And today's commuting highlight is...

[camb10]

DJP said:

Stop N Go plugs are ste in my experience but sticky strings have worked for me every time. Good enough in fact that I treat them as a permanent repair.

I had t got a clue, just grabbed a repair kit from the bike place round the corner from work, took a couple of YouTube videos to figure out how to thread the sticky twiglet onto the insertion tool and even then I wasted one so I was as surprised as anyone it worked and held. I've got an old kit in the garage with some kind of rubber plugs and the cylinders but never used it. Last had a puncture in about 2001 and it was a very slow one so I could get home just by topping it up. Anyway, maybe I'll run it for a little while, it's mot time in late spring and the tyre wil prob need changing for that anyway. Have invested in a little 12v pump that can live in the back box just in case. The offending article was a little piece of flint, right in the middle of the tread, thought it was the end of a scalpel blade when I fished it out. Gonna try a road 6 on the back next I think, it's a PR2 on the back that seems to be lasting forever and a pr5 on the front that is brilliant and isn't showing any wear after >5k miles.

[xeny]

iidentifyaswoke said:

Would you say it the bike as a whole which is big, or the cylinders sticking out the side?

I’m pondering the RS. Smaller bike, but same engine with same cylinders out the side.

Bar/mirror width, and they are the same kind of height as van mirrors which are wider than cars so even more of a handicap.

[-Cappo-]

black-k1 said:

iidentifyaswoke said:

ashleyman said:

Can confirm. GS is a unit and a half. I lasted 7 weeks before deciding to get rid. Perfect for a cross country trip but on the commute. Absolutely no way thank you

Would you say it the bike as a whole which is big, or the cylinders sticking out the side?

I’m pondering the RS. Smaller bike, but same engine with same cylinders out the side.

I commuted for 6 years on K1300Ss, which are about the same width, weight and overall size as the RS. While there were situations where the size was less than optimal, there were many more situations where the comfort, power and sheer presence were a huge advantage.

Yep, I commuted for 5 years on a 2012 RT, never really had any issues. The mirrors are car height, so yes you could get baulked at a pair of stationary cars side by side occasionally, but the flip of that is that I never had to slow down for a pair of vans side by side, which some bikes with bar-mounted mirrors did. I bought it solely and specifically for commuting and it was a great bike.

I have a 2022 GS now but I don't commute any more!

[Bumblebee7]

Today's commuting highlight was collecting my new (to me) Kawasaki ER6N. Sold my last bike in March '22 and have missed biking ever since, have now bought a stop gap bike while I save some more and focus on more important expenses. Now I can stop obsessing over buying a bike and just go and have a nice occasional ride or even commute.

I present the £500 Kawasaki ER6N which came with fresh Michelin Road 5's and straight from a service at my local Kawasaki main dealer.

[mikey_b]

Bargain! The tyres are worth over £250 on the own. Dare I ask ‘what’s wrong with it?’ for it to be so cheap? That’s literally free biking as you can use it for a long time, and when you sell it again you’ll lose nothing (and probably make something).

[Bumblebee7]

mikey_b said:

Bargain! The tyres are worth over £250 on the own. Dare I ask ‘what’s wrong with it?’ for it to be so cheap? That’s literally free biking as you can use it for a long time, and when you sell it again you’ll lose nothing (and probably make something).

It's a bit of a long story, but short version is I went to look at it priced at £1500 but on the morning of wouldn't start. I brought my charger and extension lead as it hadn't been used for a while. That didn't cure it so I left the charger and lead.

Agreed to come see it again with my mechanic and agreed a price to buy of just under £1000 as long as he could start it. Guy ended up messing me about when we were on our way, think he'd had a bust up with the missus and said he had to go to work.

Needless to say I'm annoyed at having wasted my mechanics time on a Sunday morning and I find another bike to buy.

He comes back days later, desperate for the money and offers it cheap. The figure he offers is £750. I consult with the wife who says it could be a lemon, don't risk it buy the other bike. So that's what I say and he says he really needs it gone and has no means to fix it, make him an offer. So I blurt £500 and he takes it. I collect in my van the next morning and take it straight to my mechanic.

I leave it there and expect to not see it for a couple of weeks. Next thing I know I get a WhatsApp video at lunchtime, all the lads at the shop wanted to see the bike running (should add they're not bike mechanics by trade, but all biking enthusiasts). So quick tinker, one fuse replaced and the bike is perfect. Mechanic only wants a beer for it.

I've collected it and it runs sweet as a nut. Needs new handlebars as they're a bit bent, same for brake pedal from a drop. Both bits ordered for peanuts and I'm a very happy boy. Guy who sold it to me (I had to see him a day later as typically he'd forgotten to bring back my charger when I got the bike) is happy as I'd helped him out of a tight spot and he had some cash in his pocket.

