Had a day on the bike today, 340 miles, so we've now passed the 1000 mile mark.
A few observations.
There has been a lot of talk about vibes through the handlebars/ footpegs on this bike, on various forums. I hadn't experienced anything major, just a slight "tickle" at certain revs. These disappeared quickly, once I got a few miles on the clock. On Wednesday, I fitted some Wunderlich 25mm risers, and when I took the bike out, noticed some vibes between 4.5-5.5k rpm. Now, we're not talking jackhammer vibes, just a slight buzz. By the end of today, the vibes had either disappeared, or I've got used to them more; either way, they aren't an issue whatsoever.
As my other bike is a GSA, comfort is important to me. The stock XR is in no way comparable to the GS or GSA; the only slight similarity is the upright riding position. That's where the similarities end. However, with the bar risers, and lower pegs (HP rearsets), the riding position is more GS like, and much more comfortable if you're going to spend 8-10 hours on the bike.
The suspension is firm, even in the softest setting. I'd like a softer setting, but it's certainly no ball breaker on the rough stuff. I took it down some grass and gravel strewn roads today, and it was just fine.
Since the first service, and the unleashing of the full rev range, the bike is a real Jekyll & Hyde machine. A lot of people worry about ending up in jail, but you can ride this bike slowly all day long. It just encourages you to wring it's neck, and spank it's tits off!
What I will say, is if you are thinking of getting one of these, ignore any of the negative stuff you've read on forums, and take one out for a few hours (not half an hour
), then decide. It won't be everyone's cup of tea, and I would probably still choose the GSA as an only bike over this (the gap is getting smaller 
), but good god is this one phenomenal machine.
A few observations.
There has been a lot of talk about vibes through the handlebars/ footpegs on this bike, on various forums. I hadn't experienced anything major, just a slight "tickle" at certain revs. These disappeared quickly, once I got a few miles on the clock. On Wednesday, I fitted some Wunderlich 25mm risers, and when I took the bike out, noticed some vibes between 4.5-5.5k rpm. Now, we're not talking jackhammer vibes, just a slight buzz. By the end of today, the vibes had either disappeared, or I've got used to them more; either way, they aren't an issue whatsoever.
As my other bike is a GSA, comfort is important to me. The stock XR is in no way comparable to the GS or GSA; the only slight similarity is the upright riding position. That's where the similarities end. However, with the bar risers, and lower pegs (HP rearsets), the riding position is more GS like, and much more comfortable if you're going to spend 8-10 hours on the bike.
The suspension is firm, even in the softest setting. I'd like a softer setting, but it's certainly no ball breaker on the rough stuff. I took it down some grass and gravel strewn roads today, and it was just fine.
Since the first service, and the unleashing of the full rev range, the bike is a real Jekyll & Hyde machine. A lot of people worry about ending up in jail, but you can ride this bike slowly all day long. It just encourages you to wring it's neck, and spank it's tits off!
What I will say, is if you are thinking of getting one of these, ignore any of the negative stuff you've read on forums, and take one out for a few hours (not half an hour
), then decide. It won't be everyone's cup of tea, and I would probably still choose the GSA as an only bike over this (the gap is getting smaller ), but good god is this one phenomenal machine.
