Ride Reports---Please

[Francis]

Many of us are siting on the side lines (possibly drooling) as members get their new 2014 wet heads. Can we have a few ride reports and comparisons posted?

[wga]

As a point of reference, I am upgrading from a 2004 1150 RT that I have thoroughly enjoyed over the last 10+ years.

 

After 1 week and 500 miles the new 1200 RT is just awesome. A couple of years ago I test-drove the K1600 and the 1200RT on the same day. The K1600 is as smooth as butter while acceleration and handling are unparalleled for a sport-touring bike, but driving the 1200RT was more like riding the 1150RT that has served me so well all of these years. There is just something about the feel and sound of the boxer that I am attracted too. But I’ve been on the fence for 2 years and this new 2014 model with the computer instrumentation, ESA, 125 HP, the list goes on, was an easy sell.

 

The new 125 hp power plant is remarkable. The old 1150RT would cruise all day at any speed and blow past traffic on mountain passes or highways, but the new RT can smoke my 1150. This new engine is much smoother at any RPM than the 1150 and is especially smooth at 4 to 5k where the 1150 just said ‘shift me’. Sixth gear isn’t really needed say for fuel economy maybe. Speaking of which, after two tanks of gas I’m getting 47.6 mpg.

 

No complaints on the Connie’s, but then I’ve been pretty easy on the bike for break-in and just getting use to the new ride. I’ve ridden Metzler Z8s for the last 50k miles on my 1150RT and have found that these tires stick to the pavement like glue, although I am lucky to get 8k on a set of tires. I’ll give these new tires a chance and switch to Metzlers if needed on the first set of new tires.

 

The handling is as good as I have come to expect on all BMW car’s and motorcycles that I have owned. Like the K1600 the new RT is deceptive, because the bike feels so light in motion. I haven’t powered through the mountains just yet as we still have patches of ice, snow and sand on the twisties, but no complaints so far.

 

Contrary to what the owner’s manual led me to believe, the ESA does appear to adjust on the fly. Leave the suspension in 2-up mode on one day and ride solo the next and you will know it the first time you hit a good bump; it’s like riding a ridged frame. No worries it’s one menu button away from fixing, easy.

 

New to the computer controls, I practically ignored the computer on the first ride save for those grip heaters. Hit the menu button five times and then crank those babies up when you hit cool mountain air. I never got to full tilt on the heaters as a 2/3rds setting was almost too hot to handle, but that was with light gloves. After 400 miles, I’ve figured out the computer system quite well and use several functions on every ride.

 

The engine pounds out more power at more RMP and gear combinations than I am use to. The sound of the engine is a bit louder and with a lower pitched growl especially under acceleration than my 1150RT. I am going to go for that full Ducati muscle bike sound and add the Akrapovic when they become available.

 

The mirrors are far better than the 1150. I think they are set wider and maybe a bit lower than the ones on the 1150. I quickly added handlebar mounted GS style mirrors to the 1150, because the rear view was useless with a passenger or gear. Yes these mirrors vibrate more than the rock solid 1150’s but less than the handlebar GS style mounts. Having been rear-ended and always wanting that 360 view, these mirrors do the trick for me.

 

Hill assist is a surprising hit. No more messing with the back or front break on a steep incline, just give the front break a good pull (let go) and the bike just sits there until you go. It’s that simple. Think your skills are so good that you don’t need hill assist? Well that may be true, but give this a try and it just might put a smile on your face like it does for me.

 

Shift assist is still a bit of a mystery. Sometimes it’s silky smooth and super fast, but other times it’s a clunk, lurch, but still super fast. This is a skill that I’ll be working to develop and researching. Not much in the manual to go on. If you want to drag race or (ahhem) just get through thick traffic quickly, shift assist does the trick.

 

Anyway that’s my quick ride review, hope to see what others think here as well.

 

Safe travels.

