is there a market for a "simple" R1300GS?

"It was in 2013 that the European Union passed laws that made ABS mandatory on all new motorcycles over 125cc. Those laws came into effect in two stages, applying to newly-homologated models on 1st January 2016 and to existing designs on 1st January 2017".
 
I have a garage full of old shyte, I never ride it because it isnt close to as good as the GS. They all have character but in the main character hurts
 
I have a garage full of old shyte, I never ride it because it isnt close to as good as the GS. They all have character but in the main character hurts
Agree there , I remember the old times and I’m glad they are in the past . I see the jump on the Square 4 and put your cork hat on has its pros but not now .
The GS and the new one are state of the art and useful to boot .
 
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Yes there is a market,

however some things are perceived to bring better returns

So all the bells and whistles (toys) are wanted, as it offers bragging rights, and ensures an easy sell for a dealer

The more savvy may not want SoS or active cruise etc, so spec accordingly. It's your purchase, you buy what you want (can)

There is no money in a base spec bike , but there is 100% more in options, service packages, PCP deals etc
 
I bought a base spec twin cam GSA in 2011. ABS and heated grips.

It was a great bike and no problem trading for a KTM.

Can't say I ever missed the electronic bollox that brings nothing to the ride.
That's why I bought a Tenere 700, no electronic bollox either
Cable throttle and cable clutch, less to go wrong, basic ABS
 
No idea but it didnt even have the switchgear for it so I guess I struck lucky and the bike didnt look like it had modified when I bought it from a main dealer. I thought it was 2013 it was made mandatory
2016 was the mandatory date for ABS on motorbikes
 
I just priced up the minimum 1300GS I would potentially buy - £15,990 basic plus nav prep and the uppy/downy ride height thingy, total £645. Except it forces you to buy other things in a pack, so the actual total for add-ons is £2,245, total £18,245. Probably wouldn't have a white one either, so add another £830.
 
From old bikes with not a lot of tech to my current bike with lots of tech....some I didn't want but now found that I like, such as the heated seat
I like the TFT, the DSA but I wouldn't want the radar, hardly ever use the cruise control except in Europe
You choose what you want, doesn't make it better or worse
I've never looked at what the bike will be worth in 3 years time, just get it and enjoy it, sort the finances out when it arises
ABS saved me going in a hedge once about 17 years ago (K1200S) and I want it on a bike. I'm not going to off road it, it;'s a tourer for me
Had ABS on a 2012 Honda Fireblade, it was shite but that was a Honda (never admitted) error
 
and I far prefer simple analogue gauges to tft screens. I'd even have to think whether I really needed the heated grips..!
I’m the same with the gauges, have to wonder why they cant offer a choice of display layouts with conventional dials as an option. I believe Honda do so with the Transalp, although none of the choices look to mirror traditional clocks from what I saw.
Always heated grips, don’t have to use them, but always there if you get caught out. Often find I use mine even in summer on the way home late in the day when still in summer gloves.
 
I popped into Bhanstormers on Saturday for a coffee, and overheard a sales guy talking bollocks about nobody buys the basic, must have all the packs for resell…

BMW dealers have been spouting that shit for years.

When I buy my R1300GS Trophy it will be a basic with enduro pack…

And feck em if they won’t sell me one… ( need a test ride first)

In the meantime I’ll continue to try and wear this one out….
 

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Remember when BMW was the RTW bike of choice? Now it is the bike that no one choses for RTW.

Still my choice, I've been all over on mine and its been faultless.
and judging by the amount i passed on my travels i would say its still the most popular choice.
Getting off a ferry is like a BMW delivery!

When i got home i gave it a loving cuddle and thanked it for keeping me safe (nope, I'm not joking)
There are lots of bikes that will do the job, but the GS is still my choice.
 
How does one fix a keyless ignition fault when not near a BMW dealer?
 
given the launch of the R1300GS, and all it's "tech", this got me thinking about how popular would a "basic" version be

i mean..

analogue dials (no TFT)
ABS (front only)
fuel injection
starting with a normal key

but no other electronic aids/gadgets etc (no ESA, cruise control, rider modes, radar thingy, automatic lowering, BMW assist, electric screen, TPS, collision warning etc etc)

how well would this sell?
Hi,ive just ordered a 1300 gs as basic as i could get problem is they now they all come with keyless that i didnt want still need key for seat and the luggage,also the passenger seat is extra on the basic bike there def is a market for a base bike for us lads that have been biking for years and dont want/need all the electronic shite,years ago you could order a gs with nothing but heated grips and i have never struggled to sell them on .
 
