Any Motörbike riders here?

maidenfan

With the GS the weight is higher up, so can feel a bit precarious for the first half hour or so, being tall really helps. I think the riding position on the GS makes up for it. I have shorter mates who really struggled and sold their GS.

octatonic

maidenfan said:

With the GS the weight is higher up, so can feel a bit precarious for the first half hour or so, being tall really helps. I think the riding position on the GS makes up for it. I have shorter mates who really struggled and sold their GS.

My 1190 was a bit like that. The extra height might be advantageous for touring comfort.

TheBigDipper

GS vs GSAdv? Bigger fuel tank sounds nice until you realise you (the rider) needs to stop and stretch well before the bike runs out of fuel. The standard GS isn't exactly short on range anyway. The extra weight is a pain to push around, I'd imagine. If you're a road rider with occasional off-road on tracks and paddocks, the standard GS will be fine. The GSAdv was never an option for me as I'm 5ft9in tall with short legs! 

I don't buy into the idea you need to be tall for a GS-style bike, BTW. If you can get one foot flat on the ground when stationary and/or both feet down on the balls of the foot, then all will be well. The problem I usually see with riders on these sorts of bike (I'm a RoSPA Dip advanced instructor and CBT/DAS/ERA qualified, so I cannot stop watching with a professional eye...) is the rider has no slow speed control skills, and therefore does slow (walking pace) manoeuvres with both feet trying to paddle on the ground. Then, to slow down, they hit the front brake whilst turned and the bike tucks in and falls over. If they developed the ability to do this with their feet up and using the back brake and a busy throttle (and it's not hard to learn) then it wouldn't matter how tall they were, as they'd be managing the bike using the bike controls - instead they're using body weight and strength/leverage to try and keep it upright. 

Good luck making your mind up - whatever you decide! 

octatonic

Hmmmm... well, I'm sort of back at square one again.
Rode in on the RT and in quick succession rode the XR, GS and GS Adv- the last one was just a quick spin as they had a prebooked test ride.

I didn't notice the wind blast on the XR yesterday- it was pretty noticeable- enough that I've now ruled that bike out completely.
The GS was slightly better but it will be a completely chance as to whether I can correct it with an aftermarket screen.
The GSA was the best of the 3 but still not as good as the RT.

I rode the RT home with a smile on my face- not entirely sure what I am going to do now.
I'd like to have something capable of offroad touring (there is a group tour of Iceland next year that I want to do).
I might end up getting a Tiger 800 again and use that for those sorts of trips.

jaytmon

octatonic said:

Hmmmm... well, I'm sort of back at square one again.
Rode in on the RT and in quick succession rode the XR, GS and GS Adv- the last one was just a quick spin as they had a prebooked test ride.

I didn't notice the wind blast on the XR yesterday- it was pretty noticeable- enough that I've now ruled that bike out completely.
The GS was slightly better but it will be a completely chance as to whether I can correct it with an aftermarket screen.
The GSA was the best of the 3 but still not as good as the RT.

I rode the RT home with a smile on my face- not entirely sure what I am going to do now.
I'd like to have something capable of offroad touring (there is a group tour of Iceland next year that I want to do).
I might end up getting a Tiger 800 again and use that for those sorts of trips.

What was it about the RT that made you want to change it? Trouble is, you're never going to match the wind protection of a full on sports tourer with that of an adventure bike. The RT will spoil you. 

I'm just going to throw this in the mix, but why not get an Africa Twin for the Iceland trip? I test rode one earlier this year and was suitably impressed, though not perhaps as long distance worthy as the GS. I'd rate it over a Tiger 800.
Who wouldn't have three bikes given the opportunity?!! 

maidenfan

octatonic said:

Hmmmm... well, I'm sort of back at square one again.
Rode in on the RT and in quick succession rode the XR, GS and GS Adv- the last one was just a quick spin as they had a prebooked test ride.

I didn't notice the wind blast on the XR yesterday- it was pretty noticeable- enough that I've now ruled that bike out completely.
The GS was slightly better but it will be a completely chance as to whether I can correct it with an aftermarket screen.
The GSA was the best of the 3 but still not as good as the RT.

