The Big Black Bus

[Taipan]

Are you still pleased with it?

[KungFooBob]

Well....

I've not ridden it since I got it home.

Life has got in the way (work trip to Cluj). Hopefully I'll get out on it tonight.

Up on closer inspection the engine paint is pretty shocking really, I spent an hour touching it up with some Tamiya model paint as a temp fix (doesn't look as bad as it sounds). At some point if I decide it's a 'keeper' I'll get the engine painted properly. Seem a common problem with these LC's, it's actually powder coat rather than paint and if it peels within warranty BMW fit a whole new engine.

The frame, shaft, FD, bodywork, forks, etc.. are all immaculate.

It was a grand cheaper than the next comparable bike miles/age/spec so I'm not too disappointed.

[Gregor]

Well....

I've not ridden it since I got it home.

Life has got in the way (work trip to Cluj). Hopefully I'll get out on it tonight.

Up on closer inspection the engine paint is pretty shocking really, I spent an hour touching it up with some Tamiya model paint as a temp fix (doesn't look as bad as it sounds). At some point if I decide it's a 'keeper' I'll get the engine painted properly. Seem a common problem with these LC's, it's actually powder coat rather than paint and if it peels within warranty BMW fit a whole new engine.

The frame, shaft, FD, bodywork, forks, etc.. are all immaculate.

It was a grand cheaper than the next comparable bike miles/age/spec so I'm not too disappointed.

I use liquid shoe polish on the Ks engine , it is 35 years old mind.

[KungFooBob]

Turns out it's got the official BMW alarm on it, I had wondered what the buttons on the keyless fob thing were.

Not sure if this is a good or bad thing.

Off to Bradwell now for some chips.

[Mr. Dazzle]

I use liquid shoe polish on the Ks engine , it is 35 years old mind.

My shoe polish lives at the back of the cupboard for ages too.

[KungFooBob]

Now with added RTTL keyring...

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[KungFooBob]

Took the wife out on it, leccy preload adjusted to two up and the suspension set to soft, almost got rid of my Weeksy strips...

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[KungFooBob]

Chips for tea...

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[KungFooBob]

So two rides in. First home from the shop and now a two up trip for chips in the peaks... so about 100ish miles complete.

The quick shifter works better at certain revs (mid/lower) with a pillion, the blipper makes changing down with a pillion a breeze. I'll probably not use the upshift much with a pillion, but the downshift/blipper will always be used, it makes it smooth without having to think about anything but braking.

It handles great with a passenger, set the ESA to two helmets on the display and then soft and it positively floats over bumps.

The on/off throttle transition is the best I've ever had on an EFI bike.

Almost every time I stop at lights or a junction and put my foot down, I bang my shins on the head guards, you can't really tell from the pic above, but they stick out quite far back from the heads. I think I'll take them off and put some nice carbon covers on the rocker covers.

The wife didn't like the topbox/backrest. I think I'm going to get the Givi plate and fit the trekker topbox we have that fits two helmets (it's all black for bonus points).

I don't like the speedo, I dunno why, but I struggle to workout how fast I'm going, I'll probably get used to it.

The brand new pair of A41 tyres feel fine, I think they're OEM on the GS. They seem to get a bit of a slating online, but I can't fault them (until I try them in the wet).

Cruise control is great in average speed cameras and it allows you to take both hands of the bars and see how good you can steer by weight alone.

Had the traction kick in a couple times hard on the throttle when the front started to go light. I don't think it's got anti-wheelie?

Overall, I like it.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Traction control is effectively anti wheelie, all it does is cut the power when the front wheel is going slower than the rear, like when it leaves the ground.

[KungFooBob]

Traction control is effectively anti wheelie, all it does is cut the power when the front wheel is going slower than the rear, like when it leaves the ground.

Need to turn that off then.

The wife just asked me "Did you try to wheelie, cos it was shit and I laughed?"

[Asian Boss]

Slap that bitch!

[KungFooBob]

I've RTFM.

I need to put it into Enduro or Enduro Pro to disable "front wheel lift assistant" to get the front wheel more than a couple of inches off the ground.

[Dickyboy]

Word of warning, your GS is not a bus, or at least that's what Barnet Council kindly wrote & told me yesterday

[KungFooBob]

I'm taking it to bits already...







That's the emergency aerial for the keyless ride at the bottom.

Next up is the tilt sensor for the cornering ABS.

Dunno what the next box is.

Then the alarm.

Which is the bit I needed to get at.



I replaced those two batteries (CR123A).

And the warning message that appeared on the dash for a few seconds at start up (DWALO ! ) has vanished!

[KungFooBob]

I bought one of these and it arrived today...



£16 delivered from the PRC!

Slots into the standard BMW satnav prep holder and provides two USB sockets and a holder for your phone.

It works very well.

It grips the phone so well it kept putting my android into Fast Boot (by holding down the power and volume keys.

I cut some tiny bits of sticky back rubber to stop it clamping on to the button area.

Kept the phone charging with google maps running. Result.

I did about 180 miles today, to Mablethorpe and back (the scenic way) to play on the two penny pushers.

I like this bike. I like it a lot. The handling two up is brilliant. It goes, it stops. I think I'd be happy to ride it to Hockenheim, do a track day and ride it back!

I wholeheartedly apologise to all those GS owners I implied smelt of wee.

[Scotsrich]

I’ve got one of those.

Mine isn’t quite as secure as I’d like. Taking the phone out often resulting in the whole holder coming off.

So I put a cable tie through it and that keeps it in place

[KungFooBob]

Mine was a pain to get into the holder it was so tight, I gave it a good tug and it wasn't going anywhere. 200 miles later and it was still the same.

There seems to be a few from different sellers and varying quality even if they all look the same. Mine doesn't have rubber covers/seals over the USB port, etc..

[KungFooBob]

Wanted to replace the BMW vario top box with my nice big Givi trekker that takes two helmets (and as a bonus is all black).

Bought the Givi plate from motocard in Spain cos it was a good £20 cheaper than in the UK.

Just tried to fit it.

Impossible to get the rear nuts on the bolts.

Turns out that the OEM rack has two different inserts. One insert for fitting the vario topbox...



and one for bikes without the vario topbox...



So I'm now £24.99 shorter and have to wait another 3 days to fit my topbox.

[KungFooBob]

About 3k in now, 1700 miles on a trip to Fronch.

Why would you want anything else, this bike does everything?

It's a strong statement, but I'd do a track day tomorrow and be happy in the middle of inters.

I'd ride it to Uzbekistan tomorrow in comfort.

I could ride it to work and get double the mpg of my (admittedly over the top) car.

Chatting to a Fronch bloke from Paris on the chunnel, he had a brand new Tiger 1200, which he only bought having had a GS and a GSA stolen, but wished he'd gone for another BMW as they were so much better.

It's just fast enough to be fun and it handles amazing with the ESA, when y9u load it 7p with a passenger and luggage.

If like me, you'd written them off as selling off the back of Charley and Ewan's adventures and blind BMW brand loyalty, then you should really try one.

The engine paint is still fucking awful though, think 90's Ducati and kick it down a notch.