Test Ride

[Silver-Surfer]

Thanks to the guys at Motorrad Central I was lucky enough to have test ride on both the new GS and the K1600 thingy !

First impressions of the GS LC were very good. The engine is amazing and the suspension on dynamic mode was great. It goes like stink, it is so quick. Front wheel would lift in the first three gears if you gunned it ! ! The screen adjustment was really clever as well !

There were problems for me though. Its to small for me at 6' 2". Couldnt get comfy at all. Dont like the radiators, they are so exposed and haven ridden bikes with radiators and problems over the years I want to get away from them hence my 2010 GSA Aniversay is ideal. The biggest problem for me though were the buttons !! FFS how many of the feckers do you really need ! There are just to many and they spoiled the bike for me ! Indicators suck and will break I feel but the cruise control was a laugh.

Great bike just not for me. Looking forward to seeing the Adventure version in 2014, hopefully with less buttons.

As for the K1600 its just silly didnt like it at all, must be an aquired taste ?

Also had a spin on the mini bikes which helped you develop your cornering skills. Mine are still crap as I fell off twice ! haha

Great day and I think Motorrad Central were fantastic, espcially Dave who is alway happy to listen to my shite chat ! Should have bitten the bullet and gone on track as well to get a spin on the R1000RR !!!

SS

 

[Silver-Surfer]

189 views and 0 replies ! I am soooooooooooo popular !

If I was selling a jacket with no logos, buttons, zips etc by I would get a reply then !

 

[Buz]

I had a test ride on it just after launch, only because mine was in for a service.
As you say, it certainly goes like stink, pulling well in most gears. But other than that I wasn't overly impressed, it didnt feel right riding it, I felt i was sat on top of it rather than feeling at 1 with it (if you know what i mean) No way could I warrant spending that sort of money on it

 

[GC6269]

189 views and 0 replies ! I am soooooooooooo popular !

I shouldn't take it personally!

Seems like most participants on this page seem to fall into one of two groups:

Those who've bought one and love it, possibly have a couple of queries regarding certain nuances the bikes have.

And

Those who for whatever reason, do not like the bike and seem to take every opportunity to knock it.

Weird really, I don't like Birmingham City, maybe I should join a Blues forum and tell them why the team they support is crap and how they should support another team. Or..........

It doesn't bother me, I just don't think it's conducive to a forum that benefits owners of the bike.

I've not checked but I'm assuming WC owners don't spend a lot of time in other sections trying to convince AC owners to 'convert'.

 

[Beak Freak]

Just wanted to say thanks for the review. Interesting that you say it felt too small for you, being Tosser shaped myself that could help make me decide between a current GSA and a WC. I will of course try a test ride first, but the current GSA might be difficult to get a test ride on now.
I must admit i really didn't like the look of the WC, but like their cars, MBW styling grows on you but takes a little while. Also there doesn't seem to be the slew of issues that there was when the 1200GS was first released. So I am looking forward to giving it a try.

 

[Jumblemo]

I shouldn't take it personally!

Seems like most participants on this page seem to fall into one of two groups:

Those who've bought one and love it, possibly have a couple of queries regarding certain nuances the bikes have.

And

Those who for whatever reason, do not like the bike and seem to take every opportunity to knock it.

Weird really, I don't like Birmingham City, maybe I should join a Blues forum and tell them why the team they support is crap and how they should support another team. Or..........

It doesn't bother me, I just don't think it's conducive to a forum that benefits owners of the bike.

I've not checked but I'm assuming WC owners don't spend a lot of time in other sections trying to convince AC owners to 'convert'.

Can we have a separate GSA WC forum so we can now have our turn to tell new bike buyers how shit their new purchase is?

 

[Jumblemo]

Can we have a separate GSA WC forum so we can now have our turn to tell new bike buyers how shit their new purchase is?

Perhaps we could also have a forum for bikers who have just had babies where they can post pics of their bundles of joy and we can point out how big their ears are and laugh at the gingers. Top fun!

 

[vizsla]

Nice review. I had an LC loaner whilst my anniversary GSA had first service. I had originally ordered the GS LC fully loaded before changing my mind, in part thanks to the comments/advice on this forum.

Huge confirmation the GS LC was certainly not for me. The biting point on the super light clutch is so narrow I had the front wheel in the air numerous times accelerating from stop lights and roundabouts. The soft setting on road mode is still harsher than the ESA modes on the GSA. Overall the suspension didn't impress. Wind protection was inferior and overall cross wind stability impaired. The switchgear was not nice to touch, especially the horrible square stubby indicator clit.

Final thing I hated was the sound. The bike sounds good if you are a pedestrian and about 5 meters behind. For the rider it's a dull soulless drone, like a vacuum cleaner. Not nice. I'd be wearing ear plugs if I had one.

