Silly question .. GSA - Tiger 1050

[hondated]

Asking this question on this site is not a good idea but what the heck here goes. Really really want to geta new 1200GS/GSA but I keep reading horror stories on this site and others of people who have brought either one of these new and the gearbox has gone, the brakes haven,t worked etc etc etc and it is not helping me to decide at all. However when I trawl the web for info on the new Triumph Tiger 1050 I am not reading such horror stories and so I am gradually reappraising my opinion and going towards buying a Tiger. After all who wants to buy into trouble.
Can someone please give me an idea on what % of new GS - GSA are going wrong.
As they say thats put the cat among the pigeons. Please convince me that I am not mad to want to buy either of these bikes as I really want to.

 

[Jacqueslemac]

Not wishing to rain on your parade, but there are horror stories about the Tiger too. One of the bike magazines has had an engine replaced after it seized through lack of oil - just a few days after the level was checked.

Hopefully it was a one-off and not something affecting all Tigers. Mine uses a little bit of oil, but I keep a careful check on it on long runs, just in case (even though it's a 955i).

 

[Packer]

Somewhere on this site is a poll for 1200 owners. 88% of them were happy.

Remember that it's only those with a problem who tend to post about it.

Count the problems and then equate that to the fact that there are over 6,000 members on this forum.

Of course you should remember that even though it's older, heavier and 15bhp less powerful the 1150 is a better all round machine.

Some, the luddites, would say that the airhead's are even better

I must remember to have an extended test run on an 08 1200GS. It may now be better

 

[jonesai]

Looking at websites is a bit like reading a Haynes manual - so many things to go wrong. The 2007 Ride magazine annual survey showed the 1200GS 1st overall and the Tiger 5th but that was the old model Tiger.

 

[hondated]

Thanks

Thanks everyone I need I must sound shallow but what you have all said has certainly made me feel better.

 

[hondated]

Thanks

Sorry that was meant to read I know..

 

[GSmonkey]

Go and ride the Tiger............................that'll get rid of any silly feelings of parting with the folding

 

[GS TRV]

Go and ride the Tiger............................that'll get rid of any silly feelings of parting with the folding

or even just look closely at how they're put/thrown together - the dash for example

 

[Navy Boy]

Like one of the earlier posts said, people only tend to post when things go wrong...

Both models have had their fair share of snags however my take on it is as follows:

Tiger - Not much cheaper than the GS (Particularly once you've added centre stand, heated grips etc) - Build quality appears to be slipping (Footrest hangers on my cossted 2006 955 Daytona are a good example of this)

08 12GS - Now refined - Price difference not so great - Dealers far better and willing to try and keep your business long-term - Engine still not quite on a par with Tiger however gap's now so small as to more than compensate for differences in other areas.

You pays your money...

 

[Jonny_L]

Don't worry yourself about any potential problems, of course you'll hear bad things, there's not much point in starting a thread entitled "My bike's still working fine"

Never had a problem with mine aside from a couple of tiny niggles which took about an hour and no money to solve, and besides, you get a much better warranty with a BMW

The Tiger's a good bike, I tested one when the 1050 came out for a laugh. The engine is superb, it feels more a little bit more sporty than the GS to ride too. But the GS is a great bike, it's better built, has better wind protection, more features and it makes for a better adventure bike in general. Not to mention the GS has a better forum

 

[instructor Boy]

Road the new Tiger about 3 weeks ago. Triumph's interpretation of a Fazer or Bandit.

Very good deals available significantly making it cheaper than many other bikes outside the gs.

Reliability? Yes it will be better than the gs because its a simpler machine.

 

[hondated]

Thanks

Thanks once again to everyone for your views . Taking an RT & a GS on test this morning, will report back later. And yes this is a brilliant site and its making me want to edge towards the GS.I really hope that I get on with it. I am currently riding a Blackbird so I know there is going to be a power difference but I rode a friends R1100S recently and I immediately liked being on a twin again so I am sure I will be able to tune into the GS quickly.

 

[BBB61]

One other thing to factor in is the warranty. BMW are excellent at dealing with warranty issues, wheras Triumph, in my own personal experience are awful. The factory will turn down genuine claims for spurious reasons.

 

[650EssexBoy]

Bob maybe right - but when I had a bm (650), I spent so much time relying on the warranty, I was grateful when it was stolen, so I could buy a tiger - and have never needed to use the warranty on that.

Just depends if you get a good one or a bad one I guess. Bm were very good with all the warranty replacements I needed, but I dread to think how expensive the running costs outside warranty are!