I rode the RT home with a smile on my face- not entirely sure what I am going to do now.
I'd like to have something capable of offroad touring (there is a group tour of Iceland next year that I want to do).
I might end up getting a Tiger 800 again and use that for those sorts of trips.

Did you have a chance to adjust the screen?, if you did and still were not satisfied, there are aftermarket options as I'm sure you are aware. To be honest though, a big GS is the last bike I'd take off road touring, smaller GS, Transalp or KTM may be better.

dern

Held on to my GS for a little over 6 months and commuted on it and went out for bimbles. Got so bored of it. really easy bike to ride, very capable and all the rest. I just did not find it inspiring, I thought the engine characteristics (especially throttle roll on) were dreadful and mine wasn't that reliable although it was well used.

Swapped it for a KTM 990 superduke but that lasted about 6 months. Didn't get it at all. Quite good fun around town but who wants to ride around town? Throttle response was dreadful too.

Went back to a blade and can't remember why I ever thought I wanted something different.

TheBigDipper

maidenfan said:

octatonic said:

Hmmmm... well, I'm sort of back at square one again. <snip>

Did you have a chance to adjust the screen?, if you did and still were not satisfied, there are aftermarket options as I'm sure you are aware. To be honest though, a big GS is the last bike I'd take off road touring, smaller GS, Transalp or KTM may be better.

Agree totally. The GS is far too lardy to tour on green lanes. A Transalp would be my pick for that. The latest version has plenty of fans, I believe. 

octatonic

jaytmon said:

octatonic said:

Hmmmm... well, I'm sort of back at square one again.
Rode in on the RT and in quick succession rode the XR, GS and GS Adv- the last one was just a quick spin as they had a prebooked test ride.

I didn't notice the wind blast on the XR yesterday- it was pretty noticeable- enough that I've now ruled that bike out completely.
The GS was slightly better but it will be a completely chance as to whether I can correct it with an aftermarket screen.
The GSA was the best of the 3 but still not as good as the RT.

I rode the RT home with a smile on my face- not entirely sure what I am going to do now.
I'd like to have something capable of offroad touring (there is a group tour of Iceland next year that I want to do).
I might end up getting a Tiger 800 again and use that for those sorts of trips.

What was it about the RT that made you want to change it? Trouble is, you're never going to match the wind protection of a full on sports tourer with that of an adventure bike. The RT will spoil you. 

I'm just going to throw this in the mix, but why not get an Africa Twin for the Iceland trip? I test rode one earlier this year and was suitably impressed, though not perhaps as long distance worthy as the GS. I'd rate it over a Tiger 800.
Who wouldn't have three bikes given the opportunity?!! 

A few things.
BMW's onboard Bluetooth audio is a buggy piece of shit- for a £1000 option (bluetooth + audio system) it isn't worth 1/10th that. I ended up buying the BMW helmet with the communicator to try to get around the problem. It mostly works but it sounds worse than pairing my phone direct to the headset, but then I lose the ability to control it from the bike.
When I go touring I like to have background music but the RT's bluetooth sounds so bad that it is better to have it off, which is stupid.

The ergonomics are good- but not so good that it is worth trading power or handling.
That said the RT handles really well for its size, but in the twisties it is fairly tiring.

Plus I have some offroad touring things coming up and a GS would be a good fit, but then so would an Africa Twin or a Tiger 800, but that is more money, more maintenance, insurance etc.

The other thing is I know someone who has the same bike as me and he had it knocked over.
Wasn't his fault- someone backed into it when parked.
It is a custom finish, limited edition bike- the repair bill is insane.

I want something that handles like my S1000R but has the comfort and wind protection of an RT- on paper that should be an XR. But actually it has the wind protection closer to the S1000R than the RT. It handles more like the GS than the R.

Maybe I'm just being too demanding?

octatonic

maidenfan said:

octatonic said:

Hmmmm... well, I'm sort of back at square one again.
Rode in on the RT and in quick succession rode the XR, GS and GS Adv- the last one was just a quick spin as they had a prebooked test ride.