 

[Corvallis]

Ditto on hill assist. It is handy when you stop and need to use both hands. Just select neutral, squeeze the brake and do your business. Then either squeeze the brake or give it a little extra gas on pulling off.

 

The thing about shift assist is that it involves technique going from 1st to 2nd, or 2nd to 3rd. 1st to second needs to be done at about 1500 rpm. 2nd to 3rd less than 2000 rpm above third it is more flexible. I also find that it is important to follow the technique described in the manual. Upshifting hold the throttle steady. Do not close it or accelerate. even a little accelerating gets in the way. Another rider on the forum says accelerate while shifting, even if just a little. The manual has it right. Just test and see. Downshifting, close throttle first. Downshifting has certain RPM ranges it prefers in order to be the smoothest. You have to use trial and error to find the right range. The same is true for upshifting. I keep getting smoother and smoother as I learn what the bike prefers.I can foresee a time when it will all be natural.

[Skywagon]

I hit the 600 mile break in mileage today. I dropped it by the shop and it should be ready by noon tomorrow. I added the BMW Trunk and Light Kit last week...It is really a nice trunk with struts, lighting, and keyed to the fob and ignition.

 

It has 3 power modes which really don't change available power, but rather how fast the power is added in the fly by wire throttle. I've played with all three, but personally like it on the minimum setting. I find it pretty twitchy when in dynamic mode and find myself waffling on speed when in dynamic mode.

 

The cruise control is amazingly accurate. Very smooth. I learned if you are on cruise and take it off cruise, there is quick deceleration. That's because when you place it on cruise the fly by wire throttle just releases itself to the 0 position. So I have started adding throttle to catch up with my current speed before I release it.

 

I really like the bike. In many ways is much more than my 1150RT. Besides the obvious computer, electrical, enterntainment, and physical changes, it is a very different ride. It actually feels lighter than my 1150. It definitely has a lower center of gravity. You get more wind around the body area, but less wind around the head/face.

 

I had a russell seat on the 1150 ( which will soon be for sale here) and I had to slide forward and tiptoe the 1150. The new bike I can flat foot on the seat high setting. There are only two settings, high and low. The seat for me is about a 125 mile seat and I begin to squirm with discomfort. An aftermarket seat is a must. I just need to figure out which one.

 

The headlights are awesome. Those circular rings and headlight are very prominent. It is much brighter than the 1150. Not sure I will need any extra lighting with the possible exception of Hyper-lights in the rear.

 

And for the purist...If you take your hands off the bars at freeway cruise...It still pulls to the left. Felt right at home

 

So far so good. Any regrets...Nope...If I rolled the clock back I would absolutely do it again. In the near future more pictures.

[DMilan]

WGA

 

You wrote "Contrary to what the owner’s manual led me to believe, the ESA does appear to adjust on the fly. Leave the suspension in 2-up mode on one day and ride solo the next and you will know it the first time you hit a good bump; it’s like riding a ridged frame. No worries it’s one menu button away from fixing, easy."

 

 

If this ESA is anything like the prior versions, you can not adjust spring pre-load on the fly ( rider, rider & passenger, Rider /passenger / luggage)

You can adjust shock absorber damping on the fly (comfort, normal, sport)

[Moto-maineiac]

Per the BMW press release:

 

"The semi-active suspension BMW Motorrad Dynamic ESA (Electronic Suspension Adjustment) maximizes riding safety, performance and comfort. Spring travel sensors at both the front and the rear monitor the vertical movements of the respective wheel suspension as well as collect further data, allowing the damping to be automatically adapted to riding situations and maneuvers."

 

I understand this to mean the bike adjusts automatically.

 

 

[AndyS]

Moto maineiac, surely not? The last paragraph seems to infer it is ONLY the damping that is altered not the spring

 

?..allowing the damping to be automatically adapted to riding situations and manoeuvres."

