Do I upgrade?
- Thread starter Sly
- Start date
I adenturised my first 1150gs with a bigger tank and then bought new Adventures in 2011, 2014, 2017 and then in late 2021 my current R1250GSA, for me it is the big tank that makes the Adventure for me and the chunkier looks .plus the better weather protection
Zero range anxiety and less stops when touring .
2016 GS / 2018 GSA / 2023 GS
Honestly, never needed the larger tank and you do feel the extra weight of the GSA. The all-rounder is the GS. The all-over is the GSA.
Honestly, never needed the larger tank and you do feel the extra weight of the GSA. The all-rounder is the GS. The all-over is the GSA.
ThreeDawg
Registered user
I must be doing it wrong. I just did 19000km in Australia on my last holiday and didn't notice having to fill up more than once a day usually. But then I don't like motorways and I like to savour my surroundings. 2010 GS, range 350km+.
Huh? Do you never wonder if people might occasionally have different priorities to your own?Is it such a hardship to occasionally stop and put some fuel in a bike?
Is it such a hardship to occasionally stop and put some fuel in a bike?
no, my new bike has a 250 mile range. My bladder, 100 on a good day. I'll be in Spain in a couple of weeks. Their rural petrol stations are generally pretty good, like old school truck stops with cafe etc. €1.20 for a cortado. Every other piss stop. Refuelling adds what, 5 mins to the stop?
Deleted account 251212001
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ive gone from a 1200gs to a 1200gsa before and I wouldn't bother again. The gsa has better oem luggage if two up riding , the gs is more fun (imho). 30 litre tank full of fuel is a pig to wheel about.
at the risk of upsetting you . ( which doesn't bother me )
give up bikes , go get a car.
i was a courier for some time. i want to be off a bike after 2 hours max.
you might think you can go longer/harder/faster than anyone else , think again .
constant fill ups ? are you joking ? is it April the 1st ? are you travelling flat out ? or is your tank really small ? have you traveled on a Sportster ?
so you can do 30 lts of fuel in 230 miles = 34 mpg really ? i think there is something wrong with your bike. ( i get near that on a trackday )
i'm thinking you have more money than sense ?
un-lower the bike you have ?
the only time that tank range was a problem on my 1150 , was crossing Germany and Poland ,
cos they are quite big countries , and i had alot of distance to cover , in a limited time frame.
Ha - that made me chuckle, cheers for that. You're also putting words in my mouth. I'm getting 230 miles from my 20L tank.
Thanks all - some insightful posts. Having covered a lot of South Africa and bits of Namibia, I'm used to long stretches and long distances. This was more about when going into Europe, not having to spend time at petrol stations but it's comforting to know that a few here have toured on their GS. Very fortunate postion to have to choose between the two!
Need to think on this one. Maybe even a normal height GS might be the best compromise.
Ride safe!
I find the GSA is just what I turned the GS into.
So more lights, crash bars, better luggage options.
The only downside is the weight (for pushing round the garage etc).
I love my GSA
So more lights, crash bars, better luggage options.
The only downside is the weight (for pushing round the garage etc).
I love my GSA
Do you want to go from 260kg to 280kg+..?
I went the other way from GSA to GS.The Adv is more planted etc but the GS is as much fun but alot lighter.
I went the other way from GSA to GS.The Adv is more planted etc but the GS is as much fun but alot lighter.
It’s impossible to do more than an hour unless you change the dreadful OE seat
Yeah, I would like the upper bars to put some bags on to store a few items in there. I've had to fit GSA luggage racks to mine. We're 2 up too.
I'm conscious of the extra weight.
Something I'm already looking into changing - maybe to a sergeant or whatever it's called.
Cheapest options would be to change the seat for a more comfy/higher one (has yours got a low seat, most with the factory lowered suspension will have) put the suspension on the max setting and put some bar risers on and if you prefer it fit the GSA screen or a MRA vario one.
I rode through Spain to Jerez 2 years running to the Spanish GP in the 90's. My mate was on a FZR600 and we had to look for fuel ever 110 miles and never had any problems finding fuel so I think you're concerned about nothing really as many tour the continent on bikes with far less fuel range than a GS. If you are concerned about running out of fuel a BMW satnav will locate the neasest fuel station when you run low.
The GS is more nimble than the GSA and essier to push about especially loaded up, the GSA has better wind protection. The extra height is down to the suspension travel, with the same seat the actual seat/pegs/bars riding ergonomics will be the same?
I rode through Spain to Jerez 2 years running to the Spanish GP in the 90's. My mate was on a FZR600 and we had to look for fuel ever 110 miles and never had any problems finding fuel so I think you're concerned about nothing really as many tour the continent on bikes with far less fuel range than a GS. If you are concerned about running out of fuel a BMW satnav will locate the neasest fuel station when you run low.
The GS is more nimble than the GSA and essier to push about especially loaded up, the GSA has better wind protection. The extra height is down to the suspension travel, with the same seat the actual seat/pegs/bars riding ergonomics will be the same?
As others have said, you can raise the seat height too, if you look between the riders seat and the frame if there's a gap it's in the high setting (you can raise both the front and/or the rear seperately). If you bought it from a dealer the sales lot may have a high seat you can try to see if that suits ergonomically and the sales section on here sometimes has seats/bar risers for sale too if you don't mind waiting.Very informative, thank you. I have become quite attached to our GS.
The conundrum
Had one GS in 2004, followed by several GSA’s.
I’m 5’10” with a 29” inseam, if I can chuck one about there are no excuses, plus if you run one half-full for your daily ride it’s little different to the GS.
A few years ago the French petrol tanker drivers were striking and fuel station stocks were running low. It was nice to have the GSA’s range as I had to be back at work as planned, no excuses.
I’m 5’10” with a 29” inseam, if I can chuck one about there are no excuses, plus if you run one half-full for your daily ride it’s little different to the GS.
A few years ago the French petrol tanker drivers were striking and fuel station stocks were running low. It was nice to have the GSA’s range as I had to be back at work as planned, no excuses.
