A vicarious first look: 2015 Fiat Panda 4x4

After a bit of a hiatus confronting a few demons in my life I’m back and feeling inspired. In this post I will be exploring adventuring of the four-wheeled variety vicariously through the eyes of one of my closest friends Federico (Fed), a photographer and designer who lives near Milan, Italy.

Fed has had his fair share of adventure travel himself, with excursions across northern Africa, around Turkey and beyond. These adventures have been of Land Rover pedigree—the most cultured variety, of course, the age-old and immensely capable Defender, definitely not one of the usual footballer’s (wives’) Range Rovers.

Fed takes to the northern Italian fields in the Defender

The tiny Fiat Panda 4x4 is, on the surface, a city car with a four wheel drive system crowbarred into its tiny chassis—but it is also a car with a quiet heritage of its own. It debuted to great success in 1980 with the 4x4 version following in 1983, unique because it was the first vehicle of its type on the market—a tiny, inexpensive, four-wheel-drive vehicle with raised suspension which made the small Suzuki Samurai seem bloated and heavy. It was instantly popular in rural, mountainous areas where its small size and sturdy chassis made it invaluable to farmers who needed to reach fields otherwise inaccessible with larger, expensive SUVs—or indeed to get to town on snow-covered, steep mountain roads in the wintertime.

Fast-forward 30-odd years and the latest Panda 4x4, now in its third generation, is in a different league from the crude but sturdy original. It is built on the Fiat Mini platform which is shared with the Fiat 500, Lancia Ypsilon and Ford Ka—all cars noted for being safe for their class, strong and fun to drive.

Fed’s new Panda 4x4 with the 85 hp/145 N·m TwinAir turbocharged petrol engine arrived yesterday, fresh out of the factory in Pomigliano d'Arco just hours away from his home near Milan. It is a fully kitted-out model, the only option of note excluded being the City Brake Control system which automatically stops the car if it senses an imminent collision at speeds between 5 and 30 km/hr. He chose the muted solid (non-metallic) cappuccino paintwork colour because he wanted the car to blend into its environment, not stand out—this car will be seeing quite a lot of field road and off-road duty during its life.

The Panda replaces his previous everyday car, a Fiat Punto. During Fed’s maiden journey, I took notes of his first impressions thanks to VoIP technology (aka handsfree FaceTime Audio).

So why is he so excited about this small, inexpensive car?

Tall but small with rounded-square (or ‘squircle’) design themes throughout—the Panda’s chunky design stands out against the usual suspects in the city car category

Raised suspension means plenty of ground clearance for rough terrian

Fed rang me as he walked out to the car for the first time around 11 at night. Approaching, he noted in flawless English and his slightly Nordic-sounding accent: “It’s so small! I love the design, every detail is considered—it looks beautiful.”

After unlocking the car with the remote, he got in (it’s important to note Fed is certainly not one of the vertically challenged, standing at 6’2”): “You step up into this car, it’s tall. There is far more room than expected inside. The seat feels very comfortable and you sit high up—almost like sitting on the car instead of in it, like a proper 4x4. The [leather] steering wheel feels very nice in hand—the shape isn’t quite round, but slightly squared off.”

There were a few less enthusiastic comments: “The headrests are typical Fiat—rock hard plastic. When the seat is in the correct position for me to use the pedals, the steering wheel is a little bit far away, and it only adjusts for rake, not for reach. It’s not too bad, but will take a little time to get used to.”

Starting up the Panda, Fed commented: “The [2-cylinder TwinAir] engine is very quiet and has a pleasant sound. The instrument panel looks beautiful but it isn’t as easy to read as the [previous] Punto. There are plenty of toys [buttons, onboard computer etc] to play with!”

Getting underway he said: “Wow, it’s much quicker than I expected—acceleration feels very alive. The engine is so smooth and refined and has such a nice sound. At half throttle it feels quicker than the Punto felt at full throttle. There is a lot of torque which makes the car relaxed to drive. The gearbox feels solid and precise.”

Once on some country roads Fed noted: “The steering isn’t as quick as the Punto and there is more body roll in the corners. The seats don’t have too much [lateral] support for hard cornering but the car isn’t intended for this anyway—the steering is slightly imprecise in the corners.

“The ride is beautiful, this car has a real sense of comfort. The suspension is more supple than [his dad’s] Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The visibility is much better than the Punto.”

Back home he had another look around: “The boot [trunk] is huge for such a small car. But the rear seat is tight—I don’t fit with the front seat in position for me to drive.”

Fed says good night to the Panda after their first bonding experience

I caught up with Fed today after he’d driven the Panda into Milan and back. One day on, he had a couple more notes: “I’ve been using the Eco button [which reduces power and torque to reduce fuel consumption] and the difference in performance is minimal in city traffic. I only have one real complaint about it—the upper dashboard reflects on the windscreen in the daytime.”

I suggested that Fed give it a couple days—the car is brand new and everything is still spotless and shining. Once a layer of dust settles on it (which will take no time in Italy) the reflection should reduce.

The Panda’s first time off-road :-)

Can someone accustomed to the king of off-road vehicles—the Land Rover Defender—really be satisfied with something so far at the other end of the scale? That gap may be smaller than it seems. In 2013 two Britons broke the world record for overlanding from Cape Town to London in a Panda 4x4 by a whole day—a record which was previously held, ironically, by a Defender (read about it here).

One thing in particular that Fed is excited about is the Panda’s tiny size and low weight, which enables it to go places the large and heavy Land Rover would have no hope in fitting. He is looking forward to experimenting with the Panda’s four-wheel-drive system—this includes an automatically actuated electronically coupling centre differential with a button for the driver to electronically simulate locking differentials (using the braking system) to transfer torque from wheels without grip to those with grip. A clever use of technology to keep costs (and weight) down.

