I want one, but I'm scared

[dokotela]

Hi Everyone,

I have reached that age when my back and neck are dictating what I should ride, and I now need a bike that is upright, and comfortable, particularly for my neck. I have always ridden Triumphs, and currently ride a Street Triple, which is a hoot, but involves me extending my neck, causing numbness and pain in my right hand.
A good friend of mine with an 800GS took me out and I test rode a 12GS for 3 hours. Like most people who post here, I LOVED it, and found I was inspired by the handling, to the extent that I thrashed my mate who was with me for the first time in my life, and that's on a test bike that if I dropped, I would have to fork out £1000. I begun to imagine how fast I could be once I got to know the bike.

My dilemma is the height and weight. I have short legs (32 " inside leg) and despite the lowered seat on the test bike, I am still nervous that it will topple if I come to a halt too quickly at a junction etc. Having had my old Sprint ST topple onto me twice, its something I would like to avoid.

My question is aimed at all those fellow shorties out there ( no offence intended): are these big beasts manageable by little fellows like myself?

I already know the answer to "should I get one", so won't bother asking the forum that question.

Cheers.

 

[oblertone]

They all ...

... get dropped at some point; the upside being that it does very little harm, picking it up agian fully laden is another matter but it's amazing what adrenalin can achieve

You are not the shortest by any means, just try and avoid 'aftermarket' seats as they tend to be wider, which forces your legs apart and restricts reach.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Hi Everyone,


My dilemma is the height and weight. I have short legs (32 " inside leg) and despite the lowered seat on the test bike

I am still nervous that it will topple if I come to a halt too quickly at a junction etc.

My question is aimed at all those fellow shorties out there ( no offence intended): are these big beasts manageable by little fellows like myself?



Cheers.

I'm only a 31" leg and manage with a 1150GSA (Lardy) with a Corbin Seat (wider and higher) and Ohlins (higher) ..................than stock 1150GSA format and have no probs

12GS............you'll be flat footed, so you'll be fine

 

[Taff]

Once you get going the weight issue evaporates into thin air. Obviously though you have to stop sometime, but avoid adverse cambers, slippery garage forecourts etc or be extra careful.

 

[UturnTony]

i've got the short leg problem and have gone over twice but not for a while now as i have got used to making sure i stop/park where i am ok. once you get confidence with it you'll be fine. trust me

 

[timeandtide]

Shorter legs than you now on my second 12 and had a 990 inbetween.
I stay clear of the low seat as it makes my knees ache.
No probs with bike (5' 8" & 30"+ i/s leg)

 

[Aran]

Crash bars

Don't forget- unlike the Sprint, you can stick a dirty big set of crash bars on the GS without ruining the looks. Then dropping it will only be a matter of pride.
Why do think I put a set of bars on mine?

Aran

And for the record, you didn't thrash me: you just got away!!

 

[notpc]

A 32-inch inside leg isn't short - you'll be fine with the seat in the standard position, although you might like to start with it set low until you get more confidence.

 

[Mr K]

I ride a 1200GS and found the 800GS courtesy bike I was loaned taller.

Try a 1200 for size...

 

[muppix]

My inside leg is 32" and I prefer my 1200's seat on the higher of the two positions. You'll be absolutely fine.

 

[SteveJohnson]

5'6" with 29" inside leg.

Had a 1200GS for 18 months with low seat. Dropped once in the middle of York with the missus on the back. Had crash bars so no damage apart from pride.

Had a loan 800GS and toppled over at a junction, cost me £250 insurance excess which made it a pretty expensive service on my bike!

Now have an airhead 100GS with standard seat. So far, no dramas.

One thing that has helped is doing some off road riding. I had a day of instruction from a chap several inches shorter than me and he taught me some good techniques. The most useful being as follows: When coming up to a halt, make a decision which foot to put down (depending on camber etc), then slip that bum cheek off seat and will be able to get the selected foot down whilst the other foot remains on its peg.

Works for me (touch wood) and I now feel confident on my Huskie 250 enduro which is much taller (albeit lighter) than a GS.

Steve

 

[Paul G (BHT)]

I ride a 1200GS and found the 800GS courtesy bike I was loaned taller.

Try a 1200 for size...

You're on the sherbet again aren't you.... here you go

A good friend of mine with an 800GS took me out and I test rode a 12GS for 3 hours

 

[Mr K]

You're on the sherbet again aren't you.... here you go

Get a load of you with your own teeth!

Damn you and your facts and reason!

I'm off to check out a Merlot and burn a pizza....



PS: Did the OP mean 32cm inside leg?

 

[Ian M]

You will be fine with the 1200. As others have said, I find that the 800 feels taller. As others have said, look where you’re stopping. As others have said, the lowered seat doesn’t do your knees any good and I find that the most comfortable position for my 31½” leg is with the standard seat set high at the front and low at the back. But, to add something new in the way of information, use the ESA to your advantage; so if, for example, you need to manoeuvre the bike onto the wet & slippery deck of a ferry, make sure that you’ve got the ESA set on the lowest possible pre-load. That makes the bike as low as it possibly can be when you’ve got to reach the floor. Reset it again to the right load condition when you’re finished faffing around.

 

[Dave78]

You've got longer legs than me (only 29inch) and I'd like a GSA... Currently running around in a R1100RS.. which is actually heavier than a R1200GS.. but abit lighter than a GSA..

My plan will be to get a low GS seat on the GSA to start with - build up my confidence, move to a GS seat.. and take it from there - might go to a GSA seat..

Am at the moment holding off buying one till the mrs has passed her test so then I don't have a pillion to consider, all the while building confidence on the highest seat setting..

Get some crash bars, and the worse will be you put a dent in them.. battle scars look cool and anyway you can always make up a good story as how you got them, rather than I dropped it at the traffic lights on the way to ...

 

[dokotela]

Thanks very much for all the feedback. I appreciate it.
When I did the test ride I had the low seat 1200GS and found only the balls of my feet were on the ground, and not the whole foot.

My second question concerns reliability. I have read some rather alarming posts about final drive failure and fuel pump issues.
I know there are threads dedicated specifically to these issues, but is the overall experience of MOST people a good one, re reliability. I come from a background of Hinckley Triumphs that have never, ever broken on me.

Cheers

 

[Ian M]

I tend to aim at getting one foot securely on the floor, rather than tip toes for both feet – it just feels more stable for me, but I am sure you’ll develop your own style.

Reliability? Last October, I had completed 50,000+ miles on a VFR, which only ever required routine servicing/tyres/pads. In the past year, I have done just over 8,000 miles on a 59 plate 1200GS. Compared with the Viffer, services are every 6,000 miles (not 4,000), tyres have lasted just over 8,000 miles (about twice what the VFR did) and it’s needed an unexpected headlamp bulb. Fuel consumption’s almost exactly the same as the VFR. So, I reckon BMW reliability’s on a par with Honda so far and the running costs are lower.

Stop worrying and buy one.

 

[notpc]

Ian M - thanks for the point about using ESA to get nearer the ground. I don't have it on my current GS, but that's another reason in its favour for when I change.

 

[Wrigsby1]

"I've dropped every bike I've owned and a couple that I haven't!" Well nearly...

A drop isn't a crash and GS's have very well made drop protection called the cylinder and the panniers You will have more cred when you regale folk with stories of deserts and wadi's when in fact it was Tesco's carpark with an extra bottle of red in the top box

Don't worry and buy one...

 

[JPB]

I have shorter legs than you, weight 10 1/2 stone and dropped mine three times during the first year of ownership. Crash bars prevented any damage and with the right technique lifting it back up again was easy. Go for it - they're great bikes and you'll be fine!