1200GSA or not 1200GSA

[LEIGH]

Im new to touring etc having spent the last 25yrs of biking on streetfighters/sports/enduro bikes. Now I would like a go sort of anywhere bike to use for the daily 30mile commute plus 2 weeks touring once a year but with some light greenlaning thrown in.

Now with seeing over the last few years several TV productions with a couple of actors in beit round the world or racing to Dakar and also Mondo Enduro with Mr vince I now have a bike selection question.

Im in a position to buy something in a couple of weeks and have set my sights on a good used '08+ GSA but now heres the question, What makes the BMW's so good over something like a Yam Tenere of which is nearly a third of the price? Why do People on here just seam to whine about issues with the BMW's yet still pay a small fortune for them.

so is it just a status thing or are these a genuine superb bike that are worth every Penny????

thoughts please tossers

 

[elefantmanshawn]

Just got shut of my 09 GSA following a ride on a friends sorted tenere,much lighter,better power to weight ratio,cheaper to set up and run,probably more reliable even in full enduro spec and well just more realistically suited for a RWT unless your a fat actor with full factory back up

 

[WindyChuffer]

Well if you do really need a RTW machine, from what I've read the Tenere is a good choice.

 

[GS TRV]

Tenere for going round the world

GSA to look like you could go round the world

 

[dogman]

Well they are not worth every penny for sure, in fact they are fookin well overpriced in my any many others humble opinion, however they are a splendid bit of kit with bags of character and just a few niggles which you will be told are all part of the fun. If you want smooth and slick forget the GS. They are built like tractors and sometimes feel like a Massey Ferguson, particularly around town, but get the old girls flying around the A roads or grass lanes and all is well in the world.
Having said that you might like to also look at the Triumph Tiger before making your final decision.

 

[LEIGH]

how would I mr average fair riding upto 10 hours a day on the yam or triumph or is this where the GSA comes into its own??

 

[LBL]

what to buy

I have had most type of big trail bikes, i never brought one without a good test ride first. There are pros and cons to every bike and i have an 09 GSA, an XT225 and a speed triple at my disposal .

I have a 20mile commute through town, my fast A road blasts and trips abroad, and i find myself using the GSA ALL the time .

Whatever you buy you will always pine for the GSA until youve owned one, and you wont loose a load of cash if you decide after a while to sell.

Good luck

 

[GSband]

If there were no quality issues, I guess the price would be right. But as is, it's severely overpriced, there's no doubt about it.

People buy it anyway, even when they're warned, because it's loads of fun.

Once bought it's like this : you come to terms with the quirks/problems (because of the huge fun factor), or you sell it.

My first R12GS was riddled with problems - I sold it. But ... I bought a second R12GS, and it's been rather brilliant.

I would say DON'T do a trestdrive - you may not be able to resist.

 

[Big Nick]

If you will be taking a pillion I think the GSA would be a good choice

If you aren't then personally I'd go for a 800GS instead and 'adventure' it up a bit with crash bars and ally luggage

The Tenere is a good bike but a bit underpowered in my opinion after being used to sportsbikes. If you are used to off road bikes or middleweight type bikes the power probably wouldn't be an issue.

Overall if you've got the budget shop around get a GSA at a good price and try it, you can probably sell it on in April next year with minimal depreciation.

 

[AlanWM]

Bought my 07 GS new and must admit, it still makes me smile eveytime i get on it - which is most days to / from work 64km round trip.... Is it quirky... yes, but its also an ace piece of kit which does the business its designed to do like no other . Whether you're commuting on the motorway, green-laning or embarrsing power rangers on their 'sport' bikes (which i do a lot... ), i think you'll like...

 

[Readz]

My advice if I were in your position now would be to wait until around end August / September then look around loads of these GS riders buy for the summer months then when they keep seeing them in the garage not being used, decide to sell, you will pick up a bargain in the winter when the weather is shit, take your time and you will save lots of £ and maybe buy one with lots of aftermarket kit already fitted. Every week there looks to be more and more in MCN people trying to get the best price before the winter.

 

[ExpatinIstanbul]

The GSA will do all you want, but so will the Tenere.

The GSA will be much more comfortable on a tour, it's doable on a Tenere but more tiring. If you're into huge mile days then the GSA is the way to go, but if you're only doing a couple of hundred miles in a day the Tenere will be fine (one up).

The Tenere is the obvious choice for green laning, as it has plenty of power and is much lighter. The GSA will handle more than most people think, but is a heavy old lump to pick up if dropped and takes quite a bit of confidence to do much more than easy lanes, if new to off-roading.

