sjwb
Registered user
You may be interested in my findings to support the idea of having as many toys as possible and keeping age at bay.
Further to my appeal for help in the previous missive ‘I think that I must be getting Old’, I believe that I may have found the solution, or at least a now have a clearer insight into the dilemma.
The quest was to find a motorcycle to replace, or be a stable-mate, to my 1150 GS. In part that was the first mistake - I should not have considered replacing. I now believe that one cannot replace an 1150, one has more of the same or none at all. You see, the dear old lunger has an identity, or niche if you prefer, all of it’s own. Unique, one-off, inimitable, peerless, make your own mind up, but to me, those are the reactions that the BMW encourages.
By way of explanation; prior to my buying the GS in March this year I tried a Buell XB9R (Firebolt) and came away with mixed feelings. It patently wasn’t for me for several reasons; it was slow, had indifferent brakes, very bijou and a ridiculous fuel capacity providing a range of some 90 miles. Waning short distance eyesight made me aware, just, of the instrumentation. Clearly, no one at Erik’s place has eyesight problems; they can evidently see white graphics on a silver background. I cannot!
As I said, the bike was slow by sports bike standards; however, it had character in spades, handled superbly, sounded awesome and incongruously, was very comfortable. On that point, I guess the range could be the final arbiter as to how long one could stand it anyway. So, the Buell was dropped from the wish list and the GS purchased.
Fast forward.
Recently I read a journal, which informed me that Buell had just announced a 1200 version of both the Firebolt and its sister, the Lightening. This got me thinking that the performance issue had not only been recognized but, now addressed. Upon checking the specifications I saw that the bore / stroke ratio had been altered; now dictating a max power engines speed of 6000 for the new 1200 against 7400 for the old 1000. There are slow revving engines and there are slow revving engines - but this on a sports bike seemed out of place, however 110 Nm torque is just what the doctor ordered.
So I went back to the HD dealer to arrange two test rides. Yes, two test rides, firstly on the street fighter Lightening and then the Firebolt.
First impressions? So small as to be totally bizarre and at idle like sitting on a jackhammer. On the road the handling was different to say the least with an absolute refusal to go round slow corners, especially traffic islands. After a couple of attempts it became plain that one should employ only handlebar turning and not leaning. Unusual to say the least, but I suspect the oversize rear tyre section may have had something to do with it. At high speed, the machine felt better, but VERY twitchy. Not dangerous, but enough to cause concern.
I had forgotten what windblast felt like, but was reminded that it was not pleasant. No, in short, a disagreeable motorcycle that I returned after only thirty miles. Oh, the performance? Yes, they have addressed that issue quite well!
Right, now for the Firebolt. I must add that this was brand new (100 miles old) and I treated it accordingly, because having assessed the (common) engine from the Lightening there was no need to go too quickly - honest. I previously referred to the tickover, well on this it was much more evident to the point that it was far better not to touch anything until one needed to make it go. In other words with the bike stationary, sit up with arms folded and legs in tension backside off the saddle! With an idle speed of 1000 rev / min, the vibration was very pronounced, but worse was to come. Take off requires little throttle and a rev rise of maybe 2 or 3 hundred above idle, slide the heavy clutch and off you go. Not quite. That slight rev rise brings on an earth-shattering tremor that must register on the Richter scale. So much so, that ones vision is blurred and hearing disturbed. To be fair, once on the move all of this disappears completely to be replaced by an uncanny smoothness. Within 2 miles I was at home, completely. Memories of my SP5 came flooding back as if it was yesterday, utterly superb! No Ducati delicacy for sure, but the directness, pull from the motor and lack of mass were so refreshing. I had a whale of a time on roads that I know so well and use to benchmark motorcycles. My apologies to the chap that I passed, if he didn’t see me coming he surely heard me go by by!
Will I buy one? Possibly.
There is however a reservation and a serious one at that. You see, when I had sports bikes, I found it very difficult to ride slowly. The Buell will not go slowly and being quite normal I am partial to riding quickly. It is not only the license concern, but more importantly the overcrowded, infested by cretins, roads. If driving standards deteriorate much further it will be war out there. The strength of the GS type motorcycle is that one can potter lanes and byways away from the main routes. Sports style machines cannot tolerate this type of terrain thereby forcing the rider to use A category roads, where odds can be drastically shortened and the chance of accidents increased.
Two more factors;
I rarely used to know where I had been on my sports bikes, with the scenery being a blur and vague memories of people overtaken. Whereas on the GS I now take pleasure in the byways and back roads and am very content to travel at a sedate pace - although I have been known to try and drive it like a sports bike!
Despite it all I have now realized that there is a need for a sports bike in the stable! Because as good as the BMW is, it is just a machine that facilitates many things, from carrying the shopping to conquering the world by travel. There is however one role it cannot fill; a role that I had perhaps lost sight of but deep down knew was missing. The GS doesn't stir the soul or cause the hairs on the back of your neck to stand up; no it is far too polite for that!
To feel connected, challenged and excited by a bike that demands 100% of ones attention and rewards in a way that only a single focus machine can is what the Buell and its peers are all about.
