FastBikes Test

[Captain Pugwash]

The Sept issue of FastBikes has a group test featuring the HP2 in Supermoto get-up with 17" wheels etc against the Ducati Multistrada,Yam TDM and KTM 950 SM.

Unfortunately the testers didn't think much of the HP2 and it came second last,only just ahead of the TDM.

It came from the dealer complete with a faulty sidestand switch,so the bike refused to run-the sidestand later fell off and the mirrors flapped loose.

The handling didn't inspire confidence and it couldn't get anywhere near the KTM or Duke in the twisties.

It also made exactly the same power as the KTM,which is a standard model and not breathed on a la "HP" !


And the £4500 premium over the KTM,which easily won the test was not very well received,especially as the HP2 had the worst build quality by far.

Any comments ,apart from the usual "FastBikes are talking bollox" etc ?

 

[kiwiAdventure]

could you scan and post the test

 

[Deadskin]

Pretty poor show from the BMW dealer

 

[steveh]

bmw havn't quite got it right

they claim that the HP division will be comparable to the M division in cars, this is clearly not the case. Lets hope they take onboard the critisism and put it right.

 

[Vern]

I'll be selling mine then

 

[Tsiklonaut]

September - got to be the very early version of the HP2 then?

Re power: makes me think if they used the right fuel? It's the only bike speced as RON98 i know, all other bikes work with the RON95. Well it works down to RON91 with the knock sensor, but sure the power is restricted as well. If they did used the right fuel then it's got to be the first case the BM measured crank power isn't true, or it's another R1200 software EFI update-screw-up thing?

Using knob tyres is another thing - some horsepower will be cut, it's important to know exact ratio to crank. Also the saft drive reduction is higher than a chain - around 7% more power is converted into heat and friction compared to chain, so it means it does do more at the crank if it's shaft drived and measured from the wheel. It can't be directly compared to chain drived bikes if not using this correlation - they try to measure the crank power at the dyno as far as i know.

Re handling: so far only few testers have got the rear air-shock right who know how to setup the shocks (it's an art afterall, on any suspension). All n00bs (that the most mag testers are) don't know how to adjust air shock anyway. Looking what pressure table the BM specifies doesn't help you in the real life as guys in the ADVrider say, it's more complicated than that if it comes to professional riding. Air shocks are definately something new for the motorcycling world, sure it takes time the long-term practice to catch up.


But i do tend to agree the HP2 is not very shining in the supermoto shirt, mainly due a simple reason: it's wheelbase, it's HUGE (hillclimbing European champion podium speaks for it), no doubt it isn't that fast responsive as the dedicated KTM SuperMoto is when it comes real tar SM sharp curve racing action. I think if the BMW really wanted to do the SM version of the HP2 than just puting the 17" wheels isn't enough - the fork angle, shaft drive length specs should have been modified as well for this purpose, also the overall height reduced a bit for a better CoG. And i guess BM hasn't specified the air-shock setting for SM riding has it? It's different from offroad or regular street setup. Thus i think the SM wheeled setup for the HP2 is a bit theorethical direction. It's an offroader, definately not a dedicated SM.

Anyways, would be nice if anyone can scan the article and post it here

 

[mrTickle]

on the HP2 training day i went to in Wales, the one i was riding had a faulty side stand switch and it kept cutting out because of it. Maybe a problem on the 1200's???

Having owned my HP for around 2 months now, i'm still getting used to it. It's just so different from anything else i've ridden - it surprises me every time i go out on it - but in a good way . I find that i enjoy the HP when going balls out but otherwise i prefer my Adventure everywhere else for everyday normal use. If I had to make a judgement, i'd vote my Adventure as the better bike but it's definately not as much fun as the HP. I always get off the HP with a grin.

The only real way to make a comparison with an HP2 is to ride the other bikes full on 100% flat out everywhere all of the time. Do that and i'm sure the HP2 would be the winner as it's very extreme. The HP2 doesn't like normal...

