June 4th, 2025

[cabnfvr]

Dupont State Forest.


Lake Toxaway, NC. Excellent food overlooking Toxaway Falls.
About an hour from home.


Cold Mountain.

[BillGsa]

Tim that bike fits you perfectly

[cabnfvr]

Very comfy, and we're having fun on it.

[Susan]

He rides it like he rode the K1300S, you know. Only now with knobbies.....

[Doctor350]

I'd love Susan to write up her real life thoughts as a pillion, comparing the GS13 to the K13. Tanya and I are thinking of the GS13 to go alongside the K13R.

[Doctor350]

Here's halfway - https://maps.app.goo.gl/sUrYQ1RVqgfuchRb9

[Doctor350]

and the next bit - https://maps.app.goo.gl/onMU8YTJCQvpM5qz6

[Susan]

Impressive and interesting lap!

[Susan]

Ever since I started riding pillion with Tim over 40 years, I have been a leaner and a flinger. That is to say, our bikes have been of the sportier variety, hence me flinging my leg over the seat and leaning forward. With the GS, it's a more upright position. I still have to use his foot peg to get a leg up and over, as I had to on the K1300S, mainly because me being in-seamed challenged (I'm 5' 4"). My peg is too tall to hike up my foot, plus I have a wonky right knee with which I have trust issues. I've never been a stepper-over so it can make an interesting situation with tail trunk clearance.
Once on board the GS, it is a surprisingly comfortable ride. I thought that I would be hit with a lot of wind but that's not the case. The seat sits great and there's good leg room.
We're planning a short distance trip on the GS in a few weeks as a dress rehearsal for SGR. If the day rides are any indication, it should be a fun experience.
I also say this, as far as looks, horse power, comfort, fun factor, that K1300S clicked all of the boxes.

[wildbears]

I knew when she was starting to snooze off when her helmet hit the back of mine. I'd grab her knee to wake her and pull off to take a break.

[Doctor350]

Thanks Susan. The way we do the pillion entry and exit is I get ready with feet firmly planted (especially the left foot), front brake on, I lean forward and give her a quick "all good" through our intercom. She then uses my left footpeg and sort of steps over rather than throwing the leg over like getting a horse because she would hit the back rest or the tail bag. And you can see from our avatar photo that when things get sporty, she tucks right in and I don't even know she's there. She is a very good pillion.

The other day we stopped for fuel and I really did forget she was on the back, and I just put the stand down and lent the bike over and then remembered and lifted it back up. She said "you forgot didn't you?". I said "yep"

She has never asked me to bring the bike into the house.

But she does look good in her leathers, so there is that.

[Susan]

Amazing enough, I can still fit in the BMW leathers that Tim bought me over 40 years ago. It's a somewhat different look, but still..... a look.
I love that avatar. Y'all look great!

[955i]

You know, high quality pillion riders are hard to find. I suggest to all my friends that if they find one, keep her!