[Spike]

As some of you would know, I sit in wait of my new K12lt.
Still another nine days to go.
However Niel at our local BMW dealership offered me a R1150RT for the weekend just to help me though the drought. You don't realize how much you like something until you can't do it for a while. I worked Saturday till 2.00pm so went for a ride on my own later in the afternoon. The seat was on a funny angle and I kept sliping forward into the tank. Tried to see if it was adjustable but couldn't work it out while on the ride. When I got home I had a decent look and found the Lock on the back of the bike that removed the back seat, then you can remove the front seat. Found the seat adjuster thingy and raised the front of the seat. Ride today was much better. Cathy came with me today, we only did a little over a 100klm but it was very enjoyable. Went up a new road running from Peachester toward Maleny, Steep narrow and very winding. Not all that smooth but the suspension on the RT was great. Some fantastic veiws of the Glasshouse mountains and coastline from this road. Stoped in Maleny had a drink, then rode up the Tourist road across to Mapelton and back home. I think this will allow me to make it to the delivery date without to much emotional damage..
Thanks Neil and thanks to Coastline BMW

Regards to all Nick

 

[Dezrae]

Nick,
Im not toally familiar with the spots you mentioned, but i have been on some of the roads on my VFR800 a few years ago round the glass house maintains and enjoyed it.
only a few more days for me and i have 4 days off for a ride....


mmmmmmm....


cant wait

 

[Spike]

G'day Dezrae.
I don't remember if I told you already somewhere along the line but I had a VFR800 myself for four years. Did around 55,000klm on it. Only thing that ever went wrong was the regulator rectifier?? no idea if thats spelt correctly.
Other than that it never missed a beat. Cathy and I had a lot of good times on it. Even just before I sold it people would think it was a new bike, Ive got to had it to Honda they make a quality product. I'm hoping that the LT will prove to be good fun machine as well. Listening to all the reports on this site is encouraging. I think I'm going to have to slow down around the corners though. Even with the RT I rode today I was scraping the centre stand around the corners. I'm pretty sure the LT will have even less ground clearance. Nearly 8.30pm have to go to bed soon, work in the morning.

Catch ya later Nick.

 

[cws]

Nick,
I found that I was scraping the centerstand etc too on the first rides.
Make sure you've got the rear pre-load wound right down (ie, physically down to near the bottom stop mark for 2-up) and get your tire pressures up (the folks in the US all seem to recommend 42psi front & 48psi rear - cold) before you go for serious ride.
Makes for a slightly harder ride, but will keep some of the metal off the tarmac for a bit longer..... unitl you get used to the bike, that is ;-)

 

[Dezrae]

Nick,
Yep you have mentioned you had a VFR 800 previous. I had over 65,000 kays on the clock when i sold mine. I read plenty of reports of riders from overseas with the RR fault (regulator , rectifier) going kaput. the VFR750's were a lot worse for it though.

I miss my VFR now and then. I miss the sound of the gear driven cams on the V4. Some people used to hate the whistle it made, but i loved it.

Backing it off round a corner a little probably wouldn't hurt i guess. Remember the VFR is a sports tourer, the LT is more of a tourer.

Any plans for modifications to your LT when you get it or just keep it plain jane and ride the wheels off it?

I dont know about all LT's but id like my LT to have an extra 4 or 5 cm ground clearance. everytime i look sideways at a speed bump im bashing them with the crash guard under the bike. Rather be hitting that i guess then leaving motor all over the road.

mmmmm... maybe i could put helium in my tyres and just float over the speed bumps instead ;-)

Dez

 

[cws]

with you there Dez.
I had a light fuel load last night, 1-up, tyres near correct (high) pressure, and took to my favourite sharp right-hand 90 deg corner at the end of the strip past Brighton-Le-Sands.
Could usually lay the old bike over a bit and go round it at about 75k, last night was scraping my heel of all things at about 55-60k. Just a few more cm's would be lovely!
Hmmm, must remember, be restrained with age...... not!

I dont know about all LT's but id like my LT to have an extra 4 or 5 cm ground clearance. everytime i look sideways at a speed bump im bashing them with the crash guard under the bike. Rather be hitting that i guess then leaving motor all over the road.

mmmmm... maybe i could put helium in my tyres and just float over the speed bumps instead ;-)

Dez

 

[Spike]

Goodafternoon Gentlemen.
Dezrae There are a few things I think I would like to add to the bike but they will have to wait till I can afford them.
I think a riders backrest would be good for the long rides.
I found the screen on the bike I took for a test ride was not that good to look through and have read that some of the aftermarket screens are a lot clearer and distort things less. So that may be something to look into. Depending on the luggage carrying capacity of the paniers and top box, maybe a carry rack might come in handy. I would also love a GPS as every time I hit a city I get lost.
So basically I suppose there are some bits an pieces I would like.
Chris I will make sure I wind up the pre load and keep those tire pressures up and see how that goes. I have read on this site where people have installed aftermarket suspension and this has all but cured the grounding of the bike. I would be surprised if it could be that good, I think it depends a lot on what you are used to riding both the VFR and the K1200s had heaps of clearance and I never bottomed out anything even at very interesting speeds.

