New bike day. 690SMC-R.

[weeksy]

BMW sell it as a way 'smooth' out the ride for a pillion. My mate reckons using it makes it worse for a passenger.

it'll depend on the RPM and of course how good their system works. The QS on the MT09/XSR was OK, the QS on the 790 was OK... the QS on the wifes ZX6R is incredibly (aftermarket), the blipper on the 790 was superb.. So a lot may depend on how you use it and how good the BMW system is.

[Count Steer]

One of my bikes just had a neutral indicator - which was a bit useless. You never knew which of the 5 neutrals in the box you were in.

[Dodgy69]

The only 2 uses I have for a gear indicator is knowing I'm in top and maybe knowing I'm in the right gear for an hairpin on track, and that's 2 good reasons to have one.

[Supermofo]

Yup for me the 6th one is the most important. I'm a bugger for trying to hook 7th on a motorway.

[weeksy]

Yup for me the 6th one is the most important. I'm a bugger for trying to hook 7th on a motorway.

Yeah i hear that one... 100%.... but do i hear it £1000+ i don't think so.

[Supermofo]

TBH I like a gear indicator but no way I'd be spending anymore than a £100 on one. If the Suzuki didn't have one I'd not have bothered.

[KungFooBob]

The first bike had with a gear indicator was my Tiger 800, I only ever looked at it just before pulling away to check I was in 1st.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

The first bike I had with a gear indicator was a 1979 GSX750ET, it was a bit random which gear it displayed, and often displayed the neutral light and a gear.

[Yorick]

The first bike I had with a gear indicator was a 1979 GSX750ET, it was a bit random which gear it displayed, and often displayed the neutral light and a gear.

About same time a pal bought a GS550. Cool dash with gear indicator.

[weeksy]

DON't forget, KTM are sticking very much to their MX roots on the 690 SMC-R. The dash is... somewhat lacking

[Taipan]

Can you turn the ABS off?

[KungFooBob]

My Bullet is the first bike I've had for ages without a rev counter, I've got used to changing gear when it feels right, but then I'm never really trying to eek out all the performance.

I think I'd miss one on a proper bike that I wanted to ride hard?

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

That's way more than any MX bike I've owned, they all had no instruments.

[weeksy]

Can you turn the ABS off?

Course, you can do whatever you like with ABS in terms of disabling, front only etc...

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

My Bullet is the first bike I've had for ages without a rev counter, I've got used to changing gear when it feels right, but then I'm never really trying to eek out all the performance.

I think I'd miss one on a proper bike that I wanted to ride hard?

The rev counter on my Suzuki is useless, so I just ignore it now, I have found out that if you rev the tits off it an orange light comes on very shortly before the rev limiter cuts in.

[Taipan]

Tomorrow is collection day isn't it? Sunny all day. Look forward to ride report and pics, lots of pics!

[weeksy]

Tomorrow is collection day isn't it? Sunny all day. Look forward to ride report and pics, lots of pics!

Yup, it's in the workshop tomorrow for PDI and then hand-over once completed.

Ideally that'll be by 2ish as i'm finished with work then and i'll take it for a play asap.

[Yorick]

DON't forget, KTM are sticking very much to their MX roots on the 690 SMC-R. The dash is... somewhat lacking

That's almost same as my Beta

[Mr. Dazzle]

My Bullet is the first bike I've had for ages without a rev counter, I've got used to changing gear when it feels right, but then I'm never really trying to eek out all the performance.

I think I'd miss one on a proper bike that I wanted to ride hard?

The rev counter on my Suzuki is useless, so I just ignore it now, I have found out that if you rev the tits off it an orange light comes on very shortly before the rev limiter cuts in.

The Bonneville has a rev counter that can only show 0 or 4000rpm and it doesn't have a rev limiter

[Count Steer]

DON't forget, KTM are sticking very much to their MX roots on the 690 SMC-R. The dash is... somewhat lacking

That's almost same as my Beta

Well, live and learn...saw the WP on the forks and thought 'Nice'...dab around a while and find they're wholly owned by KTM. Didn't know that. I think the ESA unit on my K12 was WP.

(Don't think they'd call it White Power if they were naming a company today! Happens to be the initials of the chap that founded the company too).