MyBB Motorcycle Owners Thread

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SauRoNZA said:
That’s right the K1300 was telelever as well hey.

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Yep and what's most interesting is that the first week It annoyed the heck out of me. It felt weird wrong not being able to see my front wheel and I did not trust the bike like you to feel comfortable
Leaning Low into corners because it just doesn't inspire confidence yet I went back and the dealer assured me that I d get used to it
And it probably took about 3000 km ( plus an unrelated extra electric harness) before the bike actually felt "right". I suppose the older one gets the longer it takes to adjust to new handling tricks.
Also when the K 1300 GT ( not familiar with the R 1200 but only GT came out in both 1200 and 1300 ) I never gave it a second glance as word on the street was That engine was going to blow and BMW never managed to get it right. It also has as much sex appeal as a Toyota Corolla sprayed bronze beige and the 1300 had a relatively short production run because of rumored problems and suddenly the 1600 in two versions was out.
Of the recalls or as BMW euphimistically refers to "campaigns "the cam chain follower block insertion was the most critical as it was rumored the chain was jumping with subsequent engine destruction.
Sure enough when that bike crossed my path a few years ago i didn't pay any attention.
It was only when I returned to Cape Town that I realised none of the bikes I had were suitable for two adults commuting with luggage up to 100km return several times a week (strand to CPT ) in the horrendous wind tunnel that is the n2
Luckily the 1300 was still available at a neighbour as part of a not ridden collection and I ve never looked back after a test ride.
The only issues I had were all the backdated campaigns to be done , and the cost of parts ...tyre valves for onboard pressure readings ouch ... Speaking of which the electric adjustable screen, one of the best features, gave up recently and the rider seat warmer wiring is junk as one has to replace the whole seat ( pillion remains fine with own control) the quality of the paintwork on the panniers is a bit dodge and the acres of fairing mean one has to unbolt every panel to see what's going on ... the other irritation is not being able to check oil levels until the bike is really piping hot which on a cold day might only be 50 km down the line.
I seriously underestimated the capabilities of this machine and it's perfect for long distance cruising and commuting under load and
speed and I have yet to find another bike that can do the same job with the same payload equally well.
A traffic cop who makes the daily run home to GB pulled up to me on his Pan euro at a light last week and said " Man I really love that bike" . And I just smiled and said " thanks and so do I " :D
 
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It’s weird that BMW 4-cylinders are so heavy on oil, heard a couple of times from different folk that you need to keep a serious eye on it.

The RS has much replaced the K 1200/1300 series as the sporty tourer and although I haven’t done any two up touring myself other people seem to love it so I would imagine the geometry is much the same just not the power delivery.

As for the pannier paint I reckon that’s exactly the same. It’s like they forgot to put clear coat on or something. Mine took one little roll down the driveway and had permanent scuff marks on.

The non-GS bikes do seem to get a strange appeal in the eyes of other non-BMW riders. Had similar comments before, especially after spanking someone in a robot to robot and then thinking it’s a much bigger capacity bike.
 
SauRoNZA said:
It’s weird that BMW 4-cylinders are so heavy on oil, heard a couple of times from different folk that you need to keep a serious eye on it.

The RS has much replaced the K 1200/1300 series as the sporty tourer and although I haven’t done any two up touring myself other people seem to love it so I would imagine the geometry is much the same just not the power delivery.

As for the pannier paint I reckon that’s exactly the same. It’s like they forgot to put clear coat on or something. Mine took one little roll down the driveway and had permanent scuff marks on.

The non-GS bikes do seem to get a strange appeal in the eyes of other non-BMW riders. Had similar comments before, especially after spanking someone in a robot to robot and then thinking it’s a much bigger capacity bike.
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Yep the K series are replaced by R1200RT not RS Except for the flagship K1600 GTL which has more Honda Goldwing geometry than the KI600gt which just looks mean and is huge and at over 275k still only makes as much horsepower as the new Ducacti and the older K1300 I.e
160 hp at 7000 something like that. You welcome to have a spin just pm
 
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Nice! Also planning a ride to the VP Club later on with the girlfriend and her family. Keen to stretch the KLR legs a little bit
 
Hosehead said:
Yep the K series are replaced by R1200RT not RS Except for the flagship K1600 GTL which has more Honda Goldwing geometry than the KI600gt which just looks mean and is huge and at over 275k still only makes as much horsepower as the new Ducacti and the older K1300 I.e
160 hp at 7000 something like that. You welcome to have a spin just pm
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Well we can’t really say replaced as those bikes always existed alongside each other with a choice in engine configurations.

Now the K1300S is gone and the R1200RS is the only similar alternative.

The K1300GT having the only alternative in the RT now.

