Rebooting yet again...
I'm coming off a '99 Connie onto an '03 K1200RS found at Hermy's Cycle (Port Clinton, PA).
My initial reaction from the first test ride was to turn around after about three miles of wind blast and say "this is not my bike". This despite the fact the seating position and overall ergos fit me like a custom suit.
I jumped on an R1100RT and didn't make it the full three miles. What a sewing machine! As I said the sales guy, "this bike feels like I'm permanently riding on a rumble strip". Part of the route was on a narrow country road and part of the route was on PA Rt 61, where I could twist the throttle. No matter what I did... rumble strip.
So I stared hard at the KRS, went back out again, and... bought the bike. At idle, the bike rumbles and rattles like a diesel. But twist the grip and... turbine smooth. The particular KRS I rode (and bought) has wind deflectors from the GT (adds a lip around the tupperware where the grip end of the bars go), GT mirrors (the RS mirrors are tiny and would, IMHO, embarrass a Lambretta), and an Ohlin rear shock. Once I re-arranged my thinking about being back in the wind, I found the bike was, in fact, very much my bike. The power range allows either keeping the engine wound up and really flying or loafing along in 5th or 6th and then winding in some throttle to get a move-on. Handling is, to use a motorcycle review cliche, confidence-inspiring.
Much has been made of the switches. Yes, they are not like the UJM's switches. So what. They're self-canceling while rolling. If I was to pick on one dumb choice for a switch, it'd be the starter. At least for me, there's no "flick of the thumb to start". But, uh, how often does one hit the starter when riding. And a lot less with the KRS' starter, I'll bet.
The throttle doesn't seem overly stiff to me. I use the cruise control but mostly because I know where running over "10 over" is going to mean points and money out the door. In conditions where the traffic speed varies or it's time to play, no worries.
To date, a week after taking delivery, I've managed two 150+ mile rides in varying conditions, plus the 75 mile ride home from the dealer (slab all the way). The saddle is comfortable. The riding position works for me. In short, the bike works.
What would (or will) I change? The headlight, particularly the low beam, sucks. I'm astounded by how ineffective it is. It's just plain dim. High beam is better but it's still easy to over-run the beam at about 50 MPH(!). I'll start by installing a DDM Tuning low beam HID replacement. If that plays well, I'll do the same for the high beam.
The horn... Somewhere in Lambretta-land, people are laughing themselves sick over conning BMW into buying up reject horns. Think of the old Dodge Roadrunner "meep, meep" horn. Now cut the volume by half and raise the note an octave. Somewhere in Lambretta-land... The exact replacement is uncertain at the moment, as the best choice (Stebel Nautilus air horn) is a true beast to install. But the Lambretta reject goat's bleat horns
will go.
As the weather gets colder, a new, bigger windscreen will be mounted. Whose windscreen is also uncertain, although there are only a few good choices.
The shifter lever is simply not adjustable beyond "adjustment A" and "adjustment B". Neither works well with my Combat Touring boots. I'm looking into options.
The brake light strikes me as less than fully visible. I'm looking into a good LED add-on.
Nonetheless, I'm quite happy to dream up any excuse to put in the key, push the starter, and ride this bike. In fact, it's been a while since a bike brought me to wearing a shit-eating grin while motivating down the road. I figure that's good news.
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