"S" bike rider gains new respect for the "GS" [Archive]

View Full Version : "S" bike rider gains new respect for the "GS"

OfficerImpersonator

05-30-2007, 03:16 PM

knary

05-30-2007, 03:29 PM

I'm sure many of you have seen this before, but I just found it.

This is truly amazing tank bag footage of a R1150GS riding the Isle of Man TT. You'll want to watch it three times - once for the scenery, again to see the scenery and see what it's like to ride at high speed on the "wrong" side of the road, and a third time to watch the speedo and tachometer dance on the dash.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3Cu8BZJ_hw

When you write "S" bike rider, I don't think too many people think of the K75S. :D
I liked my K a lot, but if speed is your game, nearly any bike made in the past 20 years is faster (equal riders and all that).

kbasa

05-30-2007, 05:16 PM

screwtop

05-31-2007, 08:52 AM

That was pretty cool, dvandkq thanks for sharing. I don't think I'll try that on my GS, though. That guy must have been a pretty good rider (either that, or just had more balls than skill).

OfficerImpersonator

05-31-2007, 03:41 PM

When you write "S" bike rider, I don't think too many people think of the K75S. :D
I liked my K a lot, but if speed is your game, nearly any bike made in the past 20 years is faster (equal riders and all that).

Are 1965 1/2 and 2007 Ford Mustangs both Ford Mustangs? If so, why aren't a KxxS and a KxxxxS both K "S" bikes?

This wouldn't be elitist new bike vs. old bike snobbery, would it?

Mika

05-31-2007, 03:48 PM

Colloquial use of the language, no value judgment intended.

knary

05-31-2007, 04:14 PM

Are 1965 1/2 and 2007 Ford Mustangs both Ford Mustangs? If so, why aren't a KxxS and a KxxxxS both K "S" bikes?

This wouldn't be elitist new bike vs. old bike snobbery, would it?

Your words, not mine. The gaping distinction between your bike and that GS isn't "S" vs. "GS'. It's 2-valve K-bike vs. oilhead. You could be on a K75RT and that could have been an R1100RT and the chasm between the bikes would have been essentially just as wide. It isn't Mustang vs. Mustang.

kbasa

05-31-2007, 04:28 PM

Are 1965 1/2 and 2007 Ford Mustangs both Ford Mustangs? If so, why aren't a KxxS and a KxxxxS both K "S" bikes?

This wouldn't be elitist new bike vs. old bike snobbery, would it?

Not at all. However, most of the K75S riders I know just call them K75s.

R11S riders, however, call their bikes "S" bikes. R69S, R90S, R100S and R50S riders generally include the full name, not just the S.

Yeah, it's a weird tribal thing, I think.

98lee

05-31-2007, 04:40 PM

When you write "S" bike rider, I don't think too many people think of the K75S. :D
I liked my K a lot, but if speed is your game, nearly any bike made in the past 20 years is faster (equal riders and all that).

Scott,

BMW list the top speed for your "nearly any bike made in the past 20 years" 2001 GS
as 120mph.

It lists the 20 year old K75S top speed as 130mph.:deal

Did I miss something? :dunno

An S is an S. A K is a K. A 75 is a 75. A GS is a GS. They all have their good points. Who cares how fast they are? If you did, you would probably be riding a Suzuki! (I'm glad your not). :bikes

"Can't we all just get along?" R.K. :buds

:dance :dance :dance

OfficerImpersonator

05-31-2007, 05:05 PM

Your words, not mine. The gaping distinction between your bike and that GS isn't "S" vs. "GS'. It's 2-valve K-bike vs. oilhead. You could be on a K75RT and that could have been an R1100RT and the chasm between the bikes would have been essentially just as wide. It isn't Mustang vs. Mustang.

I think I've discovered the disconnect. You thought I was comparing a "GS" to an "S", and I thought you were saying my 16 year old K75S is completely unrelated to a late model KxxxxS.

