[Rider2]

I had it on my '15 RT, didn't find it useful for its intended purpose - starting on hills. It took way too much throttle, therefore careful clutch work, to release smoothly without accelerating too fast. So I only used it at lights to fiddle with gloves etc. and deactivated it when I was done.

Didn't have it, and wasn't available as a retrofit, on my '16 GSA. Horrors! It was like every bike I'd ever had before the RT!

Came with my '20 GSA. Wow, it's way improved over the RT. I can still engage/disengage with a quick firm pull on the front brake but now it releases so easily and gently, it's like riding away on level ground - no need to maintain 3000 RPM to get enough power to break it free.

I haven't had the experience of it coming on automagically, but I've only put 1400 miles on it, and it's pretty level around here so I'll have to find a hilly parking lot to experiment on that. I'm particularly concerned about reports of it activating itself when going backward. I've not yet had an issue backing into or out of a parking place, and one I've used a couple of times has a bit of a slope to it (ride in, roll back out). Is it possible that people don't realize that they are in fact activating it and therefore think that it's activating itself?

Update: I found the menu option for HSC. Now I understand why some people report that it comes on by itself although it never happened to me. There are three options; Off, Manual, Auto. Mine was set to Manual. Perhaps I suffer from a lack of imagination but I can't see any situation where having it come on by itself is a good thing.

 

[veldthui]

I use it all the time at lights and use it like you would a car hand brake. It takes a hard squeeze while the bike is stopped to activate it and have never accidentally activated it. I never use it as an actual hill start and manually disengage it before I move off. If you can't start on a hill without it you should not be riding a motorcycle.

 

[*J*G*]

19 R1250GS owner's manual states to firmly squeeze front brake or firmly press rear brake to engage or disengage.
I've inadvertently engaged both on my 16 RT and 19 GS. Performance was sketchy on 16 RT, so far fantastic on 19 GS.

 

[NoelCP]

Came with my '20 GSA. Wow, it's way improved over the RT. I can still engage/disengage with a quick firm pull on the front brake but now it releases so easily and gently, it's like riding away on level ground - no need to maintain 3000 RPM to get enough power to break it free.

Well that's hopeful--is there any reason to believe this improvement in disengaging is limited to the GS line, and not the RT line?

 

[T-foiler]

I went from a 15 to 19 RT
The HH in the 15 required gross usage. The 19 is far more subtle. It sometimes engages with the slightest hill, and the release is barely noticed.

 

[Little-Brit]

I couldn’t agree more. I’ve gone from a 2015 1200RT to a 2019 1250RT, both with hill hold but with the auto function on the 1250. I use the function a lot and find it a really worthwhile feature.

The 1250 is more sophisticated in the way it functions as the brake only holds as firmly as required for the situation thus needing far less conscious effort to get rolling again in most cases.

BUT after riding my new toy for a couple of months I nearly had two disasters within a couple of minutes. I was riding a good way from home to a race circuit, Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire - a famously flat county however near the circuit it has got some serious inclines. I was filtering slowly past stationary traffic queuing to get in and had to pause occasionally for the odd vehicle coming the other way. Twice the hill hold caught me out as it had applied automatically and I only avoided embarrassing crashes by the skin of my teeth.

The auto function is now disabled and I would recommend anyone else to do likewise. This aspect of hill hold is a step to far in my opinion. The manual bit works perfectly but the auto function is just a trap waiting to snare you!

 

[casbar]

The Hill Hold is a lot better than it was on my 14 R1200. On my 1250 I have taken it off auto, so if I want it I activate it manually. Easy

 

[MileHiRyder]

The Hill Hold is a lot better than it was on my 14 R1200. On my 1250 I have taken it off auto, so if I want it I activate it manually. Easy

Other than the auto function, how is it better than the 14?

 

[james216]

BMW - lol, renowned for solving problems that dont exist....eg iABS, Servo assisted solution......

Agreed. Worst ABS ever. Great example. The classic example of a solution looking for a problem

 

[casbar]

Other than the auto function, how is it better than the 14?

You don't seem to need as many revs. I used to be always reving it and worrying about stalling the bike when pulling away. The Hill Hold on my 1250 releases very easily and its not an issue pulling away.

