Aventure 1200 Q

[billynomates]

Hi Im new to the site so hello everyone.
Have'nt bought a GS yet but do own BCR ,so before I jump in and buy a ADV can some one inform me of the downside of the servo assisted brakes are they a pain and can you use the bike offroad with these brakes.
anything else I should look out for.
And is anyone selling a ADV at Mo.
cheers ian

 

[Uinneag]

Brakes fine off-road

Just remeber and switch off the ABS

Pay £12 Memebership and yi'll get into the for sale and wanted section better than ebay

 

[Loiq]

jolly heavy best not drop it off-road actually best not drop it anywhere

 

[Brian ROSEN]

Servo brakes

When I took a test ride, over three years ago, I was not even aware that I had servo brakes, they just felt very positive. Now I appreciate the lack of effort required when braking (just as in my car and virtually evry other car.) Some say they lack sensitivity - it depends I suppose if you are (or would like to be) a pianist or violinist and use your fingers or a stone mason or gardenspade expert and use your whole hand. On road, off road it should make little difference.
Of course the ABS can be switched off but the servo will still operate as will the linking/balancing of the front and back brakes.
Now the servo has been dropped, presumably because there were expensive troubles although I have not had any at all. ( i do have a very good dealer who services my bike.) When I inadvertently switched off the servo (by moving the handguard to touch the brake lever) I felt the difference-but the residual braking was quite sufficient and not at all dangerous;

 

[Padge]

I've had a 2006 with Servos and a 2007 wihout (Both with ABS).
Prefer the 2007 without.
They work immediately(the Powered brakes take about a half wheel turn to prime)
To disable the ABS on the 2007, you just pause, hold in the clutch and press the button for a few seconds. The 2006 with Servis requres you to turn off the engine (more of a pain than you think when off road).

The non powered brakes are plenty powerful... Although the powered brakes do feel like they'd stop a freighttrain (but have great feel too).

 

[Brian ROSEN]

Servos or not?

..."I've had a 2006 with Servos and a 2007 wihout (Both with ABS). My 1200GS is a 2004 model and the servo was a great improvement on that fitted to the 1150 which was far too fierce - even the Moto Magazine road tester came off whilst coming to a halt, as did a friend of mine on the terrace in front of 'our' bar.

 

[marcus]

Personally - I'm a fan of the servo brakes. When I did the off-road course with demi-god Simon Pavey it was on a servo equipped bike - no concerns arising.

I've owned 2 1200GS - both with servos. Some people say there's less feel. I think this is nonsense. It's just differentfeel, that's all.

Round town in the wet - single finger control of brakes, easy.


Couple of things to bear in mind though:

Sitting in traffic with the brakes on drains the battery
They are linked too so rear pads last no time at all
If you drop it check the handguards aren't touching the lever - this might stop the servo from working and it's trying to stop the bike without them.....

Equally, big fan of the ABS. People whinge because they think it comes in too early in the dry (er, turn it off, then) but it's saved my bacon in the wet.
ABS feels a bit "agricultural" when it kicks in. Grab a handful and see what happens.....

 

[Shep]

Personally - I'm a fan of the servo brakes. When I did the off-road course with demi-god Simon Pavey it was on a servo equipped bike - no concerns arising.

I've owned 2 1200GS - both with servos. Some people say there's less feel. I think this is nonsense. It's just differentfeel, that's all.

Round town in the wet - single finger control of brakes, easy.


Couple of things to bear in mind though:

Sitting in traffic with the brakes on drains the battery
They are linked too so rear pads last no time at all
If you drop it check the handguards aren't touching the lever - this might stop the servo from working and it's trying to stop the bike without them.....

Equally, big fan of the ABS. People whinge because they think it comes in too early in the dry (er, turn it off, then) but it's saved my bacon in the wet.
ABS feels a bit "agricultural" when it kicks in. Grab a handful and see what happens.....

Totally agree with Marcus

Top brakes, the best i've experienced on any bike (and yes I have ridden plenty of other bikes)

Rear brake pad wear rate can be reduced by using the sintered off road pads from BMW

Shep

 

[Brian ROSEN]

Good

It is a change to hear a few good reports about servos - I thought mine cannot be the only ones which are fantastic!
Shep wrote...."If you drop it check the handguards aren't touching the lever - this might stop the servo from working and it's trying to stop the bike without ......."
I know what you mean which is that it.... PREVENTS the servo from operating and THUS trying to stop the bike.....
It happened to me and I was surprised to find how much 'residual' braking I had - quite sufficient to use andto get me to Lyon to the dealers BUT I found the fault first!

 

[Yellow Peril]

Can't say i have ever worn my rear pads any quicker due to servo/linking, last bike did 19,000 mls when sold and still on original pads and my current ADV has 11k on it still on my original's but then I know how to use a gear box

 

[billynomates]

Cheers for the info.
Im looking at 2 bikes at Mo both the same price.
one with 2500m but looks like its done 20000m non servo
and one with 7000m thats been cared for with servo,specs very similar.
Im more inclined to go for the servo model as I was happy with the brakes but just dubious about there offroad potentail and long term reliability.
thanks ian