Owners : How do you rate your watercooled GS or GSA ? Please share.

Did just shy of 1000 miles on it last weekend, popped down across the border then back up again.
Write up here;
http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showth...d-Borders-Yorkshire-Dales-West-coast-Scotland

No real issues as such, I stalled it twice which I did think a bit odd, but come to conclusion I have still not got the clutch bite point like the second nature I had with my 54 plate GS.
Experiences -
The run in period was all about torque up to 5000 rpm, this bike run was more play with the power in the 7/8000 region.
Everything works fine.
I like the semi agricultural gearbox, and I find the gears snick in nicely, certainly my clutchless gear changes, when doing some spirited driving, are seamless.
If I have a gripe it is on a wet day, by far the dirtiest bike I have ridden as I am clatty when I get off, for that it cannot get the magic 10 so a 9 from me.
A seriously good piece of kit and another from BMW that can proudly wear the "GS" badge and know it takes the heritage to a new level.:thumby:
 
Motorcycle Michael said:
Having traded in my K1300R,I am very disappointed with the handling of my lc. It doesn't hold it's line very well and once committed into a corner,it's hard to change your line at will. It rode the R1200RT lc and that was much better-maybe the 19" front wheel on the GS?
I'm having problems with the ESA,it alters the ride height but the damping seems too hard in any mode. If you come across rough surfaces mid corner,the thing just skips across the top,drifting very wide and is frankly dangerous. This trait has destroyed my confidence in the bike-even the Mrs noticed the poor ride quality. My 2009 R1200R (ESA) and my 1992 R100R with Wilbers rear shock both ride better than my almost 16k GS.
Compliance,compliance,compliance is what I expect from a modern bike,any bike really. I'm no fool and having raced in several disciplines I know what I want from my bike. I think that the suspension feels cheap, under developed and harsh.
A week ago the ESA wouldn't do anything-just a flashing symbol which did not stop for 30 minutes. I eventually turned the bike off and on again but no change. I switched it off for an hour and when I turned it back on everything was back to normal!! The bike is back at the dealers this week so I'll see what they find.
All that said,I love the motor. It's revvy,quick and economical. Good brakes with basically a good chassis. We also both find it comfortable to sit on for a long time (apart from the harsh suspension) I like the cruise control and wind protection.
I've wondered if the tyres may be contributing to the harsh ride. It came with Michelin Anakee 3's on spoked wheels and I've had 3300 miles from the rear and will be putting PR 4's on later this week.

At the moment I'd give it 5/10. If the suspension issue can be resolved,that would go up to 8 1/4.
If I like the look of the new R1200R lc I'll be buying one of those.

Thanks for letting me stand on my box,
Mike.
Click to expand...


Mike, I know my onions too and ride for a living ;)

For the first few weeks of LC GS ownership I too struggled a with a ride that was sometimes a tad too harsh. If I softened off the rebound it didn't really cure it - the bike then wallowed but was still harsh over a poor surface.
So I played tyre pressures and it has made a huge difference. I'm running Tourance Nexts at about 33 39 and it has made all the difference - tight lines, tight chassis but a softer more pliable feel from my contact patch.

I'm surprised you complain about it's handling - it's one of the nicest handling bikes I've owned. Very flickable, holds a line like it's on rails and feels easy enough to pick up and put down again with those wide bars. (I tend to pull it about and not push it ... ).

The ESA?? That's done it once to me before, and at a guess, it was because I asked it to change to two up once my missus had sat on it and not before. Maybe there's a reluctance in the bike to alter the preload ... if you're already loading it? Helps to protect the motors from working too hard and burning out?? Dunno, but If it's one up and I'm changing to two, I now do it before she gets on and have had no problems since.

:thumb2
 
Motorcycle Michael said:
Having traded in my K1300R,I am very disappointed with the handling of my lc. It doesn't hold it's line very well and once committed into a corner,it's hard to change your line at will. It rode the R1200RT lc and that was much better-maybe the 19" front wheel on the GS?
I'm having problems with the ESA,it alters the ride height but the damping seems too hard in any mode. If you come across rough surfaces mid corner,the thing just skips across the top,drifting very wide and is frankly dangerous. This trait has destroyed my confidence in the bike-even the Mrs noticed the poor ride quality. My 2009 R1200R (ESA) and my 1992 R100R with Wilbers rear shock both ride better than my almost 16k GS.
Compliance,compliance,compliance is what I expect from a modern bike,any bike really. I'm no fool and having raced in several disciplines I know what I want from my bike. I think that the suspension feels cheap, under developed and harsh.
A week ago the ESA wouldn't do anything-just a flashing symbol which did not stop for 30 minutes. I eventually turned the bike off and on again but no change. I switched it off for an hour and when I turned it back on everything was back to normal!! The bike is back at the dealers this week so I'll see what they find.
All that said,I love the motor. It's revvy,quick and economical. Good brakes with basically a good chassis. We also both find it comfortable to sit on for a long time (apart from the harsh suspension) I like the cruise control and wind protection.
I've wondered if the tyres may be contributing to the harsh ride. It came with Michelin Anakee 3's on spoked wheels and I've had 3300 miles from the rear and will be putting PR 4's on later this week.

