Went for a little adventure the other day with a buddy, hes looking at acquiring an Aprilia Tuono or a BMW R1000R. So we amble on into the dealer, I see this beautiful R Nine T. I sit on the bike, it fits JUST like the CB1100. I asked the salesman if one could be taken on a test drive, he had a demo sitting outside.
I rode it, it felt amazing. No-where near the smoothness of a Honda (opposing two cylinder). 110bhp, good revving. I absolutely loved it. I took it on some of the back roads of SE PA, a very short, few mile trip When I returned to the main highway I figured to give it the goose. I grabbed a mess of throttle, it shot off like a rocket. After I hit the top of second (I was already upwards of 80), I still had 1/4 throttle left to go.
Now, Im a sound kind of guy, I like when my vacuum sounds like a vacuum. This, the ONLY thing I disliked about it was the exhaust note. It wasnt quiet, up high it wasnt bad, but it sounded like a four wheeler. Pop with a rush of air. I didnt particularity care for it. Im not sure if any aftermarket exhausts make it sound better or worse, but factory uh uh.
I highly recommended everyone with a CB go and test ride one of these, its very enjoyable. I dont know, maybe one day ill pick one up.
(04-17-2017, 08:42 PM)BIGGREEK_imp Wrote: [ -> ]Went for a little adventure the other day with a buddy, hes looking at acquiring an Aprilia Tuono or a BMW R1000R. So we amble on into the dealer, I see this beautiful R Nine T. I sit on the bike, it fits JUST like the CB1100. I asked the salesman if one could be taken on a test drive, he had a demo sitting outside.
I rode it, it felt amazing. No-where near the smoothness of a Honda (opposing two cylinder). 110bhp, good revving. I absolutely loved it. I took it on some of the back roads of SE PA, a very short, few mile trip When I returned to the main highway I figured to give it the goose. I grabbed a mess of throttle, it shot off like a rocket. After I hit the top of second (I was already upwards of 80), I still had 1/4 throttle left to go.
Now, Im a sound kind of guy, I like when my vacuum sounds like a vacuum. This, the ONLY thing I disliked about it was the exhaust note. It wasnt quiet, up high it wasnt bad, but it sounded like a four wheeler. Pop with a rush of air. I didnt particularity care for it. Im not sure if any aftermarket exhausts make it sound better or worse, but factory uh uh.
I highly recommended everyone with a CB go and test ride one of these, its very enjoyable. I dont know, maybe one day ill pick one up.
...but could be a hazard to your wallet!
The BMW opposed twin has a certain tractor drone sound to it. It's different that's for sure. I rented an R1200R in Europe for a couple of weeks and it was a nice bike, my issue was, I'm a lugger (there I said it), and all Euro bikes are revvers and that's not my style. I don't like them needing to be over 4000 rpms to run. I prefer my CB at 2500 rpms.
(04-17-2017, 10:03 PM)The ferret_imp Wrote: [ -> ]The BMW opposed twin has a certain tractor drone sound to it. It's different that's for sure. I rented an R1200R in Europe for a couple of weeks and it was a nice bike, my issue was, I'm a lugger (there I said it), and all Euro bikes are revvers and that's not my style. I don't like them needing to be over 4000 rpms to run. I prefer my CB at 2500 rpms.
And that was my issue, it was very....feely. After 3-4k you didnt notice the thumps, anything under it was almost (I said almost) a Harley feel. Combined with the noise, it wasnt a low rpm'er.
But the looks...amazing.
RNineT is my siren song. If the CB were to ever grow old, I'd have to take a hard look at a BMW. Great write up.
I think that's the R9T "pure" which is $12K. I like that it doesn't have the gold inverted forks and it looks a bit more retro than the other R9T models. If someone forced me to buy a BMW, that one would be near or at the top of the list.
I'm old school and always liked the clean looks of the older boxer twins. They were meticulously made and looked beautiful. Also having a motorcycle with shaft drive instead of a chain is a big plus for me.
The looks of the new Beemers, and most other modern motorcycles, turn me off. The first thing that catches my eye is the discoloured exhaust system. It looks like it was done in a hurry by some plumber's apprentice in someone's dark garage.
Then there is the useless cropped plastic front fender and missing rear fender. If it is not going to stop water and other road slop, what use are they? It would be better looking and lighter if the just left them off like modern café racers do.
An expensive motor cycle with a couple of thin pads for a seat. Fine if as far you are going to go is local donut shop to sit around and talks bikes with your buddies. Don't think I could spend a day actually riding it somewhere.
I have tried to convince myself to buy BMW's at least 3 times over the last 40 years and each time a test ride convinced me I didn't want one. I had wanted one since I was a kid, until I test rode my first, a new 1976 R90S. I came home so dissapointed from that ride I was just crushed. My wife could tell you...crushed. I mean I wanted one, dreamed of owning one for 20 years. Then a week later I test road a new 77 Kaw KZ1000 and thought it was great, so I bought it. I had saved up 2K to buy the BMW..I was going to put down $2K and finance $2K (they were $3995). I ended up paying $1888 cash for the Kawasaki. Loved that bike. Very much like our CB1100's. Years later still with Beemer lust, I test rode an used R100/7* and then years after that test rode an 1150 Rockster. Each time nothing but disappointment from the ride. I did fulfill a childhood dream of riding a BMW (R1200R) thru the Swiss Alps and briefly considered buying one when I got home, but realized I am a guy who just enjoys the look of a Beemer, but not the ride.
*I still think the 77 orange BMW R100/7 (just like the one I test rode) is the best looking motorcycle ever produced. Followed by the 67 Triumph Bonneville in Burgoyne and white.
I own a classic BMW Airhead R100S. Love this bike for what it is; classic design and mechanically unsophisticated. But, I would not make this bike my daily rider over my CB1100.
Once upon a time..... I was curious as to how the BMW R1200RT stacked up against my ST1300. So I rented a R1200RT for a day and put 400 miles on the bike. While the BMW had some favorable characteristics, I would not trade my ST1300 for one.