H2 SX SE test ride. A different perspective?

[Phmode]

See if they've got a nice Kwacker as a part ex, you could test ride it instead of a loan bike 

[richtea]

Well, maybe. But I can't say I like the H2 design, but the spec looks good.
What I don't like:
- ergonomics not quite as good for me as the K, according to cycle-ergo.com and from sitting on it at the NEC
- unnecessary plastic styling things (pointy bits!)
- chain
- price
- I haven't knackered the bike I already have. Yet.

But one to consider, in 3 or 4 years time. Once you lot have got it refined for me. 

[Matt]

Yeah I think £550 is about it. I'll go for you'll get an R1250R and when you get back they'll ask, "how was it?"

H2 design I thought this:
1. The screen looks wrong. Just look at the photo with it next to mine.
2. Yeah a lot more plastic. Although the garage guy said it cost nowhere near 2k when one of their owners dropped it in the garage. Obviously 'cheaper' plastic than BMW hehe
3. From some angles it looks great. The pub photo front on I think it looks rah. Much like the k has good and bad angles.
5. God I like lists lately sorry.
6. I'm trying to come to terms with chains. As it's that or a boxer.

Your last point is the best. But then I'm only 12 and... what are 12 year olds... impatient!

Apparently Kawasaki only put that... I forget what the guy called it, logo on the front of their most super premium overpriced products. So if you ride past a tunnel drilling machine with one you get the nod.

[black-k1]

I have to agree about the styling. I don't like the front end. Remove the first 20% of the fairing and replace it with the twin headlight front end of the Z1000SX and Kawasaki would have, IMHO, a winner.

The screen on the SE and SE+ is taller than that on the straight SX. The standard SX screen is closer to the K1300S screen and, I think, slightly better looking.

I assume Matt that your demo ride included the occasional opportunity to, at least partially, give it its head on some … er … private road. If you did, then there's no way a boxer will light your fire after that. There's something about almost 200bhp that really cant be matched by any BMW twin!

[Matt]

Sshhh I'm trying to forget that as quick as I can!

[Andym535]

BMW meanwhile have another take on the Sports Tourer. They call it 'Concept 101'. Looks to me like the designer had been watching old Chevy Chase movies and based it on the Wagon Queen Family Truckster. I mean, when was the last time anyone though 'what this bike really needs is wood side panels'?

[richtea]

https://www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk/en/experience/stories/tour/concept-101.html

'...elegant, exclusive, extroverted and pure cruising power.'

Oh my giddy aunt - it's a Bagger that's been Buggered.
That is not designed with the UK in mind.

[black-k1]

If any of the Old Gits had that on our recent trip to the Dolomites, they'd have been trying to get the front wheel around the hairpin two bends ahead of the rear wheel!!! For cruising long straight roads across Arizona or Texas  then that may be an excellent choice, but for tight mountain switchbacks …..

[gibbo]

...so £15k is really not that expensive.

Ooo - ouch! It's all relative.

In my opinion, bike and car prices have gone slightly nutty in the past 10 years, and I suspect it's a combination of PCP and house prices.
House prices make it near impossible for 30 somethings to buy a home, so "Sod it, I'll get a car/bike on PCP since I can afford that way of showing the world I'm doing OK, and it makes me happy". Fair enough - I'd probably do the same.

Hire purchase was always there back in the day, I know, but not with the same sleight of hand as balloon/GMFV payments, limited mileage, etc.

Back to bikes, excluding the secondhand nature of my recent bikes, the last one I bought new was £5k in 2004, and it was a 1000cc 120BHP Aprilia Falco sports tourer - not a sought-after model, but plenty capable.

UK inflation was at 2.3% * 15 years, so that would be £7k in today's money.

The nearest I can relate that to is a Dorsoduro 900 which is £9k new with a mere 90 BHP, or a Ducati Supersport at £12k and 110 BHP.
One is underpowered, the other overpriced by it's badge.

So where's my bargain sports tourer of 2019 now?


Oh, I ranted. Sorrreeeee. 


Off-rant and counting to 20, I have shelled out on a BMW which was bloody expensive secondhand, but I have more disposable income than 15 years ago (and less flexibility!), so I've accepted it. With a harumph. 

That's an easy question to answer Rich. Swing your leg or whatever over a ZZR and just see how similar it is to your Motorsport in everything but the chain thingy. No gimmicks adorn this bike. 

[Belco100]

Not completely appropriate as its not an SX, but look what will replace that iconic Kawasaki scene in Top Gun 2:

[Phmode]

Matt, your critical post above, bullet 1.

If you look at my screen, it is closer to the Kwack than the stock screen on yours. It's effectively a double-bubble and ot either works for you or it doesn't.

However, since I don't spend any time staring at my bikes and dribbling uncontrollably anymore (and I didn't spot spit on the fromt of your Halvarssons on the Wrinklies, so maybe you too have stopped) then what the screen 'looks' like is less important than its function.

[Matt]

Hey Bri. Good point and yeah, it wouldn't in itself make me not buy it! Whether I want wind or not I don't know anymore anyway!

Gibbo: during my fun trip to Kawasaki I amusingly heard from one employee that the zzr would be ending too - during a convo about the k. Then I heard from another fellow employee that it'd be continuing!

I did hear also there'll be more supercharged bikes, but that was kind of obvious.

[richtea]

But anyway yes. Let's see how my valve clearance check goes.

Ah, yes. I'm having one of those tomorrow at NOG - an 18k service, but a little early at 16.7k miles since the last owner failed to make good use of it.
But I've made up for him. 7k miles in its first 2.5 years - then 8.5k in 1. One thing a K does well is encourage decent mileage. Not good for the planet necessarily, but good for my well-being, until service time comes around.

Place your bets on cost & loan bike:
I'm going for:
- £550 Yiaooow. 
- F800 GT

Well a bit of a win, and a bit of a lose:
- £392 for a 18k service. Yippee. Something about some free oil offer. Thanks NOG!
- a magnificent G310

[Lembu]

I want to go slightly more mental and try the MT10 next.

Please do.  And lets us know how you get on.

I'm now wondering about how it would be to live with an unfaired bike - Ducati or Yamaha.  I tried the KTM 1290 but for me it felt like sitting on a chainsaw.

[Phmode]

I tried it when I test rode the Honda CRF 250L and even with a whopping 24bhp it was unbearable so I wimped out amd bought the Rally instead...fairing heaven.