mm been tempted by the new 1300s ive had gs adv for a while now needs something a bit different only issue is i do a little bit touring alps french and swiss.any body own one and how do you find it for touring on
1300s
- Thread starter cutmorej
- Start date
Did a few France/Swiss trips on the K1200s and it was absolutely fine.BM panniers and innerstankbag and Oxford sportpack Rokstrapped to pillionseat. BTW make sure you cross the straps over (damhik).
k1300s
Had one of these, brilliant bike. Have a 1200adv now and to be honest wish
i hadnt sold the k1300s. thinking of going back to one too.
Get one with the gear shift assistant. Absolutely brilliant.
Trouble is if you go for a part ex at a dealer they will kick you in the nuts on your adv. Plus the k1300s will drop like a stone too.
Had one of these, brilliant bike. Have a 1200adv now and to be honest wish
i hadnt sold the k1300s. thinking of going back to one too.
Get one with the gear shift assistant. Absolutely brilliant.
Trouble is if you go for a part ex at a dealer they will kick you in the nuts on your adv. Plus the k1300s will drop like a stone too.
If it was me I'd hire a 1300 for the day for the insane speed fix and go back to the GS for the other 364 days of slower entertainment. Might be more likely to keep my licence, and SWMBO would still speak to me after we'd been out on the bike, and I wouldn't need a kidney transplant too.
MAke my mind up
dont be silly!!
Cant decide,
either 1198s ducati, s1000rr,fireblade or k1300s... or harley
mmm...
i cant make my mind up.. thats the problem john
dont be silly!!
Cant decide,
either 1198s ducati, s1000rr,fireblade or k1300s... or harley
mmm...
i cant make my mind up.. thats the problem john
triplet
Registered user
have a word with youself ,k1300 not much use to anyone on the bumpy twisty nanny goat tracks that you and i use,even rock smurf has sold his k1200 and bought a gs
Can't decide?
It is much easier here in France where the hp is restricted to around 110 - for which the GS is designed; not much point in having a heavier more complicated bike with the same hp..
It is much easier here in France where the hp is restricted to around 110 - for which the GS is designed; not much point in having a heavier more complicated bike with the same hp..
sven
Registered user
have a word with youself ,k1300 not much use to anyone on the bumpy twisty nanny goat tracks that you and i use,even rock smurf has sold his k1200 and bought a gs
My K1200S was every bit as good as my ESA R1200GS on the bumpy backroads of the Dales and Lakes, if not better
patzx12
Registered user
The K bike suspension is the best available, even has the edge on the superb Telelever \ Paralever.
The GS \ GSA only beats it with ground clearance, you will miss not having to slow down for speed bumps.
The GS \ GSA only beats it with ground clearance, you will miss not having to slow down for speed bumps.
No choice problem in France
In this country no bike can be more powerful than the 1200GS (around 110hp) thus a heavier K cannot have a significantly greater performance. I prefer to sit up in comfort and watch the world go past (& quite rapidly enough.)
In this country no bike can be more powerful than the 1200GS (around 110hp) thus a heavier K cannot have a significantly greater performance. I prefer to sit up in comfort and watch the world go past (& quite rapidly enough.)
Try a Ducati Multistrada 1200 its incredible and faster than you will ever need
I had one for an afternoon on demo the handling engine and touring potential really are excellent
Sadly I will have to wait until next year to get one
I had one for an afternoon on demo the handling engine and touring potential really are excellent
Sadly I will have to wait until next year to get one
Don't do it. I enjoyed 23k miles on my 07 GSA, sold it and bought a K1300S. I then test rode the 2010 GSA and sold the K1300S the next day. Back on a GSA and never happier with 9k miles since March.
The K1300S is a two wheeled weapon and I found it way too much. It's a quick fix when what you want is a long buzz.
The K1300S is a two wheeled weapon and I found it way too much. It's a quick fix when what you want is a long buzz.
