GSA

Hi all has anybody gone from twincam gsa to Lc and if so what do you think. I have not tested one yet so your thoughts would be great thanks.

I tested one last week and found it too small after the GSA great engine though

They don't have the sure footed feel of the adventure. Engine is much faster revs quicker and feels like it has lost some of the character.
I really don't like the switch gear and I never thought I would say this but I prefer the old stuff.
And the side Stand is a right royal pain in the arse.

I ordered a water cooled swapping my adventure before it came in, sold all my farkles on here then when the demo came in I had a go.
I really don't like it and have cancelled the ordered and have ordered another adventure.

Gromit said:

They don't have the sure footed feel of the adventure. Engine is much faster revs quicker and feels like it has lost some of the character.
I really don't like the switch gear and I never thought I would say this but I prefer the old stuff.

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Thank God the new one IS different!
The old bikes were not my cup of tea and don't get me started on the old switch gear.

Gromit said:

They don't have the sure footed feel of the adventure. Engine is much faster revs quicker and feels like it has lost some of the character.
I really don't like the switch gear and I never thought I would say this but I prefer the old stuff.
And the side Stand is a right royal pain in the arse.

I ordered a water cooled swapping my adventure before it came in, sold all my farkles on here then when the demo came in I had a go.
I really don't like it and have cancelled the ordered and have ordered another adventure.

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I know what you mean - I tried one on Friday when my GSA was in for servicing.
Lovely bike, very light on the road, making the front end very lively on hard (sport) suspension settings.
That sidestand is a bit flimsy, & I found the gear lever a bit hard to get my foot under after a GSA one (could easily be sorted with one of those Nippy Normans extenders)
Getting back on my GSA after, it feels more 'planted' which it should do with 30 litres of fuel in the tank

I took a test ride yesterday on the new LC. After the rave reviews I was expecting a new riding experience.
I was really deflated after the ride. Its almost the same as my 09 GS.
The engine is almost the same in the 2500 to 4500 range I ride in, it probably has a little less bottom end. The gearing seems taller so more revs are required in the lower gears round the dales. I had no stability issues and found the ride and steering almost the same. The brakes are a bit better but not by much, probably more to do with my 16000mile old pads.
The screen did not suit me, the hand guards have been designed by a one fingered man and are as useless as the basic F800GS ones. The heated grips on max were cooler than low on the old bike. Too many switches and a terribly cluttered tiny speedometer with very little division between 30 and 40, just the zone you get flashed. The engine clatters worse than the 09 bike and vibrates a bit more. The top five gears select easily but the tiny gear lever is too tucked in. The clutch is nice and at last a GS nice to ride in built up areas.
I did a 65 mile route at my normal pace and managed 59 mpg. I did the same route today and the engine of the 09 bike likes my plodding pace much better but only managed 57 mpg.
The new LC is not a bad bike, and if I felt my own bike was coming to its end I would not be disappointed to own one. Its just not any better for the things I do. However I am assured if I had revved it past 5500???? that's where the new power is to be found and at higher speeds the new suspension and brakes really come into there own. Its just not me.

Sooty09 said:

I took a test ride yesterday on the new LC. After the rave reviews I was expecting a new riding experience.
I was really deflated after the ride. Its almost the same as my 09 GS.
The engine is almost the same in the 2500 to 4500 range I ride in, it probably has a little less bottom end. The gearing seems taller so more revs are required in the lower gears round the dales. I had no stability issues and found the ride and steering almost the same. The brakes are a bit better but not by much, probably more to do with my 16000mile old pads.
The screen did not suit me, the hand guards have been designed by a one fingered man and are as useless as the basic F800GS ones. The heated grips on max were cooler than low on the old bike. Too many switches and a terribly cluttered tiny speedometer with very little division between 30 and 40, just the zone you get flashed. The engine clatters worse than the 09 bike and vibrates a bit more. The top five gears select easily but the tiny gear lever is too tucked in. The clutch is nice and at last a GS nice to ride in built up areas.
I did a 65 mile route at my normal pace and managed 59 mpg. I did the same route today and the engine of the 09 bike likes my plodding pace much better but only managed 57 mpg.
The new LC is not a bad bike, and if I felt my own bike was coming to its end I would not be disappointed to own one. Its just not any better for the things I do. However I am assured if I had revved it past 5500???? that's where the new power is to be found and at higher speeds the new suspension and brakes really come into there own. Its just not me.