[Moto-maineiac]

I was simply responfding to DMilan's comment "You can adjust shock absorber damping on the fly (comfort, normal, sport)" and am suggesting that based on the press release information, there is no need to switch damping between comfort, normal, and sport, as the bike's systems do this automatically.

[lkraus]

BMW owners manuals are available here: http://www.bmw-motorrad.com/com/en/index.html?content=http://www.bmw-motorrad.com/com/en/services/manuals/manuals_main.html

 

For the USA 2014 RT, select R models, K5x 0A13.

 

The ESA description on page 65 indicates that some damping changes are made automatically while riding. But the initial damping (soft, normal, hard) and preload (1 up, 1+luggage, 2 up) settings are selected with the menu, and the manual states "The damping cannot be adjusted while the motorcycle is being ridden." and "The load setting cannot be adjusted while the motorcycle is underway."

 

wga's comment "Leave the suspension in 2-up mode on one day and ride solo the next and you will know it the first time you hit a good bump; it’s like riding a ridged frame." seems to reinforce the idea that the preload is not completely automatic. If he was able to change to 1-up mode while in motion his bike is not operating as designed.

[wga]

lkraus got the manual correct from what I recall. However, when I drove down the road and change the settings, the computer display shows the change in grey and then after a short pause changes to white to show that the change was excepted.

 

The time that I changed the 2 up mode to solo was done at a stop light so maybe it's only the soft, normal, hard setting that I've changed during a ride. When I mentioned to the BMW dealer that the manual said 'The damping cannot be adjusted while the motorcycle is being ridden' he was surprised and said that this feature could be changed on the fly on previous models. I don't know if that's true or not, that's just what he said. And it's good that it does change, because when the road conditions change I want to change the suspension without pulling over. As far as the load setting, I can't see changing that on the fly unless my wife falls of the back.

 

Unfortunately I am on the road, the motorcycle is at home, and so I can not do a test ride for a couple of weeks.

[DMilan]

BMW owners manuals are available here: http://www.bmw-motorrad.com/com/en/index.html?content=http://www.bmw-motorrad.com/com/en/services/manuals/manuals_main.html

 

For the USA 2014 RT, select R models, K5x 0A13.

 

The ESA description on page 65 indicates that some damping changes are made automatically while riding. But the initial damping (soft, normal, hard) and preload (1 up, 1+luggage, 2 up) settings are selected with the menu, and the manual states "The damping cannot be adjusted while the motorcycle is being ridden." and "The load setting cannot be adjusted while the motorcycle is underway."

 

wga's comment "Leave the suspension in 2-up mode on one day and ride solo the next and you will know it the first time you hit a good bump; it’s like riding a ridged frame." seems to reinforce the idea that the preload is not completely automatic. If he was able to change to 1-up mode while in motion his bike is not operating as designed.

I've seen this instruction/information b-4. In the owners manual of one of the BMWs I've owned recently that were ESA equipped.

 

LISTEN TO ME KNOW AND BELIEVE ME LATER

 

IT"S WRONG. You most certainly can adjust shock damping while the bike is being ridden. I did it/ do it all the time.

 

However, you can't adjust spring pre-load while on the fly. The bike must be running, stopped and in Neutral to adjust spring pre-load.

 

REPEAT AFTER ME

1. SPRING PRE-LOAD

2. SHOCK DAMPING

TWO DIFFERENT THINGS

 

 

D'milan

 

LINKY

 

http://www.mts1200.info/bmw_r1200gs/suspension/esa.htm

 

[Corvallis]

lkraus got the manual correct from what I recall. However, when I drove down the road and change the settings, the computer display shows the change in grey and then after a short pause changes to white to show that the change was excepted.

 

The time that I changed the 2 up mode to solo was done at a stop light so maybe it's only the soft, normal, hard setting that I've changed during a ride. When I mentioned to the BMW dealer that the manual said 'The damping cannot be adjusted while the motorcycle is being ridden' he was surprised and said that this feature could be changed on the fly on previous models. I don't know if that's true or not, that's just what he said. And it's good that it does change, because when the road conditions change I want to change the suspension without pulling over. As far as the load setting, I can't see changing that on the fly unless my wife falls of the back.

