Well, I have for some time been thinking I may have made a mistake in buying a new GS and not trying the 1190 first.. So yesterday had a quick go.
It was a mates test ride, he's got a well sorted 1050 Tiger and loves it but its coming time for a change, we both nearly had 990's a few years back but for various reasons we went for, the tiger in his case and a GS in mine.
So, the 1190......just how fast is it.....very, very fast. I think properly set up you would need to be on a good sports bike to get away from it. I found the controls easy and light, it makes a great sound, different to the GS but still good, almost a V8 ish burble..
Build quality.. at least as good as the GS (note the right and left switch gear still different materials though and looked odd). I think it will look ok in a few years with several thousand miles on it.
The rev counter is the main dial but the digital speedo is easy to read and you need to keep a eye on that! As when the big hand passed the number 7 the digits change rapidly!! The rest of the info display was not so easy to read on the move.
So, from my short ride they are the main bits, the not so good bits...for me, I'm 5'11" and 15 1/2 stone it's cramped, it suited my mate better as he's smaller but to me getting off the GS it felt like getting on to a 800gs or 800 tiger.
Vibes - lots and every where, under 6k rpm through the feet, not much but they are there, over 7k through the hands and too much for me.
Buffeting.... Only had the screen 2/3's up but over 65mph and it was not great over 3 figures and it was, in my view, unpleasant, compared to the GS's screen where I can sit at these speeds visitor up on the, KTM no way!
Handeling, at normal to good speed it was excellent and as with all KTM's what a joy in the corners... And out of them! It felt confident and sure footed but get the revs up and in to some speed and it got twitchy, flyghty light and although some way off unstable ... Uneasy. Not as planted as the GS.
I was on, a private road, if the owner of Leicestershire is reading this, it was one of yours!!! and took it to just over 125 on the clock, long straight good road conditions and surface, it started to weave, not a tank slapper but a weave with oscillation of the bars to the point I rolled off slowly until it stopped and then
slowed , took it back up to speed and it was ok but it still felt less stable than I would have liked.
It was set in sport mode, had it have been set in street mode it may have been softer and able to cope.
As I said it was a quick ride, only a few miles but my mate who's test it was said more or less the same, fast, very fast but only over 7k revs, handeling great at legal speeds but go further and it's not so happy. Wind buffeting was the killer and he didn't think he could sit on it for 4-5 hours. His best comment was, and he rode a demo GS on the same route a few weeks ago. He didn't have to work as hard on the GS to cover the same ground as he did on the KTM and I think that sums it up.
For some it will suit better than the GS and it is IMHO a very credible alternative to the GS more than the Triumph EXP is (rode one last year - good as a touring bike but not a fast Sunday blast bike) I need to ride a super ten as I still think that could be good, the Multi Strada is next.. Like the KTM we both like Ducati's but cost of ownership is a main factor there.
Glad I've got a GS in the garage!!