Despite owning my 23 1250GSA for nearly two years we’ve only just completed our first proper two up tour so I thought I’d post a few of my thoughts on the bike.
I’m going to do a write up on the tour itself if anyone suffers with insomnia but I’m having a few issues with the pics.
Norway was the biggest tour we’ve ever done with the longest days.
For the record I have the BMW panniers and a Givi 52l topbox. ’ll admit getting everything ( we thought) we needed in, meant putting more weight in the topbox than I would normally.
I’m not exactly sure but I guess we were pretty close to max weight.
I think this resulted it the front feeling a little light. Not an issue on motorways but at lower speeds I think it may have been causing a vagueness at the front.
It never felt dangerous but on a day we rode with empty panniers the bike felt better.
We did some, for us, very long days, one was about 11hrs riding and I’ll be lying if I said I wasn’t aching but on the day in question the weather was horrendous for the last 5-6 hrs and the GSA seemed rock solid, and handled the conditions with aplomb, just getting on with it.
My wife said as long as she could have a break short break every 1 1/2 to 2 hrs she was fine.
About the same time I’d be wanting a stretch so no worries there.
It returned 54 mpg over the whole 3600 miles and and used next to no oil. ( Unlike my previous 21 GS1250).
I put new Conti TA3 tyres on about 1500 miles before the trip and the rear is looking a pretty odd shape now, the front looks good still.
I also discovered that the mudsling has been rubbing on the edge of the rear tyre. It’s very light contact but I never had the issue with the original A41s.
Only issue I had was the SOS function throwing a wobbly, it’d say contact dealer, then clear. Happened about 5 or 6 times while we were away and reoccurred once back in Blighty It’s booked in at the end of the month to have it looked at.
I wasn’t sure if I’d be keeping the GSA after this trip but it performed so well I cannot think of anything I’d replace it with.
Thumbs up on the GSA
I’m going to do a write up on the tour itself if anyone suffers with insomnia but I’m having a few issues with the pics.
Norway was the biggest tour we’ve ever done with the longest days.
For the record I have the BMW panniers and a Givi 52l topbox. ’ll admit getting everything ( we thought) we needed in, meant putting more weight in the topbox than I would normally.
I’m not exactly sure but I guess we were pretty close to max weight.
I think this resulted it the front feeling a little light. Not an issue on motorways but at lower speeds I think it may have been causing a vagueness at the front.
It never felt dangerous but on a day we rode with empty panniers the bike felt better.
We did some, for us, very long days, one was about 11hrs riding and I’ll be lying if I said I wasn’t aching but on the day in question the weather was horrendous for the last 5-6 hrs and the GSA seemed rock solid, and handled the conditions with aplomb, just getting on with it.
My wife said as long as she could have a break short break every 1 1/2 to 2 hrs she was fine.
About the same time I’d be wanting a stretch so no worries there.
It returned 54 mpg over the whole 3600 miles and and used next to no oil. ( Unlike my previous 21 GS1250).
I put new Conti TA3 tyres on about 1500 miles before the trip and the rear is looking a pretty odd shape now, the front looks good still.
I also discovered that the mudsling has been rubbing on the edge of the rear tyre. It’s very light contact but I never had the issue with the original A41s.
Only issue I had was the SOS function throwing a wobbly, it’d say contact dealer, then clear. Happened about 5 or 6 times while we were away and reoccurred once back in Blighty It’s booked in at the end of the month to have it looked at.
I wasn’t sure if I’d be keeping the GSA after this trip but it performed so well I cannot think of anything I’d replace it with.
Thumbs up on the GSA
