My wallet feels
even lighter...
[Sunday - June 23, 2013]
I think the picture above says it all. Was I not content
with owning the 8GS and the 12R? By no means was I not
content. Well, I guess the only possible aspect of
discontent is having to deal with the BMW maintenance cost for two
motorcycles. But really, it all came down to the cost of
maintenance and near term family events that forced me to go back
to one motorcycle. More the latter than the former.
Sad thing is I just paid off the loan for the R12R last
month. Both bikes were mine. What can I say, life's
events has a tendency to make you do things you never plan.
Well, since I went down from two motorcycles to a single set of
wheels, I decided to deck it out. I went ahead and traded
both bikes and tossed a fair chunk of green to grab the monster
with ASC and ESA. Sweat running down my brow when I cut the
check? Not quite, but the promissory note was of sufficient
amount that it made me shift in my chair a bit. Still, I'm
glad I'm not making payments and now I owe my savings instead of a
bank. Don't get me wrong. BMW Bank of North America
has been fabulous to deal with for the past 5 or so
motorcycles. If I had to get financed again, I wouldn't
hesitate to stay with BMW BNA.
What is my impression thus far, with only 30+ miles on it?
I'm extremely pleased. The smoothness of the engine, the
stability of the bike, the agility, and the lack of fork dive is
great. Oh and don't forget about the clutch. It's by
far the smoothest and most effortless clutch I have ever
felt. With so much going for the bike, I even stood up on
the bike to see how it feels. Discounting the factory pegs
(narrow), it feels great. Eventually I'll have to bling it
out with the Fastway pegs, but there won't be a whole lot of
blinging until I can pay back the money I borrowed. That's
OK because I'm simply using the 12GS as an extremely over
qualified ultra luxurious commuter right now.
I guess it's time to brown bag for lunch again.
Update: [Saturday - June 29, 2013]
What are my thoughts after a week's worth of commuting?
- The engine is only 130+ miles young, but
is already glass smooth above 3rd gear. Yes it's still a
bit rough from the 4-5k range, but I'm still working it.
- It's not burning oil but I bought a
quart of 5W40 just in case.
- Of all the doodads, the one I play with
the most is the ESA. It's such a luxury to be able to
dynamically switch suspension settings based on road
conditions.
- Power, power, power... there's plenty of
power. First gear is full of torque. Second
gear... it takes off.
- The bike doesn't get hot even in 98F+
temperature. I use to feel the engine heat on my shin
with the old motor.
Update: [Wednesday - July 3, 2013]
After several days of driving with the family to San Francisco and
back, I had to spend a little more quality time with the monster
to get more acquainted. 130 miles is hardly enough to get a
true feel of the bike especially when they're all upright
commuting miles. So what did I do? I took a ride on
San Gabriel canyon road.
The initial miles were good, but when the tarmac turns steep and
twisty, that's when things start getting interesting. To my
amazement, this large GS is actually more nimble than the F800GS
in the tight turns. I find myself effortlessly tossing the
bike from side to side turning left right or whatever direction
the road takes me. With so much power under the seat, this
GS would have given my R1200R a run for it's money. After
the 50+ miles, the monster and I now understand each other.
This GS is indeed the true blend of the F800GS and R1200R. I
will never look back to those bikes ever again.
Ride configuration: 39
PSI rear, 35 PSI front, ASC road, and ESA normal.
Written on: June 23,
2013
Last modified: July 3, 2013
