Anyone gone to the F800 GT from a 1200RT

[DCB40]

I have a urge to try out a F800 GT for size, as i'm struggling with the RT at low speeds/car park stuff with all the weight. I have a 2 week 2 up trip in august and am starting to get a little apprehensive about it, the last thing i want to do is drop the thing with the mrs on the back, ( dropped it in a carpark already at 3mph).
I have 29" inside leg and have got a low seat fitted but still struggle to feel secure coming to a halt, as holding up all the weight. I have spent much time practising low speed stuff in car parks and i have improved but when the mrs is on the back it's completely different and i have nearly come to grief on a few occasions.
I thinking that having a bike considerably lighter to start with has got to be good.
I have 30 years of riding experiance, but never on a BMW and never on a twin.
The combination of a twin cylinder engine, big weight, lumpy engine at very low speeds is making me sweat at the thought of 2 weeks in europe trying to keep it all shiny side up.
Would a move to the f800 GT be any better - ie, low seat height, much lighter, slightly smoother engine maybe .
I know i need to try one, and i will, but is this a mistake and should i just persevere with the 1200rt. The 1200 is brilliant at everything else, what say you chaps....

 

[DC]

for ny pennies worth , i would get some training on slow riding at a bikesafe day or with the IAM on slow riding. Im sure you know what your doing after 30 years but there is a technique to slow riding and controlling the machine . master this yourself then try it with the missus. you dont have to park every where with her on . Ride as per normal , pull up at your destination then let her jump off and you park the bike alone.

the 800 will be lighter of course but its not in the same league as an RT. Give it one last try to get sorted with the RT then if you fail. you know you tried .

 

[chopper_harris]

I would advise against, unless you can arrange an extended test ride - ideally a full weekend with several hundred miles.

Mrs Chopps traded her much loved VFR800 VTEC for an F800 ST, and it was a bitter disappointment.

The F800 ST seemed like a nice light bike when compared to the Viffer on an hour test ride.
With hindsight it was gutless and extremely dull - I have ridden them both, and agree with her.

Within six weeks, the F800 ST was traded in for a K1200R Sport, which she enjoyed for almost four years.

The F800 ST had absolutely zero soul, charisma or passion - it was transport, nothing more ...

 

[DCB40]

I have had some pointers from an advanced rider which has helped, but the combination of small legs, more weight than i'm use to is a tricky one.
The 800 is a step down from the 1200 to be sure, and i know it can't compare but i may need to compromise to get confidence levels up.

 

[Oldie]

I'll pop down on the Bonnie and you can try that. People don't realise that it's a decent touring bike but it works as well as any. I guess that I've owned most of the bigger tourers but for pure ease of use, the Bonnie takes some beating. It's not a lightweight (you don't want that) but it's so easy to ride. Balance is perfect.

Full luggage, decent screen and a Burton seat, it will go anywhere. I do an awful lot of touring and it's the easiest of all my bikes to live with. I might even lend it to you for a while. Maybe meet you half way or come up onthe RT and have a beer or two.

Keep your RT, because they're great bikes, but don't be afraid of trying alternatives which others have tried and tested, even If the vox popupli cry out in disbelief.

I don't really mind how tall a bike is ( same leg as you) but it's often handy to have a low bike when you've gone down that gravel track in Lichtenstein to meet a dead end.

My second favourite tourer is an R1200R, but it's just not as good pillion-wise.

Of course, a cb1000 might do the job just as well but you run the risk of falling asleep and nobody will come up to you for a chat when you park

 

[DCB40]

Thanks Oldie, before i got the RT, i looked at loads of different stuff, but the Bonnie never struck me as a 2 up tourer, but having never riden one i have to admit it could be a great machine. I love the RT, but need i longer legs dam it.......