As I understand it, the big bmws are more reliable tho.

Good luck.

 

[Captain GSA]

You could be unlucky or like me one of the lucky ones.... it'll be sorted either way so do not base your decision making on that note.

Which bike does it for you. When you buy a beemer, you buy into the 'world of bmw'.......

The tiger is a total road bike now in any case...........

Good luck with your decision, but a Tiger?

Now if you said KTM Adv then we would have to do some comparisons...

But a Tiger! No contest......

 

[hondated]

This is really going to hurt....

As I said in my previous message I took the RT & GS out on test rides.Coming from a Blackbird I was prepared for there to be quite a bit of difference in many ways. The GS was a revelation in that I could sit back and enjoy the scenery and of cause being a twin the engine braking and acceleration was really enjoyable and I was surprised in just how quick it was.Quick only in the sense that I had never ridden one before and so I did not try any heroics.I took it for a ride of probably 40 miles and during that time I got dialled into it at times and at other times I felt very negative. The problem I had was I just could not get comfortable and I seem to be sitting to far forward for the seat to feel any better.I have to admit also that coming from a 4 to a 2 was a little mind blowing and it of cause felt lumpy.What surprised me was when I rode a friends R1100s it never felt like that at all.To be honest although I have been riding for 41 years + I do not feel that I did the bike justice and never rode the bends how they should have been ridden. I know there is some debate elsewhere on the site about BM V Jap riders but quite honestly the bike is immaterial we all have different abilities and ride accordingly.For me I just could not get the bike to feel tight as I was going into and out of a bend.Thas just me I suppose.When I got onto the bike I really really wanted to like it because A) i love the look of them & B) I would have loved to have joined you at your meets as this site is so good and it seems to be very active as well. Sadly that will not now be possible as I have decided to stick with the Blackbird. I will however still be keenly looking at this site as you all seem a good bunch of riders.If your out on the East Sussex Croydon area and you see a fella on a silver BB and the fella is wearing a red jacket & we are approaching bends either sit behind me or go past quietly but whatever you do give me a wave as I am a friend and at the end of the day whatever abilities we have we are all bikers.

 

[Navy Boy]

Fair enough...

Fair enough Hondated

Beemers aren't for everyone, the boxers especially. At least you gave it a decent crack of the whip.

The Telelever front does take some getting used to, especially after a well-sorted conventional front end like on your Blackbird. All I can suggest is to give another BMW a try in the future and get as much time on board as you can. I only bought my first BMW after 3 different test rides. It's an acquired taste.

Above all though enjoy!

 

[ianboydsnr]

As I said in my previous message I took the RT & GS out on test rides.Coming from a Blackbird I was prepared for there to be quite a bit of difference in many ways. The GS was a revelation in that I could sit back and enjoy the scenery and of cause being a twin the engine braking and acceleration was really enjoyable and I was surprised in just how quick it was.Quick only in the sense that I had never ridden one before and so I did not try any heroics.I took it for a ride of probably 40 miles and during that time I got dialled into it at times and at other times I felt very negative. The problem I had was I just could not get comfortable and I seem to be sitting to far forward for the seat to feel any better.I have to admit also that coming from a 4 to a 2 was a little mind blowing and it of cause felt lumpy.What surprised me was when I rode a friends R1100s it never felt like that at all.To be honest although I have been riding for 41 years + I do not feel that I did the bike justice and never rode the bends how they should have been ridden. I know there is some debate elsewhere on the site about BM V Jap riders but quite honestly the bike is immaterial we all have different abilities and ride accordingly.For me I just could not get the bike to feel tight as I was going into and out of a bend.Thas just me I suppose.When I got onto the bike I really really wanted to like it because A) i love the look of them & B) I would have loved to have joined you at your meets as this site is so good and it seems to be very active as well. Sadly that will not now be possible as I have decided to stick with the Blackbird. I will however still be keenly looking at this site as you all seem a good bunch of riders.If your out on the East Sussex Croydon area and you see a fella on a silver BB and the fella is wearing a red jacket & we are approaching bends either sit behind me or go past quietly but whatever you do give me a wave as I am a friend and at the end of the day whatever abilities we have we are all bikers.

It took me 2 weeks, untill I stopped hating the weird front end and learned that you can pile the brakes on far later knowing your not going to bottom out the suspension, and I still miss the 100mph plus acceleration, of my last bike, but I guess thats a good thing, and the riding position, compared to a sports bike, is so different, but you get used to it after a while