KIWI RIDER OCTOBER 2021 VOL1 | Page 59

shock creating a plusher and more progressive ride would help a lot and shouldn ’ t be that big an ask . My feeling is the R Nine T suspension testing and settings were done on much superior road surfaces than those which are prevalent in NZ … because on a smooth surface the BMW feels taut , planted and controlled .
RETRO LOOKS , MODERN EVERYTHING ELSE The turn-in is nice and predictable with good accuracy , a light feeling and it ’ s on the lazy side of agile . It does have a slight tendency to run wide , if you let it , but it ’ s very minor and more of a getting-used-to-it kind of thing . The bike prefers flowing turns to the cut and thrust of the tight lanes and is ideal for our well-formed highways . While the R Nine T is more than capable of cruising at higher speeds , the lack of a screen had me backing off the speed to save my neck muscles in fairly short order . Perhaps that ’ s no bad thing ? This has the benefit of making the machine much more sunny day appropriate , as there is no real weather protection . The riding position is comfortable , I liked the reach to the bars . Seat height is reasonable and should only give the very short a bit of a stretch . For the tall , the seat / footpeg relationship is a little tight and will have them feeling a tad cramped from the hour mark
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