Oh, I do LOVE twins!
Further to my appeal for help in the previous missive ‘I think that I must be getting Old’, I believe that I may have found the solution, or at least a now have a clearer insight into the dilemma.
The quest was to find a motorcycle to replace, or be a stable-mate, to my 1150 GS. In part that was the first mistake - I should not have considered replacing. I now believe that one cannot replace an 1150, one has more of the same or none at all. You see, the dear old lunger has an identity, or niche if you prefer, all of it’s own. Unique, one-off, inimitable, peerless, make your own mind up, but to me, those are the reactions that the BMW encourages.
By way of explanation; prior to my buying the GS in March this year I tried a Buell XB9R (Firebolt) and came away with mixed feelings. It patently wasn’t for me for several reasons; it was slow, had indifferent brakes, very bijou and a ridiculous fuel capacity providing a range of some 90 miles. Waning short distance eyesight made me aware, just, of the instrumentation. Clearly, no one at Erik’s place has eyesight problems; they can evidently see white graphics on a silver background. I cannot!
As I said, the bike was slow by sports bike standards; however, it had character in spades, handled superbly, sounded awesome and incongruously, was very comfortable. On that point, I guess the range could be the final arbiter as to how long one could stand it anyway. So, the Buell was dropped from the wish list and the GS purchased.
Fast forward.
Recently I read a journal, which informed me that Buell had just announced a 1200 version of both the Firebolt and its sister, the Lightening. This got me thinking that the performance issue had not only been recognized but, now addressed. Upon checking the specifications I saw that the bore / stroke ratio had been altered; now dictating a max power engines speed of 6000 for the new 1200 against 7400 for the old 1000. There are slow revving engines and there are slow revving engines - but this on a sports bike seemed out of place, however 110 Nm torque is just what the doctor ordered.
So I went back to the HD dealer to arrange two test rides. Yes, two test rides, firstly on the street fighter Lightening and then the Firebolt.
First impressions? So small as to be totally bizarre and at idle like sitting on a jackhammer. On the road the handling was different to say the least with an absolute refusal to go round slow corners, especially traffic islands. After a couple of attempts it became plain that one should employ only handlebar turning and not leaning. Unusual to say the least, but I suspect the oversize rear tyre section may have had something to do with it. At high speed, the machine felt better, but VERY twitchy. Not dangerous, but enough to cause concern.
I had forgotten what windblast felt like, but was reminded that it was not pleasant. No, in short, a disagreeable motorcycle that I returned after only thirty miles. Oh, the performance? Yes, they have addressed that issue quite well!
Right, now for the Firebolt. I must add that this was brand new (100 miles old) and I treated it accordingly, because having assessed the (common) engine from the Lightening there was no need to go too quickly - honest. I previously referred to the tickover, well on this it was much more evident to the point that it was far better not to touch anything until one needed to make it go. In other words with the bike stationary, sit up with arms folded and legs in tension backside off the saddle! With an idle speed of 1000 rev / min, the vibration was very pronounced, but worse was to come. Take off requires little throttle and a rev rise of maybe 2 or 3 hundred above idle, slide the heavy clutch and off you go. Not quite. That slight rev rise brings on an earth-shattering tremor that must register on the Richter scale. So much so, that ones vision is blurred and hearing disturbed. To be fair, once on the move all of this disappears completely to be replaced by an uncanny smoothness. Within 2 miles I was at home, completely. Memories of my SP5 came flooding back as if it was yesterday, utterly superb! No Ducati delicacy for sure, but the directness, pull from the motor and lack of mass were so refreshing. I had a whale of a time on roads that I know so well and use to benchmark motorcycles. My apologies to the chap that I passed, if he didn’t see me coming he surely heard me go by by!
Will I buy one? Possibly.
There is however a reservation and a serious one at that. You see, when I had sports bikes, I found it very difficult to ride slowly. The Buell will not go slowly and being quite normal I am partial to riding quickly. It is not only the license concern, but more importantly the overcrowded, infested by cretins, roads. If driving standards deteriorate much further it will be war out there. The strength of the GS type motorcycle is that one can potter lanes and byways away from the main routes. Sports style machines cannot tolerate this type of terrain thereby forcing the rider to use A category roads, where odds can be drastically shortened and the chance of accidents increased.
Two more factors;
I rarely used to know where I had been on my sports bikes, with the scenery being a blur and vague memories of people overtaken. Whereas on the GS I now take pleasure in the byways and back roads and am very content to travel at a sedate pace - although I have been known to try and drive it like a sports bike!
Despite it all I have now realized that there is a need for a sports bike in the stable! Because as good as the BMW is, it is just a machine that facilitates many things, from carrying the shopping to conquering the world by travel. There is however one role it cannot fill; a role that I had perhaps lost sight of but deep down knew was missing. The GS doesn't stir the soul or cause the hairs on the back of your neck to stand up; no it is far too polite for that!
To feel connected, challenged and excited by a bike that demands 100% of ones attention and rewards in a way that only a single focus machine can is what the Buell and its peers are all about.
Oh, I do LOVE twins!