 

[Davey B]

Do you have both feet down when slow speed manoeuvring? You see loadstone this and then obviously when they come to need to slow or stop they have to use the front brake. On anything other than going dead straight, it unsettles the bike. If all is well balanced it shouldn't be a case of holding up 1/4tin of weight, more a case of balance (helped if your pillion sits still). Part of the BM off road course on day 1 is walking round your bike, daft as it sounds. You get off normally, no stands down, and then walk round it holding the tops of the fairing, right hand side, rear rack ectc. It really does show that there is no weight at all when it is properly balanced.
I imagine the 12rt has its weight/c of g lower down than most other bikes you've had so perhaps a case of properly getting used to it and as above, perhaps some local training with someone? Way cheaper than chopping it in

 

[kennyc]

I have equally short legs, and managed with an RT11 for 10 years, if anything the whole thing got easier when the missus was on board, as I could actually get both feet flat on the ground for a change! as previously said, the RT's have a very low CofG and as long as you keep them upright and watch out for adverse cambers and dips in the road they are very easy to manoeuvre around. my previous bike was quite a bit lighter, yet far easier to tip over once it went off upright due to the high CofG! my present bike (a K1200GT) is more awkward than the RT despite being lighter !

 

[stanley]

Keep at it with the RT.
Consider lowering the suspension, fitting a narrower seat, or maybe engine protection for if the worst should happen (which it wont once you feel confident with it).
Try and concentrate about maneuvering at low speed by using the weight around your hips and feet, not through the bars.

 

[ampthill]

I have a urge to try out a F800 GT for size, as i'm struggling with the RT at low speeds/car park stuff with all the weight. I have a 2 week 2 up trip in august and am starting to get a little apprehensive about it, the last thing i want to do is drop the thing with the mrs on the back, ( dropped it in a carpark already at 3mph).
I have 29" inside leg and have got a low seat fitted but still struggle to feel secure coming to a halt, as holding up all the weight. I have spent much time practising low speed stuff in car parks and i have improved but when the mrs is on the back it's completely different and i have nearly come to grief on a few occasions.
I thinking that having a bike considerably lighter to start with has got to be good.
I have 30 years of riding experiance, but never on a BMW and never on a twin.
The combination of a twin cylinder engine, big weight, lumpy engine at very low speeds is making me sweat at the thought of 2 weeks in europe trying to keep it all shiny side up.
Would a move to the f800 GT be any better - ie, low seat height, much lighter, slightly smoother engine maybe .
I know i need to try one, and i will, but is this a mistake and should i just persevere with the 1200rt. The 1200 is brilliant at everything else, what say you chaps....

I recognise the issue. I had a r1200rt, and also have a 29" inside leg. I too found the r1200rt a bit of a handful, particularly when fully loaded coming to a halt on off camber stops. It was great on the move but at standstill there is a lot of plastic and weight up high. Like you I also considered the f800gt and had a test ride on one. It was pleasant enough but the engine lacked the low down torque of the r1200 engine so decided it wasn't for me. In the end I went for the last of the r1200r which solved the issue. No problem with top-heaviness, lighter overall, and kept the advantage of the boxer engine. I have also fitted a Wunderlich Trophy fairing, which whilst costing far to much, is surprisingly effective in keeping the bike comfortable at a high cruising speeds.

However my eyes do keep getting drawn to the new r1200rs available shortly- looks to me to be the ideal compromise for all that I need in a bike...

Peter

 

[Wrinkly]

I had a test ride last week on an 800GT with a view to running it along side my Stelvio.

Lovely bike, nice to look at and looked fairly well finished, great gearbox and goes forever on a gallon of fuel.

However, whilst not unpleasant to ride, it zipped along nicely had decent brakes and handled very well, it was one soulless machine and felt very underpowered, I'd hate to think what it would be like loaded and 2 up.

As a couple of folks have already suggested have a look at the 1200r.There are some nice Twin cams around and the 'Classic' looks especially nice, it will do everything tour RT will just with a little less protection.

Even better,tell your missus she's not coming on the back anymore, and get yourself an RnineT

Back on a serious note,it may not be your cup of tea but the Honda VFR 1200 looks like a very good buy and is a very easy bike to ride.

