Lets talk about: The BMW GS1200 Adventure

[Cie]

I thought I'd start a thread about the beastie, and I'd like to try and keep it direct and to the point rather than BMW bashing.

I've spoken with a number of people here who are/will consider buying one at some point. I'm currently deciding my plan for the next 2 years, either leave the AT as it is and start saving for the GSA, or keep the AT and farkle away.

So what are the considerations when thinking about the GS?

1. Initial cost - ~£10k, if you buy it on the never never, add at least another 2k.
2. Servicing costs - These are apparently huge, anyone of you owners have anything to quote? Is servicing your own realistic with all the computers on the bike?
3. Capability - On road and off road, it'll do both apparently rather well.
4. Reliability - Are the latest models really as bad as the originals? What's going wrong with them today.
5. Modifications - What will you have to add to the bike to make it suitable for normal use. What you don't want to buy from BMW, eg their luggage

By all means make comparison to the TA/AT/Vara, I hope to keep this thread as a reference for anyone else considering the move.

PLEASE, keep it serious.

[Lord Vader]

PLEASE, keep it serious.

You got to be kidding

[Chad]

only one thing to say ..when i have the money WILL !!!! HAVE ANOTHER GS WHEN FUNDS ALLOW I LOVE THEM THEY ARE GREAT BIKES AND I DONT REALLY GIVE A **** WHAT ANYBODY THINKS

the @s a great bike . the varas a great bike . my 1150 GS was feekin ace i just didnt realise how good till it was gone

so if you want one mate then chase the dream you only live once

[Chad]

oh and make it a 1200 ADV in white then i'll be pig sick and green with envy

[Lord Vader]

WILL !!!! HAVE ANOTHER GS WHEN FUNDS ALLOW I LOVE THEM THEY ARE GREAT BIKES AND I DONT REALLY GIVE A **** WHAT ANYBODY THINKS

the @s a great bike . the varas a great bike . my 1150 GS was feekin ace i just didnt realise how good till it was gone

I think he really misses his marmite

[Slimie]

Cie,

I can't speak for reliability now but a mate has an older 1200GS that BMW's about to exchange for a new one due to it's appalling reliability record. He's already advised 10 or 11 potential buying chums to steer clear and is reserving judgment until the replacement has proved itself.

I hated my 1150GS, and still think that the AT is a better bike. It carries it's weight lower, is far less agricultural and stays in tune forever and the screen actually does what it's supposed to without any expensive modifications. Oh, and the headlight is positively dangerous as supplied.

AND you're allowed to nod to other riders that you pass!!

Sorry Chad, we're going to have to agree to disagree on this one

When all's taken into account it's whatever floats your boat, I adore my KTM and hated the BMW. The AT was somewhere in between as befitted its age.

Try one, ride the b*ggery out of it and don't dismiss the quirks as just quirks. They irritated the hell out of me once I was out of my new bike bubble.

Over to you Dave...

YMMV!!!!

-Simon

[stanbloke]

I can't speak for reliability now but a mate has an older 1200GS that BMW's about to exchange for a new one due to it's appalling reliability record. He's already advised 10 or 11 potential buying chums to steer clear and is reserving judgment until the replacement has proved itself.
This say's it all .

The 1200 is on a mission to self-destruct as soon as they are built. Final drives,oil seals, shox,you name it , it breaks.

Look around and see how many 20month old 1200 are for sale , just before the warranty runs out.

Sod that !!!

[Yeti]

Not a GS nor a 1200 but my 1150 RT (same spinny whirring gubbins as old GS! but more plastic!?) has hit 63,000 with nothing but tyres oil and filters and the usual etc's. the only thing that is pending is the shaft needle bearing which has a very small amount of play (feels like a normal wheel bearing play would but will not disitergate as soon as its noticed. In fact it has done 15,000 since I first noticed it. The mechanic tweaked it and reported it a bit rusty and worn but advised me to run it to death and save some money as it does not affect the bike in any other way. Seems he was right but having it done next service!

