Introduction

The high technology field produces hundreds of products each year. Some are more useful than others but all try to appeal to the technophile in each of us. Occasionally, a product comes out that not only appeals to our aesthetics but is also very useful as well. The Veypor is one such product. It offers a variety of features that not only replaces and improves some of the functionality on your bike, but also adds useful tools to measure bike performance and improve riding skills.



This review was done with the Veypor mounted on a 1997 Honda CBR 600 F3. However, much of it will be applicable to just about any bike. It is also important to note that this unit was loaned to me for evaluation purposes and will be returned to the manufacturer. Therefore, some of the installation procedures described are different from what the manufacturer suggests. These will be noted as such in this review. Many people made this review possible. Though it would be impossible to list everyone (CBRWorld.net as such a big site ), I'd like to acknowedge Nonlinear Engineering,the CBRWorld.net Moderation team, and Keigwins@TheTrack, Ryan Ball (my studly model) for the opportunity to test this product and for their help and support. Also a huge thanks to Mrs. abadfish and abadguppy for giving me the time to play with this product.

Installation

Installation was relatively straight-forward. It is strongly suggested to have your bike’s service manual at hand, as you will need to remove various parts of the bike to access to certain things. A wiring schematic may be helpful as well and can save you much headache.

This installation was done with standard hand tools and did not require any special tools. The Veypor took approximately 1 ½ hours to install. It didn’t require extensive mechanical or electrical knowledge but you should be comfortable taking your bike apart and working with electrical wiring. If not, then I suggest you get the Veypor installed professionally. The complete installation process occurs in essentially 4 steps:
- mount the Veypor unit
- route the wiring harness
- install the RPM sensor
- install the wheel sensor
The RPM and wheels sensors are optional, but needed in order to utilize all of the Veypor’s features.

The Veypor package includes:
- Veypor unit
- user manual
- RAM mount
- wiring harness
- splice connectors
- cable ties
- 1/4" magnets
- super glue
- AC power supply
- PC serial cable

Mounting the Veypor Unit

This part of the installation was relatively simple. You just need to mount the unit where it is visible to your periphery and doesn’t interfere with the safe operation of your bike.

The Veypor unit comes with a RAM mount made by NPI technologies (www.ram-mount.com). These universal mounts have become very popular with bikers for mounting other gadgets such as radar detectors and GPS receivers. The RAM mount makes it easy to remove the unit when you park the bike or move the unit from one bike to another.



The Veypor comes with some hose clamps to secure the RAM mount. A nice touch added by the manufacturer is that it also comes with a rubber strip to place under the hose clamp, to protect any finished surfaces. Here is a pic of the RAM mount mounted to the left fork, just below the triple tree.

Routing the Wiring Harness

To mount the wiring harness, you’ll likely need to remove some fairings, the seat, and the gas tank. Routing the wires can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. The only caveat stated in the user manual is that you mount the wires away from heat sources and electromagnetic fields (e.g. spark plugs). But you also need to leave enough slack on the harness so that the Veypor unit itself can be rotated 360 degrees in all directions (this is needed to do the accelerometer calibration).

The user manual states to mount the power cables directly to the positive and negative posts of the battery. Because my installation was not a permanent one, I followed the manual’s procedure. But this may not be ideal for those doing a permanent installation. The Veypor does not have a power switch. It automatically turns on when the unit is plugged into the wiring harness and remains on until it is unplugged. This could drain your battery over time. Instead, consider using a power line that is active only when the ignition key is turned on. This requires another splice connector or some soldering.

In the middle of the wiring harness is a small junction box. This doesn’t take up much space but does need to be placed somewhere out of the way. If you already have some other aftermarket electronics installed (e.g. speedometer recalibrator, alarm system, etc), it may get a little crowded inside your bike.

Installing the RPM Sensor

Some Veypor features need to measure the bike’s RPMs. The RPM sensor can be mounted in one of two ways: a connection to the ignition coils or a connection to the tachometer signal (requires a digital tachometer signal).

