malverner
Registered user
Hi all,
Just became a new member of the GS fan club much to the shock of some of my longer standing riding buddies.
I guess I've been guilty of being swayed by the 'it's not cool to ride a GS' vibe in all its forms in the past whilst not really subscribing to the view myself or really understanding it. I've been driving a BMW for the last 10 years and loved it so I don't know why I didn't try it before.
I returned to biking some 7 years ago after a 30 year break and fell in love with a Triumph Tiger Sport 1050 and I also had an affair on the side with a Triumph Thunderbird. Hugely different but both great bikes.
I recently joined a mate on a demo day to try out the new 1250 GS and RT. We both saw the RT at the bike show and liked it. A couple of guys I ride with have an RT and I've always been impressed with the presence they have on the road and they never seem to be bothered by the rubbish weather we so often find ourselves in. I hadn't really considered having one before as I guess I saw it as an option for 'later years'. Watching the BMW instructor at the show throw the RT around completely dispelled that myth which clearly was the point of the exercise. Anyway, that was the motivation behind looking forward to the demo. I plan to retire in just a few years time and the RT would be my retirement pressie if it lived up to expectations.
I thought I would take the GS out in the morning so that I could acclimatise myself with all the BMW controls and look forward to riding the RT in the afternoon.
I think it took me about 60 seconds to forget all about learning the controls and instead try to understand why I had such a big grin on my face. I was completely blown away by the experience. This bike was simply amazing. It was so surefooted and just wanted to go. I soon realised it was the bike and nothing to do with my riding ability. It inspired confidence and instantly made me a better rider. I'm sure there are many technical criteria I could quote to explain why the experience was so good if I understood better what I'm talking about but the best way I can describe it is that it felt like the most natural place to be in a way that I hadn't experienced before in 6 years of ownership of my Tiger - and I think the Tiger is an awesome bike.
Lunch seemed to arrive in no time at all and I was no longer looking forward to my ride on the RT. My experience on the RT began badly with me trying to ride it like the ungainly star ship that it appeared to be but after about 15 minutes, my confidence grew and I realised that you could have almost as much fun as on the GS. Shortly afterwards the heavens opened and it lashed down. What shocked me is how I hardly noticed the rain on the RT with the screen up. I was warm and dry. I now understood why my RT riding mates never seemed to be bothered by the weather.
When I got back, the salesman asked me the question "Well. GS or RT?". To be perfectly honest, I could not answer the question. Out for the day; the GS without question. Out on tour; I reckoned the RT is the one to have. Perfect world and unlimited funds; I'd have one of each. More recently, a mate who rides the Adventure advises that the GS Adventure is the one to have due to the extra weather protection so time will tell on that I guess.
So as the memory of the demo day faded away, I found that I grew more and more unsettled. What would I do when retirement finally came? Which way would I go? Could I actually wait that long? I loved riding the Thunderbird but I didn't get the ideal opportunity to enjoy it fully very often. The Tiger always put a smile on my face but it was aging now and had nearly 30k on it (yes, loads more life left in it I'm sure). I agonised for quite a while and then one morning I just decided to do something about it.
A mate had told me about a very low mileage used GS that he'd looked at so I thought I'd go take a look and get a valuation for my current bikes. I was surprised to find the shock wasn't as bad as I'd been expecting and I decided then and there to take the plunge. My final 30 mile ride on the Thunderbird to drop it off was a very bitter/sweet experience. It's a beautiful machine and I've enjoyed every minute I've ridden it. I just couldn't justify the long inactive periods in between any longer.
And so it is that I find myself with a GS (it's a 2017 TE Exclusive). I'm 2 weeks in with just over 1000 miles covered and the ride is just as rewarding as when I first rode the 1250 which I feel very relieved about. I now need to learn everything I need to know about all things GS so looking forward to picking the brains and posts of all here.
Just became a new member of the GS fan club much to the shock of some of my longer standing riding buddies.
I guess I've been guilty of being swayed by the 'it's not cool to ride a GS' vibe in all its forms in the past whilst not really subscribing to the view myself or really understanding it. I've been driving a BMW for the last 10 years and loved it so I don't know why I didn't try it before.
I returned to biking some 7 years ago after a 30 year break and fell in love with a Triumph Tiger Sport 1050 and I also had an affair on the side with a Triumph Thunderbird. Hugely different but both great bikes.
I recently joined a mate on a demo day to try out the new 1250 GS and RT. We both saw the RT at the bike show and liked it. A couple of guys I ride with have an RT and I've always been impressed with the presence they have on the road and they never seem to be bothered by the rubbish weather we so often find ourselves in. I hadn't really considered having one before as I guess I saw it as an option for 'later years'. Watching the BMW instructor at the show throw the RT around completely dispelled that myth which clearly was the point of the exercise. Anyway, that was the motivation behind looking forward to the demo. I plan to retire in just a few years time and the RT would be my retirement pressie if it lived up to expectations.
I thought I would take the GS out in the morning so that I could acclimatise myself with all the BMW controls and look forward to riding the RT in the afternoon.
I think it took me about 60 seconds to forget all about learning the controls and instead try to understand why I had such a big grin on my face. I was completely blown away by the experience. This bike was simply amazing. It was so surefooted and just wanted to go. I soon realised it was the bike and nothing to do with my riding ability. It inspired confidence and instantly made me a better rider. I'm sure there are many technical criteria I could quote to explain why the experience was so good if I understood better what I'm talking about but the best way I can describe it is that it felt like the most natural place to be in a way that I hadn't experienced before in 6 years of ownership of my Tiger - and I think the Tiger is an awesome bike.
Lunch seemed to arrive in no time at all and I was no longer looking forward to my ride on the RT. My experience on the RT began badly with me trying to ride it like the ungainly star ship that it appeared to be but after about 15 minutes, my confidence grew and I realised that you could have almost as much fun as on the GS. Shortly afterwards the heavens opened and it lashed down. What shocked me is how I hardly noticed the rain on the RT with the screen up. I was warm and dry. I now understood why my RT riding mates never seemed to be bothered by the weather.
When I got back, the salesman asked me the question "Well. GS or RT?". To be perfectly honest, I could not answer the question. Out for the day; the GS without question. Out on tour; I reckoned the RT is the one to have. Perfect world and unlimited funds; I'd have one of each. More recently, a mate who rides the Adventure advises that the GS Adventure is the one to have due to the extra weather protection so time will tell on that I guess.
So as the memory of the demo day faded away, I found that I grew more and more unsettled. What would I do when retirement finally came? Which way would I go? Could I actually wait that long? I loved riding the Thunderbird but I didn't get the ideal opportunity to enjoy it fully very often. The Tiger always put a smile on my face but it was aging now and had nearly 30k on it (yes, loads more life left in it I'm sure). I agonised for quite a while and then one morning I just decided to do something about it.
A mate had told me about a very low mileage used GS that he'd looked at so I thought I'd go take a look and get a valuation for my current bikes. I was surprised to find the shock wasn't as bad as I'd been expecting and I decided then and there to take the plunge. My final 30 mile ride on the Thunderbird to drop it off was a very bitter/sweet experience. It's a beautiful machine and I've enjoyed every minute I've ridden it. I just couldn't justify the long inactive periods in between any longer.
And so it is that I find myself with a GS (it's a 2017 TE Exclusive). I'm 2 weeks in with just over 1000 miles covered and the ride is just as rewarding as when I first rode the 1250 which I feel very relieved about. I now need to learn everything I need to know about all things GS so looking forward to picking the brains and posts of all here.
