Deleted account 211025001
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I thought you'd appreciate that
Now bugger off back out on your DR you lucky bugger, it's a beautiful day out there!
Andres
Africa Twin Slays GS in Bike Mag Full Test
- Thread starter Arsey
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Now bugger off back out on your DR you lucky bugger, it's a beautiful day out there!
Andres
Well I have just bought a new GS 1200 Triple Black.
Do I care what Joe Bloggs thinks - NO
Do I care that others on here have a KTM - NO - I have two of those also
For on the road GS every time
For off road - depends KTM 690R or KTM 350 - depends what I am doing.
Do I care what Joe Bloggs thinks - NO
Do I care that others on here have a KTM - NO - I have two of those also
For on the road GS every time
For off road - depends KTM 690R or KTM 350 - depends what I am doing.
Mike_B
Registered user
My subjective view FWIW.
I've been a Honda groupie throughout my biking career (apart from a brief affair with a Suzi X5 in my youth). Various CBR's and CBF's. A house move meant that since my last bike (CBF1000), I needed something that could cope with some gentle off-roading (we live up the side of a steep hill accessed by a farm track.) Following a 3 year absence from biking, Honda managed to tempt me back into the saddle by bombarding me with marketing hype for the AT.
I test rode the manual AT on the day the dealer got the bike. Despite near monsoon conditions (which counts as a pleasant day in Wales) I had a blast, and thought it was the most fun bike I'd ever ridden. Mrs_B didn't come along on the ride, but felt comfortable on the pillion in the dealers and approved of the looks of the bike (as long as I went for the red one). Wasn't sure whether to order the manual or DCT though (never having ridden a DCT), so the dealer suggested I go ride a NC750DCT to see what I made of the box. The NC was boring, of course, but the DCT was impressive nonetheless, so I ordered a red AT DCT.
A week or so prior to delivery I realised I had done little research on other possible contenders. Various test rides ensued, but nothing came close to usurping the AT. Until I rode the GS TE.
I was absolutely blown away by the sheer comfort of the ride and the effortless way the bike did everything I asked it to. I got off the bike after an hour's blast without any noticeable fatigue - Ive never experienced that on a bike before. It also felt safe. I can't put my finger on why - maybe the sheer scale and presence of the bike coupled with the commanding views over the top of cars ahead. Finally, and importantly, it was also great fun. Again I can't say why, or point to anything in particular, it just seemed that the bike suited me and my riding style perfectly.
I rode the AT again later that day - another enjoyable ride, but somehow it did not tick all the boxes this time. The engine, handling and suspension were superb, but I realised I was shifting around in the seat trying to get comfortable after 30 mins or so. I found myself thinking about the GS while riding the AT, arguing with myself whether the additional cost of the GS could be justified.
On my return, I explained to the Honda dealer that I'd tested a GS that morning and had been really impressed. As I recounted on another thread, he somewhat disparagingly said that GS's were intended for middle-aged not-very-accomplished bikers who had too much cash. While this was said somewhat tongue-in-cheek, I realised it fitted my demographic perfectly and I was sold. On the GS.
I've been a Honda groupie throughout my biking career (apart from a brief affair with a Suzi X5 in my youth). Various CBR's and CBF's. A house move meant that since my last bike (CBF1000), I needed something that could cope with some gentle off-roading (we live up the side of a steep hill accessed by a farm track.) Following a 3 year absence from biking, Honda managed to tempt me back into the saddle by bombarding me with marketing hype for the AT.
I test rode the manual AT on the day the dealer got the bike. Despite near monsoon conditions (which counts as a pleasant day in Wales) I had a blast, and thought it was the most fun bike I'd ever ridden. Mrs_B didn't come along on the ride, but felt comfortable on the pillion in the dealers and approved of the looks of the bike (as long as I went for the red one). Wasn't sure whether to order the manual or DCT though (never having ridden a DCT), so the dealer suggested I go ride a NC750DCT to see what I made of the box. The NC was boring, of course, but the DCT was impressive nonetheless, so I ordered a red AT DCT.
A week or so prior to delivery I realised I had done little research on other possible contenders. Various test rides ensued, but nothing came close to usurping the AT. Until I rode the GS TE.
I was absolutely blown away by the sheer comfort of the ride and the effortless way the bike did everything I asked it to. I got off the bike after an hour's blast without any noticeable fatigue - Ive never experienced that on a bike before. It also felt safe. I can't put my finger on why - maybe the sheer scale and presence of the bike coupled with the commanding views over the top of cars ahead. Finally, and importantly, it was also great fun. Again I can't say why, or point to anything in particular, it just seemed that the bike suited me and my riding style perfectly.
I rode the AT again later that day - another enjoyable ride, but somehow it did not tick all the boxes this time. The engine, handling and suspension were superb, but I realised I was shifting around in the seat trying to get comfortable after 30 mins or so. I found myself thinking about the GS while riding the AT, arguing with myself whether the additional cost of the GS could be justified.