At the moment I'd give it 5/10. If the suspension issue can be resolved,that would go up to 8 1/4.
If I like the look of the new R1200R lc I'll be buying one of those.

Thanks for letting me stand on my box,
Mike.
Click to expand...

This needs to go back to the Dealer ASAP
 
As for me 8000 miles on the R1200GS TE I would give it 9/10

Good - Handling, Comfort - Engine and overall so much fun - A bike that does well.......everything and everything...well! I love it! Great with NAV 5 being operated off of the whirley wheel.

Bad - The gearbox is proper clunky, although you learn to love it and adapt to it! The screen pin and circlip is a bad design.
 
Motorcycle Michael said:
Having traded in my K1300R,I am very disappointed with the handling of my lc. It doesn't hold it's line very well and once committed into a corner,it's hard to change your line at will..

[content removed]

If I like the look of the new R1200R lc I'll be buying one of those.

Thanks for letting me stand on my box,
Mike.
Click to expand...

You need to get your bike back to the dealer, you are not describing a fully functional LC which has none of these traits.
 
Had a R1200 GS LC at launch back in 2013 having previously had a `1200 GSA TC.

The LC was a much better bike.
Screen was much better than I expected offering ample protection.
ESA was better suited to me with a noticeable difference between settings.
Gearbox was positive and no issues but it was still agricultural.
Handling was superb and never any scary moments
Handlebars would oscilate slightly at higher speeds.
With a topbox (slightly overweight) I could get the bars to start wavering if I 'let go' but would correct ok once I grabbed them.

2014 R1200 GSA

Had one of these at launch
Very disappointed - so much so it has been p/x for another GS.
Heavy (but weight is displayed in all the blurb so there you go).
Nowhere near as agile as the GS - I kept on thinking it was in rain mode -( maybe the extra weight)
ESA - ride quality was harsh
Screen - for me worse than the GS and flapped all over the place
It looks big and ugly
Continual wind noise from the engine area - really annoying and spoiled each ride.

The old GSA was much better.

2014 GS

Really pleased and does all I want
Gearbox still agricultural but no issues with neutral.
Gear lever adjusted to how I want it (so as to suit my adjustable foot pegs).
Steering damper is an improvement and prevents bar oscillation at higher speeds (even more noticeable when directly compared against a 2013 bike back to back)

So my conclusions

2014 GSA - 6
2014 GS - 8
 
karlp said:
Had a R1200 GS LC at launch back in 2013 having previously had a `1200 GSA TC.

The LC was a much better bike.
Screen was much better than I expected offering ample protection.
ESA was better suited to me with a noticeable difference between settings.
Gearbox was positive and no issues but it was still agricultural.
Handling was superb and never any scary moments
Handlebars would oscilate slightly at higher speeds.
With a topbox (slightly overweight) I could get the bars to start wavering if I 'let go' but would correct ok once I grabbed them.

2014 R1200 GSA

Had one of these at launch
Very disappointed - so much so it has been p/x for another GS.
Heavy (but weight is displayed in all the blurb so there you go).
Nowhere near as agile as the GS - I kept on thinking it was in rain mode -( maybe the extra weight)
ESA - ride quality was harsh
Screen - for me worse than the GS and flapped all over the place
It looks big and ugly
Continual wind noise from the engine area - really annoying and spoiled each ride.

The old GSA was much better.

2014 GS

Really pleased and does all I want
Gearbox still agricultural but no issues with neutral.
Gear lever adjusted to how I want it (so as to suit my adjustable foot pegs).
Steering damper is an improvement and prevents bar oscillation at higher speeds (even more noticeable when directly compared against a 2013 bike back to back)

So my conclusions

2014 GSA - 6
2014 GS - 8
Click to expand...

Interesting reading, thanks

I had a good look over a blue 2014 GSA, parked up in the street yesterday

I think I prefer the normal GS
 
JohnnyBoxer said:
Interesting reading, thanks

I had a good look over a blue 2014 GSA, parked up in the street yesterday

I think I prefer the normal GS
Click to expand...

