Two months in and bored of my 1200GS
Discussion
Evening all, I had an ugly but engaging Kawasaki Versys 1000, which was written off while parked (late last year) by an elderly lady with insufficient parking skills.
I got a very generous insurance payout from the driver's insurer and treated myself to a 1 year old R1200GS TE Alpine but I'm coming to the conclusion that it's dull as ditch water.
It's got lots of extras; keyless ride, spoked wheels, heated grips etc etc but it's pretty much characterless and on the way home from work tonight, I finally realised I missed my pig ugly Versys.
Is this a general twin cylinder thing or would a 1200 Multistrada perhaps be a bit more interesting? I'm not obsessed about raw figures but some engagement would be nice and the GS just feels like a big, powerful, manual moped. Maybe it's just a bit too smooth and capable for its own good. I do a fair amount of central London riding and then sporadic weekend rides of say, 150-200 miles and it just feels rather dull. Do I need to give it a bit longer to gel with or should I throw in the towel and get something more exciting (acknowledging I want something upright and haven't come from a line of Blades, ZX10s, Panigales etc).
Edited to add, a while ago I tested the Super Tenere and found that too agricultural / dull, which makes me think it must be a twin thing. The lack of any induction noise and engagement makes the GS just feel like a transport device.
I got a very generous insurance payout from the driver's insurer and treated myself to a 1 year old R1200GS TE Alpine but I'm coming to the conclusion that it's dull as ditch water.
It's got lots of extras; keyless ride, spoked wheels, heated grips etc etc but it's pretty much characterless and on the way home from work tonight, I finally realised I missed my pig ugly Versys.
Is this a general twin cylinder thing or would a 1200 Multistrada perhaps be a bit more interesting? I'm not obsessed about raw figures but some engagement would be nice and the GS just feels like a big, powerful, manual moped. Maybe it's just a bit too smooth and capable for its own good. I do a fair amount of central London riding and then sporadic weekend rides of say, 150-200 miles and it just feels rather dull. Do I need to give it a bit longer to gel with or should I throw in the towel and get something more exciting (acknowledging I want something upright and haven't come from a line of Blades, ZX10s, Panigales etc).
Edited to add, a while ago I tested the Super Tenere and found that too agricultural / dull, which makes me think it must be a twin thing. The lack of any induction noise and engagement makes the GS just feel like a transport device.
Edited by Mosdef on Thursday 28th April 23:23
I used Dynamic mode but I didn't really find it added any more engagement. I'll give it another try today.
Maybe a sports exhaust might help (I had Akrapovic on my last bike) but the reviews I've read suggest the exhausts don't add much. Anyone else tried that with their GS?
I might have another look at the XR, I didn't find it as comfortable as the GS but perhaps it's time to take one for a ride. Hopefully it's got good knee room!
Maybe a sports exhaust might help (I had Akrapovic on my last bike) but the reviews I've read suggest the exhausts don't add much. Anyone else tried that with their GS?
I might have another look at the XR, I didn't find it as comfortable as the GS but perhaps it's time to take one for a ride. Hopefully it's got good knee room!
Your ETA entry suggests it might be a "twin thing". Have you owned a big twin before?
What third of the rev range do you spend most of your time? (Lower, middle or upper)
Most twins, including the BMW boxer, are at their best in the lower and and middle ranges, riding the torque. If this is not hw you ride then a twin is probably not for you.
What third of the rev range do you spend most of your time? (Lower, middle or upper)
Most twins, including the BMW boxer, are at their best in the lower and and middle ranges, riding the torque. If this is not hw you ride then a twin is probably not for you.
Generally I like to be in the middle of the rev range, which just feels a bit 'meh' on the GS - no induction noise, no real feel of power building with revs, it feels a bit like a diesel most of the time with lots of low end torque but no real excitement in using revs until above 6k rpm, when it's snappier than expected.
Sounds like this could be a twin thing but only a few other test rides will tell. This morning I used Dynamic mode and firmed up the suspension and it was marginally better but I'm still inclined to think it's a bit too refined/efficient at its job at the expense of any kind of excitement. To me, it just doesn't have a lot of character.
When I went on the test ride, I hadn't ridden a bike for two months due to the previous bike being written off, and a blast around country roads near Guildford felt great but having lived with the bike for a couple of months I'm already a bit bored and can't get excited about it.