 

[Little-Brit]

I agree with Casbar, it is easier to pull away in auto mode than the original version on the 1200 MOST of the time. But it can really catch you out on a steep incline.

My analysis is that the bike is applying the brakes only enough to hold the bike on the gradient it is on. Most of the time that is fairly slight therefore low brake pressure and little effort to get over when taking off. On a steep incline the brakes hang on for dear life and take some getting over when pulling away hence my near embarrassment in Lincolnshire in post above!

 

[LuckyRT]

As far as I'm concerned it's a solution in search of a problem. Yeah. I would be handy in certain situations but I've never needed it yet (as in I never had a bike so equipped) in 35 years of riding.

I love the Hill Hold function on my 1250RT. I thought I wasn't going to use it, but I've learnt it comes in handy for a variety of situations . . . . I wish it was on my S1000RR. It's one of the sweetest new feature I've come across in 45 years of riding.

 

[McWideglide]

I do not use the H H function very often. I don't have the need. The first time I did try it on my 16 RT was a fairly steep incline. At a traffic light, no one behind me. Went to take off and stalled the bike. The unnerving part was the engine stall cancelled the H H feature and the bike started rolling backwards before I knew it. Near panic mode trying to figure out what just transpired I stopped the bike , regrouped and left the intersection without disaster. I think the side stand cancels the H H too.
Because I always forget to look, does anyone know if the brake lamp is illuminated while the H H is engaged?

 

[92merc]

Nope. There is a circle on the dash with an H in it. Number 10 below.

 

[dleasman]

Does anyone know if the brake lamp is illuminated while the H H is engaged?

Yes, the brake light is on when hill start assist us engaged.

On mine, you have to squeeze the front brake pretty hard to get it to turn on, so it would be difficult for it to be on by accident.

Also, the rear brake does not engage or disengage it, only the front brake.

Other model years may behave differently, bit the above is how it works on my 2014.

I use the feature sometimes, but typically shut it off before starting. I use it when stopped, but need my right hand, though I would typically just use the rear brake. If the feature was not there, I would not miss it. I cannot think of a single case where I would say, "I sure am glad it has a parking brake!"

 

[LuckyRT]

• Getting to my garage door involves a slight uphill path. I use the Hill Hold while I get to my remote-control door opener ~ it's especially great to have HH when I'm with a pillion.
• Some traffic lights take ages to change . . . when riding with a pillion (or even solo), its great to take a break by using a Hill Hold . . . . . I don't live/ride on a pancake; we got hills here.
  
• The Hill Hold is also useful when the pillion wants to get off the bike . . . . I can focus on stabilizing the handlebars without worrying about the brake.

 

[bandytales]

I use the function a lot. However, on my 1200, I always disengage it manually. It is an easy habit to get into. Just another hard pull of the brake lever the release as you would for a normal pull away.
Oddly enough, I use it more when I am 2 up than solo.

 

[Beemer Dood]

I've used mine several times with no issues. The first time it came on I stalled the bike because I didn't realize that I had activated it. Then I went back and read the manual (what a concept ‒ RTFM). Now I usually just flick it off before I pull away. As another member has alluded to, the manual is your friend.

Note the last line ‒ "To switch off Hill Start Control, pull brake lever 1 again."

 

[NoelCP]

I've used mine several times with no issues. The first time it came on I stalled the bike because I didn't realize that I had activated it. Then I went back and read the manual (what a concept ‒ RTFM). Now I usually just flick it off before I pull away. As another member has alluded to, the manual is your friend.

Are they saying the amount of holding pressure can be controlled by the user, or are they saying the system automatically senses the amount of brake pressure to be applied for a given activation so is not under the control of the user? It must be the latter but I suppose one might argue there is a range of levels of brake lever squeeze to get HS to activate, and pulls on the more extreme end of that range result in greater holding pressure, so in this instance the user does have control.

 

[dleasman]

The amount of pressure it takes to activate it would send you over the bars, of the bike were moving. You really have to squeeze hard.

Adjustable? Not that I know of, except for the 4 positions of the lever adjustment itself.