R1150GSA - the jury's still out ........

[Bury_Dave]

Well, I bought an '04 R1150GSA a few weeks ago. After nearly dropping it when about to go for the test ride, I rode it from Nottingham to Suffolk (150 miles). Thoroughly enjoyed it on the open roads. As the only other bikes I've had previously were a Honda TL125 and a Kawasaki W650, the speed and power were great and it has a lovely, high and pretty comfortable riding position. Cars actually moved out of the way when i was quite happy sitting in behind them at a good distance.

I've done about 600 miles now and 400 have been with the missus on the back. She prefers the comfort of the GSA over the Kawa' but likes the look of the retro bike more. I think also that she feels a little less secure at low speeds as the bike is much bigger and I am still getting to grips with the beast. I'm sure that will only improve as time goes by. I've also removed the side panniers and rack for now as we won't be touring 'til next summer so why leave them on ? The top box is plenty and makes sure she doesn't fall off the back when I open the beast up !

As a relatively inexperienced biker, I find the gearing a lot closer ratio'd than my Kawa to the point that often, when i change up, I feel that i need to continue accelerating to avoid getting all jerky. Is that right ? Also, it is a lot noisier than my Kawa. The fact that the engine is sitcking out beyond even the magnificently wide fuel tank. Trouble is though that if i wear earplugs i can't hear the intercom very well but if I don't wear earplugs, the ambient noise is a lot higher but i can hear the intercom easily. What to do ? (This is with the standard can and cat' fitted).

I'm also a shorty with 32" from crotch to floor. I've now got a low seat but that means my legs are much more cramped up than with the standard seat and i have to slide my feet forward when cruising to make things better. I have bought a set of GS standard shocks. Has anyone else put those on instead and got a new centre stand ? And does that make a significant difference to comfort or handling ?

I have to say as well that I prefer the handling of my Kawa' as it needs to be pushed to go where you want it to whereas the GSA I just think about where it wants to go and it's already there. It reads my mind. Both bikes are well planted , the GSA more so obviously and the GSA sits at higher speeds and is affected way less by crosswinds.

Overall, sure, the bike is good. I don't have the riding experience of lots of hard miles yet or having ridden lots of other big bikes, and i can see the possibilities for long distance touring (which is why I've bought it), but I've yet to be convinced that it is as great a machine as I've read.

However, I will be continuing to ride it all winter and next year so we will see how my views change. After all, you can't all be wrong , can you ?

Dave

 

[roddy]

I found I took a couple of thousand miles to get used to the extra height of the GSA over the normal GS,
what worked for me in the end was finding a empty car park and practising the low speed stuff, helped wonders with the confidence (I'm also a 32" inseam short arse), now I just hop on and get on with it, coming to a stop I just slide over to the left a wee it so more of the old bum cheek is hanging off, just in case the gradient catches me out, after a short time it becomes second nature.

I find the more preload thats turned up the quicker the bike steers so it may help to wind this off a bit (when solo) to slow the steering down

If your changing up and the bikes getting jerky then your probably changing up too early/high a gear, If I'm pottering about I tend to change up about 4-5500rpm ish

putting a set of standard shocks on will lower it by about 20-25mm (If I remember correctly)

 

[Bury_Dave]

Thanks Roddy.
I am assuming that it is my inexperience with things motorcycling and just knowing the pedigree of who has done what and where proves that fact. In spades.

I bought the bike having read the 'Do not test ride one before you buy' thread and expect it to take a while to learn to manage the beastie so my eyes were very much open wide. Tis a shame I won't be touring much for a few months to get some serious mileage in.

Interesting you mention changing up at 5,500. I'm defo' changing lower than that........ I'll try that. And I'll put a bit more time into some low speed manoeuvring. I just find that if I'm clunking up through the gearbox, I get through the gears very quickly to 70 and then in 6th, it just gets noisier !

Reckon I might be better to put GS shocks on with GS centre stand and use the standard seat. I'll give that a whirl. I appreciate that i need to spend a bit of time getting the bike set up to meet my body and my needs.

Cheers, Dave

 

[roddy]

what rev's would you normally change up or when you get the jerky feeling ?

 

[Temeraire]

Dave, if you do go down the route of changing to standard GS shocks I'd be interested to take a look if that would be ok?

With a 29" inside leg (trust me 32" isn't short!) while I love the GSA looks they're just huge. Had been thinking of one fitted with standard shocks as an option for me.

Good luck with it!

 

[Bury_Dave]

I'll have to go for a ride tomorrow to see what the revs are doing. I tend not to look at the rev' counter. I prefer to go by feel and sound. To me, 5,500 seems to sound really loud. I know it revs way higher ............. It's not so much a jerky feeling as that when I change up, the speed at which I changed is faster than the bottom end of the gear I've changed up into. Does that make sense ? It's certainly a very different way of riding to the Kawa'!

