So I picked up a Tuono to go along with my GSA and K12S in the garage. Three completely different bikes yet they do "their things" extremely well. While I was out and about yesterday, I started thinking about the differences in the bikes and thought I'd post up some thoughts. This also comes about from some questions that I was asked from a couple of members here. So here it goes, a comparison of these bikes slaying the dragon.
Many people know that I love the ugly (but not the ugliest bike made...cough cough KTM) GSA aka John Deere. It does pretty much everything and does it pretty well. It is a great touring bike and I am extremely comfortable riding hours on end with it. Having a huge fuel capacity goes well with eating up the miles. But what surprised me most was the handling it exhibited in the twisties. I never felt as fast on the K bikes in tight corners (sweepers and such are a toss-up between the K and GSA). And we are talking about the Dragon here so tight, technical corners are in abundance. I would take the GSA over the K on the Dragon any day of the week.
The GSA handles road anomalies very well. Nothing really upsets the chassis of the GSA because the suspension soaks up all the bumps and humps, giving the rider a planted feeling. Being planted brings confidence and confidence brings speed. Someone told me that smooth is fast and fast is smooth. The GSA gives me this feeling of smooth while riding tight twisty stuff over broken surfaces such as the dragon.
Once I found the sweet gear/rpm range then it becomes a simple task of throwing the beast into the corners. But the GSA, as big as it is, is nimble. I found that on many days I would hunt down sportbikes like many hunts down HD's. While in the sweet spot, the GSA pulls hard with a bunch of torque and combine that with the bike's software means this thing can accelerate out of those tight corners very well. I will say that I have had minimal slides with it, and I have pushed that bike very hard. But...
GSA on the Dragon
K1300S on the Dragon
The Ape
I was asked if I would tour on the Ape and the quick answer is no. Yesterday I was thinking about that question in depth and I came to these conclusions. I could travel on this bike. For some strange reason, this bike is more comfortable than the K12 or K13 for me. I haven't put back to back long days on it, and right now I only have about 400 miles total on the bike so this might change but it is surprisingly comfortable. The relatively upright posture is nice and I like being in the air. But there are certain things that will hold me back from taking long trips on it, and this is beside the fact that I live in motorcycling nirvana but strictly for the bike.
First and foremost is the fact that I have a phenomenal bike that I love to ride which suits this duty better. The GSA is a great touring bike. Next though is lack of space for carrying stuff and although there are options to add bags and such, that just doesn't appeal to the aesthetics of the bike. Add the limited fuel range (I got the warning light at 100 miles) and the cost of super sticky tires and this doesn't sound appealing. I would imagine on long trip eating TWO sets of expensive sticky tires. So while I could travel on it, I highly doubt that I will. Instead, I will throw it in the back of my truck and take it with me wherever I want a beast.
Onto the motorcycle. While the GSA is planted and smooths out any bumps or abnormalities in the road surface, the Ape lets you feel everything. There was not one bump that I didn't feel on my trip to the Dragon yesterday. Once there, and once I started my run, that feedback was welcomed. But not on the trip there. And while it has cruise control it is still a twitchy bike. I am sure that some of this will go away when I get the suspension tuned for me and when I get better accustomed to the bike, but it is a high strung mofo!
I will admit that I am very new to this bike and very unfamiliar with sportbikes in general, but I was having a hard time finding the sweet spot in throttle control. I found that 2nd gear was too high with little engine braking at the speeds I was traveling (it is the Dragon and 2nd gear is probably 100 mph) and 1st gear had great engine braking but the throttle was ON! RIGHT FUCKING NOW! I am sure this is all me as I recall it taking a few thousand miles to really get comfortable with the GSA after moving from the K1300S. But right now, it takes more effort when running the dragon. One thing for certain, the bike loves to be throttled!
What about running the Dragon? Well, I had to work as it wasn't what I was used to. I know the GSA and how it handles. I found that I was hunting around at speeds. I found that I wasn't really smooth and was fumbling at trying to make corners quickly. I will give this analogy. I was like a teenage boy getting to second base and not knowing how to "handle" things properly. There was a lot of embarrassing moments and a few "premature" turn ins. But overall I think this bike will be a blast and one of the things I was missing the most on the GSA, ungodly acceleration, is had in spades on the Tuono.
I want to quickly mention acceleration. While you feel the acceleration on the GSA and most assuredly on the K-S, the Ape is just...different. It's like a switch, on when you hit the button. Grab a handful of throttle and you are going, fast, RIGHT NOW! I have a lot of the nanny software still turned on but started to experiment with it. While I knew that I was accelerating quickly, I didn't really get it until I turned the Aprilia Wheelie Control (AWC) down a notch and then all of a sudden the bike is doing these perfect little wheelies every time I whack the throttle open. Without the software, I wouldn't have guessed it was accelerating that quickly. It just doesn't ring how fast this thing really is or the amount of power that it is laying down. I bet that once I move through all the ride modes and play with all the settings that I will truly start to appreciate all of the power that is at my fingertips. I think for right now, the software is making a bad motherfucker ridable for me.
