To buy or not to buy

slimpickings · Oct 20, 2010

Well well well an RT site at last :clap

I found this by mistake

Dont know if I will be able to find it again ,hope it gets well used

I am dithering around trying to decide on a new bike .not new in years ,but new to me

GS GSA or RT have tried em both and like em both.
Went round the Alps last year on a GS ,no probs
Got caught out a few time on the passes but just kept leaning
Does any body think the same can be said of an RT

The panniers on the RT look a bit delicate can you get crash bars and I am told the lights are a bit weak
Any comments anyone :confused:

peterh · Oct 20, 2010

The panniers on the RT look a bit delicate can you get crash bars and I am told the lights are a bit weak

The panniers do look delicate compared to ally GSA items. Plastic will not crash as well as metal. But they work, and if it matters to you, they come with a max speed well above that of the GS versions.

Crash bars? A few about, like the GS. Plus a Police version.

I would not call the lights weak (on a 1200RT). Way better than standard 1200GS lights. Way better. I went the HID route on the GS, but have not even briefly considered this for the RT.

Chrisvh · Oct 21, 2010

I would agree 100% with peterh.

ducatiparts.110mb · Oct 21, 2010

RT Lights are sensetive to adjustment - I was going to go for HIDs but after an evening out setting the beam properly they're fine.

I've not ridden a GS, but the RT will lean over as far as you want. A month ago in Wales I had mine within 10mm of the edge of the tyres (with panniers on). That far over it was my bottle that went first, not the bikes - it was still super stable.
Mark

spm0912 · Oct 21, 2010

Took my RT to the Austrian Alps this summer and spent 9 long and very exciting hours chasing 2 GS's ridden by a German bike cop and a BeeM development rider round some seriously twisty and often very gravelly roads, 2 up with topbox

I coped but TBH would have preferred to be on a GS...but that was the only day in the 2 weeks I was away that I would have ridden the GS over the RT. The RT is IMHO a more comfortable and practical bike for both rider and pillion but they are so similar I would (and have been) happy riding either.

As already mentioned if you take the time to set the lights correctly they are very effective, it's the only bike I've ridden abroad that has dazzled oncoming cars in daylight!

paddy · Nov 1, 2010

RT 1200

I have just sold my second RT, why, well i guess its so good i found it boring.

I mean that as a compliment, for me at 5'8 tall the RT has the advatage of being close to the ground versus the GS 12.

If you never want to ride off rd or on gravel the RT is the best bike out there.
But having had a mid life crisis, now ride a k1300R. Ha ha.

Not quite the bike you can ride to the Alps on in one hit,but great fun.

Cheers

Myke Rocks · Nov 1, 2010

RT lights

Have had one for several years.
I bought it on Isle of Wight, & rode it home to Norn Iron.
This bike, which had a full service history, was the most appaling bike I had ever ridden at night. The dip beam was illuminating the front tyre, & main beam where the dip should be.

I took it to local garage, and had lights set on beamsetter. Absolutely fabulous after that, but i am always looking for more, so I fitted 3 HIDs to the bike's own lights, and then fitted 4 off Hella De HID driving lights.

I a past life, I did a lot of rallying,, but none of the rally cars, with 600 watts of Cibies compare to this bike.

Alll of the above cost an awful lot of money, what with 2 off Whoreatech DE brackets, 2 off PIAA brackets from states, & the sheer grief of installing HIDs on a canbus bike.

Say around £850 plus 50 hours labour.

Rest of bike: Gearbox ratios: awful.
Handling: Brilliant.
Panniers: They take a lot more abuse than alloy ones, and you can fill in the scratches and get them repainted after you rub them off the cute little stone fences we have over here. Try that on alloy ones!

Myke

zoltan · Nov 3, 2010

Myke Rocks said:
Have had one for several years.
I bought it on Isle of Wight, & rode it home to Norn Iron.
This bike, which had a full service history, was the most appaling bike I had ever ridden at night. The dip beam was illuminating the front tyre, & main beam where the dip should be.

I took it to local garage, and had lights set on beamsetter. Absolutely fabulous after that, but i am always looking for more, so I fitted 3 HIDs to the bike's own lights, and then fitted 4 off Hella De HID driving lights.

I a past life, I did a lot of rallying,, but none of the rally cars, with 600 watts of Cibies compare to this bike.

Alll of the above cost an awful lot of money, what with 2 off Whoreatech DE brackets, 2 off PIAA brackets from states, & the sheer grief of installing HIDs on a canbus bike.

Say around £850 plus 50 hours labour.

Rest of bike: Gearbox ratios: awful.
Handling: Brilliant.
Panniers: They take a lot more abuse than alloy ones, and you can fill in the scratches and get them repainted after you rub them off the cute little stone fences we have over here. Try that on alloy ones!

Myke

TBH I would check first my eyesight , before splashing out £850. I was in the asshole of the Carpathians and I never felt the need for extra lights. You should try an 1150 RT , now that was a real poop.

To buy or not to buy

slimpickings

Well-known member

peterh

Registered user

Chrisvh

Well-known member

ducatiparts.110mb

Registered user

spm0912

Well-known member

paddy

Active member

Myke Rocks

Well-known member

Attachments

zoltan

Well-known member

Similar threads