RE: PH2 Ridden: BMW R1200GS Adventure
Discussion
Jazoli said:
camel_landy said:
I'm filtering through traffic... I want to warn other users of my presence.
M
I'm sorry I disagree, I've not got a highway code to hand but I'm sure it says that you should dip your lights and not dazzle other road users, I still think you are being a tM
t 
...but I also see that we disagree on our use of language towards other forum members.
M
I've always considered it a bit selfish to use full beam etc too. Added LED running lights on to muffs for better visibility and seemed to do a decent enough job.
Most bikes will handle a rutted road, building site or gravel path just fine, especially if you soften the suspension up a bit (the Spanish motorways I've used were frankly better than British ones, so not including that.)
Never seen the big worry with chains - decent oiler with a big reservoir and you often don't have to do much more than you might have to changing shaft drive oil on some bikes.
PaulMoor said:
The same as the 911 they are the best all round package for the people that buy one.
They can manage to cross a rutted road, building site, gravel path, Spanish motorway or any other day to day poor road surface with no problems. They have a shaft drive so no p***ing about with chains. They can carry a big old load. They are well built.
And as with the 911, in a lot of cases 'best all round package' includes a big dollop of perceived prestige for the owner.They can manage to cross a rutted road, building site, gravel path, Spanish motorway or any other day to day poor road surface with no problems. They have a shaft drive so no p***ing about with chains. They can carry a big old load. They are well built.
Most bikes will handle a rutted road, building site or gravel path just fine, especially if you soften the suspension up a bit (the Spanish motorways I've used were frankly better than British ones, so not including that
.)Never seen the big worry with chains - decent oiler with a big reservoir and you often don't have to do much more than you might have to changing shaft drive oil on some bikes.
Jazoli said:
camel_landy said:
FWIW - I don't have fog/driving lamps but I do use main beam when filtering.
M
Then you my friend are a grade a plank, I tend to close gaps for bikes with main beams on, simply because there is no need and it actually makes it harder to see you M
Main beam when filtering is for tossers. It never helps & just pisses people off while making it harder for people to judge where the bike is.
_g_ said:
Never seen the big worry with chains - decent oiler with a big reservoir and you often don't have to do much more than you might have to changing shaft drive oil on some bikes.
I'm with you there, I've just fitted a touring resevoir to my Scott oiler but even with the standard resevoir I didn't have to top it up very often, only adjusted the chain every few thousand miles, and my last few chains have managed 30,000 miles. I can see that a shaft drive involves slightly less maintenance, but if it goes wrong it's a lot more hassle to fix.article said:
Battling rush hour M25 you might assume the GS's wide bars - admittedly making for a wonderfully comfy riding position - might make filtering tricky. Not a bit of it. They may feel wide, but when you have brush guards protecting your levers from catching errant wing mirrors and giving you extra confidence it is amazing how narrow a gap the GS can slip through. Even more surprising is the reaction from car drivers.
Surprised nobody has picked up on this, possibly tongue in cheek but worryingly poss not? That in combination with certain assertions that using main beam while doing it's not surprising at all that you are going to get negative reactions from drivers! Gary
camel_landy said:
Prof Prolapse said:
Isn't using foglights to filter both illegal and a bit pointless?
If the drivers see you better, then who cares??FWIW - I don't have fog/driving lamps but I do use main beam when filtering.
M
We bikers have a bad reputation as it is, doing this sort of thing and having a "who cares??" attitude doesn't help.
Clearly the author of the article is no better, so you're not alone in your opinion however.
I still think a lot of people here are missing the point. You can cross a desert on a camel, and a mountain pass on a pony, but you wouldn't want to ride either a couple of thousand miles to get there to do it.
Riding an Adventure bike without ever going offroad is no different to owning a divers watch that can survive being 600m underwater. I doubt that very many ever get to be tested that deep, perhaps only the deep end of a swimming pool, but that won't stop some people from either owning one or wanting one.
The S1000RR is a case in point. It can break the legal speed limit in second gear (or is it first?), but most riders, I would imagine, change up earlier than that for sustained riding. In other words, they are mostly ridden well within their capabilities.
Now, who's up for a BMW S1000GSRR Adventure?
Riding an Adventure bike without ever going offroad is no different to owning a divers watch that can survive being 600m underwater. I doubt that very many ever get to be tested that deep, perhaps only the deep end of a swimming pool, but that won't stop some people from either owning one or wanting one.
The S1000RR is a case in point. It can break the legal speed limit in second gear (or is it first?), but most riders, I would imagine, change up earlier than that for sustained riding. In other words, they are mostly ridden well within their capabilities.
Now, who's up for a BMW S1000GSRR Adventure?
_g_ said:
Not the 1200, but a bit on the 1150. Make a decent enough road bike, but seems you're paying a premium for stuff you're not really using, when there's a lot of other comfortable road bikes that can take luggage around.
Be interesting to see the 1200 off-road, but if nothing else, you're going to be limited by tyre choice - you've got to up to the HP or down to the 800 to get proper dirt sizes. (And yes, when I took the zx9 off-road it had supercorsas on and did ok, but that doesn't make it ideal!)
I wondered whether there was much difference between the 1150 and the 1200GS, that's all.Be interesting to see the 1200 off-road, but if nothing else, you're going to be limited by tyre choice - you've got to up to the HP or down to the 800 to get proper dirt sizes. (And yes, when I took the zx9 off-road it had supercorsas on and did ok, but that doesn't make it ideal!)
