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17.05.03 I just rode an R1150GS from Park Lane BMW and was a bit underwhelmed. Nice enough riding position and good wind protection, but my legs were very cramped and
the whole thing was a bit bland. It was sort of like riding a washing machine after switching from my XT600. The bike is easy enough to ride but I'm not sure I'd like to pay £9K+ for one. The brakes definitely felt
weird, not very progressive and ultimately too abrupt. The ABS works on the back (too scared to try the front) but hearing a bunch of servos squeaking and whirring as I twiddled with the brake at traffic lights could
only make me wonder how long it all takes to wear out or break down. Apparently the non-ABS one doesn't have servo-assisted brakes, so I'd guess it feels totally different. It's probably unfair to judge a bike from
one ride (I had it for an hour) and maybe riding one around for a week would give me a better impression. Bizarrely, I think what put me off most is the lack of noise. It sounds trivial, but on reflection it's part of
what made the Super Tenere and my DR650 so disappointing as well. All sounded clicky and whirry instead of, well, like motorcycles, and I think this leaves me with the impression that they are insubstantial and shoddy.
I read that the R1100S Boxer Cup sounds 'like a WWI fighter plane', so there is hope. I'd also want to experiment with the seat height to see if I could get more leg room without losing too much wind protection.
Quirks. The barmy indicators, of course, and the way it rocks to the right when you rev it up. Also a bit startling when you look down because the cylinders are staggered (something I've never seen written about).
Weird, and I only noticed because my left shin wasn't sore! I should mention I rode an R1150RT as well. Also a nice bike, if a bit different to the GS. The screen wasn't as ecstatically brilliant as I imagined,
but it was a whole lot better than anything I could ever get for my VFR800, allowing me to easily hit 70 in my open-face helmet with the visor up. Any new quirks? Well, I kept looking in the wrong place for the mirrors,
and filtering slowly through traffic immediately gave me violent cramp in both hips because of the way I had to swing my legs out to clear the fairing. (I actually had to get off the bike for a minute after this!)
Again, it might sound silly but this would be a major minus for me. Overall, I'm not sure I'd be happy spending £10K on one of these either. I'd definitely want to try the FJR1300 and maybe even the Pig Euro first.
R o c k s t e r
? It is gorgeous in the flesh - I saw the copper one, which looks less like a bar of mint aero than a jewelled wristwatch with FUCK OFF engraved across the face. Sadly it looks totally impractical, so I didn't bother having a go.
And I have to say, it was a little bit surreal to be sitting there in my leathers and to be brought tea in a china service. Reflections. The GS isn't as big as they say it is - in the What Bike
listings they say 'you really ought to try one, if just for the novelty of being at the same height as passengers on the top deck of a double-decker bus'. This is utter nonsense, and one of the reasons I have stopped paying close attention to such 'advice'. In fact the GS is lower than my XT600, which itself is considerably lower than both my Teneres used to be. Perhaps it's a bit taller on the highest seat position, but it's not a big deal. Incidentally,
Motorcycle Sport & Leisure concluded that the Rockster wasn't suitable as a town bike because 'the bars are even wider than the cylinder heads'. Duh, like every trail bike ever invented. Bike
reached the opposite conclusion, describing the Rockster as 'a great town bike'. Torque reaction. Not even noticeable on the move. I understand it causes 'issues' with wheelies, but I don't think that's going to be
a handicap for me. But then I'm used to riding a Cessna, which does something similar if you don't use the rudder on takeoff... What can I say? There was something elusive missing from the GS that wasn't missing from,
say, my Transalp, which others have called bland. I accept that riding the thing around Park Lane and Oxford Street with a quick foray up the A40 (50mph and I already have 6 points thank you very much) isn't the most
exhaustive test of its ability. Next time I'll take it up to Elstree or somewhere (or perhaps across
Hyde Park), which ought to give me more of a rounded picture. But current view is, at around £10K for a decent spec (ABS is one of the reasons I'm looking at BMWs), maybe I'd be just as happy with an Africa Twin or even another Transalp.
02.06.03 Take 2. I rode the R1150GS again today but it still didn't grip me. It's still cramped with the seat at max height, wind protection is adequate (though for me still turbulent above 70 with the
standard screen), and the engine is awfully buzzy at 80+. Okay, it's the first bike I've ridden that really will
pull from 1500rpm in 6th gear, and perhaps it doesn't feel as tinny and insubstantial as was my first impression, but I am left deeply ambivalent. (And those stupid, stupid indicators...grrrr.) I want
to like it, I really do, but there are bikes I would much rather have (Caponord, KTM Adventure, etc.). But then there's the ABS, shaft drive and BMW customer service... 08.06.03 Found this
for 50% of the price of a sensibly-specced R1150GS. Negotiated some good extras. 
14.06.03 |
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