Opinions of the R1200GS

[Chris Canning]

Went to my local BM dealer on saturday for an oil filter for the S,there was a shop full of already sold GS's i guess for the new reg in march,i couldn't help thinking how small it was but had to smile,he'd put 020's front and back, which looked like they'd come of a bicycle in comparison to the 180 i run on the back of mine.



Chris

[Bushwhacker]

Also, from reviews I've seen in Motorcycle Consumer News, manufactuerer's HP ratings are typically inflated and usually reflect crank HP and not rear wheel numbers.

Kurt

Based on the little research I have done the Tiger dyno's at about 89.5 hp at the rear wheel and the GS is just over 86.



Not a lot of difference.



I personally have never ridden a GS.  Never seen a need to.  I am happy with my Tiger.





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[Guest]

Thanks for the support guys.

Two comments :-

1/ They do tend to jump on the defensive wagon quickly. I thought my write up was fair and unbiased. You can't help but compare any test ride to the bike you currently own. Hence my comparing the GS to the Tiger.

2/ When I had my R100GS and the GSclubUK started up, a lot of the guys had R1100GS's. As soon as the 1150 was anounced, about 80% of them jumped to the new model. Then the 1150 Adventure came out and a lot of them swapped from the ordinary 1150 to that. And now the 1200 has come out they're all jumping onto that! There seems to be more money than sence in the GS fraternity!!

Anyway, we can all be smug knowing the BMW have only caught up (not overtaken) with Triumphs 5 year old design. Hopefully there'll be a new 1050 Tiger next year to leave them all way behind again.

[abell]

I don't think either bike's "better" and I have no problem with people critiquing what I ride. I buy bikes for my own reasons and derive satisfaction from them - I hope other people do the same on whatever they ride.



Personally I fully admit to being partial to Triumph as a brand - it's not because they're the best bikes, but for a number of reasons they seem like the best for me. I have had nothing but good experiences with them and there's a bit of patriotism there too, I am sure. I don't want to persuade the world that they should buy one too, I like having something relatively unique. Plus it'd be bloody boring bench racing up at the coffee shop if everyone was on the same machines.



It's important to be open minded - I thought your review was, and their responses were not. Hopefully if someone ever does visit this site singing the praises of the GS (which is by most accounts an excellent motorcycle) they will get more balanced discussion, rather than "That bloody bike is f$%k ugly".



Adam

[Patrick the Scot]

...but that thing is getting to look too space age,the BMW range seems to be morphing in to one machine.

How long before they do away with the adventure ?

Hey SIBBO - copy that. Have you seen the new "R" bikes? Holy Crap Batman! The R series has got to be some of the craziest looking orgami bullshizz that Munich has cobbled together thus far.  Even BMW's auto designs have gone to hell.

[Patrick the Scot]

...And I'd STILL rather ride with a BMW rider, than  drive behind a BMW driver!

I'll second that. I am actually in a BMW riders club here in Lubbock.  Dust Bowl Beemers is the name.  I was fishing around for a bike and became aquainted with  these guys around the city, and they encouraged me to join, BMW or not.  I am the only Triumph rider among about 20+ BMWs, a Honda ST1300 and an FJR, and a couple of Harleys (which are owned by former BMW riders.)  They are really great folks, as most in this area on two wheels are.

However, some wiseguy always asks me why my Truimph is not leaking oil at each rest stop, :P

[Guest]

The post below is my final post to them on this subject. I'm not going to be drawn in any more. :lol:



   This is my final post on this subject. ItÌs a bit of a story but stick with it and youÌll understand where IÌm coming from on this.

   In a previous career, which ended in redundancy, I was a mechanical engineering designer, working on tobacco machinery like cigarette making and packaging machines. The job of a designer is to assess the requirements and design a part or mechanism to satisfy those requirements. Also, to look at existing designs to assess whether they can be improved. The latter is most relevant to this thread. When  the new design is finished, it is judged against the old one to assess if it is better or not.

   Now, in 30 years of riding bikes, IÌve realized that the perfect bike does not exist. When I tested the GS12 I had to judge it against what I knew best, that being my Tiger. If I had owned a Honda VFR I would have judged it against that. My assessment of the GS was that it fell short in a few areas. That is my honest opinion to which IÌm fully entitled. You are, of course, entitled to disagree.