I am looking forward to my next visit so Fed can take me around some rural areas and show me what the Panda can do.

Fed summarised his first 24 hours with the Panda by simply saying: “I have fallen in love with this car!”

2015 Fiat Panda 4x4 key specifications

Engine

875cc inline 2-cylinder with turbocharger

85 hp/145 N·m

Transmission

6-speed gearbox + reverse

4x4 with automatic engagement

Suspension

Front: Independent MacPherson struts

Rear: Semi-independent torsion beam

Brakes

Front: Ventilated discs, 257 mm

Rear: Solid discs, 240 mm

Wheels/tyres

15” alloy
175/65 R15 M+S

Dimensions

Length: 3,686 mm

Width: 1,672 mm

Height: 1,605 mm

Weight

1,125kg

Performance

0–100 km/hr (62 mph): 12.1s

Maximum speed: 103 mph (166 km/hr)

Consumption

Urban: 47.9 mpg (5.9 l/100 km)

Extra-urban: 65.7 mpg (4.3 l/100 km)

Combined: 57.6 mpg (4.7 l/100 km)

Emissions

114g CO2/km

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Depression, anxiety and self image... why do we do it to ourselves?

I’ll get straight to the point—I’ve been going through a rough patch. In brief, my last remaining grandparent, my maternal grandmother, is quickly reaching the end of her life. Combined with a very busy and stressful time at work at the moment, this has caused me to re-evaluate my own life—doing so has caused depression and anxiety (D&A) to bubble up after so many successfully years of keeping it under the surface. This has caused some apathy and a loss of focus on the things I normally love doing, such as motorbiking and keeping my blog regularly updated.

Many (and I will boldly say the majority of) people suffer D&A to varying degrees. I believe genetics play a part in being prone to D&A, as I can trace it up my family tree on my mum’s side. Because D&A is an ‘invisible’ illness, there is a stigma associated, and I feel the need to share what it’s like, from my perspective, to live with this, in the hopes that it will be of value to someone else. Doing so makes me feel exposed and somewhat vulnerable, but the stigma needs to be broken one person at a time.

In my own words:

• Depression: When you don’t care about anything.
• Anxiety: When you care too much about everything.

Like many people, for me these come as an ironic, vicious circle of a package. D&A leaves me conflicted—getting into a rut means I start worrying that I don’t care about anything, escalating into my mind running a million miles an hour. This triggers the fight-or-flight response meaning frequent adrenaline highs (butterflies in the stomach) and preventing wind-down at night which means really shitty sleeps—compounding everything.

My D&A causes me body/self image issues. Those who know me casually or professionally would likely say I am a confident, self-assured person holding my head up high, but in reality I have simply mastered the ability to project this image, or mask, or ‘gloss’. It’s what people expect—they don’t want to know what’s going on under the surface... and rightfully so, they have their own things to deal with.

In my own words:

• Self image: When you can’t see yourself the way other people see you.
• Narcissism: Seeking approval from others for your appearance, then hating yourself for doing it, then doing it again, over and over.

I fight with my self image every day. At its best it might be wishing I didn’t have dark circles around my eyes—at worst it’s coming to a realisation that other people love me more than I love myself. At the same time I recognise how stupid and illogical it is to suffer from this ridiculous condition.

Like a lot of people, I post far too many selfies of myself (aka gpoys, headshots etc). There is something oddly comforting about having people on Facebook or Instagram say nice things said about you and it gives a ‘quick fix’ to self image problems. However, it’s like opening Pandora’s box—do it once, and you want to relive the ‘high’ of the experience, so you do it again. My D&A then causes me to worry: “What if the next time no one likes the photo?”

Selfies allow so much control through lighting and angles that they are really an idealised image of one’s self. They give you the ability to present what, in your mind, is the perfect image of yourself—but they are not how other people see you. In essence, they are frauds—everyone knows this. So they don’t actually help improve self image issues in the long run.

Seeing yourself through someone else’s eyes, however, does help.

The photos at the end of this post were taken by one of my closest friends Andy, who has little photographic experience. I knew he was taking them but not *when* he was going to start snapping away, so there is an element of candidness—they are not posed. As a photographer, I know when people pose, they are attempting to form themselves into what they believe is their best look—facial expression, posture, angle etc—but this is almost never the case.

These are rare photos I can look at and not pick myself apart so much—I feel like I look a confident and sorted person for once, and I feel good about myself. I believe changing my appearance by growing out my beard to the ‘big’ stage has played a part as well. The picking is still there a little bit, bubbling away just below the surface—my shirt is one or two sizes larger than it should be, my beanie is turned up on one edge, I have sweat marks where my camera bag’s padded strap was pressing my shirt onto my skin (we’d just briskly walked more than 10 miles). Nevertheless, this is a huge step forward for me.

I completely understand that self/body image issues are ‘only in my mind’—yet I can’t stop it. Others may look at the photos and think ‘how could this person have body image issues’, or ‘he looks intimidating, I wouldn’t want to run into him in a dark alley’, or ‘he looks cuddly’, or ‘what a bruiser’—everyone applies their own preferences, tastes and biases to photos.

But for once, I’m ok with my appearance... ok that my Nordic/Viking genes have made me a barrel-chested, stocky-built person... ok that my Mediterranean genes have given me dark circles around my eyes... ok with the person I’ve become after 40 long years on this earth. And that makes today a good day.

