So, this week, my RT goes in for its 6,000 mile service. That’s 2,000 miles a month so far. Indeed, I’ve covered twice the book annual mileage for this type of machine in three months. To which, I can only wonder why people buy bikes like this and don’t ride them…
This is a bike that really doesn’t want to stay in the garage. I used it to commute daily from Bristol to Petersfield one week in April, then up to London a couple of times over Easter. Ireland for the Northwest in May and the Isle of Man for the TT in June. In-between times, DAS courses on pretty much a daily basis. This bike has been earning its living.
I’m averaging 61mpg – a good 10mpg better than the R1150RT that preceded it. The 20mm lower seat height makes the balance better, but has another interesting side effect. I no longer suffer from back ache over long distances. Throttle control is light and responsive – but the three settings; road, rain and dynamic seem to be a bit of a gimmick. No, really, I cannot detect any noticeable difference, so whatever it is, it’s subtle.
Acceleration is effortless from any gear and winding it on to pass trucks on the motorway is a joy. The power comes in with a smooth surge and just keeps coming until speeds become illegal.. And that is all too easy, frankly.
The luggage is well thought out and if I’d realised this, I would have opted for the central locking. Unlike the 1150, I no longer need to use the key to open and close the panniers, so most of the time, I don’t lock them. So, yeah, next time around, central locking. I would have liked a handle on the top box like the previous one, though.
I really, really, love the hill start assist. This, I thought would be a bit of a gimmick, but in reality, it works much like the automatic hand brake on a car and just makes stopping and moving off on hills that little bit simpler. And when training, I can concentrate on the student and forget about my own hill start…
I thought I’d miss the fold-out handle that disappeared with the demise of the 1150 model, but the grab rails that run alongside the pillion seat are fine for putting the machine on the centre-stand – which is effortless anyway. Most of the time, I use the prop-stand.
Handling is light. I filter this bike in heavy traffic feet up with ease. Manoeuvring it dead-weight is a simple matter due to the low centre of gravity and that low seat height. I have mine set on the higher setting and still get both feet flat on the ground.
If I have a niggle it is that 30mph is right on a gear change point, so is sometimes unconformable and I resort to slipping the clutch. Likewise on occasion at roundabouts – too fast for 2nd and too slow for 3rd… However, these are minor matters and most of the time, I am unaware of them.
So, was it a good purchase? Oh, yes. Would I buy another. Yup, absolutely.