Menus
- Biker test: Jean-Paul
- Contact
- Protection
- Start-up
- Handling
- Braking
- In the city
- In high mountain
- On national or departmental roads
- On the highway
- Duo
- Consumption
- Maintenance
- Tires
- Baggage
- Conclusion
Biker test: Jean-Paul
Purchased
new in August 2002, this is my twentieth bike, all
large-capacity road cars.
It follows a Triumph 1200 Trophy which brought me
55,000 km of happiness and that I regret a lot. So why have
exchange ?
My personal counter read 59 years and I am short of legs (1.67
m). I compensated for my small size by a solid musculature (ex-champion
weightlifting). This eventually softens with age
and I was starting to find the Trophy a bit heavy at
maneuver at a standstill when loaded.
So I wanted something manageable, easy going
(easy mechanical access and gimbal), and maintenance
not too expensive. Several hours of labor for
change the spark plugs, or the lack of a center stand as it is
the case on some recent motorcycles, for me it is prohibitive.
So I turned to the typical road: a BMW R1150
flat.
So why the RS and not the RT ?
Quite simply for a matter of weight and space. The
RS is thinner and weighs 40 kg less than the RT.
I chose the color silver gray and aesthetically, I
find her beautiful.
I added the following BMW options to it:
– ABS evo electric braking
– on-board computer with fuel level, watch, temperature
oil and digital speed display
– dual-intensity heated grips
– suitcase rack
– 2 suitcases of 35 liters
– BMW tank bag that I replaced later
by a more spacious and practical Bagster.
– lockable oil filler cap
– Teflon engine guards
The base price is around 12,500 euros, but with the options,
we arrive at 15,250 euros (100,000 F).
By the way, I am a cross-border worker and there is a very large dealer
German BMW 30 km from my home. I noted that
some accessories were significantly cheaper in Germany
just in France. Examples: a suitcase 250 euros in France, 180 in
Germany, lockable oil cap 60 euros
in France, 25 in Germany.
On the other hand, labor is a little more expensive in
Germany.
Contact
The
driving position is slightly sporty.
On the RT, the bust is straight and the handlebars close to the body.
On the RS, you have to look for the handlebars much further, the grips
are drooping and the bust slightly tilted towards
the front. A little confusing for me at first, but
we get used to it quickly and I have already done 1,000 km
during the day without problems.
The handlebars and the saddle are adjustable. Considering my small size, I have
position the handlebars as far back as possible and the saddle
at the lowest level. Despite this, the saddle height is
limit and I can not put both feet to
flat on the floor. The footrests are located exactly at
the knees vertical and at a standstill I have to
to place the legs, either in front or behind the footrests.
Despite everything, it is not very annoying due to
very low center of gravity and balance
general of the bike that never gives the impression
of wanting to knock over her man at a standstill when she
take shelter.
The movement of the motorcycle by hand and the jacking
on the central are disconcertingly easy,
same motorcycle loaded. The center of gravity is very
low saw the engine flat and it handles like a bicycle.
Protection
Protection is excellent despite a less enveloping fairing
that on RT. The screen is manually adjustable by means of a
very practical wheel. The middle position is very suitable
well at my 1.67 m. I keep an air stream and the visor
of my helmet remains clean. In winter too, it is very good
and the heated grips are awesome.
Start-up
Good if the battery is well charged, bad if the motorcycle has been
immobilized for four weeks without running and without recharging the battery.
It takes energy to shake the two big bowls.
There are many electrical elements that
come on as soon as the ignition is switched on, but these
elements switch off (including light) automatically
as soon as you press the starter to recover
on as soon as the engine is running. Near the footrest
left pilot, there is a socket to recharge the battery without any
disassembly (awesome). I bought from BMW a
special charger that can be left permanently connected,
since it switches off automatically when the battery is full
and starts running again as soon as it starts to weaken
(cost around 110 euros in Germany).
A good investment; so the battery is always top for
that it starts well.
Handling
The bike fits in the bends by itself. With the engine
boxer, we have the impression that we are turning on the wing with
a plane. The shocks are quite firm, but the comfort is
excellent in all circumstances. In short, it’s perfect.
Braking
Again, I would put five stars. Braking at
electric assistance with evo ABS is fantastic. I do not have
had no trouble adapting to it contrary to what was announced
the specialized press. The brake lever on the handlebars
operates the three discs with load balancer and ABS and
the foot pedal only the rear brake also
with ABS. In the descents of passes on wet roads, one can
jump on the brakes without any apprehension.
In the city
Way.
Handling is good, but the dry clutch is
more brutal than a multidisc in an oil bath and as
the engine is air-cooled, the temperature must be monitored
of oil in traffic jams.
This is indicated by liquid crystals on the computer
on board (fond memories of this heatwave summer by
46 ° in traffic jams in Seville).
In high mountain
Excellent. The engine pulls hard on the intermediates, the brake
engine is powerful in descents and excellent handling.
On national or departmental roads
Up to
present, we might have thought that it was a
perfect motorcycle, but in this chapter I will be very very
critical due to engine / gearbox assembly.
