RE: PH2 Ridden: BMW R1200GS Adventure
Discussion
One of my other toys is a 21k mile 2005 R1200GS it has taken me throught the Alps,Pyrenees and numerous road trips in the UK and Europe.
Its never missed a beat alwasy starts and will show most "wanna be" sports bike riders up in style (this is my second 2005 R1200GS has to sell my first one to fund a project) My dad has has an 1150GS, 05 R1200GS and now has a 10 R1200GS.
Also done the BMW Off Road school and it is simply amazing off road....ok its a bit heavy and if you are really serious for off road stuff get the 650GS as its much lighter....although once you know the correct technique to pick up a dropped bike it largely doesnt matter.
I love my R1200GS to bits and wont part with it.....just wish I currently had the time to use it more!
Here are some photos....
Fresh back from the alps trip side by side with dads old GS (red one)
Its never missed a beat alwasy starts and will show most "wanna be" sports bike riders up in style (this is my second 2005 R1200GS has to sell my first one to fund a project) My dad has has an 1150GS, 05 R1200GS and now has a 10 R1200GS.
Also done the BMW Off Road school and it is simply amazing off road....ok its a bit heavy and if you are really serious for off road stuff get the 650GS as its much lighter....although once you know the correct technique to pick up a dropped bike it largely doesnt matter.
I love my R1200GS to bits and wont part with it.....just wish I currently had the time to use it more!
Here are some photos....
Fresh back from the alps trip side by side with dads old GS (red one)
[nick_mcuk]One of my other toys is a 21k mile 2005 R1200GS it has taken me throught the Alps,Pyrenees and numerous road trips in the UK and Europe.
Jeez - do you you use cotton buds and dental floss to get it that clean??? I suddenly feel like pig pen!! Awesome lovely bike - and well used too, I shall blame the hose pipe ban :-))
Jeez - do you you use cotton buds and dental floss to get it that clean??? I suddenly feel like pig pen!! Awesome lovely bike - and well used too, I shall blame the hose pipe ban :-))
nick_mcuk said:
One of my other toys is a 21k mile 2005 R1200GS it has taken me throught the Alps,Pyrenees and numerous road trips in the UK and Europe.
Its never missed a beat alwasy starts and will show most "wanna be" sports bike riders up in style (this is my second 2005 R1200GS has to sell my first one to fund a project) My dad has has an 1150GS, 05 R1200GS and now has a 10 R1200GS.
Also done the BMW Off Road school and it is simply amazing off road....ok its a bit heavy and if you are really serious for off road stuff get the 650GS as its much lighter....although once you know the correct technique to pick up a dropped bike it largely doesnt matter.
I love my R1200GS to bits and wont part with it.....just wish I currently had the time to use it more!
Here are some photos....
I do have to say they have some "class", they look very well built and purposeful.Its never missed a beat alwasy starts and will show most "wanna be" sports bike riders up in style (this is my second 2005 R1200GS has to sell my first one to fund a project) My dad has has an 1150GS, 05 R1200GS and now has a 10 R1200GS.
Also done the BMW Off Road school and it is simply amazing off road....ok its a bit heavy and if you are really serious for off road stuff get the 650GS as its much lighter....although once you know the correct technique to pick up a dropped bike it largely doesnt matter.
I love my R1200GS to bits and wont part with it.....just wish I currently had the time to use it more!
Here are some photos....
I'm also happy Honda has finally joined the camp, with the Crosstourer, that could finally mean some real competition and that's always great for the buyers.
Just because I am trying to avoid work, I took a look at the Touratech online store:
BMW - 1769 items
BMW R1200GS - 351 items
Triumph - 244 items
Triumph Tiger 800 - 81 items
Yamaha - 237 items
Yamaha XT1200Z Super Tenere - 54
Yamaha XT660 Tenere - 73
Someone mentioned it before, but it does seem that the 'stuff' around the R1200 for accessories, spangly bits and useful boxes / bags etc is SIGNIFICANTLY more! Clearly demand and Touratech have been doing a good job filling it!
Right, really must do some work!
