At last my own new bike thread!
Discussion
It's a 2010 BMW R1200RT with every option except audio.
Did a few miles tonight, I was happy, mrs was happy, got a couple of compliments (on the bike, not the mrs) so all good.
Here's some pics if you're interested.
What can I say about it? It's very different from an R1 (obviously).
Lots of vibration, lots of engine braking, lots of s
t to look at on the dash, buttons everywhere, 9 different suspension settings, screen is like wearing bi-focals, gearbox is surprisingly agricultural, traction control cuts in if you mash the throttle in first, likes to be caressed along the road, will play up if you try and take it by the scruff, very very good brakes for feel, power and attitude under braking, can feel the top box messing with the aero at speed, it's odd to be astride something that starts to wheeze at 120, very comfy seat and seating position, surprisingly rev happy engine for a boxer twin, st loads of storage, very high quality to feel to all but some of the fastenings and as long as the missus stays interested, I'll be quite happy with it. If she doesn't, I *might* wish I'd got the GS or K1300S. Or GTR1400.
But so far, so happy. And in the time since I picked it up at 4pm, I've had two compliments along the lines of "Lovely bike mate". What's not to love?
Did a few miles tonight, I was happy, mrs was happy, got a couple of compliments (on the bike, not the mrs) so all good.
Here's some pics if you're interested.
What can I say about it? It's very different from an R1 (obviously).
Lots of vibration, lots of engine braking, lots of s
t to look at on the dash, buttons everywhere, 9 different suspension settings, screen is like wearing bi-focals, gearbox is surprisingly agricultural, traction control cuts in if you mash the throttle in first, likes to be caressed along the road, will play up if you try and take it by the scruff, very very good brakes for feel, power and attitude under braking, can feel the top box messing with the aero at speed, it's odd to be astride something that starts to wheeze at 120, very comfy seat and seating position, surprisingly rev happy engine for a boxer twin, st loads of storage, very high quality to feel to all but some of the fastenings and as long as the missus stays interested, I'll be quite happy with it. If she doesn't, I *might* wish I'd got the GS or K1300S. Or GTR1400. But so far, so happy. And in the time since I picked it up at 4pm, I've had two compliments along the lines of "Lovely bike mate". What's not to love?
It most certainly is not sky blue! It's "Polar Metallic" 
BMW have a car colour called Silverstone Blue, which this is very close to. It's always been a favourite of mine.
I didn't try a K of any sort, or a LC or even this bike. I just loved the look and spec of this one and had been hoping for something comfy to commute to the city on that would also force a different riding behaviour from my old "It won't happen to me" and "They'll have to catch me first" attitudes.
Although it's a 2010, it's the MU model. So twin cam but still air cooled and no Nav wheel on the left grip. I've seen the rozzers and royal security detail doing amazing things on them in the city, so I expect to pick the pace up a bit as I get used to how many drinks I have to buy her before she gives up her wares.
BMW have a car colour called Silverstone Blue, which this is very close to. It's always been a favourite of mine. I didn't try a K of any sort, or a LC or even this bike. I just loved the look and spec of this one and had been hoping for something comfy to commute to the city on that would also force a different riding behaviour from my old "It won't happen to me" and "They'll have to catch me first" attitudes.
Although it's a 2010, it's the MU model. So twin cam but still air cooled and no Nav wheel on the left grip. I've seen the rozzers and royal security detail doing amazing things on them in the city, so I expect to pick the pace up a bit as I get used to how many drinks I have to buy her before she gives up her wares.
Kickstart said:
Enjoy your new bike and if it's anything like mine its great on the worn out and potholes surfaces that pass for roads these days
Thanks. The road conditions these days was also a major consideration. Around weybridge the roads are comedically bad and the roads around my work in central London are no better. So another nail in the sports bike coffin. Plus, heated seats. 
A few observations after 3 tanks of fuel:
At the fuel station, there is no where to put my helmet cause it wont hang on the bars due to the fairing. Surprisingly annoying.
The gearbox really is s
te, but you get used to it. The engine seemed very unwilling to rev at first, like it was still tight. With only 8800 miles on it, maybe it is? However if you give it a fair old twist and ignore the fact it sounds like its trying too hard, you get a pretty good shove. Maybe its a twin cylinder thing.
