So how reliable is the 1200 really?

[John Armstrong]

An accident could easily involve a 3rd-party even if I was solo.

I don't currently have any BM insurance, I was calling them at the dealer's suggestion to see if they could provide a short term policy.

Kevin

If the third party outside of the rider and pillion is the injured party IYSWIM that will be factored in. But, if the bike crashes, how likely is the pillion to be injured / clothing damaged etc, around 99.9%. But how likely is a passer by to be injured, 10%?

Sorry thought you had BM insurance

 

[Decster]

The first is quite easy to do with eBike and there is no charge but it's only possible to do it for a bike one owns.
....

when i had my first (not the bikes) service in Dublin with BuMW, i got my bikes insurance transfered to their loan bike, otherwise i could not have the loan bike....dont know about pillion but i assumed (rightly or wrongly) that as it was my personal paid for insurance it would cover me on their bike as per my bike.....

strange that you cannot do the same....

Wapping or others might be able to enlighten us

I am sure a solution will rear its head

 

[Brian ROSEN]

Pillion riders

My wife has been riding pillion with me for almost 40 years - you can take it from me that of all the ten BMW's I have owned she finds the 1200GS the most comfortable of all ( well, I never had an RT nor an LT) - although it requires a little effort to climb on. However she refuses to ride without a top box as a back rest. I found about 4 years ago that with a good backrest the whole business is much more relaxing for us both.

 

[ExpatinIstanbul]

My wife has been riding pillion with me for almost 40 years - you can take it from me that of all the ten BMW's I have owned she finds the 1200GS the most comfortable of all ( well, I never had an RT nor an LT) - although it requires a little effort to climb on. However she refuses to ride without a top box as a back rest. I found about 4 years ago that with a good backrest the whole business is much more relaxing for us both.

+1, with bells on.

My wife also insists on a back rest, and as I've already mentioned, an airhawk. With both of these she's happy to sit there for hours on end and doesn't moan at all. This is even though she suffers from back pain. I did add the foot peg lowering kit from TT though, this makes a big difference with the angle at the knee. She's not mentioned anything about vibrations (she would if it was a problem) through the pegs, nor wind noise on her lid. She only moans that I go too fast, but luckily I'm deaf to such things.

 

[Brian ROSEN]

pros and cons

"......moans that I go too fast," yes, that was an even bigger problem when I (briefly) has an 800GS. It has a very 'rorty' exhaust note that she did not like at all; Couple that to the fact that seat was too narrow and that it was almost impossible to climb aboard with the panniers fixed - and it a bike that 'likes' to be flung around; it did not last long I am afraid!

 

[cookie]

my mrs finds the back of the gsa very comfortable, but is no fan of the top box as it makes getting on or off even more difficult.

she never leans back on it, never wanted to. pillions who upset the handling like that are not welcome on my bike anyway

 

[Decster]

my mrs finds the back of the gsa very comfortable, but is no fan of the top box as it makes getting on or off even more difficult.

she never leans back on it, never wanted to. pillions who upset the handling like that are not welcome on my bike anyway

aye, not allowed to lean back and rest on my bike, must lean forward and rest as that wont upset the handling, but leaning back no way

 

[KevinW]

Thanks for the responses telling me your pillions are comfortable. Trouble is we're all different sizes and shapes and we're both carrying injuries so it's important we test it ourselves.

The sales manager from Coopers called me about 5 minutes ago to tell me that they're trying to resolve the insurance issue (for all their customers not just me) and he hopes to get back to me next week with better news. So far, ignoring my inability to contact them by 'phone yesterday, I can't fault their customer service.

Kevin

 

[KevinW]

(Yes I know this is an old thread!)

I went into Coopers today and they were very helpful. Unfortunately they haven't resolved the insurance situation but they acknowledge it is costing them business.

First time I've sat on a 1200GS and it seemed quite comfortable. SWMBO agreed. We just need to get a test ride now and suspect we need to widen our dealer search area.

(BTW- I've got a 29" inside leg and have a 1200 GSA- the height isn't a problem. It was on my 1150 which I dropped 4 times,not so much of a problem on my 1200 which I dropped twice.Yet to drop the GSA, but give me time..)

I've no idea how you do that. I sat on a GSA and my feet were doing ballerina impressions trying to reach the ground as that's the best I could do without hanging off one side. The Salesman said the seat would definitely be in the lowest position (although he didn't check) so it looks like it'll be a GS for us.

Kevin

 

[KevinW]

(And yes, this thread is now even older!)

At 02:00 this morning, nearly a year after I posted the question that started this thread, I pulled into the drive with this on the trailer:

We still haven't ridden one but I guess we'll be remedying that very shortly!

