3500 Mile Review of R1300GSA ASA

[Arsey]

Chris Moss, one of the most experienced and respected journalists in the UK has done 3500 miles on the GSA and provides an interesting insight .

Seems the ASA needs refining .

 

[Edventure]

Enjoyed that. interesting objective review

 

[G&T]

Rolled up to my local dealer a couple of days ago, battery probs, and parked behind the GSA. Damn its ‘girth’. Nice to see though, but having owned a 1200 GSA I know what that extra weight feels like when slow manoeuvring on loose ground.

I wouldn’t pay extra for the ASA and it would have to be smoother than me. If not - no thanks.

 

[Edventure]

When I had a test ride of the ASA version, albeit the standard GS not the GSA, I struggled with the way it decided when to change gear. For example, mid corner. It was always seeking to get into the highest gear possible. That did change in Dynamic mode where it did hang onto gears longer. It'll be interesting to hear if that "Learning mode" actually does occur after you've ridden the bike for some time and it adapts itself to your own individual riding style. Overall, I thought it was clever but I still wanted the ability to choose when I wanted to change gear. And, yes, I know you can override but then what's the point ......
I am absolutely delighted with the 1300 GSA, manual.........

 

[Arsey]

When I had a test ride of the ASA version, albeit the standard GS not the GSA, I struggled with the way it decided when to change gear. For example, mid corner. It was always seeking to get into the highest gear possible. That did change in Dynamic mode where it did hang onto gears longer. It'll be interesting to hear if that "Learning mode" actually does occur after you've ridden the bike for some time and it adapts itself to your own individual riding style. Overall, I thought it was clever but I still wanted the ability to choose when I wanted to change gear. And, yes, I know you can override but then what's the point ......
I am absolutely delighted with the 1300 GSA, manual.........

Chris Moss did 3500 miles so surely enough for the learning to occur, but he never mentioned any improvement .

 

[Edventure]

Chris Moss did 3500 miles so surely enough for the learning to occur, but he never mentioned any improvement .

No, he didn't mention any improvement which I why I questioned whether it does actually learn. Perhaps software updates over time will enable??

 

[team duvet]

Great review, top Jurn’o Mossy.

TD

 

[Oldrat]

Great review.


It’s still bloody horrible looking though, spawn of Delsey and Samsonite.

 

[Edventure]

Great review.


It’s still bloody horrible looking though, spawn of Delsey and Samsonite.


View attachment 390915

Harsh! I'm kinda liking the whole Robocop rugged Rimowa luggage look

 

[Arsey]

Great review.


It’s still bloody horrible looking though, spawn of Delsey and Samsonite.


View attachment 390915

It does look marginally better in the flesh .
The appeal to me would be the big tank and ASA but it appears the ASA is a bit work in progress , as pretty much every journalist review mentions it’s a bit agricultural in manual mode but changes up at the wrong time in auto.
I don’t trust many journos but Mossy has always said it like it is .
Interesting that the few new owners on here seem to think it’s fine .
But I guess if you’ve spent nearly £30k you’re probably not going to say it’s crap !

 

[Oldrat]

I was eagerly awaiting the arrival of the R1300 GSA, but it doesn’t float my boat, far from it, instead of me being the proud owner of a new Beemer, it’s a turn off and I’ve been looking elsewhere.

I may even keep my old snotter which I love to bits.

 

[Arsey]

I was eagerly awaiting the arrival of the R1300 GSA, but it doesn’t float my boat, far from it, instead of me being the proud owner of a new Beemer, it’s a turn off and I’ve been looking elsewhere.

I may even keep my old snotter which I love to bits.

I kind of was too as liked the demo I had on the standard 1300 but found it too small and uncomfortable.
But I really don’t like the look of the GSA, the ASA is certainly a work in progress. But the biggest issue is the price .I’m not forking out nearly £30k for a bike when it’s not perfect and I can get a better bike for my needs for about a third of that …..

 

[Deleted account 251212001]

I kind of was too as liked the demo I had on the standard 1300 but found it too small and uncomfortable.
But I really don’t like the look of the GSA, the ASA is certainly a work in progress. But the biggest issue is the price .I’m not forking out nearly £30k for a bike when it’s not perfect and I can get a better bike for my needs for about a third of that …..

perhaps you just needed to get used to it, which when you own you very quickly do, I am 6'2 and I feel its not small at all (1 up), the legroom feel at first from a test ride I was a bit reserved about, but was coming from a ktm enduro, I rode the GS for two weeks solid on holiday this year and it was all day comfy, it is comfier than the new GSA for me, which seems to have wider and more swept bars and quite a wide tank at the crotch.

You liked your Himmy 450 and its a fair bit bigger, probably similar leg room, and in another league wind protection wise.

 

[Arsey]

perhaps you just needed to get used to it, which when you own you very quickly do, I am 6'2 and I feel its not small at all (1 up), the legroom feel at first from a test ride I was a bit reserved about, but was coming from a ktm enduro, I rode the GS for two weeks solid on holiday this year and it was all day comfy, it is comfier than the new GSA for me, which seems to have wider and more swept bars and quite a wide tank at the crotch.