One step at a time. For the minute I’ve moved forward with my self image—next is to move a step forward with my D&A. When my grandmother’s time comes, the funeral will help provide closure to that particular source of D&A. Spring is coming which means trips out to the byways on my bikes—one of my favourite ways of distancing myself from my troubles. Motorbiking requires 100% concentration—no time to dwell on other things.

I think the most effective way to deal with D&A is to believe that you will come through it. This
empowers you to make the changes required to choose to be a happier person. For some people that means changing a job or school, moving to a different city, removing the negativity from their lives. For others it is distracting themselves with activities they enjoy and not allowing themselves to get bored to the point that the D&A resurfaces. Everyone is different and there is no single answer.

Once things get better again—and they will get better—I will be in a good place to make regular blog entries again. Right now I’m taking some much-needed ‘me’ time. Until then, I continue to appreciate all the people who have read and commented on my past entries and hope to welcome you back soon. As always I will be monitoring and replying to comments, and I would be particularly grateful for your thoughts on this entry.

As a final note, thank you to Leslie from Advgrrl for encouraging me to publicly post this entry in the hopes that others may find benefit in reading it.

George
x

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Radio silence... and a slightly more personal post

It’s been a while since I posted an update and, well, there is little reason other than I haven’t had many opportunities to get out on the bike.

Ok, it was a crazy Christmas at work with a huge number of events I was helping to organise, photographing or just providing a helping hand. I prefer to keep my work life completely separate from my blog, but I will say it involves communications design in a healthcare setting.

How I was feeling by the time Christmas was over...

Last week I got word that my 93 year old grandmother had fallen seriously ill with pneumonia and was rushed to hospital—the doctors believed there was little chance she would survive more than a couple days. Unfortunately she lives halfway around the world near Vancouver BC and, while I speak with her regularly on the phone, I don’t often get to see her.

Within 24 hours I was at her bedside and had a chance to visit her three times. I was only away for four days, after which I promptly came down sick as a dog with a nasty, bastard cold, exactly 48 hours after my flight home (which so happens to be the incubation period of the cold virus).

Me with my grandmother—strong enough to prove the doctors wrong!

There was a silver lining, however. Four days after I saw her, she pulled through against the odds and is now back at home. And although it was a short visit, I did get a chance to visit with friends I rarely get to see.

I need to vent a bit, so back to Vancouver. I lived there for many years before London and it has, of course, changed a lot since I left more than a decade ago.

The flight over was actually a pleasure. I had three seats to myself and could lie down almost like being in bed for much of the flight. The flight crew were literally the best I can ever remember—friendly, efficient and professional, and genuinely happy to supply all the drinks and snacks I wanted during the flight. Well done Air Canada—credit where it’s due.

Sleeper seats at economy prices

I arrived on a rainy Friday afternoon and took the train to downtown Vancouver to collect my hire car before driving to my parent’s home just outside the city.

Yaletown in the late afternoon, 45 minutes after the plane landed—the train from the airport is efficient

I prefer not to drive after being awake for 20 hours, especially swapping from right hand drive to left hand drive, but timeliness was essential. It turned out I had to drive in the worst rainstorm in recent memory—it was raining so hard I couldn’t see the lines on the road. Thankfully I made it without incident and after a short visit with my parents I went straight to bed.

The next morning I was up early due to the jet lag and decided to have a drive around. I found myself somewhat disappointed that nearly all my connections from the past were either gone or changed—places I used to visit with my friends, cornerstones of my previous life there.

Jet lag kicked in

One coffee shop in particular was still there so I thought I would pop my head in and see if the same people owned the place. Once inside, there were only two customers (it was once busting at the seams each day) and a woman at the counter. The conversation went like this:

Me: “Hello, I’m visiting from abroad and used to come here all the time years ago—I was wondering if the ------s still own the shop?”

Woman: “I don’t know who that is.”

Me: “Oh right? They were the people who opened the shop in the mid-90s. I did the logo for them back then.”

Woman: “We aren’t looking for anyone to change the logo.”

Me: “I have no interest in changing the logo, I only mentioned it. Is the owner here?”

Woman: “Yes.”

Me: “May I speak to the owner?”

Woman: “No.”

Me (with disbelief): “Sorry? Why not?”

Woman: “The owner is my husband.”

Me: “Right? Why can’t I speak to him?”

Woman: “You’re not speaking to the owner.”

Me: “Right. It’s slightly disappointing that you’re being so obstructive. And for what? I’m simply trying to reconnect with people I knew years ago. But you’re going out of your way to be abrasive—it’s no surprise the place is empty.”

I turned and walked out while she looked at me like I’d done a shit in my hat. Needless to say this was the start of a downward spiral of realisation that this was no longer ‘home’. I visited a few other old haunts and, while everyone else I spoke to was much more amicable and helpful, everyone had moved on to new things.

I had no expectation that things would be the same as they were more than 10 years ago, but I also didn’t expect there to be absolutely no connections left.

Family reunion, sadly not under the best circumstances

I managed to catch up for dinner with my friend Christina, one of my closest friends from my past. I also had coffee with friends who drove out to see me. Getting back together for those few hours made things feel like old times again.

Admittedly I was emotionally compromised due to the circumstances of my visit, but adding to the gloom was the non-stop rain.

Non-stop rain

I left my parent’s house in the late afternoon the day before I was due to fly back to London so I could stay in downtown Vancouver my friend Jason and not have to rush the next day to catch my flight. Along the way I met up with my cousin and his fiancé for a quick coffee. I returned the car, which was conveniently about 4 blocks from my friend’s building, and walked over.

With my very longtime friend Jason—we’re wearing the whole 40s thing!

Jason lives on a fairly high floor right in the city centre, and the panoramic views of the city were amazing. After ordering in dinner we managed to get out for a couple pints with my friend Tristan.

