So what’s the general consensus of opinion on going from the GSA to the R/S? Screen, sat nav mount and hand guards seem to be my initial points to cover off? I’m seriously thinking of changing and can get a good deal at the moment on a new one using the finance offer which i would pay off after 3 months. I don't carry a pillion now.
I went from a 1200GSA (via an RSVR Mille!) to a 1200RS. I found the lower seat height allows flat footing but it has less leg room than the GSA. It has better feedback through front (as per wessie's comments) and it feels far more grunty, possibly due to the lower mass. It's has some serious mid range poke. Longest I've spent in the saddle without a break was about three hours and I've covered 100's of miles in a day on many rides. It seems sensitive to tyre choice and pressures. With the profile and compounds of the Metzler Sportec 01SE's which mine was fitted with, the front develops slight ridges causing it to start tipping in unexpectedly once you have 3K miles or more on them, which is controlled to some extent by ensuring tyre pressures on the front don't dip much under 36psi. They don't inspire confidence in the wet when this happens. The rear is great and long lasting. Others have reported similar with these tyres and with Dunlop Roadsmarts, whilst some others have not reported similar issues with other tyre brands/models.
Suspension settings were improved in 2019 with the 1250s but the 1200 can be a little too under-sprung and choppy on the Road setting, so mine is largely left in Dynamic settings for ESA and engine mode, or Road settings when greasy (on engine mode). Handling on twistier A roads I think betters the GSA. They just feel solidly and safely planted and pretty unflappable so they do inspire more confidence when getting a lick on. I guess it's down to the rake and trail plus front suspension set up.
Pillion space is not enough, especially with a top box with back rest fitted. They're a better solo machine.
Standard screen is useless. I tried a Wunderlich Marathon but it lacks enough air flow and was still causing turbulence in the low setting. I changed that for an MRA Vario touring screen which is much better for my height anyway.
I also tried various seats including the Wunderlich Aktiv comfort but reverted to the standard sport seat which retains a little more leg room and I can settle comfortably on for extended rides.
The biggest improvement for comfort was fitting the Helibar risers which lift and pull back the bars enough to be comfortable and these work fine with the sport seat.
Satnav re-mounting to a position over the instruments is a must. Other than that and the usual necessary extras like a crud catcher and mudsling plus frame bungs, it's standard.
I'd say it makes for a better all round road bike as it's more of a sports tourer but then again, the RT is no slouch in that department. If I was doing more touring, the RT would be my weapon of choice, no question. For an all rounder, the RS is a great choice. I find myself putting up more miles on the RS and looking for more excuses to ride it than I did with the GSA which, although hugely competent and comfortable, just felt a little dull to ride by comparison. It just wasn't as engaging as the RS seems to be.
Economy-wise, I'm averaging around 50mpg so broadly similar to the GSA and tank range is more than adequate. Quality of build I think is very good, it's definitely a premium product let down only by the engine casing paint finish on the underside and the switch gear which isn't anything like the quality of the (backlit) switches on my old Tiger 1200. BMW customer service has been top notch but I guess it depends who you use. I've always found Cotswold Motorrad to be a great bunch to deal with and always very helpful.
now on the look out for a suitable top box, not too large but needs to take at least a helmet and lock etc. Givi or similar larger tinted screen, crash bars or head covers and maybe hand guards.