Catch you all later. Nick

 

[Dezrae]

Nick,
Instead of a rack, why not make your own trailer?
the parts are available here in australia!

As for a back rest id love one as well. as soon as i can find a headrest to modify and fit to my LT.
I do like the ideas from this site though on how to do it.

I have spoken to every wrecker in the district to get a headrest from a Holden Vectra and cant get one. :-((

Dez

 

[jake]

How many sleeps

G'day Spike,

Not long to go. Your going to love the LT. I stepped up from the 1150RT to the 03 LT, Then we totalled that and moved on to the current LT. The RT is superberb and handles brilliantly but the LT is very much refined and long haul roads you just can't get any better. My partner loves it and feels more secure. Women always get their way. As you are doing, I read as much as possible on the LT Good and Bad. The current model certainly handles better in the tight and slow stuff. Look closely at tyre pressures.

 

[dronning]

LT ground clearance is 3.5" - beware of speed bumps

While the ground clearance is only 3.5" you can lean it over in the twisties quite far. I have scrapped a peg on occasion but you are having some real fun when you do.

Dave

 

[Spike]

Well guys it's only two and a half day to go.
Should pick up the bike on Monday around lunch time.
I'll be leaving work early that day!!
If the whether is looking OK Cathy and I will be of to Stanthorpe for a long weekend. She will be ready for her first service by the time we get back. I'm really getting excited now. I haven't had a bike for nearly 5 weeks.
I think I'll take it easy for a while till I get to know this bike a bit better before attempting the pegs to the road style. Mind you when I took the 05 for a test ride we hit 165 and had the centre stand bottoming out on some of the corners. But now I know more tyre pressure and Max out the pre load. Oh wait a minute I'm going to take it easy remember!!

Cheers all Nick

 

[onions]

Hey Spike, just don't do what I did a number of years ago when I first bought my first BMW, a K100... Despite not having riden for a number of years and riding a new bike for the first time...I thought it might be a good idea to head straight down to tackle the Great Ocean Road...brilliant...NOT! I was about 4 kms into the ride, took a sharp left immediatly followed by a sharp right...however the bike and I decided not to stick with the road...lucky for me it wasn't the side with the 100 foot cliff...

The moral to the story (apart from the fact that I can be a real idiot) is to take it easy till you are confident on the bike...

 

[Spike]

Hi Onions
Did you get my PM

Don't worry I don't really plan on going to fast to soon.
I just did that with my K1200S. I was lucky to survive, the bike on the other hand didn't. I don't want to try that again in a hurry. I hate walking!
Thanks for your thoughts.

Only one and a half days...................

Nick

 

[Dezrae]

Nick,
My 4 days off are almost over. I only managed to get out today for 6 hours riding instaed of the planned 4 days, but i got truckload of stuff done round the house though.
I found some nice local roads cloase to town for a good ride. some of them i never knew existed. the joys of living here now, i can go exploring.
with a bit of luck i will have another 4 days off in 2 weeks time,the rumour at work is im heading south for relief work in Mackay for a few days.

Sorry, but i know i promised photos of Whitsundays, but not this time :-(

 

[Spike]

Hi Dezrae
Never mind about the photos, I'm getting good at waiting for things. New bike tomorrow around lunch time I hope.
I was bragging on the main K1200lt site the other day about the great weather we have and hardly ever being rained on etc etc, and what do you know it's rained for the last two days. I hope it fines up for delivery day as a knew bike with new tires on wet roads will take the fun out of the fist few miles.

Good to hear you got a lot of house work out of the way, but really you got to get your priorities worked out. Ride first work later. Aren't you married?? What are you doing working around the home?
Please don't show my wife this post, not that i'm scared of her mind.

Anyway good to hear you got some riding time in. I'll try and take some Photos of the new beastie and post for you all to take a look at.

Regards Nick.

 

[Dezrae]

Nick said to Dez:

Good to hear you got a lot of house work out of the way, but really you got to get your priorities worked out. Ride first work later. Aren't you married?? What are you doing working around the home?
Please don't show my wife this post, not that i'm scared of her mind.

Anyway good to hear you got some riding time in. I'll try and take some Photos of the new beastie and post for you all to take a look at.

Regards Nick.

Dez said back to Nick:
Yes Nick i am married, but see my wife is no fool. She has a motorcycle licence and her Mum & Dad have been riding for years so she knows full well that bikes come before everything else.Thats why she put the foot down and told me to get my rear end in to gear and get stuff done round the house *BEFORE* i went riding!
Looking forward to the pix of your new ride. Now remember, no burnouts, or wheelies or stoppies for the first 3 blocks after you left the dealer to let the bike come up to operating temperature.... after that you can ride it like you stole it

 

[Spike]

Stoppies on a K1200lt now that would be interesting.

Nick

 

[Steve_R]

I was bragging on the main K1200lt site the other day about the great weather we have and hardly ever being rained on etc etc, and what do you know it's rained for the last two days.

I saw that comment over on the main board. I promise not to tell anyone.

 

[Spike]

Thanks Steve.