I wasn’t sure if my tachometer line is a digital signal or not (I believe it is), so I opted for the connection to the ignition coils. Because the ignition coils for my bike sit below the airbox, removal of the airbox was required. The wiring schematic was helpful here, as it removed the guesswork as to which wire was the input to the coil from the ignition control unit. Once this wire was found, it was a simple splice using a splice connector provided in the package.

Installing the Wheel Sensor

Like the previous step, this step is also optional, but allows use of the many features, such as speed determination, horsepower computations, etc. The installation can go on either wheel but the rear is recommended so that measurements can still be made if the front wheel goes up in the air (for some “unexplained reason” ) This procedure occurs in two parts, mounting the wheel sensor itself and mounting a magnet on some part of the wheel.

The purpose of the wheel sensor is to detect each time the wheel rotates. This is done by mounting a magnet to the wheel and an electromagnetic sensor to detect that magnetic field each time the wheel rotates.

A small 1/4" magnet is mounted to the rear wheel. The manufacturer suggests using the rear sprocket as a mounting location. For those of you with aftermarket aluminum sprockets, this will pose a problem because a magnet won’t stick to aluminum. In these cases, you can use the Super Glue included in the package to secure the magnet.

Because my installation was not going to be permanent, I chose not to do it this way. Instead, I took advantage of the fact that the sprocket nuts were steel and put the magnet on one of those nuts. I then secured it further with some duct tape. The magnet has a red dot sticker on it. This corresponds to a red dot on the wheel sensor. The intent here is to have the red dots facing each other when the installation is complete.



The wheel sensor needs to be installed inside the swingarm such that the sensor and the magnet on the sprocket come within 0.8” (2 cm) of each other. The Super Glue is also used to secure the sensor and wiring. Again, I did not use this method of mounting. Instead, I opted for an even less elegant solution of just duct taping it to the inside of the swingarm.

For the recreational rider and commuter, the Super Glue solution will suffice. But it may not be ideal for you racers and avid track riders. As you’re often swapping wheels, sprocket sizes, and suspension settings, you’ll also be mounting and remounting both the magnets and wheel sensors quite often as the wheel’s position (in relation to the swingarm) changes. The Super Glue solution will definitely cause extra wear and tear on this part of the wiring harness. Duct tape or zip ties may be more practical even if they’re not pretty.

Nonlinear Engineering recognizes that the Super Glue solution is not ideal. They are currently prototyping and testing other solutions.

Configuration

Once installation is complete, the Veypor unit must be configured. Selecting the Configuration menu will take you through a series of setup screens where you’ll need to enter some pertinent information about you and your bike. Some of these setting are fairly trivial such as display units (imperial vs metric), various display settings, etc. I won’t go into any further detail about them. But other system configuration settings are crucial to the functionality of the Veypor and an incorrect value will produce erroneous results.

Vehicle and rider weight - The user manual defers to your vehicle’s user or service manual. However, this is usually a dry weight and the Veypor requires a wet weight. If you have a scale that can read 300 pounds or so, you could put each wheel on that scale and add the two together for a wet weight. For the rider’s weight, you also need to account for any riding gear. Errors in these weights will affect the horsepower and torque data that is computed.

RPM multiplier - The RPM sensor may not see every revolution of the engine depending on the method of installation used (e.g. digital tachometer vs ignition coil). So you may need to set this in order for the RPMs to be reported correctly. If so, this will likely be a trial-and-error process using your stock tachometer as a guide. My bike needed a multiplier of 6 (which the manufacturer has told me actually means doing no multiplication). Like stock speedometers, stock tachometers come with a built-in error. So don’t be surprised if your tachometer and the Veypor give slightly different RPM readings.

Wheel Circumference - This number is necessary to calculate your speed. Although it could be computed mathematically, its best to measure it since there is variation due to differences in tire manufacturers and even tire wear as the tires get used. I measured mine by putting a string around the circumference of my tire and then measuring the length of the string.

Accelerometer Calibration - In order for the Veypor to give accurate results, the internal accelerometers need to be calibrated. Though this process is not difficult, it may take a few attempts to get this done properly. This will require you to rotate the Veypor unit 360 degrees in several directions. So make sure you’ve left enough slack in the wiring harness to account for such movement. Since I learned this lesson the hard way, I’ve also found that this calibration can be performed off the bike and using the AC power supply to give power to the unit.