Just go to the Hotel Enzian in Landeck, Austria. BMW test ride partner; full BMW range for daily hire for the day @ approx 40 -60 euros each, and some alpine roads to play on. Get your 'fix' of something different to your normal ride i.e K1300 or RR supersports or HP2. After 250 miles you should know if the bike is for you.
My 1200GS is a write off. Following a track day where nearly all 
pulled away from my GS in a slow corner coming onto the straight I wanted to try someting else. I'm 6' 4"
K1300S: great turbine engine sound (with ear plugs, w/o there's other noises). Superb quick shifter ( thought it would be even faster, but nice, controlled shifts). Ouch my wrists after one hour on twisty roads. But great on well above 80mph motorway. By far largest surprise - one fairly quiet helmet throughout even at 140mph. Wow!
R1200GSA: love that 2010 exhaust! Didn't notice performance increase but full with fuel and side panniers. Felt like my GS immediately. However bloody helmet noise again. Low seat is best, but does not match my riding style. With high seat could not find a preference in screen angle. In lowest the BMW Zumo mount covers the tacho nearly completely
Conclusion:thinking hard about 2010GS again but with cut down screen, or sports screen. Bike has to look good to me too, and Givi etc is not to my liking. Most of my driving is on tours, michilin green roads, 250+mls/day
pulled away from my GS in a slow corner coming onto the straight I wanted to try someting else. I'm 6' 4"K1300S: great turbine engine sound (with ear plugs, w/o there's other noises). Superb quick shifter ( thought it would be even faster, but nice, controlled shifts). Ouch my wrists after one hour on twisty roads. But great on well above 80mph motorway. By far largest surprise - one fairly quiet helmet throughout even at 140mph. Wow!
R1200GSA: love that 2010 exhaust! Didn't notice performance increase but full with fuel and side panniers. Felt like my GS immediately. However bloody helmet noise again. Low seat is best, but does not match my riding style. With high seat could not find a preference in screen angle. In lowest the BMW Zumo mount covers the tacho nearly completely
Conclusion:thinking hard about 2010GS again but with cut down screen, or sports screen. Bike has to look good to me too, and Givi etc is not to my liking. Most of my driving is on tours, michilin green roads, 250+mls/day
My local dealer Vines will now hire out a 1300S as per below. Perhaps some of your Scottish dealers will do the same. £549 per week or £249 per weekend.
http://www.vinesbmwbikes.co.uk/bmw_motorcycle_hire_uk.htm
http://www.vinesbmwbikes.co.uk/bmw_motorcycle_hire_uk.htm
stevec
Guest
QUOTE=sven;2429327]My K1200S was every bit as good as my ESA R1200GS on the bumpy backroads of the Dales and Lakes, if not better [/QUOTE]
If you're talking the main B roads through the Dales and Lakes, then fair enough, a K1200S is probably at least as good, if not better than a GS
But if we're talking about the typical single lane tarmac 'motocross' tracks, ala Hawes to Muker via Buttertubs or Reeth to Barnard Castle over the moors road then the fastest and safest way to ride a GS is with lots a body english and weight transfers.
The GS forks let you apply handfuls of brake deep into corners without the threat of front wheel washout, the wide bars allow you to move your body off the bike to keep the bike upright in sandy and gravelly turns or alternatively keep your body upright and lay the bike over in slow, steeply cambered uphill and downhill bends. For cattle grids, with sharp lips, you can stand and move your weight back off the front wheel to simply float over the obstacle. In heavy braking for downhill bends, your body is upright on the GS so stomach and back muscles keep most of the weight off the wrists. In really sandy bends, you can move your weight forward, place a foot down and almost pivot the bike around it. Bumpy entrances to tight bends, requiring heavy braking and several downshifts are taken with the weight back to keep the rear wheel planted, then weight is shifted forward to give front end grip around the bend. A GS simply floats over damaged tarmac, with no pounding on the wrists and if a sheep steps into the road or car appears unexpectedly around a blind bend, the GS can take to the verge or moor with little problem. Accelerating out of bends in low gears, the GS allows the weight to be placed on the outside of the bike such that oversteer moves the bike into and not away from the rider's weight.
