JohnC
Registered user
Well I took ownership of the 1100 yesterday at 3.00pm. 
The handover at Motorrad Central went fine. Russell was great and while making me part with cash is never easy he made it a painless and friendly experience. Blair next ran over all the 24K service details line by line and this made me feel that the bike would be in good shape. After seeing the bill from Blair to sales I’m glad I never had to pay for it anyway
The bike was really clean and well prepped and apart from the topbox tbo looks as good as new. My first experience of the bike was how quiet it was. Mechanically as well as the exhaust note. I’m quite happy with the quite mechanicals, but not to sure about the exhaust note though. I suppose it does give a good enough rip once it gets moving. Telelever, and paralever. both seems to do what they are meant to do and feel OK solo and two up. I noticed the front is on its second highest preload setting and I adjusted the back by bouncing on it and turning it up a few times.
I never got much of a chance to really test it on the way back from Motorrad as the roads were mobbed. So today I took the bike up to Glencoe, arriving in Glencoe about 12.40 after a 10.35 start. We stopped briefly on the way to take a few photos of Meall a’ Bhuiridh as it was nice and sunny when I realised the camera battery was nearly dead. Typical of me
I managed to take only 3 photos all of the same scene, I'm not bothered as theres always next week The Clachaig was pretty quiet and me and the gf had lunch and left at 2’ish without seeing hardly a soul.
Power wise I’d say it must be in good form pulling really well in 4th and fifth. It does suffer a wee bit from surging at really low speed in 1st and 2nd, but nothing I cant drive around or put down to character. I forgive it this sin for its stomping 4th and 5th gear whack when needed, especially from 80 (ish)
Handling is great, really confidence inspiring after the Zed (as anything would be) and it refuses to get unsettled over rough or bumpy roads. Gearbox, a bit clunky and indecisive if you let it, but not as bad as I thought it would be. I need to adjust the gearlever as it’s really far to low and I have to bend my foot too far to hook under it. I tried to adjust it at the side of the road but couldn’t seem to get a hang of the adjuster and didn’t want to fart about for any longer..
Only problems I’ve encountered so far is the ABS lights have came on twice at quite high speeds. This was not what I wanted to see. Everything returns to normal when I stop and restart. I’m thinking perhaps a duff battery or control unit problems but I’ll be letting Motorrad know on Tuesday morning. I’ll do a search of the site later but if anyone has any ideas…..
Oh and I had a nice impromptu ‘top gear roll on’ with another GS, lime green (I think) 1150 with system panniers, coming down the slip road to the Irvine/Kilwinning by pass. If you're reading this, nice parting wave m8, or are you some sort of royalty
http://images.fotopic.net/y84wn1.jpg
http://images.fotopic.net/y84wn3.jpg
My old Z1000, consigned to the corner for now
http://images.fotopic.net/y84wnb.jpg
http://images.fotopic.net/y84wn9.jpg
The handover at Motorrad Central went fine. Russell was great and while making me part with cash is never easy he made it a painless and friendly experience. Blair next ran over all the 24K service details line by line and this made me feel that the bike would be in good shape. After seeing the bill from Blair to sales I’m glad I never had to pay for it anyway
The bike was really clean and well prepped and apart from the topbox tbo looks as good as new. My first experience of the bike was how quiet it was. Mechanically as well as the exhaust note. I’m quite happy with the quite mechanicals, but not to sure about the exhaust note though. I suppose it does give a good enough rip once it gets moving. Telelever, and paralever. both seems to do what they are meant to do and feel OK solo and two up. I noticed the front is on its second highest preload setting and I adjusted the back by bouncing on it and turning it up a few times.
I never got much of a chance to really test it on the way back from Motorrad as the roads were mobbed. So today I took the bike up to Glencoe, arriving in Glencoe about 12.40 after a 10.35 start. We stopped briefly on the way to take a few photos of Meall a’ Bhuiridh as it was nice and sunny when I realised the camera battery was nearly dead. Typical of me
I managed to take only 3 photos all of the same scene, I'm not bothered as theres always next week The Clachaig was pretty quiet and me and the gf had lunch and left at 2’ish without seeing hardly a soul. Power wise I’d say it must be in good form pulling really well in 4th and fifth. It does suffer a wee bit from surging at really low speed in 1st and 2nd, but nothing I cant drive around or put down to character. I forgive it this sin for its stomping 4th and 5th gear whack when needed, especially from 80 (ish)
Handling is great, really confidence inspiring after the Zed (as anything would be
) and it refuses to get unsettled over rough or bumpy roads. Gearbox, a bit clunky and indecisive if you let it, but not as bad as I thought it would be. I need to adjust the gearlever as it’s really far to low and I have to bend my foot too far to hook under it. I tried to adjust it at the side of the road but couldn’t seem to get a hang of the adjuster and didn’t want to fart about for any longer..Only problems I’ve encountered so far is the ABS lights have came on twice at quite high speeds. This was not what I wanted to see. Everything returns to normal when I stop and restart. I’m thinking perhaps a duff battery or control unit problems but I’ll be letting Motorrad know on Tuesday morning. I’ll do a search of the site later but if anyone has any ideas…..
Oh and I had a nice impromptu ‘top gear roll on’ with another GS, lime green (I think) 1150 with system panniers, coming down the slip road to the Irvine/Kilwinning by pass. If you're reading this, nice parting wave m8, or are you some sort of royalty
http://images.fotopic.net/y84wn1.jpg
http://images.fotopic.net/y84wn3.jpg
My old Z1000, consigned to the corner for now
http://images.fotopic.net/y84wnb.jpg
http://images.fotopic.net/y84wn9.jpg