 

Unfortunately I am on the road, the motorcycle is at home, and so I can not do a test ride for a couple of weeks.

Dealer is wrong. He needs to read the manual. His "memory" of previous models needs to be re-calibrated.

[bdfbeemer]

I hit the 600 mile break in mileage today. I dropped it by the shop and it should be ready by noon tomorrow. I added the BMW Trunk and Light Kit last week...It is really a nice trunk with struts, lighting, and keyed to the fob and ignition.

 

It has 3 power modes which really don't change available power, but rather how fast the power is added in the fly by wire throttle. I've played with all three, but personally like it on the minimum setting. I find it pretty twitchy when in dynamic mode and find myself waffling on speed when in dynamic mode.

 

The cruise control is amazingly accurate. Very smooth. I learned if you are on cruise and take it off cruise, there is quick deceleration. That's because when you place it on cruise the fly by wire throttle just releases itself to the 0 position. So I have started adding throttle to catch up with my current speed before I release it.

 

I really like the bike. In many ways is much more than my 1150RT. Besides the obvious computer, electrical, enterntainment, and physical changes, it is a very different ride. It actually feels lighter than my 1150. It definitely has a lower center of gravity. You get more wind around the body area, but less wind around the head/face. I prefer the normal setting fof every day riding. I haven't ridden in rain yet. Last years model and this one cna be changed fron soft to firm but you can not change load settingd. Call it spring, damping or whatever. That is what is what happens. You must be stopped to change load settings.

I had a russell seat on the 1150 ( which will soon be for sale here) and I had to slide forward and tiptoe the 1150. The new bike I can flat foot on the seat high setting. There are only two settings, high and low. The seat for me is about a 125 mile seat and I begin to squirm with discomfort. An aftermarket seat is a must. I just need to figure out which one.

 

The headlights are awesome. Those circular rings and headlight are very prominent. It is much brighter than the 1150. Not sure I will need any extra lighting with the possible exception of Hyper-lights in the rear.

 

And for the purist...If you take your hands off the bars at freeway cruise...It still pulls to the left. Felt right at home

 

So far so good. Any regrets...Nope...If I rolled the clock back I would absolutely do it again. In the near future more pictures.

 

Just hold the throttle steady and touch the clutch. Very smooth disengagement. I have found more wind on the back and neck. Notice it more in cold weather.

[Skywagon]

Got the bike out of service today. I tried changing from 1 up to 2 up while moving...Can't be done.

 

OK hope I don't start an oil thread. Service manager told me BMW now recommends synthetic as soon as 600 mile break in fluids are changed. Brake fluid change after the first year, then every two years thereafter.

[FlaJoe50]

I love my 2014 RT

As far as the shift assist I'm still getting used to it. I like the hill assist even here in florida. I have just over 1000 miles on it and most with my son on the back (he loves it to). We rode about 180 miles today after getting it back from the dealer yesterday for its 600 mile service with 826 miles on it. As far as the ESA I'm still playing with it also. I do know that I can put it on 2 up with my son on the back in the SOFT setting for a smooth ride. When he gets off (240LB) and I set back to 1 up the bike will lower about 1/2 inch or so.

I'm not to impressed with the low-beam head light although I do like the twin Hi-beam. I have a 02 R1150R with a HID retro on it that works great. I would like to ad a HID to my RT. I'm just not sure about the CanBuss system and how an HID conversion would affect it.

A couple of things I also want to add in the near future are highway pegs and a drivers backrest. Only having one place to put my feet makes me stiff after about an hour of riding. On my 1150 I could prop up on the jugs for a bit so that used to help on it. I can't do that on my Rt.

One other thing I want to try to figure out is where to attach a trailer? I have a small trailer I pull behind my 1150 and would like to be able to do the same with my RT.