The next morning I woke up early again and took a couple of time-lapses of the sunrise.

Looking like a garden gnome thanks to the soft Vancouver water causing beard madness!

After breakfast we went for a walk around the city. Despite the low winter sun, it was warmer than expected at a balmy 12°C.

Looks cold... wasn’t at all.

I repacked my suitcase and started making my way to the airport, with one last stop along the way to meet up with my friend Nick.

With my friend Nick—one of the good ones

I was feeling in much better spirits about the trip by the time I’d got back to the airport, and was sad I had to go home so quickly. My grandmother was defying the doctors and on the mend with the fluid slowly leaving her lungs, I had the opportunity to catch up briefly with family and friends, and after my initial disappointments I had started to embrace the progressions in the places at which I spent so much time during my younger years. The coldness I experienced on my arrival was replaced by the warmth of spending time with friends and family.

Vancouver Airport ranks among the most beautiful airports in the world, with artwork throughout and sections mimicking the rainforests along the west coast. Security was efficient with no fuss.

One of rainforest-inspired gardens in Vancouver Airport

The flight home was just as good, again with three seats on which to lie down and I managed to catch a few winks of sleep. I was also lucky to see the arctic sunrise from 11,000m.

High enough to see the curvature of the earth

I managed to get a time-lapse of the start of the final descent with a loop over Oxfordshire.



Due to congestion at Heathrow the pilot did a loop over London making for some incredible views.

Before Google Earth, this was the only way to see London like this

The landing at Heathrow was flawless, and the flight crew were happy for me to film it (take note EasyJet).



In the days which followed I learned that my grandmother was discharged home as she felt it was better for her recovery. She is not fully recovered by any means, but is making progress. As she lives alone, a carer visits her daily and my family have been checking up on her regularly. Fingers crossed she has a little while longer with us all.

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The extraordinary convergence of a name

The GS name was used in the automotive industry long before BMW’s famous line of bikes. From 1970–1986 French carmaker Citroën manufactured a small family car—the Citroën GS (and later GSA).

At first glance, this humble, plucky car would seem to have nothing in common with BMW’s contemporary range of dual sport bikes other than its name, but look more closely and a most extraordinary convergence appears.

Citroen GSA circa 1980

Bearing in mind the Citroën GS was launched in 1970, it was equipped with unheard-of technologies for its day. A hydropneumatic suspension system which, through mechanical means, self levelled and adjusted damping according to road conditions, and prevented the front of the car from diving during braking. A precursor to anti-lock brakes which linked the braking and suspension systems to distribute front/rear brake force according to load, helping to prevent lock-up under hard braking. Even the option of clutchless manual gear changes.

Many of its technological features are mirrored in the R1200GS, and a few in the F800GS—more than 40 years later. The table below compares some key features:

Citroën GS/A		R1200GS/A		F800GS/A
Air cooled boxer engine 1,000–1,300cc depending on version		Air/liquid cooled boxer engine 1,200cc		Liquid cooled parallel twin 800cc
Self levelling air/oil double wishbone/trailing arm suspension with anti-dive braking and mechanical adaptive damping		ESA semi-active wishbone/trailing arm suspension with electronic preload adjustment, anti-dive braking and electronic adaptive damping		ESA fork/swing arm suspension with electronic adaptive damping (on rear only)
All disc brakes with load sensing, pressure propotioning system linked into suspension to reduce likelihood of locking brakes		All disc brakes with load sensing, pressure proportioning system and ABS		All disc brakes with ABS
Optional clutchless manual shifting via C-Matic system		Optional clutchless manual shifting via Gear Shift Assist Pro system		n/a
Class leading aerodynamics, among the first vehicles to utilise Kamm tail design which used airflow to keep the rear window clear of water without the use of a wiper		Wind tunnel optimised design to optimise airflow, reducing the amount of spray reaching the rider/pillion when riding in wet weather and maximising high speed stability		Wind tunnel optimised design, maximising high speed stability
Unique design which set it apart from other vehicles of the era		Individualist design unique to BMW		Individualist design unique to BMW
Class leading fuel efficiency		Class leading fuel efficiency		Class leading fuel efficiency
Popular with more than 2.5m sold		BMW's top selling motorcycle worldwide		Popular bike in its class

However, the Citroën GS had one party trick up its sleeve that not even BMW’s latest can match—the ability for that hydropneumatic suspension system to balance the car on three wheels.

Citroen GS circa 1975 turning with a wheel removed

The point? Back in the 70s, tyre failure occurred at an alarming rate compared to today, and the GS remained perfectly controllable during a blow-out even at its top speed, enabling the driver to safely come to a stop.

In fact, the suspension was so stable, the car could negotiate a slalom on three wheels.



It’s interesting that the GS name represented such advanced technologies back in the 70s, and continues to do so today, albeit in a very area of the transportation marketplace.

What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.

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Gear Shift Assist Pro—summary and myth busters

Two of the most-read posts on my blog are the ones relating to the Gear Shift Assist Pro (GSAP) system on the R1200GS which was launched earlier this year. Of note, the system was an industry first for road bikes with the ability to execute both upshifts and downshifts without using the clutch. However there was, and has been, little coverage by the mainstream motorcycle press.

• First look: Gear Shift Assist Pro on the BMW R1200GS
• A few days on with Gear Shift Assist Pro on the BMW R1200GS

If you’ve read the posts above you’ll know I couldn’t be more pleased with the system, so eight months on I’m revisiting GSAP from a functional side, based on questions asked in a number of forums.

