First ride!

[leadfarmer]

But a bike to me is partly chosen on how it looks as well as all the other considerations. I've owned several dogs from rescue centres and agree with you on dogs, just not on the bike. It's one of those for me that did fall from the ugly tree, hitting a fair few branches on the way down . Sorry and all that, I just can't see past the looks. Is radar cruise really a milestone benefit to a competent rider? I'm not so sure. ABS, yes; Multi-axis traction control, definitely. Linked braking, sort of...ok, I am a fan. Radar cruise? Nope. That could have been left off and the older style headlamp and face retained. If they want to put something useful on it, how about one of the first bikes to have cameras built in front and back? Some cars are using this now, so why not bikes? That would have been cheaper than radar controlled cruise and for insurance purposes would be a plus. There's many ways to skin a cat though, and I just think they made a bit of a hash of this. I'm not a fan of the side profile either...it's a little cross-tourer-ish, but at least I understand the reasons for the frame change and the advantages that brings.

some options are very subjective

when I lived in England and commuted daily on the M6 a radar cruise control with an automatic gearbox would have been perfect

In France where we’re rarely in traffic, my wife’s last couple of company cars have had it and when I drive them I hate it

It’s the last thing I’d want on a motorcycle, but that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be brilliant for someone else

 

[Mark Hooton]

But a bike to me is partly chosen on how it looks as well as all the other considerations. I've owned several dogs from rescue centres and agree with you on dogs, just not on the bike. It's one of those for me that did fall from the ugly tree, hitting a fair few branches on the way down . Sorry and all that, I just can't see past the looks. Is radar cruise really a milestone benefit to a competent rider? I'm not so sure. ABS, yes; Multi-axis traction control, definitely. Linked braking, sort of...ok, I am a fan. Radar cruise? Nope. That could have been left off and the older style headlamp and face retained. If they want to put something useful on it, how about one of the first bikes to have cameras built in front and back? Some cars are using this now, so why not bikes? That would have been cheaper than radar controlled cruise and for insurance purposes would be a plus. There's many ways to skin a cat though, and I just think they made a bit of a hash of this. I'm not a fan of the side profile either...it's a little cross-tourer-ish, but at least I understand the reasons for the frame change and the advantages that brings.

And of course you can’t please all the people all the time but, methinks, BMW have poured millions into it along with some serious brain power to try and get it right. Who are we (and I refer to the “OMG what have they done” brigade here) to say otherwise.

As for the adaptive cruise control, and I stress it’s only my low IQ opinion, if I feel I need that on a bike I shouldn’t be on a bike in the first place!

However, I still believe that the bike is a cross between my (souped up and mental) XR and a GS!

When I got my 1250 (I buy them for my business) I was amazed with how ‘perfect’ it was only shortly thereafter to find that the bike had no ‘soul’. I sold it after I had designed the parts I made for it.

But this one, wowzers, what a bike to ride! I defy anyone (especially the OMG brigade) to ride it and say “they’ve got it wrong”.

Cost-wise yeah I geddit, if you’ve got a 1200 or 1250 there’s no great reason to change (unless you want too of course).

But from just a bike riding point of view yup the box heads have got it right (in my humble opinion) but the headlight is still as welcome as a ginger step kid.


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[RT_slippers]

And of course you can’t please all the people all the time but, methinks, BMW have poured millions into it along with some serious brain power to try and get it right. Who are we (and I refer to the “OMG what have they done” brigade here) to say otherwise.

As for the adaptive cruise control, and I stress it’s only my low IQ opinion, if I feel I need that on a bike I shouldn’t be on a bike in the first place!

However, I still believe that the bike is a cross between my (souped up and mental) XR and a GS!

When I got my 1250 (I buy them for my business) I was amazed with how ‘perfect’ it was only shortly thereafter to find that the bike had no ‘soul’. I sold it after I had designed the parts I made for it.

But this one, wowzers, what a bike to ride! I defy anyone (especially the OMG brigade) to ride it and say “they’ve got it wrong”.

Cost-wise yeah I geddit, if you’ve got a 1200 or 1250 there’s no great reason to change (unless you want too of course).

But from just a bike riding point of view yup the box heads have got it right (in my humble opinion) but the headlight is still as welcome as a ginger step kid.


