Is (or will it be) the 1200GS your first BMW?

[aristos]

GS1200R is my 5th BMW bike....

Welcome to the BMW family my friend,

It's been more than 15 years that I do owe BMW bikes.
Going back to memories I first bought the K750, then I moved to the K1100LT. Having by then already 2 touring bikes I had make the big move for the K1100RS. To be honest street and sport turing bikes didn't seem to be my favour ones. I then bought my R1150RT. That was a beauty for long distances but it wasn't a toy for riding uphills etc. Now I do own my new R1200GS!!!!!!!!

Don't worry though. In order to become a fanatic for the BMW's I did have some BMW intervals with a Yamaha Fazer, a Yamaha FJR1300, and a Ducati ST4S. Yeap, I did through a lot of money down the train... I believed the old story changing bikes every little while came to a happy end. Thanks to my new GS.

 

[North]

I bought my 1200 may 05. For around 3 years before was I saving for a Harley. Then around 14 months before I bought my bike, I went to the BWM site and saw the GS line.

I thought that the 1150 adventure was a wonderful bike, it would be perfect for were I lived. I also saw the 1200. It was a hard choice, but I went for the 1200. I thought it would be a more fun bike to ride. (I was still thinking about the Harley , I have always wanted one.)

In the end, got the 1200 and love it.

My other 5 bikes were jap bikes, dirt and street.

 

[smilee mark]

Bought my only other BMW in 1983 it was a new R100 and loved it the only time i felt any desire to change was when the original Paris Daker past me. (I think it was an 800cc back then). And then they introduced the Gs 100 (even more desire to change) still I remained ever faithfull and loving it. I had to sell the old girl about 10years ago it had done 160,000 kilometres of faithful and reliable service. Last year i got the bug again and bought a 25year old one owner kawasaki Z500, nice bike but nothin on the beemer i used to own. So i spent the next 6 months lookin for a low milage R1150 untill i had a ride of the gs (it was great)and remembered all those feelings i used to get riding the R100.(every time we passed a GS) i went out and bought a new R1150 GSA the next day. Picture below.

 

[dieter von hexhead]

not my first. I think you have got to get a new one every fifty years or so...

 

[Davy F]

My GS is the first non-Japanese bike I've ever had. I had sold my VFR Vtec last May and was of a mind not to bother replacing it for '05. Then I walked into Hursts a month later to see a lovely yellow GS sitting all alone (a cancelled order) and it must have mind-melded with me and a week later, I traded my Focus TDCi Sport in for it. I really hadn't intended to spend so much money on any bike let alone the Beemer, but I had had a demo on one a year earlier and it did leave a good impression on me. I've always liked the big GS trailies and my thinking at the time in justificating the expense was it would be my last bike. As if my wife hasn't heard THAT before...... :spin

 

[marcus]

1st bike Honda CB500 but got bored with buying chains and having to go in for service every 4,000 miles

Then R850R, great bike, crap electrics
Then R1200GS, crap bike
Then replacement R1200GS, works great so far so hoping nothing going wrong.
Bought an Aprilia for playtime because BMW reliability somewhat questionable. Quality german engineering my ARSE

 

[GPRaven]

Second GS

I owned a 1150 GS for almost five years and never thought that I would change it. Test rode the 1200 GS and that was that. I don't think the build quality on the new bike is quite as good as the 1150 but in all other respects its much better. I bought BMW panniers for the new bike which now look very second hand as they are pretty flimsy compared with the old ones.

I,m told that the drive shaft oil is sealed for life due to new design, but having seen the state of the oil on the old model after 15000 miles I wonder about this.

I've had the bike a year and covered about 9500 miles, it is the best motorbike I've ever owned and will never change it, unless a new model emerges in the next five or so years.

My other bike is a Suzuki RGV 250 and is slightly less of an all rounder.

 

[Davel]

Did my CBT about two and a half years ago and started the DAS straight after that. I had one lesson on the school's 500 before hearing of an s/h F650GS for sale nearby in excellent condition.

Bought it and completed my test on it then used it for a few months before buying a Guzzi California, later a Multistrada and then about 12 months ago, the 1200GS.

Keep thinking of my next bike but honestly cannot think of anything I'd rather ride.

Just wish BMW would make a step-ladder type attachment for climbing on and off with a little bit of dignity!

 

[Mouse]

Wow, old thread back from the dead

 

[earthmover]

And in honour of the thread's resurrection, yes the 1200 is the first BMW that I have owned. Then again, it is the first road bike I've owned, but not the first BMW I've ridden on the road.
Mark

 

[GSmonkey]

I bought a GS rather than a BMW. If there was an equivalent model by Honda, they'd be getting my money.......hopefully it'd be more reliable

 

[Cestria]

I bought a GS rather than a BMW. If there was an equivalent model by Honda, they'd be getting my money.......hopefully it'd be more reliable

Could not have put it better myself!

 

[st247]

Bought my 1200 last september. It's the first BM i've bought, and the GS is probably the only BM i'd consider aswell. I bought it because it was regarded as one of the best allrounders available. I did consider an 1150 but would have had to put a bag over it's head before looking at it . I've still got my RS 250 for trackdays so needed something to do a bit of touring, coaching and general hooning around on. Some of the quirks took some getting used to, switchgear for example, but it hasn't disapointed. I'm sure SWMBO will much prefer touring on it to being plonked on the back of my last bike - GSXR750 .

 

[JFC]

Spent months with my trusty xjr - new wheel bearings, different profile tyres, z900 bars, different screen etc,etc.

Sunday tweak test-drive:-

Round the block, up leckwith hill, wait til after bend open up - whoooaaa >> world goes backwards 95 ish plan for next bend- off throttle, HANG ON, in and round - phhheeewwww

Mate turns up with new GS12, have a go on this

Leckwith - 95 what bends?

Monday - px at Rydale

Never had (or wanted one before)

but as Evans the tunnels did say - "there comes a time in every mans life when he finds a BMW attractive"

fantastic bike - did 976 in one day, comfortable, excellent fuel range - but nervous about the drive failures

 

[Hector]

No problems in 13000 miles (05) Two big trips planned in Apriland May.

 

[Wizard]

Had an F650 before. It was good, but just not quite enough ooomph. Waited 18 months for BMW to get the worst of the niggles out of the 1200, and haven't spent one moment of the last 8 months locking back

 

[Mr K]

Bit of a tart...

Been buying new GSs since 1980- something:

 

[Mr K]

and then.....

 

[Mr K]

....a brief interlude with green-laning, a 600 Bandit and then:

I had a 650GS and then a 12 but the picture thing is boring me.....enjoy

 

[Piggers]

Could not have put it better myself!

What they said........(Brought it cos it was a GS not BMW)