Hi gang. I'm just back from a 5.5kkm trip on my 2018 XRT, two-up.
Thought I'd share a few observations and gripes.
The map of my trip is at
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1P6iEAQqB4470xHVPBgQLYEnKv8L4E20&usp=sharingIt might get tweaked a bit, but is pretty complete.
TyresGot new Pilot Road 6 tyres for the trip. Never had PRs before.
My tyre guy told me I was running pressures too low, so I ran with 3-4PSI more than previous.
Dunno if it was the increased pressure or the new tyres, but I found the bike more unstable. Tipped into corners more readily, which meant more wobbly at slow speeds, especially two-up. (We carry a lot of luggage too.) Grip wise the PRs seemed OK, but I don't get too adventurous on corners when two-up.
TSASMy wife really struggles to get on and off the bike these days, especially after a few hours on the back. (We are both oldies.) So... I ran in Rider Mode with the preload set to off-road, for the whole trip! -This was to drop the back a bit for her. But it also made it a little easier for me to handle the bike when she got on and off, or paddling around on gravel sections or doing u-turns.
The fact that I had to reset the mode to 'Rider' every time I started the bike was a pain, but I did it.
I did notice that if I turned it off, then back on quickly, the mode would stay set. So when stopped at roadworks, of which there were lots, many with automatic or manned traffic lights, I'd stop the bike then turn on ignition and wait with engine not running.
I just had to remember to not have my feet hanging down when cornering, with the bike a bit lower. But the experience makes me wonder if I should get lowering links.
Garmin Zumo XT GPSI updated the GPS software and map, only days before leaving.
While the GPS was an absolute blessing in guiding us around, it also was the cause of some grief.
Despite being set for "avoid unpaved roads", twice it led us on to gravel roads. The worst one was horrific because along the road was roadworks forcing us onto rutted muddy dirt. I lost it and drifted off the side onto what I thought would be flat grass. Turned out to be deep grass masking deep undulations. Had to tell the wife to get off while I slowly navigated through it. To makes matters worse, I was leading a couple on a big Harley. Fortunately they they remained upright. After the awful roadworks we came across more roadworks with stop paddles manned by a nice young girl who informed us that yes, the road after the dug up bit was sealed. -Not for long, then back onto gravel. That eventually joined back into the highway we should have been on. We'd done an awful diversion which actually increased the trip length! Many kms later, the GPS again sent us down a gravel road.
Skip a destination -beats me how you do it. I occasionally added an intermediate town to visit. When trying to move off from that town, the GPS would take us around in circles until we had gone past what it regarded as the town centre. I had to kill the programmed trip and put it back without the intermediate town, to defeat this.
Occasionally, the GPS would pop up a list of towns ahead and times/distances to them. I don't know what caused this to happen. Sometimes it was a distraction, other times it was useful, but I was unable to find out how to cause this to happen when I wanted it.
As well as sending us on gravel roads, the GPS occasionally either used a stupid route in a town, or even sent us onto non-existent roads. In one place it tried to get us to cross a rail line on a road that wasn't there! Made it dangerous, forcing a u-turn on a busy highway. It was while getting to a mate's place for the night. He said that he knew of a TomTom that did the same thing. So it must be a fault with the map data they use.
Despite all that, I'd be lost without the GPS. Sadly, I find it hard to read the writing on it. Same for the bike dash. Lifting my visor helps. Wearing polaroid sunnies makes it worse.
The bikeMy Tiger 1200 is magnificent. Never lets me down. In nearly 80kkm, the only fault has been a weeping fork seal.
But this trip, one of many long distance trips we've done two-up, makes me think it is time to get a lower bike. The Tiger is very tall, and top-heavy (especially with all the luggage we carry).
I was in a bike shop looking at helmets, and I discussed my problem with the manager. I looked at a lovely low Triumph. He said it wouldn't be comfortable on a trip, and the forward pegs meant I couldn't stand up to relieve the legs and bum. (I find standing up periodically, takes some cramp out of my legs.) He said the best choice for me would be a Tiger 900. Lower and lighter. (The store sold a few makes, so he wasn't totally Triumph biassed.)
He also said to wait until later in the year. He reckons there is a new model 900 coming out, though Triumph and the distributor are staying mum about that.
So I'll be looking up the specs on the 900 to see if it would do us for trips. Maybe the lowered version. Can't see myself on three wheels like a lot of club members are doing when they find two wheels too hard.
We had a great trip. Saw some towns we hadn't been to. Weather was great, only one day of drizzle, the rest sunny and cool, or cloudy but dry.
The town the AGM was in (Lismore), and other towns we went through, are recovering from severe flooding. Those poor people have had it really tough. Many are still displaced or living in caravans on their property. One big problem is black mould, forcing the removal of all inside wall cladding to get at it. Huge buildings like schools remain closed because of it. And for some, it wasn't the depth of water that caused the destruction, but the strength of water flow. Brick houses moved off their foundations! Insurance companies have been slow and obstructive, tradies to fix houses are hard to find, materials are scarce.
The next Ulysses Club AGM event is at Mandurah Western Australia -even further away. Still planning for that one. Hmmm -car, caravan, or not yet purchased new lower bike?
But before that, hoping to do an around-Oz trip on my Tiger 1200, with a friend on a big Harley. -Staying on sealed roads (I hope).
Ken.
