First 5 months of GS ownership

[Tobers]

Its a strangely intoxicating beast that sits in my garage. Bizarrely, the more I ride it, the more I like it. And I'm doing 1200 miles a month commuting at the moment, plus hooning around like a hooligan, and instructing innocents in the IAM.

And now the "accessories" worm has burrowed well and truly under my skin. Shelled out for the Y-piece yesterday - fitted it and now relishing the additional mid-range, but keep getting shot at by someone when approaching roundabouts at the end of dual carriageways. Not sure who it is that's shooting at me but I'll catch the buggers eventually.

Also have fitted R1150R bars which make the whole bike feel so much smaller and more nimble, and much easier through traffic.

Got a rather bizarre light bar fitted too, with Ring spotlights which I'll wire up as soon as I get my MotoSwitch.

Strangely, I've got a Tobinator fitted as well (only a Mk2 as everyone keeps buying the Mk3s).

Many months ago when considering a GS, I posed a "are you all old fogeys" question on here. Lots of people replied and put me in my place, and predicted exactly what has happened to me since I bought one. I love my GS. I used to put 10k miles a year on my Aprilia RSV Mille, which is still sitting in my garage next to my GS. Millie doesn't get used much these days - a quick blast at the weekend to remind myself what real power is, and the odd track day. Otherwise, Gus the GS is the steed of choice.

Its a strange old world when a top-spec superbly handling sportsbike like the RSV takes second place to a WWII biplane engined R1150GS. But then its a strange bike.

 

[Madmountainman]

Aaaaaaaah!

 

[Mick Fagan]

The local bordello owner!!!!

Mick.

 

[Shurv]

I used to own a sports bike too. As soon as I got the GS , my beautiful Laverda 750S only got ridden 3 times in 12 months, so I sold it.
So far this year on the GS I've off roaded it several times, toured it in France with the wifelet on the back, scratched about with mates and done a track day. The bike that truly does it all.


Marcus.

 

[notadrop]

FER KRISE SAKE GUYS - SHUDDUP!!

This bike is for us lucky few - dont let yer mates believe all this crap that it is a great all rounder OR THEY'RE GONNA BUY ONE AREN'T THEY!!! DOH...

Get out there and tell any one interested to 'FEK OFF MATE - IT'S A BUNCH OF CRAP!! I'd never buy one again'.
Let's not let this bike become everybody's favourite. Or we will get people buying them 'because their mate did'.

Tell it like we want them to hear it.......
'Yeah it is big'. 'Bloody ugly to isn't it?' 'Frightens me to death on bends and in the wet.' 'Just a phase I'm going through'. 'Keep up with yours in the bends? - no way mate, not very quick you see?' 'More an old mans bike really not for someone as [fit/virile/tough/fast/manly etc] as you.'

Let's get out there and get them onto other bikes - before they get onto ours.

P.S. next RiDE survey you get - trash the bike. Get it's rating down.

I'll go and calm down next door now!

 

[MikeO]

Or we will get people buying them 'because their mate did'.

You've obviously not been reading the board lately....

 

[Flyer]

Its a strange old world when a top-spec superbly handling sportsbike like the RSV takes second place to a WWII biplane engined R1150GS. But then its a strange bike.

WW11? A tad older than that, methinks.

But your point is well made.

I'm in love with my immaculate 1999 black Blackbird (recently aquired in place of a VFR in a deal I couldn't refuse). I only got it last week, and with some friends did close on 1000 miles in a 'west coast of Scotland' trip last weekend. It handles superbly, has a bottomless pit of power and torque (how much power would you like? just twist that grip and you can more - and more - and more - more than you'll ever need), and I love that deep 'thrumming' from the exhausts of the 165hp motor. And after the Viffer it's so smooooth. And it looks pretty cool, too.

Tomorrow, I'm trying an Adventure, and maybe a GS as well. It will be interesting to see how I like them after the 'Bird.

I probably will.

Flyer

 

[Tobers]

GSs

Following the unfortunate deaths of three mates on the www.rsvr.net chatboard, quite a few blokes on there are thinking about chopping in their RSV Milles to get GSs.

