I've got to slow down. Swap a KGT for 800GS?

[BCC]

The police are making a very sincere effort to convince me I need to absolutely slow down.

The ktm 530 is ok
the ducati hm is not really ok, but I think I can keep it under 80.
The old man bike, the bmw k1200gt is the one that is causing severe financial and license pressures.

And it's got to stop.

So a mint loaded '08 KGT is probably going to end up in flea market.

So I'm thinking of replacing it with a 800GS. Put on knobbies, panniers, very low screen, which should make it fun on gravel & tarmac. And it wouldn't be a high speed rocket, but still get the highway touring done, right?

Arrg.

I thought I had the perfect fleet. I clearly don't have the self control.

Any folks come off rockets for the 800gs and reform happily?

Thanks,

[trustme]

Swapped a Sprint for a Scrambler , my riding buddies thought I would slow down. I did , in a straight line, got even faster around the bends.
Less out right speed but more fun. Go for it

[thelouv]

I can agree with that last comment. Same thing happened to me when I got an Aprilia Capo to take some seat time from the BMW K1200S also in the garage. Then I just had to sell the KS (similar reasons) & got a big nasty cruiser from Triumph. Neither of those bikes allow the asphalt to glide by as swiftly as the KS did. Now with the 800GS, I can tell you it doesn't like speeds over 85mph very much. It'll do much more quite easily but not so gracefully like those big aero BMWs.

[llamapacker]

Now you understand why I had a Versys with my 07 GT. Have since moved up to the Tiger 1050, still has the passing speed if needed, just not the bells and whisles of the GT, like ESA, CC, adjustable windscreen, and the insane 140+ mph if you get weak!

Just picked up the F650GS for the wife and I put 500 miles on for breakin, small bikes are more fun for sure.

Boats are the same, sail boats anyway, the smaller the sailboat, the more it gets used. The GT is way overkill in town, and just trouble if you don't have the will power!

[grandpa_ken]

You will not be sorry. I went from a Hayabusa to the F800GS for the same reason.

[Desert Dave]

The more dirt I throw into my riding the more patient I am on the street.

Riding any kind of sportbike it's easy to get frustrated with traffic on twisty roads, an often leads to silly passes an just hooliganism in general .

It's much easier for me to ride off my chosen pace behind a cage or even just in a high speed enforcement area if I know there's dirt further up the road where I can ride without johnny law watching me.

The 800 is a GREAT bike for that, enough power to be a hooligan when you want to, but equally happy riding mellow enjoying the scenery.

Yesterday my 800 saw 100 mph on open dirt road for the first time....nice to be able to just concentrate on my riding an not worried about who's watching. Oh, an it would take MUCH higher speeds on street to get the same adrenaline

Any roads with traffic, I'm fine doing around the speed limit.

[Monkey_Boy]

Get a sportbike and start doing track days. Like DD and his dirt riding, something about these environments create a shift in thinking and you will slow down on the street. Not sure why, maybe it satisfies the speed need. Nearly everyone I've talked to who went to the race track to ride slowed down on the street. Worked for me.

[Peter800GS]

Same problem. Sold an 1150GS for an FZ1. Rode around like an idiot for 8 weeks, sold the FZ and bought an 800GS. Great on back roads, have a ball in the dirt and never see a cop off road. Buy one, you won't regret it.

[mrpete64]

I went from an '06 BMW GT to a 800 GS. "Refreshing" change!!
Mr. Pete--->
aging hippie

p.s. loved both bikes. The 800 is light, "flickable," and just plain....fun to drive!

[PhilSpace]

Gots the GT, gots the GS. You aren't going to solve your wrist problem with the GS, I found that it would do a buck ten two up on Saturday and it is just as much fun to grind things in the twisties on it.

Get a radar detector and some common sense, keep the GT and get the GS. It will all work out.

[One Eye Mike]

What he said............. The 800 is not a slug.

[Singletrack_mind]

I'd say getting an 800 isn't going to slow you down, you are going to have to slow your self down. Far and a way the most fun way to do that is to get a roadrace license. A year or so on the track and you WILL slow down on the street. First off, you acquire a whole different outlook on safety. The road is not a safe place. Second, you realize that no matter how hard you think you are riding on the street, you are barely scratching the surface of what's possible on the track, so after a while, you understand that you just can't ride hard enough on the street to get your fix.

MX racing would probably do something similar for you, I can't speak to that.

Of course, you said something about putting knobbies on the 800. That'd slow ME down for sure, knobbies on pavement are too squirrely for my liking.

[Firefight911]

You aren't gonna solve your speed issue with and 800. Hell, I just got a K13 to add to the F8 and my wife's F650.

This grin ain't gonna ever fade!!!!

Go do a track day. It WILL slow you down on the street. The F8 is very competent in the twisties and you will be surprised just how much so!!

Speed is controlled in the wrist and the mind. Plus, with the GT you get to do some real nice 2up stuff. That's why we got the K13.

Without the most amazing wife, none of this would be possible!!!



Her ride -



My ride -



OUR ride -



Thanks Honey!!

Can't wait til we have the break in done, the weather, and roads like this to explore the GT!


(My old R1200ST in Torrey, UT)

[BCC]

Thanks all. I ended up trading the GT for a GSA. I'm a tall guy and just feel better on the 1200.

I really think my problem with the GT was related to the ease of acceleration plus the wonderful sound. To easy to twist the wrist and be gone, now.

I'm sure the 800gs is faster in the twisties. I know the gsa is easier to ride fast in the mountains than the KGT. That's not where my 'speed' issues were. I was coming to the attention of the police on 'B' roads, without realizing I was going fast.

I used to do tons of track days and I've taken up riding dirt and I sure ain't young. So clearly it's an issue of self control, since I should know better. I clearly need a street bike that takes more work and doesn't sound as good when accelerating. Hopefully this does it. Or sooner or later I'll be walking.

And I am going to install a radar detector.

[ROYAL COACHMAN]

Originally Posted by thelouv

I can agree with that last comment. Same thing happened to me when I got an Aprilia Capo to take some seat time from the BMW K1200S also in the garage. Then I just had to sell the KS (similar reasons) & got a big nasty cruiser from Triumph. Neither of those bikes allow the asphalt to glide by as swiftly as the KS did. Now with the 800GS, I can tell you it doesn't like speeds over 85mph very much. It'll do much more quite easily but not so gracefully like those big aero BMWs.

I have to respectively disagree here, my F8ooGS will do at least 95 just fine