jamesevans
New member
After the first 1000 km on my new R12000RS I have to say I'm blown away. I traded a 2009RT for this top of the line (Dynamic ESA, Gear shift assist, DWA, DTC, ASC, cruise: everything but the extra lights. I ordered the side cases and the crash bars but neither have arrived yet.
Why the RS? I wanted another boxer, and I wanted some wind protection. The RT was obviously the sensible choice, but the new styling I found fussy and a bit too staid compared to my old RT. The riding position appealed, too: I always wanted a bit more forward lean on the RT, which incidentally used to give me a wicked pain between the shoulder blades after an hour or two. And finally I just thought it was drop-dead sexy, always a good reason to choose something you don't need.
My report so far: I love the new waterboxer engine, and in this guise it seems to have met its perfect incarnation. It is sporty, responsive, and the bike handles like a dream, with a comfortable ride that far surpasses my old RT: no more harshness from the front end, now there is a wonderful suppleness from the tele fork. There is more dive, and a touch of squirminess under very hard braking (and with the new radial brakes that is VERY hard - I think the back wheel may have been hovering).
The riding position is definitely more sporting, leading to a greater sense of control. One reaches forward to the wide, flat bars, and ones feet are tucked up a little just in the right place to put some weight on them when required. Overall the bike feels very small and light.
Wind protection is certainly less comprehensive, but ones head, while out in the wind, is free from any buffeting. I notice that my faceshield now collects a lot of bugs: I may be in the market for some sort of lip or maybe a taller screen. It's colder round the hands, too. Very pleasant in the summer, when the feeling of being out in the landscape is much greater than on the RT, but I suspect I'll be needing some warmer gear in the Fall.
Gear shift assist and the engine in general are wonderful fun. Together with the exhaust, which is quiet round town but gives a joyous sonorous trumpeting when you wind her up, it makes running up (or down) through the gears a real thrill.
Handling (Metzeler Z8s fitted as standard) is remarkable. The bike sticks like glue, even on our frost-ravaged Canadian roads, confidence-inspiring, stable, without the tendency to drift to the inside of left-handers I found on the RT - I always had to consciously think about road placement on it to avoid coming round a left-hander with my head sticking into the other lane). Of course, maybe that was just me or my bike.
All the other electronic gizmos work as expected, totally unobtrusively. Rain mode on the engine really dials things back, while dynamic mode makes the engine feel a bit more sporty. Road mode suits me best. Dynamic mode on the suspension may be fun on good roads - it's just too hard round here.
Am I pleased? You bet!
Why the RS? I wanted another boxer, and I wanted some wind protection. The RT was obviously the sensible choice, but the new styling I found fussy and a bit too staid compared to my old RT. The riding position appealed, too: I always wanted a bit more forward lean on the RT, which incidentally used to give me a wicked pain between the shoulder blades after an hour or two. And finally I just thought it was drop-dead sexy, always a good reason to choose something you don't need.
My report so far: I love the new waterboxer engine, and in this guise it seems to have met its perfect incarnation. It is sporty, responsive, and the bike handles like a dream, with a comfortable ride that far surpasses my old RT: no more harshness from the front end, now there is a wonderful suppleness from the tele fork. There is more dive, and a touch of squirminess under very hard braking (and with the new radial brakes that is VERY hard - I think the back wheel may have been hovering).
The riding position is definitely more sporting, leading to a greater sense of control. One reaches forward to the wide, flat bars, and ones feet are tucked up a little just in the right place to put some weight on them when required. Overall the bike feels very small and light.
Wind protection is certainly less comprehensive, but ones head, while out in the wind, is free from any buffeting. I notice that my faceshield now collects a lot of bugs: I may be in the market for some sort of lip or maybe a taller screen. It's colder round the hands, too. Very pleasant in the summer, when the feeling of being out in the landscape is much greater than on the RT, but I suspect I'll be needing some warmer gear in the Fall.
Gear shift assist and the engine in general are wonderful fun. Together with the exhaust, which is quiet round town but gives a joyous sonorous trumpeting when you wind her up, it makes running up (or down) through the gears a real thrill.
Handling (Metzeler Z8s fitted as standard) is remarkable. The bike sticks like glue, even on our frost-ravaged Canadian roads, confidence-inspiring, stable, without the tendency to drift to the inside of left-handers I found on the RT - I always had to consciously think about road placement on it to avoid coming round a left-hander with my head sticking into the other lane). Of course, maybe that was just me or my bike.
All the other electronic gizmos work as expected, totally unobtrusively. Rain mode on the engine really dials things back, while dynamic mode makes the engine feel a bit more sporty. Road mode suits me best. Dynamic mode on the suspension may be fun on good roads - it's just too hard round here.
Am I pleased? You bet!
