Second thoughts...

[Kiishka]

Need some help, guys. You were all so great on my first query- now I just need a little convincing (or deterring!). So, the Rockster is poised to be mine- I have $250 down on it to hold it until next weekend, when we'll be picking it up. I went up to do a test ride last Saturday, so of course nature decided to let loose with the rain and the wind and the cold weather. I only got to do laps around the parking lot, and to be honest, I'm glad that's all I was allowed to do. I pulled the bushings out on the stock high seat (they didn't have a low one to switch out) and got enough drop in height that I could actually properly touch, but I still felt very, very small on this big bike. It wasn't the power or the torque that I didn't like- I LOVED the feel of the engine- but the sheer weight of the bike was almost too much for my legs. I was getting the feel of the brakes and stopped a little short, and she nearly went down- I could barely catch it and bring it upright. Low speed stuff was a joke, and I ended up doing a LOT of backing up just to make some of the turns. I'm beginning to think this might not be the best bike for me, even though I can get another inch out of the height for sure. It's just so stinkin' heavy!

Any suggestions? Anyone else feel the same way about it the first time they rode it? Will I get used to it in time? A new bike is definitely in the cards now, as I sold my ninja on Sunday, but I'm not sure whether the Rockster should be its replacement.

I'm a little heartbroken that it didn't go better. Wish I'd just hopped on and felt like it fit me properly. And if this doesn't do it, I really don't know what else to go with- I'm not wanting another sportbike (started to hate that leaned-forward position by the end), and cruisers are even heavier and less my style. ARGH.

[MikeCam]

It's a bad time of year in Indiana to make a purchase you cannot fully evaluate until spring and maybe 500-1000 miles. I'd suggest that with those misgivings you might wish to wait. There are plenty of R1150R Roadsters and Rocksters for sale now and will be throughout the year. Prices are good now and might even drop by spring.

[NoRRmad]

Yeah, the bike is heavy -- particularly compared to a Ninja 250, which if I remember correctly, is what you're used to. You can't be casual with low-speed stuff, which is where the Rockster...doesn't shine. I have 40K miles on my Roadster, and even so I still avoid some situations, like I won't park in a dead-end spot pointing downhill in gravel. Backing out uphill in gravel is hard to do when you're short, and if a foot slips sometimes all you can do is lay it down as gently as you can.

Still, a test ride with a too-high seat is a bad indicator. I'd say congratulations that you didn't lay 'er down in those conditions. You have to develop those low-speed skills -- to know that 'not exactly upright' needs immediate correction before she starts to lean. To be ready with a forceful push on the inside bar in a low speed turn, things like that, which will become second nature with experience.

And I'd insist on the low seat. It makes a big difference.

[jfslater98]

Sorry to hear you were only able to see the low speed performance of these boxers. Not their best "side" if you will. MikeCam has some good advice, if you're not 100% sure, back away. Lots of fish on the road. At the very least, you need to see how the Rockster will perform at higher speeds. That may be enough to wash away the "parking lot" taste you have in your mouth right now. I have been riding mine for 5 years now, and honestly it can still be a handful (for me anyway) under 10mph. All is well, once it's on its way... Good luck!

[Buckster]

I felt the same way at first. I went from a low cruiser to the top heavy Roadster. I thought I was going to drop it everytime I pulled it out of the shed. I got used to it quickly and the weight disappears when you get the bike going. I would definitely get that bike out on the road and test it! Parking lot is not a good place to check any bike!

[tommy]

to give you my experience

im young.. UNDER 20

i used to ride Honda 400's (VFR + RVF), then switched to a Honda C90 which i rode for approximately a year.

i am only 5' 7" tall and went straight from the C90 to the Rockster.

when i was purchasing the rockster, it's competition for my ownership was a 2006 Honda VFR800

when i first sat on the BMW i was crapping my pants.. just the engine at idle scared me, the way the entire bike shook.. and then the first road i ever rode the bike on was a congested city road, through the centre of the city, and out to the countryside.

i have to admit i was scared doing it, VERY scared, but i chose the rockster over the VFR800.

trust me, when you get your practice on the bike you'll get confident with handling it, and know exactly what to do.. it's like.. i remember being scared when i straddled a BMW 1200 GS in the showroom (due to the weight), but i went in there the other day and it feels at home now haha..

my advice would be .. if you like the bike, get it.. but take it VERY VERY easy and carefully for your first few months while you get to learn what the bike's like.

p.s. the seat i have on the bike is the standard seat from new.. so NOT the low seat..

