R1300GS / the good the bad & the ugly

[Morety]

I have not ridden the 1300 GS yet but it sounds like BMW addressed One main issue the 11 year old 1200/1250 platform had while creating new ones…Ridden fast on the street the frame flexes at high speed (therefore the 112mph warning on the boxes) as also turning in fast where you can feel part of your energy was lost somewhere in the frame as it flexes….If the new bike is stiff as also the suspension that is good ! Maybe no need to spend 4 grand on Tractive shocks…But the tank destroys the whole thing because the short fuel range is a nuisance at least…Like I said before all the cheating on paper besides (tank,center stand,luggage rack,lithium battery) a 24 L tank would have been perfect ! The motor seems stronger but keeping the 76 mm stroke/1350cc and raising the power level by 1000 rpm especially with the shorter stroke now would have made it even better but BMW does it like apple and we get only small increments every few year$$$…The radar box in the front needs to go and a real taillight added And the exhaust needs to be Louder than the mechanical clatter of the valvetrain…And hopefully the new aluminum boxes wont be smaller like the varios are…Still lot of room for improvement I would say ! Wished they would have pulled out all the stops right from the getgo to create some real excitement but I remember when in 2012 the all new 1200-LC came out and I kept my camhead for a few more seasons until I bought one and was disappointed by the lame engine until the 1250 took care of that problem…LOL

You've experienced frame flex on a 1200? Really? Honestly? It's the one thing it doesn't suffer from. The limit on the boxes has absolutely nothing to do with frame flex but aerodynamic stability? The fuel range is not short. Most people find an 18 litre tank/220 miles range good enough. Few people ride longer without a break. I've had closer to 240 miles from mine ridden sensibly and smoothly.

Can you please at least try to post something useful or factual instead of this constant drip drip feed of nonsense and fantasy? The 1200 engine is anything but lame, especially when compared to earlier air/oil heads. Only the ignorant might suggest that 92ft-lbs of shove is inadequate for real world riding. Want a track day bike? Buy one and enjoy it. The 1200L/C was the first real hike in power and punch for years and I ought to know as I've owned a fair few earlier pre L/C bikes and the difference seemed greater to me than the 1200 to 1250 jump. Yes, I could use the "ignore" button but it'd be refreshing to see you post something of value, something that positively contributes instead of the constant flogging of dead horses. Go ride a 1300 before posting anything else on its perceived performance shortcomings perhaps? I'm sure the feedback would be of interest.

 

[Shinyface408]

You've experienced frame flex on a 1200? Really? Honestly? It's the one thing it doesn't suffer from. The limit on the boxes has absolutely nothing to do with frame flex but aerodynamic stability? The fuel range is not short. Most people find an 18 litre tank/220 miles range good enough. Few people ride longer without a break. I've had closer to 240 miles from mine ridden sensibly and smoothly.

Can you please at least try to post something useful or factual instead of this constant drip drip feed of nonsense and fantasy? The 1200 engine is anything but lame, especially when compared to earlier air/oil heads. Only the ignorant might suggest that 92ft-lbs of shove is inadequate for real world riding. Want a track day bike? Buy one and enjoy it. The 1200L/C was the first real hike in power and punch for years and I ought to know as I've owned a fair few earlier pre L/C bikes and the difference seemed greater to me than the 1200 to 1250 jump. Yes, I could use the "ignore" button but it'd be refreshing to see you post something of value, something that positively contributes instead of the constant flogging of dead horses. Go ride a 1300 before posting anything else on its perceived performance shortcomings perhaps? I'm sure the feedback would be of interest.

Morety , as they say around here he's ' thick as mince ' and computer generated mince at that.....Boxerlust the AI generated chat bot, that answers a great deal.....

 

[J biker]

Frame flex, on a GS…lol, lol, lol.
Probably one of the most stable bikes mid corner, that has ever been manufactured.
if you want high speed weave with panniers, try one of the old 1200 multistradas! In fact, they weave at speed without luggage. As observed my instructor at Blyton park a few years back…asked if I could feel it? Yes, I bloody could!

