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Just recently fitted Pirelli Angel GT's, standard sizes. £202 fitted and balanced from Cupar Motorcycles in Fife.

So far...turn in is slightly slower in the dry than the standard tyres but is very predictable and smooth, a constant rate of turn in, probably hardly noticeable. Far more predictable than the O.E. You can ground the pegs with no bum clenchers in the dry, if you want......

In the wet they are great, predictable and no hairy slides unless you really push it, like any good wet tyre.

Wear wise, only done 1500 miles so far and hardly any wear. Main commute is A road which is in the main straight ish. No signs of early square off. Tread pattern is cool as well if you like that! 

Would recommend these tyres. 

I have a Black on first registered from new with 0 miles on it in June 2012. I wanted Black and the dealer got me one. 

  I have used Kirkcaldy Kawasaki since my bike was new in 2011. Dont use Skinners in Dundee as they dont have a good rep.

If you dont want to go all the way to Kirkcaldy, Cupar Motorcycles are part of the same group as Kirkcaldy and can do the service or repair in accordance with kawasaki's servicde schedule. 16 miles to there rather than 35 to Kirkcaldy. Check the websites for them as they frequently do half price labour deals approaching winter. Perth Honda is the same group as well.

There isnt really anyone else.

If your needing tyres Cupar M/C are good and in Dundee I use Scorpion Tyres, they are on the web. Euan takes good care of your wheels.

 

RT1200 is awful. Always wonder why it gets such good reviews, heap of steaming 

Clutchless changes over a prolonged period will cause heat damage to the selector dogs and wear the drum selector, which in the long run will mean difficult gear selection and a knackered box.

Pre-loading isn't quite as bad but has the same effect. Pressure on the lever before the change will move the selector dogs against the next gear face and the drum which will have the same effect of premature wear of the selector dogs and drum.

If your not keeping it then it wont cause you any issue. If your keeping it for a while then you may experience problems.

Like you I find the gear selection poor compared to my previous ST1300, especially the first few cold miles, it can be smoother if you apply the following rules...

For up changes, no matter how hard you accelerate level the speed for a second before the change this ensures road speed and engine speed are about the same (all the gears in the box are matched roughly to the output shaft) and lose 800-1000 revs only during the change. This makes for a smooth change.

For down changes again get the speed correct first by breaking or decelerating then lock the throttle to maintain that speed, then change gear whilst keeping the throttle in position. This will raise the revs by 800-1000 (per gear going down) and will result in engine speed and road speed matching the selected ratio.

Known as sustained rev gear changing. It takes a lot of practice but once mastered is usually silky smooth. Just takes a bit of thought and planning.

This is the method I have used to teach Police Advanced cars and bikes for years now, very satisfying when it works.

I use engine ice in my Honda XR650R, it frequently overheated in slow moving traffic, it has no fan as its a basic dirt bike. Engine Ice keeps it running much cooler and it only over heats now if standing running for about 3 times longer than before. It works, not sure you need it in the GTR. Maybe if you stayed in the med countries or were always in slow traffic it would help, normal UK riding I dont think you need it.

This type of fault is exactly what happens on the 1300 Pan, battery starts to go and you get all sort of weird electrical problems, meters playing up misfires and then death. New battery sorts them out.

Seems to be an affliction of new bikes with loads of electronic trickery.

You could set up the static sag first. If you set both rebound and compression to half way put the bike on the centre stand and measure from a fixed point on the rear frame to a fixed point on the swing arm, this will be the unloaded figure with no weight on the rear wheel. Note this figure. Now drop it onto its wheels, bounce it a few times and repeat the same measurement.

Subtract one from the other and it ideally should be 15-20mm for the rear. If you have too big a figure screw the preload in, might be 2-3 turns per centimetre out. When that figure comes in then do as the other say for rebound. When you bounce it do it from the front of the seat and the tank. The front and rear should rise at the same rate and it should settle quickly. If it rises too fast screw the rebound in. If too slow screw it out.

If you want to do it with your weight on it its called dynamic sag and is the same procedure. The front is done the same way and should be 30-40mm. If you use the lower figure for both it will feel harder, the larger figure is good for a comfortable road bike, depends on your style. I have never bothered with dynamic sag as the static one does just fine.

My bike is the same Temp wise, as the rest say its normal. What I have found with tickover is that with the Eco off its about 1200. With Eco on it sits 13-1500. Just switching it on and off when stationary in traffic causes it to rise and fall by a few hundred revs. I assume that as Eco leans it off, fine for cruising, the idle goes up to compensate for the lean mixture. It is very obvious when you do it. Also found that with Eco on in town and doing slow riding the bike isnt as smooth as with it off, lean mixture again no doubt. I now leave it off in town and put it on in the nationals when out for a commute or potter.

Hadn't thought as far ahead as the service history/warranty paperwork . Its only had one service so far in March/ April (600 miles). Ill be keeping it at least 4 years anyway and it will only be dealer serviced whilst its in warranty, so that stuff wont matter in 4 years time.  Its only done 1200 miles so is as good as new now anyway, not even fully run in yet.

Yep, Carole Nash said no problem and changed my policy with no charge. Just waiting on the new docs coming to get my new plate and tax from the dealer.

   All sorted...The dealer said its DVLA, I dont believe that as I didnt get a tax disc, I would say they forgot to send the paperwork

The result is that my September 2011 bike is now a 12 plate.... Result.

The Jury is out... I would say the dealer has made a james hunt of it. I had received the new red V5s for my other bikes last autumn and never thought about my brand spanking new GTR, I double checked today when they phoned..no V5...and checked the bike no TAX DISC...EEEEK. Never noticed.   The bike was in for a service in March,, its first one.. no mention or anything wrong.. Best case I get a 12 plate and the bike is 6 months younger or I keep the old reg and lose a few days biking but still get extra free road tax  They are being good about it, I should have noticed as well though....No V5 and no tax

 

I bought my GTR new in Sept 2011 and had a dubious baptism... Am now convinced the GTR is better than my pan. Birds tweet and carma surrounds me.....until today..... Got a call from the dealer to say that although my bike has a registration number as per when I picked it up... IT IS NOT REGISTERED WITH DVLA.... I have to stop riding immediately until its sorted.  I will either get the original reg allocated or get a new 12 reg  Will need to wait and see over the next few days..... My GSXR is in bits but luckily my XR650 is taxed Im still two wheels mobile and maybe quids in if i get a new reg 12 plate 

  I was thinking that but didnt want to say