   IÌve encountered the sort of reaction I got before when talking to BMW owners. Back in 1996, I had a Yamaha TDR250. A great little buzz saw of a bike, but no good for touring. So I was look for something to start exploring the back lanes and dirt tracks around Europe. A good friend of mine is a long term owner of a R80GS. He said ÏYes, the GS can be made to work quite wellÓ. IÌll repeat that for those wearing blinkers ; He said : ÏYes, the GS can be made to work quite wellÓ.

   With that in my head I went off and bought the R100GS that I owned until last year. The first thing I found ÏwrongÓ with it was that the forks were horribly under damped. The wheel felt as if it was bouncing off the road when it hit a bump. The GSclubUK didnÌt exist then, so I asked member/owners in the pipe & slippers club for advice. I received several replies along the lines of ; ÏIf thatÌs the way BMW designed it, then thatÌs good enough for meÓ. I now believe that a lot of you GS12 owners fall into that category. I went on to experiment with fork oil weights and came up with a concoction that several other GSclub members, elsewhere on this forum, have used and approved.

   Other things I went on to modify were :- Front brake hose changed to ÏGoodrichÓ. Engine twin plugged & gas flowed by Jim Cray. Air box modified to HPN spec. Carburation sorted, by me, to suit. Rear shock changed to Hagon, then Ohlins. Seat reupholstered with more padding. Screen cut down to reduce buffeting. Renthal bars installed.  And, do you know what?  When the rest of the crap designed BMW bits (like the gearbox, drive shaft, starter motor & generator rotor) hold together, the GS can be made to work quite well!

   So, can I suggest to you lot that you start assessing the bike that BMW sold to you, and make a note of those little things that annoy you and set about modifying them. You will then move your bike a bit closer towards that illusive Ïperfect bikeÓ. Of course to start that process, youÌve, first, got to pull you head out of BMWs arse!

[knarf]

Good point mate.  



The current BMW only great until the new one comes along.



No bike is perfect you have to work with what you've got.  I had a mate in Aberdeen who could run rings round almost everyone with 15 year old 400cc bike.  Just because you've got the latest and best bike doesn't mean you can use it effectivily, You always read (in the UK bike press anyway) of some old traffic copper with a beat up of R80 losing our talented bike press on the latest Jap super missile.  



I think the trick is to find a bike you can live with and keep for as long as you want or maybe I'm completely wrong and bikes are fashion statements.  The only really new techno-bit I'm really interested in is ABS brakes :  Go on some state you can out brake it, well I bloody can't out brake ABS and I know few that can.

[Chris Canning]

Hi BT



Two things surely that post should have been on the GS board?? but more importantly how good is Jim Cray with BM's??



Chris

[trotts]

:shock:  Don't post that on the GSers site BlackTiger................................................... Oh feck !!  he has.  The world will never be the same again :lol:   Yet again I am going to bed in stiches.  Ohhhhhhhhhhhh  what fun :D  



ps  You failed to mention the brake failures with the servo assisted brakes which I keep seeing pop up over there !! ( as well as final drive)

Now I am doing it !!

[WildeKurt]

Motocycle Consumer News did a test and despite a total failure of the electronically controlled brakes during the road test they still deemed it a great bike.  Me, I like to go, sure, but I'm pretty fond of stopping when I want too.  I don't get motorcycle journalists.



Kurt

[ridin gaijin]

I just found out yesterday that the president of the Land of Enchantment (i.e., New Mexico) BMW Riders club rides a...

























Triumph Tiger.





Looks like an 05 in Orange. That man has taste.

[Brock]

Servo assisted brakes are brilliant (if a little "wooden").

Until you try wheeling the bike 'round an inclined car park with the engine off.

[Guest]

Hi BT



Two things surely that post should have been on the GS board?? but more importantly how good is Jim Cray with BM's??



Chris

I did!



Jim is very good with the air cooled BMWs. He obtained his knowledge the hard way by racing in "The battle of the twins".

[Guest]

ps  You failed to mention the brake failures with the servo assisted brakes which I keep seeing pop up over there !! ( as well as final drive)i

I could have gone on all day about the "so called" BMW reliability myth.