 

[Spareparts]

A lot of the problem is a lot of people don’t want bikes that do all that, they want the presence of a big bike that they can sit up high on and look down on the world with.

^ this is the true summary of every naysayer of the new 13GS. If you look at how pedestrian 99% of all GS/GSAs are ridden in the UK and how few go offroad, BMW have built a new GS that is a better ‘riders’ bike than their customers need or want.
In comparison (in the car world), JLR got it right with the new full fat Range Rover and Defender. Just look at how many plough the streets of London utilising 1% of their capabilities allowing their owners to look down on the world around them.

 

[Boxerlust]

Morety if you ride hard enough you encounter lots of frame flex steering in quick as also a wobble that cant be cured with a steering dampener at speeds above 110 with bags due to frame flex…And the 2017-18 EU-4 R1200GS were dog slow…I hated having traded my 2012 GS in for it because it barely had more beans but felt less emotional had more mechanical clatter and felt flat…I was so glad when I got the bad taste of having made the wrong buying decision by getting rid of it and getting a 1250 which was/is so much better by having so much more Torque and less mechanical noise coming from the valvetrain…Day and night difference ! The 1250 has a much stronger roll-on than the 1200…Kind of feels like when you accelerate hard in 5th gear you have to accelerate the 1200 in 3rd to get the same feel…As for the 1300 I have not tested it yet especially how it takes high speed with bags but 19 liters is a non starter for me…Ridiculous on BMWs part as also weighing it in with our centerstand rack and lighter battery for advertusenent reasons…Small bladder or not lots of tank stops are a pain or even worse you have to bring extra gas if you ride in areas with 150-200 mile next gas signs…Oh well the inner City GS knobby tire Starbucks crowd wont care as long as the weight is low and they will bitch about the missing 21 inch wheel option that they cane blame their missing off road talent on…LOL

 

[leadfarmer]

I get what you mean

I have a 1200 LC

It accelerates like a dog off a rug and handles like the last supermarket trolley in the rack

That's why I've kept it 8 years

 

[EKIMYRF]

Morety if you ride hard enough you encounter lots of frame flex steering in quick as also a wobble that cant be cured with a steering dampener at speeds above 110 with bags due to frame flex…And the 2017-18 EU-4 R1200GS were dog slow…I hated having traded my 2012 GS in for it because it barely had more beans but felt less emotional had more mechanical clatter and felt flat…I was so glad when I got the bad taste of having made the wrong buying decision by getting rid of it and getting a 1250 which was/is so much better by having so much more Torque and less mechanical noise coming from the valvetrain…Day and night difference ! The 1250 has a much stronger roll-on than the 1200…Kind of feels like when you accelerate hard in 5th gear you have to accelerate the 1200 in 3rd to get the same feel…As for the 1300 I have not tested it yet especially how it takes high speed with bags but 19 liters is a non starter for me…Ridiculous on BMWs part as also weighing it in with our centerstand rack and lighter battery for advertusenent reasons…Small bladder or not lots of tank stops are a pain or even worse you have to bring extra gas if you ride in areas with 150-200 mile next gas signs…Oh well the inner City GS knobby tire Starbucks crowd wont care as long as the weight is low and they will bitch about the missing 21 inch wheel option that they cane blame their missing off road talent on…LOL

Genuine question, with a max speed limit of 70mph in California and 68mph (110kph) In Mexico where can you go at these frame flexing speeds ?

 

[Gossy]

Morety if you ride hard enough you encounter lots of frame flex steering in quick as also a wobble that cant be cured with a steering dampener at speeds above 110 with bags due to frame flex…And the 2017-18 EU-4 R1200GS were dog slow…I hated having traded my 2012 GS in for it because it barely had more beans but felt less emotional had more mechanical clatter and felt flat…I was so glad when I got the bad taste of having made the wrong buying decision by getting rid of it and getting a 1250 which was/is so much better by having so much more Torque and less mechanical noise coming from the valvetrain…Day and night difference ! The 1250 has a much stronger roll-on than the 1200…Kind of feels like when you accelerate hard in 5th gear you have to accelerate the 1200 in 3rd to get the same feel…As for the 1300 I have not tested it yet especially how it takes high speed with bags but 19

It's truly amazing how you can evaluate a machine you haver seen or ridden, do you cover your head with a sheet to get a better imaginary vision , your not so much a test pilot as you are a drone, and drone goes on and on.