The fuelling is just ok. Its possible to occasionally twist the grip and catch the engine just wrong, so that when you twist the grip, it coughs at the very moment the clutch takes up and stalls. Only happens very occasionally but annoying nonetheless. That same issue also prevents a good blip on the down shift. The extra engine brake of the twin makes it squirrely if you bash down through the gears too quick (no slipper clutch of course) so a blip is in order, except the engine tends not to be able to keep up. Takes a really big twist to overcome and some practice.
It does feel great when you lean it, maybe because it so tall and you sit upright, its accentuated. For the commute I've set the seat height low for extra slow-speed ease of foot-dabbing. The lower half of me almost feels sporty, balls of feet on the pegs etc. If I lay it in to a corner a bit quick, I still instinctively move like I'm on the R1 and going to lean it more. Then I remember I'm 3 feet back from the top yoke, I haven't got a clue what the front tyre is doing and I brick it a bit. On the occasions I haven't, nothing happens. In fact the further you lean it, the more it wants to. But it takes some getting used to because I feel like I don't have any weight over the front and therefore no feel.
The screen is an inch too short to protect me completely.
The brakes are still awesome although I think the ABS is a touch over-zealous.
And I had nice traffic light GP on the A3 the other day with a guy on a GS, followed by a nod and a wave. Its amazing how unsympathetic you get for that "still tight" engine when the red mist comes down.
s2kjock said:
I tested an RT before I bought my K1300GT in 2010. I really didn't get on with it - compared to the VFRs I was used to the engine felt very agricultural, and the expanse of front fairing obscuring everything up front was unnerving irrespective of the reduced front end feel.
The K I was immediately more comfortable with, and the front fairing is much less of a barn door.
Oddly the K also has an occasional low speed stalling issue (which is terrific at junctions when it is so bloody heavy - nearly dropped mine a few times), although I don't ride it enough around town/slow speeds to work out if it is significant or just my ham-fisted riding The stalling has not happened recently, so it might have been fixed/improved by the electronic updates at servicing.
Given how much people rave about the RT, like the GS, I should have perhaps persisted with a longer test ride to "get it" but I CBA at the time.
Aye and if I put the screen all the way up, its two barn doors. Screen up, top box on and with a decent cross wind and lane choice becomes a game of chance The K I was immediately more comfortable with, and the front fairing is much less of a barn door.
Oddly the K also has an occasional low speed stalling issue (which is terrific at junctions when it is so bloody heavy - nearly dropped mine a few times), although I don't ride it enough around town/slow speeds to work out if it is significant or just my ham-fisted riding
The stalling has not happened recently, so it might have been fixed/improved by the electronic updates at servicing.Given how much people rave about the RT, like the GS, I should have perhaps persisted with a longer test ride to "get it" but I CBA at the time.
ok its not that bad, I'm still getting used to a big tourer
The dealer came to pick the bike this morning to try to sort out the issues listed here and were kind enough to leave me a loan bike, in the form of a new model R1200RT. I was a little disappointed to be honest, I fancied a go on something different. Until I rode it.
My word. What a machine. That it was going to be a better bike than mine was expected, but not this much better. Mine is only 5 years old afterall. But the new bike is more accomplished in every department (except the display and OBC controls, more on that later) and I felt better on it by the time I left my street than I do on my own after 3 months and 2500 miles.
The throttle is crisp, reliable, sharp and with a much more purposeful engine note. The engine, christ what an improvement. Everything mine should have been and then some. Yes, you're still on a tourer (I'm not saying its any sort of ZX10 here) but its so much more urgent, so much more eager to rev and the shove you get is considerable (as opposed to a surge). None of the uncertainty you get from the fuelling in mine, around 40% of the vibration you get on mine and much smoother power, feels tight higher up but that's probably because its a demo and still quite new. Mine did too at first. It was actually fun, which is high praise from me. I want to wheelie it everywhere, that's how nice it is (I tried but the pesky ASC cut in). In a traffic light GP, this *feels* like it would destroy mine.
Earlier someone asked if mine was top heavy and my first reaction is "no, its actually fine" but having ridden this, yes in comparison mine is top heavy. This leans more eagerly and feels much more sure footed. Speaking of feel, I feel I have much more of that on the front end of this bike. I was far more confident everywhere on the commute which is saying something, cause I don't mind chucking mine about.
The brake and clutch levers are much lighter to use especially the clutch. The clutch take up feels slightly odd but I got used to it, brakes excellent, as per mine.
