So after 3 years of F800ST and maybe I got promoted or something and decided to make the move (April 2013 ish).  I almost green lit the flip out of a lava orange bike at BMW Alton.  Then they decided I had piston slap.  And to go and speak to my usual dealer as my bike is now worthless.  Thanks Alton.

BMW North Oxford were great at avoiding answering this: "so for 3 years I ask each time, 'any piston slap signs' and you say no it's one of the lucky ones, how does this all make sense?".  They were absolutely useless anyway, said they'd raise a BMW UK thing for me and then never said a word.  I obviously chased them for a bit then decided I didn't want to give them money.

So anyway Honda seemed to think it sounded fine.  Although I did get a pants price, I also got a 2009 tricolour K1300S with about 14,000 miles on it.  No electronic suspension here, or extra computer bits.  But it had TCS, ABS, grips etc so hurrah.

I loved this bike.


I did quite a bit of Europe on it too.


Oh and I also finally became a person who changes their exhaust.  About a year before selling I finally got an SC Project italian exhaust thingy for it:


I kept this bike up to about 47,000 and in November 2015 I think, finally it left me.  For the entirety of this ownership (so 2.5 years ish) I'd migrated to using Maidenhead BMW (Thames Valley).  I've yet to be disappointed, and they've even come to pick me up from the office once when I forgot how taxis work.  Also dropped me off a bit when they've had to keep the thing in overnight.

So in 2008 I learned to ride solely to avoid sitting on the back of my mate's bike.  And I bought this new (stupidly).

I had it about 4 weeks before riding it to Holland.  This was a little trip with the owners club 5 or so days after I passed the test.  Scary time trying to keep up with people!


Random fancy shot.


I did 4,000 miles on it in about 9 months, then had a low speed off due to managing to lock the front at 20mph.  I sold it shortly after it was repaired partly because of that and partly because London ain't no fun for riding a bike for fun.

2008 was an expensive year.

So I recently swapped my 09 for a 15 K1300S Motorsport.  That took me from dead PR4s to great condition BT-016s.

Has anyone else had the pleasure of these? 

Initially I had little to comment on them, however with the constant damp and wet, and 1,500 extra miles (so 3,500 total) I've come to think they're a bit poo.  Friday night I had the biggest rear end slide ever, replete with wagging front end and strained bottom muscles.  I'm guessing there was something on the road and it's just bad timing.

But even now I'm finding a distinct wobble at the rear on turn-ins at speed.  My first thoughts are they're getting squared off already, but it's much more pronounced than with the PR4s.

So yeah, I'm losing confidence in these and thinking I'll do a crafty switch to the PR4s before we freeze.

Thoughts?

So I'd had my '09 K1300S for a couple of years and got to 48,000 miles.  Then I got a '15 K1300S Motorsport.

Hopefully the below link shows it before it got wheeled out into the rain.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/clouddrive/share/x6t5WIL8wj5zYpdSzIVzpq3wTXYuZzWdm8PWdqIbRS6?v=grid&ref_=cd_ph_share_link_copy

It's only on just over 2,000 miles now and is awesome.  My old one didn't have... anything bar traction, ABS and heated grips.  So now I'm enjoying playing with the suspension, and shift assist, and the various computer gubbins!

Morning all.  Please excuse my long absence.  I've been... absent.

I've noticed over the last week or so that when I start the bike from cold (morning and evening commutes) if I rev the throttle a bit it sounds... hollow and raspy from the exhaust.  After a minute or so it returns to its usual much deeper rumble/growl from the same throttle blipping.

Does this sound familiar?  I'm running an SC-Project exhaust with the baffle out.  That's been on for a good six months though.  It does seem to pop and bang a bit more recently, though.

My first thought is maybe it's the exhaust flap sticking open, though I was hoping for an amber warning light. 

This is tempting me to pick up the old GS-911, though if there's no code I'll be a sad badger.  I guess I should call BMW!

Today whilst the K1300S was in for getting the gear indicator potentiometer diagnosed I was given some other great news:

"Your rear shock has some slight misting... it's not covered under the extended warranty as the bike is over 30k miles... about £750 to replace... haha why not buy the ex-demo bike for £11.5k."

Now I'm somewhat less than eager to pay £750 quid to replace the thing and am hoping some of us have been in the same boat and have some advice regarding how/where this number can be lowered.

Any suggestions?

Cheerio,

Matt

Does anybody have any suggestion where in Newbury they have bike spaces?  I've never ridden in during daytime so have no idea!