Five things you hate and five things you love about your R1300GS.

[grantmac]

GSA 1300 12 months in.....

Likes:
ASA
height adjust - touch wood no issues so far
Panniers - waterproof at last!
Electric sockets in top box and side pannier - high voltage output
Electric screen

Dislikes
Dreadful engine noise at idle - box of fekkin spanners.
Complex switchgear...
Stupid side stand length.....
Central locking only in top box..
Cowling covers - if its a TB why are they white matt alumiunium???

My first service cost me EURO 421. Not so bad

 

[Martin GSA UK]

I seem to be in a minority, but I can't say I notice the engine being more powerful than the 1250. Both are plenty for the road. I like the 1300's higher 6th gear on motorways though.

This might be bizarre, but I find my 1300GSA easier to roll into and around my garage than the 1250GS. I wonder if the CofG is a little lower? I have the auto ride height, so it is lowered to about the same height as my previous 1250GS, and I had engine bars and pannier rails on the 1250, so weight must have been similar.

I've liked most of my previous bikes, but none gave me the hard to put your finger on complete warm, 'I'm at home' feeling that I got from my 1250GS. I now feel that about my 1300GSA too. Not perfect, of course, but it really will do nicely!

 

[Clifton]

I like the 1300's higher 6th gear on motorways though.

This might be bizarre, but I find my 1300GSA easier to roll into and around my garage than the 1250GS. I wonder if the CofG is a little lower? I have the auto ride height, so it is lowered to about the same height as my previous 1250GS, and I had engine bars and pannier rails on the 1250, so weight must have been similar.

I too appreciate the taller 5th and 6th gears and the primary ratio is a little taller too which further raises the overall ratios in all gears. If anything sometimes I'd like a little lower first but all in all I'm very pleased with the ratios.

When I bought my 1300GS I took the opportunity to sit on various other bikes in the showroom RS, GSA, F900, leftover R1250GS, etc, and noticed the 1250GS definitely felt heaver to upright even though my 1300GS seemed to lean over more. When straddling each bike and tipping them left and right, again the 1250 felt a little heavier. I imagine partly because the 1300's COG is lower, it's narrower, and also with its up and down suspension sat slightly lower. The 1300 might not weigh that much less or have that much lower COG but every bit helps.

 

[Wrinkly]

Dislikes:

Stock seat too wide at top of legs and too canted forward

Have you tried adjusting the seat at the rear to the low setting?

 

[gateway77]

Likes
1. Engine - flexibility from walking pace to 100 mph+
2. Handling
3. Electric screen
4. Adaptive Height (once sorted)
5. Modes - Enduro to Dynamic Pro

Dislikes
1. Engine - sounds bloody awful
2. Standard seat is rubbish - expensive to resolve aftermarket.
3. Weight - if you have to pick it up.
4. Slighty twitchy front end when in very slow traffic
5. see no 1.

 

[littleade]

Likes
1. Engine - flexibility from walking pace to 100 mph+
2. Handling
3. Electric screen
4. Adaptive Height (once sorted)
5. Modes - Enduro to Dynamic Pro

Dislikes
1. Engine - sounds bloody awful
2. Standard seat is rubbish - expensive to resolve aftermarket.
3. Weight - if you have to pick it up.
4. Slighty twitchy front end when in very slow traffic
5. see no 1.

You forgot the £20k plus purchase price

 

[Martin GSA UK]

Have you tried adjusting the seat at the rear to the low setting?

I had low at the back, high at the front, I then trimmed 1/2" off the two rounded stubs on the seat base, that sit onto the bike's frame, to lower the rear further. No good for me. I then bought the aftermarket eccentric rubbers that go onto the plate that adjusts the front seat height. When I set these at their highest, it felt about right. However, it resulted in a yawning gap between the front of the seat and the tank. I could live with that, but it was still an uncomfortable foam in the seat and I could no longer flat foot both sides at standstill, which I prefer.

I solved all this with the Isotta seat.

 

[gateway77]

You forgot the £20k plus purchase price

Well - that doesn't bother me too much provided there's some reasonable equity in the bike after 3 years / 20k miles.
Which is of course a very different question and entirely debatable.
Thankfully no desire to change right now so no need to have that conversation and face that reality.

