Great middle weight bike
Valve cover gasket leaking.
Excellent all rounder with some minor issues.
Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 25th November, 2010
Fandabydozy (That means brilliant in Glaswegian language)
Warranty recall for crank case bolt torque - 2007.
Warranty recall for potential issue with bike failing to start - 2008 - I never experienced this.
Breakdown Feb'09 (1st ride-out of the year) due to engine cutting out when I turned the handlebars - New wiring harness being fitted as I write this comment. Quite a shock for me to think that the bike is under 2 years old with 4,500 miles on clock and it requires a new harness.
I love this bike, it looks good.
It rides good. It's great to tour with.
I have obtained 63 miles per gallon, which is very economical.
Will keep it as I have not seen anything else on the market that I would swap it with.
Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 27th February, 2009
Great all-round bike that rewards both experienced and less so riders
So far no problems. Dealer contacted me with a couple of possible factory recalls, (key aerial and steering dampener) but neither affected my bike.
Mirror glass on one mirror has started to deteriorate. Hopefully the dealer will attend to this at 10k check up.
Very happy with this bike. It has a couple of minor issues, but not enough to remove the pleasure of owning it.
Down sides first. It really could do with another 10 or so more horsepower. There are times when it just needs that bit more punch.
Typical BMW gearbox, being a bit noisy, grabby and grainy. First and second are very tall. The gearbox could well do with better spacing between the ratios. Often find a false natural between 5th and 6th.
ABS on the rear brake cuts in very early and chatters away long before you would actually need it.
And the vision from the mirrors are rubbish! Slight improvement with additional blocks to gain width, but now it looks like a bit of a Muppet.
BUT, every time I ride this bike, it’s grins from ear to ear.
The parallel twin is a great motor that pulls like mad from 3000 up to 8000 rpm, and creates a lovely vibe through the bike.
It isn’t super fast turning into corners, but once started, it’s all in with unshakable cornering, feeling very stable and is hard to unsettle.
Very comfy for both rider and pillion. Did 320kms on last trip without putting my legs down once (yes, you can get that much out of a tank). Jumped off at the end of ride feeling great.
Low center of gravity, and being only 185kgs makes for a nimble machine, that is very user friendly.
Pannier system, although not cheap, is brilliant. I am amazed how much it will hold.
Love the belt drive. Can’t find any reason to have any other final drive on a bike like this.
Will own this bike for a while.
Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 17th August, 2008
...An update on my first review.
Feb 2010 and the bike is going great. Have 17,000kms and no mechanical problems to speak of.
There was a period when it sometimes missed gears going up between 5th - 6th, but that seems to have settled down.
The motor has broken in beautifully and is noticeably freer revving, with just a touch more umph between 5.5 to 7,500 revs.
Must say that I am a little tempted by the new BMW 1000 193bhp superbike, but I would also like the chance to grow old too!
21st Nov 2008, 00:54
I have an S and it's great, but don't buy one without a warranty; too many recalls, but the dealers take good care of them.