Discussion
Prizam said:
I have had sports bikes since getting off my 125.
Two R6's and a Zx10r. I prefer thee older R6 because its a bit bigger and a little softer on my wrists. On the road its just as fast as the newer one. I guess round track it would be a bit slower.
Had the 2001 R6 for 7 years and only sold it last month. Covered about 30k on it in those 7 years. An average of just over 4k a year. Not much really... (Although a lot more miles than i do in my TVR).
Recently started a job that requires a lot of travel in to London. The R6 on a commute was intolerable. Sure it got me there and did it quickly. But quickly was the problem. Sitting on the motorway through the 50mph roadworks, then to 60 / 50 / 40 MPH long stretches of the M4 / A4 in to London whilst flattening off the center of the sticky rear tyre just was not right. Not to mention its not the most comfortable bike to ride for over an hour. I ended up doing stupid speeds just to get home and get off the thing. I want to keep my license, so...
I started to mod the bike. Heated grips, little phone holder, extended windscreen. The sports bike was becoming a lot less sporty and a lot more like a sports tourer.
My back was hurting from having a heavy laptop bag on my back and my wrists were hurting. 2+ hours a day on a sports bike... on a motorway is not fun. And then i was having to adjust the chain every week and lube it every other day. Rear tires life expectancy of about 4k were getting eaten up in 3/4 months ware as it used to be once a year.
So... i got a 2014 GS LC. Not the full blown adventure but the "Touring" version. (They are all mostly the same anyway)
I now have a bike that suits the job i intend to use it for. It sits on the motorway at 70.... ish doing 60+ mpg. Its quiet, offers good safety devices and weather protection. Cruise control gives you a great rest through the stupid speed limits and the sat nav unit tells you about traffic, weather, different / quicker routes. Twisty routes, updates my missus on when i will be home (Tracker option) so she can get the dinner on. And even plays my favorite Britny Spears records at me.
My other commute is 50 miles through the Oxfordshire country side. Twisty B roads make up all of this commute. And i am quicker on the GS than i am on the R6. The GS handles exceptionally well for its size but not as well as the R6. The reason its faster is not because its a superbike eater, but because it is consistent and forgiving. Clipping some mud from a farmers field in the cold and wet on the R6 would have you in his field. The GS takes it in its stride, occasionally with a flash from the "saved your ass" light.
And that brings me to safety features. Why would you not have them? Yes they take away some of the "Rawness" of biking. But in the milky eyed morning commute having been up half the night with a newborn, they are a very much welcome addition. And if wheelies are your thing, you can turn them off.
On a track, yes surprise surprise the "super bike" will be faster. Because its doing what it was designed for. However, the GS wont be as far behind as you think!
Now, the GS does have its down sides.
1. Cost
2. Its big, filtering is not as easy as it could be. But still surprisingly good
3. Its heavy
4. Its a BMW, servicing will cost you.
5. Gearbox requires a lot of learning to get that smooth gear change (Rev matching is the key)
But at the end of the day its a tool for a job. The requirements for that job have changed, and so has the tool.
Don't hate on the GS rider because he uses biking for a different purpose.
All too true, correct, rational and sensible for all the PH BB Riding Gods who think they're Marquez and speak of woeful purile stories of derring do. They enjoy putting down the GS and their owners because of their own inadequacies and self-confidence 'issues', concerned about what others may think of them unless they are riding some 'kool, init' sportsbike that highlights their demi-god like status on the M6 carving between lorries. Two R6's and a Zx10r. I prefer thee older R6 because its a bit bigger and a little softer on my wrists. On the road its just as fast as the newer one. I guess round track it would be a bit slower.
Had the 2001 R6 for 7 years and only sold it last month. Covered about 30k on it in those 7 years. An average of just over 4k a year. Not much really... (Although a lot more miles than i do in my TVR).
Recently started a job that requires a lot of travel in to London. The R6 on a commute was intolerable. Sure it got me there and did it quickly. But quickly was the problem. Sitting on the motorway through the 50mph roadworks, then to 60 / 50 / 40 MPH long stretches of the M4 / A4 in to London whilst flattening off the center of the sticky rear tyre just was not right. Not to mention its not the most comfortable bike to ride for over an hour. I ended up doing stupid speeds just to get home and get off the thing. I want to keep my license, so...