Gearbox is a huge improvement. Knowing what can be done, how the hell did they sell the old one for so long with a straight fking face? Honestly? This one is great, smooth changes, small, quiet, positive clicks up and down and gear shift assist that allows full throttle clutchless up shifts and full closed throttle clutchless down shifts. Only tried the upshifts so far but very pleased with the result.
The one I have is fitted with the audio system. I used it unashamedly loudly and gleefully all the way in today. Its actually not too bad up to about 70mph, after which you need full volume almost and the clarity is lost to wind noise. I don't think BMW could be accused of chucking too much at the speakers, mind you. Were it mine, I'd upgrade them. If a radio is so important to you that you want one on your motorbike, so is sound quality, to my mind. Aerial is very good as it picked up a vast array of stations. Will investigate a Bluetooth feed from my phone on the way home.
For the new models, some of the myriad of buttons for suspension, heated wotsits and adjustable doo-dahs have been replaced by a wheel on the right grip, like a motorrad verison of I-drive I guess. So far I can say I am really not impressed. Its not at all intuitive and the buttons that are required to use in conjunction with it are not clearly marked and don't appear to do the tasks you would assume they would on any other UX. The addition of the wheel has also moved the buttons I do need (like the indicators) even further from my thumb, which was already hard. Try operating the clutch and indicator at once on an RT, you need hands like a baboon. So it wasn't quick or easy to adjust the heated grips or check suspension settings or tyre pressures, unlike mine which really is quick and easy. London commuter traffic will not tolerate Blokey Bloggs taking 3 extra seconds to move in to the recently available 4 feet that exists in front of him, while he twizzles the left grip searching through the dashboard for the heated seat menu. Mine takes a simple jab of the right thumb. Job done.
The drive shaft and exhaust have swapped sides and the bike also now torques to the left when you rev it, instead of the right on the old one. So too bad if you want to carry your old luggage over to the new bike, I suppose. Also of note is the top box on this demo. It is carpet lined, has central locking (along with the two gloves boxes either side of the tank), has a high level brake light included and TWO gas struts to support the lid. What the actual fk? Its a 50l top box, not a furniture van. As if bike add-ons weren't expensive enough, I shudder to think what the replacement cost of that unit must be, should you chuck one up the road. Being a daily user of the old genuine BMW top box, I consider the new one to be a bit ridiculous.
The headlights on the new one look awesome as they have the Angel Eyes feature coveted by so many BMW drivers and the satnav mount is now built in to the dash, with a blanking plate fitted for if you don't have one.
The only other gripe so far is that BMW have addressed some owners concerns about rear view mirror visibility. All I can say is that those complaining have clearly never ridden an Italian superbike. The mirrors on my bike are fine and are even effective over the top of the luggage, with only the Missus' legs or elbows really starting to obscure things. On the new one visibility is better buts that's mainly due to the fact they stick out more. I suspect the surface area of the mirror is actually smaller. When filtering on the commute, a wider bike is not what I wanted. So BMW have made them foldable, which is all very well but in heavy traffic you need them out as much as in and folding them is done manually, which of course requires hands off the controls, not ideal. If they do an electric folding mirror option, fair enough. I will maintain though that the old ones were just fine.
The new screen appears to have a fraction more height and width which is good and the seat feels plusher. Both positives but not deal breakers on mine.
In summary, this but with my bikes gadget controls would be ideal. If you are looking at RTs and are in two minds about whether to spend the extra on the new model, absolutely do it would be my advice. It knocks spots off the old one.
My word. What a machine. That it was going to be a better bike than mine was expected, but not this much better. Mine is only 5 years old afterall. But the new bike is more accomplished in every department (except the display and OBC controls, more on that later) and I felt better on it by the time I left my street than I do on my own after 3 months and 2500 miles.
The throttle is crisp, reliable, sharp and with a much more purposeful engine note. The engine, christ what an improvement. Everything mine should have been and then some. Yes, you're still on a tourer (I'm not saying its any sort of ZX10 here) but its so much more urgent, so much more eager to rev and the shove you get is considerable (as opposed to a surge). None of the uncertainty you get from the fuelling in mine, around 40% of the vibration you get on mine and much smoother power, feels tight higher up but that's probably because its a demo and still quite new. Mine did too at first. It was actually fun, which is high praise from me. I want to wheelie it everywhere, that's how nice it is (I tried but the pesky ASC cut in). In a traffic light GP, this *feels* like it would destroy mine.
