Re: Ergonomics on the new BMWs

["Clive Liddell" <cliddell@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Tom,
Thanks for the comments which have made me want to get a "second opinion"
this end by test riding another 12GS...  What a pleasure it will be anyway!

Some of the niggles I spoke of could be that this machine was one of actual
initial launch bikes (in SA) which means it has had it's twist grip wrung,
on all kinds of roads, by Journos from all over the world.  BMW (SA) have
sold off most (all?) of these as demo bikes at fair discounts.

I have to agree on the older flasher cancell position (which I am now OK
with) it makes a shiney mark on the soft visor wipe material of my BMW
gloves :)

Regards
Clive Liddell
Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.
'96 R850R   75k.km
'01 R1100RT 50k.km

- ----- Original Message -----
From: Tom Brown <tbrown@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: BMW Oilhead List <oilheads@xxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, December 11, 2004 6:52 PM
Subject: Ergonomics on the new BMWs


> Clive:
>
> >* The engine is SMOOTH and punchy (about 13000km on the bike)
>
> Yup.  With more torque than it oughtta have at most any RPM.   Still, I
found
> a pecular vibe when you put about 1/2 throttle on the thing...just
unexpected,
> but you can ride around this and I got very used to the bike after a
while.
> The one I rode had fewer miles and this may have made a difference.   My
1150
> is smoother now with 20K miles on it than during the first 10K.
>
> >* I was continuously sliding forward on the seat (lowest position
> unfortunately and I didn't want to start rebuilding my friend's bike just
> for a short ride)
>
> My friend rode the other GS all week and the front part of the seat was on
the
> low setting while the rear was on the upper setting.   He rode it that way
for
> 4 days!   I couldn't understand why he was bitching.  We finally
investigated
> and fixed it.   It's possible, even easy to set the front in a different
level
> from the back and it's not good.   I found my seat, correctly adjusted, to
be
> very good and not pushing me into the tank.  I had an 1100RT that did this
> terribly with the stock seat until I shimmed the front, so I know what you
> mean.
>
> >* I REALLY had trouble operating the turn signals and found it impossible
to
> cancell them without half lifting my hand off the twist grip (starting
with
> the newer R1150's and both K bikes I have had some difficulty but the new
GS
> takes the cake).  I did not even try the horn!  Have the BMW designers and
> the rest of the riders in the world all got double jointed thumbs?.
>
> I, on the other hand, HATE the old canceling button that makes you press
sort
> of up with your right thumb.  It hits me right on the cuticle part of my
> thumbnail and is really annoying.  The new button is much much better for
me,
> so are the turn signal levers.  I guess you can't please everyone.   Agree
> that the horn is in the wrong place on both bikes.   Should be a right
hand
> control because I seldom use it and my instinct is with the right hand,
not
> the left.  It's very difficult on both the old and new controls.  I have
to
> think about it and usually look down.   Not good.
>
> I also think that you should be able to flash the bright lights with the
left
> index finger like most sport bikes.   That trigger finger control seems
easy
> to use and doesn't get confused with any other controls.  BMW should make
use
> of this position.
>
> >* The gear change was very good - again just the lever too high which I
> trust is adjustable?
>
> Not sure that it is adjustable.  Should be.   You my have found it too
high
> because you were being pushed to the front part of the seat, because the
seat
> was maladjusted???
>
> >* The area around the front headlight, subframe etc seemed to vibrate (or
> shake or even rattle) but it may be peculiar to this machine.
>
> I think this is something that is easily fixed.   A dealer assembly issue.
> Mine didn't do anything like that.
>
> * The "modern" instrumentation offering 75% useless info also needs
peering
> at to see what's going on especially in adverse light conditions and for
> those of us AARP members :)
>
> Well, when you live with the bike a while, you start to use some of this
> stuff, but I mostly agree with you.   They're using this stuff for three
> reasons.  1. Sells bikes.  2. One of these readouts is actually cheaper
than
> an analog tach nowadays.   The electronics are getting unbelievably cheap,
so
> they can offer all these new functions for less than no money.   3. The
new
> way saves a lot of weight.  Well, not a whole lot, but a few pounds.
This
> and the new brakes and the new digital network sort of electrical wiring
> system make a lot of weight savings.
>
> >I got back on my R850R to go home and it was soooo nice.  Engine almost
as
> smooth, bike (windscreen etc) smooth as silk, all controls very
> ergonomically placed (except ABS and hazard flasher switches).
>
> Well, 850s are smooth, but...Where's the beef?   My gawd, you've got
100bhp on
> that GS and it weighs about the same or a little less than the R.   The
things
> you can do with these things after you get acquainted.   They're
blindingly
> quick and very very agile on and off road.
>
> >The new RT is going to have to be a lot better than the GS to turn my
head
> (not to mention that it has to be better than my old RT as well)!
>
> Well, the GS is better than you think.  I think you didn't spend enough
time
> on it.
>
> -TB

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