S
shark_za
Guest
This is more a bike commentary than a ride report something Howie should start doing instead of harrasing tortoises all the time.
Saturday morning was a good one up here in JHB we decided to goto breakfast somewhere on the big blue bike.
I wanted to see how comfortable it was two up and just what I could expect on sand roads so we went to Cullinan via Wallmanstall.
We took the highway through the toll gates, I accepted paying the toll but then decided not to pay at the offramp again. Hey I rode a whole 4km on the road. Expect the fine in the mail I guess.
The bike rides really well on the highway, lots of torque in gears 1-5 with 6 a real fuel saving overdrive.
At about 140 the revs are in the 4000rpm range with the motor purring like a sewing machine.
You can overtake at 140 in 6th but this is not as much fun as kicking down to 5th and twisting its ear, when you do this it does roar a little an pulls you to 170+ in no time. I never got to test top end as I was with the g/f but I'd guess it stops around 190kph (pulled strong to 175 and still had a bit to go hence my estimation).
We hit the dirt and rode along towards Boekenhoutskloof passing my old army base on the left. Riding the road on a BMW bike is far removed from running it with a telephone pole on your shoulder and a tyre slung over the other.
Riding the dirt road was totally different to the KLR or other smaller lighter bikes, this thing is a plow, a slightly refined John Deere if you like.
The suspension seems great of flatter section but it hits mid sized ruts pretty hard, seems to have minimal travel.
Twisting the throttle makes it squirm a little (Anakee rubber) and it picks up pace reasonably fast.
I was happy to test the ABS on this stretch, and boy does it reduce the stopping distance.
We got into the GS Pose a few times, hoping the suspension would be saved a little when hitting some rough patches, the pics were taken with me testing the ABS and sliding it around a little with the ABS off.
This road is the same one we rose the last few weekends, so nothing really new, one pretty area with a dam deserved a stop for photos.
The bike pulls well at low revs, here we are going through the little dip before the 4x4 track, see the low revs and the thing can still pull up the hill.
We ate breakfast at the whispering oak in Cullinan, riding home via Rayton and Kempton Park.
On some higher speed sections past Rayton, I found the screen might need to be set for me. When accelerating hard, it blocked the view of the road ahead, and at over 140 there was a bit of buffeting.
My peak on my helmet has stripped a bolt and there was a wierd vacuum effect that kept pulling the peak up while riding. I think a little less angle on the screen would create a better flow over the rider, will play around a bit and see.
The bike is definaly more comfortable to ride over long distances, even two up, and I would not hestiate to ride this bike to CT for example.
I would feel half as tired as riding the KLR there, for sure.
On sunday I spent the day at Bass LAke watching a bunch of crazy people dive in the rain. Sure its just as wet but there is nowhere to dry and warm up when you get out.
I was doing work for the conservation organisation I belong too, sharklife.
The day was Scubapro's annual treasure hunt with divers looking for colored tokens that equate to prizes at the end of the day. I'd rather have slept in late.
The pig did duty as my transport for the day, handling the mud and dirt to the site with no problem .
Riding back was a rainy wet affair, but the screen kept me surprisingly dry, only the bottoms of my legs and my arms from the elbow to hands were wet. Will get handguard asap.
The heated grips were cool, never thought I would ever need such a thing but I'll miss it now that I have seen the light.
This bike makes a great addition to the stable, it can be used for dirt roads, 2-up riding and long distance touring.
For the more technical offoad stuff I'll stick with a KLR but this opens up a whole new bunch of fun.
Saturday morning was a good one up here in JHB we decided to goto breakfast somewhere on the big blue bike.
I wanted to see how comfortable it was two up and just what I could expect on sand roads so we went to Cullinan via Wallmanstall.
We took the highway through the toll gates, I accepted paying the toll but then decided not to pay at the offramp again. Hey I rode a whole 4km on the road. Expect the fine in the mail I guess.
The bike rides really well on the highway, lots of torque in gears 1-5 with 6 a real fuel saving overdrive.
At about 140 the revs are in the 4000rpm range with the motor purring like a sewing machine.
You can overtake at 140 in 6th but this is not as much fun as kicking down to 5th and twisting its ear, when you do this it does roar a little an pulls you to 170+ in no time. I never got to test top end as I was with the g/f but I'd guess it stops around 190kph (pulled strong to 175 and still had a bit to go hence my estimation).
We hit the dirt and rode along towards Boekenhoutskloof passing my old army base on the left. Riding the road on a BMW bike is far removed from running it with a telephone pole on your shoulder and a tyre slung over the other.
Riding the dirt road was totally different to the KLR or other smaller lighter bikes, this thing is a plow, a slightly refined John Deere if you like.
The suspension seems great of flatter section but it hits mid sized ruts pretty hard, seems to have minimal travel.
Twisting the throttle makes it squirm a little (Anakee rubber) and it picks up pace reasonably fast.
I was happy to test the ABS on this stretch, and boy does it reduce the stopping distance.
We got into the GS Pose a few times, hoping the suspension would be saved a little when hitting some rough patches, the pics were taken with me testing the ABS and sliding it around a little with the ABS off.
This road is the same one we rose the last few weekends, so nothing really new, one pretty area with a dam deserved a stop for photos.
The bike pulls well at low revs, here we are going through the little dip before the 4x4 track, see the low revs and the thing can still pull up the hill.
We ate breakfast at the whispering oak in Cullinan, riding home via Rayton and Kempton Park.
On some higher speed sections past Rayton, I found the screen might need to be set for me. When accelerating hard, it blocked the view of the road ahead, and at over 140 there was a bit of buffeting.
My peak on my helmet has stripped a bolt and there was a wierd vacuum effect that kept pulling the peak up while riding. I think a little less angle on the screen would create a better flow over the rider, will play around a bit and see.
The bike is definaly more comfortable to ride over long distances, even two up, and I would not hestiate to ride this bike to CT for example.
I would feel half as tired as riding the KLR there, for sure.
On sunday I spent the day at Bass LAke watching a bunch of crazy people dive in the rain. Sure its just as wet but there is nowhere to dry and warm up when you get out.
I was doing work for the conservation organisation I belong too, sharklife.
The day was Scubapro's annual treasure hunt with divers looking for colored tokens that equate to prizes at the end of the day. I'd rather have slept in late.
The pig did duty as my transport for the day, handling the mud and dirt to the site with no problem .
Riding back was a rainy wet affair, but the screen kept me surprisingly dry, only the bottoms of my legs and my arms from the elbow to hands were wet. Will get handguard asap.
The heated grips were cool, never thought I would ever need such a thing but I'll miss it now that I have seen the light.
This bike makes a great addition to the stable, it can be used for dirt roads, 2-up riding and long distance touring.
For the more technical offoad stuff I'll stick with a KLR but this opens up a whole new bunch of fun.