Gear Ratios Set - This step is required so that the Veypor can properly determine what gear you are in. This calibration is done by holding each gear at a steady RPM (3500) for 3 seconds and pressing a button to record the ratio of your speed to the RPMs. The manual states that some resistance on the rear wheel is required for this calibration to be accurate. So you can’t simply put the rear on a stand and do the calibration. Just be careful doing this on a public road! Its quite easy to get focused on the Veypor and not pay attention to the real world.

Once the configuration is complete, you won’t have to do it again…unless you use the Veypor on more than one bike. Though the Veypor is packaged with the RAM mount for easy transfer from one bike to another, you’ll have to redo some parts of the configuration (assuming the bikes are different) such as the Vehicle and rider weight, Wheel Circumference, and Gear Ratios Set. You may also have to adjust the Shift Light Setting, Velocity Maximum, and RPM multiplier depending on the bike.

Note that if you change certain configuration settings, other configuration settings are automatically reset. For example, changing the Wheel Circumference would then require recalibrating the Gear Ratios Set. This makes sense because speed measurement is dependent on wheels size and gear determination is based strictly on the ratio of speed and RPMs. But I’ve also found that changing the LCD contrast also required resetting the Gear Ratios Set. This makes no sense since the two are not related in any way.

Using the Veypor

The Veypor was quite easy to use as there are only two buttons on the user interface. The buttons were easily accessible and easy to press even while riding with gloves. Most of the time you’ll only be pushing one button at a time. There are some instances where you’ll need to push both buttons simultaneously. But you’ll likely be stationary at these times.

The LCD screen is 128 x 64 pixels. All graphics and text are displayed in big, readable sizes. The display was quite easy to read even though I’ve read the contrary in other reviews. As light conditions diminish, the LCD screen automatically displays an Indiglo-style blue backlight that makes night viewing easy.



One of my concerns was how the LCD display would hold up in high heat. The user manual states that the operating temperature is up to 140 deg F. I was tempted to test this in the environmental chamber I have at my job but instead I opted for a less scientific test. I left the unit on my dash in high heat a few times. The outside temperature got as high as the mid-90’s. No problems were exhibited by the LCD display.

The red LED on the top of the unit can be configured as either a shift light or as a maximum velocity indicator. As a shift light, the LED will blink when a user-defined RPM is reached. As a maximum velocity indicator, the LED will blink when a user-defined velocity is reached. Most users will likely use this as a shift light as most won’t be doing maximum velocity on a regular basis. The LED is quite visible even in bright outdoor light conditions.

The Veypor has several modes of operation:
- Driving Mode
- Auto 1/4 Mile Run
- Staged 1/4 Mile Run
- Auto 0 - 60 Run
- Circuit Timer
- Braking Run
- Graph Analysis
Each is designed to measure performance and/or improve rider skills.

Be aware that it is very easy to get focused on the Veypor when using it on public roads. Make sure that you either increase your awareness of traffic or use isolated public roads when using the Veypor’s performance features.

DISCLAIMER: Neither CBRWorld.net nor I can be held liable for your actions when using this product. Exercise good judgment and use at your own risk.

Driving Mode

The Veypor defaults to this mode when the unit is turned on. This mode displays some basic information as your riding. No data is stored to memory in this mode. There are two views for this mode (selected in the Configuration), Overlap Graphics (top pic) and Symmetric Graphics (bottom pic).





The digital gear indicator is the one thing that a sportbike may not have. Gear determination is based strictly on the ratio of RPMs to speed. So at low speeds (less than say 5 – 10 mph), it may report the wrong gear since the ratios at those low speeds are not very different from gear to gear. Also, the Veypor will report Neutral when velocity is 0 mph even though you may be in 1st gear.

The distance indicator starts in units of feet (if imperial units are selected in the Configuration). After 9999 feet, it transitions to miles. Mileage is reported to hundredths of a mile (two decimal places). This feature is nice but it doesn’t work quite like a trip odometer because it will reset each time you turn the unit on or enter Driving Mode. Nonlinear Engineering has told me that this will work just like a trip odometer in the next firmware (internal software) version.

