Help novice biker looking to a GS

[GS-Pupil]

After spending at least 2 days of company time reading and enjoying this site I have decided to register to seek some qaulity advice. Consious that the site is for the more experienced I am a green as it gets

I have been commuting in London on a Scooter for 3 years, I took my DSA last year and am now considering my first step into proper biking. I spend my journey to work choosing which type of
bike would appeal to me and the GS seems to be the only bike that excites me. I am 31, 6'4" and 19 stone getting on a Jap bike is not what Im after. Where to start looking is a mine field, the options list is endless, the prices vary. Ive been to Park Lane but cant help feeling that they only want to sell new and shift an expensive second hand bike on to me.

I think I want an 1150, ABS, heated grips, high saddle, engine guards, panniers/topbox. What else should I consider I want to budget 5-7K, where do I go for insurance, what to look out for etc?

Ive only driven my Dads 1958 Triumph Tiger 150 and the CB500 Test bike. I have had a X9 125cc first and then a 500cc X9 maxi scooter for the last 3 months, Which dealer should I go to for a test drive, Am I taking on more than my experience allows with such a large heavy bike.

Looking for some sound and much appriciated advice.

 

[Roge]

After spending at least 2 days of company time reading and enjoying this site I have decided to register to seek some qaulity advice. Consious that the site is for the more experienced I am a green as it gets

I have been commuting in London on a Scooter for 3 years, I took my DSA last year and am now considering my first step into proper biking. I spend my journey to work choosing which type of
bike would appeal to me and the GS seems to be the only bike that excites me. I am 31, 6'4" and 19 stone getting on a Jap bike is not what Im after. Where to start looking is a mine field, the options list is endless, the prices vary. Ive been to Park Lane but cant help feeling that they only want to sell new and shift an expensive second hand bike on to me.

I think I want an 1150, ABS, heated grips, high saddle, engine guards, panniers/topbox. What else should I consider I want to budget 5-7K, where do I go for insurance, what to look out for etc?

Ive only driven my Dads 1958 Triumph Tiger 150 and the CB500 Test bike. I have had a X9 125cc first and then a 500cc X9 maxi scooter for the last 3 months, Which dealer should I go to for a test drive, Am I taking on more than my experience allows with such a large heavy bike.

Looking for some sound and much appriciated advice.

Its a big heavy bike you are quite right there but then again like me you are a big heavy bloke so it should not be an issue.

You should be looking for a bike with ABS as it is a factory option and not normally a retro fit no doubt some one on here will contradict this statment and will have fitted it with a bit of wire and some bent metal from Vern. All the other stuff you mention is argued over some where on this BB as to which is the best/cheapest/who should supply it etc etc.
The budget you have should get you a good bike age condition and to some extent extras will fine tune the price. I have had a ball taking a bog standard bike and adding heated grips, adventure tan, crash bars, fogs/spots MRA screen, panniers and Wunderlich this Touratech that and bits from Nippy Norms................... its been part of the fun.

as to whether you will like it get down to a dealer and book a good long test ride take it away ride it an when out of site prod it and poke it and make up your mind. if you are in London it would be worth meeting up with Steptoe or any of the other guys in the smoke.

There are bikes for sale on this site and the BMW Club site http://www.bmrider.com/forums/ or GS Club UK http://www.gsclubuk.org/

As to insurance try the dealer for a quote and compare it with Carole Nash or any of the other brokers, the BMW club journal is usually good for aledgedly specialist people like Footman James

Good luck

 

[Nige]

I was pretty much like you three years ago. I had commuted for two years on a scooter but had an off in the rain on a bad camber which I put down to poor grip with the small tyres and a temptation to follow the other scoots zig zgging in and out of traffic. Having passed with direct access the 1150 GS was my first bike and I haven't regretted it. I now use it on business all over the south and west and take it to France.

For a first bike its a pretty large and heavy bike but with care in the first few months I got used to it and never dropped it (at least not until last year!). If you're not into top rush and speed which you get with jap sports bikes the GS is just excellent. The pull in any gear is amazing and it is just such a practical road bike. The sit up position is ideal for commuting, taking away presure on the wrists and giving you good views of traffic and routes through well ahead.

The wide bars do mean you won't be able to squeeze through all the gaps when commuting but their height generally means they pass over car mirrors. The torquey engine just means you can breeze past rows of cars on the outside anyway ( much safer than scooter dodging).

The only major problem I had was wind buffeting at motorway speed (i'm 6'2'') and after trying a wunderlich screen with some improvement, the true Godsend was Andrew Tobins' Tobinators (can be found on this site) which at a cost of £50 have eradicated the problem and made the bike a great all rounder.

Good luck and let me know what you do in the end!

 

[Nige]

I've just seen the post from Roger and agree about ABS. More and more bikes are getting abs now as standard and its cut in at least once with me on a wet road where I probably panic squeezed the brake. As a beginner biker it was reassuring.

I've a BMW top case which has been fine apart from the lock going twice! but Park Lane replaced the whole topcase no problem. Heated grips even in London are nice on a fresh morning.

 

[BawdyMonk]

Good Advice

I agree with whats been said but would add a word of advice regarding this comment...

the options list is endless,

..don't worry about it, buy the bike and then buy what YOU need, don't think you must have a bike like a Xmas tree to enjoy it, you can waste a lot of money on extras for a GS that YOU won't need. The heated grips, ABS and engine bars probably are a neccessity but are you sure you'll need a topbox & panniers? If you aren't remember the topbox is easier for filtering, and you might find a bigger screen would be of more use to you.

Anyway, you've obviously got good taste and A bloke your size should be able to manage a GS, even an Adventure without much problem, if you can get a good Adv, go for it

 

[ELK]

I'm the same height as you, you should be able to handle the GS without drama. I commute every day on a GSA, for me the most useful things are 1) heated grips 2) a topbox 3) i like the additional lights on the GSA, it makes you more visible on those dark rainy nights...
Its true that the handlebars are the same height as a transit vans' but apart from that commuting is fine.
Comfort is fine for commuting (although as you'll have probably read from other posts, the standard seat on the GSA is not nice on a long journey).
Good luck..