GSA Would I get bored quickly?

[Simon.B]

Spent 18 years riding various sports bikes, but moved over to a GSA earlier this year.

Best decision I ever made, Ive had more fun riding the GSA than I ever did on a sports bike. The biggest benefit is not being crippled after riding for more than 2 hours or so.

Buy a GS or GSA you won't regret it

 

[thosoneill]

I want a bike with character

K1300R

 

[sven]

K1300R

Stop it!! I'm trying to resist the s/h one they have in at Allan Jefferies at the moment

 

[Rob Farmer]

wish I`d bought one now

Like my old one Steve

 

[Spike]

Spent the last ten mins reading this thread as i am in the same position.

I took a 2003 GS to Rimini for the moto GP 4 years ago and i loved it so now its time to buy one for myself.
I have a gixxer 1000 and a zx12r that need to go first but i truley believe I will not miss them.
I like to get off this little island once in a while and its normally to France, now was there in the summer on the ZX with the wife on the back and doing 80mph just did not seem fast enough for it, I try not to ride as fast as I can these days.

The only problem I found with the GS I borrowed was that fully laden and 2 up it did not like long sweeping corners on a motorway, it tended to wallow alot to the point I was getting a bit panicky of loosing the backend. I am sure this can be rectified with a stronger spring and it still had not put me off wanting a GSA.

spike

 

[MartinB]

Answering a question with a question

WOULD YOU HAVE GONE OUT TODAY ON A SPORTS BIKE ?

No, probably not.

I not only went out today, but I was out yesterday as well. The highest temp I saw was 7 Deg. yesterday, the lowest 2 Deg this morning.

The GS/GSA's seem so much more useable than sports bikes especially on greasy slippery roads. but that might just be my lack of talent !

As for the previous post regarding wallowing on the motorways. Try one with ESA, switch it into Sport mode and just ride it


BUT IT, RIDE IT, ENJOY

 

[haydw]

A good few years ago I was asking myself the very same question- I had a sportsbike - albeit an old one (FZR1000 Exup, but it had been played with) and wanted something a bit different. I originally thought about a R1100S Boxercup but couldn't quite stretch to it at the time, and spotted a 5yr old mint 1150GS with less than 8k miles on it at Williams BMW. I never test rode it, but liked the look of it and took the plunge.

Coming off a sportsbike with close on 130bhp to an aircooled heavy lump that wobbled it idle and would run out of puff really easy was a bit of a culture shock, and my first impression of it was f*ck- what have I done??

The following weekend, myself and Mrs Haydw went to the lakes. It was a revelation- I could ride the roads without been thrown around, and actually used torque instead of revs. After a year or so, we had our first foreign holiday on it. I was totally converted.

My 1150 now has 58k on it from holidays, work, days out- its survived being nearly drowned, and have had the unpleasant experience of a Ford Ka trying to write it off with me still aboard. About 16 months ago I bought a 1200GSA, but Mrs Haydw insisted that we keep the 1150. The 1200GSA is different to the 1150 in many ways, and I cannot choose between them. The 1200 has given me no end of grief and financial headaches lately, but I have just been very unlucky. Been out the last two days for a bimble on it and I have fallen in love with it all over again.

If you are still of the sportsbike mind, then don't discount an 1150- any saving you make against a 1200 can be used for a sportsbike. You will find though that for most of the time you will end up with the GS and wonder why you have a sportsbike sat doing nowt in the garage.

 

[Rasher]

The only problem I found with the GS I borrowed was that fully laden and 2 up it did not like long sweeping corners on a motorway, it tended to wallow alot to the point I was getting a bit panicky of loosing the backend. I am sure this can be rectified with a stronger spring and it still had not put me off wanting a GSA.

spike

My ZZR1400 wallowed a lot two-up and loaded on fast sweepers, even after firming it up it was still a bit wallowy two up and horrible with luggage until I threw some cash at it.

Wallowing is normally a sign of insufficient damping, I bet you never twiddled the adjuster?

Both the test bike GS (With ESA) and the one I bought wallowed one up "out of the box" with the ESA bike I found sports mode dialled it out, on the bike I bought it took about 30 seconds to add some damping to fix it.

Not gone anywhere with luggage yet, but mine is fine two-up and if it does struggle when I load it up I will just buy a better shock (probably will anyway)

Many people spend £10k plus on a bike and put up with poor suspension (or suspension they ain't happy with) then throw a fortune at carbon tat and noisy pipes that do bugger all, just an extra few hundred quid on suspension can make a huge difference to the handling and enjoyment of every ride.

I have adjusted the suspenion on every bike I ever owned, and modified many of them, I know lots of owners are happy with stock set-ups which is great, but if your not happy just sort it out

 

[Whele]

Its an easy decision in my book , Keep the Duc and add a second hand winter/touring/pillion bike to your stable.

Best of both worlds.

However I recommend test riding a number of bikes before making your choice. I test rode the 1150GSA and after a lifetime of sports bikes it was like an elephant. No-way could I live with something so big. I ended up getting a KTM 990 as these were a bit more nimble on the road and in the dirt than the GS range and seemed to fit my riding style and satisfied my love of V twins.

But......on a hot summers day, sun on my back, its the Duc everytime. No GS/KTM/fat touring bike will ever get the pulse racing like red exotica. I also love doing the occasional trackdays with friends and I would not do these if I had only a GS/KTM.

Life is too short to have only one bike and expect it to do everything.

 

[Spike]

I went out yesterday on the gixxer 1000 and was looking at my mate on his triumph speed tripple and all I could think of was, I bet his wrist are not aching.
Got back home though and looked at the bike and thought, I will miss you for what you do but needs must and it has to go, looking forward to doing lots of touring with the mrs.

The susspension issue I had could probably have been sorted had it been my nike and had loads of time to play with it, but seeing as I was on route to rimani for a holiday I put up with it, I learned to ride around the problem. but what I did like about the bike the most as people have said on here the B roads just get soaked up and rough surfaces or like not even noticed.

really looking forward to selling my bikes and coming over to the UK to buy a GS of some sort.

Spike

 

[kokoro]

Get the 1100 mate if you can .best of all the GSs

 

[Big Jessie]

GS all the way

Had loads of jap bikes from step through 50cc to honda cbx 6 cylinders,i have an aprilia rsv R had to put a riser kit on it cos the back and wrist ache was very bad , i love my arsevee now but bought a gs1100 so missus could come out with me [ arsevee is single seat] anyway hres where being honest comes into the equation, dont want to get april dirty, dont want to put miles on it due to losses ie value[its only done 16k which some would say is high mileage , ridiculouse i know , the gs is one of the best bikes i have ever ridden, good on tit , handling is fantastic and i think i would maybe go quicker on gs once im used to it , been out in pi!1ng rain on shit up roads and loved it, the gs will be staying ,and one month ago i would have laughed at the thought of ever owning a beem, Big [happy as a pig in poo] Jessie