- Joined
- Jul 27, 2010
- Messages
- 5,773
- Reaction score
- 899
- Location
- Blouberg, Cape Town
- Bike
- KTM 890 Adventure R
Coming off a 2013 BMW F800GS (my second one, had a 2008 F800GS previously) and never have properly ridden any 1200, I was given a R1200GS Trophy as a loan bike for a day.
First impressions?
It does all the F800GS does, only 20km/h faster. This is a huge concern as you can land up in all kinds of trouble - 20km/h faster!
It is a bit annoying as well. It accelerates so fast that it wants to lift the front wheel all the time (at full throttle in lower gears), repeatedly invoking ASC and cutting the fuel to get that front wheel back on the ground...
The brakes are very good and the dual system (front and rear engaging when pulling front) helps to boost confidence. You need this stopping power on a bike that can go so fast - "where is the tires' limit?" is a question that comes to mind all the time. It is shod with Anakee 3's, so they are very smooth on tarred roads.
Like with the F800, the R1200 LC is not vibration free. At times you can feel the engine vibrating through the handlebars, which is not necessarily a bad thing.
The bike is easy to ride at low speeds and well balanced - thanks to the boxer's low C of G.
And I now know why my BMW citi pants have shin protection right down - it is to stop the shin getting written off every time you put your foot down. I am tall and hit the RHS pod with the shin every time!
While the bike rides easily at low rpm (and accelerates so quickly), I could feel the throttle hesitating at times before taking up the strain to deliver proper power. Is that "ride by wire's" fault, or signs of a very lean fuel mixture. I'd love to see what a BoosterPlug does to smooth out the ride.
I rode in the face of oncoming bad Cape weather with 16°C showing on the dash, yet the cooling fan came on at a traffic light. A BoosterPlug will make it run richer and cooler (engine temp 100°C after riding).
A short dirt ride on the Contermanskloof road inspired as the bike felt planted and balanced. Does the standard steering damper help to inspire confidence? Seat height is lower than the 800, and standing was awkward for my 2m frame, but it feels better after adjusting the handlebars upwards and forwards - a mod every Adventure rider should do - for free!
It is most probably easy to ride the bike sedately, but also very easy to pick up speed at an alarming rate. I had the feeling that the speedo was over reading all the time - can it be true that it says 120 in a 60 zone?
eepwall: Surely I cannot be going that fast?! It will cruise at 160 where the 800 will do so comfortably at 140, and get to 210 where the 800 will get to 180...
It runs on two modes - normal and rain. Rain delays response slightly and makes the bike smoother - power is introduced more gradually. Ideal for a beginner rider. But then, what beginner will begin with an LC? The bike was easily rideable on wet roads in Normal mode, but rain might help on gravel? The sudden on/off throttle might catch out some in the wet, so you have to be wary, but then a BoosterPlug will take away the sharpness of the response, making it easier to roll on.
Would I get one? SWAMBO said "NO" before anything else, like hello or how was your ride:xxbah:. If I do, this is the model to get - value for money and faster than the GSA, but I will have to ride further to fully understand the implications of the added weight (40kg more than the F800GS) and 19" front rim off road, and get used to the inhuman accrual of speed and it's implications. Maybe I don't want to go that fast? I am sure that it will be a good pillion bike though.
First impressions?
It does all the F800GS does, only 20km/h faster. This is a huge concern as you can land up in all kinds of trouble - 20km/h faster!
It is a bit annoying as well. It accelerates so fast that it wants to lift the front wheel all the time (at full throttle in lower gears), repeatedly invoking ASC and cutting the fuel to get that front wheel back on the ground...
The brakes are very good and the dual system (front and rear engaging when pulling front) helps to boost confidence. You need this stopping power on a bike that can go so fast - "where is the tires' limit?" is a question that comes to mind all the time. It is shod with Anakee 3's, so they are very smooth on tarred roads.
Like with the F800, the R1200 LC is not vibration free. At times you can feel the engine vibrating through the handlebars, which is not necessarily a bad thing.
The bike is easy to ride at low speeds and well balanced - thanks to the boxer's low C of G.
And I now know why my BMW citi pants have shin protection right down - it is to stop the shin getting written off every time you put your foot down. I am tall and hit the RHS pod with the shin every time!
While the bike rides easily at low rpm (and accelerates so quickly), I could feel the throttle hesitating at times before taking up the strain to deliver proper power. Is that "ride by wire's" fault, or signs of a very lean fuel mixture. I'd love to see what a BoosterPlug does to smooth out the ride.
I rode in the face of oncoming bad Cape weather with 16°C showing on the dash, yet the cooling fan came on at a traffic light. A BoosterPlug will make it run richer and cooler (engine temp 100°C after riding).
A short dirt ride on the Contermanskloof road inspired as the bike felt planted and balanced. Does the standard steering damper help to inspire confidence? Seat height is lower than the 800, and standing was awkward for my 2m frame, but it feels better after adjusting the handlebars upwards and forwards - a mod every Adventure rider should do - for free!
It is most probably easy to ride the bike sedately, but also very easy to pick up speed at an alarming rate. I had the feeling that the speedo was over reading all the time - can it be true that it says 120 in a 60 zone?
eepwall: Surely I cannot be going that fast?! It will cruise at 160 where the 800 will do so comfortably at 140, and get to 210 where the 800 will get to 180...It runs on two modes - normal and rain. Rain delays response slightly and makes the bike smoother - power is introduced more gradually. Ideal for a beginner rider. But then, what beginner will begin with an LC? The bike was easily rideable on wet roads in Normal mode, but rain might help on gravel? The sudden on/off throttle might catch out some in the wet, so you have to be wary, but then a BoosterPlug will take away the sharpness of the response, making it easier to roll on.
Would I get one? SWAMBO said "NO" before anything else, like hello or how was your ride:xxbah:. If I do, this is the model to get - value for money and faster than the GSA, but I will have to ride further to fully understand the implications of the added weight (40kg more than the F800GS) and 19" front rim off road, and get used to the inhuman accrual of speed and it's implications. Maybe I don't want to go that fast? I am sure that it will be a good pillion bike though.