On my return, I explained to the Honda dealer that I'd tested a GS that morning and had been really impressed. As I recounted on another thread, he somewhat disparagingly said that GS's were intended for middle-aged not-very-accomplished bikers who had too much cash. While this was said somewhat tongue-in-cheek, I realised it fitted my demographic perfectly and I was sold. On the GS.
Some kinda oxymoron surely so I take it the above was intended to be ironic
How can you stand out from the crowd when every other bike is the same as yours
Andres
The crowd of other manufacturers, you know the run of the mill ordinary, bland bikes like wot Honda makes
Yep and add a shaft drive, proper gearbox and more advanced suspension - when they do all of that they might stand a chance of slaying the GS - but I am not hiding my breath
Yep and add a shaft drive, proper gearbox and more advanced suspension - when they do all of that they might stand a chance of slaying the GS - but I am not hiding my breath
i probably posted that musing in the wrong thread. i never meant to imply that such a bike would *slay* a GS. it was just a thought regarding the AT.
Deleted account 251212001
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A wise, intelligent man with taste
That post must have been music to your ears, you haven't set a new account up have ya?!
Still, I felt similar after riding the LC for the first time. Awesome bit of kit. Then again GS cost what about 4K more , probably more than that after 3 years when heavy depreciation taken into account.
If you like your Africa twin great, if you like your GS also great. I currently own neither.
They must have unlimited wifi down at the Day Centre for Engineer to be able to post all day long !!
Looking forward to collecting my Slayer in a few hours
Sent from my iPhone using Tosserbollockery
Looking forward to collecting my Slayer in a few hours
Sent from my iPhone using Tosserbollockery
This thread makes me laugh so much I so enjoy the days banter
Did you go for the Tri-colour Engineer if not let me guess the dull Grey colour one ??
whens it being delivered ??
Did you go for the Tri-colour Engineer if not let me guess the dull Grey colour one ??
whens it being delivered ??
Eng reminds me of :
Only me !! You didn't want to be buying an Africa Twin, you should have bought a GS like all the other mindless lemmings, that's what you should have bought !!
Sent from my iPhone using Tosserbollockery
Do they do a tri-colour GS? I bought the fast red one last April
You seem to believe everything you read, rather than experience things for yourself , and then selectively dismiss what you disagree with
I would suggest that the history books are full of more bikes that failed to be successful because they dared to be different rather than those that succeeded. The GS is certainly one of the rarer oddities that has gone on to be a massive sales success. Some of the failure have actually taken manufacturers down with them.
With very recent advances in production and manufacturing it seems it is now far easier to create something 'different' from something that is already available therefore making it less of a financial risk for the manufacturer.
Maybe but it is exactly those oddities that work so well together that made the GS a huge and unexpected success - if it was easy then why aren't the other manufacturers simply doing the same?
I wasn't having a pop at the GS , I have owned 3 and loved them all (and several other models including the much maligned K1) And my comment about manufacturing was more in relation to the "platform" sharing that several bike manufacturers are now able to deploy, something they have nicked from the car manufacturers.
When you say "Why aren't they doing the same?" It's because they need to do something different , have an identity of their own , something which is very hard to achieve.
Honda , who you seem to relish slagging off for some reason, have dared to be different many times over the years and have produced some amazing bikes but few have been sales successes, and it certainly wasn't because they were 'bland'.
One of my riding buddies wouldn't consider buying ANY other Adventure bike from any manufacturer as he believes that they have all just copied the GS by simply bringing out their own adventure bike, no matter how different it might be from the GS.
Other than just to wind up Arsey I don't understand why you have such a closed mind about anything not relating to your BMW.
DCT is a case in point. It is a massive USP (to quote you) and a superb example of daring to be different and yet you claim it isn't. Many ,who have not experienced it , dismiss it as just an auto box but it is so much more than that and is a deeply impressive technical feature that so far only Honda have been able to develop on a motorcycle. I bought my VFR12 CT off here purely because I wanted a much better mile muncher than my Guzzi and the CT cropped up very locally. It looked great (to me) with a fairly unique colour scheme and all the extra kit on it and I just fancied it. I knew next to nothing about the DCT and the first time I experienced it was when I rode the bike home.
Surely a V4 engined adventure bike, especially one with DCT is something different is it not? Anyhow so far I really like it. It's is much more refined than the GS I use for work, is comfier, more relaxing especially with the DCT, has more 'grunt' than the GS. The fit and finish of the body panels and plastic is genuinely in a completely different league to the BMW and I say that as a big GS fan, having covered about 100,000 miles on them and someone who will probably own another GS one day whenI can afford one . In fact TBH one of the main reasons I don't have an LC is because they are just too damn expensive. But at the moment I am very glad I took a punt on the Honda though as its a great bike.
I don't have a closed mind - I am on my 4th GS since 2005 because I can't find a better bike - there have been lots of pretenders since then but none have quite come up to expectations. I will try an AT when I can find the time, but the specs and the reports aren't looking good, maybe I will be surprised but in the meantime I am having fun
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