Views on my 2020 GT a few months in

Jagster said:

Regarding MPG......I don't think I will be able to achieve more than my current best, which is 57mpg on a long steady run, with full luggage.
I didn't think that was bad at all. Trouble is that riding just a tiny bit more spirited reduces mpg down noticeably.

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vmaxjude said:

Hi all. Having owned my 2020 GT since May and covered about 2500 miles (including the NC500 tour of northern Scotland) I thought I would share my views on the bike. These come from someone who owned 1st Gen VMaxes for over 20 years.

Stuff I like:

• Speed - the pickup from 2nd and 3rd at around 3K is insane (where max torque is I believe)
• Comfort - I love the forward controls and find the stock seat very comfortable, although I am less keen on the rear lip of the seat pressing into the back of my arse
• Noise - I used to have very loud pipes on my Maxes but I find the sound of the stock system on the GT loud enough with a pleasant rumble (I have finally grown up I suppose)
• Instruments - fairly easy to use and read, with all the info you need
• Headlights - superb for night riding
• Handling - excellent for such a big heavy bike. You can really swing it round bends
• Looks - not as in your face as my heavily modified Maxes but a very handsome bike which gets admiring glances (or are they just admiring me?)
• Finish - seems robust so far, but plenty of polishing required to keep metal parts fresh
• Dealer support - my local dealer (in Surrey, UK) has been very good so far. £278 for an annual service was not too bad but not exactly cheap. They did a very good job of doing a rear brake bleed and replacement of the ABS pipe under warranty at short notice even though the bike was actually out of warranty - I was due to go to Scotland and had no back brake
• Factory accessories - I love the heated grips and the optional quick shifter (Triumph Shift Assist) is superb
• Tyres - original Avons have plenty of tread left after 5800 miles. Good grip

Stuff I am less keen on:

• Fuel consumption - not great but to be expected given the engine size and power/torque
• Range - the tank is simply too small for a proper GT. A 200 mile range should be available but I struggle to get 150
• Tank - a bit too wide, especially with the tank pads I have fitted
• Joystick - too close to the indicators
• Mirrors - can be a bit blurry at speed (I have the optional sport mirrors fitted)
• Panniers - absolutely terrible. Small, flimsy, terrible locks. My locks jammed after getting filled with road crud on my Scotland tour. A zip also jammed. The dealer managed to free it but broke the zipper, which cannot be replaced. They changed it to a generic zipper which does not match the other 3 - it works but annoys me. The only solution is a new pannier. I blasted the crud out of the locks with a high pressure air line and lubed them, plus waxed the zips and they have been OK since. I contacted Triumph who said they have no plans to produce more robust panniers for the bike. The only option currently are Corbin but they are $3000 plus shipping to the UK
• My Triumph bluetooth connectivity - very basic and only works with a limited range of phones
• Downpipes on right hand side - get very hot in town and my textile trousers touched them in Scotland with a small portion melting, which has left an unsightly mark on the pipe
• Weight - over 300kg wet so low speed manoeuvres need to be done carefully. A reverse gear would have been a nice option
• Battery - runs flat if not connected to a trickle charger after only 7 days. I also had some starting issues which I cured by properly greasing the battery terminals. The bike also refused to start once using the remote in torrential rain in Scotland which was a real pain, but I got it started using the transmittter under the seat and it has been fine since

That's about it. Overall an excellent bike that I really enjoy riding and I think I'll be keeping it for a few years.

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Dr.D said:

57 mpg with a loaded bike???????????? I can't find a 57 miles stretch of road around here with the needed 8% grade to achieve that.

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Jagster said:

Good point.
@vmaxjude do you press the button on your key fob until it shows a red light when you park up your bike? .......If so, then next question, is your key fob stored anywhere near where you keep the bike?

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Jagster said:

Well, I managed to find a route that was a round trip, where it was down hill all the way.

(Don't forget Imperial Gallons are bigger than US gallons .........that said an Imperial gallon of gas here in the UK is MUCH more expensive than your US gallon over your side of the pond ).

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2023R3GT said:

We are all different and so our experiences - but your observations are good.