[Bumblebee7]

Steering lock is quite hard to operate though, so will get that investigated. Yesterday night I was struggling to unlock it and thought I'd give up to try the other key and let the bike drop to the left onto the side stand. Except the side stand wasn't down
Thankfully the bike is pretty light and I got it back up with only a small scuff to show for it so no harm, no foul. Goes to show how quickly old habits can escape you when you've not ridden a while.

[Tribal Chestnut]

iidentifyaswoke said:

ashleyman said:

Can confirm. GS is a unit and a half. I lasted 7 weeks before deciding to get rid. Perfect for a cross country trip but on the commute. Absolutely no way thank you

Would you say it the bike as a whole which is big, or the cylinders sticking out the side?

I’m pondering the RS. Smaller bike, but same engine with same cylinders out the side.

Cylinders would definitely slow me down at times when needing to go full lock between cars.

[Omaruk]

I live in London don’t commute on it but have a GS often ride it through the city. I find it fine.
On the GS if the bars go through the rest of the bike does.
The vario panniers also fit if not in extended configuration.

Only issue is van side mirrors tend to be same height as the handlebars

[ashleyman]

iidentifyaswoke said:

ashleyman said:

Can confirm. GS is a unit and a half. I lasted 7 weeks before deciding to get rid. Perfect for a cross country trip but on the commute. Absolutely no way thank you

Would you say it the bike as a whole which is big, or the cylinders sticking out the side?

I’m pondering the RS. Smaller bike, but same engine with same cylinders out the side.

A bit of both I guess. The mirrors were a good height for you to just pass over top of most cars. You will get stopped by vans and SUVs though. Cylinders can be a pain if for example you’re trying to navigate between a car and a middle island. Depending on the height of the island you might not make it past due to cylinders and kerb connecting.

Trying to navigate tight cars I found almost impossible due to weight. On anything else you can tip the bike and duck and weave and usually get round but the length of the bike combined with the weight meant that I was getting stuck pretty easily.

If you can go off side and just blast down an oncoming lane then they’re great.

[modellista]

Tribal Chestnut said:

Sure; in case you don’t know the A40, it’s got super narrow lanes - consequently I was stuck behind the GS when things snarled up. I managed to pass him between lanes 1 & 2 and didn’t see the guy again. Just a bit too big for much of my use. I think an XR is probably about as big as I’d be willing to go. I don’t normally use the A40, but the A41 is bad too and I’m on that quite regularly.

Edit: basically it’s too fat. I don’t know why I needed to use so many words in the paragraph above.

Ah, interesting. I ride a 750 GS and I occasionally get theoretical envy of the big GSs. However when I'm squeezing through gaps in traffic or have half a space to park in I'm grateful the bike is no bigger and heavier than it is. When I'm reversing I'm glad it's no taller either.

The 750 is a decent tool for commuting and it does the longer runs fine as well, although I'm sure the bigger GSs are more relaxing for distance work.

[Hugo Stiglitz]

modellista said:

Ah, interesting. I ride a 750 GS and I occasionally get theoretical envy of the big GSs. However when I'm squeezing through gaps in traffic or have half a space to park in I'm grateful the bike is no bigger and heavier than it is. When I'm reversing I'm glad it's no taller either.

The 750 is a decent tool for commuting and it does the longer runs fine as well, although I'm sure the bigger GSs are more relaxing for distance work.

I'm on the look out for a F700GS as my R1200RT although fantastic isn't the one bike to do it all.

[Marquezs Stabilisers]

Today's commuting highlight was the full moon lighting up the sky riding to the airport. Lowlight was finding out left luggage at Glasgow Airport shuts at 8(!), so have had to cart my lid all round London too. Bah.

[2ndclasscitizen]

Dr Jekyll said:

Why do so many people assume anyone who buys a GS does so for fashion reasons? I went to the dealer intending to buy an RT but on a test ride found it felt front heavy, then reluctantly tried a GS,which I'd initially ruled out because I've no intention of going off road, and loved it. The R and the RS should be perfect, but the R doesn't have the leg room and the RS has a head down riding position. BMW simply don't do a road only GS unfortunately.

Given pretty much every sports touring tyre is now available in a 19in front (hell, you can even get Metzler M9RRs in a 19in front) and you can get a cast rather than spoke wheels if you want do BMW really need to do a "road only" GS?

[SteelerSE]

Thanks for the advice on leaving the bike. In the end I parked up in a bay in Lincoln's Inn Fields and all was well. Being a Crossrunner probably helped

[GSA_fattie]

spent two days in that London place, doing some work in the northern bit

stayed out in the sticks at Borehamwood, took advice off here and get a cover bike was untouched helped keep the frost off as well this morning

I thought I was fairly competent at filtering but obviously not, I guess when its day in day out and you know the route its easier, there were times when I could have and i didn’t and visa-versa, Some bloke on a fjr just whizzed along the A1, then again, the mirrors on the sx are a bloody pain and just at the height of mirrors of cars

just don’t get the relentless volume of traffic up int north

Drivers in certain parts of the northern bit just have no regard for two wheeled users – going from lane three to the off slip on the roundabout at the last second was a popular move no wonder cars are just wrecks

