For those who think a GS is too big for the inner city...

[Reprobate]

... this sidewalk in Amsterdam, Warmoesstraat is too small too walk along without knocking against the railing that protects the windows of this tea retailer shop.

But still wide enough to park a GS...

 

[Deleted account W]

Within 10 minutes in the Uk that would have a parking ticket slapped on it's screen.

 

[Fanum]

Within 10 minutes in the Uk that would have a parking ticket slapped on it's screen.

Not with a bag over its plate and a dollop of accidental mud on the reg no. on the tax disc it wouldn't!!

(They're not allowed to touch the bike to geta reg#....that's why you'll see hundreds of bikes all over central london with bags and blobs...though I did hear they were changing the rules)

 

[Reprobate]

a dollop of accidental mud on the reg no. on the tax disc it wouldn't!!

If the rules change, you can always smear some shit on the reg number.

This picture was actually taken quite close to Police Station Warmoesstraat and at least six cops went by, two on foot and four by motorcycle. Or he rode by four times

I even believe that part of the Warmoesstraat is restricted to pedestrians and cyclists. I did get a lot of respectful glances from the assorted junkies. Riding in Amsterdam is quite fun, actually, since the police are generally friendly towards motorcyclists, providing they're not pulling wheelies through the Kalverstraat.

 

[Rabbitson]

Nice picture.

Dogshit is easier to come by than real mud in Amsterdam anyway!

 

[timmy]

The GS1100/1150 is to ing big for what it purports to be anyway. Period

 

[Reprobate]

The GS1100/1150 is to ing big for what it purports to be anyway. Period

Weird, a misspelled 'too', but the 'purports' is not only spelled correctly, but actually used in the correct sense.

Still not clear though, on what the GS purports to be that is hindered by its size?

As someone who squeezes the R11GS through gaps that would daunt a moped rider, I find its size comfortable, both within and without the city.

That the GS is a trifle heavy for off-road use is true, but then, it is not an off-road motorcycle or even an enduro - it's an all-road. And it rides all roads admirably...

 

[timmy]

Yes, sorry about the "too" - i'm a stickler myself for grammatical thingummyjigs.

Well, i musta bin 'ad by those glossy piccies of the GS being driven off road and through all that sand - and to think - the rider took all his travel cases and bags off his bike before hitting that sand.





ing big mopeds

 

[Reprobate]

I've seen those advertisements too, but...

I use the GS mostly on the road - slipping and sliding around potholes, up curbstones, down stairs, crossing tram lines, traversing slippery cobblestones - but they perform 'adequately' in terrain. Better than a PanEuropean, worse than a Husqvarna.

To me it's the ultimate urban assault machine...

 

[franco]

All road, not off road

Yes, sorry about the "too" - i'm a stickler myself for grammatical thingummyjigs.

Well, i musta bin 'ad by those glossy piccies of the GS being driven off road and through all that sand - and to think - the rider took all his travel cases and bags off his bike before hitting that sand.





ing big mopeds

C'mon now, everybody knows that GS stands for Gelande Strasse which is basically an unmade road, some of them have made the Paris Dakar, but for me, it's great at all road surfaces. Take today for instance. Had a great ride with the wife (yuk yuk), whilst the kids were at a brithday party. We went over the Col de Bleyne, and some of the gravelly roads thereabouts. If I'd had a sportsbike...

1. She wouldn't have got on the back.
2. We wouldn't have been able to drive the old fort road off the main road at the Col.
3. We would have run out of petrol.

etc etc...so it's lived up to it's name in my book...

 

[Spanish Bob]

Quite rght Mr Franco

spent three hours riding through the Montseny national park today tarmac, corrugated cement, sand and mud. About 50kms total, from 300m to around 1800. Funniest thing was one of the tracks is a toll road - thay charge 70cents for Bikes!!

then quite ride on a very nice twisty a road to the Motorway 180kms/hour back to wife, quick shower and off to the Oalau del mar for squid, black rice with a nice bottle or Ermita d´espiells (sunny and 22c as well). QUick ride through Barceloneta avoiding drunken English gits and junkies to watch Secondhand Lions. I communte on my bike in Barcelona everyday - does the job just fine.

Bugger me what else do you want? If you want to do the Paris Dakar Buy Nani Roma´s bike - otherwise make a compromise. This is the best compromise I have found so far.

bob

 

[Reprobate]

If I'd lived near the Pyrennees or the Alps, I would ride a super motard (maybe the new Yamaha XT 660 SM), but I have to ride some 900 kilometers before I get there and that gets kind of tiring on a thumper.

Anyway, sure you can take the GS off-road, but where it excels is on anything that might be called a road - from the superslab highways to a fire-road, from the ringroad/peripherique to the inner city alleys.

 

[kitchenpete]

London fun

Despite the weather of the last couple of days, I'm really pleased to by riding my 1150GS in Central London.

There are some really fun roads. Getting through those gaps in the traffic is a challenge but at least you have your head up so can see all around and cars respect the size.

I have a couple of routes to work, one of which has a long series of road humps. I just stand up, engage 2nd gear and do my own tarmac motoX course at about 40mph.

What other bike could do that and still give me my acceleration kicks between Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square, not to mention taking me out of town on the motorways, in comfort, should I need to leave the smoke behind?

KP