 

I hope to see y'all on the road sometime.

Joe

[fourteenfour]

so plow through menus to turn heated grips on? really?

[Nbtstatic]

so plow through menus to turn heated grips on? really?

 

I use the favorite button for that.

 

NB

[fourteenfour]

so plow through menus to turn heated grips on? really?

 

I use the favorite button for that.

 

NB

 

I need to read up on the manual before getting to interested.

[RT-Flyer]

Picked up my new Wethead last Wednesday and have put right at 500 miles so far, would have been more except the weather has not really cooperated. My dealer, BMW of Baton Rouge had received 3 new WH's and all went in short order with one going to a close friend and riding buddy which I was not aware of. He called and said let make a run to Tulsa OK, retired life is great, I said ok and 45 minutes later he rolls on his new WetHead and away we go.

 

During our ride I just had to try his new bike for a couple hundred mile run ... Mistake!!! ... My 2009 RT had Barbacks, Russell Day Long, Bakup, cruise pegs and was setup perfect for me ... Why would I even consider getting a new bike much less be an early buyer for a new model. Well although the ergo's are not where they need to be for me box stock the handling and ride of this bike are just brilliant. I have had a 2004 RT and my latest 2009 RT that I thought it was my last bike. Also have a 2003 R 1100S which I'm not really sure I need anymore.

 

I visited Baton Rouge BMW after my fatal ride on my friends bike and ask how long before they get any new RT back in stock, short answer, no idea.. Said I would put a down payment on an Ebony edition and let me know if and when. To my surprise he called back couple of hours later and said his rep had found one in the wharehouse and if they listed it as sold it could arrive within 7 days ... Found that hard to believe but 7 days to the days I took deliver of my new Ebony 2014 RT. Thank you Clark and Baton Rouge BMW.

 

The handling on the bike is so light and precise that slow tight turns in confined areas is so much easier you feel you are riding a bike half it's size and weight. But up at speed in the twisty's its point and shoot. At one point I was going thru a set of familiar sweepers at about 65mph leaned over rock solid on the line and my lean angle was about as far as I felt comfortable on my 2009. Looked down and realized I wasn't even close this bike limits and rolled in another 15 degrees of lean and throttle and it felt like if I had knee pads I could have gone in deeper and dragged a knee like a GP bike.

 

The new ergo's at first did not feel good, a little to much forward lean which cause some pressure in my shoulder blades. My 09 was setup to 0 degrees of lean with 91 degrees hip angle and 88 degrees knee angle. But after 500 miles I think a better seat with the Bakup will would work just fine with the option of drop pegs to open up my hip and knee angles if after my first long trip later this month, Lafayette La to Shasta Lake Ca forms ride in appointment for a my new Russell seat.

 

I did have misgivings about making this change because of all the time and experimentation that went into getting my 2009 RT setup. But after 500 miles I have absolutely no regrets and look forward to many miles with smiles with new machine. This the best BMW I have ever owned hands down. I have pulled panels and Tupperware and breaking the bike down is also a much quicker and simpler task.

 

The downside is the radio / Bluetooth setup. My old Cardo G4 works sometimes but the Bluetooth for music is poor. A friend just purchased a new Cardio G9X and it has a BMW Pairing mode, actually you can pair to 2 phones or one phone and the BMW. Has an jack for earbuds/ monitors and will stream audio to The Pillon if paired to another G9X. My significant other has no interest ... Oh well.

 

I want better audio quality than the BMW / Alpine Bluetooth unit seems to be capable of at this time so I pulled the speakers apart yesterday, 5 screws per side 2 external trim and 3 speaker mounts, and I am installing a 3.5 mini jack for my monitor earplugs that I wear all the time. I might even unplug the speakers because I will just will never use them. On another GTL/ GT forum there is talk of a software upgrade to address the Bluetooth audio quality, I hope that does happen but I still prefer the direct audio quality to the normal loss even in the best of BT systems.