The engine is torquey but the revs are
hardworking, fat beefy soft type. We have the impression that he
is still struggling and we have a trailer of three
tons hanging from the buttocks. At the slightest slowdown, it is necessary
downgrade and relaunch. With the Trophy, I rolled gently
in 6 ° and I passed the trucks on a net of gas without
downshift, with a very large safety margin.
With the BMW impossible. You have to prepare for your overtaking,
downshift at least 5 ° and turn the handle sharply
gas.
Staging
out of the box: an eyesore. The engineer who designed
it only had to be driven in the Bavarian Alps and on the highway
Munich-Berlin.
We normally go up to 5 ° and then there,
a huge hole between the 5 ° and the 6 ° which is an overdrive.
So you have to push the 5 ° at least up to 4000 turns
to set the 6 ° which brings down the tachometer to 3000
turns. 3000 revolutions, i.e. 100 km / h battery is the maximum speed for
hang on 6 ° while at this speed we are at
4000 turns in 5 °.
We always have the impression that the 5 ° is too short and the 6 °
too long.
Ultimately, we can never engage 6 ° on the nationals
and departmental if we want to respect the legal speed
of 90 km / h. Annoying, because at 100 km / h in these times of repression
we are already above the tolerance and we do not pass
no longer in front of the binoculars.
On the highway
Perfect for driving at 130 km / h. At this speed, we’re right on the money
at 4000 turns in 6 °
The engine purrs gently and consumes very little, and it has
a hell of a lot of lengthening up to the maximum speed of 7250
turns. Only here, above 4000 revolutions, it starts to
wriggle (at 140 km / h the mirrors start
to jam) and from 5000 revolutions to vibrate
frankly.
Duo
Correct
nothing more. We did a few kilometers in a duo this summer
in the Sierra Nevada (to save the chain kit of the
Triumph of my wife who was starting to give signs of
aging). Neither she nor I were enchanted.
But it may also be because we hate the
duo, each preferring to ride their motorbike.
Consumption
Essence: I am a backpacker and I ride cool. The consumption
average is in the range of 5 to 5.5 liters per cent. With
a 23-liter tank the autonomy is at least
400 kilometers. The tank is filled by
a fairly long dip tube. For the last two liters, there must be
go slowly to allow time for the air to escape,
otherwise you take it all in the face.
Oil: The flat consumes. Apart from an ex Kawasaki Z1000 J which was
an oil sink, this is my first motorbike that consumes.
1 liter during the first 1000 kilometers of break-in.
1.5 liters in 6,500 km (June holidays in Spain and Portugal)
1 liter in 4000 kilometers (August holidays in the
Alps)
All the owners of 1100 or 1150 flats that I interviewed
these figures confirm.
When you are on the open road, you must constantly monitor the level
of oil and take a spare liter, by the way
very easy to fit under the seat backrest. This backsplash
is quite spacious and, in addition to the original tool kit,
I include a U-lock, a tire repair kit, a can
1 liter of oil, a pair of gloves "special rain
".
The BMW service manual recommends semi-synthetic oil
10/50. During the first thousand kilometers I had some,
but she starts to be very difficult to
find and even BMW does not have any more. We only find
10/40 semi-synthesis or 5/40 100% synthesis. This is
the latter that I use and that I have elsewhere
also put the BMW dealer in the last overhaul.
Maintenance
Service every 10,000 kilometers at the dealership
of the brand (cost of around 300 euros excluding changes of
tires). But, I’m a maniac, and I do one myself
intermediate oil change at 5,000 kilometers.
Tires
Michelin
Original Macadam 90 changed at 4,500 km (still good,
but I was going on vacation and I was afraid they would do
not the distance). They made the happiness of a friend who did
not much money.
Replaced by much better Michelin Pilot Roads. They now have
11,000 kilometers and visually barely marked
through wear and tear. On the other hand, when driving it feels
by a small resistance to the setting on the angle.
Other replaced part
The front fender. Coming back from vacation I noticed
a chip of paint on the front fender. Okay, I had to
take a pebble and I’ll have it touched up. But, looking at it
closer I saw that the paint around the chip
was slightly wrinkled. Would she not have
can’t stand the hot Andalusian sun ?
I showed it to the dealer who reported it
to the BMW regional inspector. Mudguard changed
under warranty without any discussion.
Baggage
Well.
- large Bagster tank bag
- Large space under the seat backrest (much larger than
that of a friend with an R1100 RT) - Two large 35-liter suitcases, BMW option. They are very
easy to set up and it’s crazy what we can
fit in there. Unlike other models of the
brand, both suitcases are the same size. - If necessary, you can still attach a duffel bag across the
saddle and two suitcases.
The two suitcases absolutely do not feel when driving. By
on the other hand, you have to be careful when unbalancing the power plant
charge. Seen the TV, the motorcycle does not dive, lands
on the front wheel like a piece of wood and tends to tip over
to the right. So I kick out sitting in the saddle when
the motorcycle is loaded.
Conclusion
It is a serious motorcycle, with a very good finish and
full of little practicalities. A practical rolling machine,
economical, clean and very mechanically accessible,
but which gives me less pleasure than my previous ones
motorcycles.
In a way, and without being too trivial, she is a beautiful woman,
nice, perfect hostess, but who does not bend
!
| Strong points | Weak points |
|---|---|
|
|
An essay by Jean-Paul
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