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Saturday, 20 September 2003 |
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Über story by Mike Emery ~ Achtung photos by DaveA
It didn't matter where I was going or what I was doing, it garnished the same results - people wanted to know all aboüt this bike…
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| Being a goofy ßrit, this thing did wonders for my first experience of a motorcycle from the Bayerische Motoren Werke. I particularly liked the stripped down (for a Beemer) look, especially with its neato front headlamp set-üp and the nice wide handlebar arrangement. The seating is quite high and lends itself to a favorable elbows-up motocross style angle of attack with those corresponding (read:quick) handling traits that only naked's can offer. |
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The bike has a relatively wild paintjob with nicely coordinated rims. A coüple of styling poo poo's appear, especially when you spot the über-sized charcoal EPA thingammybob on the side of the bike, opposite the exhaust. The tank and radiator shrouds are a little clumsy adding to its portly dimensions too.
The seat makes yoü think of better things though, because for me, especially used to the pencil thin seats on the sporties, it's nice and comfy. As long as you're cruising at a sensible speed, it's a very nice area to sit and plan your getaways, contemplate life, love, where to buy ßavarian cream do-nuts and other süch trivia. |
| The chassis is a beefy monocoque style, bolted around that substantial twin-plugged flat-twin ßoxer engine. That frame seemed nice and rigid and the whole thing had that stereotypical Teütonic build quality that the Germans are known and loved for. This is not your typical disposable type bike; it's a substantially manufactured "keeper". I must admit though, I was particularly looking forward to decking those nice looking twin-plug magnesium cylinder heads on a sporty ride, just because they were "there". |
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The motor, although a little smogged up, was a bunch of fun to gün, and whilst a little lazy in the lower RPM department, was quite willing to get up and go, when kindly asked. Shaft drives don't wheelie? Get out of here... this thing positively leaps away from traffic lights with the merest whiff of coaxing and is a veritable torque monster once at speed. Think Moto-Guzzi meets Buell XB9/12. Not a torrid ripper like the XB - but certainly looking in the right direction, especially with some aftermarket exhausts for süre, because nasty naked's need a meaty soünd to back up the mean street fighter stance - Hey, it didn't do BMW's own Cup bike any harm. |
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