Still my choice, I've been all over on mine and its been faultless.
and judging by the amount i passed on my travels i would say its still the most popular choice.
Getting off a ferry is like a BMW delivery!

When i got home i gave it a loving cuddle and thanked it for keeping me safe (nope, I'm not joking)
There are lots of bikes that will do the job, but the GS is still my choice.
You didn't say what year bike you did RTW on.

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Hi,ive just ordered a 1300 gs as basic as i could get problem is they now they all come with keyless that i didnt want still need key for seat and the luggage,also the passenger seat is extra on the basic bike there def is a market for a base bike for us lads that have been biking for years and dont want/need all the electronic shite,years ago you could order a gs with nothing but heated grips and i have never struggled to sell them on .
I have been riding science 1980 , stopped a few times for a rest mind lol , and find over the years that the evolution in bike design has been slow but welcome , now having all that stuff is normal if you have embraced it over the last 40 years and with the safety side of it it’s a win win , now adding fancy farkles to a well designed bike is a bit of a waste and gives no improvement to the ride but still makes you happy with your steed. I still ride one of my old bikes and wonder why we had to have discs rather than drums …haha
 
I tried to order a base spec twin cam in about 2010. Dealer just flat refused saying they wouldn’t waste an allocation on such a spec and that they wouldn’t want it back in three years time, even though I said that wouldn’t happen.
Maybe I’m amongst the few that really don’t want any of that shit. I prefer to ride my bike, not be taken for a ride by it. I want my input to be what matters, not have some tech take over if I get within 20% of getting it wrong….in it’s opinion.
And oddly enough I never seem to be left behind when I’m out with a group.
Probably the same dealer I went originally, after the encounter went to NOG. Had 5 bikes from them in the last 10+. Few days ago the same dealer (1) said the same regarding the 1300. They will order one but they would not take it back in part exchange? Fuck them👌
 
I had 4 GS/GSA before switching to KTM, and currently have a 1290 SAR, bought specifically because it has less electronics than the SAS.

It has manual suspension which is superb. Takes me 3 minutes to twiddle the clickers for luggage, and all I ever do is solo or solo and luggage so that’s fine.

It does have cruise control, which I’ve used maybe twice. I’ve got radar cruise on my van and a car, and it’s shite to the point of being dangerous. Stupid idea on a bike. As is this collision warning stuff. I’ve got eyes and they work too.

I had a BMW 540 which had some kind of collision avoidance which slammed the brakes on because it thought a couple of women gossiping by a zebra crossing were about to leap into the road. Sold it.

I didn’t get an extra pack which included a quick shifter and maybe some connectivity stuff. Can’t see the point of a quick shifter, my clutch hand works perfectly well so I didn’t get that.

It has various riding modes which I never change, it just stays in street. With 165hp I never need more power and if it’s wet or greasy my throttle hand works well to keep it under control.

It has keyless, which is pointless but at least it operates the filler cap. It has heated grips which I put on a shortcut button but still takes 3 clicks to turn them on.

It has a decent TFT dash, but all I want to know is speed and revs and warning lights. I never change the set up.

I also have a new Bonneville T120. It has the advantage over old Bonnies in that it works but other than that it’s analogue dials, ABS and heated grips with a switch. That seems fine and enough.

The thing about “rider aids” is they all de skill the rider. Bikes from the 60’s and 70’s were harder to ride than anything newer, but when I look at the post war bikes with magnetos and hand gear changes and drum brakes and 12 step starting procedures I’d struggle.

I’m all for better rider training and fewer rider aids.

Same as I’ll never buy a new car (used to have one every 3 years) I doubt I’ll buy a new bike, and it’s because they all make me pay for a big list of stuff I neither want nor need.


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There will be the odd idiot who wants a basic bike, but thankfully in the minority
 


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