GSA Testride

[Alchemy]

Always preferred the look of the GSA over the standard GS but always thought it would be too much of a handful for me. I’m a shorter rider so when I noticed a factory low GSA in my local dealers I wanted a go!
Absolutely loved it. It didn’t really feel a lot bigger than my standard GS, which is also a factory low version. Definitely felt different though, it just seemed to float along the road beautifully. No slouch either, plenty of punch out the bends.
Huge difference in brakes too. My bike has the Hayes two piece calibers, this bike, 24 plate, had the Brembos. What a difference. They felt much nicer to me, much more progressive and refined, much nicer feel to them. Never found the Hayes ones lacking in stopping power by any means but these Brembos were in a different league.
Even though I came away really impressed, I won’t be buying it. It’s just too expensive and they offered me a shite trade-in price for my 20 plate GS.
I’m happy enough with my current bike but if I’m honest I just like the look of the GSA. Not a good enough reason to part with several thousand quid really I guess.

 

[siddo]

Cest la vie.
The GSA looks better proportioned with the bigger tank, to me.
I really dislike the look of the engine proportions against the GS.

 

[glenn2926]

Always preferred the look of the GSA over the standard GS but always thought it would be too much of a handful for me. I’m a shorter rider so when I noticed a factory low GSA in my local dealers I wanted a go!
Absolutely loved it. It didn’t really feel a lot bigger than my standard GS, which is also a factory low version. Definitely felt different though, it just seemed to float along the road beautifully. No slouch either, plenty of punch out the bends.
Huge difference in brakes too. My bike has the Hayes two piece calibers, this bike, 24 plate, had the Brembos. What a difference. They felt much nicer to me, much more progressive and refined, much nicer feel to them. Never found the Hayes ones lacking in stopping power by any means but these Brembos were in a different league.
Even though I came away really impressed, I won’t be buying it. It’s just too expensive and they offered me a shite trade-in price for my 20 plate GS.
I’m happy enough with my current bike but if I’m honest I just like the look of the GSA. Not a good enough reason to part with several thousand quid really I guess.

Well, I’ve no idea what your current bike is but I’ve never heard of Hayes callipers as my last two bikes (Triumph tiger Rally Pro 900 and current bike R1250GSA) have both had Brembo Stylemo callipers. Both these bikes are 2022 models so maybe the Hayes were earlier bikes. I’m a shorter rider at 5’8” with a 30” inside leg and the standard height GSA is no problem. I’m almost flat footed on it. I got a reasonable trade in on my Rally Pro so for me the 2022 R1250GSA is a good choice.

 

[Alchemy]

Well, I’ve no idea what your current bike is but I’ve never heard of Hayes callipers as my last two bikes (Triumph tiger Rally Pro 900 and current bike R1250GSA) have both had Brembo Stylemo callipers. Both these bikes are 2022 models so maybe the Hayes were earlier bikes. I’m a shorter rider at 5’8” with a 30” inside leg and the standard height GSA is no problem. I’m almost flat footed on it. I got a reasonable trade in on my Rally Pro so for me the 2022 R1250GSA is a good choice.

The Hayes calipers are the BMW branded calipers that were fitted to the first 1250s. I think there were issues with them leaking and after a couple of years they seemed to have ditched the hayes units and went back to brembo. Mine have never leaked and they are plenty powerful enough but I really liked the feel of the brakes on the GSA I test rode and they were brembo. It was a 2024 gsa rally.

 

[glenn2926]

The Hayes calipers are the BMW branded calipers that were fitted to the first 1250s. I think there were issues with them leaking and after a couple of years they seemed to have ditched the hayes units and went back to brembo. Mine have never leaked and they are plenty powerful enough but I really liked the feel of the brakes on the GSA I test rode and they were brembo. It was a 2024 gsa rally.

Mine is a 2022 Rally and it has the Brembo callipers. I’ve had it a week and so far so good. My old bike the Rally Pro had the same callipers so not much difference really. Don’t think about the height too much as I’m not tall by any stretch and manage it just fine.

 

[the woodster]

Always preferred the look of the GSA over the standard GS but always thought it would be too much of a handful for me. I’m a shorter rider so when I noticed a factory low GSA in my local dealers I wanted a go!
Absolutely loved it. It didn’t really feel a lot bigger than my standard GS, which is also a factory low version. Definitely felt different though, it just seemed to float along the road beautifully. No slouch either, plenty of punch out the bends.
Huge difference in brakes too. My bike has the Hayes two piece calibers, this bike, 24 plate, had the Brembos. What a difference. They felt much nicer to me, much more progressive and refined, much nicer feel to them. Never found the Hayes ones lacking in stopping power by any means but these Brembos were in a different league.
Even though I came away really impressed, I won’t be buying it. It’s just too expensive and they offered me a shite trade-in price for my 20 plate GS.
I’m happy enough with my current bike but if I’m honest I just like the look of the GSA. Not a good enough reason to part with several thousand quid really I guess.

1250 or 1300 GSA?

 

[Alchemy]

1250 or 1300 GSA?

1250. 1300 doesn't grab me at all. I should ride one before judging, a lot of people say they're fantastic.

 

[the woodster]

1250. 1300 doesn't grab me at all. I should ride one before judging, a lot of people say they're fantastic.

I've ridden both and I was surprised how much I liked the 1300GSA. I'd never buy one but they've worked some magic on it to reduce the impression of bulk (Not that I minded that on the 1250). It was the ASA version and it's heresy to say it on here but I really liked it. OK, the auto mode is a bit jerky but I'm sure that will be sorted. 'Manual' mode was fantastic and solves the GSAP problems in the lower gears.

 

[Adrian]

Having owned a 1200 GSA, 1200GS and a 1250GS, I've now gone back to a 1150GSA which I think suits me. We all have our preferences!

 

[Alchemy]

We do indeed, for me right now it's my 1250. However, should a lowered GSA present itself some time in the future when I've got a bit more cash handy then I'll be seriously tempted.

 

[Spook1969]

Don’t think BMW ever fitted Stylema brakes to the GS/GSA. Most of the early bikes had BMW branded calipers made by Hayes, there was a short section of time where you could reject the BMW ones and specify/replace with Brembo but they weren’t Stylemas. Sounds like someone has upgraded your bike glenn2926.

 

[glenn2926]

Don’t think BMW ever fitted Stylema brakes to the GS/GSA. Most of the early bikes had BMW branded calipers made by Hayes, there was a short section of time where you could reject the BMW ones and specify/replace with Brembo but they weren’t Stylemas. Sounds like someone has upgraded your bike glenn2926.

I’m guessing they’re stylema calipers as they look like my Rally Pro calipers which are Stylema ones.