Explorer is selling well!!

[Fanum]

At the risk of being a pedant thats registrations,not sales, so the number sold will be a lot less....just saying that's all

Very good point.......how many dealerships across the country? and how many demo/display bikes did they get in each?

That has to account for a 100 bikes

I hope they do succeed.....it will drag some shallow berks away from here AND it will force BMW to keep trying hard rather than sitting back a bit smugly, in design AND build quality AND customer service

Win win situation

 

[Fanum]

Personally, it isn't the Ewan and Charlie image that would put me off buying a GSA now. No, it's the idea that a lot of people would see me as 'just another Ewan and Charlie wannabe'. It's kind of sad that the GSA is now, for many, just a status symbol - a two-wheeled version of the Chelsea Tractor - something to be polished and garaged next to the Range Rover.

Isn't letting THEM influence you NOT to buy one because of image just as bad?

In some ways, maybe it's even worse, as it could prevent you from riding what may be THE ideal bike for you

Get what you want for the right reasons, and sod the image

 

[EggChaser]

GPWM ........ each dealership will have one registered as a Demo then there was all those bikes that Triumph registered and took out for the Spanish launch so Triumph have probably only actually SOLD about 32

The Spanish Launch bikes have already started appearing on the second hand market via the dealer network and one or two dealers have already sold on their first demo bike as well.

 

[Mr K]

Who cares?

I don't.

I didn't buy my R1200GS because it was the bogs dollocks. I bought it because a 2 hour test ride blew me away.
I got back to the dealer and signed on the dotted line.... and when I got home, tried to work out how I was going to pay for her.

....and now, just because another bike is selling better, doesn't mean I want to jump ship.

If the bods in the Triumph dealer could be arsed to get out from behind their desks it could have been deja vu...but they couldn't, so it won't.

8 years on, 64,000+ miles....places and things I thought I'd never see.

 

[team duvet]

Who cares?

I don't.

I didn't buy my R1200GS because it was the bogs dollocks. I bought it because a 2 hour test ride blew me away.
I got back to the dealer and signed on the dotted line.... and when I got home, tried to work out how I was going to pay for her.

....and now, just because another bike is selling better, doesn't mean I want to jump ship.

If the bods in the Triumph dealer could be arsed to get out from behind their desks it could have been deja vu...but they couldn't, so it won't.

8 years on, 64,000+ miles....places and things I thought I'd never see.

........

 

[The Burpster]

Really - how terse!

Very good point.......how many dealerships across the country? and how many demo/display bikes did they get in each?

That has to account for a 100 bikes

I hope they do succeed.....it will drag some shallow berks away from here AND it will force BMW to keep trying hard rather than sitting back a bit smugly, in design AND build quality AND customer service

Win win situation

I'm clearly a 'shallow berk' to which you refer, interesting. Shallow I am not, but I will not tolerate second best when there is something out there that is clearly, obviously and significantly better. The GS in its current format is past its 'sell by date'.
BMW will not respond to resonable requests and are way beyond listening to the 'little man'. Triumph are not, they do listen and can and will respond. They have taken the GS by the throat and given it a thorough ragging.

I bought an Exp because it is a much better bike than the current crop of GS's. Mine will be used for exactly the same use that the GS was before it and, it will do it better with less fuss.

If I'm shallow because I can get over the fact that the cylinders on a bike dont have to be horizontally opposed to make it fantastic then so be it.

Last week Triumph had sold 900 12ex's in the UK - the figures speak for themselves (dealers cannot hold onto demos as they end up selling them...).

If BMW want to retain folks on GSs then they will have to up thier game, as they have sat back on their laurels for too long. Up until now there was no vaible option to the GS, but Yamaha and now Triumph have just upped the ante. no longer is it good enough to merely dress up a boxer drive train with faux off road bodywork. The Yam and Triumph have been designed from the ground up to take and ragdoll the BM and they both do.

So rather than waste your breath calling me shallow, get yer arse to a Triumph or Yam dealer and try one of these bikes before you start slagging them or thier owners off. You may just find out your precious BM isnt that hot anymore.....

 

[Georgeeboi]

The GS in the current format may well be out of date but it's my first GS and I quite like it.

 

[The Burpster]

The GS in the current format may well be out of date but it's my first GS and I quite like it.

I have no issue with that - I loved mine (had it for 7 years and done most of Europe on it!) but only up to the point that I rode a 12Ex.

It was then I realised the GS has been eclipsed. I do take issue with being called shallow because I have decided to change from BM to Triumph. I am not 'badge chasing' I have bought a significantly better bike....

If I was a badge chaser, surely I'd have stayed with BM, bought GS Rallye and got Ewan to sign a side panel, laquered over it and then had a w+++ over it every night....?

 

[mrsroynie]

The GS in its current format is past its 'sell by date'. BMW will not respond to resonable requests and are way beyond listening to the 'little man'. Triumph are not, they do listen and can and will respond. They have taken the GS by the throat and given it a through ragging.

I bought an Exp because it is a much better bike than the current crop of GS's. Mine will be used for exactly the same use that the GS was before it and, it will do it better with less fuss.

And what use was that, if I may ask? Touring? Trail-riding? Enduro?

If BMW want to retain folks on GSs then they will have to up thier game, as they have sat back on their laurels for too long. Up until now there was no vaible option to the GS, but Yamaha and now Triumph have just upped the ante. no longer is it good enough to merely dress up a boxer drive train with faux off road bodywork. The Yam and Triumph have been designed from the ground up to take and ragdoll the BM and they both do.

