Fettling the new R1100S

[Gibson335]

Until very recently I had a V-Srom + top box + tank bag. I have a 40mile daily commute, so I kept a Sidi suit and wellies in the top box (plus a lunchbox and flask) and satnav plus a radio in the tank bag (socket for helmet earbuds) together with odds and sods like torches, Leatherman, fuel log/pens, spare bulbs/fuses - and beads and mirrors to trade with the natives etc.

I also make regular return trips from Bude to Horsham - The panniers can handle all my clothes, iPad and emergency half-gallon of motion lotion. The tail pack? Just for symmetry really, but it is somewhere to store a full face helmet out of sight when parked up.

The pix above show a 'worst case' scenario - normal weekend ride outs see just the tank bag in situ.

Absolutely delighted with the R1100S - although I'm still getting my head round the indicators and I haven't yet got the knack of engaging 1st reliably every time. Early days. Impressive torque, excellent pick-up anywhere in the rev range and 50mpg in mixed riding. Also feels a lot more planted than the DL650 - lower C of G. Think I'll have to change the green fuel reserve light to red or blue though - impossible to see if it's lit in current light conditions. Made up a trial bracket on the triple tree for the Garmin today - seems to work well. Will post pix when I finalise the design.

[Mister C (Marsh)]

Soft luggage eh... Well I love em, Actually prefer it to the hard stuff. I used some I picked up at a bike show a few years ago Oxford basics I think. Tank bag panniers and rear seat bag all with water proof covers. Did 3500 miles around Norway Sweden and Finland strapped to my 600 Fazer! No problems whatsoever in all weathers. Best bike trip I've done (yet) Oh happy days. Just looked on ebay, didn't realise how many options are available now. Its the way I'm going to go.

Thanks for filling my head with good memories

Regards Marsh

[Gibson335]

35W H1 'Hawk' outfit from eBay; about £24 delivered, for which I got two complete kits - so have a spare for eventualities. Completely 'plug and play', so I didn't have to run a separate power/relay feed from the battery. After the fairings were off, a really easy 20-minute job, and ballast mounted with industrial-strength sticky tabs on the forward-facing part of the tank as suggested elsewhere on this forum - incidentally, a 10p piece makes a great cut-around template for the required 25mm hole in the headlamp gaiter. Seemples. Fired straight up and the original twinkling fairy light has been transformed into a junior supernova.