Commuting on a GS Adv

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Frankers

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Does any one have any experience/comments please?

I'm fed up with travelling to London by train every day and have been speaking to friends and colleagues that ride bikes in. My journey is an 84 mile round trip from Tunbridge Wells to Central London.

One friend rides a 1200GS Adv on a similar route each day and speaks very highly of it. Does anyone here have a similar ride and what is the bike like to live with day it day out?

What's the fuel consumption like - general wear and tear?

Thanks for your help
 
I commute 3-400 miles a week and use Motorway, Dual Carriageway, Country roads and Town riding, it does the lot easily and is really comfortable. The commanding riding position gives you a great view of what is going on, and on a comfort level suits my 6ft frame perfectly - the screen and winglets bely their size in terms of protection. I reckon on 45-50 mpg when used reasonably spiritidly !
 
Hi Nuffsaid, I intend to use my newly purchased 1150gsa to do exactly the same thing and every commute includes motorway, country roads, a and b roads so im reassured to hear the bike does the job.

Im really looking forward to getting and using the bike.

Biker
 
Does sound encouraging - just need to find a dealer that has a demo bike or 2nd hand 07 to try. Also going to try the KTM 990 Adventure - any thoughts or know anyone that has one?
 
The only problem you would have is parking in central London - these days even the free bike bays are full soon after 0800.

If you have company parking - just do it :thumb2
 
daily commute

i ride my GS every day to commute to and from work in Edinburgh. I always think that the best part of the day is the time spent on the bike.
 
Speaky as someone who used to commute 100 miles a day, and is now about to begin a 120 commute I would say consider it carefully.

The bike would be fine, but is it the best way? I would like to go by train, but it would add 1/2 hour to my journey time and include 3 changes. If there was a direct train I would be on it.

Surely you can sit and work on the train, read a book.... anything but concentrate hard whilst getting cold and possibly wet? Yes I know the right kit helps, but it is still not as easy as sitting on the train.

ALso consider the cost of commuting by bike, fuel, servicing, winter salt etc.

That said, I missed riding my bike everyday when I stopped.
 
I do a 30mile round trip from Bromley to central London every day. I've commuted on sportsbikes, GS's and scooters. The GS is up to the job for sure. You'll have no problem in terms of riding. The riding position is comfortable, weather protection good, heated grips, low maintenance shaft drive, good choice of long life tyres - it will eat the miles.

Downsides are depreciation on an expensive bike for commuting. Difficult to fit in bays if you don't have a space. Desirable to steal (if not fully secured). Not 100% reliable. It will corrode if used daily through salt.

All in all I think I'd get two bikes, one to kill off with the commute and a GS for pleasure.
 
Thanks for your feed back.

I travel in to London from Tunbridge Wells and it takes at least 1 hour 40 minutes each way door to door. Bike should knock off 30 - 40 minutes each way. Have spent 17 years sitting on a train and need a change.

Can only have one bike and main reason is to ride to work so need something that does it all. Really like the GS Adv and a friend has one and cannot speak highly enough of it for his commute.

Have a few options on parking other than bays which I will look in to.

Will have to put up with the salt, although these bikes must be better at dealing with every day use than the Jap bikes.
 
Frankers said:
..........although these bikes must be better at dealing with every day use than the Jap bikes.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately not (have a read through 1200GS section). But if you're only going to have one bike, can afford the running costs for commuting including depreciation I'd say that the GSA would be right at the top of my list.

Go for a long test ride. Coopers in Tunbridge will normally accommodate a good 3-4hr test ride if you ask.
 
The 1200GSA is great to commute on. No issues what so ever with it, avg fuel c 44mpg from Surrey to Mayfair.
 
Frankers said:
Thanks for your feed back.

I travel in to London from Tunbridge Wells and it takes at least 1 hour 40 minutes each way door to door. Bike should knock off 30 - 40 minutes each way. Have spent 17 years sitting on a train and need a change.

Can only have one bike and main reason is to ride to work so need something that does it all. Really like the GS Adv and a friend has one and cannot speak highly enough of it for his commute.

Have a few options on parking other than bays which I will look in to.

Will have to put up with the salt, although these bikes must be better at dealing with every day use than the Jap bikes.
Click to expand...



You wouldn't find me on a train if I could do the commute on the bike, even if it was a crappy old ER5 (believe me, I consider these to be just about the worst bike I've ever ridden) or constantly raining.

You will find that the corrosion issue isn't as bad as it was a couple of years ago. Most of the 1200 with faulty engine paint have been changed now. if you buy a bike that still has warranty remaining and you find any engine paint corrosion, just take it to your BW dealer for him to sort. :thumb2

Set yourself up an easy access hose pipe and give the bike a quick blast off daily, to get the worst off whilst it's still wet.

The 1200 GS/ADV's do get very dirty 'it's the exposed back end you know' so you might want to fit a hugger. Be very careful which you choose, one or two are good. The rest aren't worth using. I gave up and just get dirty boots :nenau I'm often on the bike for 6-8 hours a day.

Make sure 'as has been said already', you have good waterproofs for winter and ventilated protective clothing for summer. Don't let yourself get cold. There are quite a few options here including heated clothing and other stuff you can attach to the bike to help protect your hands and legs. Have a look around the forum, you'll be surprised what some guys put on their bikes to keep Mr frost at bay.

I like the BM because if I drop it I've only got to pick the thing up and get on your way. With the KTM you might have other issues to deal with. I can't help thinking the tank looks a bit vulnerable. But thats MHO.

Val.
 
VAL. H. said:
I like the BM because if I drop it I've only got to pick the thing up and get on your way. With the KTM you might have other issues to deal with. I can't help thinking the tank looks a bit vulnerable. But thats MHO.
Click to expand...
Not quite the case, I'm afraid. I was with a mate on holiday who lost his footing on his GS when stopped. Even though he managed to lower the bike fairly gently, the pannier was broken but the bike otherwise looked OK until he tried to ride it and found that it wouldn't accelerate very well. Apparently the lower spark plug got damaged somehow. Right enough he was on his way but only slowly!

The 990 Adventures got simple tank protectors to solve low to medium speed spill problems and they can be easily fitted to the 950s.
 
Just go and buy one, anyone it don't matter, a bad day on a bike is better than a good day doing anything else.

I used to ride to work, get changed ride all day at work then ride home and ride for pleasure at the weekend.
I have had free travel on trains and buses for 20 years and NEVER used public transport !!
1. its not as good as a bike
2. its s--t
3. its never on time
4. its not reliable
5. its s--t
6. its still not as good as a bike
 
I'm looking forward to it.

Like the idea that you can intimidate cars and have a physical presence on the road - I don't mean by being a menace, just good to be noticed.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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