Tuesday, January 29, 2013

BMW R1150GS Rider's Review - Places to Go?

BMW R1150GS Rider's Review

Picture taken at SBF Anniversary 2013 event

This is the bike that began my journey into biking. The holy grail of my motorcycle ownership conquest. 
The unique thumping twin cylinder boxer engine which purrs like a mad old cat. It goes where no man has gone before and even further. Sales of this machine took off after the series "Long Way Round" and it seems every one wants one. Myself included. It is a lifestyle machine for us city folk who dream about heading up north at a drop of a hat. Although many of my biker mates have made numerous trips north of Malaysia, I am sadly at this time still hoping. But that said, I was on a lookout for a bike to use daily as a commute to work and powerful enough to carry over 250kgs of weight around when I came across this R1150GS. Without much hesitation, I grabbed it. 


Picture taken at SBF Anniversary 2013 event

First word of advice, if you have never experienced riding on a bike heavier than a Honda CB400, please handle your first moments with this bike with extra care. The GS1150 is extremely HEAVY. I repeat, HEAVY. Handling on the standstill with the tall handlebars is tough even for my height. 
I am 6ft and over 90kgs, and I found this a little challenging. Maneuvering from tight parking spaces takes patience and a lot of care.

The front headlamps resembles a raised eyebrow has now been copied by numerous bikes.


The cockpit seems a little distant from the rider and is situated a little higher than regular bikes. The VDO meter shows oil temperature, a fuel gauge and clock. There is a large knurled roller which is used for resetting the trip meter. No digital readings are present. All simple and easily identifiable. My bike was purchased used with over 200,000kms on the odometer. This is a bulletproof engine design. Made to go places and see things.




Once you get on the saddle, you will realise how grand the view is. You are perched high. Almost alike riding an elephant. The handlebars are wide with hand guards. Once you stick the key into the ignition and turn over the twin cylinder boxer engine, you will hear the low growl from the single exhaust.


The seats are firm and you should not get belt buckle scuffs on the tank as the seat wrap is quite high. Get the bike into first gear and slowly release the clutch, you will feel how low the torque on this bike is. It will pull right along to 60km/h before shifting into second gear. I 

This beast will pull right up to 100km/h at 4th gear. Once on the move, I am quite surprised how confident I am on the road with this. It is made for road touring. Taking corners on this is a breeze. It leans fairly deep and goes where it is pointed. There were a couple of instances where I experienced oversteer but I think that is due to my riding skills. 

With local traffic conditions, you will rarely shift up to sixth gear. This machine will sit happily at fifth gear with ample torque to overtake when required. 

I was initially quite apprehensive about the power to weight issue as the GS1150 only had 85hp and weighed over 250kgs. It felt very top heavy during my first moments with her. I suggest you take her out for a few spins before you get all gung ho with her. 

The twin front Brembo brakes coupled with ABS is adequate but I would have liked to have a little more bite from my brakes. 


I added a windshield extension by Touratech to deflect wind from my helmet has the stock windshield is a little short. I can now rider with the visor up and not feel affected. 


My GS1150 came with original BMW side cases. They are huge and the extrusion is massive. The bike is wide and no lane splitting is recommended unless you want to give drivers a heart attack with your arrival.


This bike is shaft driven and days of messy chain lubes are gone. However, that said, when riding and changing gears, one must remember to grab on to the tank as there is some jerk due to the shaft. But once you get used to it, it rides like a breeze. 

Riders wanting a vibration-free rider should stay away from this as this bike has a fair bit of vibrations during standstill. On the move, the vibrations aren't as pronounced but still a little uncomfortable if you are not used to it. Took me a day to get used to it. Now I enjoy the ride more and not bother too much about it. 

Being my first BMW bike, I was initially worried that the bike may be over powering and unwieldy. But after a couple of days with her, I am honestly happy. 

Final Thoughts

My wish to own an Adventure Touring bike has come true. It was a toss up between the new Honda NC700X, which incidentally is sold out in Singapore, and the newer R1200GS. After some mental calculations and extensive reading up on the 1150cc variant, I decided on the 1150cc instead of 1200cc powerplant. Fewer electronics means hopefully less costly maintenance. The GS1150 is used widely by bikers worldwide and spares should not be an issue. 

Initial experiences from this machine range from sheer joy on the highway to near crapping my pants when doing slow maneuvering. 

BMW bikes, like Harleys and KTM are truly lifestyle machines. Bringing hope and dreams to those who wish to travel to faraway places. Now, I am not saying other bikes can't do it, they can. But these bikes do it in true style. 

