In my fifth year of owning the Conti 650 GT, the time for “change for the sake of change” had arrived. I thought the Conti would be my forever bike as it had the classic style and fitted my frame perfectly.
We’d embarked on many 1000 kilometre plus adventures and even after a long days ride, when we hit the twisties in the mountains, the knees hugged the tank and often the boots scraped the curves and much enjoyment was had.
I’d had a day each on 2023 models of Bonneville Street Twin/Speed Twin 900 and 1200, as well as a T120. These have great engines and very economical for their size. However, I found the heat blow-back onto the rider, as well as the jerky fuelling, was a deal breaker for me. We have a sub tropical climate and summers can be brutal. I always enjoyed getting on the Continental after handing the Triumphs back.
Similarly, I had a day on a 2023 BMW 750 GS Sport, fully loaded including trick electronic suspension. This bike rode beautifully over the bumpy valley roads. She was 227 kg with a seat height an inch or two, too high for me, thus too top heavy. Even with the lower seat option, I felt it may still be too top heavy. Once again however, the heat, especially around my left boot, was searing after only twenty odd minutes! The runout model price was stupidly cheap given the specs, but it didn’t “do it for me”. I wanted the modern classic style.
All these bikes were ridden for hours through the valley roads out behind the Gold Coast hinterland, familiar roads I’ve ridden many times on the Enfields (and Yammies, Ducati, Hondas and Suzukis).
The Honda 919 was mentioned in an earlier post and I owned one for a few years. I loved that bike which we called a CB900 Hornet down here. I found it a ton of fun in the hinterlands and valley runs.
I concluded that the classic styled water cooled bikes just ran too hot.
I wanted air/oil cooled and that’s when the RNineT came into the mix.
Too pretty - too expensive - no mudguards to keep the cow pats and mud at bay - too thirsty - stupidly expensive accessories….. There were plenty of reasons to strike it off my list.
However the wonder of “life with a boxer twin” had me procrastinating over this BMW, for about the last year or so. But at the asking price, I daren’t even test ride one during this time for fear of loving it!
It’s worth mentioning that my introduction to, and first ever ride on a motorbike, was on an R60 in the mid ‘70s. I pillioned on the back of this BM’ for over a thousand kilometres each way, for a “lads only” trip to camp at the iconic Mt. Panorama, Bathurst, for the great car race. Such a fantastic experience.
So it is that the BMW R60 Boxer started my passion for motorcycles………….maybe something subliminal there……….
A couple of weeks ago, in at the dealership, a black RNineT, 2023 model was just added as a demo. She had the heated grips, cruise control, Classic tubeless wire wheels and some sort of intelligent head light option included. As a “runout” model (with barely thirty kilometres on the clock) she had five years warranty and roadside assist. As a demo, she had three years full servicing for free. Then a massive price reduction to boot. (I did the sums in comparison with the coming R12 and the R12NineT but could not justify the extra coin for those.)
This was the opportunity I’d been waiting for - IF a test ride showed it fitted me and the fuelling was as smooth as the GT 650, and lack of heat transfer matched the 650. The test loop was the same as I’d tested the 650 on originally so it was a fair comparison - a mixture of suburbia, twisties and motorway.
The BMW was just as easy to ride as the Conti and the transition was seamless.
She’s 221 kg but this weight is so low and with a seat height similar to the Conti, not at all noticeable or problematic. Wheeling it about the garage, whatever, is very easy.
DEAL DONE!
The Conti sadly went. It will be missed!
As purely a leisure rider and never a commuter, I’d travelled more kilometres on her than any other bike I’ve owned and thoroughly enjoyed it!
I will be looking at the 650 Shogun and the R12 at some time in the future too, but no hurry just right now!
Topic: Modern Motorcycles (Read 2548 times)