squirrel_hunter
21-02-09, 08:09 PM
I tested a low seat height R1200GS at the NEC in December, had to give them a few details and they filtered their way to North Oxford BMW (http://www.oxfordbmwbikes.co.uk/) whereby a sales man kept calling me offering a test ride. So I graciously accepted and today with a friend of mine who quite likes the F800ST we turned up for a test.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s216/squirrel_hunters_photos/R1200GS/21022009149.jpg
So I thought I'd do a little write up and review of my time on the GS. But first of all big thanks to the Thames Valley orgers, particularly Walkaboutandy for his route (http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Oxford+OX2+8JP,+UK&daddr=A44%2FOxford+Rd+to:Charlbury+to:Burford+to:O xford+OX2+8JP,+UK&hl=en&geocode=%3BFbYfGAMdUOTp_w%3B%3B%3B&mra=ls&sll=51.851049,-1.459465&sspn=0.198712,0.41748&ie=UTF8&ll=51.852746,-1.472168&spn=0.397409,0.834961&z=11).
The bike I was given was quite fresh, it had 15 miles on the computer, so I had to promise not to take it over 5,000 rpm. And for the most part I didn't so unfortunately I can't tell you its top speed but I can say it was happy to cruse at 85mph. However I did notice it was a little bit more noisy at that speed then my SV, but thats probably because I normally duck down behind the screen, something a bit harder to do. Thats nothing to do with the position on the bike, you would just look stupid if you did.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s216/squirrel_hunters_photos/R1200GS/21022009151.jpg
On the subject of body position, generally quite comfortable. I did get a slightly odd feeling in my left arm after a while but speaking to the dealer that could probably be solved by altering the rake of the bars. Ride quality was interesting, but not always in a bad way. Yes it would wallow and bounce in slow tight turns but out on the open road under braking and acceleration it was fairly unremarkable. The remarkable thing about the suspension was the way it handled turns, much more solidly. Its the same as what I found at the NEC, you only have to turn the bars once, very little input and correction is needed; I can only put this down to the Telelever suspension system.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s216/squirrel_hunters_photos/R1200GS/21022009150.jpg
One final thing to say on the suspension is its ability to alter itself at the touch of a switch. There are 3 settings Normal, Sport, and Comfort accessible on the move and more available at a standstill. Basically it alters the ride hight and damping both front and rear. Naturally I had to test this out, going along one of the roads at national limit speed in Normal you could feel a bit of vibration, similar to a standard SV. In sport mode with the firmer suspension all of the bumps are transfered up and you can feel a lot more vibration. But Comfort mode is just that, I thought I was on a freshly surfaced track, I felt nothing, just smoothness.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s216/squirrel_hunters_photos/R1200GS/21022009148.jpg
So would I buy one? Well the model I was given had all the extras and a couple of boxes on it (which didn't stop filtering), it seamed practical, comfortable, and its not as big as it seams once your sat on it. The switch gear would take some getting used to, and it has a couple of quirks about it. But thats fine all bikes have that. It just seamed to lack something, yes having one means that you can stand up and do your Ewan & Charley impression (and yes I did, more than once) but it just wasn't as much fun as my SV.
Maybe it would be different if I tried it off road...
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s216/squirrel_hunters_photos/R1200GS/21022009149.jpg
So I thought I'd do a little write up and review of my time on the GS. But first of all big thanks to the Thames Valley orgers, particularly Walkaboutandy for his route (http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Oxford+OX2+8JP,+UK&daddr=A44%2FOxford+Rd+to:Charlbury+to:Burford+to:O xford+OX2+8JP,+UK&hl=en&geocode=%3BFbYfGAMdUOTp_w%3B%3B%3B&mra=ls&sll=51.851049,-1.459465&sspn=0.198712,0.41748&ie=UTF8&ll=51.852746,-1.472168&spn=0.397409,0.834961&z=11).
The bike I was given was quite fresh, it had 15 miles on the computer, so I had to promise not to take it over 5,000 rpm. And for the most part I didn't so unfortunately I can't tell you its top speed but I can say it was happy to cruse at 85mph. However I did notice it was a little bit more noisy at that speed then my SV, but thats probably because I normally duck down behind the screen, something a bit harder to do. Thats nothing to do with the position on the bike, you would just look stupid if you did.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s216/squirrel_hunters_photos/R1200GS/21022009151.jpg
On the subject of body position, generally quite comfortable. I did get a slightly odd feeling in my left arm after a while but speaking to the dealer that could probably be solved by altering the rake of the bars. Ride quality was interesting, but not always in a bad way. Yes it would wallow and bounce in slow tight turns but out on the open road under braking and acceleration it was fairly unremarkable. The remarkable thing about the suspension was the way it handled turns, much more solidly. Its the same as what I found at the NEC, you only have to turn the bars once, very little input and correction is needed; I can only put this down to the Telelever suspension system.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s216/squirrel_hunters_photos/R1200GS/21022009150.jpg
One final thing to say on the suspension is its ability to alter itself at the touch of a switch. There are 3 settings Normal, Sport, and Comfort accessible on the move and more available at a standstill. Basically it alters the ride hight and damping both front and rear. Naturally I had to test this out, going along one of the roads at national limit speed in Normal you could feel a bit of vibration, similar to a standard SV. In sport mode with the firmer suspension all of the bumps are transfered up and you can feel a lot more vibration. But Comfort mode is just that, I thought I was on a freshly surfaced track, I felt nothing, just smoothness.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s216/squirrel_hunters_photos/R1200GS/21022009148.jpg
So would I buy one? Well the model I was given had all the extras and a couple of boxes on it (which didn't stop filtering), it seamed practical, comfortable, and its not as big as it seams once your sat on it. The switch gear would take some getting used to, and it has a couple of quirks about it. But thats fine all bikes have that. It just seamed to lack something, yes having one means that you can stand up and do your Ewan & Charley impression (and yes I did, more than once) but it just wasn't as much fun as my SV.
Maybe it would be different if I tried it off road...