Well that's all fine and dandy and nothing would please Roynie more than proving that the Triumph Explorer is more than a match for my beloved GS. However, when it comes down to it and we're sat here planning our next big trip, the Explorer is a big unknown. Yes, Triumph did run an off road test from Malaga to the Sahara and back, but a lot of that was on tarmac. Not sure that I'd want to trust all that road-centred comfort and gadgetry in the wilds of Mongolia.

So rather than waste your breath calling me shallow ...

If the cap fits ...

 

[Paul S]

I do take issue with being called shallow because I have decided to change from BM to Triumph.

Strangely enough fanum did not say that all those trading in their GS's for an Explorer are shallow just some are

I hope they do succeed.....it will drag some shallow berks away from here

Clearly you recognised yourself as one of the shallow berks

Enjoy your bike

 

[The Burpster]

And what use was that, if I may ask? Touring? Trail-riding? Enduro?



Well that's all fine and dandy and nothing would please Roynie more than proving that the Triumph Explorer is more than a match for my beloved GS. However, when it comes down to it and we're sat here planning our next big trip, the Explorer is a big unknown. Yes, Triumph did run an off road test from Malaga to the Sahara and back, but a lot of that was on tarmac. Not sure that I'd want to trust all that road-centred comfort and gadgetry in the wilds of Mongolia.



If the cap fits ...

.....and therin lies the problem that some GS owners just cannot accept that there maybe another bike that can do what the GS can. For your info I had my GS for 7 yrs 25k miles and most of the countries in Europe under its belt.

Oh and off road -

The GS - 12 Ex - Yam are pretty much road bikes, I am qualified enough to state you have to be close to a god to get one of these off road on anything other than a fireroad. If you want to go proper off road then get a Montesa and do the job properly.

As to reliablity, the GS was not without its faults and there has been plenty of owners stranded with busted bikes over the years so dont sell it as the most reliable bike on the planet, as I believe you'll find that accolade belongs to the humble Honda C90.

 

[mrsroynie]

Isn't letting THEM influence you NOT to buy one because of image just as bad?

In some ways, maybe it's even worse ...

Absolutely it's worse! Damn THEM!!! I'd love to own a GSA (I just can't afford one.)

 

[Bryn]

I hope they do succeed.....it will drag some shallow berks away from here AND

Hope I'm not one of the number

 

[mrsroynie]

For your info I had my GS for 7 yrs 25k miles and most of the countries in Europe under its belt.

Good for you.

The GS - 12 Ex - Yam are pretty much road bikes, I am qualified enough to state you have to be close to a god to get one of these off road on anything other than a fireroad.

There might be some here who might disagree on the God thing. Then again ...

... dont sell it as the most reliable bike on the planet, as I believe you'll find that accolade belongs to the humble Honda C90.

Wouldn't argue. We had a bit of a laugh with the border guard at Ivangorod last year about the last British motorcycle that had passed through: a Honda C90 on its way across Siberia

 

[Big Nick]

I test rode a Triumph Explorer last week and whilst it was a nice bike with an awesome engine it wasn't 'GS enough' to make me want one.

The proof to me was when I was glad to get back on my GSA for the ride home.

That said I'm still seriously considering a Triumph, a Street Triple, that they have on 0% finance at the mo for those solo rides when you just wanna tear up some tarmac without the effort of hauling a bus of a bike around.

I don't think I'll ever sell my GSA though as it's suits my other needs of being a good tourer and pillion friendly just fine and I still intend to get some real adventure riding in........one day!

 

[Rushy]

Fek all this my adventure bike is better than yours bollox ......bring back the Yamaha GTS1000 I say ....but let Honda make it with a more raucous version of their V4 engine....hub centre steering & shaft drive is where its at

 

[Sgt Bilco]

The GS - 12 Ex - Yam are pretty much road bikes, I am qualified enough to state you have to be close to a god to get one of these off road on anything other than a fireroad. If you want to go proper off road then get a Montesa and do the job properly.

.

You are kidding right? Having just ridden the Dalton again (showing off) which is far more than a fire road I can assure you, the GS is the daddy up here. You either ride a KLR or a big traillie and the GS eats up the roads.

Chatting to the guys at Adventure Cycle Works in Fairbanks who re tyre and service just about everything, the GS is renowned as being the one bike with fewer issues than anything else as the conditions change from nice, dry and easy to slippery as hell and fecking dangerous in a heartbeat.

They had an Explorer up here last week and the guy got to Coldfoot and back and declared the thing dangerous as soon as it got a little slippy and tough Not only didn't it like the dirt, the rider was apparently terrified of dropping it because of all the exposed plastics.

The Explorer is a pure road bike which looks like it could get dirty and as long as you are aware of that, I'm sure it's great but if you want something that will handle everything the GS is still the best out there

 

[Georgeeboi]

Don't forget all the pre regs as well to hit there bonus that they haven't sold yet.

 

[JayC]

Who cares?

I don't.

I didn't buy my R1200GS because it was the bogs dollocks. I bought it because a 2 hour test ride blew me away.
I got back to the dealer and signed on the dotted line.... and when I got home, tried to work out how I was going to pay for her.

....and now, just because another bike is selling better, doesn't mean I want to jump ship.

If the bods in the Triumph dealer could be arsed to get out from behind their desks it could have been deja vu...but they couldn't, so it won't.

8 years on, 64,000+ miles....places and things I thought I'd never see.

I think my better half needs to read this so that she knows I am not the only one that signs first and thinks later!

 

[illustratedman]

Wonder how I ever managed to buy my first 3 GS's along with a Triumph Tiger before that certain TV programme was even thought about

I'm not suggesting that the GS is'nt a great bike and that it did'nt have a good following before the long way round, merely that the programme had a significant impact on raising the profile of the bike and of adventure travel as a whole .Sales figures for the gs grew 35.5% from 2004 to 05 from their annual reports.