 

[J biker]

Bizarre, I had two r1200gs, a 2014 then a 2017. Dog slow would not be my description. In fact, after a Germany break with a few from the Ducati forum…two of the people went on to buy a 1200gs. One from a Multisrada, one from an S1000r.
They must have thought the 1200 looked very slow, when they were struggling to keep up.

 

[J biker]

Anyway..
called in at the dealer in Limoges today, had my first look at the 1300. First impressions are very favourable.
It looks more compact and importantly feels more compact when you sit on it. Narrower and lighter feel. No idea what the actual real figures are, but any weight that is there feels lower down. Nice to see the cylinders in line. Neat.
Not sure about the new cylinder head paint, think I preferred the previous model finish tbh, but a small detail. They only had the Triple Black and Rallye, the white version already gone. Not overly excited about the rack with the unnecessary electrical connectors either. Would prefer the most basic with the Dynamic pack only.
Need a test ride, probably February at the earliest due to work and travel commitments.

 

[Boxerlust]

EKIMYRF…To answer your question in 26th trip so far and still enjoying it As for the 2017 R1200GSA I bought I remember the ride home after I left my 2012 R1200GSA at the dealership…The knot in the stomach I felt and thought what have I done…It felt flat like carbonated water left open over night…I hated that bike and was so happy riding home 2 years later on a 1250GSA I traded a short 5000 miles later on my current 1250-HP because I wanted something lighter…

 

[GB.]

Must have had a bad 1200 then as mine will out drag most 1250s, not until it gets over 125 that the 1250 might edge me and I don’t care much for that end of the rev range and way. Was looking at a 1250 camshaft last week and the cam lift and duration at the lower end of the rev range is less than half that of a 1200, with proper fuelling and ignition timing (which admittedly stock 1200s don’t have) the lift on the 1200 will leave a 1250 up to a 100.

 

[Boxerlust]

And no I have not ridden the new 1300 and in this regard I can say nothing negative about it But the small rank for weight reasons is like cheating and a non starter…I like the Sport screen , tank compartment and light forged wheels…Smaller bags are stupid but I would wait for the top loading aluminum ones anyways…The frame and shocks seem stiffer which is also good.That they decreased the stroke without raising the rpm limit is stupid but I guess they wont to sell the 1350 in 5 years to gives us 155 hp when Ducati and KTM have 200…LOL And the radar box at the front and missing taillight I dont like at all as also that the engine itself seems to be louder than the exhaust but I hope the aftermarket will have a solution…This time with a more expensive full system since the muffler itself seems to be just for looks and the big breadbox where the transmission used to sit kills all the noise/fun…Thank the idiots in Brussels for this as this is probably not BMWs fault….

 

[Morety]

Morety if you ride hard enough you encounter lots of frame flex steering in quick as also a wobble that cant be cured with a steering dampener at speeds above 110 with bags due to frame flex…And the 2017-18 EU-4 R1200GS were dog slow…I hated having traded my 2012 GS in for it because it barely had more beans but felt less emotional had more mechanical clatter and felt flat…I was so glad when I got the bad taste of having made the wrong buying decision by getting rid of it and getting a 1250 which was/is so much better by having so much more Torque and less mechanical noise coming from the valvetrain…Day and night difference ! The 1250 has a much stronger roll-on than the 1200…Kind of feels like when you accelerate hard in 5th gear you have to accelerate the 1200 in 3rd to get the same feel…As for the 1300 I have not tested it yet especially how it takes high speed with bags but 19 liters is a non starter for me…Ridiculous on BMWs part as also weighing it in with our centerstand rack and lighter battery for advertusenent reasons…Small bladder or not lots of tank stops are a pain or even worse you have to bring extra gas if you ride in areas with 150-200 mile next gas signs…Oh well the inner City GS knobby tire Starbucks crowd wont care as long as the weight is low and they will bitch about the missing 21 inch wheel option that they cane blame their missing off road talent on…LOL