Normal GS LC is the nicer all round bike in my opinion - guess I will be shot down for that heretical statement by the 'true adventurers' :D
 
Engineer said:
Normal GS LC is the nicer all round bike in my opinion - guess I will be shot down for that heretical statement by the 'true adventurers' :D
Click to expand...

The GSA only offers one thing - bigger tank.

If that is the concern just strap two fuel cans to the boxes
 
Coming from an 1150GS I have been trying all the new variations of 1200 over the past couple of years and so far none of them did it for me. I liked them, but after getting off and driving away on my 1150, I just couldn't quite get it. So stayed with the 1150. :rob

That is until I tried the new w\c GSA and I am finally smitten. I have bought it. Just have to wait for it to come in. This was also the case with the normal wc GS I tried that last year and was almost ready to sign on the bottom line, but it was still just a wee bit mmmm not sure so i waited for the GSA. Cant quite put my finger on it, but it seems to have some of that old character the 1150 had, i.e. low down pull out of corners etc , but it also has all this new electronic wizardry that just seems to work? I know that being a BMW it will never be a Jap bike, but thats what we love about them, so there will more than likely be a few foibles with it over the next while, but I have been riding an 1150 for 5 years so am quite used to foibles! Cant wait to get it out when I get home from offshore! Bring it on!:bounce1

Each to their own I suppose.
 
Good to know im riding the faster gs watercooled. I always hated trying to wheel big bertha out of the garage with 30 litres of fuel. I think my 12 plate gsa was a fair bit comfier than this 14 plate GS though...seat, bars - just 'right'. Few aches creep in on the new one after a bit, probably down to advancing years on my part.

The new GS is a solid 8 from me, very pleased with it so far but ive only done 1k miles....a 3k 2 up tour coming up will determine if she can really deliver. I cant think of anything id really change, ride, handling and performance all more than enough for me and it does feel very very lively and agile after the 12 plate bike. A sports GS. Great ride but minus points because It does feel a bit plasticky in places, oh for a proper tank not shitty stick on panels.
 
I like nearly everything about my 2014 WC. The clunky gearbox is a pain, but no worse than my K-series. The wind noise is also pretty bad, even with a GSA screen. But my real bugbear is the fact that I get coated in shit if I ride in the rain. Because of that last point, it's 7/10 from me.
 
I like my WC I like my WC a lot....but it's not perfect !!!

My previous TC did 30% of things better than my WC,but my WC does 70% of stuff better than my TC,so in my book that makes the WC better than the TC.

So what was better on the TC ?

Indicators...much prefer the paddles.

Heated grips...much more effective on the TC.

Slow riding around town...I can only think this is down to fuelling but the TC was a much nicer bike to ride around the town or in heavy traffic,thankfully I don't do much of either.

So what does the WC do better than the TC.

Everything except the above.

One of the most significant things for me is...Load the bike up to the gunnels get your good lady on the back tweak the suspension and the bloody thing still feels as though your riding solo, until you really start to push it, even then it still feels rock solid.

A previous poster felt the handling wasn't up to much! All I can say is go and get your bike checked, for me the WC is one of the surrest bikes I ever handled,maybe it doesn't turn as quick as some more nimble bikes but as long as you set it up it handles fine and even if you do have to wrestle it occassionaly it doesn't object.

Exactly one year of ownership down the line, every time I get on it I still think."This is a great bike"

As I said not without it's faults or problems,but still gets 8/10 from me.

As a comparison I gave the GSA WC a good workout a couple of weeks ago,nice bike I would give it 6.5/10

Steve
 
Hamslay said:
I like nearly everything about my 2014 WC. The clunky gearbox is a pain, but no worse than my K-series. The wind noise is also pretty bad, even with a GSA screen. But my real bugbear is the fact that I get coated in shit if I ride in the rain. Because of that last point, it's 7/10 from me.
Click to expand...

Get the BMW extended mudguard I think they cost about £12..I ridden in some appalling weather for extended periods and never had this problem of being covered in muck.

Steve
 
wrinkleyowlie said:
Get the BMW extended mudguard I think they cost about £12..I ridden in some appalling weather for extended periods and never had this problem of being covered in muck.

Steve
Click to expand...

Really? The Mudsling thread is full of people complaining about all the crap that gets thrown up. What's the "extended mudguard"? I already have the MachineartMoto fender extender. Do you mean the BMW panel infills?
 
GS R1200 TE 2013. 3500 miles

10 compared to previous bikes owned or ridden, without a doubt.
 
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