I started to mod the bike. Heated grips, little phone holder, extended windscreen. The sports bike was becoming a lot less sporty and a lot more like a sports tourer.
My back was hurting from having a heavy laptop bag on my back and my wrists were hurting. 2+ hours a day on a sports bike... on a motorway is not fun. And then i was having to adjust the chain every week and lube it every other day. Rear tires life expectancy of about 4k were getting eaten up in 3/4 months ware as it used to be once a year.
So... i got a 2014 GS LC. Not the full blown adventure but the "Touring" version. (They are all mostly the same anyway)
I now have a bike that suits the job i intend to use it for. It sits on the motorway at 70.... ish doing 60+ mpg. Its quiet, offers good safety devices and weather protection. Cruise control gives you a great rest through the stupid speed limits and the sat nav unit tells you about traffic, weather, different / quicker routes. Twisty routes, updates my missus on when i will be home (Tracker option) so she can get the dinner on. And even plays my favorite Britny Spears records at me.
My other commute is 50 miles through the Oxfordshire country side. Twisty B roads make up all of this commute. And i am quicker on the GS than i am on the R6. The GS handles exceptionally well for its size but not as well as the R6. The reason its faster is not because its a superbike eater, but because it is consistent and forgiving. Clipping some mud from a farmers field in the cold and wet on the R6 would have you in his field. The GS takes it in its stride, occasionally with a flash from the "saved your ass" light.
And that brings me to safety features. Why would you not have them? Yes they take away some of the "Rawness" of biking. But in the milky eyed morning commute having been up half the night with a newborn, they are a very much welcome addition. And if wheelies are your thing, you can turn them off.
On a track, yes surprise surprise the "super bike" will be faster. Because its doing what it was designed for. However, the GS wont be as far behind as you think!
Now, the GS does have its down sides.
1. Cost
2. Its big, filtering is not as easy as it could be. But still surprisingly good
3. Its heavy
4. Its a BMW, servicing will cost you.
5. Gearbox requires a lot of learning to get that smooth gear change (Rev matching is the key)
But at the end of the day its a tool for a job. The requirements for that job have changed, and so has the tool.
Don't hate on the GS rider because he uses biking for a different purpose.
Prizam said:
I have had sports bikes since getting off my 125.
Two R6's and a Zx10r. I prefer thee older R6 because its a bit bigger and a little softer on my wrists. On the road its just as fast as the newer one. I guess round track it would be a bit slower.
Had the 2001 R6 for 7 years and only sold it last month. Covered about 30k on it in those 7 years. An average of just over 4k a year. Not much really... (Although a lot more miles than i do in my TVR).
Recently started a job that requires a lot of travel in to London. The R6 on a commute was intolerable. Sure it got me there and did it quickly. But quickly was the problem. Sitting on the motorway through the 50mph roadworks, then to 60 / 50 / 40 MPH long stretches of the M4 / A4 in to London whilst flattening off the center of the sticky rear tyre just was not right. Not to mention its not the most comfortable bike to ride for over an hour. I ended up doing stupid speeds just to get home and get off the thing. I want to keep my license, so...
I started to mod the bike. Heated grips, little phone holder, extended windscreen. The sports bike was becoming a lot less sporty and a lot more like a sports tourer.
My back was hurting from having a heavy laptop bag on my back and my wrists were hurting. 2+ hours a day on a sports bike... on a motorway is not fun. And then i was having to adjust the chain every week and lube it every other day. Rear tires life expectancy of about 4k were getting eaten up in 3/4 months ware as it used to be once a year.
So... i got a 2014 GS LC. Not the full blown adventure but the "Touring" version. (They are all mostly the same anyway)
I now have a bike that suits the job i intend to use it for. It sits on the motorway at 70.... ish doing 60+ mpg. Its quiet, offers good safety devices and weather protection. Cruise control gives you a great rest through the stupid speed limits and the sat nav unit tells you about traffic, weather, different / quicker routes. Twisty routes, updates my missus on when i will be home (Tracker option) so she can get the dinner on. And even plays my favorite Britny Spears records at me.