I was observing that as a rider of a street-only bike, I was very impressed with the capabilities of the GS on a road course as demonstrated in the video. I've always thought my next bike would be an RT-P, but the thought of being able to go anywhere - and still kick the asphalt with the sportbikes - is certainly intriguing.

rcdemon

05-31-2007, 05:20 PM

Ok I'm not sure what the point is hear, but I ride a K75S. I believe it is a lot more rider then what it is that he or she is riding. I have had my butt kicked by 50 HP bikes with highly skilled riders, and have left liter sport bikes in the dust in the twistes . Just my two cents. Drink up!:drink :drink :drink

Mika

05-31-2007, 05:21 PM

At various times in its history the GS has garnered Best Sports Tourer honors in various magazines. In reviews the 1100 and 1150 have always been held in very high regard for their road handling abilities, while being often being reviewed as ponderous off road beyond fire roads.

The video was fun. However; I was struck by how much of the road the GS used/needed to maintain the pace in comparison to the bike in front for much of the video.

knary

05-31-2007, 05:21 PM

Scott,

BMW list the top speed for your "nearly any bike made in the past 20 years" 2001 GS
as 120mph.

It lists the 20 year old K75S top speed as 130mph.:deal

Did I miss something? :dunno

An S is an S. A K is a K. A 75 is a 75. A GS is a GS. They all have their good points. Who cares how fast they are? If you did, you would probably be riding a Suzuki! (I'm glad your not). :bikes

"Can't we all just get along?" R.K. :buds

:dance :dance :dance

So speed doesn't matter, but if you bring it up you're a bike bigot? :ha
Those are some interesting mental gymnastics.

Top speed? They're around the same between the two bikes in my experience (K75S owner for 4 years and 80k miles, 1150GS owner for 4 years and around 40k miles - damn, my mileage is way down since moving to a place I don't hate :D). The K is helped by its fairly slippery fairing and the GS hurt by it's lack thereof. In my high speed runs, I might give the slight nod to the GS for the highest fudged number, but only just.

An oilhead, again aside from perhaps the cruiser, is faster than a K75. This isn't prejudice or snobbery. It's a plain jane fact. My current bike makes nearly half again more power than a K75 (mid 70's in HP vs. mid to low 50's in HP) and weighs less than 10% more. And, yes, neither is terribly powerful compared to a sport bike. Having said that, on public roads where peaky power or better aerodynamics isn't as helpful, a torquey GS is a very very capable machine.

Does this make an 1150GS better than a K75S? That's a personal question. I think the GS is a better bike. I sold a K75S and bought one. You may feel otherwise. Is speed or quickness the sole measure of a bike? Of course not. But they are, IMO, important. If all I wanted was efficient transportation, I'd drive (or buy an RT - sorry Kbasa :ha). Pretending we don't have opinions about bikes - which are best, fastest, coolest, prettiest, ugliest, dorkiest, whatever - is stupid. If we didn't have opinions about bikes and riding we wouldn't be riding. Lastly, is the bike a measure of the rider? Not hardly. Only a fool would draw a hard conclusion between the choice of bike and the person.

geez.

knary

05-31-2007, 05:23 PM

knary

05-31-2007, 05:27 PM

While we're in a pissing match, our own Mr.Eilenberger has been so kind as to post dyno numbers for the K75.

horsepower:55 +/-
torque: 40 +/-

http://www.eilenberger.net/K75S/dyno_k75.gif

BubbaZanetti

05-31-2007, 05:43 PM

i couldn't get burzilla's K75 past 115, no matter how hard i tried:laugh :bolt

knary

05-31-2007, 05:47 PM

i couldn't get burzilla's K75 past 115, no matter how hard i tried:laugh :bolt

Where?
Hell, mine struggled to break 95mph when riding above 6,000 ft.