For commuting I'd say they were equal, with the lighter Tenere being slightly better in traffic but the GSA having more road presence and slightly better comfort over 30 miles or so.

The Tenere will be cheaper to run and to buy, so all in all it's probably the better bet out of the two.

The above is just my opinion, based on nothing but hearsay.

 

[GSmonkey]

Pointless coming to a GS fan site and asking if it's any good!! Along with honest opinions you'll get those that would buy a dogshit if it had a BMW badge on it and disgruntled ex-owners wanting everybody else to be an ex-owner, so they feel better about their decision.

Go to your dealer, ask for a GSA for the afternoon and make your own mind up. Just remember, GSA's get better after the owner is broken in, which takes a few thousand miles!!

 

[DavidJames]

Best bikes in the world...........oh and my 08 GSA is for sale too

Seriously, the XTZ and GSA are quite different, you should consider the long distance side of both bikes if you are going off for 2 weeks so get a decent test ride on both.

 

[elefantmanshawn]

If you want a good fun road bias nippy bike I would recommend a 1050 tiger,long runs on good roads /light dirt then a GSA,RTW on corrugated rough tracks,sand,snow and ice with 3rd world fuels then a tenere would be better suited even if its just because you can pick it up with out risk of an jury,or with a streetfighter back ground then a slabby with dual sport tyres,boxes and crosser bars will go anywhere!
No BMW are not worth the money but then neither are Ducati's,MV's or HD's,and even an R1 is 10k now infact thinking about it all bikes are a little overpriced for what you actually get compared to cars

 

[mechcanico lee]

Tenere for going round the world

GSA to look like you could go round the world

Hahaha a like that one, just sold my 58 plate gsa a couldnt get on with it , clanky gearbox, snatchy drive train, good suspension and brakes,economical, didnt think the seat was that comfy (my vstrom was more comfy) "thats how they are sir" but lets not forget these bikes with full spec are nearly £12000 they should be the ultimate tourer but i think that they live on a reputation .....e.g charlie and ewan lwr, from reading the posts on here they have their fair share of faults , but so do other bikes....(never had one fault on all the jap bikes i have owned in 20 years and my cbr1000 had 35000 miles up it , oh shite i forgot i had a total failure of my zzr100 with 20k miles on it ,the indicator switch broke ......oh what a drama!!

Lets not be brain washed into thinking that all these r1200 "qwirks" is how they should be because i dont think that a 12k bike should be like that, there are loads of competent bikes out there that could go round the world no problem that cost half the amount of a gsa and yes "but what good service and breakdown cover you get" blah blah, thats all well when you breakdown in some obscure place with no phone signal but never mind as long as your touring buddy on his jap bike can give you a lift to the next village alls well.

Saying all that i now have the 800 gs and i love it , its capable of all the things the 1200 can do and its an absoloute scream round the twisty roads.


With reference to Leigh test drive as many bikes as you can, at least half hour of a ride and buy the bike that you like most and the one that makes you smile in your helmet, dont go off hype because sometimes they dont do exactly what it says on the tin.....rant over

happy 800 gs owner

 

[Timpo]

I reckon both the GSA and XTZ are suitable for a rtw trip. The difference being how much distance you wish to cover against what type of roads used.
The GSA is far far superior on tarred roads and long haul distances. The engine is smooth and will sit at 130kmph for huge amounts of motorway miles.
The Tenere, i think, will cause discomfort to many. It's a single cylinder thumper, and high revs and long road mileage duration at speed, delivers fatigue to the rider. But where it cuts the mustard is when the roads aren't tarred, but more gravel/sand in the make-up. The XTZ will take it in it's stride and carry rider and a fair amount of luggage acrooss the trickier terrains. If a spill occurs, self recovery should be alittle easier due to the weight, and with the design of the bike, the sacrificial protection parts of the bike should take most of the impact, keeping the bike rideable.

Timpo.

 

[Arthurwg]

Forget the GSA and go for the GS. No need for all that junk, and much too heavy as well. And before you plunk down the money, try a KTM 990 ADV. It might actually suit you better.

 

[SJPB1982]

I tried a tenere before I bought my GSA, if you know that you are not going to do too many road miles, I reckon it would be pretty good. But the point of a GS is that it can do everything. I can ride mine to the shops or off road, it has the ESA which is properly worth paying for as you can set the ride height at the lights and look down on every other road user!!!!!!

 

[Brian ROSEN]

The real truth

It really is about how much you can afford on a new toy! I am coming to the conclusion that a three wheeled Piaggio or similar could suit me - but oh, dear what about my image! As if anybosy (else) cared a damn.