Bluesticky1
Registered user
Having read many reports and reviews on here, I just had a 2.5 hour test ride on the new water cooled GS. I'm going to qualify this by saying now that I've never ridden a GS before. I currently own an RT, and my I my only previous "adventure bike" experience has been owning a Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom and riding a Varadero 1000.
My first thought was wow, that bike looks great and sounds even better when started up - standard exhaust is good (I can only imagine how good the Akra sounds).
I got on it expecting more leg room than my RT, and was disappointed - having read stuff on here I expected more. Then I had my first experience of what ruined my test ride - the bloody gear lever!! Downshifting not a problem, but wtf is that peg on the side stand doing there!?! I'll confess to having size 12 feet and wearing TCX Infinity boots which are chunkier than most, but I had to wedge my toes between the side stand peg and the gear lever to change up. Never have I found neutral so many times by accident on any bike. First thing I would do is reposition this gear lever higher.
But that was the only negative! The engine is a big improvement - can still chug around at low revs, but by Christ it shifts! In Dynamic mode with Hard suspension it reminded me of a KTM Duke I once rode many, many years ago. It's like a supermoto!! Amazing, and a real improvement.
The seat is good (not as comfy as the RT)' and the high riding position is great. The screen could be bigger. It was a dry day but with gusty winds - I noticed I felt a lot more wind than on the RT, but I expected that. I'd read about the cross wind instability thing, and from my experience there's no problem. I think being say in the airflow accounts for it - I certainly noticed it blowing me when on a high, exposed section.
It was on very similar tyres to my RT, being Metzelers (looked to have the same pattern as my Z8 Interacts - but I'll confess to not having looked too closely) and there were no issues with grip. The computer said the tyre pressures were higher than my RT's, at 2.5 and 3.0 bar front and rear. By heck the GS turns in quick!! Didn't feel as planted and stable as my RT, but I guess the higher CoG accounts for that.
So in summary MY OPINION is that this is a cracking bike, and I would definitely be faster everywhere than I currently am - its so easy to ride quick but safely. It's really an impressive bike and once the GSA comes with the new engine I'll try that with a view to buying one. If I could afford two bikes this would definitely be my 2nd to my RT.
My first thought was wow, that bike looks great and sounds even better when started up - standard exhaust is good (I can only imagine how good the Akra sounds).
I got on it expecting more leg room than my RT, and was disappointed - having read stuff on here I expected more. Then I had my first experience of what ruined my test ride - the bloody gear lever!! Downshifting not a problem, but wtf is that peg on the side stand doing there!?! I'll confess to having size 12 feet and wearing TCX Infinity boots which are chunkier than most, but I had to wedge my toes between the side stand peg and the gear lever to change up. Never have I found neutral so many times by accident on any bike. First thing I would do is reposition this gear lever higher.
But that was the only negative! The engine is a big improvement - can still chug around at low revs, but by Christ it shifts! In Dynamic mode with Hard suspension it reminded me of a KTM Duke I once rode many, many years ago. It's like a supermoto!! Amazing, and a real improvement.
The seat is good (not as comfy as the RT)' and the high riding position is great. The screen could be bigger. It was a dry day but with gusty winds - I noticed I felt a lot more wind than on the RT, but I expected that. I'd read about the cross wind instability thing, and from my experience there's no problem. I think being say in the airflow accounts for it - I certainly noticed it blowing me when on a high, exposed section.
It was on very similar tyres to my RT, being Metzelers (looked to have the same pattern as my Z8 Interacts - but I'll confess to not having looked too closely) and there were no issues with grip. The computer said the tyre pressures were higher than my RT's, at 2.5 and 3.0 bar front and rear. By heck the GS turns in quick!! Didn't feel as planted and stable as my RT, but I guess the higher CoG accounts for that.
So in summary MY OPINION is that this is a cracking bike, and I would definitely be faster everywhere than I currently am - its so easy to ride quick but safely. It's really an impressive bike and once the GSA comes with the new engine I'll try that with a view to buying one. If I could afford two bikes this would definitely be my 2nd to my RT.
You will get it now from the TRF boys. 
and I have no part ex,so maybe I wait until the rush is over.
