potomacduc wrote:I'm with Carole; start ripping stuff off and make it a cross between a Hypermotard and a Monster...that can also double as a track bike.
If I had any fabricating skills, I might try that, but I'm pretty lazy. I've see the "hyperstada" conversion thread here and all that monkey business with the headlight and battery location is more work than I want to do. And I have a 749 for the track that works pretty well, thanks.
I'm having evil thoughts about trading the MTS in on one of these...I need to learn to ride in the dirt before I get too old to want to try. I could put some knobbies on the MTS, but that little 17" front just doesn't cut it off road.
If it's going to be a second bike and you really want to go off road, then get a more dirtbiased bike. Look at a KTM or similar or even something like a DR650. Either one will do much better off road. I know some people love the new parallel twin BMWs, but I find that to be one of the least appealing motorcycle engines I have ever sampled in any application.
Also, if you're just learning to ride in the dirt, you will fall and fixing a pretty BMW will cost you $$ and mental anguish. Crashing a "proper" dual-purpose bike won't cost much to fix and you might even like having a few battle scars on the bike.
On the side, where near Detroit do you live? I was born in Lansing, went to school in Ann Arbor and lived in Detroit for about 7 years before moving to the DC area.
Hey potomacduc,
Points all well taken. I've considered getting something more dirt focused, but the garage is already pretty full with the MTS1000, 999 and my 749 trackbike. I don't have any designs on becoming the next motocross star, rather would just like to be able to get off the beaten path a bit. For that, the 2/3 GS seems like a good compromise. I'm going to go look at it tomorrow at the dealer. But, I called them today and they don't have a demo. No test ride, no sale.
I'm in Novi, just a stone's throw from E Lansing. Two of my kids are in AA at UoM and I was in Detroit last night at the Foxtown Grill. Small world!
I have both a F800gs and a 07S. The Beemer, with TKC80 tires is a great "bad road bike". If you are looking for something comfortable, fairly fast and able to handle any road on a map, it is a good choice. It is quite tall, making offroad tricky if you need to put a foot down in uneven stuff. The engine is not peaky and pulls well in any gear, which is handy in loose and mucky conditions.
I am just east of you and last year did a 6000km round trip through Labrador and Newfounland in 10 days. Perfect for that sort of sojourn.
I took a 2012 for a test ride this past weekend, and it was the most amazing thing I've ever ridden. I couldn't quite smiling, it was like, no matter what I asked it to do, there was plenty of bike left so it wasn't even working hard. The only down bit (besides having to bring it back at the end of the ride) was that the rear brake wasn't working at all, which took a little re-calibration of braking patterns on my part to prevent excessive front end dive in the softer suspension modes. While I'm speaking on the suspension, Urban and Touring both made it feel like I had a paving crew laying out fresh asphalt in front of me @ 90mph. Again, simply amazing.
The only thing this bike can't do for me is pay for itself, I'm afraid.
spadefoot wrote:I took a 2012 for a test ride this past weekend, and it was the most amazing thing I've ever ridden. I couldn't quite smiling, it was like, no matter what I asked it to do, there was plenty of bike left so it wasn't even working hard. The only down bit (besides having to bring it back at the end of the ride) was that the rear brake wasn't working at all, which took a little re-calibration of braking patterns on my part to prevent excessive front end dive in the softer suspension modes. While I'm speaking on the suspension, Urban and Touring both made it feel like I had a paving crew laying out fresh asphalt in front of me @ 90mph. Again, simply amazing.
The only thing this bike can't do for me is pay for itself, I'm afraid.
Ride reports I've read on other forums indicate that the poor rear braking has been addressed on the 2013s, along with the windscreen and fueling issues.
STeve B in NC
'12 Multistrada S Touring
Yes, I do miss my air cooled multi...
Brand spanking new '16 Thruxton R
Yeah, this wasn't poor rear breaking, this was the rear brake didn't work. I used my heel to stand on the lever and couldn't prevent the bike from rolling backwards. I'm sure it was just something not connected, or maybe some air in the lines, but it was a bit of a surprise, given how AWESOME the rest of the bike was.
On a related note, when I offered to take the dealer up on an overnight test so my wife could ride, she replied "I trust you, if you say it's good, go for it".
