1200wc test ride

[stick]

2 hours.... there's you problem, you hardly got to know the new girl


When riding it like you stole it, rule number 1 turn off the traction control.... only then you will see what she can do


Enduro mode is your friend here

Does this release more power or just make the bike less controlable , if switching off the traction control.
I have not tried it off yet as the bike seems so settled out of corners as the traction control holds the traction at its best so maximum power can be used to exit the corner thus smoother . Im sure its not just a farkle button.
Also in enduro mode surely the suspension will be more for off road than on ?

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Does this release more power or just make the bike less controlable , if switching off the traction control.
I have not tried it off yet as the bike seems so settled out of corners as the traction control holds the traction at its best so maximum power can be used to exit the corner thus smoother . Im sure its not just a farkle button.
Also in enduro mode surely the suspension will be more for off road than on ?

Does the TC cut the ignition? (as on the post 2008 GS) & cause the bike to stutter or is it more subtle on the WC

Like Syco I prefer no rider aids - having had a bike previously with them

 

[mcinlb]

Does this release more power or just make the bike less controlable , if switching off the traction control.
I have not tried it off yet as the bike seems so settled out of corners as the traction control holds the traction at its best so maximum power can be used to exit the corner thus smoother . Im sure its not just a farkle button.
Also in enduro mode surely the suspension will be more for off road than on ?

All this talk about TC, ABS and electronic aids, as far as I understand none of them do anything until YOU do something wrong. If you have gained any sense of control over however many years you have been riding, you may naver see them working.
Saying that, I noticed the TC light blip a bit when I was on a very badly surfaced single track road in the pouring rain the other day, so good to have them lurking un the background....

 

[Engineer]

Does the TC cut the ignition? (as on the post 2008 GS) & cause the bike to stutter or is it more subtle on the WC

Like Syco I prefer no rider aids - having had a bike previously with them

The LC is available without all the rider aid stuff - I bought one , the only aid that it has, which I could happily have done without was ABS - so one has the choice, you can have the improved engine performance, handling, ergomomics etc without all the fancy suspension and traction control if you so wish.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

The LC is available without all the rider aid stuff - I bought one , the only aid that it has, which I could happily have done without was ABS - so one has the choice, you can have the improved engine performance, handling, ergomomics etc without all the fancy suspension and traction control if you so wish.

I tried that, the salesman said (in a grave voice) that it would be

a) A special order, maybe taking up to 8 weeks
b) It would be tricky to re-sell as nobody would want it and the p/x price would be caned in future


Seemingly they don't want to sell standard bikes

 

[alp]

I really didn't like the fly by wire throttle and no amount of time would change that. Yes I could live with it but I'd never like it.

Of course we're all different but I really don't understand this comment about the ride by wire causing you such grief. It feels just right to me and I'm surprised anyone has a problem with it and even mentions it.
Some riders don't get on with the new indicator switch but again I'm relieved they fitted it. Hated the old indicator system.
I didn't like the previous GS/GSA versions but this one is just the ticket for me and I just love all this new technology appearing on the latest generation of bikes. E.g. I loved the test ride on the automatic transmission Honda CrossTourer 1200 but my riding mates wouldn't even test ride it.
It's great to have the wide choice of bikes in the market at the moment, there's a bike out there for every taste.

 

[Beemerman59]

The LC is available without all the rider aid stuff - I bought one , the only aid that it has, which I could happily have done without was ABS - so one has the choice, you can have the improved engine performance, handling, ergomomics etc without all the fancy suspension and traction control if you so wish.

That would be my option when the ADV comes out....the only questions for me is reliability and ease of servicing as I would be looking at long term ownership. Neither of these are known as of yet. I wouldn't be caring in the slightest about resale value etc and would be happy to wait 8 weeks if it came to it.

 

[y2blade]

I tried that, the salesman said (in a grave voice) that it would be

a) A special order, maybe taking up to 8 weeks
b) It would be tricky to re-sell as nobody would want it and the p/x price would be caned in future


Seemingly they don't want to sell standard bikes

This always puzzles me^^^ just buy the bike as YOU want it, forget resale and p/x.


you might fall under a piano tomorrow, life's too short

Edit: I guess to me it doesn't matter as much as some as I keep bikes for the long-term.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

This always puzzles me^^^ just buy the bike as YOU want it, forget resale and p/x.


you might fall under a piano tomorrow, life's too short

Me too

3 different dealers and 3 different salesmen, I thought it was strange

The plain bike is £2k cheaper to buy new, but they alll said that they would be reluctant to buy it in as a p/x in 2-3 years time

Everyone wants gadgets now....................irrespective of if they need them or know how to use them

 

[y2blade]

Me too

3 different dealers and 3 different salesmen, I thought it was strange

The plain bike is £2k cheaper to buy new, but they alll said that they would be reluctant to buy it in as a p/x in 2-3 years time

Everyone wants gadgets now....................irrespective of if they need them or know how to use them

my edit to that post...sorry you were too quick (for once)


Edit: I guess to me it doesn't matter as much as some as I keep bikes for the long-term.

 

[duckspeed]

ok .. ok ...

So food for thought ...

My kids are on a feckin computer or a smart phone all day. They never go out and play football, (well they are both girls.. ) go on bike rides, go for a run etc etc.