The joystick takes getting used to, that said dont think its too close.
Love my mirrors, little to no vibration even when going illegal.
I never like the look of the pannier and some owners was not over the moon so i never even considered getting. Same with Bluetooth - I use Cardo...
I get 155mile and don't really mind, I like taking a break every 2 hours- 36mpg
Tank width and shape is great, at least for me,. That said thick tank pad will change that.
Not had battery issues... your does not sound good. how old is the bike/battery?
Don't think weight is a problem with a low seat height, but that what you get buying the largest beast - handling is excellent.
The seat is very comfy, but not breathable so sweat easily
The Avons are awesome, getting to the edges and dragging pegs is easy.
Traction control and cornering ABS is very good and saved my butt a few times.

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vmaxjude said:

My instruments are showing around 45mpg overall. Town riding gets it down to 30. It is a performance bike so I suppose that is around par for the course. I doubt you would get more from a superbike.

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vmaxjude said:

Hi. Yep I turn the fob off (red light) when not using the bike. I do not store it anywhere near the bike - the bike is in my garage at the bottom of the garden and I keep the fob in my riding jacket hanging up near the front of the house. Around 50 yards between them.

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vmaxjude said:

Hi all. Having owned my 2020 GT since May and covered about 2500 miles (including the NC500 tour of northern Scotland) I thought I would share my views on the bike. These come from someone who owned 1st Gen VMaxes for over 20 years.

Stuff I like:

• Speed - the pickup from 2nd and 3rd at around 3K is insane (where max torque is I believe)
• Comfort - I love the forward controls and find the stock seat very comfortable, although I am less keen on the rear lip of the seat pressing into the back of my arse
• Noise - I used to have very loud pipes on my Maxes but I find the sound of the stock system on the GT loud enough with a pleasant rumble (I have finally grown up I suppose)
• Instruments - fairly easy to use and read, with all the info you need
• Headlights - superb for night riding
• Handling - excellent for such a big heavy bike. You can really swing it round bends
• Looks - not as in your face as my heavily modified Maxes but a very handsome bike which gets admiring glances (or are they just admiring me?)
• Finish - seems robust so far, but plenty of polishing required to keep metal parts fresh
• Dealer support - my local dealer (in Surrey, UK) has been very good so far. £278 for an annual service was not too bad but not exactly cheap. They did a very good job of doing a rear brake bleed and replacement of the ABS pipe under warranty at short notice even though the bike was actually out of warranty - I was due to go to Scotland and had no back brake
• Factory accessories - I love the heated grips and the optional quick shifter (Triumph Shift Assist) is superb
• Tyres - original Avons have plenty of tread left after 5800 miles. Good grip

Stuff I am less keen on:

• Fuel consumption - not great but to be expected given the engine size and power/torque
• Range - the tank is simply too small for a proper GT. A 200 mile range should be available but I struggle to get 150
• Tank - a bit too wide, especially with the tank pads I have fitted
• Joystick - too close to the indicators
• Mirrors - can be a bit blurry at speed (I have the optional sport mirrors fitted)
• Panniers - absolutely terrible. Small, flimsy, terrible locks. My locks jammed after getting filled with road crud on my Scotland tour. A zip also jammed. The dealer managed to free it but broke the zipper, which cannot be replaced. They changed it to a generic zipper which does not match the other 3 - it works but annoys me. The only solution is a new pannier. I blasted the crud out of the locks with a high pressure air line and lubed them, plus waxed the zips and they have been OK since. I contacted Triumph who said they have no plans to produce more robust panniers for the bike. The only option currently are Corbin but they are $3000 plus shipping to the UK
• My Triumph bluetooth connectivity - very basic and only works with a limited range of phones
• Downpipes on right hand side - get very hot in town and my textile trousers touched them in Scotland with a small portion melting, which has left an unsightly mark on the pipe
• Weight - over 300kg wet so low speed manoeuvres need to be done carefully. A reverse gear would have been a nice option
• Battery - runs flat if not connected to a trickle charger after only 7 days. I also had some starting issues which I cured by properly greasing the battery terminals. The bike also refused to start once using the remote in torrential rain in Scotland which was a real pain, but I got it started using the transmittter under the seat and it has been fine since

That's about it. Overall an excellent bike that I really enjoy riding and I think I'll be keeping it for a few years.

Click to expand...