Commuting Week One - Thoughts
So I have now completed my first week of commuting to work on Gretchen, my 2006 BMW R1200GS.
Now, I'll be the first to admit, that a big beemer is not the obvious choice for the daily commute. However, I can only really afford the one bike at this juncture, so I had to choose the bike that would be able to do everything I needed it do do. Which is commute, occasional shopping, day trips and touring. Proper, long-distance touring. I want a bike that can eat 500 miles in a day if I need it to, and carry enough luggage to provision me for a fortnight of touring.
However, what about commuting? Well let's start with the fact that I had never ridden a GS until the morning after I passed my test! So my first commute, was also my first experience of riding a GS! And boy, did I find that hard work!
After the buttery smoothness of the Honda NC750S that I passed my test on, the gearbox is frankly agricultural. The clutch lever has a very narrow window between bite point and full engagement, and the shaft snatches if you are anything but perfect on engagement. The slow speed balance came as something of a shock. I found myself struggling to feel confident with the bike, in stop-start town traffic; had I made a mistake, and bought something I was not going to be able to get along with? By the middle of the first week, I was really beginning to worry that I had indeed made an error of judgement....
I decided to supplement my commute mileage, by taking the long way home after work. I took off towards the hills to the south of where I work, and find routes home that added 10-15 miles extra, giving me a chance to get a better feel for her. A couple of the routes I chose gave me opportunities to stand on the pegs and ride really slowly, giving me extra experience and increasing my confidence
And slowly, I think it's working. I'm still a long way from having the kind of confidence that allows you to sail up to junctions, and if clear, seamlessly transition into a turn; nope, I still need to come to a full stop and gather my thoughts before moving off. Obviously, this is good for overall safety, so long as the cars behind me are paying attention!
Have I made a mistake in my choice of steed? Jury is still out on that. But damn, doesn't she look good parked outside the office at work!
Now, I'll be the first to admit, that a big beemer is not the obvious choice for the daily commute. However, I can only really afford the one bike at this juncture, so I had to choose the bike that would be able to do everything I needed it do do. Which is commute, occasional shopping, day trips and touring. Proper, long-distance touring. I want a bike that can eat 500 miles in a day if I need it to, and carry enough luggage to provision me for a fortnight of touring.
However, what about commuting? Well let's start with the fact that I had never ridden a GS until the morning after I passed my test! So my first commute, was also my first experience of riding a GS! And boy, did I find that hard work!
After the buttery smoothness of the Honda NC750S that I passed my test on, the gearbox is frankly agricultural. The clutch lever has a very narrow window between bite point and full engagement, and the shaft snatches if you are anything but perfect on engagement. The slow speed balance came as something of a shock. I found myself struggling to feel confident with the bike, in stop-start town traffic; had I made a mistake, and bought something I was not going to be able to get along with? By the middle of the first week, I was really beginning to worry that I had indeed made an error of judgement....
I decided to supplement my commute mileage, by taking the long way home after work. I took off towards the hills to the south of where I work, and find routes home that added 10-15 miles extra, giving me a chance to get a better feel for her. A couple of the routes I chose gave me opportunities to stand on the pegs and ride really slowly, giving me extra experience and increasing my confidence
And slowly, I think it's working. I'm still a long way from having the kind of confidence that allows you to sail up to junctions, and if clear, seamlessly transition into a turn; nope, I still need to come to a full stop and gather my thoughts before moving off. Obviously, this is good for overall safety, so long as the cars behind me are paying attention!
Have I made a mistake in my choice of steed? Jury is still out on that. But damn, doesn't she look good parked outside the office at work!
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