Well you know what they say about opinions ... so for what it’s worth here are mine after the first 200 miles on a red LC TE with Akra.
Picked the bike up from Ocean last week - (many thanks to Richard for his usual charming efficiency in depleting my bank balance so painlessly!)
My 4th GS after a quite a long line of Triumph’s and KTM’s - I headed off with a fair bit of excitement as I’d never even seen this new model in the flesh let alone ridden one.
Immediately felt like it was only half the weight of my previous TC; it seemed so easy to point and shoot, the extra power certainly seemed to make a big difference. Throttle response was quick but smooth, clutch felt light and precise.
Buzzed around Plymouth for a while before heading up the Tavistock road - by this time I’m grinning ear to ear and loving the bike apart from the indicator switch gear which I thought was a real pain in the ass.
Maybe I have small hands or had the wrong gloves but I couldn’t get my thumb on the button without taking my palm off the grip and just holding with finger tips. Also noticed that every time I indicated right I knocked the sat nav wheel which changed the display on the screen, this got a bit better with practice but I much preferred the old system.
After a few more miles I noticed that I’d left the showroom in Dynamic mode which I thought was brilliant - the whole feel of the bike made me think it was like a bigger brother to a KTM smt. Very flickable but bigger and more stable at the same time - perfect for what I want out of this sort of bike.
At this point I’ve decided that the other ESA modes are never going to be used as the Dynamic is so good - two minutes later I came round a bend and went from dry Devon tarmac to torrential Dartmoor downpour! Time to test the rain mode then - the difference was immediate and not altogether pleasant to start with as it felt like I’d lost half the engine. Just like you’d gone from real-time into a slowmo world where you have more time to plan your next move - so actually quite a good feeling once I’d adjusted to the slower throttle response. It also struck me that this was perfect for low speed crawling over damp cobblestones that you find in old French towns and villages when you’re looking for a good lunch stop. A very important feature for me!
The rain cleared so I tried the Road mode which was well balanced between Dynamic and Rain (didn’t try Enduro) - soon was back in Dynamic which was great for the next 50 miles on country A and B roads. Lots of fun, quick precise but stable and reassuring just want I want from a GS especially at those times when you come round a bend and find the road covered in gravel or horse shit with nowhere to go but straight over it.
This was followed by another 50 miles on dual carriageways - the new screen is brilliant compared to the old one as it actually works! Didn’t really take it above speed limits as it would’ve been a shame to lose the license on the same day as getting the bike, but it felt as though it would be effective on a long motorway haul.
The seat is also much improved - again miles better than the outgoing model but not as good as the Sargent I had on my last bike.
I did feel that the Dynamic mode was too sharp for motorway cruising - simply too responsive on the throttle so every little bump in the road induces a movement in your wrist and that in turn makes constant and annoying throttle adjustments. My thoughts were that Rain mode was the best for motorway travel as that really smoothed everything out nicely.
Throughout the ride the clutch seemed perfectly acceptable for me - halfway between a typical GS and a jap bike. Sometimes a bit clunky sometimes slick. Not a problem on mine.
The speedo is a bit hard to read but after a few minutes you know where 30/40 and 60/70 is so didn’t find that a problem. There is a whole load of info on the screen which initially could be confusing but all in all I thought it was laid out in a logical and accessible way.
Mirrors seemed to be fine. The fixing system for the Varios felt more substantial and were as easy to get on and off so pleased with that.
I spent a long time thinking about which colour to have which was a waste of time as once the tank bag is on I couldn’t see much of it at all.
The Akrapovic is a real treat. I’m not always a fan of sports exhausts as they can become a pain on a long trip. Haven’t taken the baffles out but it sounds great as it is - so happy with that. Interestingly the sound pitch seems to change depending on which riding mode you’re in ie higher and raspy in Dynamic then low and burbly in Rain mode - good fun.
Conclusion: it’s a fantastic bike and much more versatile and fun than the outgoing model which I was and still am a big fan of - if anything I’d say it may have lost some of the silky smoothness of the previous bikes. This is due to the fly by wire throttle - which overall IMHO is a huge improvement but I can see that it may not be everyones cup of tea.
Anyway I didn’t expect to be disappointed in the bike and I’m not - in fact it’s everything I hoped for which means it’s exciting to ride but inspires the confidence you want in all situations to get you home safely and with a smile on you face.
Other opinions are of course always available...
