Shock news

[Pondboy]

Jeez guys,

Things improve all the time. It is a fact of life.

All of the GS's have their good and bad points, as will the new one. There is not a "perfect" bike and there never will be. If you need to have the latest thing and can afford it, put your order for the new one in now.

I can't wait till my new (current) 1200GS is ready at the end of next month. Having test ridden just about every model, it is the biz, suits me perfectly and comes at a price I can afford.

I'm pleased that BWM are upgrading the model and I hope they sort out the ABS. I'm sure there will be loads of owners write ups as soon as they hit the dealers.

Enjoy. PB

 

[Twotter]

R1200GS Sport it is then ?

 

[Timolgra]

I've ridden a Fazer off road, and I can tell you the GS is far better

But for how long will GSs be better off road, with their bias and market shifting towards ex sports bike riders

Already the 1200 doesn't have the immediate grunt of an 1150, which in turn doesn't do as well off road as the GSPD. My concerns are that BMW are producing bikes towards a saturated market for the majority, and not what used to be a very different type of bike

 

[sproggy]

The more negative stuff I read on this site, the more I look at other bikes - but I always come back to the view that the 12GS is the bike I most prefer.

I'll second that. After a few reliability/build quality issues with mine I started to regret buying it. But then I looked at just about every other bike on the market from every other manufacturer and realised that, for what I wanted, they were all flawed in some respect. Now I wouldn't pretend that the GS is perfect - far from it - but it's as close to my ideal bike as it's possible to buy 'off the shelf' and I'm getting happier with it the more miles I put on it.

 

[Schwarz Baron]

Already the 1200 doesn't have the immediate grunt of an 1150,

Sorry Tim, but that's bollox, having owned both

 

[sproggy]

But for how long will GSs be better off road, with their bias and market shifting towards ex sports bike riders

Already the 1200 doesn't have the immediate grunt of an 1150, which in turn doesn't do as well off road as the GSPD. My concerns are that BMW are producing bikes towards a saturated market for the majority, and not what used to be a very different type of bike

I'm sure they have researched their market very carefully (being the efficient German people that they are) and realised that the on-road market for the GS is so great that it makes the off-road market look completely insignificant from a sales point of view. Sure, there are people (not me) who want to use the GS off tarmac, but BM are in it for the money - nothing more, nothing less - so they will aim the bike at where the demand is.

I have to agree, though - I would dearly love my 1200 to have the 1150's low-down torque.

 

[sproggy]

Sorry Tim, but that's bollox, having owned both

You must have owned a very sick 1150, then

 

[HMR]

What a lot of bitterness! I'm perfectly happy with my 1200 and wouldn't want a more powerful version. Especially if, as with all the more powerful boxer engined 1200s in BMW's range, the extra power comes at the expense of low down torque.

This is not entirely true. The HP2 engine would fit fine in the R12GS. Stronger, smoother and much better gearbox.

 

[Shep]

You must have owned a very sick 1150, then

Or you have a sick 1200

I felt the 1150 had a higher first gear than the 1200 which makes it a different feel to the 1200 Neither of the bikes unpleasant just different

Anyway Tim , fishing season don't start untill the 16th June

Shep

 

[sproggy]

Or you have a sick 1200

I felt the 1150 had a higher first gear than the 1200 which makes it a different feel to the 1200 Neither of the bikes unpleasant just different

Could be true.... The 1150 would 'trickle' at barely above tickover in 1st gear, and then pull away smoothly (without any clutch involvement) as the throttle was opened. The 1200 won't do this - no 'trickle', no smooth running just above idle, and (if you try to pull away from this speed without clutch slip or rear brake) a surge of power with the slightest tweak of the throttle. Unpleasant? Not quite, but bordering on it. Lots more clutch-slipping required in slow traffic than on the 1150. But don't "they all do that, Sir"?

I had the impression that the 1200 was geared higher than the 1150 because of this behaviour since it won't run at walking speed in 1st (or any) gear. Probably it's just due to the 1200 having a much lighter flywheel.

