Any motorcyclists on here as well?

[joderest]

Used to be biker, 48 years, and never an off, but miss judge a couple of corners, so stopped riding as thought that was enough.
Last bike was a 1000 V Strom, i really loved it, pulled like a train, ultra reliable, easy to work on.

I still miss a bike, and since stopping three years ago, have very nearly succumbed again, thankfully, wife stopped me !!!!

 

[merc85]

My beastly after I fitted a new carbon hi level can.

 

[Botus]

No we don't allow them on here, dirty things and the owners are even worse...

Here's my 2...

1993 CBR600 that I've had from new



30th Anniversary BMWR1200GSA, which I've also had from new

I've got an old GS... bit like a landrover defender in refinement terms but you can chuck them around.....

such a manoeuvrable bike - defies physics - ride it like a stolen 125 and it comes to life like few can believe…. all the while you put in almost no effort to leave anything for dead... unless the roads straight enough for a ploy pocket to hit 140 they'll never know you're in front of them regardless how much they want to kill themselves

 

[Blobcat]

I've got an old GS... bit like a landrover defender in refinement terms but you can chuck them around.....

such a manoeuvrable bike - defies physics - ride it like a stolen 125 and it comes to life like few can believe…. all the while you put in almost no effort to leave anything for dead... unless the roads straight enough for a ploy pocket to hit 140 they'll never know you're in front of them regardless how much they want to kill themselves

I can highly recommend the BMW Off-Road Skills Course in Wales, I did it on a R1200GS. It really teaches great low speed control and as you say the boxer engine carries it's not insignificant weight very low down. It is much easier to ride fast on most roads compared to most "sports" bikes

 

[Botus]

the roads near me have this odd centre line degradation going on. A 6" to 8" wide up to 5 " deep 20 foot long chasm where the tarmac used to join together in the centre of the two lanes (where the white lines / tarmac used to be). Now just gravelly ditches of hell. Some are unbelievable, but as cars seldom go there no one seems to care.

I've had the GS 10 years and been riding since I was 12 so not that fused.... but now so used to the GS I've been charging through without a care in the world.... But I was back on some road bike a few months back. Crossed a few patches where the centre was in "relatively good condition...." and on my goodness, it did a very good job of trying to kill me... the bars ripped out of your hand and the bike tries to fall and snap to full lock.... then I realised why so few other bikers can keep up..... stock bikes on 17" wheels with silly sports tyres, in these conditions are flipping dangerous. But the GS just has a mild wiggle as you rip down the road focusing on which car driver is trying to kill you (rather than 120% focus just staying upright)

 

[Blobcat]

the roads near me have this odd centre line degradation going on. A 6" to 8" wide up to 5 " deep 20 foot long chasm where the tarmac used to join together in the centre of the two lanes (where the white lines / tarmac used to be). Now just gravelly ditches of hell. Some are unbelievable, but as cars seldom go there no one seems to care.

I've had the GS 10 years and been riding since I was 12 so not that fused.... but now so used to the GS I've been charging through without a care in the world.... But I was back on some road bike a few months back. Crossed a few patches where the centre was in "relatively good condition...." and on my goodness, it did a very good job of trying to kill me... the bars ripped out of your hand and the bike tries to fall and snap to full lock.... then I realised why so few other bikers can keep up..... stock bikes on 17" wheels with silly sports tyres, in these conditions are flipping dangerous. But the GS just has a mild wiggle as you rip down the road focusing on which car driver is trying to kill you (rather than 120% focus just staying upright)

This one is my 4th GSA...
I occasionally look down at the front Telelever suspension and watch it going up and down doing its job without passing anything onto me. It can take awhile to trust the front end is doing it's job after coming off a sports bike as you don't get the same feeling (every road imperfection transmitted directly to your wrists...). Once you get the confidence though it is a great system. I want to go for a ride now

 

[Botus]

stopping is the big thing.... and the link front to back brings something too.... get on a normal bike and the brakes just don't work...

got a KTM 1290 too and its ten times as fast with no brakes whatsoever you can squeeze the lever till the discs get heat spots but it just carries on without the speed changing at all..... hate it.

its really strange... took a 1200 triumph explorer thing out whist the KTM was being looked at and it was really very similar to an air-cooled GS.... grabbed a hand full of brakes (which are the same as the KTM) and winded myself. That stopped !!! And had incredible shift assist. Worked so well no need to turn it off like it needs on a BMW. Oddly even though it worked really well, it had on off in the menus so you got a choice.

 

[Botus]

Took the GS out on Sat (first time on the bike in ages) … and on the Sun got out the VX800, wow the difference in quality of fuel control is incredible...

the Suzuki throws out hydrocarbons, but its so smooth. No glitches, coughs, splutters or weak overly lean arguments, it just works... you have to recalibrate how to ride...

the GS (like all BMWs) "encourages you to ride like you stole it +10%".... When you do this it comes to life in ways that's even more strange than the fact you can ride it faster than anything else already... and it just eggs you on more and more... its like, "OK you think you can break me keep trying sunshine !!!" its remains like this regardless how mad u try.

The Suzuki is like "chill dude change up at 2k check the view" … just as well as it brakes and suspension are special. One bit I can do at 110 on the GS without a care in the world, had the front, the rear and then the whole bike on a flying lesson as well as throwing me out of the seat at 60, I'm like... really !