Sounds like this could be a twin thing but only a few other test rides will tell. This morning I used Dynamic mode and firmed up the suspension and it was marginally better but I'm still inclined to think it's a bit too refined/efficient at its job at the expense of any kind of excitement. To me, it just doesn't have a lot of character.
When I went on the test ride, I hadn't ridden a bike for two months due to the previous bike being written off, and a blast around country roads near Guildford felt great but having lived with the bike for a couple of months I'm already a bit bored and can't get excited about it.
Get yourself a ride on an XR. I've just bought one and it's more exciting than a very exciting thing when you want it to be but more than capable of munching motorway miles as well. Serious power starts to kick in around 6K rev's and after 9k it all goes completely metal. So make sure on your test ride you explore the upper reaches of the rev band. The quick shifter is also addictive once you start to play with it the noise is fantastic. Like playing a musical instrument.
Only down side is it makes one ride like a t
t everywhere.
I had a GS a couple of bikes ago and I know what you mean about being a bit dull. They do need a bit of time in the saddle to understand them though.
Only down side is it makes one ride like a t
t everywhere.I had a GS a couple of bikes ago and I know what you mean about being a bit dull. They do need a bit of time in the saddle to understand them though.
Off road ability is not of any interest but for comfort/ergonomic/commuting/pillion reasons, I like adventure style bikes. Being very tall and heavy, they seem the right kind of bike for me.
The Triumph is too small and I was never very impressed by the Explorers/Tigers when I sat on them but might need to be a bit more open minded.
The Triumph is too small and I was never very impressed by the Explorers/Tigers when I sat on them but might need to be a bit more open minded.
Harry H said:
Get yourself a ride on an XR. I've just bought one and it's more exciting than a very exciting thing when you want it to be but more than capable of munching motorway miles as well. Serious power starts to kick in around 6K rev's and after 9k it all goes completely metal. So make sure on your test ride you explore the upper reaches of the rev band. The quick shifter is also addictive once you start to play with it the noise is fantastic. Like playing a musical instrument.
Only down side is it makes one ride like a tt everywhere.
I had a GS a couple of bikes ago and I know what you mean about being a bit dull. They do need a bit of time in the saddle to understand them though.
There's a theme developing here - time to head back to the showroom and have a closer look at the XR!Only down side is it makes one ride like a t
t everywhere.I had a GS a couple of bikes ago and I know what you mean about being a bit dull. They do need a bit of time in the saddle to understand them though.
Probably best to take mine out for a proper run this weekend (if it doesn't snow), just in case I'm missing something. I haven't been on the bike just for fun recently, on half decent roads, so maybe that's required.
Harry H said:
Get yourself a ride on an XR. I've just bought one and it's more exciting than a very exciting thing when you want it to be but more than capable of munching motorway miles as well. Serious power starts to kick in around 6K rev's and after 9k it all goes completely metal. So make sure on your test ride you explore the upper reaches of the rev band. The quick shifter is also addictive once you start to play with it the noise is fantastic. Like playing a musical instrument.
Only down side is it makes one ride like a tt everywhere.
I had a GS a couple of bikes ago and I know what you mean about being a bit dull. They do need a bit of time in the saddle to understand them though.
Any truth in the reported [unbearable] vibrations at 80mph or cruising speed on the XR? I remember posters or magazines mentioning this when it was first tested.Only down side is it makes one ride like a t
t everywhere.I had a GS a couple of bikes ago and I know what you mean about being a bit dull. They do need a bit of time in the saddle to understand them though.
Mosdef said:
Probably best to take mine out for a proper run this weekend (if it doesn't snow), just in case I'm missing something. I haven't been on the bike just for fun recently, on half decent roads, so maybe that's required.
I doubt you're missing much but the GS can be made to Tango very well. It's a capable bike covering ground efficiently. But the engine is never going the be exciting as where an inline 4 picks up as you start to thrash it the GS flat twin just sort of runs out of puff. It's all about the torque.J B L said:
Any truth in the reported [unbearable] vibrations at 80mph or cruising speed on the XR? I remember posters or magazines mentioning this when it was first tested.
Yes there is a buzz around the 5-6k mark but no more than many a motorcycle I've owned. A set of EVO bar end weights completely stopped it for me though. No bike is perfect for everyone and the Jurno's have to find some negatives to justify the article and their existance. Completely over reported in my book. It's such a brilliant bike the only thing they could come up with is a bit of a buzz in the bars and as a consequence it's all be blown massively out of proportion. Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff