Honda to a BMW
- Thread starter marcusfordus
- Start date
Rainbow have a terrific reputation amongst fellow tossers & I would`nt think you`d have a problem with regards to test rides so I`d definatley give them a call & see how it goes, good luck 
Sponser
I've paid my dues to the site and can now post and list.
You can now see my current bike for sale in the Non-GS For Sale section.
I've paid my dues to the site and can now post and list.
You can now see my current bike for sale in the Non-GS For Sale section.
Today was the day
Managed to spare that hour for a test ride today
Here's my impressions of a GS8 with ABS.
It's a tall bike, you need a good long inside leg measurement just to saddle the thing.
Very high tickover from cold (I asked if that was normal !)
The bars seemed huge in comparison to my 1300 and I think the levers were angled too high for me, I like them to follow my arm angle and not put stress on the wrists for no reason.
Computer was very useful, telling me all the details I needed with just a quick glance (why can't all bikes do that ?).
Mirrors not in the place I'm used to with a half-faired bike, but very functional, with just a tiny amount of head turning, you get to see everything behind you and blurr free.
Seat was the lowered version, and sent me numb withing 20 minutes, it's quite wide too at one point, I can see that making the bike feel even taller for someone who can just touch the floor.
Brakes.....ermmm.... well it's got some, but not as good as I had hoped. The front induces huge amounts of fork-dive, the rear took me back to the days of FS1E's and hoping the drum would stop me. Not nice at all. I tried dual-braking at all sorts of speeds, but had lots of fork dive still, but that might have been down to the not-so-responsive rear 3/10 effort not pulling the back end into shape. Try as much as I dare, the ABS would not kick-in like a Honda system does, so do you really need that £500 option ??
Onto the engine......... Oh yes.... what a pearl.
1st it pulls, 2nd it pulls, 3rd it pulls, you get my drift ! I tried different gears at different speeds, whacking the throttle open and fully expectant to have to grab a handful of clutch and cog it down one or two and try again. Not with this beauty, it just keeps coming and coming. My foray onto the motorway put this to full effect and had cars having to move out of your way approacing three figure speeds. Big thumbs from me on that score.Standard screen functions just as well as my Honda item for motorway blasts.
Steering.. 21" road tyres, not sure about those, no distinct weaves on the M1, but not to handy for those sweeping motorway exit curves you now get, I went a bit wider than I thought (would this be a better bike with a front twin disc 19" set-up.. who knows ?)
Heated grips, nice, quick to heat up and the two settings seemed OK through gore-tex gloves.
Indicator cancel button, didn't fall at thumb end, I went to press it and shot forwards as a slight twist of the throttle grip caused by stretching to bend the old thumb to operate, not so good coming up to a van stopped at a junction. Might be all sorted if the lever angle is altered for my shape.
Centre stand, very easy to get on, but there must be a knack to getting it off, I had to sit back on the bike and rock it forwards (which someone else told me looks like humping your own bike
)
So there you have it, my 60 minutes report on a great new bike that I hadn't tried before.
Managed to spare that hour for a test ride today
Here's my impressions of a GS8 with ABS.
It's a tall bike, you need a good long inside leg measurement just to saddle the thing.
Very high tickover from cold (I asked if that was normal !)
The bars seemed huge in comparison to my 1300 and I think the levers were angled too high for me, I like them to follow my arm angle and not put stress on the wrists for no reason.
Computer was very useful, telling me all the details I needed with just a quick glance (why can't all bikes do that ?).
Mirrors not in the place I'm used to with a half-faired bike, but very functional, with just a tiny amount of head turning, you get to see everything behind you and blurr free.
Seat was the lowered version, and sent me numb withing 20 minutes, it's quite wide too at one point, I can see that making the bike feel even taller for someone who can just touch the floor.
Brakes.....ermmm.... well it's got some, but not as good as I had hoped. The front induces huge amounts of fork-dive, the rear took me back to the days of FS1E's and hoping the drum would stop me. Not nice at all. I tried dual-braking at all sorts of speeds, but had lots of fork dive still, but that might have been down to the not-so-responsive rear 3/10 effort not pulling the back end into shape. Try as much as I dare, the ABS would not kick-in like a Honda system does, so do you really need that £500 option ??
Onto the engine......... Oh yes.... what a pearl.
1st it pulls, 2nd it pulls, 3rd it pulls, you get my drift ! I tried different gears at different speeds, whacking the throttle open and fully expectant to have to grab a handful of clutch and cog it down one or two and try again. Not with this beauty, it just keeps coming and coming. My foray onto the motorway put this to full effect and had cars having to move out of your way approacing three figure speeds. Big thumbs from me on that score.Standard screen functions just as well as my Honda item for motorway blasts.
Steering.. 21" road tyres, not sure about those, no distinct weaves on the M1, but not to handy for those sweeping motorway exit curves you now get, I went a bit wider than I thought (would this be a better bike with a front twin disc 19" set-up.. who knows ?)
Heated grips, nice, quick to heat up and the two settings seemed OK through gore-tex gloves.
Indicator cancel button, didn't fall at thumb end, I went to press it and shot forwards as a slight twist of the throttle grip caused by stretching to bend the old thumb to operate, not so good coming up to a van stopped at a junction. Might be all sorted if the lever angle is altered for my shape.
Centre stand, very easy to get on, but there must be a knack to getting it off, I had to sit back on the bike and rock it forwards (which someone else told me looks like humping your own bike
)So there you have it, my 60 minutes report on a great new bike that I hadn't tried before.
611735
Guest
Like you i have gone from a Bird to a GS,a completely different bike,its exciting easy to ride,great fun.etc
You may know me as Bluey from the Bird site
Mind you i still got another Bird in my garage for when i need speed
You may know me as Bluey from the Bird site
Mind you i still got another Bird in my garage for when i need speed
Must be nice having two bikes, this afternoon on my ride home I thought the perfect set-up would be a CB13 for the dry sunny evening rides of the summer and a GS8 for everything else. Just a shame I havn't got room for two bikes, and dont have the money either
hondated
Registered user
Another BB owner...
But for how much longer I don't know as I have just had to renew my insurance at a cost of £680 FC. I thought that was a bit steep given (fingers crossed) no points, no accidents 10 years no claims aged 57 and the bike is garaged. Whats more as I have previously stated on this site I ride like an old woman national Speed Limits in fear of getting caught and as some one else has stated on here doesn't it look stupid when you see someone riding a supposedly quick bike slowly.I am definitely going to give a GS another test ride next year. And oh yes for the record and all of you people that speak of BMWs unreliability at 3,500 miles I have a Fuel Injection warning light on and I have got to take it in to the dealers tomorrow to get it fixed. Honda reliability !
My advice to anyone coming from a BB to a GS is give yourself time to get your head around riding one as I didn't and I am regretting it now.
But for how much longer I don't know as I have just had to renew my insurance at a cost of £680 FC. I thought that was a bit steep given (fingers crossed) no points, no accidents 10 years no claims aged 57 and the bike is garaged. Whats more as I have previously stated on this site I ride like an old woman national Speed Limits in fear of getting caught and as some one else has stated on here doesn't it look stupid when you see someone riding a supposedly quick bike slowly.I am definitely going to give a GS another test ride next year. And oh yes for the record and all of you people that speak of BMWs unreliability at 3,500 miles I have a Fuel Injection warning light on and I have got to take it in to the dealers tomorrow to get it fixed. Honda reliability !
My advice to anyone coming from a BB to a GS is give yourself time to get your head around riding one as I didn't and I am regretting it now.
£680 FC, OMG. I've just paid for the CB13 with Honda insurance, 42 years old £143 fully comped up.
Croydon must be rough!
ZZ10
Registered user
I do not know which type of bikes you are used to ride but I can tell you that the 800 GS har GP-performance for the kind of bike it is
-seen offroad users complain that front fork is to stiff.Rear suspension, as front fork, is perfect for onroad(highspeed) use.
Jock63
Registered user
hondated
Registered user
Croydon
Cusi, Haven't you read the papers recently, it is.
Cusi, Haven't you read the papers recently, it is.
phooey
Registered user
underpowered ???
Ex BB owner of 3 yrs here also.
Took me 2 test rides to realize ( OK so I'm not a quick learner...) the GS is about the most practical, do everything, fun bike there is !
It may not have the out and out OOooomph the bird has but it MORE than makes up for that in EVERY other department.
Its a complete joy to ride either fast or slow and is just agricultural enough to feel like a motorcycle without being tractorish.
On my 3rd
Ex BB owner of 3 yrs here also.
Took me 2 test rides to realize ( OK so I'm not a quick learner...) the GS is about the most practical, do everything, fun bike there is !
It may not have the out and out OOooomph the bird has but it MORE than makes up for that in EVERY other department.
Its a complete joy to ride either fast or slow and is just agricultural enough to feel like a motorcycle without being tractorish.
On my 3rd
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