From 1200 GS-ADV AC,LC to 1250GS-ADV / my Verdict after 6000 miles

I’m checking the calendar .... is it April .... Obviously suffers SD syndrome !


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@hi222;The 1250 GSA feels the same as my prior 2017 GSA except that as your mentioned the crashbars are redesigned as also the sides but this is only cosmetic.THe ESA suspension is slightly different as the new one set on max/dynamic seems to be a little taller then the old one set on 2 people as the pegs drag later on the 1250;GPS showed 57 degree max lean without crashing...
The real difference besides the slightly better brakes and cleaner to shift gears 1,2,3 as 4,5,6 were already perfect to shift on the older one is the ENGINE...
Vastly more powerful as in TORQUE.On the same dyno as much as a supercharged Kawa H2 as in 140 NM @ MOTORRAD @ MO even 145 NM !
As in GPS topspeed of 133 vs 137 mph / 214 vs 220 km/h the 1250 gets there much faster but around 8000 rpm the power starts to drop off and the big barn door would need more power to go faster which it can't with the bags and topcase causing to much drag...it starts to get frisky around 120mph/190km/h with the bags clearly stating not to go faster than 110mph/180km/h.THe 1200 did the same until I bought Ohlins TTX.I won't do it again though as the yellow triangle showing a ESA fault code is just too annoying.
High speed stability is definitely a trade-off for the quicker steering due to less trail compared to the regular GS...
Otherwise it is a great bike that is a lot of fun to ride in the twisties and accelerates hard and has performed flawlessly so far...
But I still dream of that R1400GS with 160hp/150nm 20 kilos lighter with 17 inch CF wheels and a lower superbike handlebar...
Until the factory gets of their arse and gives us the XR version of the GS I maybe try a regular longer trail GS with the Alphatechnik.de OZ wheeled and 320mm disc 17 inch conversion...who knows ?
All in all a great bike the 1250GSA.There is nothing else I'd rather have !
Strong boxer,Telelever,driveshaft,quick steering,practical,comfortable,big enough tank - what is not to like ?
For the dirt or track there is better stuff...but for the street the 1250 is definitely the best bike on the market !
Totally happy even with the weave because how often do you ride 226 km/h on the tach ?
I rather have a quicker steering machine at real road speeds up to 100mph...
What is also amazing is the fact that my buddy on a AC 2012 1200-GSA running at the same speeds on our Mexico trip mostly between 85 and 110mph got worse gas mileage than the bigger more powerful and more torquey 1250.Filling up every 200 miles or so he mostly had to put in 3 liters more !So real tank range is around the same despite the new one only holding 30 vs 33 liters...
And yes we met a few English guys on the Baja mostly on beemers being on a trip being followed by Nick Sanders in a Ford truck...

For anyone interested here a few numbers taken from a comparison in MOTORRAD 9/2019 issues comparing the 1250GS-HP with sports suspension with the KTM 1290 Super Adventure S and Ducati Multistrada 1260;
BMW 136hp/7700rpm,140nm/6400rpm
KTM 155hp/9300rpm,133nm/6800rpm
Ducati 153hp/9900rpm,125nm/7600rpm

0-200 km/h BMW 12,5 sec KTM 9,9 Ducati 10.4
60-180 km/h roll-on BMW 9,9 sec KTM 10,2 Ducati 10,8

fuel consumption BMW 4,8 L / 100 km KTM 5,0 L Ducati 5,6 L


For steering quickness the BMW got 29 KTM 26 and Ducati 27 points .
For stability in turns the BMW got 31 KTM 31 and Ducati 28 points.
For high speed stability the BMW got 17 KTM 15 and Ducati 17 points.
For braking stability the BMW got 16 KTM and Ducati 14 points.Can't beat Telelever...
And yes with a full tank and shaftdrive the BMW Boxer weight in at 261 kg , KTM 245 kg and Ducati at 277 kg.
The Triumph 1200 Tiger and Yamaha XT 1200 who were also runs came in at 269 and 271 kg and did the roll-on at 15,5 and 15.8 sec...just to give you an idea a old aircooled R1200 GS from 2009 who they included just for fun was the lightest at 244 kg and did the roll-on in 12,9 sec...
J.F.Y.I...

As for the weave the BMW is more stable than the KTM and the KTM is 30 km/h faster (theoretically) 220 vs 250 Km/h...
I run Pirelli Scorpion Trail 2 which a very sticky and quick steering.A great "sport" tire for the GS that comes stock on the KTM.
I will try the new Conti Trail Attack 3 next time to see what happens...before I get me a regular GS with more trail and have not much fun in the twisties and can go only 52 degree lean angle before shit scrapes...can't win...
Autumn 2022 we see the all new R 1400 XR EU-5 B that will sound like NOTHING to appease the EU weenies because by then the current GS platform will be 10 years old.Time flies...

Arsey said:

Agreed !!

K1300S rock steady with panniers at 150 mph as is Kwak H2 SX SE.

Nobody buys an adventure style bike for it’s handling characteristics at 130+, apart from one !!

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Were they the ones with black expanding belt?
I remember getting flagged down by the police on the motorway as they thought my panniers were open and I was about loose my stuff

Weird Bob said:

Were they the ones with black expanding belt?
I remember getting flagged down by the police on the motorway as they thought my panniers were open and I was about loose my stuff

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Yup,that’s the ones.

