Just loving my new GSA...

[jonothan]

...and I think that it's the best purchase decision I've ever made.

The advantages over the ordinary GS were something of a surprise. As others have said, it feels more planted. The wind/weather protection is better too, and the sheer road presence is very reassuring. I thought the GS was good in that respect, but I feel so much more visible on the GSA. The new gearbox is much less clunky and the engine seems to deliver the power in a much smoother manner.

The Sargent seats which came across from the GS (as did the headlight protector and the oil cooler grille) suit it well.

But, being only 174cm (5' 8½"), I can actually ride it.

And I can push it around on the drive, even with the tank full and the panniers on.

And it's all mine!



J

 

[adie]

WHAT A HAPPY MAN !!!!

 

[alby]

Now scream it's butt off and get those miles on, it won't do it any good just puttering to the office

 

[jonnie comet]

Keeping the Transalp J?.......What's it like?......Just nosey.....

 

[jonothan]

Keeping the Transalp J?.......What's it like?......Just nosey.....

Yes, still got the TA as my son uses it when he's home from uni.

Lovely little bike, great for blatting around on. Very competent. 80% of the functionality of the GSA for half the money.

J

 

[Wapping]

Transalp.

Lovely little bike, great for blatting around on. Very competent. 80% of the functionality of the GSA for half the money.

J

.....Based on that summation many might say the Transalp is much the better bike....

There again, they are probably accountants working in public sector health care (or want to be) so are very dull...

 

[wully]

Nice to see another happy GSA owner

 

[Robbo1200ADV]

Good for you Get mine Tuesday in RED

 

[jonnie comet]

Yes, still got the TA as my son uses it when he's home from uni.

Lovely little bike, great for blatting around on. Very competent. 80% of the functionality of the GSA for half the money.

J

...Thanks for that.....Sounds good......

 

[jonothan]

.....Based on that summation many might say the Transalp is much the better bike....

There again, they are probably accountants working in public sector health care (or want to be) so are very dull...

OK, let me rephrase that.

Functionality is 80%.

But for sheer desirability, presence and overall pleasure of ownership, the BMW is in another league.

To put it another way, if you were driving from London to Manchester, a Citroen C1 would have a similar level of functionality to a Porsche Boxster. (Mrs J has a C1 diesel and it's actually a great little car in its own way.)

But which would you rather have?

J

 

[mr badger]

It's a lovely bit of kit indeed.

But he did ride it home in a nice two-piece pinstripe suit

Lovely to meet you J and thanks for the panniers and hospitality. Snail mail maps on their way tomorrow.

NB I have changed my avatar to my true likeness. Better?

 

[Alte Wolf]

Yes me too, best bike I ever rode ... and I own it

Keep her shiney side up

 

[jonothan]

It's a lovely bit of kit indeed.

But he did ride it home in a nice two-piece pinstripe suit

Lovely to meet you J and thanks for the panniers and hospitality. Snail mail maps on their way tomorrow.

NB I have changed my avatar to my true likeness. Better?

Pleasure to meet you and your lovely wife, Mr Badger.

The new avatar is even less like your true likeness, mate.

Yes, but the pin stripe suit was supplemented by boots and a decent armoured jacket, though.

J

 

[Wrinkly]

Hi Jonathon
Did you deal with astle and if so how did you find them.
Steve

 

[mr badger]

The new avatar is even less like your true likeness, mate.


J

Better now?

 

[jonothan]

Hi Jonathon
Did you deal with astle and if so how did you find them.
Steve

Yes, I dealt with Astle and found them just fine. A few months back, they did go through a period of difficulty with a salesman who really wasn't up to the job, a guy who was very uninterested and dismissive. He's been replaced and now all the sales staff are very good indeed.

They gave me a simply brilliant deal - a great price for my old '06 GS and a huge, huge discount on the new, unused but preregistered 1200GSA. The panniers were discounted too, as were my new boots.

The new GSA had the bits I wanted (pannier rails, heated grips and ABS) plus a few other things that I would not necessarily have ordered had the bike been built to the specification I wanted - on board computer, chrome exhaust and stuff. But they're on the bike and I'm happy enough that they are.

A few niggles with paperwork at the handover and some minor problems fitting the wiring for the Garmin Zumo which delayed delivery by a couple of days, but all in all, I am a very happy customer.

J

 

[jonothan]

Better now?

Much better. A bit more stuffing in the soft toy, so that the seams are bulging a bit, and it'll be about perfect.

 

[Wrinkly]

Hi Jonathon
Thanks for the info.
They do offer a good deal,but appear to have a high turnover of sales staff,
the only constant seems to be Richard Harvey the service manager,which i suppose is the most important once you've done the deal.

Happy riding

Steve

 

[Deleted Member I]

 

[fabio1161]

Hi and Thank you for your quote ... in another part I asked for some advices because I'd like to get a GSA but I'm afraid of heigh and weight, the second related to the height. Now I have a 2008 GS and I am very happy ... but from your quote I feel much less worried ... I'm 178 cm (5' ??") but Sargent seat seems to be expensive to me, so I decided to lower the original seat (3 cm lower) and make it less wide ... then I'll consider TT or Sargent.
Ciao, Fabio