It seems to be a bike that a lot of people think about having but are seduced by the sportsbike thing (like me for example). However, as it gets more and more difficult to enjoy yourself on a sportsbike in this over-regulated country of ours, the GS becomes more and more sensible.

Doesn't have the power, cant (normally) get your knee down, weighs a ton, but bloody hell it is a great bike.

Oops - no its not. Its a pile of crap. Dont buy one. No no no.

There have been a few articles in magazines that in 5 years, the top selling bike will be a v-twin Honda with lots of suspension travel, great handling, shaft drive etc. i.e. a GS clone. They'll never get the GS "thing" though will they?

 

[Flyer]

Re: GSs

There have been a few articles in magazines that in 5 years, the top selling bike will be a v-twin Honda with lots of suspension travel, great handling, shaft drive etc. i.e. a GS clone. They'll never get the GS "thing" though will they?

Well, they might IMHO. When my bike was in for a service recently, I had a TransAlp loan bike. It wasn't THAT much different to the GS - less power and torque but same upright riding position and good handling (OK, not as good as the GS - but hey, it's a fraction of the price).

Give it a bigger (but still twin) engine, tweak the handling, add shaft drive, and for half the price Honda could have a GS beater.

Today I test rode a GS (again!) and an Adventure. Great bikes, but way overpriced. There is obviously a great demand for a tall bike with an upright riding position, good handling, a 'characterful' engine with loads of torque, and excellent performance up to about 90 mph. So far, only BM have addresed this.

Some competition needed, perhaps?

Flyer

 

[BawdyMonk]

Re: Re: GSs

Well, they might IMHO. When my bike was in for a service recently, I had a TransAlp loan bike. It wasn't THAT much different to the GS - less power and torque but same upright riding position and good handling (OK, not as good as the GS - but hey, it's a fraction of the price).

Give it a bigger (but still twin) engine, tweak the handling, add shaft drive, and for half the price Honda could have a GS beater.

Today I test rode a GS (again!) and an Adventure. Great bikes, but way overpriced. There is obviously a great demand for a tall bike with an upright riding position, good handling, a 'characterful' engine with loads of torque, and excellent performance up to about 90 mph. So far, only BM have addresed this.
Some competition needed, perhaps?

Flyer

Flyer, I think you're partially right, I've got a TransAlp in my garage right now, (lent to me by the local BMW dealer while they fix the seals on my 6 month old RT), for the price it's excellent I wrung it's neck and came down the highway at 170kmh and was amazed how solid it felt, I've been up and down a few dirt tracks and yes it's fun, but that terrible blandness with seems to to permeate all things Honda, apart from the super quick stuff is still there... To the point where I didn't even start it up yesterday!
I'm not sure the Japs can build a bike with character

 

[Madmountainman]

My mate's got a trannie...

and rants the nuts off it to keep up with moi! He's changed from a blade cos he couldn't keep up on that either (due to the roads i took him down) and loves every minute of it. I do keep trying to persuade him of the joys of GS!

 

[Flyer]

Re: Re: Re: GSs

I'm not sure the Japs can build a bike with character

Bawdy - I fear you may well be right.......

Flyer

 

[grandtrousers]

THATS HOW IT STARTED WITH ME!!
My Honda dealer lent me Transalp while CBR 600 was in for its first service and I came back with a cheesy grin - you can behave like a bloody hooligan on those things. Not long after I arranged a test ride on a GS and then after that an Adventure (which I pick up on September 3rd). So there you are - its Hondas fault!

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

i wish i could get back to sleep.........

its all very well going on about honda's being good - nearly as good as a GS even - and yes they are - but only within the short life span that they are designed for and usually last for.

A Honda is built down to a price and a quality level, same goes for all modern jap bikes. Ok - you see the odd 10-15 yr old jap bike and granted the engines are usually very reliable and strong - but try riding a 10-15 yr old high mileage transalp that hasn't been COMPLETELY rebuilt and you'll wonder how it stays on the road or manages to stop in a straight line.

A BMW, car or bike - has 'inherent' build quality, something that most european bikes seem to have that gives them the ability to last longer and stay within an acceptable level of rideability for longer. Granted - the japs are catching up and getting better by the day, but all the time they're competing against each other and the accountants they'll build down to a (sub) standard.

