So I finally test-rode the LC GS a few hours ago.
Two examples, actually. The first a pre-owned 2013 bike in metallic white with 17 000 Km from my regular contact, the other a low-mileage 2013 demo unit in graphite grey from a dealer.
First impressions:
South African BMWs are always very highly specced as standard, and these were no exception. Standard equipment on both bikes included LED headlights, ABS, heated grips, Dynamic ESA, LED indicators, hand guards, RDC, Navigator 5 mount and hand controller.
The used bike also had cruise control, but the demo bike did not. The BMW sales guy told me that the first GSs he got were available in one of two specs: with cruise control but without LED lights, or vice versa.
However, our wheel paradigm is different: whereas European bikes have cast alloy wheels as standard, ours have the wire-spoked wheels as standard.
I spent quite a lot of time yesterday reading the manual and familiarising myself with the various functions. Had I not done that, I would have been overwhelmed by the switchgear and the amount of information on the digital display. As it was, I'd ideally want to spend an evening alone, familiarising myself with functions in person as each is described in the manual.
Make no mistakes: this thing is FAST.
On paper, the Triumph Tiger Explorer has more power. But I've ridden the Triumph enough now to know it pretty well. In the real world, this bike has it outgunned for bottom-end and midrange, and I'm willing to put money that it would run dead level with the Triumph on top-end. (I think that one of the Triumph's biggest issues is that it's over-geared in fourth, fifth and sixth, so without a couple of kilometres of straight road, you struggle like hell to reach the last 5% of the bike's top speed.)
When I'm testing bikes, I usually take them on a stretch of the N3 freeway between Johannesburg East and Heidelberg. Quite a bit of dead straight road with no gradients. Every hexhead and camhead I've tested on that stretch got no more than an indicated 210 Km/h. This bike got an indicated 232 with the screen fully raised - and it didn't feel like the speedo was lying, either.
I really like the ability to switch engine-management modes. I tried all the tar-biased modes, but found myself returning to 'Dynamic' again and again. There's just something addictive about that electric response the instant the throttle is opened.
At it's core, the bike feels supremely relaxed and competent. I could easily do 2 000 and 2 500 Km Iron Butt runs on it. But you get the impression that it's just as happy - if not happier - to suddenly rear it's head and chase sports bikes while slavering and foaming at the mouth.
Ability to change screen height 'on the fly' is a real bonus. But why in the name of Dog did they put the knob on the RIGHT?
Cue having to lean very far forward in the saddle to have to turn it.
Looking at the cannon BMW have mounted at the back, I was expecting the engine to sound as mousy as the Triumph Explorer.
Uh uh. Ain't so. When the noise valve opens, you can hear that this thing means business.
I'd still want a race pipe, though.
Weirdly, the LC has much more torque oscillation than the hexhead/camhead. Revving the bike at standstill, it made quite a strong lean to the left.
I haven't felt that since my old R1100S.
My assessment of the 'issues' people have been having:
- 'Clunk' when shifting into first: I concur. You have to be very assertive with the lever. The first time I tried, it grated a bit before it engaged. When it did engage, the 'clunk' actually did feel more violent than usual.
Not quite enough to feel like 'O shite, I just broke it!...', but close.
- Poor build quality: The switchgear does feel more 'lightweight' than I'm used to on a BMW, and annoyingly, the screen does tend to flap a bit when fully raised.
- Clutch problems: The clutch engagement is more abrupt than the hexhead and camhead (but for me, those bikes set the standard for progressive clutch engagement).
Not once did I have a problem finding neutral, and shifting up and down the box was a pleasure on both bikes.
- Gearbox problems: as above. None found on either bike.
- Issues with ride comfort and the bike not holding corner lines well (ESA-equipped models): I made a point of taking the used bike over some fairly rough tarmac at speeds varying from 'daily grind' to 'Omygaaaahd'. I was trying to make any effects obvious, so I set the bike in Road mode, 'Dynamic' throttle setting, ESA at 'Hard' damping. (This bike also has Tourance Nexts, and no steering damper).
Nothing. I couldn't make it misbehave. Giving sudden shoves through the bars to try and make it tankslap would only work, and then half-heartedly, if I was accelerating hard over rough tar at the time.
On 'Hard' damping, the ride does feel quite firm over bumps (as expected). But I never had a problem in 'Comfort' mode.
- Heated grips not working as well as on the aircooled bikes.
Frankly, I don't know why anyone's complaining. The grips I had heated readily to the same temperature as every other BMW heated gripset I've ever used - the only difference being that these got up to temperature faster.
- Indicator switch hard to reach.
I concur. My hands aren't small, and straight away I got the impression that I need a left thumb two centimetres longer.
This could probably be fixed by lopping a few millimetres off the outer portion of the switch.