BMW - 1769 items
BMW R1200GS - 351 items
Triumph - 244 items
Triumph Tiger 800 - 81 items
Yamaha - 237 items
Yamaha XT1200Z Super Tenere - 54
Yamaha XT660 Tenere - 73
Someone mentioned it before, but it does seem that the 'stuff' around the R1200 for accessories, spangly bits and useful boxes / bags etc is SIGNIFICANTLY more! Clearly demand and Touratech have been doing a good job filling it!
Right, really must do some work!
Nick; what other off-road bikes have you ridden off road?
I'd consider the KTM144XC I had pretty 'amazing' off road (at least until you came to wanting to loft the front over a gully - the 200 and of course 300 were much perkier at speed). I wouldn't say the same about the abilities of any GS, despite not having ridden them, having ridden other big bikes.
As I say, my zx9 with race tyres did pretty well off road on basic stuff (muddy green lane), but that doesn't make it a good off road bike to my mind.
I've shown up 'wannabe' sports bike riders on a 87 dr600 with stepped semi-trail tyres.
Also done Alps pyrenees and more on my KTM690 and as mentioned, a Hare and Hounds, plenty of fairly serious green laning etc (keeping up with people on enduro bikes with enduro tyres while on Enduro 3 Saharas). It's merely a case that I'm a chunk better rider - and of course plenty of people have plenty more skill than me and could do it all better on a c90 (I have taken a c90 on a lap of enduroland on that, and wasn't the slowest person around the corners their either!)
I'd consider the KTM144XC I had pretty 'amazing' off road (at least until you came to wanting to loft the front over a gully - the 200 and of course 300 were much perkier at speed). I wouldn't say the same about the abilities of any GS, despite not having ridden them, having ridden other big bikes.
As I say, my zx9 with race tyres did pretty well off road on basic stuff (muddy green lane), but that doesn't make it a good off road bike to my mind.
I've shown up 'wannabe' sports bike riders on a 87 dr600 with stepped semi-trail tyres.
Also done Alps pyrenees and more on my KTM690 and as mentioned, a Hare and Hounds, plenty of fairly serious green laning etc (keeping up with people on enduro bikes with enduro tyres while on Enduro 3 Saharas). It's merely a case that I'm a chunk better rider - and of course plenty of people have plenty more skill than me and could do it all better on a c90 (I have taken a c90 on a lap of enduroland on that, and wasn't the slowest person around the corners their either!)
Naa never used cotton buds on it...having a fondness for detailing (used to run my own sideline business doing that) I hate having a dirty car or bike...also it pays to keep things clean and in good nick as they tend to last. Oh and having all the right chemicals and brushes also helps 
Mine is actually not a standard colour...it did start off as a Yellow GS but had it resprayed in the BMW Car colour you see in the photos....just looks better and bit more classy
As for the questions on what off road bikes....KTM's Sugookis and Kawawakkies too not to mention a plethora of sports bikes including a 996 and a Aprilla Mille R...whilst they are mint bike the GS does everything I want it to do...I rarely go off roading now but if I need to hit some dirt I can if I so wish.
It seems that the above poster is clearly a die hard hater of the BMW GS's.....met a few most tend to be like that simply down to jealousy
Hate on haters....I love my R1200GS.....oh and if KTM are so great how come they never supplied the bikes to Charlie and Ewan for the 2 trips they did.....and no it wasn't because they though the pair of them would fail....its the fact that KTM didn't have the confidence that their bikes would actually make it FACT! (friend is ex KTM!)
Mine is actually not a standard colour...it did start off as a Yellow GS but had it resprayed in the BMW Car colour you see in the photos....just looks better and bit more classy
As for the questions on what off road bikes....KTM's Sugookis and Kawawakkies too not to mention a plethora of sports bikes including a 996 and a Aprilla Mille R...whilst they are mint bike the GS does everything I want it to do...I rarely go off roading now but if I need to hit some dirt I can if I so wish.