BubbaZanetti

05-31-2007, 06:19 PM

Where?
Hell, mine struggled to break 95mph when riding above 6,000 ft.

i'd say rt 33, NE of bakersfield, if memory serves

98lee

05-31-2007, 07:33 PM

[QUOTE=knary;211432]While we're in a pissing match, our own Mr.Eilenberger has been so kind as to post dyno numbers for the K75.

horsepower:55 +/-
torque: 40 +/-

http://www.eilenberger.net/K75S/dyno_k75.gif[/QUOTE

Scott,

If you would reread the original post by dvandkq, you would see that he identified himself as an "S" rider (which he is even if it is not the fastest, or most common, or most politically correct, or whatever) expressing admiration for the prowess of this GS and it's rider.

Your response, implying that he had no right to refer to himself as an "S" rider because there were faster bikes seemed a little unkind.

My response was meant to point out that none of our bikes are the ultimate. Your statement about faster bikes could just as easily be applied to the very bike that you ride. But I am not attempting to knock your bike. The GS was never intended to be an all out street bike and it is not. It is an all purpose bike that does many things well. But there are many bikes, even BMWs that are way faster, quicker, nimbler on the street. Does that take away your right to say that you ride a BMW, or an R-bike, or an R1150, or a GS? Not at all. It's your bike and you should be able to enjoy it as you see fit. But you might want to consider the fact that other people should have that right too.

As far as a pissing contest, I refuse to unzip. But if you are inclined to have a onesided contest that's you perogative.

But, watch out for your shoes they can be very slippery on the pegs.

Again "Why can't we all just get along?" R.K.

:dance :dance :dance

knary

05-31-2007, 07:48 PM

beemerron

05-31-2007, 08:40 PM

The rider had balls of steel LAMF. I really liked lane splitting with on coming traffic. Ahhh the good old days.
A fine ride on a fine machine. Could he have done it faster on an "S"? Not an R69 for sure.
Wonder if he had a camping pack strapped to the back?
I kept waiting for him to crash. Thank dog he didn't.

Bravo

beemerron

05-31-2007, 09:09 PM

Are there any good audio quality loops of something like this available? I'd like to run one in my house.

TrailingJack

06-01-2007, 02:55 AM

No "cruisers" in sight.
Not one.
I think I might move. ;)

bobs98

06-01-2007, 08:17 AM

So speed doesn't matter, but if you bring it up you're a bike bigot? :ha

An oilhead, again aside from perhaps the cruiser, is faster than a K75. This isn't prejudice or snobbery. It's a plain jane fact....

Pretending we don't have opinions about bikes - which are best, fastest, coolest, prettiest, ugliest, dorkiest, whatever - is stupid. If we didn't have opinions about bikes and riding we wouldn't be riding....

geez.

I'm getting really fed up with all the BMW bashing here. :doh

Our 61hp machines go plenty fast. Not as fast as some, but faster than some of the older models, at least from the '50s. :laugh

And all of us Chromeheads know that the "Cruiser" is the best and coolest, pettiest and ugliest, but not even close to the dorkiest. We just can't come to agreement on which color is the fastest, even though numerous scientific studies have proven without a doubt that it is, in fact, the Ivory model. :lol

And we don't even have an "S" designation, unless you count the Stiletto. But we do have C Classic, M Montana, E Euro, P Phoenix, A AvantGarde, CL and CLC Luxury Cruiser and Montauk. :confused:

Such fine machines that they stopped making them. :banghead So if you see one out there, wave or stop and say hi. We're a friendly bunch and know others who would like to join our ranks. :clap

And Scott, in case you were wondering, I'm just having a little fun. Thanks for all you do. Hope to meet one day. :drink

OfficerImpersonator

06-01-2007, 01:54 PM

-sigh-

1. He called himself an "S" rider. I've never ever ever ever ever ever heard a K75s rider call themselves an "S" rider. Kbasa's description of who and what uses that term was spot on (as was mine).

2. All of this started with a video showing a bike being ridden very fast. His post of that video and his accompanying words suggests that he gives a -bleep- about how fast a particular bike can be ridden.

