single650 wrote:I had a TDM in the past and very much wanted a GS. I now have a Rock. Why?
That beak Bluhh! and its soo top heavy when fuelled up
The rock is really a GS thats closer to the ground and looks so good
I too had a TDM (still do, though it's in pieces now and needs work). I've lusted after the GS since even before I got the TDM, but it was too tall for me then (5' 7") and my short legs. I needed a bike that I could ride on the street.
The GS was still too tall when I got the Bruce (R 1150 R). Yesterday I took Bruce onto some back roads and we went a short ways on a dirt road. There was some sand on that road, made the front wheel go all wobbly for a few moments - that was scary - but the Bruce went ok and I'm not looking for dirt roads but I kinda know what it will do now. I wouldn't mind having the F 650 if I was to do more of that, though.
darcym wrote:Yesterday I took Bruce onto some back roads and we went a short ways on a dirt road. There was some sand on that road, made the front wheel go all wobbly for a few moments - that was scary - but the Bruce went ok and I'm not looking for dirt roads but I kinda know what it will do now. I wouldn't mind having the F 650 if I was to do more of that, though.
Consider your tire options. If Bruce is a Rockster he can run the Pirelli Scorpion Syncs or Dunlop D616 (120/70x17 and 180/55x17) tires that are in fairly common use for Buell Ulysses and such bikes and gain some dirt capability. If Bruce is a Roadster with the standard rear 5" wheel, you can still use the Scorpion Syncs by substituting the 160/60x17 in the rear. You can also change to the 5.5" rear wheel on the Roadster (the silver one from the later R1100S works and matches the front) and run the first mentioned sizes and selections.
I have found the street performance of the D616 to be adequate but will probably try the Pirelli option just to see how well it works. The Scorpion Syncs generate better user comments than the Dunlop D616's do.
How about a compromise?? Anyone fitted GS bars to a Rockster? I reckon that would give me the 'commanding' riding position I liked of the GS but on the Rockster instead. I have seen Roadster bars fitted to the GS but I don't like the bend on those bars.
I looked at the Rockster and loved it's funkiness. Saw the R1150GS and thought it was too much of a PIG to ride. I am not very fond of heavy bikes. I bought the Rockster and a year later, the R1200GS came out. It looks great but still too heavy but it wasn't so bad. I demo the new GS and came out impressed. Then later, they came out with the HP2 and this was the bike I wanted so bad. Slap in a Supermoto wheelz then I'll be grinning all day riding it hard. Reality came crashing down on me head when the HP2's stated price was $20,000!!!! Well, gads, why why why and why does it cost so much!? Man, that bike is how a GS suppose to be. Brr. Ooo well! I hope they mass produce them and reduce the price.