Hope that helps,

Tommy

[sweatmark]

Kiishka - Should have asked you these questions in response to your first message thread:

What's your intended use for the bike? A few hours' ride on weekends? Road trips with packed luggage? Commuting? Trackdays?

We show obvious bias here on the R1150R board, and you've found a large group of happy owners that point to their bike and claim that it can do all of the above. There are several other "standard" bikes of moderate weight and power that can make the same claim, including your husband's Speed Triple (have you tried the Street Triple?), the VFR described above, Buell XBs, the Honda 919, the new BMW F800s, etc. [Here's where other folks will add ideas] If I had to choose 1 bike for all of these applications, then it would be my Rockster all over again.

I bought my wife a Buell XB9S as her first bike: a perfect ergonomic fit, good power, reasonable weight. She didn't like it, and chose to move up in weight/size with an R1100R and now R1150R Roadster. She's ridden >20k miles over 4 seasons, but will admit to some discomfort in slow speed manuevers... she might also admit that she doesn't practice much. I think she's an amazing woman.

I now ride the Buell as my "fun" bike for trackdays and day rides, plus begin involved in the Buell community; I've become a big fan of the brand for many reasons, including a Buy American preference, and would heartily recommend a test ride. Bad news is that closest dealer to you is either Bloomington or Louisville.

The good news is that this is an especially good time to buy a bike. The economy will push many great options your way.

[lionlady]

Need some help, guys. You were all so great on my first query- now I just need a little convincing (or deterring!). So, the Rockster is poised to be mine- I have $250 down on it to hold it until next weekend, when we'll be picking it up. . .

. . . It wasn't the power or the torque that I didn't like- I LOVED the feel of the engine- but the sheer weight of the bike was almost too much for my legs. I was getting the feel of the brakes and stopped a little short, and she nearly went down- I could barely catch it and bring it upright. . .

...Any suggestions? Anyone else feel the same way about it the first time they rode it? Will I get used to it in time? A new bike is definitely in the cards now, as I sold my ninja on Sunday, but I'm not sure whether the Rockster should be its replacement.

You might be better served to wait until spring, when you can spend some time 'getting to know' the bike. According to the specs I found, the Rockster weighs almost 150 lbs more than the Ninja you just sold. (374# curb weight for Ninja, 520# curb weight for Rockster).

I went from the 420 lb BMW f650CS to my Rock and it was a bit of a struggle. Part of it was relearning the "muscle memory" of how much effort it takes to hold up the bike. Then again, I've got a 34 inch inseam so I can get both feet securely on the ground, even on the tall seat.

I actually tipped over the dealer demo in what is probably the same sudden braking move as you. Just wasn't prepared for the extra weight. As part of our 'getting to know each other' period on my Rockster, I dropped the bike 3 times in one day (Looong story), but I haven't dropped it since.

P

[fnfalman]

Need some help, guys. You were all so great on my first query- now I just need a little convincing (or deterring!). So, the Rockster is poised to be mine- I have $250 down on it to hold it until next weekend, when we'll be picking it up. I went up to do a test ride last Saturday, so of course nature decided to let loose with the rain and the wind and the cold weather. I only got to do laps around the parking lot, and to be honest, I'm glad that's all I was allowed to do. I pulled the bushings out on the stock high seat (they didn't have a low one to switch out) and got enough drop in height that I could actually properly touch, but I still felt very, very small on this big bike. It wasn't the power or the torque that I didn't like- I LOVED the feel of the engine- but the sheer weight of the bike was almost too much for my legs. I was getting the feel of the brakes and stopped a little short, and she nearly went down- I could barely catch it and bring it upright. Low speed stuff was a joke, and I ended up doing a LOT of backing up just to make some of the turns. I'm beginning to think this might not be the best bike for me, even though I can get another inch out of the height for sure. It's just so stinkin' heavy!

Any suggestions? Anyone else feel the same way about it the first time they rode it? Will I get used to it in time? A new bike is definitely in the cards now, as I sold my ninja on Sunday, but I'm not sure whether the Rockster should be its replacement.