I didn't notice the wind blast on the XR yesterday- it was pretty noticeable- enough that I've now ruled that bike out completely.
The GS was slightly better but it will be a completely chance as to whether I can correct it with an aftermarket screen.
The GSA was the best of the 3 but still not as good as the RT.

I rode the RT home with a smile on my face- not entirely sure what I am going to do now.
I'd like to have something capable of offroad touring (there is a group tour of Iceland next year that I want to do).
I might end up getting a Tiger 800 again and use that for those sorts of trips.

Did you have a chance to adjust the screen?, if you did and still were not satisfied, there are aftermarket options as I'm sure you are aware. To be honest though, a big GS is the last bike I'd take off road touring, smaller GS, Transalp or KTM may be better.

Yeah I did, it is better than the standard GS and I know aftermarket screens exist.
I had Madstad screens on the Tiger 800 and the 1190.
The Tiger screen was brilliant and fixed the wind buffeting.
The KTM didn't make much of a difference and it was like having my head ripped off over 60mph.
I've bought a couple of bikes now on the promise that the wind buffeting can be fixed with an aftermarket screen.
The GS is an expensive bike and I'm not sure I want to take the chance, find out that it isn't good enough and then I am back on the 'find a touring bike that I can live with' merry-go-round.

jaytmon

octatonic said:

I want something that handles like my S1000R but has the comfort and wind protection of an RT- on paper that should be an XR. But actually it has the wind protection closer to the S1000R than the RT. It handles more like the GS than the R.

Maybe I'm just being too demanding?

That to me sounds like the Superduke GT. have you had a chance to try one yet?
You could always take a step down and go for a Crossrunner - chap I ride with has just bought one after one test ride, and he's coming from a Blackbird. Effortless, big-engine torque is kind of addictive through....

I'm not one for music on bikes, but it does seem disappointing to have a system that's so poor you don't want to use it. If the enjoyment-to-niggle ratio falls on the side of too many niggles, it's time to start shopping. That's how I felt about the Tracer I bought and sold. Everything is a compromise to some degree, you have to look at what the majority of riding will be and find what suits that best and deal with the minimal shortfalls. IMO obviously. 

octatonic

jaytmon said:

octatonic said:

I want something that handles like my S1000R but has the comfort and wind protection of an RT- on paper that should be an XR. But actually it has the wind protection closer to the S1000R than the RT. It handles more like the GS than the R.

Maybe I'm just being too demanding?

That to me sounds like the Superduke GT. have you had a chance to try one yet?
You could always take a step down and go for a Crossrunner - chap I ride with has just bought one after one test ride, and he's coming from a Blackbird. Effortless, big-engine torque is kind of addictive through....

I'm not one for music on bikes, but it does seem disappointing to have a system that's so poor you don't want to use it. If the enjoyment-to-niggle ratio falls on the side of too many niggles, it's time to start shopping. That's how I felt about the Tracer I bought and sold. Everything is a compromise to some degree, you have to look at what the majority of riding will be and find what suits that best and deal with the minimal shortfalls. IMO obviously. 

I was going to make it down to the KTM dealer today but it was an extra 70 mile round trip in borderline icy 4 degree weather and I chickened out.
It is definitely on the list of bikes to try but if the ergonomics are like the XR then I imagine wind blast will be an issue.

I'll get down over the next couple of days- there is no real hurry with this decision, but I want to make the right one and get off the 'touring bike merry-go-round' if possible.

I want something all day comfy but also something that handles- essentially a sports tourer with the emphasis on Sports.
The RT has the emphasis on Touring. 
It isn't bad, it is a great bike, but I want something with a bit more pep.

Hadn't considered the Crossrunner as it lacks cruise control- which I use quite a bit on the longer days.
If I am prepared to compromise on that then I'd probably go for a Kwak Z1000SX or ZZR1400 over the Crossrunner.
Or a K1300S- the only thing wrong with that bike is the lack of cruise control.
Or even a Sprint GT- again no cruise control.

