I may be crazy but I traded my Tenere for a new BMW R1200RT

[Donk]

Kenbike, enjoy the new ride. It's a motorcycle so go out have fun and be safe.

 

[BravoBravo]

Have fun with your new ride, Ken, and let us know how it works out for you. A good friend of mine bought the new generation GS a year ago, and he has been very happy with it. ::008::

Cheers,

Bruce

 

[Scoobynut]

I finally got my '14 S10 ES yesterday. My first Yamaha. Put 100 miles on it and love the bike. It's a great bike, but Yamaha could certainly take a lesson on fit and finish from both Triumph and BMW.

This statement reminds me of the time I owned a pretty new VW Jetta and a Subaru at the same time. I bought the VW new and the Subaru had 150k miles on it at the time. The dash/interior of the VW looked to be much higher quality than the Subaru, with nicer materials, better finish etc. By the time the VW had 50k miles on it, dash lights were going out, switches were breaking, parts were falling off etc. The Subaru with the cheaper looking interior? Not so much. The Subaru has 230k on it now, and it is still more trouble-free than the VW was when it was brand new! I'll take Japanese quality, even when it superficially appears inferior, over German 'quality' any day of the week. Myself, I think the S-10 has very good fit and finish; not sure what you're referring to.

In any event, Kenbike, congrats on the new bike and I hope you have a happy long-term affair with it, truly.

 

[Dallara]

~


Just saw this on another forum today...


"I have a friend with an affected RT. The situation is not as rosey as it sounded.

The dealers are not being given extra loaner bikes, so, for my friend at least, no loaner available. BMW will buy the bike back for the original sales contract, but no provisions for any accessories installed after purchase. The $2,500 option is only paid after the bikes are repaired, so that is not helping for bike replacement for a lost riding season.

Not exactly clear what happened to folks caught by this in the middle of an extended trip.

RT owners are not real happy, from what I hear."

http://www.motorcyclistcafe.com/forums/showthread.php?17301-Recall-on-the-2014-R-1200-RT-Don-t-ride-it/page5


Not trying to rain on anybody's parade, sincerely... But since BMW's handling of the RT recall has been mentioned quite a bit in this thread I thought it appropriate to pass it along.


As I mentioned in my previous post, kenbike - My sincerest congratulations on your new bike, and I honestly do hope it provides you with years and miles of trouble-free riding joy! ::008::


Dallara




~

 

[Donk]

Scoobynut in this day and age there is no excuse for sub par fit and finish. You can have both good quality fit and finish and long term reliability. They are not mutually exclusive. I like my new S10. The fit and finish could be better. What's with the stamped metal piece welded to the frame beside the engine, about where your knee is? Whats with the stamped seam around the gas tank? What's with the gap between the lower edge of the tank and the frame rail big enough for me to stick a couple of fingers in? That's what I'm referring to and what stood out looking at the bike first day I got it home. Don't get me wrong its a good bike, I like it. Just wish it was a little more flash. BTW Triumph is not German!

 

[RIVA]

I finally got my '14 S10 ES yesterday. My first Yamaha. Put 100 miles on it and love the bike. It's a great bike, but Yamaha could certainly take a lesson on fit and finish from both Triumph and BMW.

Enjoy your motorcycle although I am slightly confused by your statement on "fit and finish". Why buy a motorcycle that you are not completely satisfied with. What was actually wrong with the Triumph and BMW motorcycles that steered you to the sub-standard Yamaha. Of course you cannot always judge a book by it's cover. ::022::

 

[kenbike]

Some of the comments on fit and finnish of the Yamaha are what did not make the bike as desirable to me. The routing of cables from handle bars, stamped metal heel guards, routing of abs cable to rear wheel, routing of brake lines to front wheel.
I think it would run forever and everything worked.
Did get a 100 mile ride last night, all I can say is if you want to keep loving your Tenere do not ride a new GSA. The motor is combination of tractor at low rpm's and pulls like a inline 4 on the way to redline. Maybe my Tenere did not run right but this bike would kill it above 50 mph. GSA is great in the corners and NAV V built in to the bike is cool. Great riding position and wind management is perfect.
Let get so miles in for a comparison.

 

[clint64]

Congrats on the new bike. Life is too short to not enjoy what you ride.

 

[offcamber]

Some of the comments on fit and finnish of the Yamaha are what did not make the bike as desirable to me. The routing of cables from handle bars, stamped metal heel guards, routing of abs cable to rear wheel, routing of brake lines to front wheel.
I think it would run forever and everything worked.
Did get a 100 mile ride last night, all I can say is if you want to keep loving your Tenere do not ride a new GSA. The motor is combination of tractor at low rpm's and pulls like a inline 4 on the way to redline. Maybe my Tenere did not run right but this bike would kill it above 50 mph. GSA is great in the corners and NAV V built in to the bike is cool. Great riding position and wind management is perfect.
Let get so miles in for a comparison.

Congrats on your new ride....I hope its all you want it to be.

What makes the BMW not desirable to me is all the constant problems and failures they have experiences in the last 10-15 years. Acceleration/performance is meaningless if the bike doesn't run or sitting in the shop....

I really do hope it works out for you.....

