Nearly all road bikes are like that once they go beyond a certain point my old CB1300 was a nightmare to move about in my garage, give me my GS any day!!
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MCN Group Test, 7th June
- Thread starter yofi
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Nearly all road bikes are like that once they go beyond a certain point my old CB1300 was a nightmare to move about in my garage, give me my GS any day!!
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Deleted account 211025001
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I find it hard to believe that a WC has better low down grunt than a 1290?
I've ridden both and the 1290 just pulls and pulls from just off tick-over. I'd say they were very similar in that respect.......until the 1290 hits 3k, then the WC is toast.
If the 1290 is anything like my 1190 then a few miles on the engine makes a big difference which might explain the test findings. My 1190 carried on getting better and better low down until 10,000 miles(ish) and is very different now to when the bike was new.
Andres
I've ridden both and the 1290 just pulls and pulls from just off tick-over. I'd say they were very similar in that respect.......until the 1290 hits 3k, then the WC is toast.
If the 1290 is anything like my 1190 then a few miles on the engine makes a big difference which might explain the test findings. My 1190 carried on getting better and better low down until 10,000 miles(ish) and is very different now to when the bike was new.
Andres
Deleted account Cooperman
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"The GS is the nicest place to be.
It's a case of less is more, with its 35 HP deficit actually making it easier to ride.
It's easily the most comfortable with the plushest ride, and performance for real-world riders is unsurpassed."
I guess this questions the reasoning to riding a bike.
If you want comfort and plush maybe you should be in a car?
For me a bike gets you out in the real world, gives you the ability to get around traffic to enjoy traffic free interesting roads, gives you great options for trips/holidays and yes it is good to sometimes open it up to get the adrenaline going.
It's a case of less is more, with its 35 HP deficit actually making it easier to ride.
It's easily the most comfortable with the plushest ride, and performance for real-world riders is unsurpassed."
I guess this questions the reasoning to riding a bike.
If you want comfort and plush maybe you should be in a car?
For me a bike gets you out in the real world, gives you the ability to get around traffic to enjoy traffic free interesting roads, gives you great options for trips/holidays and yes it is good to sometimes open it up to get the adrenaline going.
fred_jb
Registered user
I agree with the last sentence, but that doesn't mean that riding has to be an exercise in masochism and endurance. If you can get all the benefits of riding a bike without destroying your spine or shaking your fillings loose, then I am all for it!
patzx12
Registered user
I'll do one at some point.
If anyone will listen!
.....................................TA
You can't beat feeling uncomfortable on a bike i knew there was something missing on our 2,000 mile trip to France last month,the comfort of the GS totally spoiled it ! I wish I'd have got the KTM My wife and I could have taken a week off when We got back for our arses to recover . Don't get that comment about the car,whats wrong with having some comfort,I've spent enough years on sports bikes suffering from neck,knee,arse and wrist ache.
Deleted account Cooperman
Registered user
Totally understood.
I had a K1600 which is the ultimate uber bike for 2 up touring and loved it.
It's just that when the Mrs gave up touring I rediscovered my biking mojo on a bike with a personality.
Agreed. I've never dropped a bike at standstill in more than 20yrs but I've dropped my GSA twice in less than a year. And I've owned some heavy bikes; my last bike was a K1600GT. Once the GSA gets beyond a certain point, its going to go over whatever you do. Fortunately the crash bars and Holan panniers have saved any damage to my GSA. The amazing thing about the GS/GSA is that once they are moving they become beautifully balanced and easy to ride
FWIW I have ditched my metal Holan topbox for a BMW soft case to reduce weight up high and I always make sure I put heavy items low down in the side panniers rather than in the soft case and I can feel the difference
Gearing of the GS has always been very short to make acceleration off the bottom very lively, and this compensates for the lack of outright max HP. When accelerating away from traffic lights or regular road traffic, in gear, no engine will be delivering maxpower at 2-6k rpm. Big numbers of KTM and Multi are irrelevant, unless you like vmaxing down the Autobahn. It wasn't that long ago that many superbikes had circa 135hp max, and they were hardly slow...