 

If you test ride one of these beauties ... THEY GOT YA!!

 

 

[C Wallace]

First day riding my wethead. Upgrading from an '04 RT which was a great bike, but so far this one is simply amazing. Looking forward to being past break-in and spanking it a bit. Trying to figure out the shift assist, and I know this sounds doubtful, but it seems the faster and harder I pull up on the shifter the smoother the upshifts. Downshifts are smooth and I love the little rpm blips as I'm slowing to a stop. Haven't really played with the audio, and truthfully it's the one thing I could probably have done without. I had a low seat on my old RT, but this standard seat in the low position works pretty well. And strangely, it's pretty comfortable. Scrolling thru menus to turn on grip and seat heaters was a little frustrating but now takes a second. Has anybody figured out how to display range on the NAV V? There's a place for it on one of the pages, but it just shows dashes.

[Skywagon]

If by range you mean distance to go to desination, go to settings, punch map&vehicle, then go to dashboard and select the one that best suits you. I selected the one that has on the bottom:

 

arrive in x miles, Arrival time, Elevation, speed.

 

I punched elevation on the home screen and changed it to direction. Those settings are what I use most.

 

If by range you mean fuel...you can set that on the bike to show on your panel. If you want that on your gps, it's just as estimate as you tell it how far you can go versus really measures fuel. That page on the navigator I'll have to hunt for tonight. It is there as set my range for fuel reminder at 240 miles and empty at 300.

 

[ADulay]

I want better audio quality than the BMW / Alpine Bluetooth unit seems to be capable of at this time so I pulled the speakers apart yesterday, 5 screws per side 2 external trim and 3 speaker mounts, and I am installing a 3.5 mini jack for my monitor earplugs that I wear all the time. I might even unplug the speakers because I will just will never use them. On another GTL/ GT forum there is talk of a software upgrade to address the Bluetooth audio quality, I hope that does happen but I still prefer the direct audio quality to the normal loss even in the best of BT systems.

 

RT Flyer,

 

You would have thought for all the improvements on this bike, the least they could have done was add an "audio out" jack for another 50 cents or so.

 

With that said, I would be very grateful if you would document your installation of the 3.5 mini jack as I also use noise cancelling ear buds and the audio jack would be just what I need.

 

AD

[Caractacus]

I want better audio quality than the BMW / Alpine Bluetooth unit seems to be capable of at this time so I pulled the speakers apart yesterday, 5 screws per side 2 external trim and 3 speaker mounts, and I am installing a 3.5 mini jack for my monitor earplugs that I wear all the time. I might even unplug the speakers because I will just will never use them. On another GTL/ GT forum there is talk of a software upgrade to address the Bluetooth audio quality, I hope that does happen but I still prefer the direct audio quality to the normal loss even in the best of BT systems.

 

RT Flyer,

 

You would have thought for all the improvements on this bike, the least they could have done was add an "audio out" jack for another 50 cents or so.

 

With that said, I would be very grateful if you would document your installation of the 3.5 mini jack as I also use noise cancelling ear buds and the audio jack would be just what I need.

 

AD

 

 

RT Flyer, type....... Hard wired audio with pictures .......in Google and look for the BMW website. Someone has done this with pictures. Good Luck. Let us know how it works out.

 

 

Back on track..... Has anyone engaged the traction control yet or the ABS. Just curious if was a surprise when either engaged or if hardly even noticed. I test drove a Harley with ABS and the time between the pulses of the ABS were way too long. If I would have been in a turn and engaged the ABS, I think it would upset the suspension enough to cause a serious pucker moment. (Note: By no means am I trying to compare a Harley to a BMW from a suspension performance perspective, just making an observation about the speed at which the ABS pulses at).

 

My on order 2014 RT is suppose to be in-port (New York) as of today.

 

 

.