Physical operation

• The device is simply a sensor with a linkage which replaces the standard linkage between the shifter and the shaft on the transmission.

Electronic operation

• During an upshift the system senses the movement on the shifter and when it passes a threshold, cuts fuel injection for 50–100ms to relieve torque on the driveline and enable the next gear to engage. 
• During a downshift, the system senses the movement on the shifter and when it passes a threshold, adds enough fuel to relieve driveline torque, then readjusts fuelling to match the rev of the next gear down, which occurs over 100–150ms—basically the same principle as double declutching squeezed into a timeframe of about 1/10 second, or two virtually instantaneous blips of the throttle.

Clutch operation

• Unaffected—the system does not integrate with the clutch in any way.

Shift feel/action

• Subjectively, about 5–10% heavier than stock when shifting with the clutch—the geometry of the linkage/sensor is slightly different than the stock linkage which makes the shift action slightly heavier.
• The shift feel is about 50% heavier when using the GSAP system (without the clutch). Gear changes using the system must be executed in a deliberate and committed manner—no half-hearted attempts.
• Some people report that neutral is easier to find after the unit is installed due to this change in geometry (myself included).

Normal shifting (using the clutch)

• Exactly the same as stock but with a 5–10% heavier feel as mentioned above. When using the clutch the GSAP system is inactive. The GSAP system takes feedback from the microswitch in the clutch lever which also deactivates the cruise control and/or the starter motor.

GSAP shifting (not using the clutch)

• Upshifting requires the throttle to be open with the bike accelerating (even gentle acceleration). Downshifting requires the throttle to be fully closed with the bike decelerating. Any deviation from these two rules will result in a rough shift. 
• Works in all gears on and off road once the bike is in motion—you must use the clutch as normal to move off and also when coming to a complete stop.
• Once you are accustomed to the operation of the system it is particularly handy when riding in conditions which require a higher number of gear changes—for example, in urban areas or twisty mountain roads.

Learning curve

• It took me about two miles worth of city riding to learn the system and have it executes shifts perfectly about 90% of the time. Eight months later, virtually 100% of shifts are executed perfectly within the parameters noted in the point above. 
• Shifting from 1st to 2nd or downshifting from 2nd to 1st works as well as the other gears, but with experience you will get a feel about when it is appropriate to do this change using the system, due to the effectively higher engine braking/power while in such low gears.

System quirk

• The R1200GS engine management cuts fuel flow during deceleration, but starts injecting fuel again in preparation for idle as the revs drop below approximately 2,250rpm. You can hear this on the bike as 1–2 slight pops from the exhaust. Downshifting using GSAP at or below that particular point will result in a rough shift.

Rider quirk

• Most riders have ridden only manual bikes and it is very unnatural to keep the throttle open while executing a gear change. If you find the system rough on upshifts, it is nearly always due to an unconscious roll-on or roll-off of the throttle, even the slightest amount. It took months to retrain my brain not to move the throttle at all during upshifts which was resulting in the odd rough shift.

Do you have anything to add to this list, or any other questions about the system? Let me know in the comments below.

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BMW F800R updated

Along with the launch of the S1000XR, BMW announced their updated F800R at EICMA Milan 2014 on 4 November. I’ve taken a few days to digest the changes to this often underrated bike.

My first impression is that the updated F800R has lost a good chunk of its distinctiveness because of BMW’s decision to move away from the asymmetrical ‘winking’ headlamp unit in favour of an anonymous single headlamp which would look equally at home on any number of bikes from Honda, Suzuki or Yamaha to name a few.

While the new look is growing on me somewhat, the bike does lose much of its identity—however, the change is not as far removed from BMW as it may seem. The headlamp bears more than a passing resemblance to the Husqvarna Nuda—a bike based on the F800GS which was developed while Husqvarna was under BMW ownership. On both bikes, the headlamp is near vertical, giving an optical illusion that it is leaning forward rather than sweeping back. The bodywork has been updated to flow with the new headlamp.

The other noticeable upgrade is the front forks—the previous standard forks which have been replaced by less spindly-looking upside down forks which gives a more solid look to the front.

Other changes include a 3 hp increase in power and shorter gearing in 1st and 2nd gears to help increase acceleration. Front brakes have been upgraded to radial callipers and the bike rides on lighter alloy wheels compared to the previous version. Options now include ASC (traction control) and ESA (electronic suspension adjustment—as with the other F-series bikes it only affects the rear suspension).

While the F800R, subjectively, remains an attractive motorbike, I can’t help but lament the fact it has lost a lot of its quirkiness that made the previous version stand out.

• Official BMW press release

Photos

F800R 2015

F800R 2015

F800R 2015 with BMW accessories

Husqvarna Nuda with similar headlamp styling. This discontinued bike featured some amazing design details (look at the front spray guard, for example) and was based on the F800GS, sharing much of the frame and many components, and powered by a 900cc version of the F-series parallel twin engine.

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Filtering (aka lane splitting): Yes, it’s safer

In most of the world, filtering (otherwise known as lane splitting) is not only legal and expected practice by motorbikes, it is often a component of the road test when going through the licencing process. Yet, this practice remains a point of contention with often strong negative opinions in North America where filtering is illegal (outside California).

Even in California riders tend to have strong and mixed opinions on the practice, despite studies on the subject which have consistently shown that fewer fatalities occur in areas where filtering is legal or tolerated.

I have more than 20,000 miles of inner city London riding under my belt (and many more long distance miles). During this time I would say someone has deliberately attempted to block me or endanger my life at most once every 3–4,000 miles because drivers here tend to understand that motorbikes reduce congestion which therefore shortens journey times for everyone.

