Hello ATV connection forum members. This is Shawn from OPTIMUM. I am a Product Engineer and Scooter, who's name comes up on the various forums from time to time, is a Product Specialist with Project Leader responsibilty for the Cannondale project. Scooter and I answer most of the calls coming in to our customer service line. I've only been involved in customer service for the last few months, since Jim (Sales and Marketing Manager) and Scooter were spending so much time attending event after event on their weekends. The travel time was eating into the Thursday, Friday and sometimes Monday hours we wanted to devote to customer communication. So, here I am now, trying to help. Interestingly enough, I find that 90% of the calls coming in here are not GP Control related, nor are they from GP Control customers. They are hardware based issues from Cannondale owners. The owner of OPTIMUM is an enthusiast like the rest of us, so we find ourselves tackling these outside challanges all too often. We spend a lot of time and money taking care of issues that have nothing to do with our products.

We've been following your forum for quite some time now and find it to be an interesting place to learn more about Cannondale owners. We normally refrain from posting on any forum as we believe they are meant strictly as a place for users to express their opinions. However, we are users too, so maybe their is some value to others for us to join in this one time. I was compelled to write partly because I feel some of the recent postings present OPTIMUM, and those of us that represent the company, in an unfair light, even from some we have bent over backwards to help. This post is a sincere attempt to provide accurate information to help some to better understand the unique world of user programmable fuel injection and ignition sysytems. This is not a marketing piece. If it was, Jim would be writing it.

OPTIMUM is a privately owned partnership. We are not part of Cannondale. We are a tier one supplier of their engine management system software, but not the hardware. For example, the ECUs and injectors are supplied to them from Johnson Controls, the wiring harness, throttle body and stepper motor (IACV) are their own design, etc. We created the initial operating strategies and have since entered into an engine design project with them on the other side of our business, Virtual Engines. Some of our major clients on the engine simulation side of our business include Toyota Racing and Development (TRD), Ford, Bombardier, Rotax and many more we cannot mention due to confidentiality agreements. Team OPTIMUM QUB has competed successfully on the World Gran Prix circuit since 1994, earning top privateer honors against the mighty factories. We have just recently entered into a development program with one of the factory race teams involved at the highest level of US and world level of off road motorcycle competition. Enough with the credentials.

OTPTIMUM has invested millions, sacrificing dollars on the OEM side of the business, to develop aftermarket products that enhance the base system on the Cannondales. Our Yamaha line of aftermaket programmable fuel injection and ignition products, athough previously announced to the world, was put on hold while we assisted the Cannondale project through to production. We have yet to see too many other aftermarket suppliers face this exposure for a start up motorcycle company going into such a highly competitive market with questionable profitability potential.

There are two very distinct products being confused with each other, judging by some recent postings. The Dealer Maintenance and Diagnostic software is distributed and sold exclusively through Cannondale. Cannondale alone decides the pricing of this product. The original Version 1.1 was spec'd to be used on Windows "95 based programs, which did, in fact, retain DOS in it's construction. Dealers using "98 were ok, but those with ME, 2000 and XP were relegated to installling Free DOS to overcome Microsoft's desire to eliminate DOS altogether. Cannondale sourced Version 2.0 last March, to satisfy the demand from Dealers using the higher grade systems and also wanting multiple comms support, Pocket PC compatibility, automatic extraction of the throttle injector calibrations and a couple other "nice" little features. The Dealer version is CPU specific, to allow Dealers the ability to communicate with any Cannondale MC1000 ECU. There are no other existing "tools" available to expand the Dealer capabilities further.

Our aftermarket Maintenance and Diagnostic Version 1.1 software has always contained compatibilty from '95 to XP, multi comms, Pocket expandabilty, auto cal extraction, etc. The aftermarket products are also fully exapndable with upgrades for Map Select (switching between three maps on the ECU while riding), Pro Calibrator (map creation and manipulation on the PC or Pocket PC), Rider Trim ( real time map "trimming" while riding), and Trim Defeat (real time A-B-A comparision feature within Rider Trim). We have enhancements planned for each level in development for the new year. GP Control customers will receive free updates to coincide with their level of invovlement. There should never be an instance of someone having to live with an "outdated" version of our aftermarket software.

Operating Codes, or embedded control codes, are propietary to OPTIMUM, just as Windows belongs to someone else. Operating codes are specific to each engine, manufacturer and EMS (engine management system). The investment in engineering talent to create these codes is substantially more than most could ever imagine. Cannondale has been contracted the right to distribute their operating code we created for their machines, as they see fit. We cannot give out these codes.