My other commute is 50 miles through the Oxfordshire country side. Twisty B roads make up all of this commute. And i am quicker on the GS than i am on the R6. The GS handles exceptionally well for its size but not as well as the R6. The reason its faster is not because its a superbike eater, but because it is consistent and forgiving. Clipping some mud from a farmers field in the cold and wet on the R6 would have you in his field. The GS takes it in its stride, occasionally with a flash from the "saved your ass" light.
And that brings me to safety features. Why would you not have them? Yes they take away some of the "Rawness" of biking. But in the milky eyed morning commute having been up half the night with a newborn, they are a very much welcome addition. And if wheelies are your thing, you can turn them off.
On a track, yes surprise surprise the "super bike" will be faster. Because its doing what it was designed for. However, the GS wont be as far behind as you think!
Now, the GS does have its down sides.
1. Cost
2. Its big, filtering is not as easy as it could be. But still surprisingly good
3. Its heavy
4. Its a BMW, servicing will cost you.
5. Gearbox requires a lot of learning to get that smooth gear change (Rev matching is the key)
But at the end of the day its a tool for a job. The requirements for that job have changed, and so has the tool.
Don't hate on the GS rider because he uses biking for a different purpose.
Good write-up. Let's not allow real world experience to get in the way of ill informed naivety though ....Two R6's and a Zx10r. I prefer thee older R6 because its a bit bigger and a little softer on my wrists. On the road its just as fast as the newer one. I guess round track it would be a bit slower.
Had the 2001 R6 for 7 years and only sold it last month. Covered about 30k on it in those 7 years. An average of just over 4k a year. Not much really... (Although a lot more miles than i do in my TVR).
Recently started a job that requires a lot of travel in to London. The R6 on a commute was intolerable. Sure it got me there and did it quickly. But quickly was the problem. Sitting on the motorway through the 50mph roadworks, then to 60 / 50 / 40 MPH long stretches of the M4 / A4 in to London whilst flattening off the center of the sticky rear tyre just was not right. Not to mention its not the most comfortable bike to ride for over an hour. I ended up doing stupid speeds just to get home and get off the thing. I want to keep my license, so...
I started to mod the bike. Heated grips, little phone holder, extended windscreen. The sports bike was becoming a lot less sporty and a lot more like a sports tourer.
My back was hurting from having a heavy laptop bag on my back and my wrists were hurting. 2+ hours a day on a sports bike... on a motorway is not fun. And then i was having to adjust the chain every week and lube it every other day. Rear tires life expectancy of about 4k were getting eaten up in 3/4 months ware as it used to be once a year.
So... i got a 2014 GS LC. Not the full blown adventure but the "Touring" version. (They are all mostly the same anyway)
I now have a bike that suits the job i intend to use it for. It sits on the motorway at 70.... ish doing 60+ mpg. Its quiet, offers good safety devices and weather protection. Cruise control gives you a great rest through the stupid speed limits and the sat nav unit tells you about traffic, weather, different / quicker routes. Twisty routes, updates my missus on when i will be home (Tracker option) so she can get the dinner on. And even plays my favorite Britny Spears records at me.
My other commute is 50 miles through the Oxfordshire country side. Twisty B roads make up all of this commute. And i am quicker on the GS than i am on the R6. The GS handles exceptionally well for its size but not as well as the R6. The reason its faster is not because its a superbike eater, but because it is consistent and forgiving. Clipping some mud from a farmers field in the cold and wet on the R6 would have you in his field. The GS takes it in its stride, occasionally with a flash from the "saved your ass" light.
And that brings me to safety features. Why would you not have them? Yes they take away some of the "Rawness" of biking. But in the milky eyed morning commute having been up half the night with a newborn, they are a very much welcome addition. And if wheelies are your thing, you can turn them off.
On a track, yes surprise surprise the "super bike" will be faster. Because its doing what it was designed for. However, the GS wont be as far behind as you think!
Now, the GS does have its down sides.
