The RS is a good and good looking Sport-tourer especially the 2018 in all black ! The only thing I didn't like is the bar graph tach and I think the TL works better than the ESA fork soaking up bumps like they don't exist while giving zero fork dive hard on the brakes ! For hard road riding Telelever is superior to any fork because real roads are not race track smooth and a fork uses stiffer springs to it is not as comfortable and still dives or even can bottom out hard on the brakes.
Help cant decide!!
- Thread starter pritchi83
- Start date
I disagree about the Telelever. I think the semi-active suspension on my RS and XR with upside-down forks is superior to the Telelever on the GS Rallye I rode. I would also say the WP semi-active suspension on my ex-Explorer is superior to the GS Rallye. I have tried all bikes on a 60 mile loop in the Cotswolds where I know every ripple in the roads. The Telelever may soak up the bumps but overall, the feel and feedback is better on the other bikes.
Wessie with all due respect what "feedback" do you need ?
Even riding gods like Marquez with his $ 25 000 Ohlins fork does not have enough feedback and looses the front and crashes every training before the actual race !
The ESA forks on RS or XR are not bad but they can't do what Telelever can do.
First spring rates on TL are much softer,pretty much 60% of a fork so TL can soak up the road imperfections much better and that even while hard on the brakes...
No fork can do this as it eventually bottoms out or hardens up with ESA and another bump and it skips and looses traction.
On perfect pavement like most race tracks a fork will do but on real roads we ride on TL is vastly superior to any fork !
When you say you like the steering of your RS or XR better don't forget the GS has a slightly heavier 19 inch front wheel that builds up more gyro than 17 inch wheels...The GS has more ground clearance than the RS and on bumpy roads the GS-Rally will put up a fair fight against a well ridden XR,too despite it's 45 hp rwhp disadvantage...
Too me a black R1200RS is a very good looking Sport-tourer but I think in the end I would decide between the more versatile GS-Rally (even if I don't like the blue scheme) or the little quicker steering and exiting top end of the XR.
Boxer,shaft,TL vs exiting top-end and little quicker steering.I still would go for the GS while others don't mind the chain and want the more exiting engine character go for the XR and need forkdive to know they are on the brakes and get hammered at the bar to know they are on bad roads
but the solution would be the
R 1300 XR...
Even riding gods like Marquez with his $ 25 000 Ohlins fork does not have enough feedback and looses the front and crashes every training before the actual race !
The ESA forks on RS or XR are not bad but they can't do what Telelever can do.
First spring rates on TL are much softer,pretty much 60% of a fork so TL can soak up the road imperfections much better and that even while hard on the brakes...
No fork can do this as it eventually bottoms out or hardens up with ESA and another bump and it skips and looses traction.
On perfect pavement like most race tracks a fork will do but on real roads we ride on TL is vastly superior to any fork !
When you say you like the steering of your RS or XR better don't forget the GS has a slightly heavier 19 inch front wheel that builds up more gyro than 17 inch wheels...The GS has more ground clearance than the RS and on bumpy roads the GS-Rally will put up a fair fight against a well ridden XR,too despite it's 45 hp rwhp disadvantage...
Too me a black R1200RS is a very good looking Sport-tourer but I think in the end I would decide between the more versatile GS-Rally (even if I don't like the blue scheme) or the little quicker steering and exiting top end of the XR.
Boxer,shaft,TL vs exiting top-end and little quicker steering.I still would go for the GS while others don't mind the chain and want the more exiting engine character go for the XR and need forkdive to know they are on the brakes and get hammered at the bar to know they are on bad roads
but the solution would be the R 1300 XR...
Wessie with all due respect what "feedback" do you need ?
Even riding gods like Marquez with his $ 25 000 Ohlins fork does not have enough feedback and looses the front and crashes every training before the actual race !
The ESA forks on RS or XR are not bad but they can't do what Telelever can do.
First spring rates on TL are much softer,pretty much 60% of a fork so TL can soak up the road imperfections much better and that even while hard on the brakes...
No fork can do this as it eventually bottoms out or hardens up with ESA and another bump and it skips and looses traction.
On perfect pavement like most race tracks a fork will do but on real roads we ride on TL is vastly superior to any fork !
When you say you like the steering of your RS or XR better don't forget the GS has a slightly heavier 19 inch front wheel that builds up more gyro than 17 inch wheels...The GS has more ground clearance than the RS and on bumpy roads the GS-Rally will put up a fair fight against a well ridden XR,too despite it's 45 hp rwhp disadvantage...
Too me a black R1200RS is a very good looking Sport-tourer but I think in the end I would decide between the more versatile GS-Rally (even if I don't like the blue scheme) or the little quicker steering and exiting top end of the XR.
Boxer,shaft,TL vs exiting top-end and little quicker steering.I still would go for the GS while others don't mind the chain and want the more exiting engine character go for the XR and need forkdive to know they are on the brakes and get hammered at the bar to know they are on bad roads
R 1300 XR...
Have you ridden an Explorer? The Telelever equipped GS feels like a ponderous, wallowy barge in comparison.
However, we are all different...
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Bought a Tiger Explorer XC, kept it 8 months. Hated it. Back to the GSA !
Well done!! I only lasted two weeks....
Troppo
Bemused observer
Troppo
Bemused observer
It's beyond me how you can even compare a top-heavy beast like a Explorer with a GS ?
To make it come out on top of the GS makes the whole thing like good English humor...
Unless it was paid advertising by Triumph...
To make it come out on top of the GS makes the whole thing like good English humor...
Unless it was paid advertising by Triumph...
It's beyond me how you can even compare a top-heavy beast like a Explorer with a GS ?
To make it come out on top of the GS makes the whole thing like good English humor...
Unless it was paid advertising by Triumph...
my point was specifically about the WP suspension, not the bike overall
I sold my Explorer as I found it top heavy and the heat from the engine unbearable. I prefer the boxer engine.
I still maintain that *I prefer* the WP suspension on the Explorer and the RS suspension with forks to the current GS Rallye.
Apart from the Telelever, the Rallya also had auto-preload. On the RS you select preload from the rider, rider with luggage, 2 up menu. I did wonder if this was the problem as the Rallye just wallowed over undulating surfaces.
So, for all those on an Explorer fatwah, please make note of the context of my comment. I have not and I would not claim the Explorer is a better bike than the GS. To me, they are both good bikes but both are flawed. The Explorer does have better suspension though
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