Other than that it's a great bike. Congrats to all who've got one. I'm sure your collective cognitive dissonance will keep you happy. At least you can make lots of new friends on the snagging forum.

 

[Benhur]

I'd be wearing ear plugs if I had one.

No ears? Must make getting a helmet easier.

 

[rattler]

Nice review. I had an LC loaner whilst my anniversary GSA had first service. I had originally ordered the GS LC fully loaded before changing my mind, in part thanks to the comments/advice on this forum.

Huge confirmation the GS LC was certainly not for me. The biting point on the super light clutch is so narrow I had the front wheel in the air numerous times accelerating from stop lights and roundabouts. The soft setting on road mode is still harsher than the ESA modes on the GSA. Overall the suspension didn't impress. Wind protection was inferior and overall cross wind stability impaired. The switchgear was not nice to touch, especially the horrible square stubby indicator clit.

Final thing I hated was the sound. The bike sounds good if you are a pedestrian and about 5 meters behind. For the rider it's a dull soulless drone, like a vacuum cleaner. Not nice. I'd be wearing ear plugs if I had one.

Other than that it's a great bike. Congrats to all who've got one. I'm sure your collective cognitive dissonance will keep you happy. At least you can make lots of new friends on the snagging forum.

Good report but the GSA engine is under powered, it's a slug compared to the LC and the handling is far better as it tracks better

 

[Engineer]

189 views and 0 replies ! I am soooooooooooo popular !

If I was selling a jacket with no logos, buttons, zips etc by I would get a reply then !

Yeah but there have been loads of reviews - the bike is great, I know cos I have got one but one can only repeat the same message so many times - you are preaching to the converted so you won't get many replies - but don't let that stop you saying how great the bike is, cos it is

P.S. hope this reply has made you feel a little more popular

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Good report but the GSA engine is under powered, it's a slug compared to the LC and the handling is far better as it tracks better

Underpowered for what...............??

Going fast?

It's all relative and a GS/GSA is not a fast bike anyway

Bit like comparing a new LR Discovery4, with a new BMW M3 - the BMW is great for going fast and gripping the road.................but the LR Discovery4 will carry more stuff, pull a horsebox with ease and be great offroad - whereas a M3 will be shit at pulling horseboxes

A 12GSA is a superb touring motorcycle, which copes well offroad, is briilant 2up and has enough power for the design concept that it was intended for

 

[rattler]

Underpowered for what...............??

Going fast?

It's all relative and a GS/GSA is not a fast bike anyway

Bit like comparing a new LR Discovery4, with a new BMW M3 - the BMW is great for going fast and gripping the road.................but the LR Discovery4 will carry more stuff, pull a horsebox with ease and be great offroad - whereas a M3 will be shit at pulling horseboxes

A 12GSA is a superb touring motorcycle, which copes well offroad, is briilant 2up and has enough power for the design concept that it was intended for

Under powered for two up and luggage my friend

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Under powered for two up and luggage my friend

In your opinion......................which in the grand scheme of things probably doesn't count for diddly-squat


.....my friend

 

[David Nimrod]

...the GSA engine is under powered, it's a slug...

So what does that make my old R100GS then..?

Oh yeah, a viable round the world motorcycle

 

[Engineer]

Good report but the GSA engine is under powered, it's a slug compared to the LC and the handling is far better as it tracks better

Tis true the old bike does feel under powered in comparison, but the real difference isn't that it has 40bhp more than say the 1150 for example (because we rarely use all that power) but that it has shed loads more torque than the old bike across the entire rev range - the old boys love torque more than anything - so the new bike is a winner all round (not to mention the better handling, zero oil consumption etc etc).

The LC wins on both accounts - the old farts always mutter about torque when they lose the power game, then when they lose the torque game they fall back on 'all round usability' and 'character'

P.S I am 57 year old young fart

 

[cookie]

i rode my *old* GSA yesterday. it didn't seem that underpowered to me


i was easily going as quick as i wanted, and a fucking site quicker than i should

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

i rode my *old* GSA yesterday. it didn't seem that underpowered to me


i was easily going as quick as i wanted, and a fucking site quicker than i should

...and most others

 

[Deleted account 251212001]

Under powered for two up and luggage my friend

Hmm....have to dissagree there currently away in europe two up on the gsa with full luggage on its not underpowered, its been a hoot, plenty fast enough away from the motorways and 120mph on the autobahn (had some left but was feeling stretched and it was blustery, 90 was comfortable). I am on the super unleaded which gives a bit of extra zip. my last bike was a 150bhp multistrada, i doubt i would have gone much quicker on except for the autobahn.

 

[rattler]

In your opinion......................which in the grand scheme of things probably doesn't count for diddly-squat


.....my friend

I knew you'd bite