Having lived and driven in North America extensively, I noticed a much higher level of aggression and road rage by drivers there compared to Europe—as though people are much more reactive to the perception that their rights are being infringed for any number of reasons, not least because another vehicle is able to squeeze through smaller gaps and is therefore able to make progress more quickly. The driving culture is very much ‘me, me, me’—if I can’t go, no one else should be able to go, it’s so unfair, so I’m going to block anyone trying to come through.

Even if filtering was made legal across North America tomorrow, until this culture shifts to one of mutual respect, acceptance and understanding, filtering just won’t work in the states and provinces where it is currently banned. It’s not queue-jumping—it’s making full use of available space.

Of course, filtering is not carte blanche to ride like a buffoon—it is about moving with caution and prudence at a speed appropriate to the traffic and road conditions. Like most riders in the UK, I won’t filter on the motorway unless speeds have dropped below 40–45mph because common sense dictates that anything faster starts to become an unacceptable risk. And flying by slower or stopped traffic at high speed is a disaster in waiting—again, common sense.

I can’t really say it better than this article from Gizmag (follows below). I’d love to hear from readers in North America about why you are for or against joining this practice which works so well in the rest of the world.

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Motorcycle lane splitting: Better for riders, better for drivers, and safer than sitting in traffic

Recent research has confirmed what many motorcycle riders have known for years. “Lane splitting”—or riding in between lanes of traffic—obviously saves riders a lot of time, but it's also considerably safer than sitting in traffic and acting like a car, as long as it’s done within certain guidelines, and contrary to what many drivers think, it actually speeds up traffic for everyone else on the road. Riders, please pass this information on to the drivers in your lives.

It’s time for certain drivers to get these thoughts out of their heads: “lane splitting is queue jumping,” “motorcyclists should have to wait in line like the rest of us,” “riding in between cars is suicidal.” While it’s illegal in most of the United States, it’s accepted in many other parts of the world, and evidence is mounting that lane splitting is safer for riders than sitting in traffic, and actually benefits car drivers as well as the riders themselves.

Filtering in Europe. Photo: Gizmag

Safety benefits of lane splitting for motorcyclists

One of the key arguments against lane splitting is that, to many driver’s eyes, it seems like a dangerous practice. From a rider’s perspective, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

The most common type of accident on the road is a rear-ender. These make up 40 percent of all accidents in the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. And while most of these are minor fender benders between car drivers, there’s really no such thing as a minor fender bender if someone slams into the back of a motorcycle. By splitting between lanes, riders are able to put a shell of slow or stopped traffic around their bikes and protect against the inattention of other road users.

In a recent Berkeley study undertaken with the California Highway Patrol’s assistance, 7,836 motorcycle crashes were examined closely, with some 1,163 of these crashes having occurred while the rider was lane splitting.

Riders who were splitting at the time of their accident were significantly less likely to be injured in every category than those who weren’t: 45 percent fewer head injuries, 21 percent fewer neck injuries, 32 percent fewer torso injuries, 12 percent fewer arm/leg injuries, and 55 percent fewer fatalities.

This is quite possibly because the majority of those splitting accidents happened at speeds between 1 and 30 mph (50 km/h). The data also shows that the safest way to lane split is to travel at less than 30 mph, and less than 10 mph above the speed of the surrounding traffic. Injury rates leap up in all categories when both of these conditions are violated.

Motorcycle lane filtering: faster and safer for riders, plus it makes the journey quicker...

Benefits of lane splitting for other road users

Lane splitting is an unspoken contract between riders and drivers. Riders don’t wait for stopped cars, and in return, they don’t make the cars wait for them. Where many drivers get it wrong is that they see lane splitting as "queue jumping" that will cause each car to go one further spot back in the queue. In truth, a filtering bike disappears from the queue altogether, the only time a motorcycle holds a car up is when it sits in traffic and acts like another car.

Filtering bikes work their way to the front of stopped traffic at red lights, and accelerate away much quicker than the cars around them. When they reach the next stoppage, they disappear again between the lanes and no car is held up.

Certainly, this is a good deal for the rider, who arrives much earlier than the car driver. But every filtering rider has a positive effect on traffic flow that benefits every other motorist. A 2012 Belgian study found that if just 10 percent of drivers were to switch to motorcycles and filter through traffic, travel times would decrease for the remaining car drivers by some eight minutes per journey. This benefit would not exist if motorcyclists ignored the inherent advantages of their smaller, narrower vehicles and sat in line like cars.

The same study found considerable environmental benefits to lane splitting. Not because bikes emit less carbon (many larger bikes are as bad as cars), but because every bike that lane splits actively reduces the amount of time every other vehicle on the road spends sitting in traffic jams.

So the next time a rider wriggles past you in traffic, remember that it’s a win-win. The rider is saving time and money, and looking after their own safety, but they’re also making everyone else’s journey faster. So give them some space, for your own sake.

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S1000XR released

As expected, the S1000XR was released today at EICMA Milan 2014. The new bike is classed as an ‘adventure sport’ and is listed within the Enduro category on BMW’s international website (between the F800GS and R1200GS ranges). Its main competitor is the Ducati Multistrada.

The 999cc 4-cylinder engine is a slightly modified version of the 160hp S1000R engine, with the same power but a 2,000rpm lower redline. It is available (as standard or optionally) with BMW’s usual electronic aids including dynamic traction control (DTC), up to four riding modes, and their implementation of bank-sensitive ABS (ABS Pro). It should move, too, with slightly lighter weight (fuelled wet weight of 228kg) than the Multistrada and similar power (but slightly less torque).

