.... So that's half of it run-in around the highways and biways of London, Essex, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire today.
Not much troubled by the infamous vibration that is supposed to make it unrideable, though the Nav V did decide to make a gentle decent onto the clocks. I've subsequently tightened up the two retaining bolts (with a bit of Loctite) and for good measure have tightened up the four bolts that hold the device carrier in place, along with some Loctite, too.
BMW have done well, producing the sort of bike that Honda would have made had they not lost the plot some years ago. Well put together and it works. It's certainly not a full on sports bike and it's a bit less banzai than the single S naked version but for all day long comfort with plenty of go, it's hard to fault it.
I had initially feared that the clutch lever span was too wide but that proved groundless. The bog standard footrests are positioned comfortably enough; so no need to change these either. The bike runs straight as a die with both hands off the bars, so nothing to bother about there either. The Nav V operates differently than when installed in my 1600, simpler in operation as it does not have the multiple other uses that the 1600 gives to its iWheel whatsit. I like the wheel in use on both bikes anyway.
The quick shifter works seamlessly, straight out of the box. The downshift auto-blipper too, which is quite fun. The Touratech small tank bag I bought fits well and does the job, far nicer than BMW's offerings which I have never got on with. The E Scottoiler I put on seems to be doing its stuff, without too much bother. The heated grips I have't tried; I guess they work?
Is it a better bike than the 1200 LC? In my view, yes. I have ridden an LC twice, both times on extended days out and did not like it. I think BMW ruined what was the natural charm of the old flat twin; making the new water cooled variant behave and run like a multi-cylinder across the frame engine, all rev happy but without the redline (or really the power) to justify it. The HP2 Sport engine was / is much nicer but would be horrible in a GS frame. Quite why BMW felt they had to make the LC twin into a faux 'four' (when they had a perfectly good four engine already) I don't know.
Another 300 miles tomorrow, followed by a service on Thursday and then Spain at the weekend for a proper test.
Not much troubled by the infamous vibration that is supposed to make it unrideable, though the Nav V did decide to make a gentle decent onto the clocks. I've subsequently tightened up the two retaining bolts (with a bit of Loctite) and for good measure have tightened up the four bolts that hold the device carrier in place, along with some Loctite, too.
BMW have done well, producing the sort of bike that Honda would have made had they not lost the plot some years ago. Well put together and it works. It's certainly not a full on sports bike and it's a bit less banzai than the single S naked version but for all day long comfort with plenty of go, it's hard to fault it.
I had initially feared that the clutch lever span was too wide but that proved groundless. The bog standard footrests are positioned comfortably enough; so no need to change these either. The bike runs straight as a die with both hands off the bars, so nothing to bother about there either. The Nav V operates differently than when installed in my 1600, simpler in operation as it does not have the multiple other uses that the 1600 gives to its iWheel whatsit. I like the wheel in use on both bikes anyway.
The quick shifter works seamlessly, straight out of the box. The downshift auto-blipper too, which is quite fun. The Touratech small tank bag I bought fits well and does the job, far nicer than BMW's offerings which I have never got on with. The E Scottoiler I put on seems to be doing its stuff, without too much bother. The heated grips I have't tried; I guess they work?
Is it a better bike than the 1200 LC? In my view, yes. I have ridden an LC twice, both times on extended days out and did not like it. I think BMW ruined what was the natural charm of the old flat twin; making the new water cooled variant behave and run like a multi-cylinder across the frame engine, all rev happy but without the redline (or really the power) to justify it. The HP2 Sport engine was / is much nicer but would be horrible in a GS frame. Quite why BMW felt they had to make the LC twin into a faux 'four' (when they had a perfectly good four engine already) I don't know.
Another 300 miles tomorrow, followed by a service on Thursday and then Spain at the weekend for a proper test.
. 