In short, riding the really narrow and rarely used byways of North Yorkshire, an off-road riding style is far more effective than the typical sportbike practice of lateral-only weight transfer. The GS rewards this type of riding, while the K1200S simply prevents it.
Cheerio!
Steve
[/QUOTE]If you're talking the main B roads through the Dales and Lakes, then fair enough, a K1200S is probably at least as good, if not better than a GS
But if we're talking about the typical single lane tarmac 'motocross' tracks, ala Hawes to Muker via Buttertubs or Reeth to Barnard Castle over the moors road then the fastest and safest way to ride a GS is with lots a body english and weight transfers.
The GS forks let you apply handfuls of brake deep into corners without the threat of front wheel washout, the wide bars allow you to move your body off the bike to keep the bike upright in sandy and gravelly turns or alternatively keep your body upright and lay the bike over in slow, steeply cambered uphill and downhill bends. For cattle grids, with sharp lips, you can stand and move your weight back off the front wheel to simply float over the obstacle. In heavy braking for downhill bends, your body is upright on the GS so stomach and back muscles keep most of the weight off the wrists. In really sandy bends, you can move your weight forward, place a foot down and almost pivot the bike around it. Bumpy entrances to tight bends, requiring heavy braking and several downshifts are taken with the weight back to keep the rear wheel planted, then weight is shifted forward to give front end grip around the bend. A GS simply floats over damaged tarmac, with no pounding on the wrists and if a sheep steps into the road or car appears unexpectedly around a blind bend, the GS can take to the verge or moor with little problem. Accelerating out of bends in low gears, the GS allows the weight to be placed on the outside of the bike such that oversteer moves the bike into and not away from the rider's weight.
In short, riding the really narrow and rarely used byways of North Yorkshire, an off-road riding style is far more effective than the typical sportbike practice of lateral-only weight transfer. The GS rewards this type of riding, while the K1200S simply prevents it.
Cheerio!
Steve
sven
Registered user
I'll agree with you on the Hardknott & Wrynose passes, but I do ride the Buttertubs and Reeth - Barnard Castle (Strang Lane?) roads regularly and the K is every bit as composed as the GS.
It's only when riding really bumpy, gravelly roads e.g. Ingleton - Dent or the Reeth/Muker road - Askrigg that the GS has a real advantage.
For me the main advantage of the GS is the riding position which makes covering ground very easy due to better visibility and leverage and my wrists and shoulders don't suffer much (and I had K1200R bars on my GS), especially as I ride two-up all the time nowadays.
It also coped really well when fully laden around Europe last week as the handling didn't suffer too much and the Sport mode damping kept it from wallowing too much.
Pity the weight killed the performance though, which made for some scary overtakes when it ran out of steam
I kept looking at K1300GT's enviously and there was a guy from Munich at our hotel in Kaprun who had a AC Schnitzer superbike bar conversion on his K1300S which looked really neat and solved the riding position problem 
It's only when riding really bumpy, gravelly roads e.g. Ingleton - Dent or the Reeth/Muker road - Askrigg that the GS has a real advantage.
For me the main advantage of the GS is the riding position which makes covering ground very easy due to better visibility and leverage and my wrists and shoulders don't suffer much (and I had K1200R bars on my GS), especially as I ride two-up all the time nowadays.
It also coped really well when fully laden around Europe last week as the handling didn't suffer too much and the Sport mode damping kept it from wallowing too much.
Pity the weight killed the performance though, which made for some scary overtakes when it ran out of steam
I kept looking at K1300GT's enviously and there was a guy from Munich at our hotel in Kaprun who had a AC Schnitzer superbike bar conversion on his K1300S which looked really neat and solved the riding position problem 
snerkler
Registered user