You liked your Himmy 450 and its a fair bit bigger, probably similar leg room, and in another league wind protection wise.

You’re probably right . Only rode one for an hour but found it pretty cramped and not great for my dodgy knees . Pretty sure the seat to peg position on the Himmy was more roomy as rode it back from Spain through France in two days with no issues .
The 1300s are good bikes but really can’t see me ever getting one , certainly not new as they’ve become stupidly expensive .
My 6 month old Vstrom 1050 with 700 miles on the clock cost me £8999 and is perfect for my needs . Seems very comfy, ultra smooth , good screen . I’ve spent £650 on it , fitting heated grips , SW Motech rack and top box and an Apple Car Play unit and it’s fully sorted and ready to tour . Will just bungee my Enduristan roll bag to pillion seat when we go to Spain and Portugal this summer .
Infact the Vstrom and my fully loaded Voge cost less than £17k or about the same as a base 1300GS.
Horses for courses .

 

[team duvet]

All very interesting.....

R1300GSA here (manual) approaching 3,000 miles.

Background, 7th GS/A since 2000, yes before Longway Round changed the World forever! had most variants of the model. Probably well over 500,000 miles completed on all of them combined (Iron butt rider too)

The best bit of the 1300 GSA? is all day comfort and engine power. Yes it's not the best looking, but who remembers the reaction of the R1150GS and it's looks when launched.

Like all of the boxer engines I've owned, getting better with more miles.

How would I sum it up? easy, has a bit of every model I have owned, as said since 2000.

Each to their own, above is just my humble opinion.

TD

PS...lucky to own one as just retired (using the kids inheritance) LOL

 

[Arsey]

All very interesting.....

R1300GSA here (manual) approaching 3,000 miles.

Background, 7th GS/A since 2000, yes before Longway Round changed the World forever! had most variants of the model. Probably well over 500,000 miles completed on all of them combined (Iron butt rider too)

The best bit of the 1300 GSA? is all day comfort and engine power. Yes it's not the best looking, but who remembers the reaction of the R1150GS and it's looks when launched.

Like all of the boxer engines I've owned, getting better with more miles.

How would I sum it up? easy, has a bit of every model I have owned, as said since 2000.

Each to their own, above is just my humble opinion.

TD

PS...lucky to own one as just retired (using the kids inheritance) LOL

Out of interest have you changed the seat ?
I know we all have different arses but when I did 220 miles in a day on a 1250GSA I was amazed how awful the seat was (for me ). Fine for the first 100 miles then agony after that . Was standing on the pegs every five minutes to ease the pain and Cape Town was nowhere near Dent !

 

[team duvet]

Out of interest have you changed the seat ?
I know we all have different arses but when I did 220 miles in a day on a 1250GSA I was amazed how awful the seat was (for me ). Fine for the first 100 miles then agony after that . Was standing on the pegs every five minutes to ease the pain and Cape Town was nowhere near Dent !

No not on the new 1300 GSA, normal seat. So far so good.

Best advice I ever received on the 1250 seat was, front part on high setting rear part on low setting, superb. Iron butt 1,000 miles in under 24hrs no problems.

TD

 

[fizzer]

Out of interest have you changed the seat ?
I know we all have different arses but when I did 220 miles in a day on a 1250GSA I was amazed how awful the seat was (for me ). Fine for the first 100 miles then agony after that . Was standing on the pegs every five minutes to ease the pain and Cape Town was nowhere near Dent !

one thing about the new R1300GSA ,is the fact seat is far far to hard ,especially after 150 miles ,the 1250gsa had a much better seat,and that was not perfect as you say.

 

[longjohn]

I have the ASA and find the gearbox in manual mode very smooth, auto is ok if tootling about but in the bends manual is fine, the seat I have a sheepskin cover on and again find it ok at the moment if it gets too hard I will put a airflow cover on it.
The bike being stuck in Park so you cant push it only seems to happen if you switch it off whilst still in gear (I might be wrong mind) but one thing I do like is when its looked in park its gonna take some moving to nick.
They are a big chunk of cash and I hated it when it was released but it did grow on me once I saw it in the dealers.

 

[Arsey]

one thing about the new R1300GSA ,is the fact seat is far far to hard ,especially after 150 miles ,the 1250gsa had a much better seat,and that was not perfect as you say.

I must say that I always find ‘hard’ seats to often be much more supportive on a long ride.
When you sit on a ‘comfy’ seat , as I did with the 1250, I kind of knew it would probably be crap later on, and it was .
When you sit on a seat and it gives and feels plush, that is what normally comes back to bite you in the arse later that day as that plushness then causes sores, as your sit bones aren’t supported.
But when you sit on a firm , supportive seat, it doesn’t feel comfy but then it never gets uncomfortable.
I’ve said it many times, but the couple of Renazco seats I’ve had never felt comfy-very hard memory foam tailored to your specific height/weight etc and good for huge mileages such as nearly 700 in a day on my 701.