Boog's Review of the 2020 R and GT

[Daytonastar]

I too am a luddite. My 2017 truck is as basic as I could get, no key fob, just a key to unlock the doors. No cruise control, no heated seats but does have many extras I do not care for, backup camera, Bluetooth, computer screen on the dash and a menu of unwanted crap that while may be useful, it is a distraction and not needed. Give me a speedo, tach, dimmer switch and a blasting horn and I am happy both on four and two wheels.

I’m literally the opposite. I love all the electronics.
Keyless
Electronic cruise
Bluetooth sat nav from phone
Quick shift
Traction control
ABS with cornering detection
Hill hold
TPMS
Heated grips
Selectable riding modes

All of the above are great moves forward in my opinion - at the same time I get why existing owners may not like it. I’ve come from a completely different biking background. The electronics and the styling are what has allowed me to make the shift. Where I grumbled a bit was the logic behind the access to the electronic setup. Seemed a bit dis-jointed, like they’d had different teams working on different bits of it.
To the guy with the friends with broken down BMWs, I guess don’t buy a BMW then! But I don’t really see why the electronic extras would be any more unreliable than they are in cars.

 

[Boog]

I’m literally the opposite. I love all the electronics.
Keyless
Electronic cruise
Bluetooth sat nav from phone
Quick shift
Traction control
ABS with cornering detection
Hill hold
TPMS
Heated grips
Selectable riding modes

All of the above are great moves forward in my opinion - at the same time I get why existing owners may not like it. I’ve come from a completely different biking background. The electronics and the styling are what has allowed me to make the shift. Where I grumbled a bit was the logic behind the access to the electronic setup. Seemed a bit dis-jointed, like they’d had different teams working on different bits of it.
To the guy with the friends with broken down BMWs, I guess don’t buy a BMW then! But I don’t really see why the electronic extras would be any more unreliable than they are in cars.

What you write here is exactly my thought when I started the review. I do not appreciate all the electronics knowing full well other will. That is what makes our motorcycle world great I think; many different opinions.
I do wish they had a basic version though for those of us who prefer the bike without the "gee-wizardly" stuff.

 

[barbagris]

But I don’t really see why the electronic extras would be any more unreliable than they are in cars.

Sadly I do. And the major one is "itchy fingers". The other biggie is cost.

A car's electronics are surrounded by a "mostly" water/dirt/salt-proof layer of metal/plastic. But maybe more importantly - if summat fails on a bike - commercially it has little impact - fails on a car - It'll be all over the tele and internet in days.

 

[Idaho Red Rocket 3]

Good Job Boog. I too would like a go at a ride on a GT and and R to compare. Patients. A ride would be dangerous to the checkbook.

 

[RocketEd]

Enjoyed your review by the way. Few things to add.

Agree, horn is an embarrassment. The bell on my daughters training wheel equipped bicycle is more aggressive.

Talking of stupid switches, the indicator borders on dangerous. Never mind the ‘brief press for 3 seconds, long press for smart cancel ‘ nonsense, I’d settle for it actually working first time I hit it, every time.

Another advantage of the Rocket over the Diavel is that you can leave the petrol cap unlocked. I’m genuinely not concerned that someone might try to siphon out my gas (is that even still a thing?), but having to use the key when you want to fill up sucks.

The switch with the ‘house’ on it, activates the steering lock. It’s quick and it works.

I don't think they have a choice on the horn - I've read decibel limit is set by law and higher tones supposedly travel further, so there ya go.

I've never had self canceling turn signals that worked the way I need them to. I've worked hard to train myself to turn them off, and do well at it.

Is the gas cap really unlocked, or is it a matter of being able to open the cap within a set amount of time after turning the bike off if you have the FOB in correct proximity?

Does the fork lock also require a properly functioning FOB to unlock?

 

[Daytonastar]

I don't think they have a choice on the horn - I've read decibel limit is set by law and higher tones supposedly travel further, so there ya go.

I've never had self canceling turn signals that worked the way I need them to. I've worked hard to train myself to turn them off, and do well at it.

Is the gas cap really unlocked, or is it a matter of being able to open the cap within a set amount of time after turning the bike off if you have the FOB in correct proximity?

Does the fork lock also require a properly functioning FOB to unlock?

It wasn’t so much the self cancelling but, it quite often just doesn’t make them come on. It’s just not a very good switch, which is a bad quality in a switch.

You can either lock or unlock the cap after you’ve tightened it up. The big silver thing on the top is just cosmetic I think and does not lock. There’s no proximity element to it at all, you’re just using the flip out blade of the key fob. I’m planning to leave mine unlocked. Seem to be filling it up about once an hour anyway so it saves some time. The dealer made quite a fuss about not overfilling it, so I’m trying not to brim it.

As for the fork lock button (thing with a picture of a house on it *shrug*), I didn’t test it without the fob present, because, well you wouldn’t, would you?

 

[Dr.D]

I don’t mind a few electronic upgrades but I don’t need them all. Cruise control is nearly a need and I see no down side to it.

I think most guys might play with the gadgets and settings then just put it the way they want it and leave it. At that point it is a throttle a cutch and some brakes. Just like they all are.

Nice review Boog et al.

 

[Lamonster]

If you stand on the left side of the bike and run your hand underneath the tail unit there are two very tiny points in the plastic. You hold the key fob between them and the bike starts, irrespective of battery in the fob.
Another feature of the key fob is that you can press it and the bike stops responding to it. This stops someone cloning your key by scanning it.

 

[RocketEd]

It wasn’t so much the self cancelling but, it quite often just doesn’t make them come on. It’s just not a very good switch, which is a bad quality in a switch.

You can either lock or unlock the cap after you’ve tightened it up. The big silver thing on the top is just cosmetic I think and does not lock. There’s no proximity element to it at all, you’re just using the flip out blade of the key fob. I’m planning to leave mine unlocked. Seem to be filling it up about once an hour anyway so it saves some time. The dealer made quite a fuss about not overfilling it, so I’m trying not to brim it.

As for the fork lock button (thing with a picture of a house on it *shrug*), I didn’t test it without the fob present, because, well you wouldn’t, would you?

Thanks for the feedback. On the 1290 KTMs the gas cap will unlock within certain time if FOB is present and functioning properly. Some have had issues - apparently with electronic interference in some locations.
I was imagining a worst case scenario with the fork lock. It's locked, your FOB battery is dead - can you still unlock it by waking the bike up using the antenna under the fender.

 

[stollydriver]

I have tested both R3R and GT - there was more interest in my R3X at the dealership. The new bikes feel like you are sitting on them whereas the original - you feel like a part of the bike. Suffice to say - keeping the X. Please note - this is only my opinion ( and yes - I could buy new bike outright if I wanted) Also hate new bike depreciation