ok, this is mostly going up cos I'm bored. :dozey:
Took the keys for an R1200GS this morning while the Rockster was being serviced. 4,500 miles on it, Tourances, Remus, and a full tank.
I rode one just after they were launched and wasn't that impressed by it, I thought the front end was flighty and the engine uninspiring. That was in comparison to my first Rockster and the Mirthcycle.
After the 30 mile ride up to That London from Guildford (A3, Putney, Kings Road, Embankment) I'm even less impressed.
The engine, even with a Remus, is as uninspiring as cold porridge, no matter how fast it is, (reasonably) it's a dull, grating ride that simply fails utterly to make you want to open the throttle in search of thrills.
To add to the mush of an engine, the handling is also a little odd. Yes it'll go round corners alright, (not that I've had to try too many yet - more diatribe tomorrow no doubt), but it's the totally clinical way it does it that I don't like. I also do'nt like the way the bike leans so far, then drops suddenly. It might be classed as "fast" handling, but it didn't seem controllable. I suppose this might be down to the tyres more than the bike and it does seem to have been ridden upright for a while - there are still mould marks over more than 50% of the rear tyre.
For the first time in a long time, I'm not looking forward to the ride home - most of the loaners I've had (R1200RT & ST; R1150RT, RS, R; R850R; and F650GS) have had SOME sort of redeeming feature that makes them fun to ride - the RTs have the hysterical fun of forcing something the size of St Pauls through heavy traffic:D, the F series bikes are great fun to thrash the nads off, and even the R1150RS (my least favourite BMW up til now) had it's endearing crapness to at least feel strongly about. The R1200GS is just so boring, BMW have finally followed Honda's example and made a white-goods appliance.
But it's all forgiven merely for the look of complete dumbfounded sheer and utter confusion on Nero's face when I flipped my visor up and waved at him this morning.
:D:D:D:D If he'd not had a helmet on his chin would have hit the tank! :D:D:D(especially after he'd skipped past me just beforehand about 1.5" away thinking I was just another GSer.
)