There's nothing "dog slow" about any of the 1200's and certainly nothing slow about the post 2017 R1200RS for sure. I repeat, speed limit advisories with luggage are due to aerodynamic instability likelihood and not frame flex. Whether that same aerodynamic instability is the cause of perceived sub frame flex due to dynamic load transfer from the luggage is quite another matter. Point is there's nothing inherently unstable about the GS which isn't related to aerodynamic forces. It's simple, only an idiot would try and sustain 110+ mph on public roads fully loaded up because they would be ignoring the advice from the manufacturer, but you carry on. 19 litres, granted, is a little disappointing on a touring bike but it's still sufficient for 220 miles between stops and few people need the 325 mile range that the larger GSA offers. My bet is most GSA riders stop long before the tank is dry, so 19 litres at best can be described as adequate. Would you care to put in writing where and when you last exceeded 3 figure speeds in Mexico fully loaded and bemoaned the dangerous handling?

The only thing that I agree with you on is the loss of a separate rear light and I don't like the appearance of the front of the 1300. Those that have actually ridden it understand the world of difference between paper specifications and the riding experience. The two can be mutually exclusive, which in this case, they are.

 

[J biker]

Most GSA riders stop for fuel when other bikes stop for fuel. Irritating for them maybe, but seen it on many trips. Try going away with people on Hypermotards or old school KTM 990s. Lots of tut tutting!

 

[Hp2marc]

about Wobble, I watched some years ago an interesting subject :

 

[Daggerit]

Morety if you ride hard enough you encounter lots of frame flex steering in quick as also a wobble that cant be cured with a steering dampener at speeds above 110 with bags due to frame flex…And the 2017-18 EU-4 R1200GS were dog slow…I hated having traded my 2012 GS in for it because it barely had more beans but felt less emotional had more mechanical clatter and felt flat…I was so glad when I got the bad taste of having made the wrong buying decision by getting rid of it and getting a 1250 which was/is so much better by having so much more Torque and less mechanical noise coming from the valvetrain…Day and night difference ! The 1250 has a much stronger roll-on than the 1200…Kind of feels like when you accelerate hard in 5th gear you have to accelerate the 1200 in 3rd to get the same feel…As for the 1300 I have not tested it yet especially how it takes high speed with bags but 19 liters is a non starter for me…Ridiculous on BMWs part as also weighing it in with our centerstand rack and lighter battery for advertusenent reasons…Small bladder or not lots of tank stops are a pain or even worse you have to bring extra gas if you ride in areas with 150-200 mile next gas signs…Oh well the inner City GS knobby tire Starbucks crowd wont care as long as the weight is low and they will bitch about the missing 21 inch wheel option that they cane blame their missing off road talent on…LOL

Nonsense.

Riding into Ullapool with the fully loaded paniers almost on the floor and at the edge of the back tyre trying to cling onto the back of a bunch of litre sportsbikes and the 1250GSA felt really impressively stable. Granted, I think it killed the standard rubber on it, but the bike felt spot on so I think this 'frame flex' thing is in your head or you're using it as an excuse.

 

[Bubb]

Frame flex?

FFS, he is so full of shite if he pops he could spread manure over half the continental USA.

what a bullshitting wanker

 

[Shinyface408]

Frame flex?

FFS, he is so full of shite if he pops he could spread manure over half the continental USA.

what a bullshitting wanker

Bubb don't worry he's a chat bot......

 

[pbbanks]

about Wobble, I watched some years ago an interesting subject :

Brave riders , I'd have been loosing my bottle especially at 90mph. I like the way he says at the end --- if you never go above 70mph you'll never have a problem with weave or wobble . Wish I'd had that in writing in the 1970s when my Suzuki 750 kettle went into a tank slapper big style and threw me off at about 60mph. !