Earlier someone asked if mine was top heavy and my first reaction is "no, its actually fine" but having ridden this, yes in comparison mine is top heavy. This leans more eagerly and feels much more sure footed. Speaking of feel, I feel I have much more of that on the front end of this bike. I was far more confident everywhere on the commute which is saying something, cause I don't mind chucking mine about.
The brake and clutch levers are much lighter to use especially the clutch. The clutch take up feels slightly odd but I got used to it, brakes excellent, as per mine.
Gearbox is a huge improvement. Knowing what can be done, how the hell did they sell the old one for so long with a straight f
king face? Honestly? This one is great, smooth changes, small, quiet, positive clicks up and down and gear shift assist that allows full throttle clutchless up shifts and full closed throttle clutchless down shifts. Only tried the upshifts so far but very pleased with the result.The one I have is fitted with the audio system. I used it unashamedly loudly and gleefully all the way in today. Its actually not too bad up to about 70mph, after which you need full volume almost and the clarity is lost to wind noise. I don't think BMW could be accused of chucking too much at the speakers, mind you. Were it mine, I'd upgrade them. If a radio is so important to you that you want one on your motorbike, so is sound quality, to my mind. Aerial is very good as it picked up a vast array of stations. Will investigate a Bluetooth feed from my phone on the way home.
For the new models, some of the myriad of buttons for suspension, heated wotsits and adjustable doo-dahs have been replaced by a wheel on the right grip, like a motorrad verison of I-drive I guess. So far I can say I am really not impressed. Its not at all intuitive and the buttons that are required to use in conjunction with it are not clearly marked and don't appear to do the tasks you would assume they would on any other UX. The addition of the wheel has also moved the buttons I do need (like the indicators) even further from my thumb, which was already hard. Try operating the clutch and indicator at once on an RT, you need hands like a baboon. So it wasn't quick or easy to adjust the heated grips or check suspension settings or tyre pressures, unlike mine which really is quick and easy. London commuter traffic will not tolerate Blokey Bloggs taking 3 extra seconds to move in to the recently available 4 feet that exists in front of him, while he twizzles the left grip searching through the dashboard for the heated seat menu. Mine takes a simple jab of the right thumb. Job done.
The drive shaft and exhaust have swapped sides and the bike also now torques to the left when you rev it, instead of the right on the old one. So too bad if you want to carry your old luggage over to the new bike, I suppose. Also of note is the top box on this demo. It is carpet lined, has central locking (along with the two gloves boxes either side of the tank), has a high level brake light included and TWO gas struts to support the lid. What the actual f
k? Its a 50l top box, not a furniture van. As if bike add-ons weren't expensive enough, I shudder to think what the replacement cost of that unit must be, should you chuck one up the road. Being a daily user of the old genuine BMW top box, I consider the new one to be a bit ridiculous. The headlights on the new one look awesome as they have the Angel Eyes feature coveted by so many BMW drivers and the satnav mount is now built in to the dash, with a blanking plate fitted for if you don't have one.
The only other gripe so far is that BMW have addressed some owners concerns about rear view mirror visibility. All I can say is that those complaining have clearly never ridden an Italian superbike. The mirrors on my bike are fine and are even effective over the top of the luggage, with only the Missus' legs or elbows really starting to obscure things. On the new one visibility is better buts that's mainly due to the fact they stick out more. I suspect the surface area of the mirror is actually smaller. When filtering on the commute, a wider bike is not what I wanted. So BMW have made them foldable, which is all very well but in heavy traffic you need them out as much as in and folding them is done manually, which of course requires hands off the controls, not ideal. If they do an electric folding mirror option, fair enough. I will maintain though that the old ones were just fine.
The new screen appears to have a fraction more height and width which is good and the seat feels plusher. Both positives but not deal breakers on mine.
In summary, this but with my bikes gadget controls would be ideal. If you are looking at RTs and are in two minds about whether to spend the extra on the new model, absolutely do it would be my advice. It knocks spots off the old one.
Edited by Reardy Mister on Friday 18th September 11:07
It has to go. I don't know how feasible it is as I only bought it 4 months ago but its just a bit too soulless. I can handle slow or a stty gearbox or wheezy engine, if it has a redeeming feature or a special skill. Its capable, no doubt. But it just disappears into the background of any setting.