It seems that the above poster is clearly a die hard hater of the BMW GS's.....met a few most tend to be like that simply down to jealousy
Hate on haters....I love my R1200GS.....oh and if KTM are so great how come they never supplied the bikes to Charlie and Ewan for the 2 trips they did.....and no it wasn't because they though the pair of them would fail....its the fact that KTM didn't have the confidence that their bikes would actually make it FACT! (friend is ex KTM!)
no they are absolutely fine....I have and no issues with them.
Take a bit of getting used to at first but the you realise that you dont need to grab tones of lever
I have a couple of times had to perform an emergency stop and thank the lord for ABS and the servos....thing nearly pulled a stoppie!
Take a bit of getting used to at first but the you realise that you dont need to grab tones of lever
I have a couple of times had to perform an emergency stop and thank the lord for ABS and the servos....thing nearly pulled a stoppie!
Check the final drive...if you can see if it clonks or has play in it when you take up drive...£700 odd job to have it put right by a BMW Motorad Dealer
Dont be put off by miles...they can all do mega miles, I rented one in LA last year (went to Laguna Seca for MotoGP) and the rental had 36k and actually rode better than mine!
What it must have is a full BMW service history...as they do more than just change the oily bits there have been numerous upgrades to the on board software etc.
TBH they all command good money and dont depreciate fast so you might as well buy one from a Genuine BMW Motorrad dealer.
Make sure its got the right options on it as well you might find a cheap one but beware...if it hasnt got heated grips etc you wont sell it easy in the future.
Dont be put off by miles...they can all do mega miles, I rented one in LA last year (went to Laguna Seca for MotoGP) and the rental had 36k and actually rode better than mine!
What it must have is a full BMW service history...as they do more than just change the oily bits there have been numerous upgrades to the on board software etc.
TBH they all command good money and dont depreciate fast so you might as well buy one from a Genuine BMW Motorrad dealer.
Make sure its got the right options on it as well you might find a cheap one but beware...if it hasnt got heated grips etc you wont sell it easy in the future.
[quote]It seems that the above poster is clearly a die hard hater of the BMW GS's.....met a few most tend to be like that simply down to jealousy
[/quote]
I've met a few people that like to claim that people who question their choices do it because of 'jealousy'...
I'll question plenty of other people's bike choices too. I could have bought a BMW GS if I wanted. I did test ride a G650 before I got the 690, it certainly had some positives; also ridden a KTM950adventure etc and while it was 'ok', it certainly didn't have the off-road usability I wanted.
I wouldn't consider the GS series great for anything that I'd consider to be 'adventure riding' - touring, sure they'll do the job, even chucking in a load of off-road, so will a stock R1 as Nick Sanders has shown.
As said, if I want to hit the dirt on my GSXR, I can do so if I wish too and it'd probably do "everything I wanted", as I'd be basing that on the bike's abilities.
The story I heard from someone "in KTM" was that BMW offered a big wodge of cash at the last minute which KTM couldn't match at that notice, even if they could have longer term. I could add 'fact' to make it sound real, but I suspect I know more really 'know' than you the reality. Having been involved in an adventure-documentary in the past, one thing I can be sure of is that what we saw wasn't the reality of what happened.
Of course the BMWs didn't all make it I believe on the first trip. Also, they didn't make it around the world on their bikes either.
[/quote]
I've met a few people that like to claim that people who question their choices do it because of 'jealousy'...
I'll question plenty of other people's bike choices too. I could have bought a BMW GS if I wanted. I did test ride a G650 before I got the 690, it certainly had some positives; also ridden a KTM950adventure etc and while it was 'ok', it certainly didn't have the off-road usability I wanted.
I wouldn't consider the GS series great for anything that I'd consider to be 'adventure riding' - touring, sure they'll do the job, even chucking in a load of off-road, so will a stock R1 as Nick Sanders has shown
.As said, if I want to hit the dirt on my GSXR, I can do so if I wish too and it'd probably do "everything I wanted", as I'd be basing that on the bike's abilities.
The story I heard from someone "in KTM" was that BMW offered a big wodge of cash at the last minute which KTM couldn't match at that notice, even if they could have longer term. I could add 'fact' to make it sound real, but I suspect I know more really 'know' than you the reality. Having been involved in an adventure-documentary in the past, one thing I can be sure of is that what we saw wasn't the reality of what happened.
