FAO: RobC

[dave c.]

Hi Rob,
You may or may not know I'm in the process of deciding what bike to
get next, and I'm looking at a GS... I remembered you have a GS, what
GS do you have? I've been looking at a F650GS.

What do you think of your GS? any pro's and con's..?

Thanks,

dave c

[Martin Grove]

Great bikes , had F650GS and new F800GS , loved them both to bits..... oh yeah and now on a Tiumph Tiger!! lol
 
Martin G
 
> Date: Tue, 6 Apr 2010 10:29:32 -0700
> Subject: [Kawasaki ER5] FAO: RobC
> From: da...@davecl.freeserve.co.uk
> To: kawas...@googlegroups.com

> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Kawasaki ER5" group.
> To post to this group, send email to kawas...@googlegroups.com.
> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to kawasakier5...@googlegroups.com.
> For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/kawasakier5?hl=en.
>

---

Get a new e-mail account with Hotmail - Free. Sign-up now.

[dave c.]

Thanks Martin, reading reviews on a bike is one thing, but someone's
personal opinion who's actually owned the bike counts for a lot... I
think it'll be a F650GS, mind you I have also looked at the Triumph
Tiger.....!

Watch this space............

dave c

[Martin Grove]

The F800GS was what i would call a great scratching bike and a hoot to ride, especially if u take it off road too but i found it a bit lacking in grunt on the Europe trip last year... especially bombing up the motorway. The new Tiger however is awsome... more grunt than u can shake a stick at and generally feels much more solid a machine. 
 
Martin G
 
> Date: Tue, 6 Apr 2010 23:59:31 -0700
> Subject: [Kawasaki ER5] Re: FAO: RobC
> From: da...@davecl.freeserve.co.uk
> To: kawas...@googlegroups.com
>

[RobC]

Yep, I agree with Martin when he says the F800 is lacking in power.
My ageing 1150 GS left him behind a few times when we got above 110.
Mind you, Martin had his air brakes permanently deployed which was
part of the problem :-)

Dave, my 8 year old GS is great. It's bit heavy to pickup - needed
Martin's help after he maliciously pushed it over - but other than
that it is spot on for what I want.

I've not tried the 650 or 800. I ignored them because I wanted shaft
drive.

Happy hunting.

Regards

Rob C(The Orange Odyssey nearly got wiped out by a VFR this morning)

[Martin Grove]

Haha yes i did rather have the aerodynamics of a brick wall..... the other thing to concider with the GS if it is anything like Rob's is you will have to get used to turning it off if you are travelling at less than 5mph, or it might over heat!!... are you sure that was the speedo you were looking at Rob and not the Temp gauge? :-)
 
Martin G
 
> Date: Wed, 7 Apr 2010 04:49:14 -0700

> Subject: [Kawasaki ER5] Re: FAO: RobC

> From: robert....@rcom-i.co.uk
> To: kawas...@googlegroups.com

> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Kawasaki ER5" group.
> To post to this group, send email to kawas...@googlegroups.com.
> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to kawasakier5...@googlegroups.com.
> For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/kawasakier5?hl=en.
>

---

Get a free e-mail account with Hotmail. Sign-up now.

[Bazza]

But Dave, you can't join the bima club!!! :-)

Only suggestion I can make is to try and get a test ride sorted
somewhere.

[dave c.]

Rob / Martin,

From what I can find out on the net and from what you two have said,
the only downside for a GS (either 650 or 800) is the lack of top end
speed.

This doesn't matter most of the time, but it will mean that I'll have
no chance of keeping up with Bazza and the usual crew who venture
'across the water' every year, but at least I'll match them for MPG on
a tankfull...!!!

Thanks,
dave c

[RobC]

Hi Dave,
Don't worry too much about top speeds. You will always get there in
the end.

My GS has a top speed of 118mph when carrying fully loaded panniers,
top box, tank bag, luggage on pillion seat, me and 22 litres of fuel.
It was happy to cruise at that speed for an hour plus. Plenty of revs
left (about 2,000) so the engine wasn't too stressed - 1150 GS's
redline at 7,500rpm. The Versys has the same top speed when loaded
but uses many more revs (about 8,500) so for flat out runs I'd prefer
to use the GS.