So what next? Well provided I'm not too far upside down on this one, I'm off to look at K1300S (in which case why not a Kawasaki 1400GTR? Too hard to find at a dealer within 80miles of me) and a R1200GS or two on Saturday. The caveat on the GS is that it must be the new liquid cooled engine, because its a good'un. The K will have some pace and I like the long, low look of it; the GS will annoy many people on PH, can offroad and I like the chunky, rugged look of it.
Also, some mates on the weekend called mine the Grandpa bike. Final fking straw. Knowing my luck Ill be stuck with it for another year...
Missus asked me last night "Does it have to be another BMW?" which was a good point. Despite everything, at this moment I would say yes but I might dip a toe in the Triumph Explorer pond, as there is a dealer very close by. I've decided against the "one bike for all occasions" notion. Its just not doable. One bike for commuting and touring and then later, a cheap, fast one for the odd track day or blat.
Nothing else I regularly see on the commute is really floating my boat at the moment. And I cant afford the latest RT.
tty gearbox or wheezy engine, if it has a redeeming feature or a special skill. Its capable, no doubt. But it just disappears into the background of any setting. So what next? Well provided I'm not too far upside down on this one, I'm off to look at K1300S (in which case why not a Kawasaki 1400GTR? Too hard to find at a dealer within 80miles of me) and a R1200GS or two on Saturday. The caveat on the GS is that it must be the new liquid cooled engine, because its a good'un. The K will have some pace and I like the long, low look of it; the GS will annoy many people on PH, can offroad and I like the chunky, rugged look of it.
Also, some mates on the weekend called mine the Grandpa bike. Final f
king straw. Knowing my luck Ill be stuck with it for another year...Missus asked me last night "Does it have to be another BMW?" which was a good point. Despite everything, at this moment I would say yes but I might dip a toe in the Triumph Explorer pond, as there is a dealer very close by. I've decided against the "one bike for all occasions" notion. Its just not doable. One bike for commuting and touring and then later, a cheap, fast one for the odd track day or blat.
Nothing else I regularly see on the commute is really floating my boat at the moment. And I cant afford the latest RT.
black-k1 said:
If you're looking at the K1300S then, other than the shaft vs. chain drive, it should be the ZZR1400, not the GTR, you're looking at.
As said, the VFR1200 is the only other shaft drive Sport Tourer option.
I thought the ZZR was the more sport orientated of the two, with the GTR being the tourer? As said, the VFR1200 is the only other shaft drive Sport Tourer option.
(I panic when I have to think about any bike not used to support the Tour De France)
Yep, 85% of my use is commute as well and I've been amazed at where the RT will fit. But my logic is, if I'm going to shell out money for a vehicle that I spend two hours a day on and some leisure time, it needs to be on something that I enjoy being on (or being seen on ). Otherwise its akin to paying for the train.
). Otherwise its akin to paying for the train.Well then, what a day I've had.
Dragged the missus down to Alton where I had prearranged a test of three bikes; 2011 K1300S, current R1200GS TE demonstrator and a 2010 K1300GT.
First up up was the GS. I wanted to like the GS, really I did. But I just couldn't. The new engine is a peach but I already knew that after sampling it in the current RT. But for such a tall bike, it really lacked substance to sit on and ride. As you'd expect it felt top heavy to tip in but once it's off centre, it's very stable and although you feel like a circus act for the tallest leaning thing ever, it can be finely tuned to very small degrees of difference, very easily. Surprisingly easy to lay over and does not get unsettled by even quite stty surfaces. Sadly with her int' pants on the back, I had to keep it quite staid. In fact, she asked to be left back at the dealer early as she really did not like the pillion experience at all.
You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone and that is certainly true of going from an RT to a GS in terms of shelter from the elements. The clothing that was fine for my bike was way short of the mark for keeping warm on the GS. The small screen (for all the difference it makes) is adjustable but with a manually operated knob, meaning it's fairly set-and -forget, for me. I don't know, for something so tall and heavy, I want to feel like I'm riding something substantial. But for me it was too narrow and felt light in terms of build and durability. I struggled with the alignment of both the gear and rear brake levers too, with the rear brake needing almost a full extension of my foot to take up braking.
