Why I am sticking to my RT versus a GS

I took my 2013 RT in for its 6000 mile service. Strangely, the dealer was short of loaner RTs (wonder why?) so they leant me a 2014 GS with 1600 miles on it. Co-incidentally, a friend of mine is just chopping his 2010 RT in for a GSA, do I was keen to have a ride on one to see what he was raving about. I rode the GS it to Brum from Oxford and back - maybe 150 miles at around 80 to 85 mph indicated. I had never ridden one before so was interested.

My thoughts:

- It is bloody fast (because it is lighter than the RT and new engine), but also lower geared: at 85 I am doing 4500rpm on the RT whereas the GS is doing 5000rpm.
- I found the Road mode just too sensitive and jerky on the throttle. Dynamic seemed to make it worse (not sure I fully understood what this setting did) - Rain mode seems the best for smoothness but still hard to ride smoothly. The dealer said that the GSA has a larger flywheel and is therefore a smoother bike, but I wondered if the throttle mode software is setup for the extra weight of the RT and could do with being remapped for the GS?
- The throttle is fly by wire and whilst this works better with the cruise control than the RT's cable throttle, it does take some time to get used to as the back pressure is artificial and the movements required are very small with absolutely no slack in the throttle twist. Just a question of getting used to it.
- The BMW Garmin satnav is hard to read in sunlight and the writing is very small - why cant they do a deal with TomTom?
- The bike is very affected by cross winds and lorries on the motorway - but if you just let the bike do its wobbly thing it all settles down safely.
- It doesn't have the weather protection of the RT (obviously) but I was surprised how much protection it afforded. But there is still a lot of wind noise and buffeting which I found very tiring.
- For some reason, i wanted to have a noisier exhaust! It sounds very quiet!
- I think that if you are riding in London and also (obviously) do some off road stuff it would make much more sense than an RT, but I will treat with a new found respect those who do long European tours on GSs.

I enjoyed the day on it, but was very happy to hand it back. I still think an RT and a R90T are the perfect stable of bikes.

Puggy

Item 2 on your list. It runs poorly because it runs too lean

Overall, the GS is great fun till the weather turns to sh*te and you have 700+ miles to ride, then you'll wish you were on an RT

I still miss my 11RT but the 1150 gs is the better all rounder. But I do keep thinking about selling the gs and getting an 1150rt.

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blueranger said:

I still miss my 11RT but the 1150 gs is the better all rounder. But I do keep thinking about selling the gs and getting an 1150rt.

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I have had both. I think you will find the 11rt is the better bike. At the price of 11RTs these days why not keep the GS and pair it with an 11RT?

Phil

I also had my 2013 RT for its 6000 mile service and loved the GS for the same reasons stated by the OP, but couldn't wait to get my RT back.

Will definitely be putting my name down for a new RT when the fuss has died down

Overall, the GS is great fun till the weather turns to sh*te and you have 700+ miles to ride, then you'll wish you were on an RT

Great fun on A & B roads but the GS is shit on motorways. Wish I had a ZZR1400 on my way home from Dover last night.

ive got both the rt1150 and the gsa1150 just took the gsa of the road and hid it because so many getting stolen using the rt for the rest of the yearonly done 16 k 04 plate cracking bike ,brilliant boxer engine too least you can adjust the valves etc

Mad_Accountant said:

I have had both. I think you will find the 11rt is the better bike. At the price of 11RTs these days why not keep the GS and pair it with an 11RT?

Phil

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A good point Phil 11rt's very cheap.

The only thing that puts me off is the weight.....though I have toyed with having an 11rt and a crosser of some sort for offroading rather than ask the 11.5gs to do everything.

WHAT!!

You found the throttle too sensitive, the overall experience wasn't as good as it should have been, prefer another bike.

FFS don't say it too loud or you'll be banned from half of this site

(I had the exact same experience on it except I didn't think it was that fast)

Puggy said:

- The bike is very affected by cross winds and lorries on the motorway - but if you just let the bike do its wobbly thing it all settles down safely.

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Actualy this is totally incorrect. No bike is blown off course by cross winds, it is the inputs from the rider that does that. Take your hands off the bars to find that out.

Godzilla said:

Actualy this is totally incorrect. No bike is blown off course by cross winds, it is the inputs from the rider that does that. Take your hands off the bars to find that out.

