1200GSA - Living with it day-to-day

[Dave56]

Come on you lot, I need your help & input .

Took a test ride on a 1200GSA on Friday, loved the bike, felt a little larger than my previous 1150gs - but - what are they like to live with!

This is a question that the dealers are unable to answer, so i need to know:-

Just how comfy is the seat, and for how long.
Whats the fuel consumption & range like, both riding hard & steady.
Are there ANY reliability issues with 2007 models.
When fully loaded, does the weight become a real issue.

And anything else that you feel that I need to know.

I look forward to your responses, many thanks in advance .

 

[Shep]

Seats OK but not brilliant, i've just fitted a BMW low seat to mine and I think its more comfortable than the original

I managed 57mpg from a tank once (too boring) and I average 47ish MPG and on one memorable blast down the motorway I managed two tanks at 43mpg

Mines an 06 and has been OK for 17500mls so far (corrosion on front cover is bad and it needed a headlight bulb last week)

Weight an issue? Not if you keep it upright

Shep

 

[darkhorse]

Come on you lot, I need your help & input .

Took a test ride on a 1200GSA on Friday, loved the bike, felt a little larger than my previous 1150gs - but - what are they like to live with!

This is a question that the dealers are unable to answer, so i need to know:-

Just how comfy is the seat, and for how long.
Whats the fuel consumption & range like, both riding hard & steady.
Are there ANY reliability issues with 2007 models.
When fully loaded, does the weight become a real issue.

And anything else that you feel that I need to know.

I look forward to your responses, many thanks in advance .

use mine everyday and more than happy with it (run an 1150 for 3 year beforehand)

seat ok up to about 2 hours non stop then a bit uncomfy - any long trips I just put airhawk pad on and can sit there all day

can't comment on fuel as don't pay much attention - other than about a 300 tank range + or - 20 depending hard or steady, loaded or un
Mine is 06 so can't comment, been ok, new battery after 12 months and an oil seel
weight fully loaded - is no problem

 

[Paul S]

Just how comfy is the seat, and for how long.
Not that impressed - had mine rebuilt by motorcycleseatworks

Whats the fuel consumption & range like, both riding hard & steady.
Riding hard 40mpg taking it easy 50mpg+ range 300 to 350

Are there ANY reliability issues with 2007 models.
Mines an 06 (12,000 miles) and only real problem has been dead battery

When fully loaded, does the weight become a real issue.
Not for me - easier to handle and better balances than my previous 1150 GSA - but then I am 6' 3"

Loved all my 1100/1150GS's but would not go back to one after the 1200GSA

 

[ChrisG]

1200 GSA

Dave,

I've had my 1200 GSA a month, so I can't comment on all the issues you raised but since the old GS is still fresh in my memory some others are valid.

- 1200 GSA is taller if you have some of the pre-load wound in. At 6'2" I have both feet are flat on the ground but on the 1150 I had both feet flat on the ground and both knees bent.

- I only notice this when stopping starting with a heavy fuel load. Other than this it feels lighter than the 1150

- The screen on the 1200 GSA is in a different league to the one on the 1150

- The seat on the 1200 GSA is not as good as the one on the 1150

- The throttle response is much lighter/crisper than on the 1150

- The standard toolkit on the 1200 is poor

- The 1200's standard headlight is poor, as was the 1150

- So far my fuel consumption is in the high forties, about the same as my 1150.

Overall the 1200 feels much crisper, the controls alll seem a little lighter and certianly the engine has lost a lot (not all) of the agricultural feel of the 1150.

If you liked the 1150 I think you'll like the GSA even more.

Cheers
Chris

 

[TheWarlock]

Come on you lot, I need your help & input .

Took a test ride on a 1200GSA on Friday, loved the bike, felt a little larger than my previous 1150gs - but - what are they like to live with!

This is a question that the dealers are unable to answer, so i need to know:-

Just how comfy is the seat, and for how long.
Whats the fuel consumption & range like, both riding hard & steady.
Are there ANY reliability issues with 2007 models.
When fully loaded, does the weight become a real issue.

And anything else that you feel that I need to know.

I look forward to your responses, many thanks in advance .

Dave, the 1200GSA is a superb bike. I ride mine daily, regardless of weather, (even had it out in the snow, yeah I know not particularly clever) and it handles everything. It commutes really well (with the panniers off), takes me on holiday when I want, becomes a backroad scratcher at will (all the time, thanks to my commute route) and heads across the river and up the mountain trail at a moments notice (can be heavy for this).

To answer your questions directly:

1. I find the seat extremely comfortable and can sit on it all day long without any ill effect. There are however differing views on the seat and I think it depends on your particular physique as to whether or not you will find it comfortable.

2. I regularly get about 350 miles out of a tank but that's probably down to the fact that I am ancient and scared.

3. Batteries can be a problem on them as can some oil seals, but thankfully I have not had either of these problems in 25,000 mls. I have a servo-braked model and it goes through rear brake pads like there is no tomorrow. I put sintered pads in most recently and they do appear to be longer lived.

4. As with any bike, weight only becomes an issue when balance becomes an issue. Plan, and you won't have any problems. I am not over six foot and have never dropped it on the road even fully loaded. I have however dropped it off road a couple of times with no damage thankfully. They are not particularly awkward to lift back up if you do it correctly.

They are light on the road, handle extremely well, your vision is excellent due to the height and the gearbox is the best I have come across in over twenty years of WMB ownership.

Buy one.

 

[Dave56]

Many thanks

To all that have posted I`d just like to say a big thanks.

The information given is proofing very interesting reading and very useful.
As to the seat comfort in relation to my physique, lets just say "large with a lower case l"!

As to the GSA screen I have to say that during my test ride I found it excellent, far superior to the 1150 screen.

With reference to the Airhawk pad, do they do one especially for the GSA, if not which model do you reccomend, and wheres the best place to purchase.

Keep-em you coming, they are helping me confirm my decision to purchase a GSA.

 

['Nuffsaid]

What Mr Warlock said .............

Can only echo all previous posts, they are a terrific bikes with few downsides, any big bike is more cumbersome at low speed, however you are obviously familiar with a heavier bike with low C.O.G.

Reliability 13k miles in 8 months and not missed a beat over all terrains and conditions from snow to desert.

Best bike I have ever owned, by a fair way... A lot of money but is giving me a lot of smiles.

Put hand in pocket, bum on seat ... ergo ... smile on face

 

[Wizard]

I can only really comment on the weight thing, as mine is seriously lowered (5'8 with stumpy legs), but it isn't a bother. As with any tall bike, the point of no return is fairly upright when at a standstill, but the bike is so well balanced that even at very low speeds it's not an issue. I even went offroading in Achill earlier this year with a full tank of fuel (by mistake), and didn't drop the bike on any of the really slow technical stuff....... except the bit where the 6'2 brigade all dropped theirs too (except Forry).

Weight? Not an issue!







P.S. Before anyone else carps up, I did drop it everywhere else