I will give the GS shocks a whirl. I know I need to try different set-ups to see what works best for me. Just a case of making time and reading up on how to do it. Again, VERY different to my twin-shock experiences ! Once done, I'll give you a shout Tem' and blatt over to see you. Just don't hold your breath ! But I will be trying it.

Dave

 

[Tinytim]

I'll have to go for a ride tomorrow to see what the revs are doing. I tend not to look at the rev' counter. I prefer to go by feel and sound. To me, 5,500 seems to sound really loud. I know it revs way higher ............. It's not so much a jerky feeling as that when I change up, the speed at which I changed is faster than the bottom end of the gear I've changed up into. Does that make sense ? It's certainly a very different way of riding to the Kawa'!

I will give the GS shocks a whirl. I know I need to try different set-ups to see what works best for me. Just a case of making time and reading up on how to do it. Again, VERY different to my twin-shock experiences ! Once done, I'll give you a shout Tem' and blatt over to see you. Just don't hold your breath ! But I will be trying it.

Dave

Hi Dave. I'm getting on with my GS fine except I have a feeling that the riding position is causing the return of sciatica...and that, believe you me, is a right pain in the arse (phnarr, phnaaarr).
I'm also still coming to terms with the bloody weight of the thing...Christ, I thought the Blackbird was heavy...but this thing is a beast..Ok once I'm away though.

Love the open /upright riding position..can see sooo much more and this tends to slow me down whilst I "sightsee".

I now know why I couldn't keep up with these machines on the twisties in the past...cos the bloody riders are cheating ...they can see so much more...like you say, over walls, hedges etc..To start with I kept thinking there was summat up with my speedo.."..fekk am I really going this fast on these twisty narrow moorland roads?"

All in all , I'm enjoying her very much...Keep "popping ip to the shops for a loaf" and end up taking two hours via Ladybower, Bamford, Snake...Peak District...bloody addictive. have even started wandering down "Roads Unsuitable for Vehicles" roads...

Still got arseache though...hope it's just strenuous work...

There, that's my ten pennorth..

 

[Bury_Dave]

I don't suppose anyone is too bothered but I thought I'd give an update:

I've put a good many more hours on the old girl since Christmas and spent a while doing some slow speed handling.

Have to say now that I am totally in love with the lass. Great handling, oodles of power and SOOOO comfortable.

I put a low seat on and lowered the pegs with a Nippy Norman's kit. But also like using the standard seat. Either way my feet are on the ground in some form..... I used to avoid going into heavy traffic when i could. Not any more !

I've also found to my suprise that the bike at her heaviest : full tanks and with the memsahib on the back is almost as fun as riding alone.

What a machine !

That is also in part to the many members here who have answered my lame questions and given sound advice and encouragement. So, to you, a big THANK YOU

Dave

 

[Ash]

glad you stuck with it dave
they really are that good

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

glad you stuck with it dave
they really are that good

Seconded ( i have 2)

 

[gas boy]

Did you ever swop the shocks and centre stand ??

 

[Bury_Dave]

Did you ever swop the shocks and centre stand ??

Nope. The bits sit in a box in my garage. I decided to keep the bike as standard as possible since i've gotten used to the bike as she is. That's why I've made a conscious decision to keep the red/grey seat as well as the lowered black seat and add no bling. (If someone else wants the GS shocks and centre stand -make me an offer ....).

I also found that loosening off the rear shock and keeping a half a tank of fuel minimum have made the bike that extra inch lower which was all i needed. Like I said: even with a full tank, the bike handles the same to me as when empty. Even at low speeds.

Dave

 

[Ash]

Seconded ( i have 2)

greedy bugger

 

[Spike]

Glad you are used to it and loving it now.

Confidence is a strange thing but it does make all the difference when riding a new bike.

spike

 

[Bury_Dave]

Glad you are used to it and loving it now.

Confidence is a strange thing but it does make all the difference when riding a new bike.

spike

That is soooo true Spike. Especially since I've only been riding since Oct '09 and on a very different type of bike.

When I first bought the GSA in Sept, I rode it as often as i could, trying to get miles under my belt and yet not feeling more comfortable with the miles as i thought i would. But the gap with the snow and ice and then getting back on it in a more relaxed state of mind seemed to be a good thing. It's as if i was trying to force the issue before Christmas.

I wonder how many people buy the Beemers and don't do enough riding to get comfortable and just sell them on with low mileage....... or don't buy one due to the imposing size (which is something that fades very quickly once you are properly acquainted with the bike).

To any folk who want to buy one and aren't sure or who have recently bought one and are wondering if it really is the bike for them, I say do it. And then keep riding. Do some low speed work as suggested above. If necessary, put pipe lagging foam over your crash bars if you think you're going to drop her a few times in the car park. I didn't but could see me doing it on a brand new bike. For me the lowering of the pegs was crucial as i was finding it difficult to get my feet off the pegs and onto the floor quickly. That 40-odd mm made all the difference.

Dave