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ACTUALLY you are totally incorrect the wind does blow things over or off course. and can i follow you and video you taking your hands off the bars the next windy day we have ? ill pay for ya petrol

fuddy said:

Overall, the GS is great fun till the weather turns to sh*te and you have 700+ miles to ride, then you'll wish you were on an RT

Great fun on A & B roads but the GS is shit on motorways. Wish I had a ZZR1400 on my way home from Dover last night.

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So RT or ZZR ? Had 4 RT's and I rediscovered fun with the GS, if you are tall and fat maybe the GS can't give you the weather protection of the RT. Had a go on the new RT but I prefer the GS.

Still got an 1150 GS and a TC RT. Horses for courses. GS is a giggle and one of the best engines BMW built (along with the straight 6 in the E46 M3). Great on the sort of roads we have to put up with in the UK especially with decent shocks and springs. But wind/rain protection and wind noise on the GS can get a bit wearing on a long run.
After 14 years on the GS took a bit of time effort and dosh to get happy with the RT. Now I love it nearly as much as the GS.

Things I've done to the RT to make me grin. Just my opinions 'cos they suit me.

1. Put decent suspension on. I've got Wilbers ESA. I got a soft front spring and run lots of sag. I run 40+mm dynamic. Experience from the GS. Drops the nose and somehow just makes you want to tip it in. Good fun as well watching the forks do their uppy downy stuff on long motorway runs.

2. Get a decent seat. RT seats are like having a cheese cutter up your arris after a few hundred miles. Tried getting the original re-worked but not much better. Funny, 'cos that worked on the GS. Now got a Sargent and works for me.

3. Drop the pegs and take those silly long hero blobs off. Helps ageing knees no end.

4. Pull the bars back and spread 'em. Sounds like a good name for a porno movie. Mine are back about 25mm and wider by about the same.

5. Don't bother with aftermarket screens until................. Tried CalSci and Z Tech. Now back on original. FWIW I think this is more to do with seat height and how you sit in the seat than anything. So if you're thinking of changing the seat, don't think about changing your screen until you've sorted the seat.

6. Put proper mirrors on. I just couldn't get used to looking down to see what buggers trying to get you from behind.

7. Did I say get decent suspension?

8. Take off the silly flappy paddle exhaust thingy. Makes exhaust sound better and IMO makes bog all difference to mid range torque or fuel consumption. And you don't have to wonder when (not if) the bloody thing is gonna seize. Mine stuck at 3/4 closed once. And every know and again it would start squeaking when the motor went through it's pre-start ritual. This was usually a pre-cursor to it seizing and also decidedly uncool.

9. Nearly forgot. Got one of them there accelerator modules from Belgium. Thought it might be a good thing to richen up the lean running stock fuel system given I've opened up the exhaust flappy thing and (surprise surprise) it seems to work. Keep meaning to get a re-map but as this seems to have smoothed out the snatchy throttle (due stock lean running?) thought I'd hang on to the money for the time being. And no, it hasn't made MPG any worse than before.

10. Never forget to tell your tyre fitter you've got TPS; if you have. Bugger knocked rear one off while fitting new tyre. Luckily we were able to glue (literally) it back together and still working fine.

Just get both...

Godzilla said:

Actualy this is totally incorrect. No bike is blown off course by cross winds, it is the inputs from the rider that does that. Take your hands off the bars to find that out.

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I would like go see you cross the Severn bridge no hands on a windy day.

I test rode the GS LC whilst I still had my RT and I loved the throttle response, especially in Dynamic mode.

The GS feels much more lively and is really good fun, which is the reason I ride a bike. The only downside is that the wind protection isn't quite as good (although it's not bad with my Puig screen) and there's not quite as much pillion space. Oh, and the low seat is very uncomfortable after about an hour There's more legroom though.

I did seriously consider the new RT as I ride two-up all the time and my wife loved the old one, but the GS made me feel 10 years younger It looks like I made the right decision, if only because the RT would have been off the road all summer

GSvRT

I had a GS loaner while my RT was recalled. A fine bike,quick & responsive,fast neutral handling,comfortable seat.Downside. Noisier, had to wear ear plugs, more wind buffeting,affected more by crosswinds,not so stable at very low speeds ie filtering. Incidentally both bikes at their widest are the same,39 ins,I've had 3 GSs & 3RTs but the RT is the better overall bike.

Personally, it sounds to me like a few on here would be best off in a car.......are you sure motorbikes are for you?

Andes

I'm sticking with my 16 yr old RT due to the amount of GS's I passed toodling along in the slow lane yesterday (their light sets did look good in the mirror mind...)

My 16 year old Fireblade is better than the GS on the motorway, but it doesn't matter as I did not buy either to ride on motorways.