I test rode a 1200GS last week, and it was a lot better on road than I tought it would be be - actually better than anything else I've tried for my commute, Deauvilles etc included - so I'm now after a decent used one. That doesn't make me any more keen on the image than you are, or the 'redundancy' of expensive machinery.
As someone else said though, most sports bikes aren't ridden to anywhere near their potential, and the rider would be little slower on a CB500: why should the GS be any different?
Mad Jock said:
It can break the legal speed limit in second gear (or is it first?), but most riders, I would imagine, change up earlier than that for sustained riding.
Modern sports 600s will break the speed limit in first - litre bikes you can add 50% or so - my GSXR1000K6 manages 103mph on the clocks in first - though going to be a bit on a GPS probably (tested in the snow so actual speed was 0mph ).Here's an R1 setup for proper dirtier use:
And yes, I'd quite agree that it's similar to buying a hideously expensive watch to tell the time.
[quote]As someone else said though, most sports bikes aren't ridden to anywhere near their potential, and the rider would be little slower on a CB500: why should the GS be any different?
The standard GS especially is pretty road-biased in it's setup - but then begs the question, why not just get a standard 'tourer' bike?
Dr Jekyll said:
+1
I can never understand why the R1200R isn't more popular.
I'm guessing:I can never understand why the R1200R isn't more popular.
1. Less weather protection than the GS
2. Lower riding position, so less visibility
3. Less road presence
4. Poorer residuals than the GS
5. Inferior 'image'
6. Not as well supported with accessories and 'ecosystem'
Why shouldn't people just buy what they want? I can't see much point in a Fireblade or similar for riding on the roads, but I have no problem with people buying them.
N Dentressangle said:
Why shouldn't people just buy what they want? I can't see much point in a Fireblade or similar for riding on the roads, but I have no problem with people buying them.
Is anybody saying people shouldn't get "what they want".I'm merely questioning why people want what they want; I think in a lot of cases people fool themselves into why thy make the choice they do.
N Dentressangle said:
Dr Jekyll said:
+1
I can never understand why the R1200R isn't more popular.
I'm guessing:I can never understand why the R1200R isn't more popular.
1. Less weather protection than the GS
2. Lower riding position, so less visibility
3. Less road presence
4. Poorer residuals than the GS
5. Inferior 'image'
6. Not as well supported with accessories and 'ecosystem'
Why shouldn't people just buy what they want? I can't see much point in a Fireblade or similar for riding on the roads, but I have no problem with people buying them.
ZesPak said:
I think Jekyll meant the R1200RT, which is obviously more of a tourer, the 'R' is, even for wind protection alone, not comparable to the GS.
No, I did mean the R. The RT is like the GS in that you are paying for the capability to do trips you'd like to do but probably won't do. Dr Jekyll said:
No, I did mean the R. The RT is like the GS in that you are paying for the capability to do trips you'd like to do but probably won't do.
Ah ok, but the 'R' is a true naked bike, at 60 mph you get A LOT of head wind and are really exposed to the elements.I do think that a lot of the GS I see don't go off road, but they do some decent miles. A naked on the motorway is no fun at all imho, whereas a RT would be as good or better than a GS.
ZesPak said:
Ah ok, but the 'R' is a true naked bike, at 60 mph you get A LOT of head wind and are really exposed to the elements.
I do think that a lot of the GS I see don't go off road, but they do some decent miles. A naked on the motorway is no fun at all imho, whereas a RT would be as good or better than a GS.
I think that's probably it.I do think that a lot of the GS I see don't go off road, but they do some decent miles. A naked on the motorway is no fun at all imho, whereas a RT would be as good or better than a GS.
Dr Jekyll said:
ZesPak said:
Ah ok, but the 'R' is a true naked bike, at 60 mph you get A LOT of head wind and are really exposed to the elements.
I do think that a lot of the GS I see don't go off road, but they do some decent miles. A naked on the motorway is no fun at all imho, whereas a RT would be as good or better than a GS.
I think that's probably it.I do think that a lot of the GS I see don't go off road, but they do some decent miles. A naked on the motorway is no fun at all imho, whereas a RT would be as good or better than a GS.
ZesPak said:
Ah ok, but the 'R' is a true naked bike, at 60 mph you get A LOT of head wind and are really exposed to the elements.
I do think that a lot of the GS I see don't go off road, but they do some decent miles. A naked on the motorway is no fun at all imho, whereas a RT would be as good or better than a GS.
Errrm, I find naked bikes more comfy on motorways unless doing warp speed & if I'm on holiday I'll be avoiding motorways & doing less than warp speed so I actually see something.I do think that a lot of the GS I see don't go off road, but they do some decent miles. A naked on the motorway is no fun at all imho, whereas a RT would be as good or better than a GS.
But I do get the idea of GS comfort - they are lovely to ride and as I said earlier they remind me of an X5 - big imposing and surprisingly nimble for such a bulk - but it's because they are only nimble despite the size and bulk and I've known big men drop them and struggle to get going again that I won't have one - otherwise I'd have had one years ago cos they do feel very lovely to punt along on. (by the way all my off roading has been purely accidental but just as I wouldn't take an X5 off road though I believe they are OK so I can't see a problem with not using a GS's full ability either)
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