 

[Botus]

The VX has been stinking out the garage with mega petrol fumes (99 esso is quite lively) ….. went to take it for a run after changing the oil and found

1) the fuel tap leaking and then the plastic knob's fallen off :-( . Seems its a common issue and its shared with the 600 and 1200 bandit, so I have a repair kit coming off ebay. Hope its ethanol proof ! Shame I brimmed it before parking !

2) its a nice ride to chug about on but the clutch was grabby as hell (making a 1200GS one look progressive !). I got it off a mate in Belgium (left it there for a year) then never got round to registering it, so sat for at least another 2 in my garage and now a year since I got it on the road here.... . After its 1st birthday MOT a few weeks back I realised I should change the oil.

Although must have done only about 100 miles the oil was dirty (and 4 years old). When it came out it stank of petrol and the stuff I left to air still smells more of petrol than anything else after about 3 weeks on a shelf. I suddenly thought maybe with just decent fresh 10 40 bike oil rather than 25% petrol will the clutch feel any different.... it is, massive jump, its about 3 times less grabby now. Which is nice

 

[LostKiwi]

 

[KennyN]

Spent the last couple of weeks getting the ZRX ready for sale , new rear mudguard / indicators / mirrors / original bars + grips fitted / new front tyre / oil change / carbs balanced . MOT at some point this week then its onto eBay / AT.



K

 

[Marcel-Anthony]

I am another one I am afraid. I use my bikes as a stress buster (in fine weather only). Was out yesterday evening for a ride along the north east coast and it was freezing still. Current bikes are a 2014 street Triple and a custom built 1991 Harley Sportster with a 1200 evo engine. Harley is currently in 100 bits being restored by me very slowly.

 

[sonic]

Spent the last couple of weeks getting the ZRX ready for sale , new rear mudguard / indicators / mirrors / original bars + grips fitted / new front tyre / oil change / carbs balanced . MOT at some point this week then its onto eBay / AT.



K

Looks very nice.

 

[sonic]

I am another one I am afraid. I use my bikes as a stress buster (in fine weather only). Was out yesterday evening for a ride along the north east coast and it was freezing still. Current bikes are a 2014 street Triple and a custom built 1991 Harley Sportster with a 1200 evo engine. Harley is currently in 100 bits being restored by me very slowly.

Hopefully 1 April is warmer when I go back on the road.

 

[Marcel-Anthony]

Hopefully 1 April is warmer when I go back on the road.

Lets hope so. My daughter bought me some thermal long johns for xmas to wear on the bike or as she put it man leggings. Tried them out yesterday (not a good look) and they did not work in the north east chill.

 

[KennyN]

Looks very nice.

Cheers ,with just 4800 miles in 20 years it is in exceptional condition so hopefully any potential purchasers think the same.

K

 

[sonic]

Lets hope so. My daughter bought me some thermal long johns for xmas to wear on the bike or as she put it man leggings. Tried them out yesterday (not a good look) and they did not work in the north east chill.

I have a Rukka gortex jacket & trousers with zip out liners, always warm & dry. Its 20 years old now but still perfect. I used it one winter in -5C when I was testing radio comms on police bikes. Just my face that was cold.

 

[Blobcat]

Lets hope so. My daughter bought me some thermal long johns for xmas to wear on the bike or as she put it man leggings. Tried them out yesterday (not a good look) and they did not work in the north east chill.

I’ve a heated waistcoat that I bought last autumn, absolutely excellent - especially with the heated seat and grips

 

[Botus]

Spent the last couple of weeks getting the ZRX ready for sale , new rear mudguard / indicators / mirrors / original bars + grips fitted / new front tyre / oil change / carbs balanced . MOT at some point this week then its onto eBay / AT.



K

looks better with real indicators and a mudguard….

hate all these bikes with cheap nasty (expensive !) clutch and brake levers that work worse and feel nasty in the hand.... and all the stuff bodged up / shrunk / and missing

what miles, looks good in the pic?

 

[Botus]

guy I know swapped his Aprilia 750 shiver for some Ducati thing, a 950 hypermotad I think. He let me have a go on it, so tootled up the road to let it warm up, it was Ok-ish with good midrange, but the rear suspension seemed too harsh, yet he's a good 20kg less than me. Crazy noisy (its got some silly pipes), as I rode off he said he'd put the electronics in nanny mode (really !!!).

Once warm gave it a bit and it sort of goes, but no top end hit.... so I stopped to fight the electronics (which took forever) till I was in race or whatever and it ran like a total dog. That's when I figured it might be about to run out, so put in £10 of super unleaded. But it didn't run any happier after!

So decided it was time to give it a spanking.... All rather underwhelming, the noise was utterly criminal, the suspension non functioning at the back, the steering damper made it handle like a pig (as it does on any bike) and the go was distinctly average. My 1290 KTM is like concord on acid in comparison, it got at least double down the bottom, about three times in the middle and about ten times more go at the top.

Was aiming to make super hero re-entry with lots of throttle blipping and down changes but ran about of enthusiasm.... the noise was just too loud to be even remotely anti-social.... just as well ! doing about 50 just 200 yards from his place some granddad turned in front of me... locked it up at the back, wobbled and was never going to stop - having got it wrong at least he worked it out and stopped, so I went through the gap... or mates bike would have been 5 foot shorter.... must be getting old, just shook my head at granddad didn't even bother with a thank you wave...

Worst bit the owner is happy with the rear shock. I think he wants 2 clicks off compression and 1 off rebound...