Does it put a smile on my face? Yes, definitely. Is it a keeper? I leave that to you to decide. This is my 41st bike in 36 months. 

All in all, it is a bike I think everyone should ride in their biking lifetime. 

PROS
- Bulletproof and bomb proof engine
- Low torque but not too overpowering like Suzuki GSXR400
- Everything works for 13year old bike
- Good saddle height for tall riders, truly comfortable.
- Can cruise at over 100kmh even when seated upright
- Pillion seat is comfortable
- Boxer engine purrs and makes you want to ride

CONS
- Heaviest bike I have owned at over 250kgs
- Shorter riders may have to shave seat or customise it
- Labour charges high at local agent (rumoured, yet to experience)
- Cockpit a little high and may obstruct view on the road for shorter riders. 
- Really wide handlebars means lane splitting needs more space
- Fuel consumption averaging 15kmL


More pictures of my R1150GS

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Bajaj Pulsar 200NS Review


Bajaj Pulsar 200NS Review

Introduction

Bajaj Auto India announced in 2012 that it would export the Pulsar 200NS (Naked Sport) and I was excited about the launch date in Singapore as the specifications were impressive. 

In October 2012, Universal Motors (UM) the distributor of Bajaj motorcycles imported one unit for test purposes and I managed to catch a glimpse of the machine. 


Technical Specifications

Engine Capacity (cc)
199.5 (Class 2B)
Engine Type
SOHC 4-valve liquid cooled
Brake Horse Power
23.52Bhp@9500rpm
Torque
18.3NM@8000rpm
Fuel System
Carburettor
Transmission
6-speed, 1 Down 5 Up
Number of spark plugs
3 (Triple Spark)
Kerb weight (kg)
145
Front Tyres
100/70-17 inch
Rear Tyres
130/70-17 inch
Fuel tank capacity (litres)
12Litres
fuel efficiency (kmpl)
35-45
Brakes (front)
280mm petal disc with floating caliper
Brakes (rear)
230mm petal disc with floating caliper
0-100kmph
Approximately 11 (seconds)
Top Speed (kmph)
137 kmph
Length X Width X Height
2017 x 1195 x 805(mm)



I have in the last 3 years owned 6 other Bajaj motorcycles so I was anxious to compare the performance of the 200NS over the older models. Having rode the XCD135, Pulsar 180 UG 1 & UG 2 as well as the Pulsar 200, the 200NS seems to excel in every aspect.  

Bajaj XCD 135
Bajaj Pulsar 180 UG 1.5
Bajaj Pulsar UG 2

Bajaj Pulsar 200


Shipment of the 200NS was delayed as it took India by storm and Bajaj had to try and fulfill its domestic market. At the time of writing this, Indonesia has yet to receive its shipment of the 200NS. We have a number of our Bajaj riders from Indonesia travel to Singapore just to catch a glimpse of this machine. 

Design and Styling




Bajaj designers took a radical approach and redesigned the 200NS from the ground up. The fuel tank and headlamps are more aggressive. Following the KTM Duke 200, the silencer is now tucked under the engine. The rear shocks are now monoshocks with Nitrox canister and adjustable. The 200NS also gains a rear disc brakes and I shall cover the effectiveness later in the review. The KTM Duke 200 is also produced at Bajaj's Chakan plant. 


Initial comparisons shown seems as if Bajaj designers took the KTM Duke 200 and sliced it in half in the middle. They then redesigned the top half and kept the tail lights of the old Pulsar 200. The new split seats are firm with a slight hump in the middle. Upholstery used is top-notch. 


The finishing of the 10-spoke sports rims have improved. Its finishing is not as rough as previous models. Bajaj was very liberal with the use of plastics. I believe it was done to keep cost and weight down. The tank is now covered by plastic housing. However it is interesting to note that the rear mudguard is made from a strong composite material.  Kerb weight is now 145kgs.

Flower-petaled front brake disc

Ride Impression

Having ridden 6 Pulsars before finally owning this, I was a little apprehensive over the hype covering this model. The engine when started produced the all familiar Bajaj engine note. Giving the throttle a twist produced a hollow growl which is distinctively Bajaj. Very different from a Honda CB400 which incidentally was my last bike before this. What is also different is that the exhaust silencer has now been relocated under the engine. This has now supposedly given the bike a 50-50 weight distribution. I thought this only applied to sports cars like Ferraris and Porsches. 

