1250GS, how reliable are they actually?

Big Lee

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Hi folks, I've been away from the 1200 GS fold for about 10 years. My tiger explorer is 8 years old now and I'm fancying a change. My 2004 12GS needed a new gearbox casing 😳 oil contaminated clutch 😩 and the outer fd seal failed and chucked oil all over the back brake and tyre on the way back from getting it fixed 😢
So, I'm not overly impressed with the reliability of the fd and I've also seen on fb posts of fd seals still failing.
So warts and all what actually have you had break on your bike?
The other consideration is a new Tiger 1200 alpine edition with alloy panniers

Cheers!
 
If reliability is your priority, look no further than a Super Tenere. Best go for a gen2, post 2014 model - ES was available at a small premium if needed.
 
Hi folks, I've been away from the 1200 GS fold for about 10 years. My tiger explorer is 8 years old now and I'm fancying a change. My 2004 12GS needed a new gearbox casing �� oil contaminated clutch �� and the outer fd seal failed and chucked oil all over the back brake and tyre on the way back from getting it fixed ��
So, I'm not overly impressed with the reliability of the fd and I've also seen on fb posts of fd seals still failing.
So warts and all what actually have you had break on your bike?
The other consideration is a new Tiger 1200 alpine edition with alloy panniers

Cheers!

I have had nothing go.

Mate has a Tiger and its like triggers broom.

like all motor vehicles, some you get are good and some you dont.

Seals do fail over time, as do other parts.
Good maintenance and replacement parts are they key to long life. Looking at a bike that you never touch? Then you will get a bad one.
 
Just remember that forums blow things out of proportion, when weighing things up. ;)
 
Yamaha Super Tenere is the most reliable adventure bike. Do your own research and you will come to that conclusion. I spent months looking at other bikes after owning 7 1200 GS’s. I loved the GS’s but time for a change. Super Tenere is so underrated!
 
So far so good, nearly 7,000 miles, a few TFT faults, but nothing stopped it working, nothing fell off and still on the original Anakee Adventures
 
Thanks lads, it's not reliability that's the deciding factor to my next bike it's the reliability of the 1250 gs that's the thing 👍 I don't want a premium product dropping its guts like my last one did 😭

Saying that I haven't had a ride on one for about 4 years, I might think the engine is horrible like I did last time on a test 😂 then again the poor instrumentation was a big stumbling block, the new tft dash is a winner tho 👍
 
Buy Japanese.
Two thirds of the price, twice as reliable. Less corrosion on new engine blocks.
But don't expect many to agree on a BMW forum.
 
Thanks lads, it's not reliability that's the deciding factor to my next bike it's the reliability of the 1250 gs that's the thing �� I don't want a premium product dropping its guts like my last one did ��

Saying that I haven't had a ride on one for about 4 years, I might think the engine is horrible like I did last time on a test �� then again the poor instrumentation was a big stumbling block, the new tft dash is a winner tho ��

Go test ride one and see if you like it, the 1250 is a marked improvement over the 1200 LC IMO (I've had an my2016 and my2018 1200) Reliability wise so far I've had no problems with either the 1200s or the 1250
 
I have just sold my 2018 Tiger 1200 and bought a 1250GSA, for me it was the handling difference between the two.

look at forums and horror stories everywhere on most makes, The Tiger is suppose to have issues with the gearbox 3rd to neutral, i did 7000 miles with no issues, some people have done 50k with no issues, have a go and if you like it buy it.

Pete
 
I’ve had a few problems with mine, but overall it’s a pretty good bike and has already been said if you like it buy it, the dealerships are brilliant and you get to try other bikes while yours is being fixed.
 
Drive shaft binding and a noisy engine, both fixed separately under warranty.
When I got the bike back after they sorted the engine, the bike was a revelation, if you had asked me before that had been fixed I would have told you to run a mile.
 
Thanks for that 👍 how many miles had it done? Never heard of a drive shaft binding, was it to do with the splines engaging the final drive? I greased my old 12gs there with some Honda moly grease (I think it was that)
 
Yep done 40’000 on a tenere good bike but boring now on 1250 like going from Land rover Discovery to top of the range Range Rover
 
Hmmm, range rovers don't exactly have a reputation for reliability either 🤔
 
Thanks for that how many miles had it done? Never heard of a drive shaft binding, was it to do with the splines engaging the final drive? I greased my old 12gs there with some Honda moly grease (I think it was that)

Drive shaft at 4000 miles, they said it was the UV knuckle at the gearbox end that was binding

Engine at 10,000 miles but it had been like it since I had the bike, it only got fixed because the check engine light came on otherwise I would just have thought they were all like it (it’s my first GS)

Total time with the bike in the dealers, probably about 3 weeks and in that time I got to ride a 800GS (serious fun) and an XR (GSXR1000 fast)
 
I've had one for 13 months or so, only done about 5k miles and topped up the oil once. Nothing more.
 
Apart from the replacement engines, nothings ever gone wrong with mine. Apart from the condensation in the instrument panel and rattling glass in a mirror....

All fixed under warranty.
 


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