New Bike Day..
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Discussion

Steve Bass

Original Poster:

10,755 posts

263 months

Friday 7th August 2020
quotequote all
So, after much tooing and froing, wailing and gnashing of teeth, sleepless nights beating my son like a ginger (he is) we arrived at the conclusion that for where we live, for what is practical...theres only one real contender.





BMW 1250 GS TE in Storm Black.

Given that I have a ton of extras from my GS 1200 in Vietnam that I never fitted and the fact that a TE costs the equivalent of 12k GBP here, now come with a full 5 year warranty and they hold their values like nothing else it was a no brainer.
As the bloke from 44 Teeth stated, there comes a point in your life when you just need a GS. He also showed how well they wheely so it's not a complete disaster!!




Edited by Steve Bass on Friday 7th August 20:52

spareparts

6,796 posts

257 months

Friday 7th August 2020
quotequote all
Congrats! All roads lead to the GS smile
Get the right tyres though - they ride very differently subject to tyre choice.

Steve Bass

Original Poster:

10,755 posts

263 months

Friday 7th August 2020
quotequote all
spareparts said:
Congrats! All roads lead to the GS smile
Get the right tyres though - they ride very differently subject to tyre choice.
Apparently they come with either Michelin or Bridgestone.
Which is the better??

Pothole

34,367 posts

312 months

Friday 7th August 2020
quotequote all
IHYSMRN!!!

jjones

4,490 posts

223 months

Friday 7th August 2020
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Steve Bass said:
that a TE costs the equivalent of 12k GBP here, now come with a full 5 year warranty[/footnote]
That's an amazing price and the warranty!!! Nice purchase

spareparts

6,796 posts

257 months

Friday 7th August 2020
quotequote all
Steve Bass said:
Apparently they come with either Michelin or Bridgestone.
Which is the better??
Michelin Anakee Adventures (not Anakee 3s!) are given decent reviews.
Bridgestone A41s not so ok imho because of a very slow turning carcass profile. I didn’t rate them just by looking at them, and ChipChap’s set neither lasted nor seemed as nice on our recent trip.

For mostly tarmac focused use, I would highly recommend Pirelli Scorpion Trail 2s. Superb tyre for feel, grip, longevity, handling. I must have had 6/7 sets of these.

Forget Conti RA3s, but TA3 get good reviews and are close to the PST2s I’ve heard.

For mixed... depends really. I’m currently trying out Karoo Streets and they are pretty good. Have not been demanding of them so far though.
I will be trying Pirelli Scorpion Rallys next.

For offroad... well the world is your oyster and you would have the experience from your KTM days.

Steve Bass

Original Poster:

10,755 posts

263 months

Friday 7th August 2020
quotequote all
spareparts said:
Steve Bass said:
Apparently they come with either Michelin or Bridgestone.
Which is the better??
Michelin Anakee Adventures (not Anakee 3s!) are given decent reviews.
Bridgestone A41s not so ok imho because of a very slow turning carcass profile. I didn’t rate them just by looking at them, and ChipChap’s set neither lasted nor seemed as nice on our recent trip.

For mostly tarmac focused use, I would highly recommend Pirelli Scorpion Trail 2s. Superb tyre for feel, grip, longevity, handling. I must have had 6/7 sets of these.

Forget Conti RA3s, but TA3 get good reviews and are close to the PST2s I’ve heard.

For mixed... depends really. I’m currently trying out Karoo Streets and they are pretty good. Have not been demanding of them so far though.
I will be trying Pirelli Scorpion Rallys next.

For offroad... well the world is your oyster and you would have the experience from your KTM days.
Although I have alot of sand roads around te cottage, I'll keep it on road biased rubber. The TKC80's I had on the 1190 were stupendous in the dirt and scary on the road and doubly so in the wet when leant over.
That was in malawi when 60% was dirt riding howver i rode their on Tourances and changed them to TKC's in country.

