Faves

slparry · Post by **slparry** » Tue Nov 10, 2015 11:55 am

Riding to work at 6am this morning, in some very high winds and lashing rain. You know the sort of rain that's horizontal .... I got to thinking.

Of the four bikes I own my F8GS is, I think, my fave. It's certainly been the one that's most often taken out of the garage.

My R1100S Mamola BoxerCup is exceptionally "pretty" and I don't like taking it out unless the weathers nice. Sure I will (it's not a total garage queen .... and has been on a Scottish Weekend and a Minehead Weekend

) but I prefer to keep it for really nice days as I have other choices.

My R80RS was a gift from my Uncle before he died, so it too, rarely comes out as there's just way too much emotional baggage attached to it. The guy was the closest I've known to a Father, he lost his left arm in a mining accident at 21 years but still rode big BMW bikes all of his life, (including having the most gorgeous R69 all of my life,) by having the clutch mounted on the throttle and his prosthetic arm would clamp to the left bar. Cancer took him a couple of years back.

My K1200GT SE, again a lot of emotional attachment as it was bought with money my Mum left me when she died in 2007. It was a tough year, I gave my previous bike, a mint K100RS, to my kid brother only to have a taxi driver kill him by poor driving on her part a couple of months later.

The K12GT is stunningly fast, stupendously comfortable and surprisingly economical (in fuel if not tyres!).... oh and finally is now handling as it should. However, she has been a fickle beast requiring frequent returns to the dealership for various warranty jobs. In all fairness BMW have always stepped up to the plate regarding those repairs which is a credit to them and their customer service. If I have a 500 mile day in front of me the K is the best place ever to view it from, and as such I still love it to bits. I cannot think of what to replace it with except maybe a K13GT.

But the F800GS, just like the F650 Funduro it replaced, has taken a small space in my heart for its willingness to perform. It's economy is at times unbelievable! The handling belies its knobbly Heidenau K60 Scout tyes with an incredible willingness to corner. So pleased was I with it that I nursed it up to 10,000 miles and never took it over 5000 rpm (80mph). Now she's reached 10,000 miles I've started exploring the upper rev range occasionally and she spins over nicely when asked! But on the other side it's a pleasant place to sit while exploring the tiniest backroads and mild trails.

dave the german · Post by **dave the german** » Tue Nov 10, 2015 12:41 pm

For a few years I only had my BCR, then got my VFR800 as a get to work bike - it was "OK". Bought my 1200S in January and didn't ride it 'til April and within 2 miles knew the Honda would be going.

Bought my GS in July and with limited time have put 3000 miles on it and I love it.

It's been a good year for me mileage wise - took the 12S out last week on very greasy roads and done about 90 miles and loved every minute of it!!

I think I have the 3 bikes that I really want and I love each and every one of them.

For the first time in a while I now miss when I'm not able to get out on the bike. It isn't practical to use for work in Winter - 20 mile commute on unlit backroads with lots of wildlife. I won't use the BMWs when salt is on the road - maybe I should've kept the Honda for Winter!!

slparry · Post by **slparry** » Tue Nov 10, 2015 12:51 pm

FS365 on my F8GS kept it all sparkly through last winter Dave, I applied it like they said, and as instructed just sprayed more on top of the grime, then in springtime washed it off with MucOff to find it all protected and lovely beneath

Blackal · Post by **Blackal** » Tue Nov 10, 2015 5:03 pm

I think I'll always have BCR No1 (my first bike, back in 2004), and will hang on to the R-1 for as long as possible just because it is so well-sorted.

Other than those two - the rest are subject to continual assessment and selling/changing etc.

Al

andy griff · Post by **andy griff** » Tue Nov 10, 2015 7:11 pm

Nice post Steve,

I borrowed an F800GS recently and was impressed. I can quite see how day to day it would do the job and be easy to live with. I s'pose one has to admit that it lacks the excitement factor which is where the K12 and BCR come in.

Moral of the story ? No such thing as the perfect bike/

I am a mad keen skier and absolutely love my Giant Slalom race skis, so powerful through long turns and edges that grip ice like you wouldn't believe. But, they knacker my legs over the whole day as they are so unforgiving.

