First of all, what a great site! So much helpful knowledge!
I passed my CBT in 2005, aged 28 and bought a Yamaha YBR 125 ( purely for commuting between Southampton and Portsmouth). This bike bit me big time and fell in love with biking! Passed my big bike test, bought a Bandit 600 and loved it for 6 months... you know the story... need more power! Bought a Y plate (unrestricted) Hayabusa and fell in love! I had her for 4 years (running costs were killing me!) then concided and bought a Bandit 1200, which I had for 6 years. You can see a theme here (Suzuki) and straight 4's. Love the Bandits, but just no comfort or refinement. I've always loved the look of the R1200RT, so last week, decided to get one! Found a 07 year, slightly unloved for the last 2 years (sat in sea air, covered only a few hundred miles), so most bolts are rusted (whole new kit ordered), along with peg board delaminating and plastics/bar decals fading, but good history. What a bike!
It's day 2, and getting used to the vibration below 2k, especially in second gear coming off a roundabout; feels like an old tractor! But the noise and torque after 2k, love it! However, from reading on here, the initial pick up vibration and 2nd gear low down pick up is normal? (Below 2k).
She's a bit lumpy at idle, with a 'knocking', like the idle isn't quite high enough (it's within spec). So, my plan during Easter leave is to replace plugs, check valves (last done at 28k (paperwork for), now at 44k), replace filters and oil and balance TBs. I think she's been run on 95 fuel for a while, so I'll run down this tank and fill with 97. Getting used to the difference between jap straight 4's and boxer engines is a challenge! No quick starts at the minute!
Love the bike, it's build quality, corner and straight line stability... looking forward to getting to know this bike and make it mine
