike54]

 The "beetle" who posts on Griso Ghetto is the same beetle who posts here , no idea why people think he can't be contacted here .

 Dusty