Of course the BMWs didn't all make it I believe on the first trip. Also, they didn't make it around the world on their bikes either.
_g_ said:
The story I heard from someone "in KTM" was that BMW offered a big wodge of cash at the last minute which KTM couldn't match at that notice, even if they could have longer term. I could add 'fact' to make it sound real, but I suspect I know more really 'know' than you the reality. Having been involved in an adventure-documentary in the past, one thing I can be sure of is that what we saw wasn't the reality of what happened.
Of course the BMWs didn't all make it I believe on the first trip. Also, they didn't make it around the world on their bikes either.
Wat do you mean they didn't make it around the world? Of course the BMWs didn't all make it I believe on the first trip. Also, they didn't make it around the world on their bikes either.
I know that Claudio's bike didn't and he used an Ural or something
And re: Nick Saunders. He's great and its a truly impressive feat (tho some Dutch or French bloke did the sportsbike around the world thing first) but not one i'd want to replicate. I've ridden a GS on the road before (test ride) and I can't imagine riding a bike with clip ons off road. My Multistrada was irritating enough off-road let alone a bloody sportsbike. If you're into sadomasochism though carry on...
They got a lift on a truck then a train for parts they could have ridden if I remember.
It'd be interesting to do a back to back test with a R1 and a fully fledged 1150GS Adveventure (seeing that that's the properly heavy one) and see if the GS really is better, especially if similar tyres are used.
I'm not suggesting that in reality the a R1 is actually better - just that the GS models really aren't that great for the 'dream' which is sold - luckily the dream is so often realised in rather different ways!
It'd be interesting to do a back to back test with a R1 and a fully fledged 1150GS Adveventure (seeing that that's the properly heavy one) and see if the GS really is better, especially if similar tyres are used.
I'm not suggesting that in reality the a R1 is actually better - just that the GS models really aren't that great for the 'dream' which is sold - luckily the dream is so often realised in rather different ways!
nick_mcuk said:
Hate on haters....I love my R1200GS.....oh and if KTM are so great how come they never supplied the bikes to Charlie and Ewan for the 2 trips they did.....and no it wasn't because they though the pair of them would fail....its the fact that KTM didn't have the confidence that their bikes would actually make it FACT! (friend is ex KTM!)
How many times did the BMWs break down again? I lost count somewhere around the point they had to ship Claudios bike back to base and buy a local Mongolian knockoff for three goats because it was more reliable... Given KTM have won, and not by a small margin, every Dakar in the last twelve years I'd say that speaks more to off-roading pedegree than buying two TV stars to ride round the world with an entire backup crew to save them when it got a bit like tough going. The event organisers even changed the rules to ban the 9x0 KTMs as there was just no sport in it anymore
That said, I'll probably be wanting a more road oriented bike in the next year or two, and for big europe trips to countries where not everything is asphalt the GS is an undeniably capable machine and in the top few considerations. I just wouldn't have bothered taking one to Morocco with me...
the_lone_wolf said:
The event organisers even changed the rules to ban the 9x0 KTMs as there was just no sport in it anymore
And then changed the rules to ban the 6x0 KTMs as there was still no sport in it - KTM of course are pretty good at the ol' "endurance motorcycling" lark and continue to win with 450cc models, despite there being a lot more possible competition.All rather a waste of time which it seems has resulted in less interesting competition machines - ones that don't translate to useful bikes for the rest of us so much.
_g_ said:
They got a lift on a truck then a train for parts they could have ridden if I remember.
I went to a talk by Austin Vince (of Mondo Enduro and Terra Circa fame) and he was very scathing of them. Apparently they got him in to talk to them about how to get through the Zilov Gap, having done it himself several years earlier, but then decided not to bother and just got the train. He put up a photo of his group camping under a railway bridge and reckoned he and Charly Boorman had 2 things in common, they'd both been to this spot (though Ewan and Charley went over not under), and you'd have to pay him to ride a BMW That said I've test ridden the 1150 and 1200 GS and liked them both, they're a good allrounder if a bit expensive compared with other decent allrounders.
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