Two examples, actually. The first a pre-owned 2013 bike in metallic white with 17 000 Km from my regular contact, the other a low-mileage 2013 demo unit in graphite grey from a dealer.
First impressions:
South African BMWs are always very highly specced as standard, and these were no exception. Standard equipment on both bikes included LED headlights, ABS, heated grips, Dynamic ESA, LED indicators, hand guards, RDC, Navigator 5 mount and hand controller.
The used bike also had cruise control, but the demo bike did not. The BMW sales guy told me that the first GSs he got were available in one of two specs: with cruise control but without LED lights, or vice versa.
However, our wheel paradigm is different: whereas European bikes have cast alloy wheels as standard, ours have the wire-spoked wheels as standard.
I spent quite a lot of time yesterday reading the manual and familiarising myself with the various functions. Had I not done that, I would have been overwhelmed by the switchgear and the amount of information on the digital display. As it was, I'd ideally want to spend an evening alone, familiarising myself with functions in person as each is described in the manual.
Make no mistakes: this thing is FAST.
On paper, the Triumph Tiger Explorer has more power. But I've ridden the Triumph enough now to know it pretty well. In the real world, this bike has it outgunned for bottom-end and midrange, and I'm willing to put money that it would run dead level with the Triumph on top-end. (I think that one of the Triumph's biggest issues is that it's over-geared in fourth, fifth and sixth, so without a couple of kilometres of straight road, you struggle like hell to reach the last 5% of the bike's top speed.)
When I'm testing bikes, I usually take them on a stretch of the N3 freeway between Johannesburg East and Heidelberg. Quite a bit of dead straight road with no gradients. Every hexhead and camhead I've tested on that stretch got no more than an indicated 210 Km/h. This bike got an indicated 232 with the screen fully raised - and it didn't feel like the speedo was lying, either.
I really like the ability to switch engine-management modes. I tried all the tar-biased modes, but found myself returning to 'Dynamic' again and again. There's just something addictive about that electric response the instant the throttle is opened.
At it's core, the bike feels supremely relaxed and competent. I could easily do 2 000 and 2 500 Km Iron Butt runs on it. But you get the impression that it's just as happy - if not happier - to suddenly rear it's head and chase sports bikes while slavering and foaming at the mouth.
Ability to change screen height 'on the fly' is a real bonus. But why in the name of Dog did they put the knob on the RIGHT?
Cue having to lean very far forward in the saddle to have to turn it.
Looking at the cannon BMW have mounted at the back, I was expecting the engine to sound as mousy as the Triumph Explorer.
Uh uh. Ain't so. When the noise valve opens, you can hear that this thing means business.
I'd still want a race pipe, though.
Weirdly, the LC has much more torque oscillation than the hexhead/camhead. Revving the bike at standstill, it made quite a strong lean to the left.
I haven't felt that since my old R1100S.
My assessment of the 'issues' people have been having:
- 'Clunk' when shifting into first: I concur. You have to be very assertive with the lever. The first time I tried, it grated a bit before it engaged. When it did engage, the 'clunk' actually did feel more violent than usual.
Not quite enough to feel like 'O shite, I just broke it!...', but close.
- Poor build quality: The switchgear does feel more 'lightweight' than I'm used to on a BMW, and annoyingly, the screen does tend to flap a bit when fully raised.
- Clutch problems: The clutch engagement is more abrupt than the hexhead and camhead (but for me, those bikes set the standard for progressive clutch engagement).
Not once did I have a problem finding neutral, and shifting up and down the box was a pleasure on both bikes.
- Gearbox problems: as above. None found on either bike.
- Issues with ride comfort and the bike not holding corner lines well (ESA-equipped models): I made a point of taking the used bike over some fairly rough tarmac at speeds varying from 'daily grind' to 'Omygaaaahd'. I was trying to make any effects obvious, so I set the bike in Road mode, 'Dynamic' throttle setting, ESA at 'Hard' damping. (This bike also has Tourance Nexts, and no steering damper).
Nothing. I couldn't make it misbehave. Giving sudden shoves through the bars to try and make it tankslap would only work, and then half-heartedly, if I was accelerating hard over rough tar at the time.
On 'Hard' damping, the ride does feel quite firm over bumps (as expected). But I never had a problem in 'Comfort' mode.
- Heated grips not working as well as on the aircooled bikes.
Frankly, I don't know why anyone's complaining. The grips I had heated readily to the same temperature as every other BMW heated gripset I've ever used - the only difference being that these got up to temperature faster.
- Indicator switch hard to reach.
I concur. My hands aren't small, and straight away I got the impression that I need a left thumb two centimetres longer.
This could probably be fixed by lopping a few millimetres off the outer portion of the switch.
