My demo bike didn't have the quickshifter. I'm not sure at this stage wether I'll have one added as I rarely use mine on my current 850GS.Had a test ride on the Transalp this morning. So different to the VFR800. It's taller than I expected and there is quite a high saddle to get your leg over. Once on, my feet were both flat on the floor but that's mainly due to the narrowness of the bike. Everything is in the wrong place, bars foot pegs etc. Balance point is higher than a VFR. Throttle clutch and steering are very light as I wobbled out of the dealership.
Riding position is very comfy although the seat is firm. Fuelling felt perfect to me, it seems almost impossible to stall the engine, no snatchiness, pulls well at low speeds even in 4th gear. This bike had a quick shifter which is something I'm not familiar with but clutchless changes were slick in the upchange but a bit abrupt on the downshift unless you closed the throttle.
Ride and handling were very good. The bike changes direction very easily and holds a line really well. Suspension is quite firm though.
Brakes seemed fine, but not as good as the VFR. There's a bit of dive on the front forks.
I felt far more air turbulence than the VFR. The wind was whistling up my sleeves and I stopped to do them up. I could feel it whistling around my body and legs. Above 70mph I got buffeting on my visor (my bike will have a taller screen). Air flow on the VFR hits you on the top of you shoulders.
The engine is impressive, it's easy to potter around at low speed even in the higher gears, no hunting. Lots of midrange for those 40-70mph overtakes on A roads. If you use all the revs then it really flies especially past 7k rpm. I soon had it in treble digit speeds. I can't say it felt like a Vtwin to me despite the 270 degree crank. There was some vibes through the bars but nothing major.
There are some nice touches such as self cancellation indicators that actually work well. Lots of info on the screen such as battery voltage.
Jumping back on the VFR felt odd. Low, small and narrow. Liquid smooth motor with loads of thrust. Crouched riding position with weight on wrists.
In the ideal world of like to have both bikes as they're so different but I think I'll be very happy with the Transalp once I've got used to the odd ergonomics.
Do you have a delivery date yet and what colour are you going for?