I'm a little heartbroken that it didn't go better. Wish I'd just hopped on and felt like it fit me properly. And if this doesn't do it, I really don't know what else to go with- I'm not wanting another sportbike (started to hate that leaned-forward position by the end), and cruisers are even heavier and less my style. ARGH.

The low seat will drop it down another inch, so it would help a little, but not much. Remember that your legs are being splayed apart by the width of the seat. And yes, low speed maneuvering sucks though it does get better with experience. That dry clutch really doesn't help at all with trying to manipulate the friction zone. And that wide bar - so spectacular for canyon riding, is a hindrance for low speed because it's so wide that you run out of arms before the bike runs out of steering lock. And you can't do anything about the front heaviness of the bike. This bike is best when it's hauling ass on the open road.

There are plenty of bikes for your liking. Here are a few for your review:

1. Triumph Street Triple and Street Triple R (better suspension & brakes) - 675-cc of I-3 sweetness with decent height and low weight. Not to mention a very amenable price.

2. Ducati Monster 696 or 1100 depending on how fast you want to go. Light weight and low seat.

3. BMW F800/F650-series (S, ST, GS) - they have a "low" option now. Decent if rather boring rides. The F650 is the same thing but cheaper because it has lesser tuned motor (parallel twin like your Ninjette) and lesser suspension/braking components.

4. Kawasaki Ninja 650R or ER-6N (the naked version) - the Ninja is not a sport bike but more of a sporty bike with fairings and a straight seating position.

5. The old stand by and a perennial favorite - Suzuki SV650 (not the S, just plain jane 650). Very competent bike that sits up straight with decent leg room and low weight. It's my favorite of all the rice burners.

6. I'd recommend the Aprilia Shiver with a minor caveat - it has the highest seat height of all these aforementioned bikes.

7. If you can find it, also consider the Honda 599. Boring styling but highly competent vehicle. Think of it as the Japanese version of the BMW F800.

I highly recommend the Street Triple. Sweet ride, distinctive, fast, maneuverable and just plain cool.

PS I wouldn't get rid of my Rockster just because it's so weird even by BMW standards. But it is not even close to my first choice much less my only choice. Frankly right now there is nothing that BMW has that I actually want.

[bmwfbd628u]

Call me impulsive, for I bought my rockster without a test-ride. My point is, riding to many if not all is a passion. Consequently owning a bike that you know you just want to have it is a dream comes true. So my advice is, just buy it. As some have shared, and I (cannot flat-foot when straddling the bike at rest) have experienced, you will get used to the bike in time - it rides well and the build quality is typical BMW.

[harrisphil]

well I would like to say I bought my bike off EBAY won the auction collected the bike and rode it home
I bought it cos I loved the way it looked and have been impressed ever since
But I knew that if I had hated the bike or didnt get on with it for whatever reason I could always resell it and not loose a fortune

I would say that if your hart says you need this bike buy it for the best price you can
taking into account all the previous advice and tips

if by the spring you havent got used to it or you have change your mind the bike will sell for aboutthe same money as you will pay for it now

Just haggle hard and do get the low seat.

[fnfalman]

With all due respect, the heart doesn't know what it wants. You can't simply buy a bike just because it looks good. Well, yes, you can, if you're a poseur. A bike not only has to have visual appeals to the owner, but also rideable for the owner.

The lady had only ridden the Ninja 250 and nothing else. She doesn't have the broad experience across the range of motorcycles to know what she likes yet. The Rockster appeals to her sense of aesthetics thus far, but nothing else. Why should she do an impulsive buy and end up regretting?

As far as BMW quality goes, it's a myth. Please don't make me start pulling up posts about peeling paints, ruined final drives, blown ABS pumps, shocks wearing out by fourteen thousand miles.

Kiishka, go do some test rides. The non-Japanese dealerships (Triumph, Ducati, Aprilia, BMW) tend to be pretty good with test rides, especially when they know that you're ready to buy.

PS I must admit that you would look uber sexy on a Rockster. There isn't that many women riding around on the Rockster and coupled with its strangely aggressive look, yowza. But looking cool is one thing, riding enjoyment is another.

[rockstercliff]

The Rock is not quite as light at low speed as some, but I came from a K1100LT, and the low speed of the Rock is wonderful compared to the K. It could also be a bit in the tires, I had the Conti Road Attacks on for 2k miles, and at low speed they were scary to me. Got the Bridgestone 021's on now, much better in town.