My all mountain skis lack the edge grip and are not as quick but when I use them I can relax and enjoy the scenery and there ski-ing. I spent years and Pounds/Euros chasing the ultimate ski finally to accept it does not exist.

Cameras - my Lumix G6 is portable and light, perfect for good quality images when out ski-ing or biking - But will never deliver the performance of a top range SLR

Hail the consumer age !

These manufacturers are clever !

Blackal · Post by **Blackal** » Tue Nov 10, 2015 7:20 pm

I've always slated the R800r, which flew in the face of what most on here - said.

Boxerscott came up with a good explanation....... The ones I tried were actually the poopy little 650cc lump

(belt-drive)

Makes sense, cos I couldn't understand why no-one else thought it to be a "chuffy-engined commuter only - not for anything else"

(I still don't want one, though.......

)

Al

GunK190 · Post by **GunK190** » Tue Nov 10, 2015 9:58 pm

My fav bike has to of been my GasGas EC 250. Back in 98 I was talked into buying this Spanish enduro by a well known pro trial rider. This was when the might of the Austrian KTM Ec was the king enduro machine and the money to buy said KTM was burning a hole in my pocket. I was returning back to my 2 stroke roots after a foray into big single 600 four stroke bikes, which started with the very easy and soft Honda XR 600. This mild Honda could be ridden deceptively fast and having had some success with this machine I bit the big bore bullet and brought myself a CCM C25 a mighty machine that proceeded to chew me up and spit me out, a baptism of fire. I was down to do the Powys enduro on the CCM but couldn't face being beaten up again and so hence my search for my beloved 2 stoke demon, I loved the look of the GasGas all red and black and the money and the KTM were soon distance memory's.
The Powys was my first real ride on the Gasser having only put a few easy hours on it before turning up in Wales during that years race in 98 the smile on my face just got bigger and bigger I could believe just how easy the Gasser was to ride I became fearless with it, there was nothing that could stop me, no hill too steep, no log to big no river too wide. I have never ridden a bike that has given me so much confidence. I never looked at another enduro bike from that year until 2012 when I finally hung up my racing boots. Still love um

slparry · Post by **slparry** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 7:06 am

Blackal wrote:I've always slated the R800r, which flew in the face of what most on here - said.

Boxerscott came up with a good explanation....... The ones I tried were actually the poopy little 650cc lump

(belt-drive)

Makes sense, cos I couldn't understand why no-one else thought it to be a "chuffy-engined commuter only - not for anything else"

(I still don't want one, though....... )

Al

To further confuse the issue Al, the "poopy little 650cc lump" is actually not 650cc but still an 800cc but electronically restricted to a lesser horsepower

Same for it's newer sibling the F700 although it's been given a few more ponies and ISTR is 70hp now as opposed to the 85hp of the F800GS (I think the latest R and GT may now have 90hp.

Of course the "breathed on" Husqvarna 900 Nuda which uses a modified version of the same engine and was produced under BMW's tenure of Husqvarna, produced considerably more at 105hp

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39DqimMJKL8

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/bike-revi ... -900/2011/

Given that none of them are particularly weighty bikes the hp on them is not to bad to be fair. Heck my Kawasaki Z1R was quoted at 90 hp (no way I reckon) and it weighed a lot more than the F8GS

Neil178 · Post by **Neil178** » Wed Nov 11, 2015 10:33 pm

Never been tempted by another manufacturer?
Having said that, my two are BMWs!

If i had time to ride a bike more, i would change a third bike every year to get experience on different makes. I guess that is what the mags are for.
So many bikes to try, so short summers, what to do?
I fancy a Ducati 998. The 1098 and later are supposed to be better, but its to polish and drool over.
This post may have been written with the aid of red wine. Hic!

GerryB · Post by **GerryB** » Thu Nov 12, 2015 8:39 am

Ha ha ha ....

The chat about the power etc for all these bikes makes me chuckle ...

My first BIG bike was back in 1973 ... Honda 750 four with 48 horse power !!!

People wondered how we would handle this phenomenal amount of ponies ...

But we did !

Now days the blokes are turning up their noses if a bike has less than 100 !!!

And we are still officially restricted to 70 m/h out there ....

Corvus · Post by **Corvus** » Thu Nov 12, 2015 9:01 am

GerryB wrote:Ha ha ha ....

