Triumphrat

LightningJack · 06-02-2008

I rode my brother's R1100S last week. I thought it handled well, as if it were on rails. However, I did feel as if I were wrestling with the bars as well. I think it's due top my not being accustomed to a sport bike.

iansoady · 06-03-2008

Interesting we both rode the same model - maybe it's a feature of the R1100S rather than a general BMW trait.

zebulonsmith · 06-03-2008

I much prefer the old airhead BMW's to the new telelevers. You can sit on an old /5 or /6 all day with no discomfort and they will run forever. I tried out a few 11's and 12's and didn't care much for the handling, hence the '03 Tiger I ride now. The GS went from being a wonderfully nimble little mule when they first started making them to the elephant-sized behemouth that they're selling now.

sgt-pluck · 06-03-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by zebulonsmith

I much prefer the old airhead BMW's to the new telelevers. You can sit on an old /5 or /6 all day with no discomfort and they will run forever. I tried out a few 11's and 12's and didn't care much for the handling, hence the '03 Tiger I ride now. The GS went from being a wonderfully nimble little mule when they first started making them to the elephant-sized behemouth that they're selling now.

I have/had both (owned 2 1150GS's and still have an airhead /7). The /7 is a dreadful machine! Handles like a pig, and is a lot less reliable than BMWs' reputation would have you believe. Luckily they are extremely easy to work on. Useless brakes. It's not uncomfortable though. The motor has nice lazy, lolloping kind of ( lack of ) power, but I'd take an 1150 over an airhead any day. 1150's are pretty easy to work on too. Just my two penneth...

Pluck

fatal · 06-03-2008

I currently run a BMW R1150GS (had it about 5 years now) and a new 1050 Tiger that I bought last year.
At the time I bought my GS I tried out Tigers as a couple of friends owned them, the handling of the tiger was nowhere near as good as the GS, and the Tigers had too much fork dive, but the Tiger engine felt much better. I bought the GS over the Tiger because of it's superior handling, shaft drive, hard luggage system and ease of maintenance.
When the new Tiger came out I was smitten by it's looks and the fact that it was intended as a pure road machine, none of the off road pretences of the earlier model. I find that the 1050 model is so completely different to the old style Tiger, it feels more compact, agile, more powerful, and the handling significantly better, and dare I say even marginally better than the GS.
I now use the BMW as my winter touring bike and commuter, the Tiger is now my summer bike and long distance tourer.

fatal · 06-03-2008

Sgt Pluck, I've owned a couple of /7 BMWs, a 1979 R80 and a 1978 R100S, I replaced the standard shocks with Koni dial a rides, fitted a fork brace and also progressive fork springs, with the power wound on throught the bends I found the bikes to be pretty good. I also used to run an R80ST for a few years, that was a hoot of a bike on bouncy twisty alpine roads, probably one of the best handling 'airheads' ever made, sorry I sold it, then again there are many bike I've regretted selling, wish I was wealthy enough to have kept them all.

Nigeh · 06-04-2008

I had a BMW K1200GT and thought it was a great bike to ride, when it was not having something fixed!!! Not a reliable bike and tarnished my feelings toward to BMW brand.

As a mate said to me BM make a pleasure of breaking down by 'upgrading' you to the next model up vehicle whenever you break down and treating you well. I have to say my experience of their customer service was excellent I rate them 10 out of 10 for CS and 5 out of 10 for product.

I test rode several 1150 GS adventures as really thought I wanted one until I rode it, lumpy, slow, very very tall. Had to ride it like a two stroke changing gear all the time to get it to go.

A mate has a 1200GS and we swapped bikes the other day, he took my 955 Tiger for a spin. I was glad to get back on my Tiger. The BM does handle well I agree but even with the 1200 engine it is still lumpy and power is weaker than the Tiger and nowhere near as smooth.

I was gutted about the 1150 adventure as I still like the looks of it and also the huge following they have, have you seen the UKgsers forum?

Anyway really happy with the Tiger and its Thunderbike extras so sticking with it for a while longer.

TigerBonnieRich · 06-05-2008

I have two Beemers. An 1150 RT, and a K75RT.

I have been very dissatisfied with the 1150 RT. It seems the present BMW technology and improvements are about as reliable as a new version of Microsoft software. BMW has a way of not listening to it's customers. My 1150 lost the gearbox at 6000 miles, and surged to the point of making low speed handling a balancing act.

I don't think you can compare the handling to the Tiger. High speed handling, I would give it to the 1150. Anything other than that, my 05 Tiger smokes it. Reliability? Tiger, hands down, compared to the 1150. Ultimate long term reliability? The K75 is the one to beat.The only tripple BMW produced,and they dropped it. Go figure...

The Tiger has alot more wind noise than the 1150. It's just shapped dfferent.

On the fun meter, the Tiger kills em all....

blacktiger · 06-08-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pickaxe

1
Just to balance it up a bit. The transmission is far better on the BM

That's why I had to get my airhead gearbox rebuilt every 20~25K miles. Tiger's OK with 50K on it. Yeah the Tiger's change is a bit notchy but it hasn't broken yet.

Having ridden a rental R1200GS for 3200 miles around the USA West coast, I wouldn't buy one. It went alright but at times it was like riding a bucking bronco what with the torque reaction, the sudden clutch action and the enormous amount of transmission snatch. If my Tiger had that much slop in the chain I'd stop and adjust it! Also, far too expensive to pay for all the gimmcks they fit.