Ape on the Dragon
So that is it for now. Just some thoughts about the bike. I am so thrilled having it and being able to get acquainted prior to the track day coming up at VIR during the weeklong DGR event that is planned.
Many people know that I love the ugly (but not the ugliest bike made...cough cough KTM) GSA aka John Deere. It does pretty much everything and does it pretty well. It is a great touring bike and I am extremely comfortable riding hours on end with it. Having a huge fuel capacity goes well with eating up the miles. But what surprised me most was the handling it exhibited in the twisties. I never felt as fast on the K bikes in tight corners (sweepers and such are a toss-up between the K and GSA). And we are talking about the Dragon here so tight, technical corners are in abundance. I would take the GSA over the K on the Dragon any day of the week.
The GSA handles road anomalies very well. Nothing really upsets the chassis of the GSA because the suspension soaks up all the bumps and humps, giving the rider a planted feeling. Being planted brings confidence and confidence brings speed. Someone told me that smooth is fast and fast is smooth. The GSA gives me this feeling of smooth while riding tight twisty stuff over broken surfaces such as the dragon.
Once I found the sweet gear/rpm range then it becomes a simple task of throwing the beast into the corners. But the GSA, as big as it is, is nimble. I found that on many days I would hunt down sportbikes like many hunts down HD's. While in the sweet spot, the GSA pulls hard with a bunch of torque and combine that with the bike's software means this thing can accelerate out of those tight corners very well. I will say that I have had minimal slides with it, and I have pushed that bike very hard. But...
GSA on the Dragon
K1300S on the Dragon
The Ape
I was asked if I would tour on the Ape and the quick answer is no. Yesterday I was thinking about that question in depth and I came to these conclusions. I could travel on this bike. For some strange reason, this bike is more comfortable than the K12 or K13 for me. I haven't put back to back long days on it, and right now I only have about 400 miles total on the bike so this might change but it is surprisingly comfortable. The relatively upright posture is nice and I like being in the air. But there are certain things that will hold me back from taking long trips on it, and this is beside the fact that I live in motorcycling nirvana but strictly for the bike.
First and foremost is the fact that I have a phenomenal bike that I love to ride which suits this duty better. The GSA is a great touring bike. Next though is lack of space for carrying stuff and although there are options to add bags and such, that just doesn't appeal to the aesthetics of the bike. Add the limited fuel range (I got the warning light at 100 miles) and the cost of super sticky tires and this doesn't sound appealing. I would imagine on long trip eating TWO sets of expensive sticky tires. So while I could travel on it, I highly doubt that I will. Instead, I will throw it in the back of my truck and take it with me wherever I want a beast.
Onto the motorcycle. While the GSA is planted and smooths out any bumps or abnormalities in the road surface, the Ape lets you feel everything. There was not one bump that I didn't feel on my trip to the Dragon yesterday. Once there, and once I started my run, that feedback was welcomed. But not on the trip there. And while it has cruise control it is still a twitchy bike. I am sure that some of this will go away when I get the suspension tuned for me and when I get better accustomed to the bike, but it is a high strung mofo!
I will admit that I am very new to this bike and very unfamiliar with sportbikes in general, but I was having a hard time finding the sweet spot in throttle control. I found that 2nd gear was too high with little engine braking at the speeds I was traveling (it is the Dragon and 2nd gear is probably 100 mph) and 1st gear had great engine braking but the throttle was ON! RIGHT FUCKING NOW! I am sure this is all me as I recall it taking a few thousand miles to really get comfortable with the GSA after moving from the K1300S. But right now, it takes more effort when running the dragon. One thing for certain, the bike loves to be throttled!
What about running the Dragon? Well, I had to work as it wasn't what I was used to. I know the GSA and how it handles. I found that I was hunting around at speeds. I found that I wasn't really smooth and was fumbling at trying to make corners quickly. I will give this analogy. I was like a teenage boy getting to second base and not knowing how to "handle" things properly. There was a lot of embarrassing moments and a few "premature" turn ins. But overall I think this bike will be a blast and one of the things I was missing the most on the GSA, ungodly acceleration, is had in spades on the Tuono.
I want to quickly mention acceleration. While you feel the acceleration on the GSA and most assuredly on the K-S, the Ape is just...different. It's like a switch, on when you hit the button. Grab a handful of throttle and you are going, fast, RIGHT NOW! I have a lot of the nanny software still turned on but started to experiment with it. While I knew that I was accelerating quickly, I didn't really get it until I turned the Aprilia Wheelie Control (AWC) down a notch and then all of a sudden the bike is doing these perfect little wheelies every time I whack the throttle open. Without the software, I wouldn't have guessed it was accelerating that quickly. It just doesn't ring how fast this thing really is or the amount of power that it is laying down. I bet that once I move through all the ride modes and play with all the settings that I will truly start to appreciate all of the power that is at my fingertips. I think for right now, the software is making a bad motherfucker ridable for me.
Ape on the Dragon
So that is it for now. Just some thoughts about the bike. I am so thrilled having it and being able to get acquainted prior to the track day coming up at VIR during the weeklong DGR event that is planned.
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