Is motorcycling allowed?

[Allrounder]

I think it is called the x factor because no one knows what it is. 

 

The GS is very very predictable. It is really difficult to explain. You can go fast and you can go slow. The single 650 have so much torque that you can do anything from 40 to 160 in 5th gear. 

 

Its a bike that can do everything. I like the reliability of it, and it is so easy to fix. The single also have plenty of vibrations. 

 

Back to the x factor, i think it is different for everyone. A GS is a very common bike. If you meet a new biker and they hear that you have a gs, you can see the disappointment in their eyes.  

 

On a more serious note, I took my little bros z800 for a spin the other day, that inline 4, sho, just starting it gives your heart a bounce. and then the fun factor, you have to work the bike. The GS is like i said, easy and predictable, and only needs you to stay upright. You need to work the z. You can not just lean at a round about, you have to pull the bike down with you, otherwise it just goes straight. the 7000 redline, is also kind of a let down. But some people like it some don't. 

Also for me, every time i am on the N1 doing the legal 120, i can not help but to think I am using the wrong tool for the job. Its like doing the tour de france on a MTB.... 

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

X factor has a lot to do with looks too. BMW make some seriously fugly bikes, IMO.

 

The bike should be predictable, an unpredictable bike would not make it fun but scary. Big difference.

 

Take that 650 offroad and the X factor will hit you hard, you have to use the right bike for the right application I think. That same commute on a MT-07 or XSR900 would definitely get you wanting to take the long way home.

[Grebel]

Not sure what the X Factor is TBH... For me there is a sense of excitement getting on your bike to go ride even if it is just to work or the shop for bread. You need to be wide awake (obviously) all the time and alert. Your senses need to be in overdrive. You hear things and smell things that you wouldn't in a car. 

 

I have drunk the orange Koolaid and I haven't ridden a GS so my view might be a bit skewed... Riding a KTM is exciting. You know it is more than capable but you never know for how long Seriously though. I think I have found my happy place on a big bore single adventure bike. The big 1200 would be too big for where I want to go. My wife doesn't ride so it's just me. I don't need to do 200 on the highway. Heck I hate the highway! The 650 class is big enough to load luggage and still go fast enough when you need to.

 

Why do I ride? Because it makes me happy.

Edited September 11, 2018 by Grebel

[sawystertrance]

Unpredictability ain't good. I had a Kawasaki 500 triple back in the day and was never sure whether I was going to get around the corner or it was going to flex us both into the outside of the bend. And I became quite good at guessing whether or not the brakes would stop me. 

 

Is that the kind of x factor you talk about, Allrounder? Haha. If so, thanks but done that. I like the feeling I get when the bike does what it is supposed to do. Boring? Perhaps, but I've used up some spare lives already thanks.

[sawystertrance]

X factor has a lot to do with looks too. BMW make some seriously fugly bikes, IMO.

 

The bike should be predictable, an unpredictable bike would not make it fun but scary. Big difference.

 

Take that 650 offroad and the X factor will hit you hard, you have to use the right bike for the right application I think. That same commute on a MT-07 or XSR900 would definitely get you wanting to take the long way home.

fugly?

How can you call anything with eyes as cute as this fugly?

 

 

[Allrounder]

X factor has a lot to do with looks too. BMW make some seriously fugly bikes, IMO.

 

The bike should be predictable, an unpredictable bike would not make it fun but scary. Big difference.

 

Take that 650 offroad and the X factor will hit you hard, you have to use the right bike for the right application I think. That same commute on a MT-07 or XSR900 would definitely get you wanting to take the long way home.

 

 

Unpredictability ain't good. I had a Kawasaki 500 triple back in the day and was never sure whether I was going to get around the corner or it was going to flex us both into the outside of the bend. And I became quite good at guessing whether or not the brakes would stop me. 

 

Is that the kind of x factor you talk about, Allrounder? Haha. If so, thanks but done that. I like the feeling I get when the bike does what it is supposed to do. Boring? Perhaps, but I've used up some spare lives already thanks.

I think Steven has the best summary. predictable and safe but bleh.... there is nothing special about it. 

[Joe De Beer]

Barry,

What sort of commuting do you do? Is it the Duke single you have? If so, just for comparison, one of my colleagues bought one as his first bike and for commuting. We both think it's a nice bike but he suffered badly in the wind here in Cape Town and also got bullied around by cars. I don't think that for commuting it has enough "presence" on the road and car drivers tend to ignore bikes which don't catch their attention for one reason or another.

I commute from Centurion to Pta CBD, so no proper highway riding. Maybe presence will be important there but for my commute I have enough power to be where I want to be in traffic.

 

The commute is easier than with the K1200S on the other end of the scale

[IceCreamMan]

I commute from Centurion to Pta CBD, so no proper highway riding. Maybe presence will be important there but for my commute I have enough power to be where I want to be in traffic.

