GS, F or the darkside V-strom

[Dennis van Dijk]

Keep flipping and turning. It is good we haven't moved back to the UK yet since I cannot seem to make up my mind. Well I can but my wallet cannot. My heart says find a nice 1100GS, but the wallet says that is a lot of money for a ten year old bike. Why don't you buy a F650Gs and save a little and what happens then you go on the web look at autotrader and start comparing prices. Can also buy an almost new V-strom 1000 for the same price as the little GS. don't turn to the dark side.

But the wife has already....SV650S

I wish we didn't have to buy a house, car(s) etc. Maybe a lottery ticket would help. The winning one.

All these choices, probably won't have time to look for a bike for months anyway.

 

[Deleted account 210609001]

Tricky choice, I know, but I envy you being in that exciting "what shall I buy" place. Let us know what you decide. And any two wheeler is better than no two-wheeler at all.

I love my GS, but it's strangely disappointing that I can't think of a different bike I'd rather have. It's nice to have something to lust after, especially if it's realistic. So if finance leads you to something that isn't exactly what you want, at least you'll have something to aspire to.

Robin.

 

[Civey.D]

Distance

The further away from London the cheaper the property (if you go in the right direction) Further away from London the longer the ride to work so need a better bike Easy move further away save a few quid and get yourself a real bike a 1150Adv No time to look for a bike that should be no time to look for a house too busy riding the bike
Stop flipping and turning and start Tossing

 

[Bateman]

I had a similar dilemma last year - a brand new Vstrom or a 2 year old GS1150 which was still a £1000 more. On back to back test rides, I enjoyed the sound of the vstrom and it pulled much better than the GS, but in the back of my mind I still thought "This isn't a GS - will I always be disappointed and feel I chose the wrong bike" I was also told not to judge the GS on the basis of a short test ride. So, I bought the GS and it just got better and better - took a few weeks to really get to like the bike and know that I'd made the right decision. A few months later, my mate bought the VStrom and I took it out for a ride. It was obviously quicker and the headlights were superb, but it felt awful. I didn't feel like I had any presence on the road, the brakes were shocking - I overshot a junction and missed the turn because they were so bad - and somehow it just didn't feel special. I have never thought "did I buy the wrong bike" with the GS, but somehow I think I would always have wondered what it would have been like to have a GS. My mate who bought the Vstrom is selling it in a couple of months - he has had it about 8 months and done less than a 1000 miles onit.

 

[Shaunie]

I can relate to your indecision.

3 years ago I bought a low mileage R1100GS for a whopping £6K. For the following 18 months I loved it and never thought about how much it had cost. Unfortunately it developed intermittent electrical gremlins which despite several visits to the service department could not be traced. It broke down several times and had to be trailered home from Austria. Spoilt our holiday and so it had to go.

I decided I needed a brand new bike for reliability and warranty. I got a new KLV1000 (kawasaki badged v-strom) for £5500. It was a nice bike. Big, very comfortable, great engine, handled well and but it was just a bit bland. Anyway, every time I rode it I like it just a little bit more. It was growing on me...

...until I crashed on loose gravel and wrote it off.

The crash really shook my confidence and I decided I didn't want another big bike just yet. So I replaced it with an F650 GS Dakar. The 650 is another good bike but it has it's drawbacks. Sustained motorway cruising is limited to about 70mph. Above that it feels vague and breathless. Long trips with a pillion are frustrating. It has enough power for one but struggles when 2 up.
It's a lot of fun on the right roads and I quickly got my confidence back...

...to the point where I wanted a bigger bike. I faced the same decision as you. Used R1100GS's are tired and pricey. For the same money you can get a nearly new V-strom/Varadero/Tiger/Caponord, all decent machines. Used 1150's cost more again and often have covered 20-30K miles. For this money you can buy a new jap bike.

After much thought I decided on an 1150. Yes they are expensive but if you can find a low mileage one now, in 2 years it will still be worth good money. If your situation changes, they are sought after and very easy to sell.

The other contenders are certainly good value now, but depreciation is terrible. Motorcycling should be emotive. The v-strom and the 650 I bought with my head. The 1150 I bought with my heart, but I believe it's still the most sensible choice.

 

[VAL. H.]

I had a similar dilemma last year but in the back of my mind I still thought "This isn't a GS - will I always be disappointed and feel I chose the wrong bike" I was also told not to judge the GS on the basis of a short test ride. So, I bought the GS and it just got better and better - took a few weeks to really get to like the bike and know that I'd made the right decision. I have never thought "did I buy the wrong bike" with the GS, but somehow I think I would always have wondered what it would have been like to have a GS.

I found myself in a simular situation. I couldn't justify the money to the milage for a GS 1150, though I knew it was what I really wanted. So I bought a Triumph 1200 tropphy almost new with very low milage. I test rode it with a pillion, I have to say I was well imprest. the handeling was very good (considering I had just sold a GSXR1100) engine braking of a 40 tone truck. It had a big screen and panniers too , and all that plastic Sadly I soon found that I was not overly happy with the quality, the screen gave me a head ake and the panniers leaked.
Thats when I stoped by at NOG the BM deler in Oxford. Test road the 1150adv and the 1200. I pcked up a new 1200 two weeks later Never looked back. I've done 7000 mls now with no problems what so ever The only bike I now aspire to is the 1200adv (ho, and the 1200RT if I gould justify a second bike) but I'll be keeping the 1200GS for at least another year yet.

Don't wast your time and money on the maths. Theres only one answer, it's got BMW writen on it.


Val.H.

 

[JohnC]

Simple. I wanted a GS, and I bought a GS. Second hand 1100 1999 MY. Nothing else would do. I never lost a minutes sleep swithering over any other bike. I wouldnt have been happy till I owned and toured on a boxer GS. My 1100 never missed a beat in over 10K touring miles travelled last year, and I havent looked back since. It's so good it's replaced the car on my 60 mile commute every day, come rain or shine. The 650 is OK, but is a mucho different bike. A short arsed friend recently bought a 650, and after a test I'd be lying if I said it gave me anything like a fraction of the GS experience. Buy a 'real' GS and be at peace

Note: Similar post alert from me on another topic

 

[Butler]

A 650 is a real GS too.

 

[Dennis van Dijk]

Things have been spinning in my mind. But I keep coming back to the GS and that is what is in my hart and not in my wallet. Probably will not make it for this season of riding. We are moving to the UK in May and house, car and stuff have priority. So hopefully the first time I have time to ride again will be in the winter. Hopefully price are a bit lower out of season.

So yes it will be a GS which one, we will see what is left over in the bank account. At least I am booked in for the off road experience at the end of september so I can have a go on a F650GS.

Thanks for all the replies.

 

[JohnC]

A 650 is a real GS too.

Yes of course but you know what I mean

 

[Butler]

Yes of course but you know what I mean

yes, they are quite a different ride, which reminds me.....i wonder what my ex wife's up to these days....