 

[(RIP) Shenzi]

But for how long will GSs be better off road, with their bias and market shifting towards ex sports bike riders

Who knows Tim, BWM are there to make a profit so market forces will dictate the design.

 

[MATKAT]

Here Her !!!

I absolutely agree Mouse, the 1200 is such a super bike . All this clap trap when in reality everyone knows in the main the bike is hassle free..................... the % figures in the polls prove what the average is and the general concensus............
I continue to ride and enjoy, but for sure if a more powerful version was available i'd buy it when I decided to change mine........................until then just follow my exhaust pipe

What a lot of bitterness! I'm perfectly happy with my 1200 and wouldn't want a more powerful version. Especially if, as with all the more powerful boxer engined 1200s in BMW's range, the extra power comes at the expense of low down torque.

 

[Boz]

Scary how everyone abandons the ship like rats...hope you enjoy the next new toy, price tag and problems!

I'll stick with my standard 12, it's the nuts!

Boz

 

[Sadjim]

The R1200RT engine is more powerful than the GS and would be an obvious choice for more power, but it needs high octane fuel to get some of that power. It has the engine management to cope with lower grade fuel and I assume the power is reduced then. I had a 12RT and it is a livelier engine - more power but the GS is much lighter so feels the same on the road.
A GS with with RT engine would be an improvement.

But BMW if you are listening - give us a GS with 17" road wheels and 125bhp for starters.

Is it April 1st again.

Isn't that nearly a HP2

 

[Schtum]

Scary how everyone abandons the ship like rats...hope you enjoy the next new toy, price tag and problems!

I'll stick with my standard 12, it's the nuts!

Boz

Well you see, it's like this Nik.......there's only 7 months of warrantly left and it has done over 9K miles now and it is getting a bit dirty and.......

 

[Boz]

Well you see, it's like this Nik.......there's only 7 months of warrantly left and it has done over 9K miles now and it is getting a bit dirty and.......

Hmmm....if I didn't know you better I'd say you were needing to scratch that speed itch again??

 

[Bod]

Shit

What are you going to do seeing you've just got an old ADV

Ride it until it starts to fall apart, oh it's already started doing that.

 

[garyten]

I am just getting ready to purchase my first GS so this news / rumor is interesting. I don't think it should be to radical, given the current 12 engine is still "new", and the current modifications to the 06 models shows that,so maybe using the RT/RS engine con-fig should be enough to keep it on top.

The news of a BMW / APRILLIA/ BOMBARDIA joint development for the F650 is maybe something that's "stirring" around other developments within the factory. If i had any ideas to suggest,
A gearbox upgrade / refinement.
Maybe 10 hp and 5 pounds/feet of torque.
Otherwise the bike is pretty much refined, now that most of the early faults/ gremlins have been found or resolved.

The rest of the bike industry is moving on and the GS needs to keep up, as KTM have shown, then you have TRIUMPH ready with the new 1050 engine and Tiger model, and you can bet the Japanese factories are quietly tweaking or developing new improved designs. Someone is going to "catch on" to the shaft drive, semi of roader, sooner rather than later.

I think BMW, and their GS is maybe a victim of its own success, and as such needs to just improve and develop the already successful GS range, a kind of evolution i suppose.

 

[Boz]

I think we need to keep this in perspective....this is still word of mouth! I can't figure out why the hell BMW would think or anyone else for that matter why an existing 1170cc engine isn't enough power

It seems to me this is just another one of this wars between manufactures (if this does happen) which the public get caught up in and being told what they need is more this and more that....and guess what we fall for it!

With whats happening with the state of the price of fuel and where it's going to come from I think what should be happening is trying to make engines more fuel efficent...I much rather spend my money on a bike which can do 60mpg than being able to ride 140 for the 3 seconds between cameras!

 

[Schtum]

I think we need to keep this in perspective....this is still word of mouth!

Albeit from the horse's mouth......

I can't figure out why the hell BMW would think or anyone else for that matter why an existing 1170cc engine isn't enough power

100 bhp is fine in the winter and in the wet but in the summer I've often thought another 20 bhp would be nice.