1. Cost
2. Its big, filtering is not as easy as it could be. But still surprisingly good
3. Its heavy
4. Its a BMW, servicing will cost you.
5. Gearbox requires a lot of learning to get that smooth gear change (Rev matching is the key)
But at the end of the day its a tool for a job. The requirements for that job have changed, and so has the tool.
Don't hate on the GS rider because he uses biking for a different purpose.
fergus said:
Fieldsheer "acid worms" are kind of retro cool.
On a trip to UK from SA in Aug 1989 I was asked by a mate to collect a set of those in from Clive Horton and a Scitsu rev counter from somewhere in Sheffield. He had paid for them already.That was fun at SA Customs upon my return as I had not taken enough currency out of the country to buy all these things and still return with some...............Oops.
He wore those leathers for years until he got too fat for them.
Funky times dude.
Reardy Mister said:
Andy XRV said:
Reardy Mister said:
Andy XRV said:
Personally I think the GS falls into the same camp as the modern cafe racer and HD's where a good percentage of people buy them because they aspire to the perceived lifestyle. They then buy all the gear and when they ride them it's like some form of adult reenactment of the Long Way Round. That doesn't make them bad people but it's certainly not for me.
Oh yes, that's vastly different from people wearing one piece leathers on a race replica to bimble around Lancashire as though they're John McGuiness on valium, isn't it? 
flyingvisit said:
Just as a matter of interest (from a K11 rider who fancies a twin), what sort of mileage will a GS (or any other modern BM twin) clock up without major problems? Do they suffer the old BM twin problems that I've heard of i.e. oil leaks and chocolate gearboxes?
The current LC GS has only been out since 2013, and it has already gone through one update that included an improved gearbox for MY2015. The Americans generally pile up much higher miles, and there are numerous 50k+ mile bikes, and a couple 100k milers. There are plenty of 100k+ mile airhead GSes (the previous generation).crusty said:
This is complete b
ks.
Recently came back from a 3 day high speed euro jaunt, me and mate on sports bikes, other mate on a Multistrada. We all swapped bikes and rode some lovely twisty roads around Spa. Multistrada did a fair job, but when we upped the pace it was left behind.
Don't get me wrong the MS was OK, but sports bikes are designed for going fast round corners
Glad you enjoyed it ks.Recently came back from a 3 day high speed euro jaunt, me and mate on sports bikes, other mate on a Multistrada. We all swapped bikes and rode some lovely twisty roads around Spa. Multistrada did a fair job, but when we upped the pace it was left behind.
Don't get me wrong the MS was OK, but sports bikes are designed for going fast round corners
Sports bikes are designed to go fast round RACETRACK corners, not real-world tight ones where as soon as you fall out of the powerband you topple over.
Which Multi, by the way? The old 1100 air-cooled had to be ridden like a 2-stroke 125 to get anywhere; the new 1200 is much torque-ier. The three I was with are all 1200s and I didn't see a single sports bike overtake any of them (on any road) while we were out. Mind you it did rain
spareparts said:
flyingvisit said:
Just as a matter of interest (from a K11 rider who fancies a twin), what sort of mileage will a GS (or any other modern BM twin) clock up without major problems? Do they suffer the old BM twin problems that I've heard of i.e. oil leaks and chocolate gearboxes?
The current LC GS has only been out since 2013, and it has already gone through one update that included an improved gearbox for MY2015. The Americans generally pile up much higher miles, and there are numerous 50k+ mile bikes, and a couple 100k milers. There are plenty of 100k+ mile airhead GSes (the previous generation).As for the older models, air/oil cooled, the motor seems very robust but servicing can be pricey. Tings like a new clutch is a very big job which BMW have addressed on the new bike.
I think the question marks on the previous model are more focussed towards ancillary components like switchgear or final drive units.
But I think post Charlie and Ewan, there was a noticeable drop in quality as BMW cashed in on the massive popularity of the bike following their exploits.
flyingvisit said:
Just as a matter of interest (from a K11 rider who fancies a twin), what sort of mileage will a GS (or any other modern BM twin) clock up without major problems? Do they suffer the old BM twin problems that I've heard of i.e. oil leaks and chocolate gearboxes?