Expensive servicing?

Only if you let BMW lift your leg!

(Warning: the following contains sweeping generalisations, probably doesn't apply to folk on here, and if you are daft enough to be offended.......Hmmmmmmmmmmmm ............. Tuff! )

Judging by the amount of tyre kickers and I'm-a-gunna bull****ters floating round your average BMW showroom whenever i have a neb round, the mechanics should be on commision for the crap they are forced to listen to with a smile on their face. They maybe see it as poetic justice or something.

Anyway I think there is definately an element of 'I have paid this much money for the privilige of coming in here and mithering you every weekend' in a lot of folk that ride BMW's. I can't talk to a lot of em in meet places like Helmsley etc. (I do still wave at everyone though!!) I stick mine in amongst the dirt bikes and run for cover amongst them and the vintage boys! Far more down to earth.

Back on thread my bike lives a life of servitude and abuse (not just sunday morning tea and cream bun runs) and I can only sing its praises. Reliable, easy to work on, and a pleasure to ride! Yes they do use oil, and yes they do feel agricultural but only in comparison. Hands up anyone out there that goes to a not typically english restaurant and orders an english dish?!?! WTF! They are not japanese bikes and don't try to be. They are mechanical chalk and cheese. My reccomendation is take off your 'oh this isn't like......' head and enjoy something different, in time they do get under your skin and man do they handle and inspire confidence!!

Rant over!! BMW definately have a battle to win with many but as long as the few keep throwing money at them they still get to mere mortals in the second hand market. PLEASE PLEASE don't buy one new! and get the older 1150!! their mechanics should tell you that!

@ still get pride of place and lives indoors mind you! The BMW lives under a cover and has cats sleeping on it!

[Wee Jack]

So much for keeping it serious Cie.

I tested a 1200GS and the KTM 990 back to back. The KTM won the contest for me , however that does not mean I didn't like the Beamer , far from it , I thought it was a great bike.

Things I would (did ) consider when buying ............

List is approx £9000 , but you need to add to that .......

£200 for front crash bars
£190 for heated grips
£150 for rear pannier rails (I assume you already have suitable TT or simmilar panniers) (remember also they are odd sizes 35l left 41l right)

AND OUCH ! £800 for ABS !! you can spec without but it's something like a 5 month delivery!!

So it soon adds up to a £10500 + + + + bike. The same spec KTM is way cheaper.

I would not worry too much about servicing being more expensive with BMW , workshop hourly charges are about the same as any other and the beamer has 6k service intervals . So over 12k miles the beamer needs 2 services versus Honda 3. I'll betcha it is not more expensive over the course of 2 years , in fact it'll probably be cheaper. cue much debate.

My tip to you - test ride test ride test ride and then another just to be sure ................. but honestly try a KTM as well , trust me !!!

[iswoolley]

The only experience I have of the new R1200GSA is the weekend I spent riding in the company of one in the Pyrenees. It went absolutely everywhere offroad that we needed to go, appeared to be very comfortable on the 700 mile motorway ride from Blighty, and sounded bloody ace with a Remus exhaust on it.

On the down side this particular example was 1 year old with 36'000 miles on it, and has had a new shaft drive (note: generalisation, as I don't know exactly which bit in the shaft drive expired) already. Also in the course of the weekend it went down... and ripped the sump guard clean off, wiped out one of those y extra spotlamps, and bent the foot brake level back on itself.

My advice: take one for a test ride, and make sure there's a incredibly comprehensive warranty.

Personally I wouldn't buy one as my riding is biased more towards offroad/trail riding, and if I'd paid £10k for one I wouldn't want to scratch it. Also I've never understood why BMW persist with the boxer engine configuration for any bike with offroad pretentions, I think it's just perverse to expend effort refining a bad engineering design (if you want to debate the pros and cons of different engine configurations, start a new thread and I'll gladly join in).