I just bought one

rocks

rocks

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Well I have been riding for 2 nearly 3 years now.
Started on a 600 Bandit, then a GSXR in a moment of madness, and then a CBR 600F which i had till last tuesday.

When I traded her in and bought my R115GS, X reg 2000 model with 11k on the clock.

I have had the week free, so have put 450miles on her already and she is off for her 12k service on wednesday.

I can only say.. " WHAT A BIKE"..

I am 27, and guess probably of the general, younger end of bikers in the uk.. the CBR was a great weekend ride, with a comfy ish seat and position, but anything more than 200miles and my back was dead and long gone.

I have bought the GS for the commute to work, and that up here in North Wales, North Wales police are worse than the nazi's for bikes. So i have decided to head further afield and see the rest of the country.. or at least some of its places.

I just now need to solve the wind buffeting,, looking at Givi screen, i am 6'2", but the buffeting i have at present is not too bad.

Then some engine bars, as i know i will have a misshap at some point, probably getting her in and out of the garage as she is not the lightest beast.. and we have a 2.5" lip to get over in the garage.. but its worth it..

The GS is far more comfortable, and handle amazingly well for such a big bike. Sadly mine has no ABS, but the brakes are good enough so i am not to worried.

John aka rocks..
 
Welcome Rocks.

I was back in my old stomping ground (llandudno) last week and yes the Heddlu Gogledd Cymru are a bit fierce.

Before you do any messing about with screens consider fitting some Tobinators:

http://www.stopthebuffeting.com/

I just did and they are ace

Enjoy.
 
Great Timing

Yeh I just spotted the threat about the tobinator, and it looks like a good idea. I think i may try it. Doesnt look to troublesome to fit either.

i am not a proffesional mechanic, so nice easy things for me..
The reviews on his page seem to prove a good following.

The next big hunt is engine bars? Anyone got any tips, on which ones and from where ? How easy to fit?

I have sadly ( ok not sadly, but it may be for my wallet ) started reading some of the RTW pages people have, hmm i can feel the world starting to shrink.

Oh if anyone is interested. On sunday the 2nd of May, some local gents up here ( Flinthire North Wales ) are organising a ride out starting at 11pm from the Horseshoe Pass, Ponderosa Cafe car park, heading to Carnarfon ( spelling? ) in aid of raising a few quid for the AIR AMBULANCE up here.

The AIR ambulance is totally charity run and believe me there are a few bikers out there who owe their lives to the guys. So i will be plodding along with a friend..

As for the coppers.. < rank avoidance mode engaged > i will refrain from comments,, I am all for safety.. but money raising is not right. Why does North Wales have one of the worst drug and burglary rates? 6 digital camera vans at a cost of probably a million or more.. might have something to do with it.
 
age

Don't worry about your age I was 25 when I started GSing back in 88.27 you old timer.:D.Enjoy it,it's normally the start of a long relationship where you will wake up and go to sleep thinking about your bike sad I know,but very true for some cases.Oh and cut you credit card up now.Andy
 
Credit cards..

Ohh yeh, i stretched the budget for the GS, but i am glad i did it..
Even if i did fail to notive she needed the 12k service, and didnt get some cash of the dealer.. dough!..

but then i am not too fussed.. as the riding i have done since i bought her has made it all worth it..

Yup 27 is great, and whats worse, is i am still a full time student..
yes i bought a GS whilst being a student.. ok its my Master Degree and i am hopefully about to write my thesis..

The advice on the credit card if well headed, i have spent most of this afternoon reading and now have a mental list a mile long for things to buy.. :cool:
 
What is the average age of people riding these things?
I`ve read in the biking press BMs have an old man`s image,utter bollox.
I`am 31,I do however own a pipe,(which I only smoke when I go camping,along with a nip of whisky from me hip flask)

Jon
 
Average ages.. what a load of old bu**ers

I dont know what the average for GS riders,, but I remember reading somewhere in the mags, that average age of riders in the UK is now 45+.. WHat a lot of old geasers.. :)

I think the problem the BMW steriotype is that they are not cheap bikes so you have to have the funds to get one, and that usually means the older gents with great capiter for expenditure.
It also helps that people dont view the GS as a sports bike, so a lot of folks avoid them.. dont know what they are missing..

I just dropped my baby into Blue Bell crewe for her 12k service. Seems previous owner didnt bother with transmission fluids and annual service, so off to the bank to get the overdraft out.. eek!

I thought it best to get the whole works done, then at least i know where she is in terms of servicing.

