Test ride today

bikewise

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This bike is incredible. And a huge leap forward for the GS stable. My advice would have to be to all current GS owners not to test ride it unless you can afford a new one. Mine has been dispatched and all going well, will be on the road with me for Paddies day.:aidan
 
I must not ride it

I must not ride it, I must not ride it, I must not ride it, I must not ride it, :tears
 
If you test ride the LC I think there's a cat in hell's chance you'd want the RT.

Time will tell:pullface
 
I'll wait for the Adventure version :thumb2 ridden the GS version but seemed a bit small for me @ 6'-5" great engine though :beerjug:
 
Rather than start a new thread, just add my test ride thoughts to this......

Personally, I won't be trying to find the funds to buy one.
Yeah, it goes like stink, pulls well even in 6th.
Holds the road well, especially in corners.
Very responsive throttle, too responsive for me but would get used to it.
I didnt like the riding position, felt like i was 'on top' of the bike with all my weight being pushed down on the bars. That was with the seat on the the low setting. Speaking of which it wasn't low enough for me, I couldn't reach the floor confidently.
The side stand would take a lot of getting used to, seemed awkward to find when on the bike, this may be partly due to my bike having an enlarger on it.
The display was very busy and things were in different places so again you would get used to it.
As mentioned in previous reports, the sat nav bracket and holder is blocking some of the rev counter.
Clutch is very light, again mentioned before.
Indicator switches have gone back to the single one on the left bar, personally I now like the old version with left on the left bar and right on the right.
The hand guards will need upgrading if like me you use them more for the wind protection than anything else.
The adjustment of the screen is very good and I would imagine you could even adjust it on the go. I wouldn't have felt confident myself of doing this.

I wouldn't class myself as the most confident of rider and due to us having snow flurries, ice patches on the road and the fact i couldn't reach the floor properly it probably wasn't the best test ride. If I was serious about buying one i'd ensure it was a lowered one and a fair weather day....they are few and far between.

I can see the pull for others but luckily for my Bank Manager it didn't win me over as much as it did others.
I'll stick with my 04 12GS for now
 
sits back and waits for lynch mob of frothing 1150 owners to arrive......


:popcorn


You toilet owners (Or prospective toilet owners) are really thin skinned aren't you :blast

Add up the number of posts against the toilet and compare to the number saying that they like it, made by various 11xx owners.......

Don't let the facts get in the way of your little persecution complex though :thumb

PS it's why we take the piss....not because of the bike, but because of YOU LOT :blast
 
You toilet owners (Or prospective toilet owners) are really thin skinned aren't you :blast

Add up the number of posts against the toilet and compare to the number saying that they like it, made by various 11xx owners.......

Don't let the facts get in the way of your little persecution complex though :thumb

PS it's why we take the piss....not because of the bike, but because of YOU LOT :blast

wow, who's got the persecution complex? It was meant as a light hearted gibe. Wasn't it you who recently created a thread on 'getting it'?
 
You toilet owners (Or prospective toilet owners) are really thin skinned aren't you :blast

Add up the number of posts against the toilet and compare to the number saying that they like it, made by various 11xx owners.......

Don't let the facts get in the way of your little persecution complex though :thumb

PS it's why we take the piss....not because of the bike, but because of YOU LOT :blast
Sour grapes?
 
You toilet owners (Or prospective toilet owners) are really thin skinned aren't you :blast

Add up the number of posts against the toilet and compare to the number saying that they like it, made by various 11xx owners.......

Don't let the facts get in the way of your little persecution complex though :thumb

PS it's why we take the piss....not because of the bike, but because of YOU LOT :blast

Another thread Hijacker :rolleyes::tosser
 
You toilet owners (Or prospective toilet owners) are really thin skinned aren't you :blast

Add up the number of posts against the toilet and compare to the number saying that they like it, made by various 11xx owners.......

Don't let the facts get in the way of your little persecution complex though :thumb

PS it's why we take the piss....not because of the bike, but because of YOU LOT :blast

I do love upseting you .... 30 more sleeps .......
 
