Today's steed (S1000XR)

[richtea]

And warming the thread through, here's today's 2021 S1000XR loan bike (with the original 2018 one below):

The 2021 one:


And the 2018 one:


All the plastics look different, brakes are different, exhaust is different, pegs are different. In fact I'm struggling to see something that's the same.
That will be fun in 10 years time when trying to find the correct part.

Oh the forks maybe the same. Ah, and a big LCD panel. I liked it, but it doesn't improve the bike - it's just info. Sticking one on a K wouldn't make the K better either.

Is it any better than the 2018?
No:
- same buzziness, possibly a bit less (defo less than the 2016 one)
- same single riding position only
- still very good suspension, but I'm not used to diving forks! I like the solid feel of a K1300S
- brakes are better than a K1300S
- it's significantly harder to manouevre then the K - it feels heavier, possibly because it's taller?

It's one of the closer matches to a K, but it's still not got it beaten, after 12/16 years.
Hey ho.

[Matt]

It is supposed to be a whole new bike, other than the engine though!

That is disappointing! And coming from you, the official 2020 Bike Walker, it's concerning to read it's so much more difficult to move about. Have you moved about a GS ever? I find that rather easier than the K. And I am Mr Bike Paddler generally, but now do it properly more often with the GS.

The forks point I am annoyed about. We've been spoiled! I need some of our apostates to pop in and say you're making a big deal over nothing :p.

[black-k1]

One of the issues that (for me) BMW have always had is that they make their suspension too soft. On conventional forks that makes for more dive than might other wise be seen on other makes of bike.

A set of slightly heavier springs (or even just some more pre-load) may help reduce the dive.

Fork dive was one of the issues I was concerned about when I moved to the H2 SX. However, with a well set up suspension, it's not been an issue, even for the other K1300S riders who have borrowed it from me!

[Matt]

One of the issues that (for me) BMW have always had is that they make their suspension too soft. On conventional forks that makes for more dive than might other wise be seen on other makes of bike.

A set of slightly heavier springs (or even just some more pre-load) may help reduce the dive.

Fork dive was one of the issues I was concerned about when I moved to the H2 SX. However, with a well set up suspension, it's not been an issue, even for the other K1300S riders who have borrowed it from me!

Phew! Brian said I should get your bike too, so it's all coming together .

Also: I've found your soft-spring observation to be true for my GS, though saying that I'd expect out of all the BMWs that would be the softest bouncy ride. Although my understanding of suspension is not so great, so maybe i'm confusing comfort with soft. In any case, i'm in Dynamic 90% of the time, and Road is too bouncy/reboundy unless i'm properly trying to eek out the tank range and forcing myself to either go slow or bounce off the seat a lot.

Now i'm not commuting i've got no easy excuse for visiting the BMW dealers every 2 minutes, so a ride on the XR will have to wait /

[farmer]

a shiny red and black trallie ...i should love that, but i don't.
i think it's the colour coding design on the pannier, is it just me or does it give a slightly moped feel ....

[richtea]

Phew! Brian said I should get your bike too, so it's all coming together .

Love it. Bagsie I'm second.

Also: I've found your soft-spring observation to be true for my GS, though saying that I'd expect out of all the BMWs that would be the softest bouncy ride. Although my understanding of suspension is not so great, so maybe i'm confusing comfort with soft. In any case, i'm in Dynamic 90% of the time, and Road is too bouncy/reboundy unless i'm properly trying to eek out the tank range and forcing myself to either go slow or bounce off the seat a lot.

I should have said I had the suspension in 'Dynamic' mode. Whatever that is, but I presume it's not 'Bouncy' mode.

To be fair I should reiterate it's a good bike. I've ridden far worse. Competent, swift, but not quite right.
I suspect I probably want an S1000RR, but with leg space and a higher-than-tummy fairing - hereinafter to be known as the S1000RRXXXL.

[chriscanning]

Always viewed my brand new X/R in 2016 as the best starting point i’ve ever had on a bike, but comparing it too a K frankly is bonkers unless one spends their life on a motorway.

[richtea]

Always viewed my brand new X/R in 2016 as the best starting point i’ve ever had on a bike, but comparing it too a K frankly is bonkers unless one spends their life on a motorway.

In that case you'll absolutely love the 2021 XR! It's a definite improvement over the 2016 one.
Go and test ride a 2021 one for us, so we can have a proper owner's review, rather than my ramblings. 

[Matt]

How was it for riding slow? I found my day on the last model was this:
Ride home leisurely: "I don't much care for this bike"
Ride back to Alton at warp speed: "I love this bike!"

But I do enjoy bimbling on the GS for 220 miles between covid petrol stops.

Fricking bikes. I know the answer is have multiple.

Edit: this has made me come back to liking the Motorsport colours though. But maybe not 18 grand like!

[richtea]

Slow riding was fine - I just found the massive moment (as in the 'force*distance' moment) of wide bars something of an anomaly. I don't need that much leverage, and I kept ever so slightly over-correcting by a mm. It's something I'd grow out of after a few rides, I'm sure. Fast or slow, it was good quick handling - I just had to think twice about the fork dive which in turn changes the bike geometry. Again it's something you'd get used it.

