This is a collection of experience and incidents such as I can remember some of my misspent youth and thrash through my later years.
The beatings will continue until moral improves.
Research and Narrowing the Field – There Can Be Only One
The sorting questions begin with maintenance intervals, how difficult and how many special tools are required to perform such exercises as checking and adjusting valve clearances. Then fuel economy, engine heat management and comfort. Such as is the seating position horrible? Does the bike require a custom saddle. A few of my bikes did and a few didn’t. Tires don’t seem to be an issue there are lots of options now. Since 2014 everybody has got their game on in that regard.
My sorting began with watching a lot of video reviewers on YouTube. There are a lot of reviewers/content creators I choose to ignore because they seem to have a bias one way or another. I want a straight up assessment of a bike. I don’t need the specs regurgitated to me, I can read them online. Which by the way brings up another point. Online configuring through a manufacturer website are hit or miss. KTM is a clear miss. Less than helpful. BMW, Ducati are very good while Honda lands just ahead of the non-functional KTM.
I chose to watch the MCN channel, Nothing to Prove, Bennetts Bike Social and Sam Vincent for fun. Sam’s videos are a laugh. He is honest and down to earth and laughs more than anybody I’ve heard while riding his and others motorcycles. MCN and Bennetts Bike Social, I’ve watched several reviews of all sorts of things from them so I know their drift is pretty centered. There is an Italian channel, Red Live that is also interesting, but has an Italian bias. Great fun discovering all these folks. Of course I checked the manufactures channels as well, but slick video isn’t what I was after. I’ve watched several other channels over the years and follow a few round the world travelers just to keep it interesting, but I was specifically after a point of view similar to mine. That is I am not looking to travel round the world. But, I want travel capability and a level of comfort about where the 990 is. I don’t need the bike to be anywhere near as offroad capable as I don’t plan on doing that anymore. A gravel road for a bit is fine. Day after day of two track dirt or sand is decidedly not what I’m about. Then I wanted to look at maintenance and specifically Ducati and BMW since I haven’t been into either in a very long time. KTM I knew and the Honda would be similar. The Ducati long interval was quite interesting and after asking about heat from owners I was satisfied that wouldn’t be an issue either. That left fuel economy and maintenance. All the owners I’ve read or heard have the work done by dealers and it is not in anyway inexpensive. From observing the operation it doesn’t look like anything I want to tackle on the floor of my garage either.
When I came to the BMW R1300GS valve check and adjustment I found a Russian video from Speed and Adventure, a real shop and real mechanic performing the actual work. Very good with English subtitles since my Russian is about as good as my piano playing. The check and adjustment reminded me of working on the K model BMW’s back in the 80’s. Only easier. They look to use the same shims everybody else does now. Just need a couple of special tools. No big deal.
After quite a number of videos, I used Saturday afternoon to visit Brown Motor Works the BMW dealer in Pomona California. At that point I was still considering the 1250. Once walking into the shop and reminding myself how big an Adventure is, I quickly removed that from my list.
My first impression was that the bike is small and slim when compared even to the F900 GS Adventure. This R1300GS in the foreground is the Triple Black. I’d never been a fan of that color scheme on the 1200’s or 1250’s, but I liked it here. Walking up the the bike from the front the “tank” black panels reminded me of my first BMW, 1974 R90/6. I sold that bike here at this shop back when I worked there as a mechanic.
Not really a good comparison, but the airheads were narrow in naked trim.
This is an R75/6 of that era.
The Option 719 is pretty cool color scheme, but I like either the Trophy or the Triple Black more. Though I think I’m leaning more to the black.
I was not ready to make a decision at that stage so I didn’t want to waste the shops time with a test ride. I did talk to a fellow who was riding a Hyabusa and had just ridden the Option 719 R1300GS and loved it. That spoke volumes. I figure to do test rides during the week mid-morning to mitigate the traffic between where I am and shops as well as during a test ride on an unfamiliar bike.
The Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports SE is not yet available here. The KTM 1290SAS isn’t around at the dealer yet either. That leaves the Ducati which I am eliminating from my list for two reasons. First is fuel economy. While I like the hooligan factor of 170hp, I’m not willing to pay the price of consistently poor fuel economy to have it. Secondly is the cost of maintenance. This bike is very much designed not to be worked on. The nearest dealer is about an hours ride on freeways. That’s fine, but dropping a bike off for an all day service once every two or three years is not that bad, but the bill would be impressive. A sting to the savings I’m sure. Though that bike is dead sexy. It is by far the best looking of the lot. Though the Africa Twin is right there. I do like the old school look of the Honda. It may pop back up on the list as time goes by. I am after all in the first throws of this process. Which brings me to the BMW.
All the bikes I’ve considered use the Bosh radar and adaptive cruise control. All have TFT dashes, three have 17/19 wheels, the Honda has 19/18 wheels which adds another layer of fun trying to match tires. The suspensions are similar in that they are all electronic, with only BMW, Ducati and KTM offering semi-active suspensions with various different dynamics. They all have heated grips, standard on all but the Honda. ABS and cornering ABS as well as some traction controls and anti-wheelie. The BMW, Ducati and KTM have quick shifters. All have suspension lowering options from electronics to mechanical options. BMW, KTM and Ducati ticked the boxes. KTM and Ducati have manually adjustable shields, Ducati’s simple one finger adjustment wins hands down between them. BMW with the optional electric wins the gee-whiz contest. Plus it makes a cool sound.
I’ve made my choice at this stage. At least narrowed it down to the R1300GS. Probably a Triple Black with cast wheels. I don’t want the central locking option or the Vario bags. But, all those choices and discussions take a back seat to what has to come first.
I have to see the 990R. There is no room in my garage to fit two big motorcycles for more than a day or two. So, I’ll be cleaning up the 990 and taking pretty photos over the next few days. We have some travel coming up so I’ll be waiting until after we get back to actually post the bike for sale. At this point I plan on using my Touratech Zega Pro bags and my Wolfman Rocky Mountain soft bags on any new machine. I don’t think the enduro bag fits any of the new bikes other than the Honda. I could be wrong. That reminds as a question to be answered. The first bit of a walk around the bike:
Along The Way 