12,000 miles of happyness on a 07 12GSA

[Buttso]

GSA

got my GSA new last jan... like a child at xmas I was

I have had my little problems with her...

antenna ring...... fuel pump... but all were sorted very quickly

but I did 23,000 kms in 9 weeks on her and she never mechanically let me down... the other issues were just little niggles...

she is still going strong.. and it is the best bike I have ever owned...

 

[L'Escargot]

got my GSA new last jan... like a child at xmas I was

I have had my little problems with her...

antenna ring...... fuel pump... but all were sorted very quickly

but I did 23,000 kms in 9 weeks on her and she never mechanically let me down... the other issues were just little niggles...

she is still going strong.. and it is the best bike I have ever owned...

Scusey me ignorancey but what the eck is a Ring Antenna ??? Not got me new GSA just yet,(Mon 27 April, Yahooooo ) I trust its nothing to do with the rusty bullethole !!!! .

 

[garfield]

Scusey me ignorancey but what the eck is a Ring Antenna ??? Not got me new GSA just yet,(Mon 27 April, Yahooooo ) I trust its nothing to do with the rusty bullethole !!!! .

Ring Antennae is the EWS, that thing by the key (immobiliser ......) .....I don't do spanners or grease....

 

[The Burpster]

I'm in the happy camp too....

My '05 GS (bought new by me) has run like a Swiss watch since I've had it. Its been to Spain, and Portugal, France, Germany, Belgium, Austria, Italy, Slovenia and Croatia.

I genuinely feel sorry for those that have had a rough ride, and I'm sure I'll have some bits go pop at sometime, but you know what?

I dont care, this bike is the best allround bike I've owned in 30yrs of riding. I'll bimbled along the seafront in several countries and had both cylinderheads on the floor and in the process made some small willied sportsbike owners more than a little sheepish.

Would I upgrade it? if money was no object then yes, but I cant see the point! I still want another R1100S for a plaything (as well as this GS), but for going places - the flying bananna has it!

 

[Buttso]

Antenna ring / EWS

hi amateurboxerman

the Antenna ring assemble is the plastic ring the circles your ignition switch, a big BIG batch of these were faulty.. and bikes all over the world went tits up in the strangest of places...

my own went in a lovely place but in the arsehole of nowhere called "destruction bay" near alaska...

your dashboard display just shows "EWS" (which means Electronische WegfahrSperre) I personally think it means "engine wont start"

and there isnt a peep out of your bike.. it just wont start...

your local garage has a listing of defective part numbers for the EWS antenna ring so might be worth making sure you dont have a dodgy one.. I carry a spare now...

 

[dogman]

Nice to read about a happy GS owner as there is so much unhappiness on here.
Has there ever been a survey on here to find out how many owners have been happy as opposed to those who have not? Having just ordered my new GSA, I would be very interested to know!

 

[chad]

Nice to read about a happy GS owner as there is so much unhappiness on here.
Has there ever been a survey on here to find out how many owners have been happy as opposed to those who have not? Having just ordered my new GSA, I would be very interested to know!

nobody really shouts about it when things are going well, bit of a shame really

 

[Big Nick]

I love my 08 GSA, my only regret is I did'nt see the light sooner!!

No other bike I've ever owned makes me want to go out and ride like this one does and I love the camraderie of fellow Tossers. Even before I left the dealer and had owned the bike less than 5 minutes I was deep in conversation with another GS'er over worthwhile mods!

 

[John Armstrong]

Nice to read about a happy GS owner as there is so much unhappiness on here.
Has there ever been a survey on here to find out how many owners have been happy as opposed to those who have not? Having just ordered my new GSA, I would be very interested to know!

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152727&highlight=antenna

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152820&highlight=antenna

 

[Wyreflyer]

Worth a Divorce? Oh Yes!

46 now and Jap bikes all my life. The years are taking it's toll and I've developed a bad back.
Feb 2009, I was riding around the lakes on a Suzuki GSX650F with a mate on a 12GSA. I'm flicking up and down the gears to keep up with him and then it dawned on me he's happily throwing this "monster" of a bike around these tight roads without even changing gears! It was an epiphany.
I tested a GSA first at Southport Superbikes and it was (as I thought at the time) so heavy for me and my short legs, that I tried a standard GS. Still came back after an hour and was no way convinced it was right for me!
The guys were great and tried to explain how I had to stop riding in my usual style and reset my thinking. Let the engine do the work and leave the gears alone until really needed. I started to realise what they meant over the next hour and as the riding position was perfect for my back,not an ache, I ordered one!
11k for a new bike, what had I done, my wife was apoplectic, but there was no chance I was going to cancel the order!!! The single life for me then!
I was not sure over the first week of ownership, had I done the right thing? But coming back a few days later,from a great ride, with a huge grin on my face, I realised that this was the perfect bike for me!
About to hit 5k and going on my second trip to Scotland on her in Sept. I absolutely love her. In hindsight I should have got the GSA for these 5 days adventures,with the bigger screen and tank but for 3-4 hour blasts my GS is magic.
(My wife now lives apart from me but comes out on the back of the GS at least once a week!)

 

[NorthernBoy]

In hindsight I should have got the GSA for these 5 days adventures,with the bigger screen and tank

If the windblast and buffeting are a problem for you (as they were for me), then maybe it's worth fitting the winglets from the Adventure model. I do some pretty long rides on mine (3,500 miles in three weeks, 600 miles in a day etc.), and it is much, much better with these fitted. Without them, I was getting fatigued after only 3-400 miles, but now am fine on the longer stuff.