The commute is easier than with the K1200S on the other end of the scale

I sometimes commute on my RF600 into London, a round trip of around 100 km’s. It would be so much easier on a lighter bike like a duke 390 or similar. Think today was my last commute on the RF to be honest. Just to much traffic an I get held up a lot as the bike is ponderous at slow speed. The first 25 kms in is a pleasure as it’s highway riding, the next 25 is hell.

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

Let me just elaborate that the predictability should be around the handling and what the bike will do. Not necessarily to do with reliablity.

 

As an example, my previous bike (a 800 Tiger) was awesome. I literally bought it and a week later did a trip to Port Elizabeth from Pretoria.

My current bike (a Yamaha TRX 850) is probably as reliable but I don't have the same confidence for whatever reason. Maybe the bikes age, who knows. The TRX has lower mileage......

I did a track-day weekend recently which was just over 300 km in total of which 120 were on the track. The bike performed faultlessly except for running out of fuel coming home.

My Tiger definitely had an X-factor, purely from that brilliant motor. The TRX more so but I think more because it is so special being so rare, you literally will not see another 99 times out of 100.

My RD350 has an X factor too, mostly because something that handles and brakes so poorly should not have that much poke. Its reliability is also a joke, I call splutter splutter bang bang!!!!!

 

My dads blackbird was dull as dishwater.......

[sawystertrance]

I sometimes commute on my RF600 into London, a round trip of around 100 km’s. It would be so much easier on a lighter bike like a duke 390 or similar. Think today was my last commute on the RF to be honest. Just to much traffic an I get held up a lot as the bike is ponderous at slow speed. The first 25 kms in is a pleasure as it’s highway riding, the next 25 is hell.

 

Are you allowed to lane split? Do you do it? Is it even possible in that traffic?

[IceCreamMan]

Are you allowed to lane split? Do you do it? Is it even possible in that traffic?

 

You can lane split, perfectly legal. Everyone does it here, bicycles, scooters, motorbikes everyone going for hte gap. Its like a motogp first corner. (and london is nowhere as hectic as cities in asia, i ad mit that)

 

Problem is my bike just aint suited for the traffic..its lethargic and the rider is a lil hesitant going for small gaps....a smaller more mobile and nimble bike/scooter would be way better. And to boot, if the trains are running on time public transport is probably quicker. In mid summer the bike is perfect, leave in sunlight at 05:30 and problem free ride to work. Now the sun only ocmes up a tad later so i ride in the gridlock. Certainly beats a car but not a train/tube/walk.

 

Being an old bike i also feel guilty subjecting it to running on the fan in the city.

[sawystertrance]

I see. Got to admit I don't like fairings and I would feel constrained with one in traffic. Where do you ride from/to?

[IceCreamMan]

I see. Got to admit I don't like fairings and I would feel constrained with one in traffic. Where do you ride from/to?

From Guildford, 33 miles each way. Half on the A3 motorway. Costs me around 7 pounds a day in fuel. Train costs 25 and still have a 6km walk in total.

 

Edit: from next year,Sadiq wants to place a carbon tax on all vehicles entering the congestion area older than 2007. The tax will be around 12 pounds on top of the congestion charge (not applicable to motorbikes) making my commute 12 pounds more expensive. Will def not use the bike if this comes into play.

Edited September 11, 2018 by IceCreamMan

[dirtypot]

I used to commute into London on a whole bunch of different bikes, but any sports bike was really just a waste.  Part of my trip was along the A41 which is pretty much a race track for bikes between the lights   but even so the bigger bikes with fairings weren't as fast overall as I was on the supermoto and even that was slower than a Honda SH300i scooter that I had for a while.  It was surprising how quick that little thing was.  And with a skirt thing, hand things and heated grips it was made for being a winter commuter!  Even cornered well.  But didn't have the X-factor.

[sawystertrance]

From Guildford, 33 miles each way. Half on the A3 motorway. Costs me around 7 pounds a day in fuel. Train costs 25 and still have a 6km walk in total.

 

Edit: from next year,Sadiq wants to place a carbon tax on all vehicles entering the congestion area older than 2007. The tax will be around 12 pounds on top of the congestion charge (not applicable to motorbikes) making my commute 12 pounds more expensive. Will def not use the bike if this comes into play.

Where does the congestion zone start? Couldn't you ride as far as, say, Richmond, and then tube from there?  Or even a British rial station outside the zone and catch the Crossrail?

[IceCreamMan]

Where does the congestion zone start? Couldn't you ride as far as, say, Richmond, and then tube from there?  Or even a British rial station outside the zone and catch the Crossrail?

It’s an option I guess, one I have not thought of. Will sus that out as it’s a good one. Maybe cycle to a station closer to London.

 

Thanks