Droopy Dick
Registered user
I wandered over to SPC a few weeks ago because I was wanting to change my bike from a Honda Blackbird which, whilst reasonably comfortable, was still giving me a sore neck from the slightly head-down riding position. It is fast, it handles better than I can ride it, but it can exceed 100mph in 2nd gear and it is oh-so-easy to find yourself bumbling along well in excess of the speed limit.
Having picked up 2 fixed-penalty speeding tickets by crashing through speed camera sites at all of 4 & 7 mph over the 30mph limit, and recognising that it was more likely than not that I'd get zapped again whilst cavorting at mega-speeds about southern Britain, it was time to re-focus my riding.
A pal in Italy has had an R1100GS and a R1150GSA and really prattled on about how good they were. Steve Rose in RiDE magazine was so enamoured of his test R1100GS that he extended his 'ownership' and tricked the bike up no end. He never stopped saying how it was a better bike for real roads than all the go-faster crotch rockets.
So, I appeared at SPC one sunny morning and I was approached by a chap called John Gilbride. I explained what I was trying to avoid, but confessed that I had no experience of modern BMWs since I sold a K100RSSE in '96. No problem, he told me. He sorted me out with test rides on a R1150GS, R1150RT, R1150RS and a K1200RS. So, I spent several happy hours trying out these baikes on glorious weekday roads, stopping only to exchange bikes and fuel up on the excellent fresh filtered coffee and biscuits (and doughnuts!).
At no time did he put any pressure on my to buy or to make a snap decision. He insisted that I took the bikes out for a decent length of time so that I could get a chance to assess each bike.
I found the R1150RS a bit cramped and the screen not very convincing. The K1200RS was simply far too fast - a licence-loser in GATSO-ridden Britain. (that being said, I'm dying to have a ride on the new K1200S when it's released later this year).
So the choice was between the RT and the GS. Both has staggeringly good brakes (Evo2). Both were incredibly comfortable, especially the RT. The elctric screen was a toy that amazed me on the RT. Both had decent real-world power and handling. Indeed, I found that I was able to go round bends on the A272 faster on the GS than I did on my Blackbird, and with complete confidence. I especially liked the upright seating position that anabled me to see over hedges even better than I could when on the Blackbird. The fact that you I was made very aware that I was getting up to 90mph was, I think, a very positive thing For the first time in years I found myself smiling like a loon and utterly lost for words to describe the GS experience.
I have nothing but praise for this dealer (and especially John Gilbride), especially when I compare it to Rafferty-Newman in Fareham where I tried to get a test ride on the Sprint ST and the Tiger only yo be told I had to do it on MY insurance 'cos they didn't have any!
I went home with lots to think about. I was about to go back to see about ordering a bike when I was told of an almost new R1150GS in blue/white that available, fully loaded with extras, for a very reasonable price. The rest is history! (I will say, however, that, although I have a degree in engineering and spent many happy hours as a youth rebuilding and fettling bikes and cars, SPC will get all my servicing and maintenance work.
Having picked up 2 fixed-penalty speeding tickets by crashing through speed camera sites at all of 4 & 7 mph over the 30mph limit, and recognising that it was more likely than not that I'd get zapped again whilst cavorting at mega-speeds about southern Britain, it was time to re-focus my riding.
A pal in Italy has had an R1100GS and a R1150GSA and really prattled on about how good they were. Steve Rose in RiDE magazine was so enamoured of his test R1100GS that he extended his 'ownership' and tricked the bike up no end. He never stopped saying how it was a better bike for real roads than all the go-faster crotch rockets.
So, I appeared at SPC one sunny morning and I was approached by a chap called John Gilbride. I explained what I was trying to avoid, but confessed that I had no experience of modern BMWs since I sold a K100RSSE in '96. No problem, he told me. He sorted me out with test rides on a R1150GS, R1150RT, R1150RS and a K1200RS. So, I spent several happy hours trying out these baikes on glorious weekday roads, stopping only to exchange bikes and fuel up on the excellent fresh filtered coffee and biscuits (and doughnuts!).
At no time did he put any pressure on my to buy or to make a snap decision. He insisted that I took the bikes out for a decent length of time so that I could get a chance to assess each bike.
I found the R1150RS a bit cramped and the screen not very convincing. The K1200RS was simply far too fast - a licence-loser in GATSO-ridden Britain. (that being said, I'm dying to have a ride on the new K1200S when it's released later this year).
So the choice was between the RT and the GS. Both has staggeringly good brakes (Evo2). Both were incredibly comfortable, especially the RT. The elctric screen was a toy that amazed me on the RT. Both had decent real-world power and handling. Indeed, I found that I was able to go round bends on the A272 faster on the GS than I did on my Blackbird, and with complete confidence. I especially liked the upright seating position that anabled me to see over hedges even better than I could when on the Blackbird. The fact that you I was made very aware that I was getting up to 90mph was, I think, a very positive thing For the first time in years I found myself smiling like a loon and utterly lost for words to describe the GS experience.
I have nothing but praise for this dealer (and especially John Gilbride), especially when I compare it to Rafferty-Newman in Fareham where I tried to get a test ride on the Sprint ST and the Tiger only yo be told I had to do it on MY insurance 'cos they didn't have any!
I went home with lots to think about. I was about to go back to see about ordering a bike when I was told of an almost new R1150GS in blue/white that available, fully loaded with extras, for a very reasonable price. The rest is history! (I will say, however, that, although I have a degree in engineering and spent many happy hours as a youth rebuilding and fettling bikes and cars, SPC will get all my servicing and maintenance work.