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Thanks for a reet Yorkshire appraisal, plain speaking and a good comparison to your bike

I have picked out the comment and highlighted it

It reminds me of the new VFR800 FI brought out in 1998/99. I had earlier V4 VFR750's and found the bike had oddles of creamy torque from 3000 rpm and this made for a more forgiving power delivery and would rev up to a right old lick
I bought a new VFR800, without really test riding it, thinking it would be the same but better
How wrong was I, with the FI introduction they had altered the cams and the power came in above 600rpm and not 3000 as before.
Great for a power rush, but in 6th 6000rpm was over 100mph - so not a lot of good the Yorkshire Dales et al
I did 4000 miles on it and sold it, not a patch on the earlier VFR750's

For me, I don't to ride fast

Interesting comments coming from a GS rather than a GSA rider. Must admit I would expect GSA riders to report a bigger improvement given superior power to weight / handling compared to the lardy version.

The mid-range question is important - peak torque is higher up the rev range on the LC and I wouldn't want to sacrifice grunt for peak power.

Proof that it's not all about power...

I'm glad to hear you all prefer the Hexhead.

My GSA is up for sale at Vines, unmarked with 325 miles on the clock.

Must admit I would expect GSA riders to report a bigger improvement given superior power to weight / handling compared to the lardy version.

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But if we were after that we would have bought the GS version originally.

hodgkins said:

Hi all has anybody gone from twincam gsa to Lc and if so what do you think. I have not tested one yet so your thoughts would be great thanks.

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Hi thanks for all the info but going to keep the gsa for another year or so.Thanks to all.

I have owned one standard GS and four GS Adventures.

Obviously they are totally different bikes to the new LC but I test rode the LC and found it utterly amazing. I knew of the stability issue and tested for it, there was absolutely no sign of it.

I found it as agile and easy to ride as my F650GS and the screen protection nearly as good as my Adventure.

I love the Adventure but I know it will catch me out one day, probably in a car park or somewhere equally embarrassing. I'm not selling it for that reason and if Vines don't get a good price on it I will end up keeping it.

I see no reason not to buy the new LC and I see no reason to not buy a new Adventure ( or keep the one you already have)

They are both stunningly good bikes with slightly different agendas and both can be bought with confidence.

Mad_Accountant said:

I'm glad to hear you all prefer the Hexhead.

My GSA is up for sale at Vines, unmarked with 325 miles on the clock.

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Blimey,

What went wrong between the test ride and 325 miles

I have a detached garage at the bottom of my garden which is accessed by a service lane which I do not own but have a right of way over. The owner of the lane regularly parks his vans (2), occasionally even a full builders skip, in it always blocking me in. On the rare occasions I can get the bike out I can't be sure of getting it back in again. Of course he is all too willing to move it if I ask him but it just makes it all so demoralising.

I have a very pleasant r100r ('92 airhead if you're not familiar) which lives in my front drive under a cover and is used almost daily.

So the adventure doesn't really get a look in and with £13,000 tied up in it I decided to part fund my new camper van with it.

Why don't I just sue the Bastard (I hear you say)? Because I would then have to declare a dispute when I sell the house (which will be soon).

It also explains why I have had four Adventures. On a good day I think "I can live with this" then reality sets in.

This has been going on for more than ten years now and is a massively salutary lesson about shared drives. NEVER EVER will I make that mistake again.