 

[SQD8R]

The side stand won’t be an issue on the 12 since it is well protected, behind the side stand mount. Mine failed as well, intermittently, until it left me on the side of the road. When I inspected it the casing fell apart in my hands. My thinking is that by kicking the side stand up and/or by putting some weight on the severely angled stand while mounting the bike caused the casing to get pressure that it wasn’t designed for. The end result was a cracked casing that fell apart in my hands and a quick roadside solution, thanks to Lurking Luddite bringing a set of alligator clips, got me to the dealership. Once at the dealership the tech wired up a loop and zip tied it to the frame, end of issue.

 

[beachman]

side stand

My side stand left me stranded in the middle of nowhere about 200kms from lleida in spain. I thought it was fuel. It cost 726 euro's for a truck to the dealer to fix, then another 110 euro because the spanish dealer said he would not do a warranty because it was my fault. Over all the side stand thing is my only real complaint about reliability and an issue im taking up with bmw. All other issues are personal, ie tank,suspension,small fairing,race system. I could not imagine 100,000 kms later that a ktm950/990 etc could stand next to a bmw in the reliability stakes.

 

[mrTickle]

on the HP2 training day i went to in Wales, the one i was riding had a faulty side stand switch and it kept cutting out because of it. Maybe a problem on the 1200's???

Having owned my HP for around 2 months now, i'm still getting used to it. It's just so different from anything else i've ridden - it surprises me every time i go out on it - but in a good way . I find that i enjoy the HP when going balls out but otherwise i prefer my Adventure everywhere else for everyday normal use. If I had to make a judgement, i'd vote my Adventure as the better bike but it's definately not as much fun as the HP. I always get off the HP with a grin.

The only real way to make a comparison with an HP2 is to ride the other bikes full on 100% flat out everywhere all of the time. Do that and i'm sure the HP2 would be the winner as it's very extreme. The HP2 doesn't like normal...

oh yeah, i also forgot to say FastBikes are talking bollox

 

[Jarv]

I’m not surprised that the HP2 didn’t do so well…..

Before I go on however I have to say that I love mine to bits, it’s probably the best bike overall that I’ve owned (1150 GSA comes very close) and I’ve had no reliability issues, save for not riding it enough and the battery going flat, despite using it off road. It’s fast, engaging, a challenge to ride and looks great.

Anyway to continue… My feeling is that you either love the GS and that Boxer engine for all is quirks and niggles or you don’t. A bit like Marmite, which I love BTW. I am firmly in the “love it despite… “ camp.

If you look at the GS and especially the HP2 objectively there is a lot that is not perfect. There are many examples, some of which have been picked up on earlier in this thread but here’s just one; the engine…how old is that?
Not that it is not a good engine, but by modern standards it’s just lagging behind on technology and refinement. Also those great big cylinders are a bit of a compromise when the going gets tough off road or if you are unlucky to have a crash as a friend of mine did when a little old lady pulled out on him and he smashed both knees and lower legs. However they can be a boost too…. As anyone knows who’s dropped one they keep the bike (and lots of breakable bits) further off the floor making it easier to pick up. But then there’s the weight of it which makes it harder. I’ll not go on….

Suffice to say there is much about motorcycling and the bikes we all choose to ride that is all about personal preference. The HP2 is a bit of a compromise in Enduro and SM guise but I love it both on road and off road. But I also own an EXC 450 because I know it is better, lighter, faster, and let’s not forget cheaper off road than the HP.

 

[SQD8R]

I liked the way they did the test. They said right off the bat that it wasn't so much a direct comparison as it was a grouping of odd bikes. I felt their arguements were valid except the negative touring ones since they tour on sprotbikes.

Otherwise I thought their assessment of the HP2 was accurate, the 950 was accurate, it is more hardcore and more focused and the Multi was right. I've ridden the 3, own the HP2 and thought it was relatively fair.

 

[GSmonkey]

I must admit, I've always considered Fast Bike's reviews to be more accurate than most magazines i.e. ride, bike, MCN, etc. where I don't even recognise the bike their reviewing even if I've done 20k on that particular machine.

As for touring on sportsbikes, only dickheads would do this