First test ride gen 2

[kevmv]

Just back from my first test ride of a gen 2, what can I say, I think I'm more confused now than I was at the start.

Around a year ago I was looking for a xr but had to have an operation, so fast forward until now as I'm in the market for a new bike. I've been studying some you tube vids and reading about them so I went in with my eyes and mind with a good idea of the good and bad bits.

First impressions as I sat on the bike was the seat was pretty comfortable, into first gear to move off, stalled the bike    the combination of a clutch that's like an off switch and a strange ride by wire throttle where the revs don't seem to rise very much as you twist it very strange feeling 

Riding through town behind traffic 2nd - 3rd gear 2000rpm - roughly 4000rpm the bike won't hold a constant revs, twist grip to engine seems very vague, and feels like less power than my 675cc mv agusta, ( it's not got the best fuelling below 4000rpm either)

It was on road mode so I put it onto dynamic mode which was slightly better, it didn't have dynamic pro, does that mode make the fuelling better?

Suspension, I don't think I had enough time on the bike to judge it very well, road seemed quite soft, dynamic seemed hard but bouncy? as though there was too much rebound, but I wasn't really pushing it hard in the corners.

It was quite windy but the screen did a good enough job with the conditions.

The seat was my biggest concern, but it fitted me really good or I fitted it  every now and then I would slip just slightly forward, but it was comfortable for the time I was on it.

Now this post seems very negative but it's the negatives that show up more at the time, but the positives, wow it comes alive after 6000rpm, the quickshifter is so smooth, great brakes, going that bit faster makes everything on the bike come alive 

Just to recap, the lack of power below 4000rpm, on/off clutch, vague fuelling has made me think again about the xr, maybe it was just that bike? I really think I need another test ride again 

[Hallzeeman]

Originally Posted by kevmv

Just back from my first test ride of a gen 2, what can I say, I think I'm more confused now than I was at the start.

Around a year ago I was looking for a xr but had to have an operation, so fast forward until now as I'm in the market for a new bike. I've been studying some you tube vids and reading about them so I went in with my eyes and mind with a good idea of the good and bad bits.

First impressions as I sat on the bike was the seat was pretty comfortable, into first gear to move off, stalled the bike    the combination of a clutch that's like an off switch and a strange ride by wire throttle where the revs don't seem to rise very much as you twist it very strange feeling 

Riding through town behind traffic 2nd - 3rd gear 2000rpm - roughly 4000rpm the bike won't hold a constant revs, twist grip to engine seems very vague, and feels like less power than my 675cc mv agusta, ( it's not got the best fuelling below 4000rpm either)

It was on road mode so I put it onto dynamic mode which was slightly better, it didn't have dynamic pro, does that mode make the fuelling better?

Suspension, I don't think I had enough time on the bike to judge it very well, road seemed quite soft, dynamic seemed hard but bouncy? as though there was too much rebound, but I wasn't really pushing it hard in the corners.

It was quite windy but the screen did a good enough job with the conditions.

The seat was my biggest concern, but it fitted me really good or I fitted it  every now and then I would slip just slightly forward, but it was comfortable for the time I was on it.

Now this post seems very negative but it's the negatives that show up more at the time, but the positives, wow it comes alive after 6000rpm, the quickshifter is so smooth, great brakes, going that bit faster makes everything on the bike come alive 

Just to recap, the lack of power below 4000rpm, on/off clutch, vague fuelling has made me think again about the xr, maybe it was just that bike? I really think I need another test ride again 

This bike has NO power below 4,000 rpm. It hates being below that range. Starting out in first, the bike is lethargic until you get the revs up. After that, she is a BEAST.

Do not ever go below 4,000 revs. Different bike when you let her breath.

[Zar_S1000XR]

Stage 2 Brentuning fixes most of these issues, however most of the power still comes on after 6k rpm. I have standard seat and I'm skinny, I need a better seat, I've been looking for Comfort BMW seat, instead of the standard one that comes with the bike.

[Antares]

Sounds like you need a Gen 1 not a Gen 2 Throttle by wire is sublime on my bike when it comes to response and accuracy, however it does hunt a bit around those low RPMs, Same thing with torque, Gen 1s seem to be a lot torquier down low, especially stock. I don't have any issues with taking off on mine anyway and even comparing to midsize twins the XR is in a different plane altogether.

[kevmv]

Originally Posted by Antares

Sounds like you need a Gen 1 not a Gen 2 Throttle by wire is sublime on my bike when it comes to response and accuracy, however it does hunt a bit around those low RPMs, Same thing with torque, Gen 1s seem to be a lot torquier down low, especially stock. I don't have any issues with taking off on mine anyway and even comparing to midsize twins the XR is in a different plane altogether.

Does the dynamic pro mode make the throttle response better at sub 4000rpm, the demonstrator I had did not have pro activated.

Also from idle speed to give it some revs to move away from standstill seems very excessive, as though it was a cable operated twist grip and the cables were severely slack.

Kev.

[Antares]

Originally Posted by kevmv

Does the dynamic pro mode make the throttle response better at sub 4000rpm, the demonstrator I had did not have pro activated.

Also from idle speed to give it some revs to move away from standstill seems very excessive, as though it was a cable operated twist grip and the cables were severely slack.

Kev.

Might need a throttle reset, that doesn't sound normal, dynamic pro is same mapping as dynamic but less assists.

[kevmv]

Originally Posted by Antares

Might need a throttle reset, that doesn't sound normal, dynamic pro is same mapping as dynamic but less assists.

I think I'll try another dealer and compare a different bike to see if the results are the same, the bike that I previously tried had just over 900 miles on the clock.

[Hallzeeman]

Originally Posted by kevmv

Does the dynamic pro mode make the throttle response better at sub 4000rpm, the demonstrator I had did not have pro activated.

Also from idle speed to give it some revs to move away from standstill seems very excessive, as though it was a cable operated twist grip and the cables were severely slack.

Kev.
[/quote

Did the bike have less than 600 miles on it? Under 600 miles, Dynamic Pro is not available, and rev limiter is reduced to (10k RPM from 12K I believe). The dealers will remove those break-in settings at 600 miles.

[capt cf]

Dynamic Pro on the gen 2 is also completely customizable.  You might have been on a bike that somebody tweaked DP to be like rain or road mode.

[kevmv]

[/quote

Did the bike have less than 600 miles on it? Under 600 miles, Dynamic Pro is not available, and rev limiter is reduced to (10k RPM from 12K I believe). The dealers will remove those break-in settings at 600 miles.
[/quote]

The bike had over 900mls.