Mind you, after a fuel stop, Barry was left behind queueing. I was
cruising at 118 and he managed to catch up. I never did ask him how
fast he was going.

Whatever you buy, bring it along on the UK trip to get to know it
better.

Regards

Rob C(The Orange Odyssey has a slipping throttle grip)

[dave c.]

Hi Rob,

I suppose your right about the top speed of the GS. The look of the
GS, it's rideability and fuel range certainly make up for lack of top
end speed.
If I get one before the UK trip, I will join you as it sounds like
it'll be a good trip.

Thanks,
dave c.

[Bazza]

I agree with Rob, Martyns 800 was quite happy running at 85, which
lets face it, is all you really need.

>
>   Mind you, after a fuel stop, Barry was left behind queueing.  I was
> cruising at 118 and he managed to catch up.  I never did ask him how
> fast he was going.
>
>

Genuinely don't remember this...all a bit of a blur :-) ZZR is happy
cruising on big A roads and m-ways... Rob left me for dead on the
corners :-)

Just test ridden a ZZR1400...OH MY...surprising docile around town and
hides it weight really well. I was afraid it was physically too much
for me, but although I would never ever be in danger of pushing it to
its limits, I felt quite happy with it at low speed and even a spot of
filtering.. Amazing the leaps in technology from the 600 :-)

It beeps too once the indicator has been on for more than a minute or
so. Thought that was nice...but then it may become very irritating!

Overall...I want one :-)

[RobC]

"ZZR is happy cruising on big A roads and m-ways... Rob left me for
dead on the corners :-) "

Yep, my 250KG behemoth has suprised many a sports bike on twisty
roads. A mate of mine has a Fireblade and he can't keep up with
either the 1150GS or the Versys in the corners.

It't not the bike that matters, it how you ride it.

Barry will say he can't remember this either, but in Wales on my very
first trip, my little ER-5 dropped off Barry's ZZR there too....and
Martin's VFR I seem to recall :-)

Regards

Rob C(The Orange Odyssey blew away a Fireblade last night)

[Martin Grove]

Yep i can confirm that Rob and completely agree its the rider and their skills that is usually the defining factor. I ride very rarely these days and that does no good for confidense as apposed to you communting regularly. I know my riding confidense and skill level increases as i get hours back in the seat.
 
I must say though the Tiger does give me a lot of confidense very quickly... lovelly handling machine.
 
Martin G
 
> Date: Fri, 9 Apr 2010 04:28:38 -0700

> Subject: [Kawasaki ER5] Re: FAO: RobC

> From: robert....@rcom-i.co.uk
> To: kawas...@googlegroups.com

> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Kawasaki ER5" group.
> To post to this group, send email to kawas...@googlegroups.com.
> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to kawasakier5...@googlegroups.com.
> For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/kawasakier5?hl=en.
>

---

[Bazza]

Ha ha, I don't think you can class a ZZR-6 as a sports bike :-)

I agree, its the rider that makes the most difference - I don't
consider myself a fast rider (anyone can ride fast on a straight road)
and after a few crashes and a near miss (some of you may remember the
out of control land rover coming the other way) in Wales my
confidence plummets in the wet - not helped now because I avoid it so
much. I only tend to ride at weekends and Martin is right, the more
you ride, the more confidence you tend to have.

But, I think the bike does contribute. I rode a ER-6f (same as engine
as the versys) and it was so much lighter and flickable than the zzr,
which as most of you are keen to point out, is early 90's technology
at best. It was a shock to use the brakes on the 1400 - certainly stop
quicker than the 600.

Coming down HardKnott pass a few years ago, I remember wishing I was
on a ER-5 then!!

Anyway Dave, try and get a test ride :-)

[dave c.]

A test ride is a must I reckon. I'll let you all know my verdict..

I agree the more you ride the more confidence you get, and possibly
the more risks you take..!

I'm like you Baz, basically a fair weather rider, if it rains whilst
I'm out then too bad I'll ride in it, but I don't enjoy riding in the
rain, getting cold and wet, poor visibility, spray off other vehicles
and car drivers being usual tw**s.

So to sum it up, I'm not only a southern softie, but a fair weather
rider also... !!! ;-)

dave c