The mirrors are on the bars but that makes them very close to the rider. As they're so wide and close, a long and pronounced movement of the head is required to look them. For me, an in comfortable amount of time and very large adjustment of my focus from the way forward to the mirror and back again. Going from left mirror to right mirror must look like watching a tennis match.
Another issue for me is that I reverse my bike a lot which means mirrors on the bars instead of the bike are a pain in the arse. I parked it up, walked away and did not look back, the GS itch having been well and truly scratched. I'm convinced of their capabilities but they just don't suit my riding. I think I may get on better with the wider, heavier GSA, but I flatly refuse to have another R engine unless it's the current one and as liquid cooled GSAs are outside the budget, I didn't bother swinging a leg over one.
I've never ridden a K1300S before. As a jap bike rider from Australia, they fell into the column of "quirky European stuff I've no interest in." Hence I ended up with an RT, I just bought the first thing I saw when I entered the dealer. If only Vines knew what "qualifying the customer" meant... As it turned out the bike I sampled today was a Sport model and came equipped with a quick shifter and Remus can. Obvioulsy the bars were low, set deep under the dash and closer together than I've sampled for a while. And my feet waved around in thin air for a second or two whilst they tried to locate the foot pegs which were much higher and further back than they're used to these days.
My word what a machine. What an engine. Within a couple of gears I was having an out loud chat to myself in my helmet riddled with expletives and attempts at self discipline.. The engine is so smooth, so willing to pick up revs. The power delivery is so long it's like applying throttle to a jet turbine, it put me in mind of a Hayabusa but with a much smoother and lighter feeling engine. On full noise upshifts (helped slightly by a minuscule relaxation of the throttle grip), the exhaust barked a highly, HIGHLY satisfying bang that encourages as many 2nd to 3rd gear changes as you can fit into a journey. After months in the boxer twin wilderness, I found myself making loud exclamations to myself in my helmet about how much I must not buy this bike, followed closely by how much I wanted it. I stopped back at the dealer to give the missus a chance to perch on the rear for a bit. As it turned out she found it comfortable and far preferable to the GS. Reeesult. I think that exhaust sold me as much as anything. The bike still had the all important ESA and heated grips, is narrower than the RT and is requires caressing in a manner that I am well versed in and I loved it. Thanks to the helpful chap from Dartford for the K1300S chat.
So having tried the boxer twin in tourer and adventure bike configurations and the K engine in sports tourer guise, what about the K engine in ummm...a "more tourer but still sports tourer" variation of the K1300GT? Again, the engine was the star of the show by some margin though less lively than in the S. It is somewhat surreal taking a sports bike mind set whilst hustling a slab sided tourer along an A road but that's what I found myself doing. The trouble with the GT is me having the RT already and changing would really just get me a (much) nicer and faster engine and a noticeable reduction in low speed manoeuvrability (bad for the commute) and not much else. And whilst there are undoubtedly benefits to having the luggage capacity I enjoy now and is common to the GT, I realised after riding the K1300S that as much as anything I was wrestling with the image. The S would allow me some luggage, some comfort for the missus and some dignity on the roads. Whereas the GT as good as it, risks more Grandpa bike and starship enterprise jibes. In fact thanks to the styling, it guarantees them.
So at the moment, the K1300S is the favourite as the replacement. Bahnstormer have been kind enough to loan me their demo next week to try out on the commute for two days and make sure it's the bike for me, so I am grateful for that. The missus is happy with the pillion aspect so those two days will be the acid test.
Very enlightening day that I should have done 4 months ago. Thanks for all the suggestions.
I may still try and locate a 1400GTR though, it's just chipping away at the back of my mind and I can't discount it.
Dragged the missus down to Alton where I had prearranged a test of three bikes; 2011 K1300S, current R1200GS TE demonstrator and a 2010 K1300GT.