MaDPRoFF
Registered user
I have ridden nearly 30,000 miles on the last 2 generation of Multistrada's and fact is when following a car at any speed, and any revs above 2.5k you open the throttle it jumps forward at an alarming pace instantly, as you are accelerating fast past, open the throttle more it jumps more again, on the GS it does not, it just accelerates at a good linear pace, it picks up again at like 6k but by then it is not needed. I have to ride the bike slightly differently for rapid overtakes, dropping off more and timing the acceleration gradually to then going for it, not a problem, but I find reports like the MCN confusing as the difference to even me is very noticeable. nothing to do with feeling or ride and suspension it is the the seeing of how fast you are moving past a vehicle you are overtaking. and quite frankly when you get to the upper speed limit and more the Multi is way ahead, again from riding same roads knowing the road, and what speeds you are doing at set points. I might add I am not even pushing the multi, short shifting at just before 6k as at just at 6k there is quite a surge in power, as for the GS I have to hold it higher revs in gears, and change higher up the rev range than I ever did on the Multi.
I am not complaining about the GS it is more than good enough for everyday riding, and slighty better in so many other ways but it is the criticism towards tests that seem to play down some bikes performance, and other points sometimes to make others shine more. As for my Multi, I do have a pikes peak screen, (less wind resistance) I am short, and 11 1/2 stone, and the bike uas a full Temi system with a map for it by Ducati.
I am not complaining about the GS it is more than good enough for everyday riding, and slighty better in so many other ways but it is the criticism towards tests that seem to play down some bikes performance, and other points sometimes to make others shine more. As for my Multi, I do have a pikes peak screen, (less wind resistance) I am short, and 11 1/2 stone, and the bike uas a full Temi system with a map for it by Ducati.
Lets not forget. MCN is a German owned and based publication.
They have stopped putting the Triumph Explorer in group tests with the GS...why?
Not sure about eithers off road abilities, but in every other aspect the 'Generation 2' Explorer leaves the GS in the shade.
Just my opinion
They have stopped putting the Triumph Explorer in group tests with the GS...why?
Not sure about eithers off road abilities, but in every other aspect the 'Generation 2' Explorer leaves the GS in the shade.
Just my opinion
Davy F
Registered user
What amazes me is that most people here claim they never read the 'comic' that is MCN.......
What amazes me is that most people here claim they never read the 'comic' that is MCN.......
I never read it
I heard that Baur is based in Peterborough; which is close to Germany, one supposes.
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arealhuman
Registered user
I'd beg to differ having had both bikes, and while each has it's good and bad points, my view is that the GS is superior. My TEx happened to have very low quality parts (spokes made out something they called "metal", but it must've been the lowest grade they could get away with, and fasteners made out of something so porous it resembled silver clay) but a great engine and it was a good bike to ride. However, the GS - whilst not having the same punchy, smooth engine - just seems a more accomplished bike to me, but I suppose that's what many years of refining do. I just hope the finish on the GS lasts, especially after reading some horror stories on here! ;-) Anyway, each to their own, people will have likes and dislikes about all bikes, I just enjoy riding what I enjoy riding :-D
patzx12
Registered user
Can I add to the debate.
They are all good.
You can pick up an adventure bike for £5000 and it will do anything in an accomplished manner.
The nice part of the £5k bike is home servicing and easy to shift when you want to sell. I cannot say the same about a bike under 3 years old, the hit would be £5k +
I recently sold my 2016 R1200GSA and I am left with 2 ADV bikes in my fleet.
2010 Vara and 2005 R1200GS.
and guess what, there are OK and will dismiss any trip in any company without effort.
If super ADV man is going to leave me languishing as a dot in his mirrors he will have to be going some and maintaining a pace 120mph plus.
A good bike is more about the day, the actual bike under you is not going to make a good ride if your head in not in the right place.
Plus points about the 3 super adventure bikes in the test is the safety, the way the suspension \ brakes \ ABS \ traction all work in concert making thousand of changes per second to give the maximum control.
I am in a quandary what to get next. I love the MTS especially the Enduro but do I need the hassle of Ducati ownership?
I have not tried the KTM non available in Ireland to test. Ugly bu--er but quirky in a nice way.
I may end up with another GSA but it would be nice to get the buzz of something different and a bit wilder.
BMW are the only one that will sell you extended warranty and offer good will.
They are all good.
You can pick up an adventure bike for £5000 and it will do anything in an accomplished manner.
The nice part of the £5k bike is home servicing and easy to shift when you want to sell. I cannot say the same about a bike under 3 years old, the hit would be £5k +
I recently sold my 2016 R1200GSA and I am left with 2 ADV bikes in my fleet.
2010 Vara and 2005 R1200GS.
and guess what, there are OK and will dismiss any trip in any company without effort.
If super ADV man is going to leave me languishing as a dot in his mirrors he will have to be going some and maintaining a pace 120mph plus.
A good bike is more about the day, the actual bike under you is not going to make a good ride if your head in not in the right place.