Clearly this bike is not intended to take mud-bogging (let’s face it, most GS owners don’t take their bikes off road either) but it does combine longer travel suspension (compared to the other S-series bikes) and an upright seating position—features which make adventure bikes so comfortable on tarmac of any condition.

The frame is interesting—at the front it is similar to the other S-series bikes using a perimeter frame, but the rear frame appears to be a bolt-on type similar in concept to the R1200GS. Drive is by chain, not a driveshaft. Suspension is conventional using upside down forks up front and a two-sided swing arm at the rear.

Styling is similar in concept to the S1000R with asymmetrical headlamps and left/right fairings, but with a few GS details thrown in, such as a tiny beak and contrasting bodywork between the top and bottom fairings.

Lighting is still halogen as with all of BMW’s current range apart from the R1200GS, but an LED daytime riding light is available. I’m quite surprised BMW hasn’t migrated to full LED lighting as they release new models, considering the popularity of this option on the R1200GS (I have yet to see an example of this model in the UK without the LED).

Admittedly I’m not the biggest fan of ‘adventure-style’ bikes with no off road capabilities—BMW themselves have made no mention of taking the S1000XR off road. I have made my thoughts known about Honda’s perpetual release of road bikes in pretty frocks and jacked up suspensions, but the S1000XR seems to take a different route with its bespoke frame and near-superbike specifications.

I’m looking forward to reading upcoming reviews, and also doing my own review once my dealership has one available for a test ride.

Now that the S1000XR is ‘official’—what do you think? Let me know in the comments.

• BMW’s press kit for the S1000XR

Photos

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It’s come a long way...

I started this blog on Tumblr in early 2012 when I purchased my F800GS, before migrating it to Blogger a few months later in May. How do the stats measure up over the last 29 months?

Page views

Page views are the number of people who visit or revisit pages on the blog.

• Overall 22,997 people have visited my blog, or just under 800 per month
• Until February 2014 I was averaging about 400 visits per month after which interest increased substantially
• July 2014 (following my crash in the Czech Republic) was the busiest month with 3,169 visitors

Top 5 posts

I was surprised that my article about travel gear made it into the top 5. Not as surprised by the Gear Shift Assist Pro as there was virtually no coverage by the motorcycle industry of this device’s application on boxer models. Likewise, there was so much confusion about the discontinuation of the British tax disc, people were looking for information from any available source. Finally, it seems you are a bloodthirsty lot with the post about my crash near Prague making the list!

• First look: Gear Shift Assist Pro on the BMW R1200GS
• A few days on with Gear Shift Assist Pro on the BMW R1200GS
• Gear: Top 6 electronic devices for travel
• Europe 2014: Day 7 - Prague to Wemding
• Saying goodbye to a British motoring icon

How people find this blog

Most people find this blog via Facebook, followed by Google and Twitter. All my posts automatically syndicate to these three services. After the big three, Advrider and BMW GS Club Netherlands round out the list.

Where people live

By far, the majority of visitors live in the USA and UK with 8,067 and 5,744 visits respectively. Canada, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium and Russia are unsurprisingly in the top 10, but I was somewhat surprised to see quite a following from China and Turkey.

Devices people use

This is where things got quite interesting for me. Top of the list were Windows and Mac users (43% and 25% respectively). Linux users came in at 9%.

The remainder were almost exclusively mobile users on smartphones and tablets. Despite Android phones and tablets dominating the market (around 80% if I recall correctly), iOS devices (iPhones and iPads) account for 15% of visitors, compared to a surprisingly low 4% for Android.

The outliers which do not register as percentages are the 7 visitors using Blackberry devices and the 5 visitors using their Playstation gaming consoles.

People’s preferred browsers

Safari tops the chart at 32% (desktop and iOS versions combined). This is followed closely by Chrome at 31% (desktop and iOS/Android versions combined). Firefox and Internet Explorer come in at 19% and 11% respectively, their popularity waning in recent years.

A few last thoughts

Some of these stats were a bit unexpected. With some purely unscientific analysis I would come to the following conclusions:

• The people visiting my blog generally own or have an interest in BMW GS bikes and tend to have enough disposable income to buy premium devices—this may explain the high percentage of Apple computer and mobile device users.
• Blackberry is screwed as a company—7 out of 23,000 visitors!
• My efforts should include making better use of hashtags for Facebook and Twitter, and meta tags for Google so this blog will feature more prominently in search results.

I enjoy maintaining this blog and welcome feedback and even contributions from readers if anyone feels so inclined. And don’t be shy—let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

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Update: BMW S1000XR coming soon?

Update 2

Thanks to Stefan from Facebook for these—they appear to be official photos of the upcoming S1000XR... is BMW letting leaking photos as a marketing tactic? They are usually as tight as Honda or Apple with new products... 

In any case, to my eyes it looks good—almost like the offspring of an S1000RR and a Ducati Multistrada. The front appears more symmetrical than most of BMW’s models. It appears to share a few components with the R1200GS, such as the mirrors and hand guards. It will be interesting to read the official press information once the model is released to get a better idea where in the market BMW intends to position this bike.

I recently lamented about how all of Honda’s recent ‘adventure’ bikes were just road bikes in a fancy frock, aimed at riders who never intend to leave the tarmac. This begs the question—is BMW doing the same with this bike? 

Update 1

A reader of my blog Eric from Facebook has emailed to note that the Italian BMW Group PressClub website shows a baseball cap, t-shirt and keyring specifically branded ‘S1000XR’. See the end of the article for photos.

BMW S1000XR coming soon?

Found on BMW Motorrad’s Instagram feed—it’s not like BMW to effectively confirm the existence of an unreleased new model...

