GS v S1000 Sports Tourer, which would you choose and why?

What is it with BMW these days? The reason I was drawn to a GS in the first place was that BMW’s were quirky, innovative and had loads of character – i.e. telelever, boxer and shaft drive. Modern BMW’s, whilst very good motorcycles seem to have lost all of those selling points. Recent bikes seem to be copying age old Japanese designs and passing these off as something new and special – i.e. F800GS = telescopic forks, chain drive, parallel twin = XTZ750. The S1000 bitsa above looks to me to be nothing more than a blinged up Fazer 1000 – which admittedly is a great bike but hardly innovative.

I’ll take a test ride nevertheless – just to make sure:)
 
Got to agree. The appeal of the GS to me is the flat twin and telelever suspension. How is the S1000 better than the competition ?
 
The bog standard vanilla WC GS has a stated tank capacity of 20 litres, itself the same or similar its previous (pre-WC) incarnations.

The RR and R variants have 17.50 litres, just 2.5 litres less. Given that bods have toured quite happily on the 20 litre GS (and on the RR) and that 2.50 litres equates to only about 25 miles, just how large does the tank really have to be? Or is it like panniers, that they HAVE to be HUGE (and fitted) even if they are empty.... Or rammed full?
 
Not a great pic , though looking forward to a test ride

Prop

Truly ugly, bland and UJM looking (Fazer anybody?) with a no doubt fast but characterless in-line four engine.

I'm not sure I get why a many people would move from a GS to this as they are such different types of bike?

That is of course on the asumption that people buy a GS beacuse they like twins, the handling characteristics of a telelever front end and the ability to do more than just a potholed road when off roading and not because it's the current 'must have'?

Mmmmm...........I guess the 'Fazer' might sell pretty well then ;)

Andres
 
The bog standard vanilla WC GS has a stated tank capacity of 20 litres, itself the same or similar its previous (pre-WC) incarnations.

The RR and R variants have 17.50 litres, just 2.5 litres less. Given that bods have toured quite happily on the 20 litre GS (and on the RR) and that 2.50 litres equates to only about 25 miles, just how large does the tank really have to be? Or is it like panniers, that they HAVE to be HUGE (and fitted) even if they are empty.... Or rammed full?

Please sir, please sir!

I've just got back from Spain on my Husky dirt bike which has a hoooge tank (not) and it was a real problem (not).

.....................I'll be back out there in five weeks traversing the great Iberian peninsula (and back) on a bike with a 4 litre tank :)

Andres

Edit: Thankfully there is a hoooooge 0.4 litre reserve!
 
Tank capacity needs to be 200 miles and the litres to full needs to be 200 miles as does the litres to empty.........200 miles. That's 200 miles then.
 


I did 15000 miles on a MTS which had about 150 mile tank range and less when thrashed.

I often tour in the Alps. Most days are 200 to 350 miles and a 200 mile tank range gets you to the next fill up if you are having a mad moment of fun thrashing the bike up a pass and down the next one.

I once entered the Grimsel with an indicated 80 miles left to empty but never got above 3rd and often in second.....mpg dropped to 30.... And had to freewheel all the way from the top, overtaking cars who thought Ducati were testing an electric bike.......a 200 mile tank range lets you have fun between fuel stops.
 
I'm lazy and only want to have to fill up once a day on tour.

The 250-300 mile range of my RT was perfect, the 190 miles range of my GS is slightly frustrating.

You should have got a GSA!:P

I did 15000 miles on a MTS which had about 150 mile tank range and less when thrashed.

I often tour in the Alps. Most days are 200 to 350 miles and a 200 mile tank range gets you to the next fill up if you are having a mad moment of fun thrashing the bike up a pass and down the next one.

I once entered the Grimsel with an indicated 80 miles left to empty but never got above 3rd and often in second.....mpg dropped to 30.... And had to freewheel all the way from the top, overtaking cars who thought Ducati were testing an electric bike.......a 200 mile tank range lets you have fun between fuel stops.

I can see your point, but when we went on tour in May, there were plenty of petrol stations around, the longest distance between them being about 50 miles. With a smaller tank, you just have to fill up slightly earlier.:thumb
 
You should have got a GSA!:P

I didn't like the old GSA as much as the standard GS due to it's softer suspension and higher CoG....and I have stumpy legs :P

I may try the new one though when it comes to renewal time as it doesn't seem as tall and it can now be ordered with a lower seat.
 
You should have got a GSA!:P



I can see your point, but when we went on tour in May, there were plenty of petrol stations around, the longest distance between them being about 50 miles. With a smaller tank, you just have to fill up slightly earlier.:thumb

So filling up when the tank is half empty is the solution.......not convinced......give me 200 mile tank range!
 
So filling up when the tank is half empty is the solution.......not convinced......give me 200 mile tank range!

Half full, dear boy, half full!:D

Once you know how many miles the bike will do on a tank, zero the clock, then fill up when you know you've got 30 miles or less in the tank.:rob

People travel abroad with bikes with much smaller tank ranges.:thumb
 
I want to be riding my bike not sitting in a fuel station! Especially if it won't take UK cards..............lol
 
I'm stepping out bravely on Sunday..... 300 odd miles and a 14 litre tank... It might even rain!
 


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