Bear in mind it's been a while since I abandoned GSes in a fit of pique, upon returning to a car park in London and finding 3 yellow 1200s parked in the same line (after the Long Way Round aired), forcing me to go along the back of the line to read the number plates to identify which was mine...
But I had forgotten just how effortless these things are to ride. Bike was delivered 2030 hours Friday night; next day is, by my standards, a packed social calendar, starting with a 5 year old's party in a soft play, followed by a family do 70 miles away in Leicester. My other half, bless her heart, decides I should ride while she travels in the car with the lad. Having literally started the bike just once before to get it parked up, I don't notice the preload is set to max while the seat is on low (why did someone do that though?) so it's a bit tiptoe when stationary. I did notice it was in Dynamic mode and as someone who's been riding KTM SASes for a decade decided it was probably just fine in that mode despite the weather. Worth nothing the bike is ex-demo and the rear Battlax A41R, judging by current shape, looks like it might be original.
The return leg is in the dark. It's 11C and raining. Hard, cold rain. I'm in jeans (the waterproof variety) and lined jacket with only a t-shirt underneath, no base/mid layers. Heated grips and seat on, neither set to max. I'm not warm but nor am I cold enough to regret the clothing choices. Score 1. Despite it being 80 miles into riding the bike, it being the first proper dark ride of the season, and despite the rain, the cold and the questionable rear, I'm still making better progress than anything else I encounter apart from a big "S" Audi. Not by conscious effort; I'm not trying to beat the traffic - it's just the natural speed of the bike. Yes, I'd left it in Dynamic. Motorways, A roads and the rural roads near each end of the journey, swallowed up with no particular effort. Score 2.
Then yesterday, the GS did that thing previous ones encouraged (although back then I didn't drive so encouraged==necessity) and we buggered off to Northampton (c.40 miles each way) to pick up some custom melamine shelves (690mm). Via Milton Keynes to get an extra luggage strap to make sure the things stayed on. Strapped them length ways on the seat (which is now raised and the preload on auto), road home. Also in the rain and cold. Score 3.
The only gotcha is that rear. No idea what they are like when they still have a complete curve to their profile but the rear has minimal wet grip[1], with a few gnarly step outs coming out of some roundabouts and one straight line mid gear spin up. But noting "few" and I've got these shelves pushing me up against the tank on the return leg and we're still making progress. Score 4.
Effortless.
[1] it may help to understand the wet grip rating to know that the recently departed 1290SAS was also used in inclement weather, but had run Dunlop Mutants since the first service with zero step outs exiting anything, despite normally having the engine in Sport at all times. I'll be fitting a pair of Mutants to the GS soon so there will be a nearly new front Battlax for sale...
But I had forgotten just how effortless these things are to ride. Bike was delivered 2030 hours Friday night; next day is, by my standards, a packed social calendar, starting with a 5 year old's party in a soft play, followed by a family do 70 miles away in Leicester. My other half, bless her heart, decides I should ride while she travels in the car with the lad. Having literally started the bike just once before to get it parked up, I don't notice the preload is set to max while the seat is on low (why did someone do that though?) so it's a bit tiptoe when stationary. I did notice it was in Dynamic mode and as someone who's been riding KTM SASes for a decade decided it was probably just fine in that mode despite the weather. Worth nothing the bike is ex-demo and the rear Battlax A41R, judging by current shape, looks like it might be original.
The return leg is in the dark. It's 11C and raining. Hard, cold rain. I'm in jeans (the waterproof variety) and lined jacket with only a t-shirt underneath, no base/mid layers. Heated grips and seat on, neither set to max. I'm not warm but nor am I cold enough to regret the clothing choices. Score 1. Despite it being 80 miles into riding the bike, it being the first proper dark ride of the season, and despite the rain, the cold and the questionable rear, I'm still making better progress than anything else I encounter apart from a big "S" Audi. Not by conscious effort; I'm not trying to beat the traffic - it's just the natural speed of the bike. Yes, I'd left it in Dynamic. Motorways, A roads and the rural roads near each end of the journey, swallowed up with no particular effort. Score 2.
Then yesterday, the GS did that thing previous ones encouraged (although back then I didn't drive so encouraged==necessity) and we buggered off to Northampton (c.40 miles each way) to pick up some custom melamine shelves (690mm). Via Milton Keynes to get an extra luggage strap to make sure the things stayed on. Strapped them length ways on the seat (which is now raised and the preload on auto), road home. Also in the rain and cold. Score 3.
The only gotcha is that rear. No idea what they are like when they still have a complete curve to their profile but the rear has minimal wet grip[1], with a few gnarly step outs coming out of some roundabouts and one straight line mid gear spin up. But noting "few" and I've got these shelves pushing me up against the tank on the return leg and we're still making progress. Score 4.
Effortless.
[1] it may help to understand the wet grip rating to know that the recently departed 1290SAS was also used in inclement weather, but had run Dunlop Mutants since the first service with zero step outs exiting anything, despite normally having the engine in Sport at all times. I'll be fitting a pair of Mutants to the GS soon so there will be a nearly new front Battlax for sale...
