Back on the Horse!
Posted: Sun 07 Jul, 2013 5:15 pm
Well, today has indeed turned out to be a memorable 62nd birthday. After 30 odd years off the saddle I mounted up Big Bertha this arvo and wobbled my way to Caning Vale and back without falling off. BB is indeed a bloody handful and what I found is that a bolder attitude is called for. Pussy foot and you lose her esp going around those teenie weenie roundabouts. I have yet to do a full circle so that's gonna be fun. Keeping off the front bakes and judicious use of the throttle, clutch and rear brakes make for going around sharp turns a lot smoother and less wobbly. She goes around sweepers very comfortably but I felt some sponginess. Checked the tyre pressure when I got home and found that the front was down to 20psi which would have accounted for that vagueness. Had some trouble finding neutral but have worked it out by the time I got back. The BMW gearbox is one clunky affair unlike Japanese bikes. Any car driver will hear you approaching at the lights in contrast to the silencer which is nice and quiet ish. Still coming to grips with the indicators for lane changing. Not getting the auto cut off so I must be doing something wrong. Guess this first date with Bertha was not too bad all things considered. I am just managing with the seat height and a lower one would increase my level of confidence significantly. Cruising the freeway at the speed limit is the easiest part with plenty of acceleration to get ahead of traffic as called for. I have yet to find the sweet spot and my recollection of the R60/5 was a much smoother engine than this RT1200. A multi cylinder Jap bike would make for an even smoother ride I think. Still too early. Looking forward to a longer ride and maybe get some tips on setting up for a lightweight rider before I jump to any conclusions. Cheers, Ed
Ps the electric wind screen is a winner!
Ps the electric wind screen is a winner!