[mikey_b]

GSA_fattie said:

spent two days in that London place, doing some work in the northern bit

stayed out in the sticks at Borehamwood, took advice off here and get a cover bike was untouched helped keep the frost off as well this morning

I thought I was fairly competent at filtering but obviously not, I guess when its day in day out and you know the route its easier, there were times when I could have and i didn’t and visa-versa, Some bloke on a fjr just whizzed along the A1, then again, the mirrors on the sx are a bloody pain and just at the height of mirrors of cars

just don’t get the relentless volume of traffic up int north

Drivers in certain parts of the northern bit just have no regard for two wheeled users – going from lane three to the off slip on the roundabout at the last second was a popular move no wonder cars are just wrecks

It's interesting though, I find that cars in London are more attuned to bikes filtering than cars in less congested places. Probably because in a long queue in London you'll have a bike going past every few seconds, almost an additional lanes worth of traffic sometimes, whereas out in the sticks it's pretty unusual and most bikes are more recreational than daily transport. Certainly bikes in London generally take a much more 'positive' approach when filtering.

Definitely helps to know the route though. On my regular routes, I know exactly where the road narrows, where you get more cars changing lanes, which junctions have a lot of on/off traffic, where it's best to tuck back into the queue and go with the flow, exactly where the bus lane starts and ends, the full sequences of all the lights, all the no-entries and no-left-turns etc etc that give clues as to where cars are likely to go and where you can more confidently push through... Makes a big difference knowing that sort of thing, I'm always way more cautious if it's a new road.

[modellista]

Geniune highlight this morning was following a chap on a well-ridden (albeit rather fuel-smelling) 2001 Ninja who joined the road just ahead of me and stayed in front most of the way. He wasn't hanging about either. It felt like having an outrider in front opening up the traffic and I just had to keep up. Nice to have a bit of company. It would be cool if more people rode and you'd end up with a bike pack moving through the traffic at speed.

[MDUBZ]

mikey_b said:

GSA_fattie said:

spent two days in that London place, doing some work in the northern bit

stayed out in the sticks at Borehamwood, took advice off here and get a cover bike was untouched helped keep the frost off as well this morning

I thought I was fairly competent at filtering but obviously not, I guess when its day in day out and you know the route its easier, there were times when I could have and i didn’t and visa-versa, Some bloke on a fjr just whizzed along the A1, then again, the mirrors on the sx are a bloody pain and just at the height of mirrors of cars

just don’t get the relentless volume of traffic up int north

Drivers in certain parts of the northern bit just have no regard for two wheeled users – going from lane three to the off slip on the roundabout at the last second was a popular move no wonder cars are just wrecks

It's interesting though, I find that cars in London are more attuned to bikes filtering than cars in less congested places. Probably because in a long queue in London you'll have a bike going past every few seconds, almost an additional lanes worth of traffic sometimes, whereas out in the sticks it's pretty unusual and most bikes are more recreational than daily transport. Certainly bikes in London generally take a much more 'positive' approach when filtering.

Definitely helps to know the route though. On my regular routes, I know exactly where the road narrows, where you get more cars changing lanes, which junctions have a lot of on/off traffic, where it's best to tuck back into the queue and go with the flow, exactly where the bus lane starts and ends, the full sequences of all the lights, all the no-entries and no-left-turns etc etc that give clues as to where cars are likely to go and where you can more confidently push through... Makes a big difference knowing that sort of thing, I'm always way more cautious if it's a new road.

Even if you know the route I find the flow is very different on a bike vs the car and I’ll often pick a completely different lane etc on the bike; so much so it almost feels like a completely different route . Agree in that there London in the main drivers expect you to be there (doesn’t mean they anre always be courteous though). I also find driver awareness on the A1 surprisingly good relative to other roads but there is always the 1 driver with a complete lack awareness on every journey to try and identify early. It’s the moped/food delivery /couriers once you’re in that are a bloody nightmare to navigate past. My on the z1000sx the mirrors get folded in at ~borehamwood in prep for the filtering that starts in the run up to the roundabout and continues all the way in - they are really good on the move but for filtering I don’t think they could be positioned any worse…

[Marquezs Stabilisers]

modellista said:

Geniune highlight this morning was following a chap on a well-ridden (albeit rather fuel-smelling) 2001 Ninja who joined the road just ahead of me and stayed in front most of the way. He wasn't hanging about either. It felt like having an outrider in front opening up the traffic and I just had to keep up. Nice to have a bit of company. It would be cool if more people rode and you'd end up with a bike pack moving through the traffic at speed.

Many, many years ago commuting to Slough from South London I had this with the police. They told me at the lights at the roundabout at Fullers Brewery to just keep up...parting of the waves effect was superb!

I'm in Glasgow now where nobody expects you to filter and I've had folk swerve at me as they think it's illegal. Humph. Even the Uber Eats / Deliveroo scooters just sit in the traffic here.