So let's see what she comes with and i'll take it from there.

Cheers.

Steve Bass

Original Poster:

10,755 posts

263 months

Friday 7th August 2020
quotequote all
Pothole said:
IHYSMRN!!!
I have nothing but love for you biggrin

Steve Bass

Original Poster:

10,755 posts

263 months

Friday 7th August 2020
quotequote all
jjones said:
Steve Bass said:
that a TE costs the equivalent of 12k GBP here, now come with a full 5 year warranty[/footnote]
That's an amazing price and the warranty!!! Nice purchase
Indeed. I checked and i think the equivalent bike in the UK is circa 17k GBP?? We don't get the emergency assistance button but other than that, it's the same bike. And since January, full 5 year warranty on the whole bike, suspension included.

Kinda made it a no brainer when a second hand 2019 with 1500kms was only 2k USD cheaper and had 18 months balance of warranty remaining.

Biker's Nemesis

41,451 posts

238 months

Friday 7th August 2020
quotequote all
Happy new bike day old fella.

Steve Bass

Original Poster:

10,755 posts

263 months

Friday 7th August 2020
quotequote all
Biker's Nemesis said:
Happy new bike day old fella.
Cheers fella thumbup

Just need to figure out a way home so I can ride the bloody thing biggrin

However, accessory shopping has commenced...... scratchchin

Pothole

34,367 posts

312 months

Friday 7th August 2020
quotequote all
Steve Bass said:
Pothole said:
IHYSMRN!!!
I have nothing but love for you biggrin
Awww. I'm just insanely jealous!

podman

9,085 posts

270 months

Friday 7th August 2020
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Lovely job, like the paintscheme, moody n a bit more stealthy...enjoy.

Steve Bass

Original Poster:

10,755 posts

263 months

Friday 7th August 2020
quotequote all
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Thanks and thanks!! Ill have a look at the 70's

PIGINAWIG

2,339 posts

195 months

Friday 7th August 2020
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Lovely machine - enjoy 😊

Pothole

34,367 posts

312 months

Saturday 8th August 2020
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Steve, is that the "Exclusive" TE? FROM £17040 in UK!!!

Steve Bass

Original Poster:

10,755 posts

263 months

Saturday 8th August 2020
quotequote all
Pothole said:
Steve, is that the "Exclusive" TE? FROM £17040 in UK!!!
Yes.

Here's the link to the bike on the BMW SA online purchasing system

https://buy.bmw-motorrad.co.za/bike-finder/r-1250-...

You can see the packages such as touring and comfort etc as well as the spoked rims and exclusive style.


Price is R277800 and at the current exchange rate, that puts it around 12067 GBP. GS's have always been cheap in SA, heaven knows why??

SA doesn't get the option of the Emergency assist system but other than that, it's like for like I believe



Edited by Steve Bass on Saturday 8th August 08:37

Pothole

34,367 posts

312 months

Saturday 8th August 2020
quotequote all
Bargain.

Steve Bass

Original Poster:

10,755 posts

263 months

Saturday 8th August 2020
quotequote all
Pothole said:
Bargain.
It would seem so...

I was seriously looking at the Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory but this is 53% of the cost... Can't ignore the numbers. And as I have a full luggage set, headlight, radiator and engine guards already, it becomes even more sensible.

Not to mention I have a BMW dealer 50kms away whereas the Aprilia dealer is 400 kms and for the mix of tar and sand roads available, I think this is the right choice.

Getting some bits like the Motorrad footpegs which are an offroad stylee with a rubber pad that presses down on springs when you stand up offroad and the HP beak trim.

zzrman

670 posts

219 months

Saturday 8th August 2020
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My 1200 GSA came with Anakee 3s, which were OK but quite noisy on road. OK on hard packed earth but pretty useless in sand. Its now a full time road bike so I have Bridgestone BT 030 on it. They are a really good road tyre, particularly good in the wet.