R1200GS Adventure riding impressions

[Bone Stockman]

Well I've got about a thousand miles on Helga, and I figured I'd post some musings.

All the good stuff I said about the RT transfers to this bike. Let's start with the powertrain, shall we?

I freaking love the Camhead Boxer with all my body, including my pee-pee. It's a great engine that makes (generally) awful sounds but feels great (think Kim Cattrall in Porky's). It's got a poopload of torque, and a reasonably linear power curve that makes for ridiculous fun on winding roads. It's aided and abetted by a lower final drive ratio and a lower 1st gear ratio than the RT. It adds a little more buzz at highway speeds, but it's a freaking rocket off the line and out of a corner. Power-on wheelies are almost too easy. The sound quality is better than the RT. I have no clue why, but it sounds throatier and less tractor-like. It sounds, dare I say it, almost like a real motorcycle.

The riding position is more upright than the RT. There's virtually no weight on my wrists, and no issues with my back. Less knee angle too, which is nice. The seat is a vivd reminder of how cruel the Germans can be. No fooling, the stock seat should be used on the residents of Gitmo. The controls fall easily to hand, with turn signals on the left and right controls as God intended them. Unfortunately, there's a button on the right to cancel them. For whatever reason, Harley remains the only motorcycle manufacturer on the planet than can make a decent self-cancelling turn signal.

The ESA suspension is really a wonderful thing. Preload choices expand to 5, damping remains at 3. "Comfort" has the bike floating over everything. "Normal" is a touch softer than I'd prefer, as is "Sport". But it's damn good for a one-size-fits-all solution. There's over 8" of suspension travel, and that pays HUGE dividends over rough stuff. It's not quite as buttoned-down in the twisties as the RT, but then again my toes aren't dragging the ground in corners anymore. With a proper Ohlins suspension, I have to believe there isn't much that'd catch this bike on a winding mountain road.

Though the passenger seating seems a bit spartan, Dana reports that she's completely comfortable back there.

All in all, so far so good. I'm more comfortable, and the bike's way more fun. Should have listened to my wife and bought the damn Adventure from the get-go.