Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'barb'.
Found 2 results
-
Barb and I are down in Murfreesboro TN at our daughter's house. My son-in-law and I got to talking about the bikes he has test ridden, and the topic of the BMW 1600GTL came up. He'd gone to the Nashville dealer (Bloodsworth) and looked at it, but it was raining that day so he couldn't go for a test ride. Today we went up there and Barb and I went for a ride. It sure is a lot different than a MKII first Gen!!! The luggage is pretty small. The travel trunk is real big on the outside, but it's 2 layers, so the inside is way smaller than the MkII. The sadle bags have a real neat mounting system. They go on and off the bike in about 2 seconds flat. The motor is fantastic. Super smooth and unbelieveable power--everywhere. I ran it from a 3000 rpm run in 1st gear. You could feel the computer cut the power back whenever it would start to lift the front tire. Even in 6th gear from 55 mph, the power is great. Barb says it doesn't souind like a motorcycle though. The transmission shifts good, but there is a lot of gear lash in the driveline---way worse than either my 89 or my 83 with 150K on it. It turns great. Really great. I think it's because of the front suspension. The brakes are way too touchy. If you are old enough to remember getting into your friends early 60's Olds. or Pontiac and coming to a screeching stop while just touching the brake pedal, that's what the BMW brakes seem like. Even when I was trying to stop real gentle, it was an abrupt stop. There is some time delay between the throttle by wire and the motor responding, but it's not too bad. The passenger portion of the seat comfortable, but it took Barb some time to get used to it. She liked the seat heater, but says the back rest was terrible. I hated the front seat, but it had the shorter one. The dealer says he thinks he'll get a higher seat in soon. The wind protection from the fairing is no where as good as the first Gen. You have to use a bluetooth if you want communication with your passenger. I didn't play too much with all the toys, except I did switch the damping on the suspension. In the comfort position, it rides smoothly, and it gets stiffer when on normal or whatever they call the higher position. There is a lot less passenger room compared to either a 1st. or 2nd gen. If I left anything important out, please ask away..... Frank D.
-
I've got the upgraded starter drive installed, the new stator, and also a different rear wheel with good bearings and it runs great. The new starter drive by Dano works fantastic. It engages really clean and positive...no more noises of things slipping. Took the bike on a 50 mile ride yesterday and it feels great. No oil leaks and no new noises. Today I had to put on a new rear tire because my Avon had a plug in it and Barb and I are taking off for a week. The only tire I could find was a Dunlop K591 with Harley Davidson written on the side. The dealer only had one that was a little wider 150x80x16 so it was a b**ch to get in. It was so wide that I had to let the air out and PUSH to get it to go in. It has enough clearance when the shaft drive coupling engages but there isn't much room to spare on the left side at the suspension linkage coupling. I was worried how it would feel, but actually it turns very good. A lot better than the K491 did. The thread looks like a k491, but it's quiet so it has to be a little different. The price surprised me.....$130 from a dealer and only $22 to mount and balance it. For that price I let them do it. Anybody know anything about this tire?? How long do they last? Right after church tomorrow morning, Barb and I are heading south. We're going to meet our friends in the southern tip of Illinois and then spend next week in Arkansas and probably stop in Branson. Hot Springs and Mountain Home were mentioned, but we're only bumming, no schedule. Heck, we might even get to the casinos in Mississippi a little. Frank