First up up was the GS. I wanted to like the GS, really I did. But I just couldn't. The new engine is a peach but I already knew that after sampling it in the current RT. But for such a tall bike, it really lacked substance to sit on and ride. As you'd expect it felt top heavy to tip in but once it's off centre, it's very stable and although you feel like a circus act for the tallest leaning thing ever, it can be finely tuned to very small degrees of difference, very easily. Surprisingly easy to lay over and does not get unsettled by even quite s
tty surfaces. Sadly with her int' pants on the back, I had to keep it quite staid. In fact, she asked to be left back at the dealer early as she really did not like the pillion experience at all. You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone and that is certainly true of going from an RT to a GS in terms of shelter from the elements. The clothing that was fine for my bike was way short of the mark for keeping warm on the GS. The small screen (for all the difference it makes) is adjustable but with a manually operated knob, meaning it's fairly set-and -forget, for me. I don't know, for something so tall and heavy, I want to feel like I'm riding something substantial. But for me it was too narrow and felt light in terms of build and durability. I struggled with the alignment of both the gear and rear brake levers too, with the rear brake needing almost a full extension of my foot to take up braking.
The mirrors are on the bars but that makes them very close to the rider. As they're so wide and close, a long and pronounced movement of the head is required to look them. For me, an in comfortable amount of time and very large adjustment of my focus from the way forward to the mirror and back again. Going from left mirror to right mirror must look like watching a tennis match.
Another issue for me is that I reverse my bike a lot which means mirrors on the bars instead of the bike are a pain in the arse. I parked it up, walked away and did not look back, the GS itch having been well and truly scratched. I'm convinced of their capabilities but they just don't suit my riding. I think I may get on better with the wider, heavier GSA, but I flatly refuse to have another R engine unless it's the current one and as liquid cooled GSAs are outside the budget, I didn't bother swinging a leg over one.
I've never ridden a K1300S before. As a jap bike rider from Australia, they fell into the column of "quirky European stuff I've no interest in." Hence I ended up with an RT, I just bought the first thing I saw when I entered the dealer. If only Vines knew what "qualifying the customer" meant... As it turned out the bike I sampled today was a Sport model and came equipped with a quick shifter and Remus can. Obvioulsy the bars were low, set deep under the dash and closer together than I've sampled for a while. And my feet waved around in thin air for a second or two whilst they tried to locate the foot pegs which were much higher and further back than they're used to these days.
My word what a machine. What an engine. Within a couple of gears I was having an out loud chat to myself in my helmet riddled with expletives and attempts at self discipline.. The engine is so smooth, so willing to pick up revs. The power delivery is so long it's like applying throttle to a jet turbine, it put me in mind of a Hayabusa but with a much smoother and lighter feeling engine. On full noise upshifts (helped slightly by a minuscule relaxation of the throttle grip), the exhaust barked a highly, HIGHLY satisfying bang that encourages as many 2nd to 3rd gear changes as you can fit into a journey. After months in the boxer twin wilderness, I found myself making loud exclamations to myself in my helmet about how much I must not buy this bike, followed closely by how much I wanted it. I stopped back at the dealer to give the missus a chance to perch on the rear for a bit. As it turned out she found it comfortable and far preferable to the GS. Reeesult. I think that exhaust sold me as much as anything. The bike still had the all important ESA and heated grips, is narrower than the RT and is requires caressing in a manner that I am well versed in and I loved it. Thanks to the helpful chap from Dartford for the K1300S chat.
So having tried the boxer twin in tourer and adventure bike configurations and the K engine in sports tourer guise, what about the K engine in ummm...a "more tourer but still sports tourer" variation of the K1300GT? Again, the engine was the star of the show by some margin though less lively than in the S. It is somewhat surreal taking a sports bike mind set whilst hustling a slab sided tourer along an A road but that's what I found myself doing. The trouble with the GT is me having the RT already and changing would really just get me a (much) nicer and faster engine and a noticeable reduction in low speed manoeuvrability (bad for the commute) and not much else. And whilst there are undoubtedly benefits to having the luggage capacity I enjoy now and is common to the GT, I realised after riding the K1300S that as much as anything I was wrestling with the image. The S would allow me some luggage, some comfort for the missus and some dignity on the roads. Whereas the GT as good as it, risks more Grandpa bike and starship enterprise jibes. In fact thanks to the styling, it guarantees them.
So at the moment, the K1300S is the favourite as the replacement. Bahnstormer have been kind enough to loan me their demo next week to try out on the commute for two days and make sure it's the bike for me, so I am grateful for that. The missus is happy with the pillion aspect so those two days will be the acid test.
Very enlightening day that I should have done 4 months ago. Thanks for all the suggestions.
I may still try and locate a 1400GTR though, it's just chipping away at the back of my mind and I can't discount it.
Edited by Reardy Mister on Saturday 17th October 18:21
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