Well, I managed to fit in a test drive from Motorrad Edinburgh today (prior to the rain and sh*t forecast). Basically everything has been said before, but there is a major chunk every time first gear is selected, a symptom of the new clutch I suspect. Also, and I'm being picky here, the indicator switch is not as natural as the 'old' system, a reach past the 'wheel'.
When back in the showroom, I inquired about delivery on a specific colour and showed on the BMW website that 24th June was estimated :eek:. There was a newly delivered white TE available now, so, it had to be done if I wanted a bike for me hols in June. Bought there and then, picking it up week Satuarday :JB
 
Well, I managed to fit in a test drive from Motorrad Edinburgh today (prior to the rain and sh*t forecast). Basically everything has been said before, but there is a major chunk every time first gear is selected, a symptom of the new clutch I suspect. Also, and I'm being picky here, the indicator switch is not as natural as the 'old' system, a reach past the 'wheel'.
When back in the showroom, I inquired about delivery on a specific colour and showed on the BMW website that 24th June was estimated :eek:. There was a newly delivered white TE available now, so, it had to be done if I wanted a bike for me hols in June. Bought there and then, picking it up week Satuarday :JB

Fantastic:thumb You're lucky not having to count down too many sleeps:D:beerjug:
 
I took a 1200LC TE out for an hour or so today :thumby:
First I got some instructions from the dealer about the controls, how to adjust the seat,screen etc. and how the ESA and riding mode menu's work and I was off, first impressions-very good, coming from a 1200 TC everything felt familiar and the riding position felt good, I don't know what position the seat was in but initially I felt like I was sitting on rather than in the seat if that makes sense, handlebar position felt good, feather light clutch, nasty clunk when engaging first but gearbox positive and silky smooth after that:thumb
On urban roads the fuelling and power delivery felt very good with good power delivery from virtually zero revs, noticeably more power low down and through the mid rangewhich seemed promising as joined a dual carriageway and extended the engine a bit more, quickly up to the legal limit with little effort at all, I played around with the different modes and adjusted the screen to make it higher-an easy one handed affair, very good acceleration in top gear accompanied by a nice exhaust note and rumble from the airbox at larger throttle openings, what's not to like ;)
Joining the M4 and travelling West for 1 junction it made good progress (officer......) and I turned off heading for country roads and single tracks, this bike tracks well and turns nicely and it's easy to hold a line or make adjustments mid bend (as most GS's are), with the ESA set on "soft" the bike was comfortable and controlled on bumpy gravel strewn country lanes,turning back onto country A roads I tweaked the settings again and selected "Dyna" for both ESA and riding modes, the changes make a difference with the suspension tightening up and the engine really singing in the upper part of the rev range, this bike had just over 1000 miles on the odo so will no doubt free up as it gains miles.I had a little play with the cruise control which did as it you'd expect and it's controls were fairly easy and intuitive to use.
I covered around 60 miles on a variety of roads and came away impressed, if I were buying I think I would go for the TE but I am hanging on to my Twin Cam for at least another year by which time we should know what the LC ADV will look like ;)
The increased noise at tickover mentioned in other threads.......... as far as I can tell it's from the wet clutch, with the clutch lever pulled in the noise stops and the engine is quiet :comfort

Things I didn't like?
Not much, nitpicking but I thought the rod to lower the sidestand was awkward to find and use when sat on the bike, maybe the gear lever is a little small (I don't have clown feet :D ) or maybe I could find a better position for the lever to suit me with a little adjustment, oh and...............the switchgear, the left side is quite busy on the TE, the "flash" is a pull with one finger type of switch with sideward movement controlling hi and low beam, different to what I'm used to not necessarily worse, the indicators I was ok with but several times reverted to trad BMW type and my right thumb was flailing around trying to find a switch that's not there :rolleyes:

smugshot_6701865-L.jpg


I told the sales guy I liked it, he reached for his pen and calculator and I made my excuses and got up to leave :blagblah

All who have ordered/taken delivery of the 1200LC enjoy your bikes I think you'll be delighted with them :bounce1

Same location a week earlier, I'll hang on to this old barge a little while longer yet.

002-L.jpg
 
At last

Finally got my thunder grey with wire wheels. Absolutely delighted so far. The attention to detail on the bike is the best I have ever come across. The dealer experience wasy enjoyable and pain free. Big thanks to Alan at keary's. I will post a few photos when I figure out how to resize them. I did try to add the ones I took today with my phone. Off to kerry for the weekend so I should have a few scenic photos to share( assuming I figure it out). :aidan
 


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