It's the monster mode.
[ Thursday - March 27, 2014 ]
Just the previous day, I was out at Vandenburg Air Force Base for
some SMAP work. My buddy Russ (formerly Mr. Speedy) booked the
same hotel for the trip so I was hanging out in his room while we
both enjoyed a couple of Sam Adams. He had the TV on, but
why? Why listen to the droll of the talking heads on the boob
tube spewing forth nonsense when we can spend quality time watching
something like...
on YouTube. So I propped my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 on it's
stand as we turned down the mindless zombifier's volume. What can be
more exciting than watching a bunch of professional sports bike
riders reviewing and expressing their opinions on different makes
and models?
While we're watching, I can't help but notice the R12GS LC pedigree
coming from the S1000RR HP4. Suffice to say that the GS is
nowhere near the street machine that is the HP4, but some of the
lessons learned from the RR has found its way into the new GS.
I'm referring to the GS's Dynamic ESA. Describing the Dynamic
mode to Russ had me rethinking that I should put the GS into Dynamic
mode on the next commute. And that is exactly what I did.
Come Thursday with a couple of clicks of the mode button, I'm in
dynamic mode. My first thought, "Oh yeah... I remember
this." I've ridden in dynamic mode before, but that was before
I truly understood the machine. The once docile road GS has
turned into an ultra torquee 500 lbs monster. In two instances
of accelerating out of turns I find myself picking up the front
wheel and setting it back down. When I say setting it back
down, it wasn't a, "wait... did I just pickup the front?" it was a
case of, "Oh yeah! I felt that." Not only that, in a
straight line acceleration, I dusted all of the cars around me
without even trying. I find myself reaching 70 mph and not
realizing it. This, my friends, is the GS in its full
glory. The 125 BHP unleashed and allowed to run wild and
free. Dam! Baby is a monster and a half. It was a
boat load of fun, but half way through the commute, I had to put the
bike back into road mode for fear of getting a ticket from speeding
and/or being an exhibitionist. So so much fun.
I have to let this baby loose one of these days when we're out in
the middle of nowhere.
Written on: April 17, 2014
Last modified: April 17, 2014