First thing during my first few kilometers on the bike that surprised me was that this bike was much quieter on the road. It picked up to 60km/h which is the legal speed limit for most Singapore roads in a fashion which was very unlike previous models. It did so with ease. 
The engine sat very comfortably at rpm rages from 5000-6500. One flick of the gear lever to 6th speed and it climbed to 70-80km/h. Most of the time in city traffic, I would sit between 4th or 5th gear. Taking the bike up to 70km/h. 

Overtaking needs a little focus as the torque isn't very high. I would need to drop a gear or two to bring the bike up to 7000 rpm to wake it up. I believe once run in, this engine likes to be ridden hard. Where it is most lively is at 6500 rpm.  



At 80km/h my rpm hovered between 6200-6300. Gearing the bike correctly can bring it up to the century mark with little trouble. However, past that, you will need a little patience. Though styled as a naked sports, the engine does feel a little stressed above 7500 rpm. I would not recommend that you ride it above 120km/h for extended periods. Not in Singapore for sure. 

What impressed me was the turning radius of the 200NS. It took turns quite effortlessly and if you were used to the old Pulsars, please do not attempt to take fast corners on this, as the bike understeers quite a fair bit due to the turning radius. Do not get me wrong, I am not saying that the bike is not stable. It is. In fact, you will be pleasantly surprised. But do get used to the bike before you attempt any peg scraping stunts. 

The old Pulsars in my opinion was lacking something which this 200NS finally resolved. The all-needed 6th  gear. The old Pulsars I felt ran out of steam at high speeds and Bajaj was wise to rectify this by incorporating a 6-speed gear box into the bike. To me this is a God-send. Finally we are able to cruise at 90-100km/h with minimal stress. Vibrations are not eliminated but it is a lot more pleasant to ride. The dead spot found on my XCD 135 was also present on the 200NS. Vibrations were more pronounced between 69-74km/h. I quickly swapped out the stock grips and end-weights after a week of riding to my usual BMW-styled grips from GPR and 470 gram weights. The bike now feels more planted and the vibes are less obtrusive. The ride is now smoother. I recommend that you swap your end-weights to heavier ones. 







The seat is firm and Bajaj riders will instantly notice the improvement in quality and firmness. 
I am also confident to say that the seat wrap out does many Japanese bike makers. It is an improvement. 

Having a monoshock set up meant that the rider feels every little bump on the road. This is not actually a bad thing as it means you are one with the bike. Riders will feel more confident with the ride. It does what you tell it to. The rear shocks are adjustable if you prefer a softer setting. I would not tweak it as it suits me. 

Potential buyers looking at this for touring purposes will be happy to note that the 12 litre tank goes up to 300-330kms before the low-fuel light comes on. Average fuel consumption for me is about 40kms per litre. 

The headlamp is good for riding at dark spots. It runs on H4 55/60W bulbs. 


The Bybre brakes found on the 200NS is impressive. It instills confidence. It is in my opinion almost as effective as my previous machine. But you will need to watch the rear brakes and not be too liberal with it as it may lock-up when coupled with the stock MRF Eurogrips. 




Final Thoughts

In the past, riders seeking performance and fuel economy would be hard pressed to find a bike suited to their needs. This is now met with the Pulsar 200NS. While it may not perform like a GSXR-400 or CB400, it handles well. Its power plant is an improvement over older models. The 23.5HP pumps out sufficient power for city commuting with a little fun. Not a whole lot more but definitely more than older Pulsars. 

The fuel economy is still typical Bajaj fashion. It sips. Doesn't gurgle or swallow. It draws attention with its metallic yellow paintwork. I have been asked by numerous inquisitive riders and passersby on the make and model of the bike. When told that it was a Bajaj, you could see the expression of their faces. They were either shocked or smiling. 

Would I recommend this bike? Simply put, if you are currently riding a 40-50HP bike, as long as you are comfortable with the power loss, yes. If you are currently riding a Pulsar 200 and would like a smoother ride, yes. If you are looking for a first bike and seeking value for money, this is currently the only bike in the market with over 20Hp for under SGD8,000. 

Pros
Efficient engine
Fuel Economy of 40km/h
Modern Styling
Firm suspensions and good brakes
Power plant adequate for city traffic and occasional touring

Cons
Quality control not consistent
Have to do thorough checks before leaving showroom
Clip on handlebars negates any possibility of handle bar brace
Vibrations felt between 69-74km/h
Main stand sold as an accessory


More pictures of my 200NS: