Tiger - R1200GS comparison

[ridin gaijin]

Originally posted over at TriumphRat--don't mean to be a prat, if you've read it already, for chrissakes do something else!







I brought el tigre down to our local BMW this morning. I test rode the 1200 when shopping, and after I bought the Triumph, I had called the BMW sales manager to inform him of my choice. He had taken the news with so much good grace that I offered to bring the machine round and let him feel it up.



(Santa Fe is only about 60,000 souls so it's good practice to stay friends with like-minded folks; there aren't many of us around.)



We swapped rides and I spent 1/2 hr or so on the GS, while he loped around on the Tiger. I wanted to ride it again now that I've spent a bit of time with el tigre. My impressions:



The GS is skinnier than the Tiger and feels--probably is?--longer. They feel about the same weight-wise, though I don't know if the GS was topped off (the Tiger was). I believe the bikes do weigh about the same; the thing is they feel like they weigh the same too. (Center of gravity--not so different-feeling).The BMW shifts more smoothly; the transmission has a cleaner feel, especially in the lower gears. What Bike? was right when they wrote of the Tiger, "The gearbox clonks into first..." The BMW pulls smoothly throughout its range. The riding positions are very similar.



But el tigre has more ooomph--both on paper and on the street. How the BMW takes an engine substantially larger than the 955i and yet produces substantially less horsepower is not clear to me, but you can really feel the difference. Ed (the BMW motorcycles manager) reported the Tiger felt very powerful to him and he saw no problems with the shifting whatsoever. The saddle was a bit taller than the GS, though it's on its lowest setting.



Ed asked, twice, about the list price. $10,500, plus taxes and what not, and I think he was quite impressed. Now, the BMW comes with factory ABS and a centerstand...but no luggage, and heated grips are an option, just as with the Tiger.



Given the large extra $$$ it would take to get on the BMW I remain more than content with my choice. The 1200 is beyond any doubt an impressively engineered machine and I would ride one with confidence anywhere I plan to take el tigre (except for those frickin' turn signals!). But from a two-time test rider's perspective--and I was payin attention both times!--the Tiger is where it's at for value and power.



FWIW, he still has his 1200GS after over a month despite a reported strong November (he sold 7 bikes, which at this time of year, up here, is dam' good). However, PJ's Triupmh down in Albuquerque has a Tiger waiting list...



Just my $0.02 (and maybe not worth even that...!)



-----------------

Someday you'll meet your rockin chair

Coz that's where we're spinnin

There's no use to wanna comb your hair

When it's gray and thinning.



--The Clash, Bankrobber

[Patrick the Scot]

Given the large extra $$$ it would take to get on the BMW I remain more than content with my choice.

Copy that.  There is always something better, but at what cost?  Did you bother to ask the BMW manager about the SERVICE COST on the BMW over it's life?

[Brock]

Glad you posted this ridin'...

Lots of folks have wondered how the Tiger squares up against the GS12, me included.

[Guest]

IMHO there ain't no bike that's £2500 better than a Tiger955i. So there!!

[TigerPilot]

riding gaijin, thanks so much for sharing this experience. I specially appreciate the 'un-bias' oppinion.



Having own both brands wich I currently have, I can speak first hand. There is no doubt that the Tiger is a better vaule. I love it for the very same reasons that you mentioned and most everybody can agree here in this forum; after all, everyone is likely to be 'biased' to the Triumph of course because this IS a Triumph Forum.



I'm going to be quite honest thought and I hope my honest oppinion do not offend anyone. I do love my Tiger, I agree is a better 'value' with great power band, but lets face it is NOT a BMW!!. BMW surpases where it matters most, Design (From an Engineering stand point; of course I would not be talking if I wasn't an Engineer my self), Durability and more importantly, Resale Value (at least here in the States)!!

Also as important, since somebody opened 'that can of worms' it in this very same post, Operating cost. Take it from me (again I own both brands) the BMW is MUCH cheaper to service at the dealers, parts are cheaper and MUCH more readily available, and I'm not even going to get into the aftermarket parts AND accessories for these bikes... Anything you want, everywhere you look...



Confort?? Well, Let's just say I have 13,557 miles on my 2002 Tiger and 24,201 miles on my 2004 BMW; Now that's a real test...!!!

Don't believe me?? brouse in and visit www.bmwsporttouring.com and check the kind of mileage some of these bikes have...



Just thougth I share my "unbiased" 3 cents...



cheers!!

[Patrick the Scot]

Also as important, since somebody opened 'that can of worms' it in this very same post, Operating cost. Take it from me (again I own both brands) the BMW is MUCH cheaper to service at the dealers, parts are cheaper and MUCH more readily available,

Yep, a can of worms it is! Riddle me this, how much does one of the blown-out ass-end wheel bearings cost on any BMW? Make sure to include towing, parts, labor, and taxes.

