Another GSA WC ride report but with a question?

bodge it

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I was convinced that I wouldn't like the new GSA WC as it was too big and ugly but thought I would have a ride just to convince myself even more.

When asked how long I wanted to test ride for I did said it won't be long, probably less than an hour.

I ride a 2008 GSA every working day, all year around.

As everyone on the forum says, the moment you start to move away on the new GSA it feels so light and balanced. In fact at one set of traffic lights I was surprised how long I could stay stationary without having to put my foot down. This was my first impression. Next was the stonking revving engine.

It was a nice dry day and the handling was fantastic, the front wheel seems so planted and it felt like riding a big enduro bike, sounds daft because thats whats it meant to be, but the lightness and flick ability was just a hoot to ride, and my GSA doesn't feel like big enduro bike, it feels like a big heavy tractor compared.

Loved everything about it apart from, the small speedo that was difficult to read, the nasty indicator switch, the mirrors that were small and the engine noise.

This was my question, do they all sound the same?. This sounded like it had no oil in it and the engine sounded like a bicycle with a twig stuck in the back wheel, there was a constant clickerty clackerty sound and it sounded like sitting on a washing machine on rinse mode.

All the thoughts of its look and minor irritations are secondary to the shear enjoyment of riding it. I took it down some dry green lanes and it was just superb, absolutely solid over gravelly bits and the front seemed to go where you looked without having to think about it. Its almost cheating, mind you it was very dry.

I didn't want to take it back and ended up being out for nearly two hours. I took it back before I was tempted to tackle some more tricky off road bits.

I think its worth every penny and I'm sure with a pair of decent ear plugs you could hide the engine noise.
 

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Ear plugs are, indeed, your friend.;)

Where did you go off road? I saw that bike at Vines, and would have taken it out, if I had my driving licence with me.:blast
 
i rode that bike last weekend,i also found it very noisey,it sounded like big single cylinder bike with the cam on the way out tbh i couldnt stand it.brakes and handling were outstanding but the gear box esp going into first was awful.i went away on my hexhead quietly and happy i hadnt wasted 15 big ones on a bike that isnt finished yet.
 
The engine noise you mentioned is always there but only becomes annoying after a long slow ride through town.
My first thought was I had a rogue but I'm assured they all make the same noise. There are approx. 14 gears in the engine and heads and two cam chains, + gearbox and shaft drive.
2400 miles later it still annoys me at times but nothing like the first time I noticed it. I thought it would spoil the bike but it just took a bit longer to bond with it.
 
Surely they know you well enough by now:nenau

Must be 'on file':P

That's exactly what I said.:rob But the rules are the rules.:blast I was in the mood to make a purchase that day as well, their loss.:P
 
...Loved everything about it apart from, the small speedo that was difficult to read, the nasty indicator switch, the mirrors that were small and the engine noise...


The "different sounding" engine noise is something I noticed right away also, sort of a mix between a Camhead, F800, and a KTM. I have become accustomed to it now and actually like it. LOL much less of an adjustment than when I went from an Airhead to a K75 many years ago!
The tiny speedo marked with both mph and kph is pretty sad. You can set the computer display to show the speed digitally which is what I did.
 
Try a bike with an Akra. I found the standard GS sound anaemic without, but love it now.

If you set the digital display and/or satnav for speed then you can ignore the speedo.
 
Special Exhaust to hide the engine noise, Optional extra cost sat nav or extra cost trip computer to tell you how fast you are going????????
And this bike has been developed and tested?

I love it, but BMW don't you employ developers who actually ride motorcycles.

Having said that nothing else on the market has any appeal to me, the KTM is too severe, Honda have nothing and Suzuki/Yamaha seems to have any spirit engineered out.
I look enviously at old Africa Twins, never owned one but look at these as the ideal all round motorcycle.
 
Yes the speedo could have larger sized numbers on but it isnt that bad after you get used to it - you do have the option of the additional digital speedo too!
 
Well lads, I must be deaf as a post , 30 years of guns and riding bikes I guess. I took that one out from vines last month and loved it. I think the new one has still kept many characteristics of my 09 model. Noisy? I didn't notice, felt like a completely different bike to me. So, I ordered one. I just won't indicate :augie
 
Yes the speedo could have larger sized numbers on but it isnt that bad after you get used to it - you do have the option of the additional digital speedo too!

How do you do that ? Are you meaning when using the Sat Nav or can you change the readout on the Dash ?
 
Yes you can have a digital speed showing on the dash. You have to set it up in custom mode. I don't think this is model specific unless someone else can tell us otherwise?

Sent from my D5503 using Tapatalk
 
Loved everything about it apart from, the small speedo that was difficult to read, the nasty indicator switch, the mirrors that were small and the engine noise.

I am riding around on a loan WC GS at the moment and agree with these 4 points 100%. Now on day 3 and getting used
to the speedo & mirrors a bit more and the engine noise is better when you are doing 70MPH plus
 
I think it is model specific the digital speedo, there's a thread on here somewhere explaining how to get it.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
 


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