Options after 20k on a Gen 1 XR

I’ve spent the afternoon , removing the MRA screen, cutting, shaping and fitting a piece of aluminium that just offers the sat-nav a little bit of shade as well. It looks rather prodi racer / Mad Max, but desperation necessitates.

Fingers crossed for less buffeting around the lid.
 
I went from the Gen 1 to a Harley RKS!

Done more miles on the RKS than I did on the XR, and I’m enjoying them more as it is so relaxed to ride and I can just chill and look at the scenery.

The Gen1 was an incredible bike, but it just seemed to work best when being ridden at speed and I never found it a relaxed ride for touring purposes. Sold it to a mate who now commutes on it into London :blast
 
I’ll Google the Harley RKS Toddmeister, but I am thinking if I’m still here to tell the tail I might consider a Harley when I here Mr G. Reaper sharpening up for me. I get where you are coming from though and I expect I’ll own one at some point.
 
The afternoon in the R and D shed has turned out a hideous piece of workmanship. Two hours with a drill, hack saw, rubber mallet and a spray can and hey presto I have made a minimalist screen.

An hour on the bike has been an absolute joy. Zero buffeting around the lid and the turbulent air hits me square in the chest. The twisty roads I tend to ride are now a joy.

I tested the dual carriageway and the now, lower, ‘higher’ speed is a positive regarding keeping the license so I’m happy about that.

Not see how I will negate a high milage, fast blast through Europe with the small deflector but for the time being I have a bike to enjoy riding again. It’s only taken 20k a kick up the arse to make the effort :blast

Thanks for your input guys, always a pleasure.:beerjug:

P.s I might stick a photo up of the aero dynamic crime to motorcycling :barf
 
I have an XR Gen 1, had it for nearly 5 years, difficult to find a better bike for me. I tried the Gen 2 twice, and whilst I agree it is slightly better in every department, it wasn’t enough to make me change. I had a GS before that which was a little on the heavy side for me. Also had a Multi before that, was never out of the garage.

So cannot think of an alternative, I don’t want a 19” front, which rules out the new Mutlis, Tigers etc. I do hanker after a twin so want to try the F900XR, if that doesn’t work for me will stick with what I have. I suppose there’s a Tracer 900GT?


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Its funny ....

I spent a lot of time on an XR (work bike), and ..... it just never did it for me! I dunno why, it seemed to be all about the engine and that was about it (for me).

Good that we're all different!! :D
 
Well two years ago I decided to close the business and try and sort my health. The idea was to go touring, but then COVID arrived and not a lot has happened or improved.

With the touring option back on the table I have an annoying itch to try another m-bike, manufacturer irrelevant.

It’s time to ask the Tosser fraternity if you have owned an XR, what have you moved onto and was the decision a good one?

The main issue with my XR and probably the only one that really is preventing me enjoying this superb machine is the wind turbulence. Being 6.3” clearly doesn’t help.

I’ve tried different screens, a flip, and 3 crash helmets, but my tinnitus is getting worse.

So with touring in relative comfort still on the to do list, input from the wise would be appreciated.


Cheers.

Skipster.

I had gen 1 for 30k miles, brilliant all round bike, I now have gen 2 which has an a on/off switch for hooligan mode which allows me to choose when to ride ( attempt ) like rossi whereas gen 1 was hooligan Rossi mode from the minute I left the house. If you do try the gen 2, make sure you do 2 test rides as its only on longer rides where the gen 2 shines above the gen 1 and I was not sold on it after my 1st ride but after a longer 2nd one I could see what it’s all about. You don’t say if the mra screen is a vario with the spoiler ? On my gen 1 I had the spoiler version an at 6’2 it was fine for me On the gen to again I tried different screens but the only one suitable was the full vario spoiler MRA screen. With regard to tinnitus, I would highly recommend using bose qc30 ear buds, they are noise cancelling and still allow the engine and general outside noise but filter out any harsh frequencies such as wind they really work and ca be connected up to other Bluetooth equipment. They do take a bit of getting use to putting the helmet over them but there is a knack and it becomes 2nd nature
 
My girlfriend bought herself a brand new S1000XR in April with her bonus from work. I ride a R1250RS. When I got onto her new bike I could not believe the wind noise off the screen in comparison to my RS. I went out and bought a smaller screen, in black, for her bike. It is the same size as the sports screen from BMW. What a difference. Both of us can ride the XR for hours now in silent clean air hitting the helmet rather than turbulent air off the top of the standard screen. The noise increase when raising the screen proves the point that a smaller screen is quieter, the same goes for the RS, raise the screen for increased noise.
 
Strangely I test rode a 1250 RS before I bought my last XR and was put off by the wind noise on the RS! Subsequently am soon to be on my 3rd XR as I don’t find the wind noise a major problem. Everyone is different thankfully..
 


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