[bdfbeemer]

The ABS is defaulted to on. I haven't noticed any pulsing. As for traction control it also is on when you start the bike. I haven't experimented with that yet. I haven't ridden in the rain yet. I plan on trying dynamic this weekend.

[Kitsap]

I’ve spent the last 5 days commuting in torrential rain and heavy winds, this a commute to work report. Weather protection for the lower body is not quite as good as the former model but head buffeting is less. The hand and bun warmers work flawlessly as does the ABS as I found out yesterday. NPR comes over the SENA unit without fuss and the guys at work think my new ride looks “bitchin”. I need a taller seat, BMW has catered to munchkins with this one. That is all.

[CaptainB]

Well, finally after looking at my new RT sitting in the garage for a week the weather finally cooperated. I managed to get in 20 miles solo after work on Friday and 120 miles two-up on Saturday.

 

OK, for some perspective I am coming off of a Harley Electraglide but a rather well sorted out one. Race Tech suspension front and rear, cams, PC5 etc. My previous ride was a 2003 FJR1300 and my riding and racing experience spans 45 years. I still road race vintage solos and sidecars.

 

On my solo run in "soft" mode the first few New England pot holes jarred my back unmercifully. Thank goodness it had to be attributed to brand new "0" miles suspension, because after 8-10 miles or so it smoothed out nicely. The solo ride didn't do much to form any impression. It just wasn't long enough, and I was so taken aback by the tech that my attention was seriously taxed. The power was smooth and controlable and the bike felt incredably light (duh, coming from the Harley).

 

Saturday, after trying my damnest to twart my wife's advances , we climbed aboard together and set out to show off to a few friends and grab some lunch. It topped 60 degrees here in Southeastern Mass. To avoid too much distraction I set the radio on the local C&W station, the suspension on "Normal" and the ESA on ROAD, and rode. OMG... the more we rode the better it felt. My wife is a rider herself and a pretty good passanger but even in the twisties I had to keep looking back to see if she was still there! (I threw my Harley "if you can read this the bitch fell off" shirt away). The two-up ride is phenominal. If I can say one thing about the RT is that it consistantly inspires confidence. It's still in break-in so I tried to be gentle with her, but I am an agressive rider. I could wrestle the Harley into keeping up with my BMW and Japanese friends. No wrestling necessary, not even with a passanger. Even without fiddling with the suspension in search of the "perfect" setup the ride was flawless. The front tire remained perfectly planted even on sketchy surfaces (I have Pilot Roads) the rear tracked perfectly as well and the brakes are incredable even with 350 lbs. of meat on board. The Shift Assist is actually cool! 1st to 2nd, even 2nd to 3rd not so much but damn, in the upper ranges of the transmission it is slick as .... Sounds like a well tuned automatic transmission. I tried the hill brake but only once or twice, it worked, that's all I can say. I was a bit concerned with ride position when I purchased the bike because my knees would ache on long rides with the FJR, but no sign of a problem yet (the journey is but a fetus). I may opt for the Surburban Machinery peg lowering kit before I attempt a long milage, multi-day trek. Overall I am very impressed. The only complaint I have to date is that the "media" compartment won't hold my cell phone when it is attached to the media outlet. It's just too small.

 

Yesterday (back in the high 20's, gotta love New England) I tinkered with the SAT radio (no free trial!!! what's up with that?) and oliviated the phone/music problem. I downloaded all of my music from my phone to a thumb drive, plugged it into the USB on the bike and voila! all my music is now on the bike's system. I also paired my Scala Rider headset to the bike and my phone to the NAV via the Garmin Smartphone Link App. I was happy to find that even though I am mixing bluetooth signals the bike media works well with the headset and the phone signal overrides the music when it rings. Now I can listen to my music and keep my phone in my pocket (where it fits!)

 

Hope you all appreciate my long winded first impressions Tomorrow it is supposed to get back to the 50's so maybe the new ride will make it's first commute to work! Thanks for "listening", pictures to follow.