 

[True Grip]

Best Wishes Ken! I'd be right there with you but I can't muster up the faith personally. A GREAT looking bike!

 

[Big Blu]

Congrats on the new bike. Life is too short to not enjoy what you ride.

+ 1
........ And to short to bash what others ride. ::021::

Ken, I'm with you on the boxer motor, it ring my bell like no other, but the Guzzi 1200 8v is a close second! That alone is reason enough for me to own one. My R12R is 100lbs lighter then my S10, has more hp and torque, handle like a sport bike, and with panniers, can tour with the best of them.g ::008::

Paul

 

[twinrider]

Ken, I'm with you on the boxer motor, it ring my bell like no other

You should be a farmer, sounds like you love tractors! ::025::

I always loved boxers' handling but not their agricultural motors and clunky shifting. The LC motor is nice though, when cam chains aren't snapping....

 

[Big Blu]

...
..
.

I always loved boxers' handling but not their agricultural motors and clunky shifting....
..
..

Now that's funny coming from a Super Tenere rider! ::025:: ::025:: ::025::

My cam head is smoother, has better fuelling and more power/torque then my re-flashed ST. With the Akropovic and deleted flapper valve it make beautiful music, a bitch'n baritone she is! ::015::

Yep.... I'm in lust! ::024::

Ken may be on to something, hmmmmm!
Perhaps there will be a 2015 GSA in my future, Beta testing should be over by then! )

Paul

 

[Donk]

Enjoy your motorcycle although I am slightly confused by your statement on "fit and finish". Why buy a motorcycle that you are not completely satisfied with. What was actually wrong with the Triumph and BMW motorcycles that steered you to the sub-standard Yamaha. Of course you cannot always judge a book by it's cover. ::022::

I thought the S10 would be a good choice for the roads in Wisconsin. It is. I think its a really good bike. I like it. I just wish some of the details were better, that's all. I am very particular and notice small details. It does not mean I am dissatisfied with the S10. Ducati does a great job with the details but I don't want to own one. There is nothing wrong with the Triumph, I still own it and its not getting sold. I rode a friends '14 GS and did not like it enough to buy it. I bought the S10 because I wanted to have 2 different bikes if I could do it. Everyone cool? We Cool?

 

[Donk]

Kenbike, How did you find the seat on the GS? I rode a friends '14 GS for 330 miles and I have to say the seat was terrible. His is the low model so I'm sure it has a different seat. The windshield, on the other hand was amazing.

 

[kenbike]

I heavy at 220 lbs so the seat is to soft for me. Will wait until the snow flies and ship it off to Seth Lamm for a firm up.
The ESA system does feel odd at times and won't let the bike pull the front end. It is great on a rough road but you feel it trying to adjust when going slow. It is surprising the difference in the motors, I would still be riding the Yamaha if it had the power and smoothness of the BMW LC. It has tons of low end but winds out much faster. It almost felt on the Tenere you could feel each firing of the pistons with the 270 degree crank. BMW winds out very fast and smooth, pulls just like my buddies 2006 FJR.

 

[twinrider]

I would still be riding the Yamaha if it had the power and smoothness of the BMW LC. It has tons of low end but winds out much faster. It almost felt on the Tenere you could feel each firing of the pistons with the 270 degree crank. BMW winds out very fast and smooth, pulls just like my buddies 2006 FJR.

Mine feels just like that with the reflash, Arrow headers and PCV. ::024:: Comparing dyno runs showed my S10 puts out pretty identical power to my friend's LC GS till 6,000 rpm, then his takes off. But I hardly ever get to 6,000 rpm on twisty back roads so it's pretty much all academic at that point.

 

[Big Blu]

Mine feels just like that with the reflash, Arrow headers and PCV. ::024::

Now you have wondering what the boxer-LC would do with a full Remus system, re-flash, and a PCV? Hmmmmm ......your such a tease twinrider.

The two local BMW dealer each have a full loaded GS as a demo bike(maybe as part of the damage control for the RT issue..). Saturday I had a three hour demo ride on a bike with a low seat... ouch! After about a hour I returned to the dealer and they let me put the seat from a GSA on it, that seat was very comfy for me. It's flat, not dished like all the GS seats which seem to lock my butt in a valley and inhibits any movement. Yesterday I was at the other dealership and did two hours on their GS demo with the standard seat, that seat was OK, just OK.

While I was at the dealership yesterday the owners wife offered my the chance to ride her "R nine-T". Nice, but it felt like a 3/4 scale of my R12R and my old bones protested loudly after about about an hour. It has a conventional fork front suspension, handling was indeed a bit different then my R12R.

Scoobynut, I think your comparison of the Subaru to Yamaha is fair and accurate, both have a reputation of building reliable vehicles.


Paul

 

[scott123007]

. It has a conventional fork front suspension, handling was indeed a bit different then my R12R.

Paul

Just to clarify...The forks are USD not conventional, but I think you mean conventional compared to Duolever, Paralever

 

[Big Blu]

Just to clarify...The forks are USD not conventional, but I think you mean conventional compared to Duolever, Paralever

+ 1 Scott.....

Duolever/telelever for front suspension. Paralever as a torque control device at the rear.....

Paul