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Agree - ride is amazing - ordered yesterday

 

[Mark Hooton]

Agree - ride is amazing - ordered yesterday

Yup ‘Tis pretty good eh


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[MrC99]

Cost-wise yeah I geddit, if you’ve got a 1200 or 1250 there’s no great reason to change (unless you want too of course).

However the 1200 LCs are now getting a few years older and if you're a regular rider could be clocking up a few miles by now so the 1300/1400 bikes could be a valid next step in a way that the 1250s weren't. Appearance is a moot thing - it doesn't matter what it looks like when you're riding it so (IMHO) the looks are pretty irrelevant.

As for all the fancy stuff such as the radar cruise control I'd suspect that BMW et al just buy a package including the IMU, ABS, etc electronics from the likes of Bosch so the additional cost to them of including it might be relatively small. It's just there to be used or not as the rider prefers.

 

[Morety]

Well, people are never going to agree because it's a such a personal thing. Looks matter to me, especially when laying down such a lot of cash and I couldn't care less about how many millions are spent in development if it doesn't appeal. I still wouldn't buy one. The S1000RR is amazing, so is the KTM Duke GT 1290. I wouldn't buy either of those either for other reasons, despite being fab to ride. There's no wrong and no right answer to this as everyone justifies purchase on their own set of parameters and I hope everyone who's ordered one enjoys their new bike, which is what it's all about.

 

[Mark Hooton]

Well, people are never going to agree because it's a such a personal thing. Looks matter to me, especially when laying down such a lot of cash and I couldn't care less about how many millions are spent in development if it doesn't appeal. I still wouldn't buy one. The S1000RR is amazing, so is the KTM Duke GT 1290. I wouldn't buy either of those either for other reasons, despite being fab to ride. There's no wrong and no right answer to this as everyone justifies purchase on their own set of parameters and I hope everyone who's ordered one enjoys their new bike, which is what it's all about.

Yup I agree with that too!


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[stick]

But a bike to me is partly chosen on how it looks as well as all the other considerations. I've owned several dogs from rescue centres and agree with you on dogs, just not on the bike. It's one of those for me that did fall from the ugly tree, hitting a fair few branches on the way down . Sorry and all that, I just can't see past the looks. Is radar cruise really a milestone benefit to a competent rider? I'm not so sure. ABS, yes; Multi-axis traction control, definitely. Linked braking, sort of...ok, I am a fan. Radar cruise? Nope. That could have been left off and the older style headlamp and face retained. If they want to put something useful on it, how about one of the first bikes to have cameras built in front and back? Some cars are using this now, so why not bikes? That would have been cheaper than radar controlled cruise and for insurance purposes would be a plus. There's many ways to skin a cat though, and I just think they made a bit of a hash of this. I'm not a fan of the side profile either...it's a little cross-tourer-ish, but at least I understand the reasons for the frame change and the advantages that brings.

I get the radar , side warnings , as I do feel that after starting riding bikes on the road in 1980 I have some skills still left and the boxes ticked are for the full package . Will I use them , cruise control maybe not but on the V4 it was useful at times when stuck in an average camera zone , so you can just go thro no worries . The side warnings are a good addition as its another just in case if you got distracted , which happens to us all . The additional power will suit me and allow me to have even a better time . Camera on a bike , no way , why would you want that.. Either way my dog post was to place a thought that things are not always as they seem , well apart from the 1290 KTM , great engine , shit chassis and that Bug Eye is just errrrrrrg . But that is my view as some will see a cool looking bike , me not.
Like your points you have made as this is a forum and all points matter ( well aparts from Arseys )

 

[Morety]

Funnily enough, whilst on a short stretch of motorway the other day, minding my own business and having moved over to lane 1 and riding in position 2 ready to come off at the next junction, I checked my mirrors and saw a small red hatchback approaching from behind in lane two. Perhaps 80 yds off at that point. Looked ahead and seconds later the red car passed a bit close for comfort. The guy following me told me after I got off said that car inexplicably drifted towards me for no apparent reason (maybe to ogle the bike? who knows) and was inches from the rear offside of the bike before drifting back. That's where the blind spot tech might come in handy but equally, having seen him approach perhaps I ought to have moved to position 1. Sometimes it pays to be more active in maintaining that safety bubble and that was a salutary lesson about maintaining total concentration and awareness at all times. I don't like having to make sudden position changes which can lead to other problems, so once spidy senses start tingling I think despite available tech, a few extra visual checks might have allowed me time to smoothly move across the lane before that twit got so close.