I've ruled out the heavier beasts (K1600, Trophy, FJR) due to weight and handling.
What does that leave- Multistrada, KTM SDGT- but only if the wind protection is good enough and I can get a decent enough deal. 
Or the R1200RS- which I've ridden extensively. Nice bike, clearly does what it needs to but wind blast issues abound.

On music- I'm much more relaxed with some background music. 
I'm your classic 'overthinking' personality (evidenced above ) and I find getting my conscious brain out of the way and occupied with music means I ride much smoother - I'm not on autopilot, it actually allows me to concentrate more on riding, at least when it isn't pissing me off because it sounds shite.

maidenfan

I think you would quickly get bored of the ZZR14, whilst it is fast and very comfy, it felt like a flying sofa. Have you considered a new Africa Twin for a test ride?

octatonic

maidenfan said:

I think you would quickly get bored of the ZZR14, whilst it is fast and very comfy, it felt like a flying sofa. Have you considered a new Africa Twin for a test ride?

I've ridden it.
If I was doing 50/50 road to offroad it would be the bike I'd get, no question.
But I will never be more than 80/20- I need something that works mostly as a road bike.

jaytmon

@Octatonic - sounds like a familiar problem. before buying the GS, I tried:
Tracer 
VFR1200 (twice!)
Sprint GT
Tiger Explorer 1200 (older model)
Caponord 1200
Africa Twin
Multistrada 1200 (older model)
Z1000SX
R1200RS
Teneré 1200
K1300S
And of course the GS (twice)

I nearly bought the Capo - comfy, friendly, great handling and such a delicious sound from the V-twin, BUT, I was concerned about Aprilia niggles/parts availability. 

The RS also put doubt in my mind after I rode the GS, as the fantastic stability set it ahead of the GS, but as a longer distance tourer... a question mark. 

Have you tried the Tiger Explorer 1200? The one I tried was incredibly comfortable I thought I might fall asleep on it! Lovely motor too, and surprisingly flickable. Brakes a bit spongy but the later model may be better. Can't recall what the windblast factor was like (see below comments on Tracer). 

I can't help thinking that wind blast is going to be an issue you will struggle to resolve. My advice - ride a Tracer for a bit, which has the most hideous turbulence issues I've ever experienced. Riding at 50mph plus without earplugs was painful to the point of non-enjoyment. Anything after that is an improvement! Or take the S1000R to the KTM dealership prior to testing the SD GT - you'll get a different perspective.
Also if we ever have any warmer weather, a bit of extra windblast can be a relief. Not so much at this time of year though. 

There's always the MT-10, with touring extras, but then you may as well stick a screen on the S1000R!

Like you said, no point rushing to make a decision, besides, you can change it again next year

octatonic

So much for me taking my time...

I had a couple of hours on a GS Adventure today and was able to swap screens around and put on a spoiler.
Wind blast completely sorted and I find it more comfortable than the RT and the GS.
I'm not worried about taking it offroad- I won't be doing hardcore offroading really- it will be fire trails and dirt roads rather than climbing mountains.

Bahnstormer did me a great deal on a Triple Black GSA TE with all the toys (Gearshift Pro, 3 boxes, alarm etc) and quite a bit  more for my RT than I would have got as a trade in from the dealer that I bought it from (North Oxford BMW- never using them again)

I get it in a week.

TheBigDipper

Good! Now ride the bl**dy thing... 

Sporky

And get the matching Lego model.

http://i.ndtvimg.com/i/2016-11/bmw-r-1200-gs-adventure-lego-model_827x510_51478843422.jpg

maidenfan

Good stuff, really glad you got a chance to try some screens / spoilers!

Post some pics pls (ideally when its having a 'rest' in the mud

maidenfan

Sporky said:

And get the matching Lego model.

http://i.ndtvimg.com/i/2016-11/bmw-r-1200-gs-adventure-lego-model_827x510_51478843422.jpg

Ooh, I like that, not for sale yet?