[52blackshadow]

From memory, last time my bevel box bearings went, they cost about £ 70.00 for the set, and were an easy fix - No towing needed, you notice a bit of oil leaking and feel a bit of slop in the back wheel, then you get home, strip the wheel off and get it fixed. Fitting isn't exactly rocket science (No harder than fitting a chain and sprocket set to a Tiger).



The Tiger is a great bike for the money, but if they were both the same price I don't think it'd sell as well as it does against the GS.  The fact that both sell well, means that value wise there is quite a good balance. There seem to be a few BMW and Tiger owners on this board.  I have a R1100RT and the 955i Tiger. Yes, I believe the Tiger is a better road bike for the price than the old R1150GS, which is why I bought one.  If my needs had been different, or the 1200GS was available when I bought then I may have gone the other way.  As stated above, the BMW is simple to work on, better engineered and seems to have a better dealer network.



Why do we need to argue the toss?  They are both good bikes, just stop trying to justify your choice by going back to price.



All the best,



Shadow.

[Howlin]

I feel we are all out there sharing the same wind so what one person rides or believes in is his personal 02.¢. Just like wives,some you would want to play with and ride and others you wouldn't want laying in your garage! :)
I think my Tiger is a great bike,it does what I want it to do and that's what makes me happy.
Have a great holiday and better new year.

[Brock]

The guy I met who'd been waiting all morning for his GS12 to be sorted at a dealers wasn't a very happy bunny. I called in at Bluebell, in Cheshire a few weeks ago to check out the clothing in a "sale". Bumped into this guy who was setting off for Europe the following day, but he was worried about an intermittent electrical fault. Engine would cut for no reason, all the lights on the dash flashing...the dealers told him they'd plug it into the computer and fix it, no problem. He'd brought the bike in at 8.30 am and they'd taken it straight through to the workshop. When I left him at about mid day, they'd just told him they'd tried everything, and couldn't cure the problem. In fact they'd f----d it up for good 'cos they couldn't even get the bugger started now! The bike hadn't even done 1,000 miles.

They'd offered him a courtesy F650 for his trip.

His last comment to me was; "I wish I'd bought a Tiger now..."

Did I mention he'd travelled about 80 miles to the dealers?

[ridin gaijin]

BMW of course has a much wider dealer network, and I assume the remark about having more aftermarket stuff must be true too--they've been doing this a long time.



I am expecting my service costs to be the same as or less than a BMW, though. German engineering can be a wonderful thing but it can also be absolute crap--witness the widely loathed single radio knob in the BMW's auto range.



For me it really is about the money. I had enough, thanks to the miracle of loose as baby-poo credit in this country, to get either bike. But by the time I'm done tarting up el tigre--ah, I mean, getting him outfitted--I'll STILL not have spent as much as on the stock 1200GS.



How long will the big cat last? I don't know. Especially with what I've got in store for it. But I do think a lot of factors play into machine longevity, and primary among them is owner care. (Assuming the thing is reasonably well designed to begin with.) It will be thrashed on foreign shores; but it will also be well provided for.



***That BMWs have such generally good longevity (and resale value) I believe is as much--if not more!--a function of owner care. Many BMW owners take pride in being able to afford dealer service for everything, and are also meticulous bike owners. I doubt I'm overgeneralizing when I say that many BMW bikes are not used to their full capabilities either, and that helps them keep it together.***



Inna final analysis Howlin has got it right. I'd MUCH rather share the road with a BMW rider than a BMW driver!

[Chris Canning]

I'm the same as B/S I also run a Beemer one thing for sure i can tell you the serviceing cost of the Triumph are higher.



The rest of other postings are all debateable,depending on what you want to convince yourself about,you'll loose more money on a Tiger,it's nowhere near as pratical or easy to clean but a billion times more fun to ride,the choice is yours!!!!.



Chris

[tomla]

ok, New, there are arguments on both sides, but since BMW holds it's value better, it's a slam-dunk if you're considering both models on the used market.  Tiger's rule!    Ok, I'm biased!

[robbo]

ok, New, there are arguments on both sides, but since BMW holds it's value better, it's a slam-dunk if you're considering both models on the used market.  Tiger's rule!    Ok, I'm biased!

Agreed, personally I like the GS and believe they keep there value better than a Tiger. I also think the GS is a much better looking bike than a Tiger.



However I ride a Tiger because it was cheaper to buy and its got all the good attributes of a GS in terms of practicality and comfort and handling but its got loads more performance. Having said that I still crave even more performance so donÌt think I could live with a GS even if I could afford one.

[ChrisN]

I don't normally join in this debate as I've never owned or riden a BMW. I've never had the desire to either.



For me anyone who thinks a bike with engine cylinders sticking out horizontally, like some kind of design after-thought, is good looking, needs their head examining.



There, I said it!

[Chris Canning]

Phooor thats dodgy talk that is!!!!!





Chris