From Eurofighter to Great Rides K1300GT - It's all one big test for pilot Keith Dennison
If you really want to know about speed and acceleration, ask Keith Dennison. If you want to know about rapid braking, changes of direction and handling, also ask Keith. And if the subject is what makes a truly modern, versatile piece of top-flight transport equipment, Keith is absolutely your man.
Why? Because Keith has just retired as BAE Systems’ Chief Test Pilot for the Eurofighter Typhoon multi-role combat aircraft. Now, with all his daily wheels firmly on the ground, he has more time to devote to his passion for motorcycling - and that led him to a long weekend’s rental of a Great Rides BMW K1300 GT SE.
“I’d heard and read a lot about this bike” says Keith, “and, as an existing BMW bike owner, I really wanted to try one for an extended test. Great Rides is the only rental company I know that can supply this top-spec machine, so after a quick phone call, the bike was booked.”
Keith’s trip, with his wife riding pillion, involved a tour around North Yorkshire, a run up to Scotland, and back to Lytham; 1,000 miles in three days over just about every class of paved road there is.
“The K1300 GT is truly impressive” says Keith, adding that “nothing I’ve ridden before combines so many virtues in one package. The performance is all you could ever want - and more; I know that I barely tickled its full capabilities. At low revs, the engine is modest and controlled, so riding in town or traffic is a breeze. Open it up beyond 5000rpm though, and you really have a tiger by the tail.....!
The GT’s electronically adjustable suspension also makes this a genuinely multi- role machine. In ‘Sport’, the bike is taught and sharp, so ideal for B roads and twisties. ‘Normal’ is really an average default setting, ideal for most riding conditions, whereas ‘Comfort’ is just perfect for relaxed, long distance motorway cruising. In ‘Comfort’ for example, you can only just feel a row of cats eyes below you. I admit it, I was sceptical that the differences would be really noticeable, but they are - and I loved it!
Interestingly, Great Rides has fitted this nearly new bike with a pair of the latest Dunlop RoadSmart tyres for long term evaluation. Keith comments on the tyres’ performance as follows:
“Despite some appalling wet weather on the motorway return trip, the tyres never ‘hopped’ or broke traction. The bike always felt rock solid, secure and safe. From these conditions to damp, twisty roads in the Highlands, the RoadSmarts provided assured grip with a very neutral feel, which really contributed to the pleasure of hustling this big, powerful bike along some seriously entertaining roads. In the same way that the K1300 is a premium performance all-purpose bike, so too must its tyres offer equal versatility and capability. In fact, I was so impressed with RoadSmarts that I’ll be putting them on my own bike at the next opportunity.
So to someone who really knows about exploiting performance machinery to the absolute maximum, how did the whole Great Rides K1300 experience rate?
“For me, the trick has to be the offer of the very best equipment there is, whilst also making everything as easy to use as possible” says Keith. “Great Rides offers a totally comprehensive package, that covers just about anything you could want: accessories, clothing, insurance - everything. I took the 1300 to Scotland, but it could have just as easily been Italy or Spain. This big Beemer is almost a Typhoon for the road - it does just about everything supremely well, and you can load it up without noticing too much detriment in either handling or performance.
Great Rides also delivered the bike to my front door, spent a good 20 minutes showing me how everything worked, then collected it afterwards - that’s real service.
The K1300 GT is a fabulous bike, offering real long distance capability with a serious degree of fun. Fitted with those RoadSmarts, it’s little short of perfect. For a top-flight motorcycle experience, I can strongly recommend renting one of these machines from Great Rides.”
Great Rides Marketing Director Alan Watts says “Keith has to be just about our most performance-oriented customer ever. We are delighted that his rental proved so enjoyable and rewarding - we really do believe in providing every Great Rides customer with the best possible equipment and support. It’s also very noticeable how well the K1300 GT and the Dunlop RoadSmarts really complement each other - for us, it looks like the ideal combination.’
