What do they mean?

Skudd

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Hi all, some may know me from other forums (can I just say sorry) others may not.
I'm looking to get the GS Adventure soon (well as soon as Mr Tax Man pays me back my money) and I'm getting confused with the TE TU LC and all the different options you can get. Which bike has the most bits on it to boast in the pub car park and which is the better to get and why, what bits are there as options? I'm after the Adventure model as I'm of large proportions and other bikes look silly.

Also what sort of price am I looking for at each year and mlieage both Private and Dealer?

As I post my darling wife has told me in passing that she has just bought herself a BMW K series to pop over to Poland on. I've not seen it as of yet, but I'm sure she will be along some time soon to tell all about it and her adventures, by the way I wasn't invited to go to Poland.


I'm looking forward to your replies and hope the tax man hurries up.
 
They're just varying grades of cost of purchase and number of unnecessary gadgets that will fail on you.
 
Hi Skudd,

TE= Touring Edition: an allegedly cost-effective way of getting your GS with the 'essential' options such as heated grips, cruise control, semi-active electronic suspension adjustment, fully configurable ABS, traction control & engine modes, GPS prep (for BMW GPS), LED headlight, and more. TE doesn't include panniers/topbox though. The TE is far & away the most popular model for modern GSs, to the extent that base models are almost non-existent.

TU = Technical Upgrade - minor update(s) during the life of an existing model e.g. in 2008, the 2005-2012 R1200GS had its engine upgraded to a twin cam

LC = liquid-cooled. A completely new model of GS from 2013. LC engine added ~25 bhp, and considerably smoother than all previous BMW boxer twins. Also added more weight, along with an umanningly jaw-dropping price.

Just in case you're not already aware, the launch of a new GS model (R1250GS) with a completely new engine is imminent. I'm not in the trade, but it seems reasonable to expect that prices of existing R1200GS stock may be open to robust negotiation when the new model comes along. Also there may be a glut of late used 1200GSs as existing deep-pocketed owners trade up to the new 1250.

The thing about GSs is that the BMW options are just the steep, slippery edges of the bottomless money pit's voracious maw. The GS is particularly well served by the aftermarket in general, and Touratech & Wunderlich in particular. So if you're looking at a used example, it will likely have a host of farkles, and no two examples will be exactly the same. We're talking: screens, handlebar risers, seats, alu guards for forward-facing delicate & expensive bits, tankbags, pannier systems...

Standard rider to all posts advising prospective GS first-timers: go to a dealer and get a test ride. The GS is a great bike, and lovely to ride, but not everyone can live with the bulk & weight, especially on the hippo-width Adventure model. Try before you buy.

Likewise, the phenomenal popularity of the GS means plenty of choice in the secondhand market. Get a brew & a plate of biscuits, and search online to get a feel for prices, mileages, and equipped options.


HTH
 
Hi Skudd,

The thing about GSs is that the BMW options are just the steep, slippery edges of the bottomless money pit's voracious maw. The GS is particularly well served by the aftermarket in general, and Touratech & Wunderlich in particular. So if you're looking at a used example, it will likely have a host of farkles, and no two examples will be exactly the same. Some may have had a sprinkling of Hilltops magic and a plethora of dealer recalls : screens, handlebar risers, seats, alu guards for rads, oil coolers, headlights, tankbags, pannier systems...
Likewise, the phenomenal popularity of the GS means plenty of choice in the secondhand market. Get a brew & a plate of biscuits, and search online to get a feel for prices, mileages, and equipped options.
HTH

Added the most important bit you left out ;)
 
Thanks for the replies, just now waiting for the dosh now.
 
... but not everyone can live with the bulk & weight

HTH

I recently bought a 2015 LC TE model complete with panniers and after owning a Yamaha FJR1300 it is like a feather. My neighbour who rides a Kawasaki Versys 1000 tried it and declared it a lighter to handle bike. It is bulky, and I can't comment on the Adventure model, but it carries its weight well. The difference is that i'm now enjoying my riding more than I have for some while.
 


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