(The photo is a nice dirty one to keep Stevie going till June)
Picked the bike up from Ocean last week - (many thanks to Richard for his usual charming efficiency in depleting my bank balance so painlessly!)
My 4th GS after a quite a long line of Triumph’s and KTM’s - I headed off with a fair bit of excitement as I’d never even seen this new model in the flesh let alone ridden one.
Immediately felt like it was only half the weight of my previous TC; it seemed so easy to point and shoot, the extra power certainly seemed to make a big difference. Throttle response was quick but smooth, clutch felt light and precise.
Buzzed around Plymouth for a while before heading up the Tavistock road - by this time I’m grinning ear to ear and loving the bike apart from the indicator switch gear which I thought was a real pain in the ass.
Maybe I have small hands or had the wrong gloves but I couldn’t get my thumb on the button without taking my palm off the grip and just holding with finger tips. Also noticed that every time I indicated right I knocked the sat nav wheel which changed the display on the screen, this got a bit better with practice but I much preferred the old system.
After a few more miles I noticed that I’d left the showroom in Dynamic mode which I thought was brilliant - the whole feel of the bike made me think it was like a bigger brother to a KTM smt. Very flickable but bigger and more stable at the same time - perfect for what I want out of this sort of bike.
At this point I’ve decided that the other ESA modes are never going to be used as the Dynamic is so good - two minutes later I came round a bend and went from dry Devon tarmac to torrential Dartmoor downpour! Time to test the rain mode then - the difference was immediate and not altogether pleasant to start with as it felt like I’d lost half the engine. Just like you’d gone from real-time into a slowmo world where you have more time to plan your next move - so actually quite a good feeling once I’d adjusted to the slower throttle response. It also struck me that this was perfect for low speed crawling over damp cobblestones that you find in old French towns and villages when you’re looking for a good lunch stop. A very important feature for me!
The rain cleared so I tried the Road mode which was well balanced between Dynamic and Rain (didn’t try Enduro) - soon was back in Dynamic which was great for the next 50 miles on country A and B roads. Lots of fun, quick precise but stable and reassuring just want I want from a GS especially at those times when you come round a bend and find the road covered in gravel or horse shit with nowhere to go but straight over it.
This was followed by another 50 miles on dual carriageways - the new screen is brilliant compared to the old one as it actually works! Didn’t really take it above speed limits as it would’ve been a shame to lose the license on the same day as getting the bike, but it felt as though it would be effective on a long motorway haul.
The seat is also much improved - again miles better than the outgoing model but not as good as the Sargent I had on my last bike.
I did feel that the Dynamic mode was too sharp for motorway cruising - simply too responsive on the throttle so every little bump in the road induces a movement in your wrist and that in turn makes constant and annoying throttle adjustments. My thoughts were that Rain mode was the best for motorway travel as that really smoothed everything out nicely.
Throughout the ride the clutch seemed perfectly acceptable for me - halfway between a typical GS and a jap bike. Sometimes a bit clunky sometimes slick. Not a problem on mine.
The speedo is a bit hard to read but after a few minutes you know where 30/40 and 60/70 is so didn’t find that a problem. There is a whole load of info on the screen which initially could be confusing but all in all I thought it was laid out in a logical and accessible way.
Mirrors seemed to be fine. The fixing system for the Varios felt more substantial and were as easy to get on and off so pleased with that.
I spent a long time thinking about which colour to have which was a waste of time as once the tank bag is on I couldn’t see much of it at all.
The Akrapovic is a real treat. I’m not always a fan of sports exhausts as they can become a pain on a long trip. Haven’t taken the baffles out but it sounds great as it is - so happy with that. Interestingly the sound pitch seems to change depending on which riding mode you’re in ie higher and raspy in Dynamic then low and burbly in Rain mode - good fun.
Conclusion: it’s a fantastic bike and much more versatile and fun than the outgoing model which I was and still am a big fan of - if anything I’d say it may have lost some of the silky smoothness of the previous bikes. This is due to the fly by wire throttle - which overall IMHO is a huge improvement but I can see that it may not be everyones cup of tea.
Anyway I didn’t expect to be disappointed in the bike and I’m not - in fact it’s everything I hoped for which means it’s exciting to ride but inspires the confidence you want in all situations to get you home safely and with a smile on you face.
Other opinions are of course always available...
(The photo is a nice dirty one to keep Stevie going till June)
And congrats on the bike.