BMW,ducati aprilia etc all build to a higher level of quality overall but can fall down in other areas - say seating comfort or paint quality/finish etc etc. Thats why the market continues to pay a premium for these machines, knowing they will last longer if reqd.

Phil

 

[Flyer]

A Honda is built down to a price and a quality level, same goes for all modern jap bikes. Ok - you see the odd 10-15 yr old jap bike and granted the engines are usually very reliable and strong - but try riding a 10-15 yr old high mileage transalp that hasn't been COMPLETELY rebuilt and you'll wonder how it stays on the road or manages to stop in a straight line.

A BMW, car or bike - has 'inherent' build quality, something that most european bikes seem to have that gives them the ability to last longer and stay within an acceptable level of rideability for longer. Granted - the japs are catching up and getting better by the day, but all the time they're competing against each other and the accountants they'll build down to a (sub) standard.

BMW,ducati aprilia etc all build to a higher level of quality overall but can fall down in other areas - say seating comfort or paint quality/finish etc etc. Thats why the market continues to pay a premium for these machines, knowing they will last longer if reqd.

Phil

Oooh! Really must disagree with just about all of the above. I'd be the first to admit that Jap bikes, including Hondas, can be bland. But Honda build quality is legendary - they are superbly built. My last bike was an 'R' reg VFR with 16K miles up, and was absolutely indistinquisable from showroom condition. Currently, I have a 'T' reg Blackbird which is almost as pristine (it's forst owner wasn't a perfectionist!).

I've been looking at used GSs for over a year now, and I've yet to see one, of any age, in pristine condition. The same goes for other BMs - before buying the VFR I looked at loads of Boxers, and all had corroded fork legs, disk inners, and rust in all sorts of places. I have never, ever, seen a second hand BM in showroom condition. But any well looked after Honda will still be in as-new condition after many years of service. The build quality of BM cars does not translate across to the bike in my experience - in fact I think the Bike trades on the car's reputation in this area. It's one reason I haven't yet bought a GS - I like the bike but think that for the price it should be built better, and I object to being ripped off.

As for Italian metal - surely you are jesting? They are the very best bikes to ride from a performance and handling point of view, but rust is an Italian product's way of letting you know it's home sick. They don't take well to our climate. They also have a poor reputation for reliability and are just not robust. Have a close look at a Duke - just compare, say, the quality of the brake pedal and clutch/brake handle and foot peg castings to those on a Honda. The Italian ones look like they're off a £30 bicycle; the Honda ones are so well made you could put them on your mantlepiece as objects d'art.

Flyer

 

[skybluebird]

Flyer, really must disagree with the above! My last bike was also a "T" reg 'Bird. Totally immaculate, as you say they appear well-finished, but since Xmas I had the regulator/rectifier fail, then later the generator. It's one of only 2 bikes that have left me at the roadside in 23 years (though it did break down next to an AA van ). Check the cbr1100xx.org forum - the r/r problem is quite common over 24,000 miles (mine had 24K), the common fix is to replace with an R1 r/r which is less prone to overheating. I totally loved that bike but after the 2nd fault I'd lost all faith in it. I miss the power (though my licence doesn't ) but haven't regretted buying the GS

David

 

[Flyer]

Yep, reg/rec can be a problem on some earlier 'Birds and VFRs. But it can be changed for £75, and current ones are fine.

What I was talking about was how well made the bike is - will it go tatty, or will it stay 'new'. Hondas stay new (unless totally neglected), BMs I've seen don't, despite a high price and (IHMO) undeserved reputation for quality which really only applies to the cars.

Flyer

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

ok - Honda are the best of the bunch, but ,for instance, try looking at a wiring loom for a 10 yr old honda/kawa etc - the actual copper corrodes, goes black and falls apart - this causes unreliability at best - this is one of the differences i'm on about - inherent quality.

Yes - italian stuff was worse, but why is a Ducati Pantah more desirable than a Honda cb500,suzuki gs500, etc etc. ?

I'm sure a blackbird is more 'capable' than a ducati multistrada , for instance, but i bet i know which one will still be around in 20 years time.

Phil