Well I left at 11:45 and have just walked in and fed the dog, she's going to ignore me for the rest of the evening now for going out and leaving her...
1st impressions, bugger me it's big, i'm going to have to be careful where I park this one cause on my dad's road with a bit of camber I physically couldn't lift it off the sidestand enough to jump on, and I'm not a skinny beanpole really... kerbs are my friend here
Definitely not as refined as the 2009 model, bars vibrate more, FI is a bit twitchy but totally manageable if you're used to V-Twins. Like the 2009 model it's also faster than you think 90 comes round on the speedo extremely quick without having to use anywhere near full power, ~70lbft of torque ftw
Handling is a giggle, with a foot of suspension either end it;s never going to feel sportsbike taut, but it flicks around extremely quickly for a bike of it;s size and weight, the upside tot he suspenders is that speedbumps no longer seem to exist, on the 560SMR it always used to absorb them fine at 30mph but jolt you around, this thing sails over them like they don't exist, without disturbing your seating position in the slightest, perfect for the island roads
That's about it really, the extra height is going to take some getting used to, but being able to see over the top of things like renault scenics is a big plus when picking your way through traffic...
To answer a few questions:
@Spidey: yep, loading her up with camping kit and the AR is the "weekend away" test run, it has an aftermarket "Rugged Roads" rack on the back which should fit my tent/sleeping bag/mat etc perfecty...
@Badger: Tanks are 22l combined, fuel range supposedly isn't the best and is one area the 1200GS trumps the KTM resoundingly, 200 miles would be tempting fate even with gentle throttle usage. Fortunately there's always places to strap extra tanks if needs be but should last longer than any sportsbike and any fuelstop on any rideout bar a cross desert rally
@Geneticbubble: Are you going to the AR? If you fancy a spin in the field then let me know, it's bloody tall though
@Greek: Aye, they're crafty buggers... I know where they are on the island though so can choose my crash locations to avoid them
@punyXpress: Definitely foresee some sanding of the crash bars during the elefantentreffen
@Speedy Claire: How tall are you? Just went and measured it on it;s centre stand, the front wheel touching the ground the back wheel about an inch off it, the windscreen comes in at about 5'3"
@custard: HUGE with a capital H
@skeetly: On a bike like this, it looks naked without big all-road panniers on it
@captainsmelly: Yep, two fuel tanks, one either side of the frame, they're linked with a pipe so you don't have to flick between them while riding but they both need filling separately
In summary:
