Motus merged threadfest

[canuguzzi]

Perhaps, because as a group, we're aging and either can't put with uncompromising seating and riding position or won't put up with it anymore. As we age there are many things were we say "been there done that, don't need to prove anything anymore". Or we get soft.

I've seen too many friends get larger too. Unwilling or unable to keep the weight off (some of us are blessed with more willing genes than others, luck of the draw) need a bike capable of handling the extra mass. sigh.

My Griso can carry soft bags (I have two flavors) so once tarted up for a rally or trip I consider her a sport tourer - wth the rider being less sporty than the bike. My idea of hard charging is pretty tame compared to others (comparing chicken strips, my hard charging is more some others - at least at slow speed  ).

Or do you want to just include hardbags?

That says it best, the larger girths aren't all that comfortable with even a slight forward lean so the corn cob up yours with a begging dog arm position become sought after. When you think about it though, the typical ADV riding position is probably the worst you can do for your back, all your weight is on your tailbone and your spine gets compressed and hammered with each ripple in the road.

BMW carried this over to their heavier STs to the point that the ADV ride position and what you get on any larger BMW is the same thing.

Its always easier to get a recliner than get off the chair and trim the weight off.

Nice to see Motus embrace the ST style rather than come out with yet another parade escort bike.

[Lannis]

That says it best, the larger girths aren't all that comfortable with even a slight forward lean so the corn cob up yours with a begging dog arm position become sought after. When you think about it though, the typical ADV riding position is probably the worst you can do for your back, all your weight is on your tailbone and your spine gets compressed and hammered with each ripple in the road.

See, now, that's where generalizations start falling to pieces.   I'll stack my girth up against anyone's, but I'm perfectly comfortable on the Stelvio, with my feet up under me and my weight where it belongs.    And I've set up my A10 touring bike just like my SP-NT - with short, low bars to give me some forward lean to keep the weight off my arms at highway speed.   The "compressing" and "hammering" part, you take care of with proper seat design and with suspension mods to fit you ......

Lannis

[Aaron D.]

Even on a perfectly upright bike, a slight pull forward to the bars will keep the lower back from sagging painfully.

My current ride is not really easy to stand up on for big bumps, so I have found leaning further forward takes the shock out of the spine.

[sturgeon]

When you think about it though, the typical ADV riding position is probably the worst you can do for your back, all your weight is on your tailbone and your spine gets compressed and hammered with each ripple in the road.

Actually, for me at least, it isn't. I typically do several 5,000-km trips to the Maritimes every year to visit family. I usually take my F800GS because the long-travel cushy suspension soaks up every 'ripple', up to and including railway ties. I took the R1150RT a couple of weeks ago, and came back a bit sore, mostly because I'm so used to ignoring poor roads that it took a while to relearn the art of avoiding bumps in the road. On the up-side, the RT is perfectly happy at 165 km/h for long periods of time. The GS is certainly capable, but the knobby tires make me exercise a bit of caution 

[rboe]

Just some pics of red Motus's being picked up by their owners - I think red is that bikes color (I seem to be a bit biased in favor of red bikes though). Dang.

Just don't need all those horses though

[davevv]

After putting 505 miles on the bike, I was planning to head for eastern Tennessee on Wednesday 10-7, so I did the 600 mile service on Tuesday.  The service only consists of changing oil in the engine and transmission plus a number of checks that are listed in the owner's manual.  Took longer than it should since it was my first time working on this bike, but there was nothing difficult about it.

I left late Wednesday morning and arrived at my friend's place in Ducktown, TN around noon on Friday.  Cold front came through and it started raining hard around midnight and rained off and on until about noon on Saturday so we didn't do any riding that day.  But mixed in with the running around and visiting other friends, I had a little time to adjust on the bike in the afternoon.  The brake and shift levers were both too low for my liking, so I tweaked them a bit and it fits more comfortably now.

Ducktown is in far southeast TN, close to The Dragon, Cherahola, Two Wheels of Suches, and the entire region is full of smooth, tight, and twisty mountain roads.  Sunday morning, three of us headed over to TWO for breakfast and then continued on over to Rider's Hill.  From there we spent about two hours riding those beautiful roads on a roundabout route back to Ducktown.  Great fun and perfect for the Motus.

The trip totaled 1973 miles over 8 days, and the bike was perfect.  Not one single glitch the whole way.  The transmission finally loosened up and started shifting smoothly at about 2000 miles on the odo (has a total of 2478 now).  I've said before that this is the best bike I've ever been on in 54 years of riding, and that opinion hasn't changed.  Steering is completely neutral and utterly composed at all times.  With the huge amount of torque available, it's really great fun in the mountains.  For the performance minded, my friend has a racing background and after I sent him out alone on it Sunday afternoon, he did inform me that it hits the rev limiter at 125mph in fourth, and will get there "in the blink of an eye".  I don't push things quite that hard, but I had noticed it gets to triple digits awfully quick.

