virco
Guest
Hello my fellow beemsters.
Listening to your encouragements but mainly to the nagging inner voice screwed in my head by the first test ride I’ve done last autumn with the GS1200, I am now the proud owner of a 2005, yellow machine with 2500km on the clock. It must be said it is my first Beemer in 20+ years of motorcycle riding and about 7 previously owned bikes.
I am planning for this year a longer European road tour that will probably take me and my new ride through most of the old continent.
Can please the ones of you that have been on 10.000+ km on-road trips, tell me what are the most important elements/accessories you have found to be useful or even must-haves on the bike / in the bag(s) for such an endeavor?
I already have the cylinder crash guards fitted and I plan to mount the original BMW panniers and top case. Considering that I will do none or very little off-road riding I don’t consider necessary to go for the more robust adventure model or the tough Touratech ones.
In this respect (90%+ on-road riding) what you think about the need to change the alloy wheels that are now on the bike with iron spoked ones?
I have seen last summer in Greece on silver GS1200 some nifty feet protectors mounted on the subframe in front of the driver’s footpegs. Does anyone have those or tried them on their bike for long distance riding? They seem rather good for protecting your footwear from the water thrown by the front wheel when riding in the wet but I would like the opinion of someone who actually used them.
In what navigation accessories are concerned, what would be your recommendation for GPS and radar detection devices? Anyone using equipment of this sort and having good (or distinctly bad) experiences with them?
As there are a lot of aspects to take in consideration for such a trip, from personal luggage to tire make and model, I will be grateful for any advice, suggestion and/or tips from fellow riders that have some long on-road ride experience. Thank you.
Listening to your encouragements but mainly to the nagging inner voice screwed in my head by the first test ride I’ve done last autumn with the GS1200, I am now the proud owner of a 2005, yellow machine with 2500km on the clock. It must be said it is my first Beemer in 20+ years of motorcycle riding and about 7 previously owned bikes.

I am planning for this year a longer European road tour that will probably take me and my new ride through most of the old continent.
Can please the ones of you that have been on 10.000+ km on-road trips, tell me what are the most important elements/accessories you have found to be useful or even must-haves on the bike / in the bag(s) for such an endeavor?
I already have the cylinder crash guards fitted and I plan to mount the original BMW panniers and top case. Considering that I will do none or very little off-road riding I don’t consider necessary to go for the more robust adventure model or the tough Touratech ones.
In this respect (90%+ on-road riding) what you think about the need to change the alloy wheels that are now on the bike with iron spoked ones?
I have seen last summer in Greece on silver GS1200 some nifty feet protectors mounted on the subframe in front of the driver’s footpegs. Does anyone have those or tried them on their bike for long distance riding? They seem rather good for protecting your footwear from the water thrown by the front wheel when riding in the wet but I would like the opinion of someone who actually used them.
In what navigation accessories are concerned, what would be your recommendation for GPS and radar detection devices? Anyone using equipment of this sort and having good (or distinctly bad) experiences with them?
As there are a lot of aspects to take in consideration for such a trip, from personal luggage to tire make and model, I will be grateful for any advice, suggestion and/or tips from fellow riders that have some long on-road ride experience. Thank you.
