While, as a result of COVID-19 I’ve not done many miles this year, and I (and the other Old Gits) didn’t get to Spain, I’ve still managed a few miles and some significant "milestones".
Firstly, the 15,000 miles service. I knew it was going to be big but that came in at £1088! Ouch! That said, it was the valve check and supercharger end float service. Surprisingly, the valves needed 9 new shims. I must admit I don’t think I’ve ever needed more than 3 shims over the whole time of ownership of any single BMW.
However, the costs needs to be put into context to compare with a K1300S. The H2 SX is serviced every 7500 miles with the “big†service on the 15,000 mile intervals. The K1300S was every 6000 miles with the big service every 18,000 miles. As the H2 SX will have no more service costs to get to 18,000 miles I feel it’s fair to compare to the costs of my two K1300Ss to 18,000 miles.
2013 K1300S Sport - £1135
2016 K1300S MotorSport - £1026
2019 H2 SX SE - £1362
Give a little for inflation and that’s not too bad, especially compared to the 2013 bike.
Now, consider that the H2 SX costs include the fitting of the sprockets when I changed the gearing – not part of a normal service but just under 2 hours additional work – and I got the rear hub needle roller bearings greased this time (suggestions from the USA that these might be a slight weak point if not regularly greased) – not part of a normal service but, again, just under 2 hours additional work – and the servicing costs are very comparable to the K1300S.
Time and more miles will tell if the costs remain comparable but I’ve no reason to think they won’t After all, in just under a years’ time I’ll be factoring in the costs of the BMW extended warranty or the cost of new radiators.
One slightly amusing anecdote, and just to ensure that the BMW owners on here wouldn’t feel too left out if they moved to an H2 SX, I had to have the right hand switch gear replaced under warranty as one of the buttons became "sticky".
I’ve now used the Sargent seat in earnest. It looks great, the seat heater is brilliant and, comfort wise, it is a real improvement over the OEM seat. That said, it’s still far from perfect and will definitely still require the AirHawk “whoopee cushion†for long motorway days across France. The seat really is something that, for me, the K1300S has no equal.
The ECU flash to remove the Kawasaki "neutering" is very noticeable. The Kawasaki ECU program has the engine red lining at 12,500 rpm but, while the twist grip remains fully “open†the throttle butterflies start to shut off from anything above 9,000 rpm. Thus, at 12,000 rpm with the twist grip on the stop the throttle butterflies are only about 20% open.
The new flash gives 100% butterfly opening to the red line. The bike always was warp speed fast but it’s like Kirk has just been given Pickards version of the Enterprise.
Using the bike in "low power" mode (still over 200bhp) gives about the same fuel consumption as the old ECU flash. Put it into "high power" mode and the consumption drops from around 48-50 mpg to 42-44 mpg but the performance is simply ballistic. The throttle is instant on uptake and gives earth moving drive from any speed in any gear. Think it and it’s happened! It’s a real adrenalin rush and extremely rewarding if you’re focused and on your game but, while I love to swap into full power mode for a blast I find medium and low power mode better for general road riding. Luckily, modes can be changed while on the move!
So, after just over a year of ownership, what do I think? The quality is there. The finish is superb and shows none of the 15,000 miles the bike has done. The handling is sharp and quick, making the K1300S feel a little lardy and ponderous by comparison, and the brakes (well, the front brakes) are excellent.
The seat comfort is improved with the Sargent seat but could still be a lot better, however it is a very easy bike to live with. You can ride it fast or ride it slow and it rewards and compliments your riding. It never feels flustered or that it’s struggling to do anything and there is always more there if you want it.
However, the jewel in the crown remains the engine, which has only got better with the recent flash. Instant, controllable, predictable, linear power from anywhere. It’s as close as I think you could get a petrol motorbike engine to an electric motor without removing any of the character of the petrol engine. It really has to be experienced to be appreciated but, trust me, after a K1300S, it really is the next step for a sports tourer.