The bits that I couldn't get used to are the seat, the forward footpegs, the vibrating mirrors at 70mph, and so on.
Who OK'ed the design/weight that lets them vibrate at 70mph, and not at 45mph or something mundane?
I put my left foot tilited backwards onto the centre stand at first. Oh, where's the bloody footpeg.  Forward forward forward - oh, there. Hmm.

Of course, it could be me that's the outlier, not the bike. But I'm so normal, it couldn't be that. 

[chriscanning]

Any bike that has been passed by the TUV as OK means i’m Not going to be happy with it, because without even getting on the thing I know it’s going to have a glitch in the fuelling.

Best decision I made with my 16 X/R was no ESA, the rear shock went in the loft and was replaced with a Wilbers, it’s only now being confronted with electric on my KTM that I realise what a bloody good decision the non ESA on the X/R was.

Went the same route with the X/R as all the others,Akra headers,Power Commander with custom map,Dymags, 3 seats before I found the right one, heavy bar ends,change of hand guards and various other bits and and bobs, it’s nothing short of an absolute wonder,will pull from under 2000 revs in top gear even when two up...and I mean pull WELL.

Down side...hmmm, certain no good for the short arses of this world and can have a frantic feel about it if you think about things too much, but of course i’m Saying that with multiple bikes.

Gone exactly the same route with the KTM, but what the solution for the suspension...god knows, but the K remains under a dust sheet cannot even remember the last time I rode the thing even though it has gone through the same R&D process as the others...but a long motorway journey might change that, but on normal roads requires way too much effort...even with Wilbers and carbon wheels...and clearly i’m Getting lazy in my old age.

[Matt]

Slow riding was fine - I just found the massive moment (as in the 'force*distance' moment) of wide bars something of an anomaly. I don't need that much leverage, and I kept ever so slightly over-correcting by a mm. It's something I'd grow out of after a few rides, I'm sure. Fast or slow, it was good quick handling - I just had to think twice about the fork dive which in turn changes the bike geometry. Again it's something you'd get used it.

The bits that I couldn't get used to are the seat, the forward footpegs, the vibrating mirrors at 70mph, and so on.
Who OK'ed the design/weight that lets them vibrate at 70mph, and not at 45mph or something mundane?
I put my left foot tilited backwards onto the centre stand at first. Oh, where's the bloody footpeg.  Forward forward forward - oh, there. Hmm.

Of course, it could be me that's the outlier, not the bike. But I'm so normal, it couldn't be that. 

Hah!

I did similar with the GS regarding centre stand, and still do occasionally. Though maybe I'm just checking it hasn't fallen off.

Yeah the seat setup seems a bugger. I enjoy being able to move about with the GS long seat, and being able to change its height and angle.

Oh well, the main thing is we're all completely normal. And unique. And definitely special and not normal at all.

[richtea]

...can have a frantic feel about it if you think about things too much, but of course i’m Saying that with multiple bikes.

Gone exactly the same route with the KTM, but what the solution for the suspension...god knows, but the K remains under a dust sheet cannot even remember the last time I rode the thing even though it has gone through the same R&D process as the others...but a long motorway journey might change that, but on normal roads requires way too much effort...even with Wilbers and carbon wheels...and clearly i’m Getting lazy in my old age.

Ah, 'frantic' and 'lazy' - you got me on both words!
The XR is a bit frantic, you're spot on. That's fun for an hour, but I reckon that would be quite tiring on an all day ride.
I tend to get faster through the day on the K. I suspect I'd be knackered on an XR by the end of the day. I need a lazy bike. 

[black-k1]

...can have a frantic feel about it if you think about things too much, but of course i’m Saying that with multiple bikes.

Gone exactly the same route with the KTM, but what the solution for the suspension...god knows, but the K remains under a dust sheet cannot even remember the last time I rode the thing even though it has gone through the same R&D process as the others...but a long motorway journey might change that, but on normal roads requires way too much effort...even with Wilbers and carbon wheels...and clearly i’m Getting lazy in my old age.

Ah, 'frantic' and 'lazy' - you got me on both words!
The XR is a bit frantic, you're spot on. That's fun for an hour, but I reckon that would be quite tiring on an all day ride.
I tend to get faster through the day on the K. I suspect I'd be knackered on an XR by the end of the day. I need a lazy bike. 

For me, that was one of the main issues with the XR. While it is 1000cc it's still well down on torque compared to the 1300's. That means that the only way to get comparable top gear roll on is to have much lower gearing. That means that for any given speed, the XR is is running 1500 to 2000 rpm more than the K1300S and about 3000rpm more than the KTM SD1290GT. The result is that the engine always feels frantic in comparison.

One of the features of "frantic" vs. "lazy" bikes (and cars) is that, on the road, the frantic bike often feels faster while the lazy bike is often actually faster, especially if it's being measured over a longer distance with a variety of different road types.

[chriscanning]

Interesting all this chatter about engines and revs completely side stepping the brick shit house proportions of the K...come up against a modern day bike on anything but a motorway..you’ll have your light bulb moment very quickly.

Of course that’s assuming age or inclination doesn’t get in the way, but neither has anything to do the K being bloody hard work ridden up against modern stuff.