 

[Robbo1200ADV]

11k for a new bike, what had I done, my wife was apoplectic, but there was no chance I was going to cancel the order!!! The single life for me then!


Bit Drastic !! Hope you and your GS are Happy together ,at least when you've finished riding her you can chuck her in the Garage turn her off and do what you want

 

[Wrinkly]

Hate this thread

I make my plans for the future,that being that i will keep my 1150gsa se,take it off the road in the winter of 2010, give it a complete overhaul and return the bike to as near new condition as possible.
I will satisfy my occasional need for change by swapping a smaller and less expensive bike each year,that bike currently being a 94 f650 funduro which i planned to swap next year for a 650 dakar. All is well in the world
Then i stumble upon this resurrected thread and remember that in my heart of hearts i know the 1200gsa is a much better ride than the 1150gsa.
When i bought my 1150, it was after spending many hours testing the 1200 and coming to the conclusion that i could not warrent spending almost twice as much money on the 1200.
I still think the 11gsa is a much nicer looking bike,but do i want to ride it or look at it.
My world is in turmoil again

Maybe when i retire next year i should just buy a 1200gsa an keep my 1150

Steve

 

[chad]

I make my plans for the future,that being that i will keep my 1150gsa se,take it off the road in the winter of 2010, give it a complete overhaul and return the bike to as near new condition as possible.
I will satisfy my occasional need for change by swapping a smaller and less expensive bike each year,that bike currently being a 94 f650 funduro which i planned to swap next year for a 650 dakar. All is well in the world
Then i stumble upon this resurrected thread and remember that in my heart of hearts i know the 1200gsa is a much better ride than the 1150gsa.
When i bought my 1150, it was after spending many hours testing the 1200 and coming to the conclusion that i could not warrent spending almost twice as much money on the 1200.
I still think the 11gsa is a much nicer looking bike,but do i want to ride it or look at it.
My world is in turmoil again

Maybe when i retire next year i should just buy a 1200gsa an keep my 1150

Steve

keep the 1150 its the last of the proper built BMWs

 

[Wyreflyer]

If the windblast and buffeting are a problem for you (as they were for me), then maybe it's worth fitting the winglets from the Adventure model. I do some pretty long rides on mine (3,500 miles in three weeks, 600 miles in a day etc.), and it is much, much better with these fitted. Without them, I was getting fatigued after only 3-400 miles, but now am fine on the longer stuff.

I've been told I can have the adventure screen with winglets,fitted for £275.
Are you saying just the winglets or the full replacement? The GSA screen is taller and wider. I'm 5'11" and my screen only stops the wind hitting my helmet about half way up the visor, so I get a lot of buffeting on long high speed runs.
I'm sure there is another thread on this but is there any cheaper/equivalent/better alternatives?

 

[Wyreflyer]

11k for a new bike, what had I done, my wife was apoplectic, but there was no chance I was going to cancel the order!!! The single life for me then!


Bit Drastic !! Hope you and your GS are Happy together ,at least when you've finished riding her you can chuck her in the Garage turn her off and do what you want

Sad but true, knew it would be the last straw but thought just take it out of my half of the divorce settlement! They were rocky times, besides the new bike.
She'd never shown any interest in bikes. Certainly didn't expect her to go out and buy her own gear ( whilst I was touring Scotland with 41 other tossers in May) and say she was going to take her own test. Not done it yet but now rides pillion once or twice a week with me and comes to bikers night at Knott End (lancashire).

 

[tommygun]

08 GSA - Just ticked over 20k tonight, I was thinking riding back from work today, there is no other bike in my 35 years of riding I would rather be on - besides a (warrantied) switch failure, like my other 3 R1200GS/A's they have all been nothing short of fantastic - I will be doing my annual change soon - and I cant think of another bike I would rather have ..........

Honest question: I'm told these bikes only really come into their own after 20k miles or so. What is the point in an annual change unless you are doing extremely high mileage? I've noticed on other threads how worked up tossers get at any hint of a new model coming out. Panic stations and everyone is already planning to trade-in. Its fantastic to read some threads about 50k and 60k mileage bikes and I plan to hit that on my 06 GSA before considering another bike.

 

[garfield]

Honest question: I'm told these bikes only really come into their own after 20k miles or so. What is the point in an annual change unless you are doing extremely high mileage? I've noticed on other threads how worked up tossers get at any hint of a new model coming out. Panic stations and everyone is already planning to trade-in. Its fantastic to read some threads about 50k and 60k mileage bikes and I plan to hit that on my 06 GSA before considering another bike.

I'm now up at 27k on my bike, still running sweet as a nut.....

 

[EggChaser]

I'm told these bikes only really come into their own after 20k miles or so.

I haven't hit 20,000 on my '08 GS yet although am getting close, but my R1100S definetly got better at about 25,000 - even the service guy in Vines noticed when it was on about 30,000

 

[NorthernBoy]

I've been told I can have the adventure screen with winglets,fitted for £275.
Are you saying just the winglets or the full replacement? The GSA screen is taller and wider. I'm 5'11" and my screen only stops the wind hitting my helmet about half way up the visor, so I get a lot of buffeting on long high speed runs.
I'm sure there is another thread on this but is there any cheaper/equivalent/better alternatives?

Just the winglets, which is about £35 for all the parts, and about an hour to fit it yourself.

The buffeting is massively reduced for me with just these. The wind does still hit my helmet on my visor, but it does it smoothly, making for a much more comfortable ride.