This mode also features an odometer that records mileage whenever the unit is powered regardless of what operating mode is selected. This works in the same manner as your stock odometer and it cannot be reset.

Video of Overlap Graphics (please right-click and select "Save As")
Video of Symmetric Graphics (please right-click and select "Save As")

Auto 1/4 Mile Run

The Veypor provides a way for the aspiring drag racer to practice ¼ mile times without having to go to a drag strip. Again, be aware that there is some inherent danger when doing this on public roads (see previous disclaimer).

Upon entering this mode, the Veypor does not take any measurements until the rider initiates the run. Once the Veypor’s accelerometers detect motion, data is collected until a 1/4 mile distance is covered or 28 seconds has elapsed. You can use the latter to measure some other statistic other than a 1/4 mile time. When the run is complete, the unit goes into Graph Analysis mode so you can view the results.

A side affect of this mode is what I call the Poor Man’s Dyno. Every sportbike owner (myself included) can never leave well enough alone. Whether its change the sprocket sizes to a full exhaust system, eventually we all decide to do some performance modification(s). So the question becomes, how much more power did my modification give me? The only tell-tale way of determining your power is to put your bike on a dyno and measure your bike’s performance. This can get costly as dyno runs can go as high as $40 (or more) per run. The Veypor now provides an easy way to determine performance parameters. Nonlinear Engineering really outdid themselves with this feature! With this unit, you can now add performance mods and tweak your bike’s settings to see how they affect your bike’s horsepower and torque without the expense. This mode will give you a quarter-mile or 28 seconds to reach the necessary acceleration and speed (redline in 3rd or 4th gear) to calculate maximum horsepower. To get the most accurate readings, it is crucial that vehicle and rider weight and wheel circumference be entered accurately during Configuration.

Staged 1/4 Mile Run

Use this mode for even more realistic drag racing. This mode is very similar to the Auto 1/4 Mile Run mode except that the run starts using a Christmas Tree countdown much like those used at drag strips. You can choose from a full tree or a pro tree. With a full tree, each bulb lights in sequence with a 0.5 second delay between each light. A pro tree will light all three amber lights simultaneously with a 0.4 second delay between them and the green.

Timing is the same as a drag strip. There is an initial 5 second pause, the yellow lights illuminate (according to the tree you’ve selected), the reaction timer is started when the third yellow light illuminates, and the 1/4 mile timer starts once the rollout distance is traveled (12 inches). Exceeding the rollout distance before the green light yields a false start. In addition to your ¼ mile time, the Veypor will also record your reaction time, trap speed (average speed during the last 60 feet of the run), and trap horsepower.

Like the Auto 1/4 Mile Run mode, data is collected until either a ¼ mile distance is covered or 28 seconds has elapsed. And it will go into Graph Analysis mode at the end of the run.

Video of Staged 1/4 Mile Run (Full Tree) (please right-click and select "Save As")

Auto 0 - 60 Run

This mode is similar to the Auto 1/4 Mile Run mode except that timing ends when a speed of 60 mph is reached (or 14 seconds has elapsed) rather than a 1/4 mile distance. At the end of the run, the Veypor goes into Graph Analysis mode.

Video of Auto 0 - 60 Run (please right-click and select "Save As")

Circuit Timer

It was a bright and sunny day at Infineon Raceway (aka Sears Point) in Sonoma, California. I’ve been impressed with this unit so far and was eager to test this unit at the track. This mode is intended to act like a lap timer such as those used by track riders (e.g. XT Ultra-Lap, MyChron). As you parade around the track, the Veypor shows your current speed, RPMs, distance covered (along the lap), lap number, elapsed time for the current lap, and best lap time. This mode does not have digital gear indicator functionality. The Veypor can record up to 30 laps. While this mode is great in concept, this is the one feature doesn’t quite work like other standard products. The two reasons for this are how the lap timer is triggered and that lap times are not saved to memory.