I had these bags on my R 1200 S .They were cute but useless as in too small. But the bike was stable all the way to the indicated speed of 243 km/h...
But times have changed no modern BMW Sport (touring) boxer anymore so it is all GS...A modern R 1250 S with T-L and 150-170 hp and some decent bags and centerstand what the R 1200 S would be tasty.With a Porsche Carrera Cup or Boxercup series...that would be cool but it probably won't happen.
Oh well the GS is great and a XR version of the GS would be even better...

Boxerlust said:

I had these bags on my R 1200 S .They were cute but useless as in too small. But the bike was stable all the way to the indicated speed of 243 km/h...
But times have changed no modern BMW Sport (touring) boxer anymore so it is all GS...A modern R 1250 S with T-L and 150-170 hp and some decent bags and centerstand what the R 1200 S would be tasty.With a Porsche Carrera Cup or Boxercup series...that would be cool but it probably won't happen.
Oh well the GS is great and a XR version of the GS would be even better...

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Or why don’t you just buy this :



Tested in UK this week-205BHP on the dyno !!!!

Even I’m tempted !!

Arsey I won't buy one because it makes no sense for street and I don't go to the track often enough but for sure sign up at Cal Superbikeschool when they get the new RR's... The engine put out 214 hp on the MOTORRAD dyno ! The Panigale V4 Course did 207 on the same dyno despite having 100 cc more.
Only the Aprilia RSV4 1100 put out more power,220 but was still slower in acceleration and roll-on.The Japanese were between 188 Honda and 197 Hp Yamaha...How times have changed !
0-125 mph S-RR 7.0 sec RSV4 7.1 sec
Vmax S-RR 306 km/h RSV4 308 km/h
60-180km/h S-RR 8,3 sec RSV4 11.6 sec Shift cam beats displacement (R1 needed 11,1 sec)

Hey Boxerlust, I've got Ohlins TTX socks on my R1200 and have ESA Elimination plugs. So no yellow triangle or fault codes

Boxerlust said:

Arsey I won't buy one because it makes no sense for street and I don't go to the track often enough but for sure sign up at Cal Superbikeschool when they get the new RR's... The engine put out 214 hp on the MOTORRAD dyno ! The Panigale V4 Course did 207 on the same dyno despite having 100 cc more.
Only the Aprilia RSV4 1100 put out more power,220 but was still slower in acceleration and roll-on.The Japanese were between 188 Honda and 197 Hp Yamaha...How times have changed !
0-125 mph S-RR 7.0 sec RSV4 7.1 sec
Vmax S-RR 306 km/h RSV4 308 km/h
60-180km/h S-RR 8,3 sec RSV4 11.6 sec Shift cam beats displacement (R1 needed 11,1 sec)

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It makes no sense for street ? Yet you use the GSA at 130+ mph where it becomes unstable. I would have thought the RR would be better for your needs ? Stick it in a truck to get to Mexico then enjoy.

Robert Bensley, you will not know him, has put bar risers and handlebars on his S1000RR. Uses it for all sorts. From instructing on track days to touring.

It is sent from my phone. So fucking what?

Arsey,I need bags for my trip to carry stuff for 3-5 weeks of vacation.Also the RR's seating position is too far forward to have a good overview on unknown curvy roads running fast...of course on a track were you run the same course over and over again this does not matter.The only alternative would be the S1000XR but on the street I prefer the boxer that finally has some beans in 1254 form as also the load separating Telelever and of course shaft drive...
A R-XR on base of a GS-boxer with 1400 cc and 160hp/150nm torque would be the ultimate tool for the street
But as it is the 1250 GS is already pretty good !
Is here anyone riding a regular 1250 GS with bags and topcase and can tell me about high-speed stability running 140 mph on the tach in 6th gear ?
I mean 95 mm trail on the GSA vs 109 mm trail on the GS should make a difference...
And does anyone know if the regular GS with sport suspension has the same steering geometry as the GSA ?

I did 160 km/h on a 1250 with 25l Hepco soft bags, 48l Kappa topcase (similar to the 42l givi aluminium one), a Enduristan roll bag on top of the top case and passenger and didn´t feel a thing, just returned from a 10 days Morroco trip and the speed controls and fines are a little more affordable there ( a van overtaking over a double line in front of the police just payed a 30€ fine)

Pit said:

I did 160 km/h on a 1250 with 25l Hepco soft bags, 48l Kappa topcase (similar to the 42l givi aluminium one), a Enduristan roll bag on top of the top case and passenger and didn´t feel a thing, just returned from a 10 days Morroco trip and the speed controls and fines are a little more affordable there ( a van overtaking over a double line in front of the police just payed a 30€ fine)

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That’s amazing !!! Who would have thought that bikes in 2019 could ever attain 100mph .....and not kill the rider !

Pit said:

I did 160 km/h on a 1250 with 25l Hepco soft bags, 48l Kappa topcase (similar to the 42l givi aluminium one), a Enduristan roll bag on top of the top case and passenger and didn´t feel a thing, just returned from a 10 days Morroco trip and the speed controls and fines are a little more affordable there ( a van overtaking over a double line in front of the police just payed a 30€ fine)

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20km/h below the recommended BMW speed limit, you got lucky, another 21 km/h and bike is supposed to throw you off..............

Arsey said:

That’s amazing !!! Who would have thought that bikes in 2019 could ever attain 100mph .....and not kill the rider !

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Yeah but you know Arsey.....

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I´m still amazed I´m alive , but believe me I was way more scared riding at 10km/h on a sandstorm

Pit said:

I´m still amazed I´m alive , but believe me I was way more scared riding at 10km/h on a sandstorm

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Give the bike a good clean, you do not want any of that sand rubbing the paint off...........

Already did, as well as a new air filter ...