They gave me a baby 850R with 400 miles on the clock as they booked too many loan bikes out.. hmmm quite fun to ride and surprisingly smooth.. feels tiny compared to the GS..
Just wish the weather was better.. They dont usually let people out on um till they have over 600 hundred and the first service out the way..

PS far less buffeting on thenaked 850R, by a long way.. now considering cutting down screen.. but maybe not quite yet.

John
 
Stop the buffeting

Screen wise – Get an MRA Screen – I'm 6'2 and ride an ADV and it stopped the buffeting for me.
 
Buffeting

I have just bought a second hand screen to start playing with.. but i can see much experimenting to come.
The toninators look nice, and have good following, but i am not sure about exposing the clock shield to stone and bug impacts the finish goes quickly i am told..

I am 6'2ish or maybe shrunk a bit of late. So will bear the MRA in mind.

I was told the Givi Screen wasnt too bad either.. anyone tried one?

John
 
Hhehehe

"start becoming very very expensive"

Start.. i think that started the day i bought her.. but she is lovely.. :)

Yeh the unexpected servicing is likly to be costly, but i can see from many others have gone down the anti buffeting route. I can live with the buffeting at the moment, but I still want to experiment. So yeh its likly to be a long haul..

And today the touratech catalogue arrived..

:confused:
 
Re: Great Timing

rocks said:
The next big hunt is engine bars? Anyone got any tips, on which ones and from where ? How easy to fit?
Click to expand...
Just fitted Hepco & Becker to my Adventure (£110);

Lots of threads on engine bars here


And today the touratech catalogue arrived..
Click to expand...
SHHTOPPPP!!!!!! (as they say in the Heineken advert)

Put the catalouge down and step away slowly.................:D

You're missing the Wunderlich one by the way........:rolleyes:
 
Catalogoues

Wunder.....what??? ( I am not going to try to spell it )..

Nope not got that one.. yet!
 
12K service

Had the bike a week and just had the 12k serice at 11,750miles.
£330 quid.. ouch! but she needed the transmission fluids and brake fluids doing (ok i wanted em done) as previous owner had not had em done at 2 years..
But now she is much smoother and only tiny hint of power surge in second gear. all ready for sundays trip in aid of the air ambulance..

Whilst i was there, Blue Bell Tech guy said there is a warrenty change for engine chip, he said it might help with the surging. My GS is the 2000 model. Anyone else had this done and did it help with powersurging. She doesnt surge as much as she did, so not sure, is it likly to help with fuel economy etc?? Me not a real technical wiz, so any help greatful.

Cheers rocks.. ( Head like Granite, face like limestone)
 
chip

So did they change the chip or is it only for bikes still under warranty?:confused:

My service at Blue Bell was not good :mad: ended up at Williams for a bucket load of work. Did a good job though :)

Tip, if you have had new fluids at B Bell make sure they are new (clear and clean) it may say replaced on the bill, but funny mine were the same when the bike came out :rolleyes:
 
Chip on its way

Chip was not replaced as they only carry one in stock at a time, and it was used a day or so before my bike went in.
However it apparntly will have one in for thursday for me.

The letter was sent to previous owner, he just contact me and is sending letter over. I dont know if my bike is under warrenty or not, previous owner missed a couple of annual services.

As for fluids, i am no mechanic and wouldnt know how to check em.. but i know from the lovely new smoother and more precise gear shift and smoother running engine.. they changed something and i am happy with that.

I would be highly surprised if they did not change the fluids on yours if it was request/scheduled. I got a ticked and signed off list with the mechanics details.

If i was uncertain i would ( me being a bastard and all) have taken bike to second BMW garage, got them to inspect it.
Then if wasnt changed gone back and complained officially. Then threaten em with small claims court and trading standards. Yes i am a bastards and if someone pisses you off, you level every legal arsenal you can find at em.. Consumers rights.. if they dont do what you pay for.. they are braking the consumer rights act and your entitled to a full refund.. ( I will acknoledge this is a lot easier said than done.. but its your right and i am git with enough agro to keep at it.. )

THough i have personally not had a problem with them. Sorry you did though. Glad you found some where your happy with.

I will probably get the chip done and will let people know how it goes. I would ring your local garage and ask them.
 
Quite agree with you Rocks, did go back and just kept getting fobbed off, got sick of it so went to Williams who confirmed.

Best of it is I know the lads there, but it just gets passed round.
Top mechanic was on sick at the time I was told.

Glad you were sorted, but always best to keep an eye on them.

Next time I'm down your neck of the woods I'll give you a shout, see if your out for a wobble.:)
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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