I became a member of the Test Ride Victims Club this past weekend when I visited Max BMW Motorcycles in NH and took a 2012 Classic on their demo loop, once by myself, and once with my girlfriend on the back. I was instantly comfortable on the bike - it felt like it was built for me. (Well, the indicator controls will take a bit of time to get used to...)
I started motorcycling about 15 years ago on a Honda CM400E I bought from a friend. I've also owned (& since sold) a Yamaha V-Star 650 and FJR 1300. My current ride is a '99 Ducati Monster 900 that I put back together after the previous owner threw it down the road. Before I sold the FJR, I was starting to get unhappy with its weight and it had too much wind protection for the summer. But the Ducati wasn't great for a passenger, and I was too much in the breeze for cooler days.
So over the last year, I started researching the "perfect" do-it-all bike: Comfortable but sporty & light; good weather protection but with clean airflow; luggage that works, but comes off easily; an engine that has soul, power, and decent mpg for good range... You can see why the 'R was on my list of bikes to check out. I had also been checking out the Ninja 1000 ABS, GSX1250FA, Multistrada 1200 S-Touring, and a few others. After a lot of showroom seat time, the 'R still felt the most comfortable, and it stirred my soul; something that the inline 4 bikes never really did. A couple craigslist searches later, I found a 2011 at a good price, and that really started the ball rolling!
I went for the test ride, just to make sure, and it really was everything I was looking for. There was enough wind protection that at 40 degrees I was comfy. With a heated jacket liner, I could ride for hours. The seat felt molded for me, lots of room to move, and when I sat back, it supported me perfectly. The brakes were the most amazing I've ever felt! So now, in 48 hours, my new 'R will hopefully be strapped to my trailer for an 8 hour drive to its new home in Maine. I look forward to meeting any other board members in the area and maybe getting a chance to ride with you.
Being a slightly obsessive over-planning type of personality, I've been looking at what accessories are available for all the bikes on my list, so already have a good idea of what I'm going to get, and what I might want. But I would love feedback or ideas for other items to consider.
The bike comes with:
- BMW Sport Screen - I'm thinking I might paint the back side of this black, rather than leaving it clear. Anyone have any suggestions on a technique?
- BMW Panniers with liner bags.
- The S1000RR ABDeckRing (gas cap surround gasket)
- Luggage Rack & Top Case - Anyone have experience with the Givi plate that bolts to the grab handles? I primarily want the case so my girlfriend has a backrest to lean on, though it may get used when commuting. I suspect the BMW luggage rack and case are sturdier than the Givi Plate, but at around $800 for the two, it's a pricy option.
- Reflective Decals for the bags - I had a set like this for the FJR, really helped the bike show up from behind at night. http://www.reflectivedecals.com/r1200rt.htm I'm considering getting some red & amber tape to add to the front & back for additional visibility. While I love the understated look of the matte Grey, some visibility might not be bad.
- Mudsling - http://machineartmoto.com/shopsite_sc/m ... 1200R.html
- Larger sidestand foot plate - anyone have any input on the few that are available?
- Wunderlich's horn button blocker - I may ride with my magnetic tank bag from time to time, would be nice not to hit the horn when cranking the bars to the left. http://www.wunderlichamerica.com/motorc ... 50203.html
- Wunderlich's turn signal cancel lever - I'll probably ride without this for a little while to see if I can adjust, but it looks like it would make things easier. http://www.wunderlichamerica.com/motorc ... 10122.html
- A throttle lock of some sort - Sounds like I should try an O-Ring first before spending a ton more on a Throttlemeister or anything else?
- TPS cover - Is this really "necessary"? http://www.wunderlichamerica.com/motorc ... 2-428.html
- Maintenance tools - feeler gauges, Twinmax, anything else?
Thanks for providing such an awesome community, I've been lurking here on and off for a long time. It's awesome to (almost) finally really be one of you.
I *will* post pictures after I return home! Promise.
-Alec
)
because you'll get to see what 7000 rpms is like.
.... I over stated it but not much.
