Road tests in magazines NOW!

THE DOCTOR

THE DOCTOR

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Just thought I'd let everyone know that there are 2 magazines featuring road tests on the R1200GS atm.

BIKe magazine (Feb edition) has a group test against the Triumph Tiger, Suzuki V-Strom & the Ducati Multistrada.

two magazine (March edition) has a group test against the Triumph again & the Honda CB1000F, there's even a comment from Jamie Whitham on each bike.

I won't ruin the write-up for anyone by telling you (a.) The Best Bike For British Roads according to BIKE or (b.) The Best All-Rounder On The Market according to two.

:beerjug:
 
I've read both articles and I have to say that I thought the Bike article was the most balanced. I disagreed with some of their scoring but overall I thought they justified most of their decisions. The TWO article, on the other hand, seemed less easy to comprehend.

BMW's always do poorly in these group tests as the switchgear quirks annoy some of the journalists. They don't take into account that most of us only ride one bike and that most people can adapt if they try for more than a day.

The other thing worth noting is the premiss that each article is written under, what is the angle? The new Triumph really does have a great engine, full of character and very powerfull. If this is what you are looking for in a bike then it surely has to win.

In neither of these articles is the off road capability tested. Nor is the availability of add ons such as luggage taken into account. Very little regard is given to pillion comfort, although it is mentioned. Certainly the real world concerns of long term ownership are rarely taken into account, such as finish quality and resale value.

At the end of the day the GS is a compromise vehicle (there are better bikes to tour, scratch, pose or off road on - and that's just within the BMW range). If the magazine's parameters for their test don't match the beemer's then it will lose :nenau
 
I can understand why the magazines still bang on about the switchgear and do question BM's insistence on sticking with their system, or at least not offering an option for "traditional" indicators.

6 months ownership and I would say that I have become used to them but it is still not "natural", -and I do not know of many people who started riding on BM's and that would be pertinent than current ownership imho. When going back to riding my Ducati the switchgear feels flimsy but it is all in the right position, - not just indicators; only today I fumbled around looking to flash the GS head light at the twat on the motorway that was hogging the outside lane, - on the Duc the switch is under your left first finger.
 
I too read the article, (in Bike) noticed how although the GS got good marks on each section, the tiger still beat it, now i've not been a GS'er long (7Lovely months) but i wont change it, thought abou the tiger but it just didnt feel as solid (especially the residuals!)

I certainly wouldnt take the new one off road, it doesnt look like it'll take it,

just my 2 cents
 
We've been having this discussion on the Suzuki Owners Club forum as well. In the bike write up the vstrom is well underpowered for a stock bike.

They have the following

Top speed 123.1 Mph

Standing 1/4 12.43

Power 87.3 BHP

Torque 61.8 ft/lbs

My mate on a stock 2 year old bike has the following from his dyno run at cresent

Top speed 135 Mph

Standing 1/4 10.43

Power 97.5 BHP

Torque 70.2 ft/lbs

And their tests are out of this world 40-120mph in 6th gear.......Who ride at 40mph in 6th:eek:
 
terayon said:
We've been having this discussion on the Suzuki Owners Club forum as well. In the bike write up the vstrom is well underpowered for a stock bike.

They have the following

Top speed 123.1 Mph

Standing 1/4 12.43

Power 87.3 BHP

Torque 61.8 ft/lbs

My mate on a stock 2 year old bike has the following from his dyno run at cresent

Top speed 135 Mph

Standing 1/4 10.43

Power 97.5 BHP

Torque 70.2 ft/lbs

And their tests are out of this world 40-120mph in 6th gear.......Who ride at 40mph in 6th:eek:
Click to expand...

I bet a two year old Strom still looks pig ugly though. But then ...:potkettle
 
Is that the Feb bike magazine test where the Tiger would not start before the trip:augie

2 hours later they (Bike) get a replacment :angel

Wonder what an owner would have got hours before a trip :nenau

Anyway Simon (Only sportbikes) Hargreaves never rates the "GS" :tosser
 
I think you have got to remember the journo's are part of the bike selling industry and are not out to aid the end user .Their primary job is to make money and help the manufacturers make money too .I remember when they wrote that the Triumph tt600 was an awesome bike when it first came out and was a CBR600 slayer.
It didn't happen.
They said the same with the 675 .
Hasn't happened .
Bmw can sell the GS over and over cos they know we know its a good bike and don't have to "pamper" the media .the sales figures speak for themselves.
The triumph is always gonna need a helping hand from the journo's to increase sales :aidan
 
Judging by the bad press Triumph have been having with reliability, broken spokes, oil consumption etc and the supposed customer care Triumphs customers have received I know what I would and did choose.

These mags don’t take questions like that in the equation.

:nenau
 
cookie said:
amazingly, they still see the 1200 as a paragon of reliability :nenau
Click to expand...

Yes I totally agree with you, it's just if I have ever had a problem it's always been fixed quickly and with no quibble. I've even been able to choose what load bike I've wanted if required and take it home over night.
 
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