The lap timer can be triggered in one of two ways, button triggered or distance triggered. When selecting button triggered, the rider has to manually press a button on the unit to signal the end of the lap (I can just imagine all of you track riders giving me that sour face right now). Obviously, there will be consistency issues from lap to lap here as no rider can press the button at the exact spot on the track each time. And if you’re like me, you won’t have time to look down at the unit, let alone press a button. Needless to say, I didn’t bother with this triggering mechanism.

The second triggering mechanism is to signal the lap’s end when a set distance has been covered. The lap distance is entered by the user by pressing a button to mark the beginning and end of the lap. The Veypor then remembers this distance and triggers a new lap when this distance has been achieved. While this is better than the button trigger, it still has its deficiencies. This will give more consistent triggering but it wouldn’t be consistent from session-to-session because the lap distance has to be set each time you enter this mode.

This is the trigger I decided to use for this trackday. I used the Start/Finish line as my lap reference since this is where they also set up the beacon for my lap timer. Pushing a button to start the lap determination wasn’t a big deal as it was the end of my warm up lap. But I found pushing it to end lap determination to be problematic as Turn 1 comes up rather quickly after the Start/Finish line. To my disappointment, I gave up on this feature. But in all fairness to the Veypor, if I wasn’t trying to do an apples-to-apples comparison with my lap timer, I would’ve picked a better reference point for lap determination where I could safely press the button.

I’ve found that lap times won’t necessarily be consistent from lap-to-lap if you do a lot of excessive maneuvering as you mix it up with other riders while jockeying for position. Also, lap times may not even give lap-to-lap consistency if you have an off-road excursion (though I did not test this ). The table below shows differences in lap times between the Veypor and my XT Ultra-Lap (don’t laugh at my slow lap times).

Braking Run

For most street riders, this is the most practical feature the Veypor has to offer. In this mode, you can practice braking from 60 to 0 mph and very easily quantify your progress. This is a tool that may even save your life one day! When the run is complete, the unit goes into Graph Analysis mode so you can view the results.

Video of Braking Run (please right-click and select "Save As")

Graph Analysis

This mode displays results from any of the previous options that saved data. The Veypor allows you to save any combination of 6 runs. Once saved, you can enter this mode to display the data. When a saved run is selected, the results of that run are shown. In addition, you can also select:
- HP and torque vs RPM
- RPM vs Time
- HP vs Time
- Velocity vs Time
- G’s (acceleration) vs Time
- Distance vs Time
The graphs are displayed on the Veypor’s LCD screen and you can scroll through them to get various values throughout the curves. Though useful, this data is best viewed through the Veypor Analysis Software (VAS) on a PC (discussed in the next section).

PC Interface and Analysis Software

The Veypor can also interface with your PC so that you can download any saved data. The PC connection is done via a 9-pin serial cable. The package comes with the necessary hardware (serial cable and AC power supply).

The Veypor Analysis Software (VAS) must be downloaded from Veypor’s web site (www.veypor.com) since it does not come with the Veypor package. Installation is quite simple as the downloaded software is a self-installing executable. Though VAS does not have the standard look and feel of other Windows programs, it is quite user-friendly. Documentation is available on the Veypor web site but is not necessary. As of the writing of this review, VAS is only available as a Beta version.

VAS allows you to display data just like in the Graph Analysis mode on the Veypor. Additionally, you can edit or annotate information in the Run Details control window.



Another useful VAS feature is that data can be exported as a comma delimited file (*.csv) file. This allows data to be imported into other analysis software such as spreadsheets.

As the Nonlinear Engineering strives to improve the Veypor, firmware (internal software) updates are made available on Veypor’s web site for the Veypor unit. This makes it convenient to get updates without sending the unit back to the manufacturer. The update requires the use of a serial communications program such as Microsoft HyperTerminal (included with MS Windows). For those of you who aren’t familiar with the use of HyperTerminal, a set of explicit step-by-step instructions are provided by the manufacturer. They are also working on a Windows program to automate a firmware installation. But a firmware installation is quite simple with the provided instructions and takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. Just ensure the Veypor unit does not lose main power during the installation.

In testing the firmware upload, I noticed that the firmware version that came with the Veypor and the one that is on the web site are out-of-sync even though they have the same version number. After a discussion with Nonlinear Engineering, the online version will always be the most current version.