Combine those two pieces of information and you have my first post. If you read that as an attack on the bike or the man, that's your own slippery slope lubricated with the humor some people are trying to wring out of this place.

I can't believe I'm having to explain this. Wait... actually I can. :banghead

Scott,

You've frequently taken issue with many of my posts, and so it has become apparent that you have a hard-on for poking holes in what I have to say. That's fine. It's quite apparent that we can't all get along all the time. That's life in a civilized society.

I never once even attempted to claim that my '92 K75S is in any way related to a late model GS. I never compared my bike to a GS. I simply provided my perspective while I watched the video. The only thing the two bikes have in common is a roundel.

If you'll re-read my initial post, this time without the prejudice you always assign to my writing, you'll see that I stated I ride a street bike. "GS" is an abbreviation for "gelande strada", which means "off road & streets" in German. I have always thought of GS bikes as competent on-road machines capable of going off-road.

Until I saw the video, I never considered a GS could eat up sport bikes and spit them out the tail pipe on twisty asphalt in the morning and then tear up forest roads in the afternoon. I shared my admiration for the capabilities of the bike and the rider shown in the video with the forum. Nothing more than that was posted by me or inferred by me. You misinterpreted my post solely because you don't like most of what I have to say. That's fine, and you're entitled to your opinion just as I'm entitled to mine.

All I'm asking is that in the future, you interpret my posts to be friendly, congenial, inquisitive and enthusiastic about all aspects of motorcycling in general, and the BMW machines and community in particular, instead of attempting to read between the lines to infer things that simply aren't there just so you can post a response taking issue with something you think I said.

empeg9000

06-01-2007, 02:07 PM

Not at all. However, most of the K75S riders I know just call them K75s.

R11S riders, however, call their bikes "S" bikes. R69S, R90S, R100S and R50S riders generally include the full name, not just the S.

Yeah, it's a weird tribal thing, I think.

I ride an R11S and I call it an S. When someone say S I usually think of an R11S. K1200S riders sometimes call thiers an S, but usually they will say K12S. I am with KBasa here. As far as the rest of the conversation, I think any bike can be fast at the hands of the right rider.

screwtop

06-01-2007, 02:57 PM

I ride an R11S and I call it an S. When someone say S I usually think of an R11S. K1200S riders sometimes call thiers an S, but usually they will say K12S. I am with KBasa here. As far as the rest of the conversation, I think any bike can be fast at the hands of the right rider.

I agree. My Z50 minitrail is fast (in a relative manner of speaking). Lately, I feel guilty because when I ride it around the neighborhood I don't observe ATGATT. Does ATGATT apply to bikes that are fast and under 50 cc?

knary

06-01-2007, 03:05 PM

Scott,

You've frequently taken issue with many of my posts, and so it has become apparent that you have a hard-on for poking holes in what I have to say. That's fine. It's quite apparent that we can't all get along all the time. That's life in a civilized society.

I never once even attempted to claim that my '92 K75S is in any way related to a late model GS. I never compared my bike to a GS. I simply provided my perspective while I watched the video. The only thing the two bikes have in common is a roundel.

If you'll re-read my initial post, this time without the prejudice you always assign to my writing, you'll see that I stated I ride a street bike. "GS" is an abbreviation for "gelande strada", which means "off road & streets" in German. I have always thought of GS bikes as competent on-road machines capable of going off-road.

Until I saw the video, I never considered a GS could eat up sport bikes and spit them out the tail pipe on twisty asphalt in the morning and then tear up forest roads in the afternoon. I shared my admiration for the capabilities of the bike and the rider shown in the video with the forum. Nothing more than that was posted by me or inferred by me. You misinterpreted my post solely because you don't like most of what I have to say. That's fine, and you're entitled to your opinion just as I'm entitled to mine.

All I'm asking is that in the future, you interpret my posts to be friendly, congenial, inquisitive and enthusiastic about all aspects of motorcycling in general, and the BMW machines and community in particular, instead of attempting to read between the lines to infer things that simply aren't there just so you can post a response taking issue with something you think I said.