Plus points about the 3 super adventure bikes in the test is the safety, the way the suspension \ brakes \ ABS \ traction all work in concert making thousand of changes per second to give the maximum control.
I am in a quandary what to get next. I love the MTS especially the Enduro but do I need the hassle of Ducati ownership?
I have not tried the KTM non available in Ireland to test. Ugly bu--er but quirky in a nice way.
I may end up with another GSA but it would be nice to get the buzz of something different and a bit wilder.
BMW are the only one that will sell you extended warranty and offer good will.
I agree with that, ANY bike full stop (so long as its around 100 BHP or more) and well maintained.
I went on a four day biking holiday last year with my streetfighter 1250 Suzuki Bandit. Had a great time, never let me down and did its job. Cost 1/6th of my BMW and I don't worry about leaving it anywhere.
Just put on my old shitty worn out leathers and go for it. No electronics, no warranty, no worry or strife. Old school oily rag and spanner is all you need.
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patzx12
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Couldn't deny that the MS certainly feels faster, though the difference is not so much going by all available performance stats that I've come across. Again, the torque graph for the MS shows that the MS suffers from lag below 2K. and doesn't start to match the BMW until 3K. (And that's certaintly how it feels to me when I've ridden the MS). So while the BMW is moving on, the MS suddenly gives you a jolt in the back.
I once had a 160hp twin charger scirocco, and later changed to 218hp BMW 125i, which I found to be a massive disappointment in comparison to the roc. Whereas the BMW 125i has a very linear delivery, when you put your foot down in the roc it would have a little think about things and then, a second or so later, give you a real shove in the back - it was great fun.
As much as the BM 125i was a lovely little refined car, it felt lacking, so much so that I had to go out and buy a M240i instead
Deleted account 210604001
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Just to say, you can now extend warranty on Ducati's (maybe only at point of purchase - its relatively new) its called the 'everRed' or some marketing strapline. I think its up to 4 years.
I've had a Ducati 899 Panigale for 3 years, done 20K miles on it and the dealer has been awesome, even out of warranty (Italia Moto in Lincoln). I also dropped into a Ducati dealer in Luxembourg as had an issue with air in the clutch and they bled it without charging me.
Ducati for me has been an awesome ownership experience. The Valve clearance service was a little pricey at 15K miles (with a chain and sprocket set just over £800), but I can cope with that for all the other joys every 15K, also when I had that done they noticed slight wear on a rocker arm, and got that replaced as a goodwill gesture even though it was technically just out of warranty.
Cant speak highly enough of Ducati, and everyone likes Ducati riders . On tour in Germany with some friends recently in the black forest (1290GT, 1200VFR, 800XCX), in the restaurant one of the (female) relatives of the owner wanted to know who owned the Ducati... bet you dont get that on a GS 
. Funnily enough the next night in a different hotel the KTM rider was wearing his Ducati t-shirt for dinner (he previously owned an MTS) .
*edited - Also, I've got a fun budget of £10K burning a hole in my pocket to either change bikes or buy another, but I can't work out whether I want a pure touring bike to supplement the 899 (think twin cam R1200RT, tried a MTS950 a couple of weeks ago but didnt get on with it) or to pex mine and go for something as an all in one bike. At the moment I think Im better just doing nothing and enjoying the 899.
RBW.
I've had a Ducati 899 Panigale for 3 years, done 20K miles on it and the dealer has been awesome, even out of warranty (Italia Moto in Lincoln). I also dropped into a Ducati dealer in Luxembourg as had an issue with air in the clutch and they bled it without charging me.
Ducati for me has been an awesome ownership experience. The Valve clearance service was a little pricey at 15K miles (with a chain and sprocket set just over £800), but I can cope with that for all the other joys every 15K, also when I had that done they noticed slight wear on a rocker arm, and got that replaced as a goodwill gesture even though it was technically just out of warranty.
Cant speak highly enough of Ducati, and everyone likes Ducati riders
. On tour in Germany with some friends recently in the black forest (1290GT, 1200VFR, 800XCX), in the restaurant one of the (female) relatives of the owner wanted to know who owned the Ducati... bet you dont get that on a GS . Funnily enough the next night in a different hotel the KTM rider was wearing his Ducati t-shirt for dinner (he previously owned an MTS) .*edited - Also, I've got a fun budget of £10K burning a hole in my pocket to either change bikes or buy another, but I can't work out whether I want a pure touring bike to supplement the 899 (think twin cam R1200RT, tried a MTS950 a couple of weeks ago but didnt get on with it) or to pex mine and go for something as an all in one bike. At the moment I think Im better just doing nothing and enjoying the 899.
RBW.