Customer Support

The Veypor’s user manual is quite good. It’s written in a clear and concise manner and covers most aspects of installation and operation. But there may be some instances where you need more information. In these cases, you can go to Veypor’s web site (www.veypor.com). The web site offers several ways for you to get additional help such as support pages, FAQ, email, and internet forum. You can also contact the manufacturer by telephone. According to Nonlinear Engineering, email and telephone are currently the preferred methods of support to use.

I found their customer support to be acceptable. An initial email inquiry had a response time of 3 business days and a request for help on their internet forum had similar response times. But subsequent email inquiries had a 1 day response time. The quickest way to receive support was the good, old-fashioned telephone. With the several phone calls I made, a member of the software engineering team answered the phone and was very helpful (Thanks, Cory!). He even called me back with follow-up information when necessary. As this product gains popularity, don’t be surprised to see the internet-based support solutions become the preferred methods of support.

The Veypor user manual will be a great resource, at least in the beginning for installation and setup. Check the web site for an updated version. I found that my manual was already obsolete even though it had the same version number as the one on the web. In some instances, the user manual may give you a glimpse into future functionality because the manual talks about features that aren’t yet implemented in the firmware.

Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your point of view), I had the opportunity to actually test their customer support to the fullest extent. The 9-pin serial connector on the back of the unit that is used to interface to a PC broke off the internal circuit board. While this still allowed functional use of the Veypor, it didn’t allow me to download data nor install firmware (if needed). Once I reported the problem to the manufacturer, they were quick to send me a new unit.



According to the Nonlinear Engineering, this was the first and only occurrence of this problem. They believe this is a Quality Control issue rather than a design flaw. They have also informed me that as a result of this incident, they have increased their Quality Control processes to ensure that this does not happen again.

Summary

I’ve given the Veypor the following rating (based on a 5-star system):

Workmanship -
Other than the serial connector, the unit has been durable and withstood the normal wear and tear of toting it from place to place. Nonlinear Engineering’s added Quality Control should prevent any other durability issues.

Installation -
The Veypor was quite easy to install. It doesn’t require a whole lot of technical expertise and it came with all the necessary parts. The manufacturer just needs a better solution than Super Glue.

Functionality -
The Veypor offers some great features that can really improve your riding skills and track your bike’s performance. The dyno-like features also make this an invaluable tool when tweaking and evaluating performance modifications. Once they get the issues with Circuit Timer mode resolved, this product will be mother of all motorcycle gadgets.

Operability -
Did I mention that I really didn’t need to use the manual once the installation and system configuration was completed? They’ve made the user interface incredibly simple with only two buttons. There isn’t a whole lot to learn in using this product, but more importantly, there isn’t a whole lot to botch.

Customer Support -
The documentation for this product is quite good and is kept updated on their web site along with other software updates. I like how several forms of support are offered (FAQ, forum, email, telephone). Though response time can vary, all inquiries are answered. Once contacted, the customer support team was quick to respond to real issues such as returns/exchanges.

Cost -
There are lap timer systems that cost just as much as this product. Add in additional features such as the digital gear indicator, telemetry functions, and the portable dyno, this is a real bargain!!

Overall -
Okay, so you’ve heard me babble for several pages now. Let’s get to the bottom line. Should you buy this unit? Well that depends on what you want to use it for. The Veypor works extremely well for those looking to replace some of the functionality that comes with the stock dashboard. It’s also a great tool for those performance seekers and kings and queens of the drag-strip. For you track riders looking for the same functionality as other commercial lap timers, this may not be the best product for you [YET!]. You may want to wait until the lap timer receiver is available. Overall, this is an excellent tool for those who want to quantify the progress of their riding skills or any performance modifications to the bike. For a comparable price, the Veypor offers many additional features over many lap timers. Plus, with the additional features currently in development at Nonlinear Engineering, you’ll get much more bang for your buck. I would not be surprised to see the Veypor become the de facto standard for collecting telemetry data. Call me old school, but I’m not a gadget person. If I didn’t have a family, I wouldn’t be carrying a cell phone. So fancy-shmancy electronics don’t make me go wow……….’til now.

Firmware v1.4