Steve

 

[DCB40]

thanks for the helpful comments, the exact issue seems to be the last 2 foot before coming to a complete halt. The point where you put your foot out to steady the bike when at a standstill.
I was taught to always put the left foot down so you can use the rear brake to stop, and that is what i nearly always do. But using the rear brake to slow and stop the bike is ok most times, but when i feel the bikes weight shifting to the right and i have to stop because of a juntion/car then i am in the situation of putting right foot down and then using the front brake to stop, but of course as already mentioned this will make the issue worse by unsettling the bike and then its a case of me trying to catch the bike before it goes to far over.
Not sure if i explained it very well, but that is the best i can do..
If the road is level i try to encourage the bikes weight to fall left, so i can just use rear brake and this is what a freind encouraged me to practise, and i have got better at it. But when off camber things get a little interesting to say the least, and i will try my hardest to not stop by giving myself loads of room, not ideal but needs must.
Basic problem is , i'm too short for the bike, options are practise more and hope i don't damage the thing, try an even lower seat ( if there is one, already on the low heated one), put an inch on the bottom of my boots, grow longer legs, change bikes.
On the r1200r option someone mentioned, it is about 29 kg lighter, but same seat height, so not to sure if i'm better off....
thanks for helping me.........

 

[JJH]

Just to throw in my few pence worth- first of all the rt is a very stable bike I know I've had 3 but just reading your posts I think your problem is that the bike is not reacting in the way you expect it to. The front doesn't compress like other bikes on braking and it feels "funny" to you. I would suggest having a look across all bikes of that type not just BMW. you can get the suspension lowerd to help as well but be aware of ground clearance when riding off footpaths. Jjh

 

[stanley]

Stick both feet out when you stop then!
Front brake only is fine. Anyhow, the bike gives it a bit of back brake whenever you touch the front one owing to its linked system.

 

[Wreford Miles]

...I'd say the solution is practice, practice, practice before change

 

[aRTy_Hexhead]

Stick both feet out when you stop then!
Front brake only is fine. Anyhow, the bike gives it a bit of back brake whenever you touch the front one owing to its linked system.

I've got linked brakes, but it is an old one. 2005. BMW Did away with linked brakes after only a few years.

But I'd keep the bike as upright as possible and use back brake only for last few feet.


IAM training is back brake only for slowing down from 20mph. Keeps the bike sat on its hunkers and you glide up to the stop. Otherwise you throw a lot of weight on the front wheel making steering heavier and more prone to wobble the whole bike. Being tense about dropping it won't help either. Need to keep relaxed arms and shoulders so not transferring this to the front end too.

My tuppence worth!

 

[JJH]

BMW are still using linked brakes on many of their bike models. It is not correct to say that they have stopped. The change you MIGHT be thinking of is the power abs which was discontinued in 2007 about. JJH

 

[stanley]

As above,
The twin-cams are linked: Front also applies rear; rear just does rear.

 

[DCB40]

thankyou for all the helpful comments and PM's, the key seems to be to just nudge the bars to the right just before putting foot out (left) before stopping, to encourage the bike to fall ( so to speak) to the left. This allows for right foot braking all the way to a complete halt.

So practice is key, but it's one thing to do it solo, and another to do it 2 up with full luggage, but plenty of others have done it, so that gives me inspiration to improve. I have a couple of months to do this before i decide to keep the bike or swop for something smaller.
On behalf of all shorties i will do my best..............

 

[kennyc]

thankyou for all the helpful comments and PM's, the key seems to be to just nudge the bars to the right just before putting foot out (left) before stopping, to encourage the bike to fall ( so to speak) to the left. This allows for right foot braking all the way to a complete halt.

So practice is key, but it's one thing to do it solo, and another to do it 2 up with full luggage, but plenty of others have done it, so that gives me inspiration to improve. I have a couple of months to do this before i decide to keep the bike or swop for something smaller.
On behalf of all shorties i will do my best..............

remember,two up the suspension will be more compressed and your foot will be nearer to the floo! also think about getting boots with heavy soles, even a 1/4" will make a difference, I prefer to wear boots with a decent gripping sole, I find a lot of bike boots are biased towards "feel" screw that! I want a sole that will not slip on gravel or other loose crap