bit of a set back

[Eoghan]

Hi all,

I 'm about start the process of looking at getting a GS. so family smith decided to head out yesterday, and on the way stop over to the local BMW dealership for me to have a good proper look at the bikes... but it was SHUT! how gutted was I?

last time i took a look at one was at the NEC show in 2005... hoping to pay the dealership a visit tomorrow during my lunch hour (and probably a bit more)

I have been considering the GS as a replacement to my main mode of transport - the Yamaha XJR. over the past year or so i have grown to dispise chains... I ride all year round and unfortunately i don't have a strict cleaning ritual so the bike tends to stay quite dirty. but now after 64k the XJR is starting to get a bit old.

I settled on the GS as my potential new machine because i think it ticks all the right boxes: is good in all weathers. lighter that the XJR. has shaft drive. suitable for commuting (only 20 miles each way) suitable for long distance touring.

gonna have to take one on a test ride first though... hope my short ar$e can cope...

so watch this space... i may become a tosser yet.

Eoghan

 

[Andy_E]

Have fun at the dealer! The height thing is something you get used to quite quickly. As long as you can get a foot down you should be fine and you will become very good at checking out the camber before stopping

As you may have read take a long and varied test ride if you can, not all the GS qualities are immediately obvious

 

[Drofsereb]

Hi there - I take it you are heading over to Dalkeith? They have a black GS on demo which they may be putting up for sale soon..... I know this because I made exactly the same trip last Thursday! If you do head east, can I suggest the following test route? Take the A68 to Earlston, and turn left for Duns. In the village of Gordon, turn left at the crossroads back towards Carfraemill. Watch out for a couple of cameras near the top of the route, otherwise great roads.

All things being equal, I should pick up my new bike on Saturday

 

[pip001]

dont forget to have a ride through town.lots of stop/starts to see how you go.its such an easy bike to ride once your moving but alot trickier round traffic.fantastic bikes.

 

[Eoghan]

Hi there - I take it you are heading over to Dalkeith? They have a black GS on demo which they may be putting up for sale soon..... I know this because I made exactly the same trip last Thursday! If you do head east, can I suggest the following test route? Take the A68 to Earlston, and turn left for Duns. In the village of Gordon, turn left at the crossroads back towards Carfraemill. Watch out for a couple of cameras near the top of the route, otherwise great roads.

All things being equal, I should pick up my new bike on Saturday

Yeap, the Dalkeith dealership? let me know how your sale goes... if i endup getting a GS, I'll be using these guys for servicing etc so want to make sure they are good enough...

I don't know the area around dalkeith at all so will have to get my map out for the test route. but i intend to involve motorway/fast dual carriageway, country roads and as mentioned earlier, city/town driving.

not too sure when i could do the test ride though. got a busy couple of months coming up....

 

[Drofsereb]

Will let you know. The route I suggested takes you right out of the dealers and onto the new Dalkeith bypass, so it could tick that box as well. It then turns back into the old A68 before Pathead. It would be easy enough to head into the south side of Edinburgh to get some town riding in as well.

As far as the dealership goes, so far so good..... They also seem to do pretty well in the 'Ride' magazine readers survey. What I would say is that their second hand stuff is all immaculate, and prices seem to be on par with any other BMW dealership.

Watch the threads for my updates, and look out for me in the 'Dale - my family are still there although I escaped