Mapa are generic. Cannondale creates their own maps, using our OEM calibration tools, and publishes them on their website to share with their customers . Maps essentially "lay" over the embedded control code and dictate the parameters the ECU will react to at any given RPM or throttle position. The injector cals are specific to each set of injectors and those specifics must be married to the generic map to achieve optimum performance for any given machine. Map downloads are a common everyday occurance and there is no way such relatively simple communication with an ECU can cause a hardware failure.

It was never my intention to write this much, but I figured the facts may help owners, and maybe potential owners, of Cannondale gain added confidence in making their purchasing decisions. Cannondale has shown they are willing to back their customers more than any other manufacturer out there. OPTIMUMI shares this philosofy and any who have given us the opportunity will attest to that.

Whew! Thanks for listening and I hope I didn't upset someone by expressing my opinion of the facts as I see them. We will go back to just quietly enjoying the postings on ATV Connection, but if anyone ever needs us, please do not hesitate to call. There's an 800 number on our website. I think you'll be surprised at how we share your compassion for honesty and performance.

GP Control tech. support team

 

Dude this is so badass that companies like yours help us little guys out unlike the other companies.

 

this is great but i will have to wait for the translation to understand most of the post. geez i dont even have a computer, its took me a year just to figure out this damn web tv i have. all kidding aside thanks for the support.

 

So basically you guys just deal with the programing and operating system variables of the cannondale and another company supplies the physical parts (ecu, wiring, fuel injectors, & etc.).

Thanks for your input on this. I was under the impression that GP controls did the whole fuel injector system, but now I know you guys are one part of the fuel injector system.

This post makes me feel even better about buying a cannondale. Because not only does cannondale back their product, but so do the programers of GP Control. Not only do the back their product they also take time to read and repsond to post on this site. This something that none of the other manufactures would even thiink about and if we told them cannondale is doing this they more than likely would laugh and say they were crazy.

So again I would like to thank you for your time and input. I'm sure you hear more for me since I plan on buying one of your kits for my C'dale.

I have one question for you guys You can PM me or post the answer here if you want. The question are you guys going to be doing the programing for the new fuel injected Gas Gas 400 of 450 engines in their dirt bikes and Quad?

 

Hey Shawn it is cool for you to help everyone understand some of what Optimum does. I bought my software from Jim and had to get Scooter to help me with setting it up for the first time, and listen to him talk about his fuel injected YZ 125!! Everyone at Optimum that I have spoken with has been super friendly, even the nice lady that answers the phone.
Thanks,
Jamie Smith

 

I am happy to see you post obviously you are a company that cares about its reputation.
I dont have the aftermarket version Maint.Diagnostic and I am not familiar with it.This is a area that will have to be addressed with Cannondale if the custumers have a problem I as a tech will have to be familiar with it.
This forum was being used to solve a problem mostly by a process of elimination.Sometimes this process can be very frustrating but the results should be worth it.We never recieved any training on the Aftermarket G.P. control or any of its related hardware.We were trying to determine if it was in fact a problem with the Optimum hardware cord,black box,software,or user or Cannondales ECM.
Since cannondale set the price of the dealer cal update I will have to take it up with them.Optimum can do their part by emphasizing to them that a update should be free and encouraged after all it does fix some ommisions that the dealer doesnt have any control over.
I think that training is the solution to most of the problems I see.Your attempt to disassociate yourself from Cannondale isnt helping.Cannondale doesnt need any form of welfare from anyone and I personally was offended by that paragraph.I am sure that given time they could have come up with their own system.

I look forward to the future
Thanks for listening

 

Thanks for the tech info. I'm sure everyone out there is going to be satisfied with the information that you were so willing to give out. If I ever have any problems, I won't hesitate to ask. Good job and thanks again!!

 

Cannondale27- I'm not on anyone's side, but I don't think he was trying to disassociate GP Control from Cannondale. He was trying to relay that Gp is only invovled with the software aspect and not the hardware. If you have a computer that has windows 95 and you need 98 to run GP are you going to say that GP's product is no good. No. Your going to get the pc updated, right. Their stuff can't work unless everyone elses does too. just my thoughts

 

Thanks GP for all the help you have given me. I'm glad you posted what you posted because I think it clears up alot of issues that were confusing to users both here and on thumpertalk. You guys have been most helpful to me. So thanks and keep up the good work.

 

I hope this question isn't too basic for this high tec.thread but just getting set up I need to know if a computer with windows 95 will be good enough for mapping etc, on my Cannondale .I have an extra computer that would love to have the job.And my wife would like me to move it out of the living room as well. thanks jerry