The chat about the power etc for all these bikes makes me chuckle ...

My first BIG bike was back in 1973 ... Honda 750 four with 48 horse power !!!

People wondered how we would handle this phenomenal amount of ponies ...

But we did !

Now days the blokes are turning up their noses if a bike has less than 100 !!!

And we are still officially restricted to 70 m/h out there ....

+1 with all that! 750 is strictly middleweight these days.

Horsepower snobbery does my head in.

As you say, the speed limit ain't changed and neither has the general level of riding ability. Generally speaking, it has probably got worse.

slparry · Post by **slparry** » Thu Nov 12, 2015 10:19 am

Neil178 wrote:Never been tempted by another manufacturer?
Having said that, my two are BMWs!

If i had time to ride a bike more, i would change a third bike every year to get experience on different makes. I guess that is what the mags are for.
So many bikes to try, so short summers, what to do?
I fancy a Ducati 998. The 1098 and later are supposed to be better, but its to polish and drool over.
This post may have been written with the aid of red wine. Hic!

I had a ZX12R prior to the BCR and a DRz400 before the previous Funduro, oh and an old GN400 as a winter hack too

Prior to having BMW's I had many Japanese bikes, and worked for 4 or 5 years for Kawasaki so had most of the range as company bikes

I've not had a Honda since my first 125, a CB125S back in ooo mid 70's I think. After that it was an RD250B then RD350B then RD400C > Z650B > Z1-R > Z1000 Mk II > GPz750 A2 > GTR1000 > KLR600B > GSXR1100 ... also at most times at least two bikes with things like a KE175B, SP370, RD250LC, RD350LC.

Then in 1985 or 86 I used a K100RS for back and to from Guildford to the NEC to man the Kawasaki stand. It was a revellation .... loved it to bits and ended up having 5 K100RS's before moving on to the K12GT in 07

Largely if you want shaft drive the options are limited.

Corvus · Post by **Corvus** » Thu Nov 12, 2015 12:18 pm

My first thoughts were that the technical drawbacks of a shaft drive inhibit its use on lower powered, and generally lighter bikes. Lower mechanical efficiency and higher unsprung weight. But the little guzzis did OK. Handled pretty well and I cant recall any problems suspension wise. Although the forks in my v50 monza used to shake my eyeballs (not my low balls) over certain bumps.

Edit: how could I forget my cx500. Brilliantly designed machine. OK, fugly. Not very powerful by today's annoying standards, but you could use every ounce of what it had.

slparry · Post by **slparry** » Thu Nov 12, 2015 1:33 pm

Corvus wrote:My first thoughts were that the technical drawbacks of a shaft drive inhibit its use on lower powered, and generally lighter bikes. Lower mechanical efficiency and higher unsprung weight. But the little guzzis did OK. Handled pretty well and I cant recall any problems suspension wise. Although the forks in my v50 monza used to shake my eyeballs (not my low balls) over certain bumps.

Edit: how could I forget my cx500. Brilliantly designed machine. OK, fugly. Not very powerful by today's annoying standards, but you could use every ounce of what it had.

Aye and that other perennial favourite of the courier worlds the GT550 and 750 Kawasaki's

My Uncles 1962 R69 wasn't particularly powerful but worked well enough

Corvus · Post by **Corvus** » Thu Nov 12, 2015 4:24 pm

slparry wrote:
Corvus wrote:My first thoughts were that the technical drawbacks of a shaft drive inhibit its use on lower powered, and generally lighter bikes. Lower mechanical efficiency and higher unsprung weight. But the little guzzis did OK. Handled pretty well and I cant recall any problems suspension wise. Although the forks in my v50 monza used to shake my eyeballs (not my low balls) over certain bumps.

Edit: how could I forget my cx500. Brilliantly designed machine. OK, fugly. Not very powerful by today's annoying standards, but you could use every ounce of what it had.
Aye and that other perennial favourite of the courier worlds the GT550 and 750 Kawasaki's

My Uncles 1962 R69 wasn't particularly powerful but worked well enough

Both damn fine bikes. I owned a cx for two years and 40 odd k miles. Pre car owning days so it was my daily ride. 7 days a week. Yes you could have fun on it, as you can with pretty much any bike.