General topics » More love for the RS

What's with the explosion of joy for the RS in the press and elsewhere? Posted earlier today by Lamb Chop Rides.

https://youtu.be/K-yS7c50L3g

Bennetts Bike social have a short comparison between the RS & GS recently as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo9R2VmAkrk

MCN said the RS is the cost no object choice compared to the Kawasaki and Mandello.

I spent a couple of years looking at the RS before buying (hopefully pick it up today...if it doesn't rain/snow again). I almost bought a Kawasaki Ninja SX, then decided against it (I still had a perfect S1000RR in the garage). Then I looked very hard at the Suzuki GSXS1000GT+...and also decided against it. The Kawi and Suzuki are nice bikes, but...no center stand, chain drive, heated grips a cost-added "accessory" on the Suzuki, 1-year warranty (vs 3 years for the RS), less-than-optimal OEM brakes/tires on the Suzuki, etc., etc., etc.

Being 76 and having spent nearly 11 years riding superbikes, and desiring more comfort while still being able to get "sporty", the RS ticked all the boxes. And at my age, I wanted a bike I could ride for years and not be thinking, "Time to clean/lube the chain".

I do think Suzuki has done the sport/tour sector a favor, though. Their GT is relatively affordable and it looks sporty as all get-out. Not surprised the sector is getting some life breathed into it.

EDIT: The apparent renewed interest in sport/tour bikes may be as simple as the aging "baby-boomer" demographic.

depeding on your age, ability/skills, planned usage and mileage it depends where on the sport-to-tourer scale each of those bikes fit.

in my mind Suzuki GT has place on it as it's far more 'sport' oriented than the RS. Ergos are more aggressive, solo-rider oriented, less storage options and capacities, chain, pillion seat is laughable and the engine is tuned more aggressively (also the ~40% price difference compared to the RS). And as you said it helps revamp the segment which plunged towards SUV/CUV's of bikes with tracers, tridents and XR's.

Ninja is somewhere in between, it was also a close second for me but comes at pillion comfort compromises much like the older VFRs (subjective) and has the chain which is a hassle if your tours go for thousands of kms.

In lots of those places (recent articles) I keep seeing the bhp as-if the RS is lacking any because the 1250cc could realistically make Super Duke power. Which it could, at the cost of range, fuel consumption, engine stress and aggressive tuning/gearing but it misses the point of the RS completely when considering the RR's and XR's they offer.

And you I would love to meet some of the commenters on the recent RS/GS comparison and take them with me while ringing the RS for what's it's got on B-roads and listen to wannabe Rossi's arguing they need 170bhp for the street or the bike 'doesn't move'. You'll break the highway speed limits in seconds barely into 3rd even before your intestines catch up to you thanks to all the torque.

Just opened my copy of just delivered Ride this month, and what's this? More RS. In their monthly article on 'reader's favourite rides', this month's reader is Dave on his RS - anyone on here?

Then in an article on Best PCP deals, which bike gets the full page spread in the 'mile-muncher' section? Yes, the RS.

Next month, they are trailing an article on the best sports tourers, so at this rate, the RS will feature again highly next month.

You cannot open a magazine without seeing the RS now!

All I can say is I'm glad I grabbed my '23 RS when I did. At this rate of publicity, getting one may prove difficult in a few months.

As for the RS's horsepower, I think it's got plenty. The bike is powerful. And coming from a nearly-200 hp S1000RR, I can honestly say that much horsepower on a public road is overkill. I never pinned the throttle on that RR...it's insane. The RS's 136 hp is more than enough.

Don't think it's much to do with age, I'm 33 and since the original 1200rs release always wanted one, now have a 1250rs and love it. Something I'll always keep in the garage as a second bike.

Planning to ride to Istanbul from se England next year and a few mates are having to scope out new bikes because they've haven't got an all rounder like the rs.

Most of my mates struggle to keep up even when they are on sports bikes.

The rs let's you take liberties when you want to push hard.

Coming from 10 years of S1000RR's, the RS is a big change. The character of the engine takes a little adjustment, after the turbine whine of the RR's inline 4-cylinder configuration, but the look of the bike (the RS), the power, comfort, carrying capacity and NO CHAIN(!) make up for anything I've given up with the RS. The quietness of the engine/exhaust is another thing that's new to me...the sound of the wind is louder than the exhaust!

I've had more BMW K-bikes than R-bikes but I always put more miles on the
twins go figure.2021_52_MTr009_2.jpg - Bild entfernt (keine Rechte)

Zitat von Becksy im Beitrag #7

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Next month, they are trailing an article on the best sports tourers, so at this rate, the RS will feature again highly next month.

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