Head or Heart???

[Sharribee]

Follow your heart every time

[Tony Varadero]

Follow your heart every time

I am witth Sharrie on this...head and rationale don't come nto it..biking is a pleasure and a lifelong passsion..nothing to do with your head.
I use mine ot commute to work every day and the head would not choose a Varadero but when I saw him.....that was it...had to have it....MHO...

[africajim]

Pete, I know how much you loved the GS but when reliability and money are the major issues you have to choose carefully.
I loved my Fireblade but it wouldn't do everything I needed a bike for so I had to see sense and find a reliable bike at a reasonable price that would do all I required and not let me down hence,,, the mighty Varadero.
I know you've been there before, but I don't recall you not liking the bike? You could chop in the GS and treat yourself to a reasonable Varadero. Honda reliability, fits the bill? I can't remember if yours was an EFI or 6 speed? I know I had the 5 speed carb version and although I loved the bike I think my black VA9 is twice the bike the old one was, also so much better looking! I still think the Vara is the best value for money two up tourer made to date.
Just my thinking on your problem mate, I hope it helps you to decide your options.

[StumpyFingers]

Pete, I know how much you loved the GS but when reliability and money are the major issues you have to choose carefully.
I loved my Fireblade but it wouldn't do everything I needed a bike for so I had to see sense and find a reliable bike at a reasonable price that would do all I required and not let me down hence,,, the mighty Varadero.
I know you've been there before, but I don't recall you not liking the bike? You could chop in the GS and treat yourself to a reasonable Varadero. Honda reliability, fits the bill? I can't remember if yours was an EFI or 6 speed? I know I had the 5 speed carb version and although I loved the bike I think my black VA9 is twice the bike the old one was, also so much better looking! I still think the Vara is the best value for money two up tourer made to date.
Just my thinking on your problem mate, I hope it helps you to decide your options.

I think this is where the Head must take over and it is time to test other models to sway the heart.

[stanbloke]

Head.

Some bikes / cars etc are "Jonah's"...they will always break /fail and generally bugger you about.

Not all GS's are "bad un's"....get rid of this one and look for something else.

[winxp-master]

With anyone else i'd say go with the heart but ive a feeling that route means you getting another GS and according to BMW you HAVE to spend a fortune having them service it for you to have any kind of chance of getting anything fixed should it go array, fek to that, for the price they charge for a GSA you should get a 5 year warranty for ANYTHING and a prozzy for a year!

Boris stated in another thread that he's paying brand new Vara money for a 2 year old GSA (or words to that effect) and that kind of made me think, fek to that. He's gone with his heart and i really hope he enjoys the bike and has no trouble but you do seem to have been unluckier than most Pete.

To be honest i'm still swaying towards the heart even after all the problems coz like others have said a bike is to enjoy and not to be thinking this is costing me too much too run, then it's not fun. Shop around and test drive a range of bikes, you never know you might ride one that makes you smile just as much as the GS, if it doesnt then fek to it and risk another if thats your fave machine.

I was contemplating a 1200GSA the last couple of months but i hadnt rode my strom for a while, then i went to Rosedale yesterday and the smile on my face on the twisties no thoughts of GSA now.

Either way i hope you get it sorted Pete, if anyone deserves this sh!t it certainly is not you m8.

[Boris]

Well as others have said I've gone with my heart and changed what was a fantastic varadero and bought a nearly 2 year GSA. I did pay a premium and buy off a dealer and with that comes 12 months warranty which gives some peace of mind. My rational is that if it works and proves to be reliable then I have a great bike. If it does turn out to be a badun then I'll get another vara. At least I'll have it out my system.

One thing about the GS is although they cost a bundle, they hold their value well. The is often little or no difference between a 2 and 4 year old bike and the "buy in" premium is fully refundable when you leave the marque. I reckon in a years time if it's not for me then I can still sell and get a nearly new vara.

As for the Vara - BMW comparison. There's not much in it but the BMW is the more involving and exciting ride and the Vara just gets on with it with the minimum of fuss. Both great bikes that I would love in the garage but for me, now, the BMW wins (phew)

[Warthog]

One thing about the GS is although they cost a bundle, they hold their value well. The is often little or no difference between a 2 and 4 year old bike and the "buy in" premium is fully refundable when you leave the marque. I reckon in a years time if it's not for me then I can still sell and get a nearly new vara.

That wouldn't be a sneaky bit of head creeping in there, would it?

[Dee Duble Yuh]

I guess in reality any purchase decision is partly rational (head) and partly emotional (heart). Although I earlier suggested going with your head, my purcahase of a Vara was sensible but not entirely rational. An old 500cc bike would do the job almost as well and much more cheaply.

... IF Honda would bring out a bike which would make me feel like my GSA i would not need to post this up...

What about buying a Vara/AT/TA/whatever and with the money you save (c.f. BMW) spend it on doing it up to your specification? You could do a lot with those few thousand quid.

[Twickers]

As above :-

Originally Posted by africajim
...when reliability and money are the major issues you have to choose carefully.

Sounds like in your case the larger part needs to be head