So they often hear me chuntering about 'when I was a kid' and generally banging on about what a good fun child hood i had 'cos I was out and about and doing 'stuff'.

But ... I secretly know, that if they aren't computer wizzards, if they don't play wacky play station games and type with all ten fingers, then they'll probably get left behind.

At work, I am a bit of a dinosaur. Technology is taking over and I'm constantly asking my younger colleagues how to do some fancy fandangled computer thing or some complicated (to me) data check.
I know, that I need to keep up with the techno-revolution and keep pluging away at complicated learning packages. If I don't - I'll get left behind.

So I say, yeah - some of the old times were good. I'd always have room in my garage for Wrefords R100 airhead, but the reality is, that if you don't embrace change and roll with new technology, yer going to end up one of those stuck in a generation pipe and slippers brigade.
Be wary of slowly turning into one of those stick in the muds! keep current! test ride new stuff, and just cos it's got a radiator or a feckin FBW throttle don't run away from it !!

+1 forty years ago electric start was the product of the very devil, how many would still be happier booting it into life.

 

[rodders]

I tried that, the salesman said (in a grave voice) that it would be

a) A special order, maybe taking up to 8 weeks
b) It would be tricky to re-sell as nobody would want it and the p/x price would be caned in future
Seemingly they don't want to sell standard bikes

Sounds like bollocks to make you spend another two grand

 

[cookie]

Me too

3 different dealers and 3 different salesmen, I thought it was strange

The plain bike is £2k cheaper to buy new, but they alll said that they would be reluctant to buy it in as a p/x in 2-3 years time

Everyone wants gadgets now....................irrespective of if they need them or know how to use them

most people here seem to have gone for the full house editions, so i think that is an indicator of what's selling the most, but i think there will always be a (discerning?) few who'll want the more basic model. they'll be rarer, so in similar demand

of course they will be worth less, but they cost less in the first place.

can't say i gave a toss about it when i bought my GSA SE (Spartan Edition). i didn't buy it as a financial investment. as chris says, life's too short.


...and i've not had any bother with my ESA either

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Sounds like bollocks to make you spend another two grand

My thoughts too, 10% margin on another £2k

 

[Keith Chapman]

The last thing I would say is try as I might I could not find a suspension set up in the ESA that I liked.

How much adjustment is there? on normal suspension you can play with preload & rebound to suit your riding, and make adjustments for extra load and pillions.
Does the ESA only have a few maps that cant be tweeked.? For example, select a mode for 2 up with luggage, that map does not know how much luggage or the weight of your pillion.

 

[sycomoto]

No but

How much adjustment is there? on normal suspension you can play with preload & rebound to suit your riding, and make adjustments for extra load and pillions.
Does the ESA only have a few maps that cant be tweeked.? For example, select a mode for 2 up with luggage, that map does not know how much luggage or the weight of your pillion.

I guess the ecu that controls the ESA senses the weight then adjusts the damping to suit. My thoughts on this is its probably been set up with a generic set up which at best will be a compromise. The advantage of setting the suspension yourself is you can set it to suit your riding style. It's still going to be a compromise but its more to your liking rather than some engineers in Germany. If ESA systems were really good and could adapt then most racers would have them fitted as they would change for every corner to the perfect set up but as they can't do that racers will still go down the route of adjustable analog type set up for their particular needs. Same goes for traction control, the oem stuff is generic so it's the best they can do for for your average rider. Now it may suit some but not others I'm one of the others. I'm not knocking the bike, it's very clever. I'm just saying its not for me.

 

[Keith Chapman]

I have to admit that I dont trust ESA, I would much rather make my own adjustments. But I have yet to take the LC for a test ride.

 

[Beemerman59]

I guess the ecu that controls the ESA senses the weight then adjusts the damping to suit.

Not sure how its going to assess how much you and your luggage weigh. I would guess its set to whatever the German engineers guessed at i.e 85Kg for a rider only, 110Kg for rider + luggage, 185Kg for rider plus pillion. It would set the preload/damping rates based on those rather than actuals. I used to find on my OEM ESA that I always used a higher setting, i.e when riding solo I would actually have it set to rider plus luggage. When I switched to the Wilburs WESA I spec'd a spring to my actual weight of 100Kg. Now the setting I use with the same ESA controls is the actual i.e when riding solo I have it set to rider only, and the damping settings are now really noticeable whereas they weren't before.

 

[Engineer]

I tried that, the salesman said (in a grave voice) that it would be

a) A special order, maybe taking up to 8 weeks
b) It would be tricky to re-sell as nobody would want it and the p/x price would be caned in future


Seemingly they don't want to sell standard bikes

They sold me one - but I did order it last November - I have always had 'standard' bikes and the dealer has always taken them as pex without any question at a price that I was happy with. Sounds like your dealer is telling you a load of old guff just to max his profits - but hey that's their job, you just have to be wise enough to see through it.

P.S. All BMW are special orders, unless they have exactly the spec you want by chance due to a cancellation.

 

[Engineer]

That would be my option when the ADV comes out....the only questions for me is reliability and ease of servicing as I would be looking at long term ownership. Neither of these are known as of yet. I wouldn't be caring in the slightest about resale value etc and would be happy to wait 8 weeks if it came to it.

Depending on what the Adventure version is like, I may go for one in three years time when I have put a few miles on this one. The standard bike is really, really good so the Adventire version will proabably be so too.