GS or GS TE ?

[beaver]

Hi again

looking around there are a lot of TE spec's out there but the normal GS is a good £1000 / 1500 cheaper for the same year / miles..

AS I INTEND TO KEEP THE BIKE... is it worth going for the TE version... I know I lose suspention adjust / cruise / led front light BUT... I'm not right into gizmo's, I'll not put mega miles on the bike and after a few years, are these bits going to cost if they go wrong?

As a keeper.. is it best to go basic?? the std bike has ABS / traction / grips etc?????. Any thoughts

 

[Pansmiker]

I think you answer your own question when you say you are not into gizmos.

If you see no benefit in having these extras then why would you pay for them? I have a TE but like all the extras so you pays your money etc

 

[Deleted account 191119001]

The eye is in the beholder, or something like that, evolution is a must......

 

[beaver]

Do they de-value the bike going forward as things start to fail (probably not)??..
Have a mate in the car game... and they strugle big time with cheap cars that have lots of ECU's etc.. after a bit, they are not worth getting as they can cost more to repair and people won't buy them... not saying its the same here, but you know what I mean....
but for the occasional blast and a bit of distance once a year... will I miss the TE stuff?... lets face it.. I did thousands of miles on my 1979 RS and that nearly didnt have a seat LOL.. mind you, I was 30 years younger

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

As a keeper.. is it best to go basic?? the std bike has ABS / traction / grips etc?????. Any thoughts

If you don't need it and you don't want it, then don't buy it

 

[Geekay]

It’s worth looking around at the “basic” ones to see what options they have had fitted.

The whole “TE” model thing is, as I understand it, a purely British thing. In other markets you buy a gs and you add to it the bits you want and leave the bits you don’t.

Much like cars, options fitted at new aren’t really valued on a used bike. But curiously the TE model retains value as a specific model. So you may find a base model which has lots of options on it but is still priced as a standard model.

I bought a gsa base model in December that has every box ticked except the led headlight but was around £1500-£2000 less than an equivalent year and mileage gsa TE.

It has the lot. GSAP, riding modes pro, abs pro, heated grips, cruise, pro computer, gps prep, tpms - everything except the led headlight. I know when I trade it in I’ll get the “oh it’s a basic model” but I paid so much less for it to start with!


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[autogs]

i bought what most people will think is an odd spec gs,led lamp and inds,heated grips,gps prep,but no esa(the bikes i rode at the time all seemed to have harsh susp),no cruise or computer pro,do i miss any of this ? no.was it a lot cheaper yes,am i happy with the bike ? def yes,buy the bike you want not what they want to sell you.

 

[Blackal]

Hi again

looking around there are a lot of TE spec's out there but the normal GS is a good £1000 / 1500 cheaper for the same year / miles..

AS I INTEND TO KEEP THE BIKE... is it worth going for the TE version... I know I lose suspention adjust / cruise / led front light BUT... I'm not right into gizmo's, I'll not put mega miles on the bike and after a few years, are these bits going to cost if they go wrong?

As a keeper.. is it best to go basic?? the std bike has ABS / traction / grips etc?????. Any thoughts

Check exactly what is on the "basic" bike, as some things could be added at original order.

If I was looking at a S/H LC as a keeper - I would try for a basic one, and spend money on at least a Wilbers/Ohlins shock on the rear, and if flush - similar on the front.

In the long run you will have a better bike.

 

[Engineer]

Hi again

looking around there are a lot of TE spec's out there but the normal GS is a good £1000 / 1500 cheaper for the same year / miles..

AS I INTEND TO KEEP THE BIKE... is it worth going for the TE version... I know I lose suspention adjust / cruise / led front light BUT... I'm not right into gizmo's, I'll not put mega miles on the bike and after a few years, are these bits going to cost if they go wrong?

As a keeper.. is it best to go basic?? the std bike has ABS / traction / grips etc?????. Any thoughts

If you want a ‘keeper’ then go as basic as you can - far more likely to be able the keep the thing running in the long term.

 

[beaver]

Cheers guys.. last two post are where I'm at...; Wilbers etc...
The bike has ABS, 2 stage traction and computer.. that it (will have heater grips)... but yes.. I can then mess with it as I want... may be a plan!!

 

[Blackal]

Cheers guys.. last two post are where I'm at...; Wilbers etc...
The bike has ABS, 2 stage traction and computer.. that it (will have heater grips)... but yes.. I can then mess with it as I want... may be a plan!!

Unless you get a deal on a pair of Wilber's, just buy the rear first - as I don't think the front shock has quite as much effect on handling on a tele lever bike.

Go for a rear shock with remote preload, and specify the spring according to your weight with clothes on. Revs Racing will guide you through the choosing.

 

[beaver]

I think you answer your own question when you say you are not into gizmos.

If you see no benefit in having these extras then why would you pay for them? I have a TE but like all the extras so you pays your money etc

are they gizmo's or are they very usefull?.. my 2010 twincam was bog basic.. not even ABS.. but was fine for me... but ??...

 

[the woodster]

are they gizmo's or are they very usefull?.. my 2010 twincam was bog basic.. not even ABS.. but was fine for me... but ??...

Some are almost essentials TO ME but some less so. I wouldn't be without ABS, traction control, and heated grips. oh, and cruise control. The rest I'd miss a bit if they went but would quickly forget.

Buy the bike you want to ride, not the one you want to sell. You will pay less and get less if you sell. Simple economics. Go for it !!

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Me, I'd buy a base bike
I'm a Luddite though

 

[beaver]

yes.. think thats the way to go.. Lets face it.. ABS, Traction will all be new to me anyway... how many more new things could I cope with LOL.. don't mind getting the spanner on the shocks to adjust them... and Wilbers on the rear... I also have a cruise control from my old GS.. one that goes in the bar end and its a wheel that screws up to hold the throttle...
Luddite here also...

I do like the new LED headlights though.. work really well.. wonder if you can fit them?

 

[Neil W]

Went from a s/hand basic r1150gs to a new basic 2011 r1200gsa tc to a new 2014 r1200gsa lc te and I now own a new r1200gsa lc basic (with the options I actually want ) and NO ESA and this one is going to be a keeper

 

[Mr Derek]

I'd buy the TE. I like the ESA as it is so easy to adjust for solo, pillion, luggage etc and although it can go wrong, most of the issues with the GS seem to be corrosion and finish, which applies to all GSs, not just TEs

You might not need some of the gizmos, but would probably use them as you got more used to the bike. Over the course of the lifetime of the bike, which you plan to keep, the cost would be a minor consideration. If you get fed up and decide to sell, a TE will have a much bigger audience than a basic GS.

I also get my bike dealer serviced as I am a mechanical numpty with a healthy credit card,so if it does go wrong, it gets fixed. Mind you, my 2013 GS TE has 45k on the clock and hasn't let me down ever and sailed through its MOT last week.

 

[littleade]

Do your research into the differences between them so you can test the extras available on the TE then test ride them both and decide if you'll use the extras or not. I bought a GS thinking I'd not want GSAP. It's on my new one as standard and it made me realise not to discount something without trying it 1st

 

[beaver]

Went from a s/hand basic r1150gs to a new basic 2011 r1200gsa tc to a new 2014 r1200gsa lc te and I now own a new r1200gsa lc basic (with the options I actually want ) and NO ESA and this one is going to be a keeper

Interesting

What didn't you like about the ESA?

whats GSAP???

 

[littleade]

Gear shift assist pro....or a quickshifter on lesser bikes