JT:
Short answer:
Still like it, would do it again, and would install it exactly as I did before (see wBW article).
Long answer:
I installed the Doran system in March 2014, so it's been on the bike just about two years. That was about 12,000 miles ago for me (I had all kinds of family emergencies last year, so didn't ride much). But really, it's time in use that matters, more than tire rotations.
Here's some not-so-great news: I was riding into about November this year, and a few weeks before the end of the season the rear sensor's battery apparently gave up the ghost.
So I guess sensor-battery life can be as short as about two years, to answer one real-world question that I had, and couldn't get a good answer to. IMHO, this reinforces my opinion that the Doran sensors should go on the outside of the rims. Recall, Doran supplies valve stems that allow you to mount the sensors inside the tires. OTOH, also note that I don't have tire-changing or lift equipment; if I did, maybe I would put them in the inside.
Speaking of battery life, back in January 2015, this is part of an email exchange I had with Doran:
Me:
I have a question regarding the 360M system over the winter. I have the system on my motorcycle, which bike just sits in the garage, immobile, and hooked up to a smart charger during the winter months. I have a switch -- in the off position over the winter -- such that the control/display/receiver unit does not receive any power during this time.
My question: does it conserve battery life if the sensors are removed from the valve stems of the two wheels, and placed on a shelf over the winter? Or doesn't it matter, if the main unit is powered off?
Doran:
Great question! Yes, it does help to conserve the battery life of the sensors when you remove them from the valve stem when you're not riding for extended periods of time. If they are left on the valve, the sensors will constantly read tire pressure and attempt to communicate to the monitor. Think of it as a toy being left in the on position; the battery will drain in that toy a lot faster than if the it was switched off every now and then.
Just take the sensors off your bike and store them somewhere safe until you're ready to ride again. It's the best way to ensure maximum battery life.
So I wasted a few months that 2014/2015 winter, which means that maybe the battery would've lasted longer.
BTW, it was the rear sensor that went, and that sensor has to go through more of the bike's mass, to get to the controller. I don't know whether that was a factor or not.
This will give me a chance to verify that replacement sensors -- for owners, that is -- are $25. The original sensors are $50 each, if you're adding a third, fourth, etc., sensor, but the replacements are only half of that. If this is all correct, that means that my "maintenance" costs are c. $12.50 per year, and I'm okay with that.
Now, speaking of turning things off, remember that I added a switch in the controller circuit. If you remove the sensors and put them on a shelf, as I did and now do, you'll have the controller and LED blinking all winter, saying, "where's the freaking sensors at?" if you don't have a switch (so you can turn the controller off).
I also find that switch handy if I'm having new tires put on. For that, I turn off the controller, and replace the sensors with normal valve caps. And then hand-tighten the sensors back on myself, afterwards.
This assumes that you have the controller powered by an always-on circuit (as I do, but with that added switch). If, OTOH, you powered the controller with an ignition-on-only circuit, you defeat a large part of the beauty of the Doran. That is, with ignition-only power, you can't just walk over to the bike, before a ride, and click the what's-the-pressures button, to make sure that you're good to go. Instead, you'd have to wait up to six minutes for the system to "pair" (and all the while, the stupid I-need-to-pair light will be blinking). Or ride a few miles, with a blinking light, until the pairing is done (and you're no longer in the garage, with your nice compressor). Follow me? Enough said on this?
And speaking of pairing, once or twice a month, with the bike sitting in the garage, the un-paired light would go off. I could roll the bike, or turn off my switch and then turn it on again (and wait six minutes), and all would be well. I attribute this to either the weak rear-sensor battery, or the bike's mass, or the very particular position that the rear wheel ended up in.
But more importantly, note that I never lost pairing while actually riding (until the end of October, as I said, when the battery looks like it really lost most of its mojo). That is, with the wheels spinning, I never had a pairing problem -- and the controller will tell you right away, if that happened.
One last thing. I had balance beads when I bought the Doran. Since then, I switched to Centramatic balancers. So, either way, I'm covered. If neither of these applies to you, tire re-balancing, because of the half-ounce addition, may or may not be necessary. I simply don't know.
Sorry about the length here, but I'm trying to be complete.
Here's a restatement and an elaboration on the executive summary:
- If I wrecked the XCT or it were stolen, I'd buy the Doran again.
- If I bought a new bike that didn't have a built-in TPMS, I'd buy the Doran (unless it was one of the those strange Beemers, with valve stems in the wheel spokes, that doesn't have clearance).
- Man, I love not getting on the floor to check the rear pressure. I find that I hardly ever have to add air -- I can live with the pressure changes based on day-to-day (but not seasonal) temp changes -- so my on-the-floor work is greatly reduced.
- I am not interested in the FOBO or any other phone-based systems, for the reasons I stated a couple of posts above.
- I did my first track day last August, with seven or eight 20-minute sessions, all of which routinely saw 100mph end-of-(short)-straight speeds on a short course. There was a comment on the wBW article about safety aspects, which I tried to discount in a response; the track day was another such response.
Have I answered your question? Are you sorry you asked?