The bike is really comfortable and well set up for it's intended role.  I adjusted the bars for the second time while I was doing the 600 service and got it right that time as I had very little soreness in my neck and shoulders after the trip.  I've never had a perfect seat and this one isn't either, but it's as good as I've ever had.  I didn't even bother fitting one of the three sheepskins I have laying around in my garage.  The GIVI panniers easily held four days of clothes, tools, oil, chain lube, Plexus, walking shoes, two extra pairs of gloves, rain suit, and a jacket liner with a little room left over.

A few pictures.




I woke up to mornings like this several times.  BTW, I was only in the handicap space because the motel had put me in the handicap room.


That room was in Lynchburg.


The main building at Two Wheels of Suches.


Rider's Hill.

[Arizona Wayne]

Get many looky loos when you stop?

[Lannis]

Thanks!   Keep us up to date.   The more data the better.

Sounds like a great bike but it's one nell of a commitment ... !

Lannis

[davevv]

Get many looky loos when you stop?

Yes and no.  It usually takes a little while for someone to notice what it is, or that it just looks a little different, then a crowd will gather around to check it out more closely.  So if I'm not stopped for very long, like just filling up with gas, not many folks notice it.

[rocker59]

I've said before that this is the best bike I've ever been on in 54 years of riding, 

Wow!  What a strong endorsement!

I guess I need to start saving my nickels and dimes.

I'm a SPORT-tourer at heart.

 

[rboe]

I hate you. 

[davevv]

Not a whole lot of "data" to report, Lannis.  But the on board computer does say that it has gotten 45mpg for the total mileage so far.  I've only taken the time to check and calculate two tanks full, and I came up with ~42mpg both times.  Either way, I thought it was pretty decent for a 1650cc engine that puts out the power this one does.

[Lannis]

Not a whole lot of "data" to report, Lannis.  But the on board computer does say that it has gotten 45mpg for the total mileage so far.  I've only taken the time to check and calculate two tanks full, and I came up with ~42mpg both times.  Either way, I thought it was pretty decent for a 1650cc engine that puts out the power this one does.

That really is good gas mileage. 

I'm only asking because you're our "pioneer" when it comes to this new type of sport-touring bike.    You know - the guy with two arrows through his hat, one in his arm, his pants torn up by wolves ....  Hope it keeps going "smooth"!

Lannis

[HarveyMushman]

I've said before that this is the best bike I've ever been on in 54 years of riding, and that opinion hasn't changed. 

Congrats, and enjoy.

I had an opportunity to spend some time with a couple of them last weekend at Barber.  Really nice bikes.  Wish I could afford one.    

[krglorioso]

I'm fascinated with the Motus and I can afford a Motus (still working at just shy of my 79th birthday), but my frugal nature allows me only the luxury of vicariously enjoying one through the experiences of others.  I want to see this bike succeed and many times wondered if they'd ever get them on dealers' showroom floors and then whether or not they'd sell.  Well, all appears to be going well and I look forward to more owner assessments of this great American bike!

[oldbike54]

 Ralph , I will get more enthused when they build a flat tracker 

  Dusty

[brlawson]

They brought one of their latest incarnations to Barber's. A belt driven turbo and plenty of gas. It looked comfortable with someone riding it but I just don't get the whole tiny tail look.

[Lannis]

Ralph , I will get more enthused when they build a flat tracker 

  Dusty

You're going to run out of excuses pretty soon .... !           

Lannis

[oldbike54]

You're going to run out of excuses pretty soon .... !           

Lannis

 I'm gonna run out of money first  Maybe if I sold my house ... Lannis , ya got a spare room 

  Dusty

[Lannis]

I'm gonna run out of money first  Maybe if I sold my house ... Lannis , ya got a spare room 

  Dusty

3 spare rooms, and space in the garage for a Motus; price of admission, you know ....

[zedXmick]

Honda blew it with that bike. Tiny tank, acc only luggage that was $$$, horrible ergos, long for a sport bike...decent tech with the optional DCT, but the bike was too expensive. You can still buy them new if you look. That same drive train in a better ST bike would help replace the ST1300.

