reading BMW specs unlike earlier air cooled GSs (and so I was told LC bikes), the GS1300 vs GSA1300 does not have different steering geometry... but as the fork legs (and the back of the bike) are 20 mm longer you do get 6.8mm more trail on the GSA1300
which oddly is the exact opposite of the older bikes - where the GSA got a more normal steering feel (at low speed) with less rake and trail and more weight on the front
I have a 2007 GS on cast wheels with Dunlop RS3 front and back - road based tyres and the front is weird and lacks feel (got to love that aspect of telelever) - but I can throw it at 100mph corners and its normal and goes where its mean too
I also have a 2011 GSA with wire wheels, on Dunlop Trailmax Meridians, and round town the front feels way safer - like its connected to the road and its a normal bike - but go faster and it goes where it wants, its a bit wayward at speed and can't hold a line ever
All of which makes sense on the air cooled ones as the GSA was set for off-roading...
The LC 1200 and 1250 I've ridden sort of seem to work - but I didn't rate anything about these so never pushed on enough to care - aside from coming out of one wet corer in enduro pro at 75 mph where the back decided it wanted to come to the front on the way out of whats a 60mph bend in the dry.... which woke me up
The GS1300 I first rode was a bit nervous at the front, and I managed to get some nasty feel and two big slides where the front tucked in on 30 mph roundabouts. The next one I rode a year later seemed more normal (it had different tyres) but I did have one moment where the much stiffer front end with real triple clamps was too rigid. I came to the conclusion after this incident shook my left hand off the bars when ragging it into second on a rough bit of tarmac it needs the rubber mounted bars many decent bikes get to reduce vibration, as the triple clamps now make it too stiff...
As that'll cost money - they won't bother - so maybe the extra trail from 112mm on the GS to 118.6mm of the GSA will calm it down - and I won't have an issue using counter steer to throw bikes at corners - so I guess sport suspension option will be a big win ?
BELOW
I AM I RIGHT THINKING WHAT THEY CALL CASTER IS TRAIL ???
AND HOW CAN THEY HAVE 63.8 DEGREES ???
ARE THE NAMES JUST MUDDLED COZ THEY MAKE CARS ???
Motorcycle Front Geometry - Due to motorbikes having 2 wheels instead of 4, they have significantly less geometry to think about.
suspensionsecrets.co.uk
Suspension travel, front / rear 190 mm / 200 mm
Wheelbase 1,518 mm
Castor 112 mm
Steering head angle 63.8 °
Suspension travel, front / rear 210 mm / 220 mm
Wheelbase 1,534 mm
Castor 118.8 mm
Steering head angle 63.8 °