Not sure about the most current models, but certainly with my 2009 GSA its fair to say that BMW seem to have set them up to run on a very lean fuel mix, probably to meet emission regulations? Its been said that this lean fuel mix can lead to hotspots on the valves, which can lead to valve failure. One remedy for this, which I have done, is to get a remap at Hilltop garage in Leicester. As well as other improvements it adjusts the fuel mix to run a little more rich.Well, I can't crow too much, as I commute on an elderly R1100RT, but today I believe I have seen the ultimate ridiculous GS accessory.
I rode down towards Fiveways at Sidcup alongside a newish (I think 14-plate) 1200GS. I could see there was something black attached to the top of his knee guard (?) tube but couldn't work out what it was. It stuck out further than the guard; I was thinking, that's got to get in the way for tight filtering.
Anyway, we stopped at the lights, I had a closer look - and it was a fkn CUP HOLDER! What the actual?? I mean, we all know the joke about the motorcycle ash tray, but why on earth would you want a cup holder? Does he really stick his double grande skinny mocha soya latte in there? And then what? Take a sip at traffic lights? He wasn't even wearing a flip-up lid.
.com
I rode down towards Fiveways at Sidcup alongside a newish (I think 14-plate) 1200GS. I could see there was something black attached to the top of his knee guard (?) tube but couldn't work out what it was. It stuck out further than the guard; I was thinking, that's got to get in the way for tight filtering.
Anyway, we stopped at the lights, I had a closer look - and it was a fkn CUP HOLDER! What the actual?? I mean, we all know the joke about the motorcycle ash tray, but why on earth would you want a cup holder? Does he really stick his double grande skinny mocha soya latte in there? And then what? Take a sip at traffic lights? He wasn't even wearing a flip-up lid.
.comAndy XRV said:
Reardy Mister said:
Andy XRV said:
Reardy Mister said:
Andy XRV said:
Personally I think the GS falls into the same camp as the modern cafe racer and HD's where a good percentage of people buy them because they aspire to the perceived lifestyle. They then buy all the gear and when they ride them it's like some form of adult reenactment of the Long Way Round. That doesn't make them bad people but it's certainly not for me.
Oh yes, that's vastly different from people wearing one piece leathers on a race replica to bimble around Lancashire as though they're John McGuiness on valium, isn't it? CAPP0 said:
Well, I can't crow too much, as I commute on an elderly R1100RT, but today I believe I have seen the ultimate ridiculous GS accessory.
I rode down towards Fiveways at Sidcup alongside a newish (I think 14-plate) 1200GS. I could see there was something black attached to the top of his knee guard (?) tube but couldn't work out what it was. It stuck out further than the guard; I was thinking, that's got to get in the way for tight filtering.
Anyway, we stopped at the lights, I had a closer look - and it was a fkn CUP HOLDER! What the actual?? I mean, we all know the joke about the motorcycle ash tray, but why on earth would you want a cup holder? Does he really stick his double grande skinny mocha soya latte in there? And then what? Take a sip at traffic lights? He wasn't even wearing a flip-up lid.
.com
I rode down towards Fiveways at Sidcup alongside a newish (I think 14-plate) 1200GS. I could see there was something black attached to the top of his knee guard (?) tube but couldn't work out what it was. It stuck out further than the guard; I was thinking, that's got to get in the way for tight filtering.
Anyway, we stopped at the lights, I had a closer look - and it was a fkn CUP HOLDER! What the actual?? I mean, we all know the joke about the motorcycle ash tray, but why on earth would you want a cup holder? Does he really stick his double grande skinny mocha soya latte in there? And then what? Take a sip at traffic lights? He wasn't even wearing a flip-up lid.
.comI don't even like cup holders in cars. How people can't drive a few hours without stuffing their faces or drinking really puzzles me.
On Tuesday I saw a BMW LT with a bike rack on it, in Esher.
You can barely notice its there....(nice yeti).
It wasn't actually this rack, the one I saw mounted the bike across the back of the top box, front wheel removed. But some googling reveals there are a few out there.
You can barely notice its there....(nice yeti).
It wasn't actually this rack, the one I saw mounted the bike across the back of the top box, front wheel removed. But some googling reveals there are a few out there.
Edited by Reardy Mister on Friday 31st July 10:28
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