I guess we could consider the S1000XR as a kind of high horsepower 4-cylinder alternative in the middle.
 
I saw this on FB. Who can see a problem here?
c236e1cc0fde45b21bed683cc9deee7f.jpg
 
I agree with most parts of @sauron's post. I was really not expecting them to feel so different.

The Telelever does take getting use to - in fact after 14 months I still don't feel as confident on it in turns as I do on the KTM or even the RS after I got used to it. I also do have a Karoo 3 in the front which doesnt help. The tip-in feeling Sauron mentioned can be attributed to the tyre since before I went that route it felt more linear...although the "feel" is still absent.
I was really surprised I was so confident on the RS after the first 2 banking turns...after that it was lets go. Very nice and linear. The pilot roads also helps obviously as there are no compromises to make with off road use.

In offroad conditions - a big reason why one would go for a GS - and under braking the telelever and tyres works quite well however and I guess the real test would have been to take it on the gravel and give it some beans so you could have experienced that. I did offer but Sauron declined since it wasn't his bike.
It also helps on acceleration and braking if you have a pillion. Less moving back and forth.
The GS sounded a bit better as I was quite surprised to hear a very monotone sound from the RS, where I'm used to some gurgling on decel and the od blap or two when downshifting.

Although I didn't exactly find the RS cramped - it's actually a nice place to be - The GS felt very comfortable leg wise and arm wise when I got back onto it. It's easier to accelerate harder on the RS since the seat does tuck you in more than on the GS, where you also sit more upright. The RS did definitely felt bigger than the GS somehow.

At higher speeds Sauron could have just turned the dial by the windscreen to bring the GS's windscreen up for better aerodynamics but I didn't mention that before the ride.. I found the RS's also excellent.

I found the GS dash easier to read by far and the brakes I definitely prefer since the bike squats and does not dive. The brakes on both are excellent though and I didn't perceive a difference in braking power on either. It's just that the GS is extremely stable under braking, but that's because of the Telelever, not that the RS is unstable at all, in fact again...it has more brake feel on the front wheel because of the absence of the Telelever.

I need bigger grips for sure.

All in all very interesting and a nice ride. It was seriously hot though.

EDIT: Oh yes, almost forgot.
The quickshifter. Really nice to use and got used to it almost immediately - was very happily using it from 3rd gear onwards. I now need to decide if its worth it for me to install on mine at R8000k. Doubt I'll do it...but VERY nice to use.

We both liked each others gearbox feel better. He found mine nicer and I found his better. Weird. :)
 
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Slapdash said:
The GS sounded a bit better as I was quite surprised to hear a very monotone sound from the RS, where I'm used to some gurgling on decel and the od blap or two when downshifting.
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Then you were doing it wrong because it pops and gargles a hell of a lot, especially with the QS.

Actually forgot to mention to you that the GS sounds pretty much same same and just as tame on board.

They both need third party help. :)

****

Could be because you switched throttle map to Road mode, it pops and shouts a lot less in Road mode and need to ride it a lot harder to manage it.

In Dynamic it pops anytime you close the throttle or use the QS to downshift.
 
hehe I used that shifter bud, I didn't hear it as much as on the GS. Either case this is the only bike I've ever had where I don't want to change the pipe after a month of owning it. :) I like the pipe.
I have already lined up a pipe for the 690 :D

I edited my post a bit and added a bit that i forgot.
 
Slapdash said:
EDIT: Oh yes, almost forgot.
The quickshifter. Really nice to use and got used to it almost immediately - was very happily using it from 3rd gear onwards. I now need to decide if its worth it for me to install on mine at R8000k. Doubt I'll do it...but VERY nice to use.
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*** is it that much now. Bitter pill to swallow when you already own the bike.

Then again I wouldn't go without it on a new bike.

We both liked each others gearbox feel better. He found mine nicer and I found his better. Weird. :)
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There is a terrible sexual innuendo hiding in there somewhere.
 
Slapdash said:
hehe I used that shifter bud, I didn't hear it as much as on the GS. Either case this is the only bike I've ever had where I don't want to change the pipe after a month of owning it. :) I like the pipe.
I have already lined up a pipe for the 690 :D

I edited my post a bit and added a bit that i forgot.
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Could be that you weren't quite so trigger happy to downshift it at higher revs as it does take a bit of time to work that out, but can do it upwards of 5000rpm quite happily. Basically just musn't hit more than 8000rpm in the lower gear.

I've gotten surprisingly used to the sound as well and it doesn't bother me near as much as on previous bikes.


Want a pipe more to camouflage those marbles sloshing around inside the engine noises. :)

Pipes on these bikes actually sounds better to everyone else than on the bike itself.
 
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