Any Motörbike riders here?

Spider

Hi @MtB this is my second KTM, had a 640 Duke for a couple of years (pics way back in this thread), loads of fun on the back roads, no fun at all for any distance runs. Looking forward to the summer with the superduke, your GT looks great for mile munching, got any trips planned?

MtB

Not made any plans yet, as I'm due to be going to the States for a 2 to 3 week holiday next year. However I'd like to get to either Italy or Portugal, as I've not toured either yet.

octatonic

MtB said:

Not made any plans yet, as I'm due to be going to the States for a 2 to 3 week holiday next year. However I'd like to get to either Italy or Portugal, as I've not toured either yet.

If you go to Italy then I can suggest some places to go.
Just getting there by the B roads can be an adventure in itself.

snakemanStoo

Took my bike out (to the garage) for the first time in nearly a year and remembered how much fun it is.  Hopefully getting it back in a few days serviced and MOTd and get back to zipping around.  May even go for my full test (time/energy/money depending)

octatonic

Well, I'm thoroughly bored of the RT already.

Taking out a GS and XR today and a Super Duke GT tomorrow.
@MtB how are you getting on with your SDGT?

TheBigDipper

@octatonic Are you seriously shopping for a new bike? I'm a serial GS-buyer:

1150 GS (1999 - 2005)
1200 GS (2005 - 2013)
1200LC GS (2013 - )

For me, the best all-round road bike I could find. The only thing it does poorly is high speed (100mph+) fast A-road or motorway journeys. Track days (put road tyres on instead of hybrids) are just as much fun (though slower) than my 916 was. A fine touring bike if you don't mind keeping to 80mph on long distance days. The A-to-B times will be decent because you don't stop for fuel as often. 

I tried really hard to buy something else last time - liked the KTMs and the Multistrada, but not enough. The Explorer is too bitty but has a lovely engine. Couldn't find any love for Pans and RTs. In the end I accepted that the new GS is another step up over the older models and I'm not disappointed. Sports bikes no longer make sense to me. 

Other bikes will do specific things better, but nothing seems to be as good to me for everything as a GS (except, of course, for proper off road riding, where it is a lardy piece of poo). 

MtB

@octatonic  I'm loving the SDGT. I don't do as many miles as you (3500 this year), but it's great for looning around on. The standard seat is like a plank, though there is a comfort seat available. Not had any issues with it so far.

  

octatonic

TheBigDipper said:

@octatonic Are you seriously shopping for a new bike? I'm a serial GS-buyer:

1150 GS (1999 - 2005)
1200 GS (2005 - 2013)
1200LC GS (2013 - )

For me, the best all-round road bike I could find. The only thing it does poorly is high speed (100mph+) fast A-road or motorway journeys. Track days (put road tyres on instead of hybrids) are just as much fun (though slower) than my 916 was. A fine touring bike if you don't mind keeping to 80mph on long distance days. The A-to-B times will be decent because you don't stop for fuel as often. 

I tried really hard to buy something else last time - liked the KTMs and the Multistrada, but not enough. The Explorer is too bitty but has a lovely engine. Couldn't find any love for Pans and RTs. In the end I accepted that the new GS is another step up over the older models and I'm not disappointed. Sports bikes no longer make sense to me. 

Other bikes will do specific things better, but nothing seems to be as good to me for everything as a GS (except, of course, for proper off road riding, where it is a lardy piece of poo). 

Yup, and after riding the GS and XR today it is probably going to be the XR if I stick with BMW.

The GS is a fine bike but my other bike is an S1000R which is a complete lunatic and I love it- if only it was a bit more touring focussed.

I've had a string of touring/adventure bikes whilst I've owned it- a Tiger 800, a KTM1190 Adventure and an RT and none of them have been right for me- I don't know, maybe I'm being too demanding but I do a lot of miles per year and have spent a lot of time being annoyed.