The S1000XR is rumoured to be a competitor to the Ducati Multistrada as a high powered road biased dual sport bike—and to a lesser extent the KTM 1290 Super Adventure in terms of power.

A test mule has been photographed in Germany but, as with the R1200GS mules, this may or may not reflect how the production model will look. It would be safe to assume the new model will run standard road wheel sizes of 17” front/rear, unlike the GS range (19” or 21” front, 17” rear)—and a version of the 4 cylinder engine from the S1000R/RR, possibly retuned for less power and more torque.

Below is German magazine Motorrad’s artist conception of how the model could look.

What is interesting is that the bike doesn’t fit within any of BMW’s current categories as it seems to fit directly between the Sport and Enduro ranges—and this is reflected by BMW’s inadvertent (?) confirmation that the bike should be called the S1000XR (and not S1000GS etc). Probably a good move as the GS community would likely be up in arms at the thought of a bike completely unsuitable for off road riding being marketed within the GS range.

S1000XR merchandise

S1000XR cap. Photo: BMW Group PressClub Italia

S1000XR keyring. Photo: BMW Group PressClub Italia

S1000XR unisex t-shirt. Photo: BMW Group PressClub Italia

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A bit of DIY for a non-DIYer

The rear brakes on my F800GS were making a bit of a grating noise on the way home from work today. I had a look when I got home and noticed the pads, which were last replaced in Austria in 2013, were down to the metal. Fortunately there was no scoring on the disc. It’s not like me to have things like this go unnoticed—I check the pads regularly but I don’t remember them being anywhere near this close to the end of their lives.

Admittedly the F800GS chews through rear pads like a fiend because the soft front forks require a healthy dose of rear braking to help counteract the front end diving under braking and keep the bike balanced. Lesson learned—check the rear pads a bit more thoroughly and a bit more often.

These (tiny) plumptious beauties do all the stopping at the rear of the F800GS

I called the dealership to have them put aside a set of pads and rode there straight away without using the rear brake at all. Although I’m in no way a mechanic, it had to be done immediately as my R1200GS is in getting the crash damage fixed and one more ride probably would have permanently scored the disc. And who knows when the next available appointment at the dealership would be, since a lot of people are having their bikes serviced for winter storage this time of year.

Set of pads: £34
Time to replace: 17 minutes (with a little practice, 5 minutes would do it)
Satisfaction of a job well done: High

I found the following excellent instructional video on YouTube which I watched twice before heading downstairs with a few tools and a pair of surgical gloves (my soft, office-worker hands wouldn’t take kindly to being accosted by toxic brake grime).



The Brembo brakes on the F800GS provide incredibly easy access to replace the pads—removing a single clip and a pin enable the pads to come out, with the caliper still bolted in place. The old pads were at about 0.5mm on the inside and less than 0.1mm on the outside. Shame on me.

The new pads took a little bit of manipulation to get in (compressing the piston and being careful not to disturb the tension spring) but everything went back together just as easily as it came apart. After a two mile ride the brakes already felt bedded in, having lost the ‘wooden’ new pad feeling quickly.

The disc is a different matter—it will need replacement once these new pads wear out, as it has developed a bit of a lip on the edge and is no doubt at the limit of its safe specification. While BMW’s pricing is reasonable for the pads, they want a thieving £200 for a new disc. Brembo, who actually manufacture the brakes, only want £66 for the same part (68B407C0) which is indistinguishable from the OEM version (incidentally, the pads cost the same from Brembo and BMW).

Feeling quite proud. Call me indolent, but normally I can’t be arsed to faff about when I can pay someone else to do things like this for me. Indeed, my dealership only charges £50 altogether to replace the pads which means I only saved £16—however, £16 is £16, and now that I know how easy they are to replace, I have no excuse to be lazy in future.

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R1200RS and S1000RR at the Mondial de l'Automobile 2014

I spent a few days in Paris this week, popping over on the amazingly efficient Eurostar (2:15 door to door and no airports with which to contend) to see Mondial de l'Automobile 2014, otherwise known as the Paris Auto Show.

I’ll post the highlights separately, but there was a little surprise at the BMW exhibition—one each of the brand new R1200RS and updated S1000RR (sadly the R1200R was missing). I had a seat on the R1200RS, which felt very strange being accustomed to the riding position of the GS from which the engine and some of the mechanical bits are donated. The telelever front suspension, however, is absent—the new R/RS models use forks based on the ones from the S1000R/RR. This enables the bikes to use a singe, centrally mounted radiator in the space where the wishbone for the telelever resides on the GS/RT (these use two tiny radiators on either side).

My thoughts from the whole two minutes I had on the bike—it feels compact with a slightly more forward biased seating position than the GS, similar to a standard or naked bike. Distance to the pedals (and ground) felt about the same as the GS with the seat in the lowest position. The windscreen does away with the fancy height adjustment knob mechanism from the GS in lieu of a simple pull/push system (which can be done easily with one hand while seated). The instrument panel is a greyscale LCD panel with an analogue speedometer which looks less ‘expensive’ than the ones fitted to the GS and RT. The slightly asymmetrical headlamps are standard halogen units with an optional LED daytime riding light bar between them.

All in all it looks and feels a quality product but doesn’t feel quite as special as the GS. I think the sport-tourer market is quite conservative, so this may be entirely deliberate, and nevertheless I’m looking forward to having a test ride—Lottie are you reading this? :)

UK pricing has yet to be announced, but I would expect the R/RS to start slightly a few hundred pounds lower than the GS due to the less expensive front suspension, simpler windscreen height adjuster, single radiator, and less complex instrument panel.

R1200RS

R1200RS—comfortable

R1200RS—checking out the windscreen height adjustment

Updated S1000RR

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