Test riding an 08 GSA this afternoon

[blobcat]

Not exactly the nicest weather for a ride out however as I have to go through Brisol today I have booked a test ride from Bristol Motorrad on an 08 GSA. If I like it in this weather I can see a use for my 08 No. Plate

I've no experience of the Bristol dealer as I used to use the Cardiff one when my R1100S was in warranty. Any advice on the Bristol dealer?

 

[Hawk]

Not exactly the nicest weather for a ride out however as I have to go through Brisol today I have booked a test ride from Bristol Motorrad on an 08 GSA. If I like it in this weather I can see a use for my 08 No. Plate

Take some aqua lungs with you. I'm fitting an outboard motor to mine. Anyone got a cheap lifebelt?

 

[minty]

Not exactly the nicest weather for a ride out however as I have to go through Brisol today I have booked a test ride from Bristol Motorrad on an 08 GSA. If I like it in this weather I can see a use for my 08 No. Plate

I've no experience of the Bristol dealer as I used to use the Cardiff one when my R1100S was in warranty. Any advice on the Bristol dealer?

Hope you dont end up with that plank Mike ! hehe

 

[LiquidLAN]

Let us know how you get on - and also what you ride at the moment as a comparision. I'd be very interested to find out what the 08 GSA is like I've got an 06 GSA at the mo.

I think Mike is the guy who used to work for Cooper Reading, if so, he's a pretty good bloke, actually the only BMW bike dealer I met who understands what a discount was when talking about the 06 GSA.

 

[V2 TRV]

get some fotos up

 

[DolphiN Tech]

Had a little experience of the sales side, but I would hope that this was an off day.

Popped in by chance after visiting my ex (guess I needed something to calm me down!), it took about 10 mins for anyone to realise that I wasn't just milling around for my good health, but once they'd realised I was interested in a GSA....well, I don't really know what to make of it.

I felt as if it was being sold to me as some sort of yuppie lifestyle accessory for a novice biker. Not content at going straight for the most expensive spec'd one in stock, we were then try to stuff half the BMW and Touratech catalogue onto it - £1k for the BMW Nav? I don't bloody think so. Thank christ that most of the BMW clothing doesn't fit or I'd have probably been shoehorned into that too.

Then we launched into the diatribe of how it was appearing on LWD (yes, I know) and how there were being swamped with calls for information (yawn), and that demand was going to be very high (Of course you're going to say that), so did I want to leave a deposit to secure the bike?

I'm sorry? You WHAT? We've been talking for less than 10 minutes, I've sat on the bike for about 30 seconds, and you're asking for a deposit?

I don't know if it was what I was wearing, or the car I turned up in or what, but that ranked as one of the biggest misjudgements of character I've ever experienced.

 

[minty]

I had exactly the same thing Dolphin, I wouldnt buy from there, they are like slick car salesmen/estate agents, not what a biker wants !

 

[blackbird]

Try BVM in Stroud that's where i got my GS from 100% top guys, as i also live in Carmarthenshire i also let Rydales Cardiff service my bike (big mistake.) www.bvm-moto.co.uk

 

[minty]

Try BVM in Stroud that's where i got my GS from 100% top guys, as i also live in Carmarthenshire i also let Rydales Cardiff service my bike (big mistake.) www.bvm-moto.co.uk

I really rate BVM to, top guys, always call in if im in the area !

 

[loueye]

I really rate BVM to, top guys, always call in if im in the area !

i've phoned almost every dealer in the country and found BVM to do the best deal on a gsa, the guy on the phone seemed very nice also.

I'm from newcastle and even the drive down and back is still chepaer than all dealers.
BVM = best deal by far
Bahnstormer = NO discount
Balderston = NO discount
Mill sunderland = some discount
Rainbow = Never got back to me
Clarks = phone just kept ringing, tried over 20 times
Clark scotland = never got back to me
Rainbow = Never got back to me

I think sometimes that dealers don't want the business, infact if that is what their sales are like, i wonder what their aftersales are like?

 

[blobcat]

Let us know how you get on - and also what you ride at the moment as a comparision. I'd be very interested to find out what the 08 GSA is like I've got an 06 GSA at the mo.

I think Mike is the guy who used to work for Cooper Reading, if so, he's a pretty good bloke, actually the only BMW bike dealer I met who understands what a discount was when talking about the 06 GSA.

I currently have an R1100S (Avatar Pic) & a CBR600. I've ridden a normal R1200GS before & so it wasn't completely unfamiliar territory. The dealer was pretty good almost no sales carp which was a nice change just fill out this form and photocopy of the licence and I was on my way. First impressions are that it revs very well even better than my R1100S and the gearbox is less agricultural than my R1100S. 1st gear did seem a little high though as I did have to ride the clutch on really slow maneuvering. I have a 32" inside leg so on the lowest setting and preload on the ESA set for 1 rider I could get both feet down although not flat. It wasn't raining which was nice although on the M4 and down towards Bath it was very very windy. The bike performed well in the wind and I wasn't blown all over the road. It felt very stable and handled pretty well in the conditions. It also accelerated much better than I remember from my previous R1200GS ride.
Overall I enjoyed the ride even though it wasn't the best of days, will I buy one, there is a distinct possibility I just need to do a couple of deals and see how much I can find down the back of the sofa.

 

[blobcat]

The demonstrator, it has the premium pack and the dynamic pack, so heated grips, trip computer, ESA, ABS, ASC, Pannier fixings, Fog Lights, Chrome Exhaust, Tyre Pressure Control & Alarm System.

 

[Captain Pugwash]

The demonstrator, it has the premium pack and the dynamic pack, so heated grips, trip computer, ESA, ABS, ASC, Pannier fixings, Fog Lights, Chrome Exhaust, Tyre Pressure Control & Alarm System.

Time of the month ?

 

[blobcat]

Time of the month ?

26th officially