Tiny tank...5 gallons and I average 43 mpg on my commute like clockwork= 215 mile range, not the worst out there. 
acc only luggage that was $$$...that's ironic being posted in a Motu$  31-37K motorcycle thread.
Horrible ergo's...maybe for you... I find them perfect for me.
too expensive .... yeah back in 2010....I purchased my DCT  as a new leftover in 2012 for thousands off MSRP (guzzi content)  :)
As a SPORT touring motorcycle with shaft drive,ABS,and factory hard luggage HONDA hit this bike out of the park. This has been the best bike I have ridden in 36 years of street riding. IMHO

I prefer my Sport tourer with soft luggage and submit the following picture as proof. (ridden to BRP from WI not loaded on a trailer)




Comparing the VFR 1200 (manual transmission) weight wise with the Motus   580lbs vs 580lbs  (the VFR has shaft drive)  I prefer the shaft drive thank you. Some stats found online from Rider Magazine. Notice only a 5.5 gallon fuel tank.    wonder if that small tank will get all the nasty hate that the VFR's small tank got over the last 5 years.


Chassis
Frame: 4130 chrome-moly tubular-steel trellis space frame w/ tubular-steel swingarm
Wheelbase: 58.1 in.
Rake/Trail: 26 degrees/4.25 in.
Seat Height: 32.5 in.
Suspension, Front: 43mm Öhlins NIX30 inverted fork, fully adj. w/ 5.1-in. travel
Rear: Single PS shock, adj. for spring preload & rebound damping w/ 4.7-in. travel/Ohlins TTX36, fully adj.
Brakes, Front: Dual 320mm discs w/ opposed 4-piston radial calipers
Rear: Single 200mm disc w/ 2-piston pin-slide caliper
Wheels, Front: Forged/Carbon fiber, 3.50 x 17 in.
Rear: Forged/Carbon fiber, 6.00 x 17 in.
Tires, Front: 120/70-ZR17
Rear: 190/70-ZR17
Claimed Wet Weight: 580/565 lbs.
Performance
Fuel Capacity: 5.5 gals.
MPG: 91 PON min. (low/avg/high) NA


I like Motus and hope they succeed, I have read that they are trying to get ABS ready for next year's model. Thats a big plus in my book.

[guzziboy66]

A friend of mine rides his VFR 1200 to our Moto Guzzi gatherings and we laugh how it is actually more exotic/rare than the Guzzi's.  The VFR is an acquired taste and I think it should have been named ST and not VFR.  The engine is pretty nice and he goes way further on a tank than I can with my GRiSO...  The VFR does seem to eat it tires though...


Eric

[zedXmick]

A friend of mine rides his VFR 1200 to our Moto Guzzi gatherings and we laugh how it is actually more exotic/rare than the Guzzi's.  The VFR is an acquired taste and I think it should have been named ST and not VFR.  The engine is pretty nice and he goes way further on a tank than I can with my GRiSO...  The VFR does seem to eat it tires though...


Eric

I was an original owner of  a 1991 VFR750 AND A 1993 ST1100. I bought both bikes new. The VFR1200 is a VFR like the original WAY more than an ST1100. Picture of bikes. Yeah honda made a shaft drive VFR.  Quite an accomplishment.   I do love the v4 engines in a motorcycle.   150 RWHP tends to eat rear tires....

[Arizona Wayne]

An owner told me ST1100s get moved around by side winds.

[oldbike54]

An owner told me ST1100s get moved around by side winds.

 True of any bike with that much bodywork .

  Dusty

[krglorioso]

Ralph , I will get more enthused when they build a flat tracker 

  Dusty

Yeah, Dusty, and as "King Kenny" Roberts said, "They can't pay me enough to ride this thing"!!

Ralph

[oldbike54]

Yeah, Dusty, and as "King Kenny" Roberts said, "They can't pay me enough to ride this thing"!!

Ralph

 Oddly enough , he recently was quoted as saying it wasn't that bad . Rose colored glasses and all 

  Dusty

[beardog]

 Okay I jumped and bought a new Motus (the cheap one MST) I hope I don't regret it down the road. What little I have ridden it WOW great bike but it should be for what they cost. 

[CT Dharma]

Congrats. I was fortunate to go on a demo ride with Lee Conn on both models earlier this year; VERY impressive motorcycle. Best of luck.

 

[leafman60]

The Motus is the most exhilarating motorcycle I've ridden.

They are like a Guzzi on steroids.

I have seriously grappled with buying an MST-R like the one I rode.

However, and I know this sounds wimpy, I have been trying to slow down over the last few years. I sold my BMW R1200S which was not far down from the Motus on the ladder of exhiration.

I still have fast machines that will kill you but I have backed off on hot dog runs with them- most of the time.  These very high-powered bikes like the Motus are impossible (for me) to ride in the way I should be riding.

No matter how experienced and skilled a rider can be, sooner or later, the laws of chance will catch up with you.

Having said all that, I still want a Motus.  May the OP have a lot of fun on his - and try to be careful.