 

[littleade]

Well - that doesn't bother me too much provided there's some reasonable equity in the bike after 3 years / 20k miles.
Which is of course a very different question and entirely debatable.
Thankfully no desire to change right now so no need to have that conversation and face that reality.

Most won't even consider "cost to change", as they'll be on a PCP, so it'll all be about "how much a month is it mister" which is the way most bikers get their hands on a new bike now. Old tossers paying cash is soooo last century

 

[jefformston]

Likes
1. Engine - flexibility from walking pace to 100 mph+
2. Handling
3. Electric screen
4. Adaptive Height (once sorted)
5. Modes - Enduro to Dynamic Pro

Dislikes
1. Engine - sounds bloody awful
2. Standard seat is rubbish - expensive to resolve aftermarket.
3. Weight - if you have to pick it up.
4. Slighty twitchy front end when in very slow traffic
5. see no 1.

1. Engine - flexibility. In ‘top’, same gear or 1st?

 

[EUROPEAN WANDERER]

You forgot the £20k plus purchase price

Most won't even consider "cost to change", as they'll be on a PCP, so it'll all be about "how much a month is it mister" which is the way most bikers get their hands on a new bike now. Old tossers paying cash is soooo last century

The PCP deal costs you at least £4000.00 just on interest charges for a high spec 1300 GSA. Cash has always been king in my book.

 

[gateway77]

Pretty hard to get a cash deal anywhere now - no one wants to touch it in the main dealers.
Even walking into a bank with a few grand to deposit raises eyebrows!
PCP works for some if you like the idea of a monthly cost to have a bike - it just rolls on. It's renting really - they certainly never want you to come to the end of your term.
Most business accountants will tel you to keep your own money in your own bank account and use someone else's through a finance deal if it's available.

Personally the only finance I look at is something I can pay off quickly if I change my mind about the bike - pointless being lumbered with something you don't really want.
But I do agree - it's nice to simply own your bike. No complications.

 

[Wrinkly]

The PCP deal costs you at least £4000.00 just on interest charges for a high spec 1300 GSA. Cash has always been king in my book.

I changed the habit of a lifetime last November. I have always paid for my bikes. After much deliberation I decided to go with a 4 year PCP, 3.9% APR, interest charges are nowhere near £4000.

 

[Clifton]

I changed the habit of a lifetime last November. I have always paid for my bikes. After much deliberation I decided to go with a 4 year PCP, 3.9% APR, interest charges are nowhere near £4000.

Was there a cash back option instead?
Currently here BMW is offering 1.9% for 36 months or $2,500 off.

 

[zoltan]

Reading this thread makes me want to re-consider a 1300 GS purchase...

When the 1200 GS LC came out in 2013(first adopter-beta tester) that had issues, 3 years later most were solved. I recon the 1250 in 2019 was spot on. So it took BM 6 years to get it right...
For me the difference between the 1250 and 1300 is marginal...unless this new M 1300 version is going to be 35Kg lighter I am in

 

[roundincircles]

Likes
1. Costs less than £30,000
2. Flexible and grunty engine
3. Replaced gearbox changes gears
4. Hamburger button looks lovely
5. Engine revs like a Multistrada; use your imagination

Dislikes

1. The bars need lifting up and back for comfort; I have a long back and short arms
2. The switchgear is not backlit.
3. The tank capacity has been reduced
4. The supplied rider's seat is crazy uncomfortable, whereas the previous model was all-day comfy
5. Costs more than £20,000 if optioned in TE etc

 

[TaskMule]

Biggest disappointment , the way the gas cap and phone compartment latches snap shut. Most unsatisfying.

 

[Fiddlesticks]

1. The bars need lifting up and back for comfort

Yes!
Bars, screen, pegs, seat. All needed tweaking.

 

[roundincircles]

Yes!
Bars, screen, pegs, seat. All needed tweaking.

It’s a great bike, though, especially for touring.

 

[Fiddlesticks]

Noticed something else this evening. Set cruise control to 30. Entered a roundabout, started to lean the bike, cruise control thinks - "I know better than the idiot with the bike licence up there, I'll drop the power".

Not by much, admittedly, but it's not helpful part way through a turn.

Don't get me wrong, I really like the bike, but certain "features" are a bit frustrating.