:ha
You seem to think there's something going on here that isn't. I say this with the greatest sincerity: You seem a bit too invested. Relax. Read. Smile. Post a little. Have fun. If you take this place, or any of its virtual brethren, too seriously, you're in for a big headache. If you write something that someone disagrees with, don't automatically take their reply as an attack - or it might well turn the conversation sour very fast. We're not solving any problems here, saving any lives, or curing any diseases. Think of this as a mellow little campfire at a big campground where strangers and friends get together to say hello and shoot the sh*t.

I am sorry if you took my comments as an attack. They weren't meant as such.

Burnszilla

06-01-2007, 05:32 PM

i couldn't get burzilla's K75 past 115, no matter how hard i tried:laugh :bolt
That's because your gargantuan head was creating too much drag. :laugh
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/55/142899678_d5f8c4372d.jpg

:hide

rcdemon

06-01-2007, 05:50 PM

126 MPH. Stock K75s, with a Staintune exhaust, tucked behind the screen. Maybe it is the color, Dakar Yellow. Hope to see you all at the National.:bolt

knary

06-01-2007, 07:49 PM

126 MPH. Stock K75s, with a Staintune exhaust, tucked behind the screen. Maybe it is the color, Dakar Yellow. Hope to see you all at the National.:bolt

indicated? or GPS?

:hide

rgvilla

06-01-2007, 09:33 PM

I have been riding since I was 12, have flat track raced and generally have gone fast on motorcycles at one time or another. Personal best on the street, straigtaway across a lonely Nevada highway was 165 indicated on my ZX-11. We were generally between 100 to 140 on the mile dirt track. Back during the Durango National I left my R90/6 at home and rode my ZX-11 just so I could have some fun and poke the uptight BMW riders:bolt Now mind you a zx-11 is not a great twisty bike, you need a zx-7r etc to do that well, however I was riding with my brother, (he was on an R60/5) between Durango and Ouray when a GS pulled up to us on a straight stretch of road and passed, at maybe 70 75 mph. I went after him and blew by at probably over 100. The ride was on! We hit the twisties and he was on my ass the whole way. The only time I could pull away from him was in the straight aways where he could not match my horses. The sparks were flying as we dragged pegs and generally acted foolish. That guy was one great rider and was probably on a bike with half the horses I had. The zx-11 had a claimed 125 horses at the rear wheel IIRC, I don't know what it was maybe a R1100 GS? We pulled over at an overlook to wait for my brother and had a nice chat. Man that guy could ride that GS! Now I know this post is going to piss off a lot of people who think, quite correctly that we were foolish. To them I say try it once in your life:stick As has been said before, it is much more the rider than the bike on the road track or twisty mountain road. If you want to really go fast get yourself a ZX-14 or maybe a K1200S then come back here and lets talk speed.

Have fun, stay safe and ride hard.

Mika

06-01-2007, 10:03 PM

:gerg

Let me put my dentures in. There…

When I was a sprout I heard F1 champion Graham Hill interviewed. The interviewer asked him to define what speed meant. He responded along the lines of real speed was going 15.1 miles per hour around a corner that everyone says can only be taken at 15 miles per hour.

It’s the rider and the machine not the machine alone.

knary

06-02-2007, 12:13 AM

It’s the rider and the machine not the machine alone.

:nod

I know of a ride where someone on an R1200C passed someone on a K1200S.

:lurk

rcdemon

06-02-2007, 09:34 AM

Speed indicated by GPS , my speedo is about 3 to 4 MPH fast.:bikes Granted it took a while to get from 120 to 126.:bolt

knary

06-02-2007, 03:26 PM

Speed indicated by GPS , my speedo is about 3 to 4 MPH fast.:bikes Granted it took a while to get from 120 to 126.:bolt

:thumb

SIBUD

06-02-2007, 07:46 PM

My R 1100 RT is fast enough for me. But I sure miss the quickness of my K bike.:thumb