Out of the 3 the only one that had close to the same performance was the KTM but that suffered from atrocious wind blast issues.

I've thought for a while that I'd end up on a GS but having spent a bot of time on one today back to back with the XR it is a pretty easy choice. 
Wind protection is much the same (both are worse than the RT but not massively so) and some of the tech bits are better on the GS but I much prefer the S1000 engine to the boxer- I'm trying to get some time with the 2017 S1000XR as they are supposed to have fixed the vibey engine issue with it.

I'm on the XR again tomorrow and the SDGT. I should probably ride the Multistrada again as well, but suspect that, like before, the ride position will be the issue again.

TheBigDipper

There was no XR in the BMW range when I was buying my current GS, or I would have tried it. Who knows? Pretty thing, isn't it? I would have liked to put a Triumph engine into the GS package, so maybe I'd like the XR. As an overall package, though, the GS (I've got the TE packaged version) is hard to top for me personally.

Have fun!

octatonic

I haven't decided completely- and going back and forth quite a bit- right now I'm thinking to get the damn GS- at least then I can say I've done it.
And I have an S1000R for the times I want to go nuts- just not on a tour of Europe.

Just spoke to a mate and he is off on his GS to a tour of Iceland.
I reckon I'd struggle to do that on an XR.

The thing about a GS is it will be an easy bike to own and and easy bike to ride.
They are hugely in demand, have loads of spares available and loads of accessories.
Plus they do offroad better than the XR and certainly the RT.

Gah, I'm getting quite irritated with myself now.

maidenfan

I absolutely loved my GS (1150ADV)

octatonic

Any thoughts on the GS vs GSA folks?

MtB

About 30kg fully laden.

jaytmon

@octatonic - seems like you're as bad as me for changing bikes! I have to say, the only bike at the Bike Show that could tempt me away from the GS was the SD GT, but I doubt it'd be as good on back roads and shoddy B roads which I enjoy on the GS. 

Re GS vs GSA, I'd say stick with the standard GS unless you're going to trek across Kazakhstan - the massive fuel tank will surely raise COG, decreasing stability a bit, plus isn't it taller too? I am of course biased towards the standard GS mind.

octatonic

jaytmon said:

@octatonic - seems like you're as bad as me for changing bikes! I have to say, the only bike at the Bike Show that could tempt me away from the GS was the SD GT, but I doubt it'd be as good on back roads and shoddy B roads which I enjoy on the GS. 

Re GS vs GSA, I'd say stick with the standard GS unless you're going to trek across Kazakhstan - the massive fuel tank will surely raise COG, decreasing stability a bit, plus isn't it taller too? I am of course biased towards the standard GS mind.

Yeah I'm terrible- I've had 8 bikes in 4 years.

I'm actually thinking the GSA right this second.
The GS was fine but something a bit taller might work for me- I'm over 6ft and slightly taller screen and better wind protection appeals more than saving 20kg.
Tomorrow could be an expensive day.

maidenfan

A fully laden ADV with pillion can be a bit of a handful until you get used to it. The extra tank range more than makes up for it.

octatonic

Just saw this on Advrider.
Awesome!

MtB

I've owned 2 GSs for a total of 6 years and found them to be really good all round bikes, but just a bit uninspiring for my liking.

octatonic

maidenfan said:

A fully laden ADV with pillion can be a bit of a handful until you get used to it. The extra tank range more than makes up for it.

Do you reckon more than a 280kg R1200RT?
I did some weekends away on the RT with Mrs Oct and it wasn't much of a hassle- you just need to plan your corners.
Mrs Oct has her license now so I don't imagine we'll have here as a pillion that often now.

jaytmon

That is nice!

Be interested to hear how you get on - an early Chrismas present to yourself or not! From what I've read it comes down to personal preference, (as always) plus there's something to be said for a bit of extra wind protection. I'm 6ft and could do with a little spoiler on the screen to lift the wind over my helmet.