I've been looking at it this morning trying to figure out whether it needs black or silver H&B engine bars and I think I'm going to go with black. I also came to the conclusion that if engine bar colour is all I have to consider this morning there's not a lot wrong with our world.

Let the Farkle Fest begin .

Kevin

 

[original_concept]

Nice... But it badly needs a black beak protector. Your local BMW dealer can help there.

 

[KevinW]

I think we had one of those on our 1150. Good idea and has been added to the list of items that are winging their way towards me.

Kevin

 

[Decster]

black or silver H&B engine bars and I think I'm going to go with black.

health to ride

have a think about some cyclinder head covers like what Steptoe does...he makes a good case that the engine bars can flip a bike if its going down the road on its side....

 

[Brian ROSEN]

Big decision

Yes, you obviously have big problems to solve. My very similar model is almost all black (Ardoise they call it here - slate that is) and I have the matt stainless BMW bars fitted and it looks very good and i haven't used them yet, touch wood! You will enjoy it I am CERTAIN!

 

[JH]

Kweller

A year on - hopefully you will find that you have made a good choice.

I am about to pick up my third 1200, and have done about 30k on the other two with no major issues (a couple of warranty recalls - and a couple of bits under warranty as I am a bit picky).

The GS has taken me throughout the UK and Europe without incident and has been great fun, it is my preferred choice to ride and my other bikes are hardly getting a look in!

The new bike is a 2010 model, in Artic White, it will have the black beak extender, and black H&B crash bars and spoked wheels and I can't wait to get her. The 2008 model was in the Slate Grey and was a cracking bike - it impressed all those whoever came riding with me on their sports bikes!

The only thing was that on the 2008 bike I had the Remus Pipes which made a difference to the way the bike revved and sounded. The 2010 model is not compatable with these and I think that there are no options at present, other than a BMW Akro silencer at a very high cost.

Anyhow by now you should be out enjoying the bike? What do you think?

JH

 

[sven]

I've been looking at it this morning trying to figure out whether it needs black or silver H&B engine bars and I think I'm going to go with black. I also came to the conclusion that if engine bar colour is all I have to consider this morning there's not a lot wrong with our world.

Let the Farkle Fest begin .

Kevin

I like the silver ones myself as they blend in with the frame and engine colours

Mine are SW Motech bars

 

[KevinW]

A year on - hopefully you will find that you have made a good choice. JH

Yep, I think we did.

Anyhow by now you should be out enjoying the bike? What do you think?

I think we rather like it. We've done a lot fewer miles than we planned as we were on our way to Scotland until the weather forced a change of plan then a chunk of flint in our rear tyre and an apparent lack of availability of a replacement tyre near Lincoln forced a recovery home on Monday.

There are a couple of things I don't like - self-cancelling indicators which I guess I'm going to have to put up with and the saddle which would have been rebuilt today but the bloke who does our seats has no electricity.

I'm disappointed with the range which was around 170-180 to the tank but I like the way the bike handles and we really enjoyed riding it.

I was quite surprised to find that I can pretty much flat foot it and I wonder whether the GSA I sat on in Coopers in Tunbridge Wells really was on its lowest setting. I guess if the salesman could have been bothered to get up from his chair and check I might have had better information and he may have made a sale. I think I look reasonably normal but perhaps I don't fit a salesman's perception of what a BMW-buyer looks like as that may explain the crap service we've experienced in both BMW dealers we've been in.

Kevin

 

[Brian ROSEN]

ab- or sub-?

"I think I look reasonably normal ......." Yes, that could well have been the problem!

 

[Deleted Member I]

(And yes, this thread is now even older!)

At 02:00 this morning, nearly a year after I posted the question that started this thread, I pulled into the drive with this on the trailer:

We still haven't ridden one but I guess we'll be remedying that very shortly!

I've been looking at it this morning trying to figure out whether it needs black or silver H&B engine bars and I think I'm going to go with black. I also came to the conclusion that if engine bar colour is all I have to consider this morning there's not a lot wrong with our world.

Let the Farkle Fest begin .

Kevin

That's NOT the latest 2010 version? Why?

 

[Kieran Gallagher]

I am on my 6th GS. None of them have ever let me down or failed to start. My problems have all been on the 1200GS models i.e faulty fuel sensor on my last one and paint peeling off front and rear wheels due to corrosion [2008 model]. Also Kill Switch button snapped on my new 2010 GS the first time I used it, fortunately it did not engage before it snapped off. Dealer has never encountered alloy wheel or kill switch problem before but very quickly sorted all without complaint. Annoying sure but I still believe the GS is the best all rounder on the market today.