BMW GSM 1200 Adventure.
 

Me and my fella's new bike! http://img.tapatalk.com/5284ede9-72f1-90e8.jpg

You've probably seen it on my Idle Banter thread previously but he's going for a test run this week and then its ours!
£9,999 '09 plate second hand absolute mint condition and with the top box and paniers. Were trading in SV as part ex (goodbye suzy you will be missed dearly)

Anybody got any experiences from these bikes? Are they good for long journeys and touring?

Re: BMW GSM 1200 Adventure.
 

Utter crap for that kinda thing :-s

http://www.longwayround.com/journeys_long-way-round.htm

Re: BMW GSM 1200 Adventure.
 

Hope you get a reliable one, reliability problems seem to be hushed up on these for some reason.
My next bike is going to be an adventure bike, but unfortunately, I couldn't trust one of these, shame as I actually like them.


I'm considering a tiger 800xc instead.

Were not planning to cross the world or anything...
We like to do at least 200-300 mile for a good day out and i just hope this is more comfortable.

Compared to the SV you wont be hoping for much longer. Try not to fall asleep on the back, you'll miss all the scenery thats on view as a result of sitting higher than the hedgerows. The 1200 does have a few reliability problems, but you'd hope on a 2009 bike they'll have been ironed out already. Enjoy!!

Re: BMW GSM 1200 Adventure.
 

As mentioned on the other thread, I've had two. Over 14,000 on the '09, no problems at all. Just over 10,000 on the DOHC '10 red one. Slight problem with it at first but this was sorted by a BMW recall. TPS fix was done on all the early twin-cams. Among my friends there have been two 12GSA's, nine 12GS's and two 1150GS's. Some very low mileage, some very high mileage.

My wife was happy to spend all day perched on the GS, surveying the scenery. I had the soft backrest fitted to the Vario top-case for her. Not sure if BMW do one for the GSA topcase but www.touratech.co.uk will.

One of the best mods for GS's and GSA's is the little perspex spoiler that fixes to the top of the screen (Touratech) I'm 6'5" and with one of those I could ride visor up, travelling at autobahn speeds.

The GS's seem to weigh rather a lot though. Even though, at around 240kilos, my GS was 100kilos lighter than my ElectraGlide, the 'Glide was easier to shunt around the garage because the weight was way lower down.

Have fun with it, they're ideal fast A-Road bikes, especially with Road Attacks or RoadSmarts or just for nipping off for a week-ends WSB at Monza.

Just realised my phones corrected.my thread title to GSM instead of GS lol.

Im glad to hear people saying good things about the GS! Most people saying that its not reliable which is now making me edgy but im never going to change my mind about it because it's a beautiful bike and thinking about the nice and comfortable rides we can go on keeps getting me more excited.
We've had the SV for 3 years now and its never broke down its been a loyal bike to us but we both knew it was time for something new and we saw a Super Tenere bike and that's when we fell in love with the touring bikes and we found Bernard (Beemer) I've named it already ;-)

Just hope its a whole lotta' fun!

Re: BMW GSM 1200 Adventure.
 

i love the gs1200...well not the adventure it weighs a bloody tone due to the big ass fuel tank!!
but i always steal the dads R version all the time, comfy, alot quicker than youd think, handles like a dream and after a few hundred miles it feels like youve been sitting in a armchair.

Also does wheelies with ease in 1st and 2nd off the throttle alone.

Re: BMW GSM 1200 Adventure.
 

BTW, look at these forums

http://www.adventurebikerider.com/forum
http://www.ukgser.com/forums/

Yesss, more forums i can annoy ;-)

Re: BMW GSM 1200 Adventure.
 

As BBadger says above, about 34litres to the tankful, make sure you're hiding in the ladies loo when it comes to paying. ;)


www.horizonsunlimited.com for when you do the RTW.

LOL don't worry i will be hiding! Especially because i begged him to buy it! ;-)

Re: BMW GSM 1200 Adventure.
 

If you want to get some good off road accessories, check out Touratech. Pricey on parts, but well worth it for the quality of the product

Thank you DADDY, ill check it out :-)

Re: BMW GSM 1200 Adventure.
 

See I don't get these type of bikes, I've tried several, as well as the GS1200, the previous 1150, the KTM Adventurer, Triumph Tiger (all three, T3, T5 and 1050) , Morini Granpasso and Aprilia Caponord (and earlier Aprilia Elefant), they all are far to large and heavy for anything more than the odd bit of rough riding; certainly not anything serious, then they get half the tourtech catalog thrown at them adding more weight, I know almost all spent their life "on road", so why the compromised tyres then ? ( yes Triumph have ditched any "off road" asperations with the 1050 and fitted road wheels and tyres) , just don't see the point, I understand touring and comfort and there are bikes designed for just that thing which are better suited, if it's just a style thing fair enough, but what exactly is adventure touring anyway :smt102?

Cheers Mark.

Re: BMW GSM 1200 Adventure.
 

If people think adventure bikes are pointless and don't hardly go off road, take a look on adventure bike rider forum or in the magazine.

Tons of riders take them off road on some very challenging green lanes.

It's also the upright riding position that make them popular, the dual purpose tyres they use are also more than capable on the road.

It's the fastest selling genre of bike so there must be something in it.

Its the riding position and sheer size and space IMO. The GS, Tiger 1200, Super Tenere, etc are all massive bikes, which are hugely accomodating for a pillion, and all the luggage some pillions (mainly female variety) want to carry. The attraction is being able to climb on one and go forever, from a comfortable perch with a great view.

All the benefits of a Pan European / K1600 / FJR1300 etc for weekends away and holidays, but if you just want a Saturday blast around your local B roads, strip off the panniers and it becomes a nimble handling point and squirt for the B roads. I cant see myself ever wanting to buy a Pan Euro, they are just a plastic barge IMO and you might as well buy an MX5 instead.

When my son is old enough to stay at home and trash the house, while my wife and I go on holiday, I'll be buying an adventure bike.

Off road tyres, etc - you don't have to have TKC80 knobblies, most manufacturer do two models, ie: the GS and the GS Adventure.

Use off road - no personally not for me. I'm amazed at some of the places they get taken to on ABR forum rideouts, but I suspect many of the members on there went through - Buy a GSA ('cos Charley had one) - join ABR forum - see people taking them off road - decide they've got an off road vehicle therefore lets give it a go. I doubt many GSA's are bought with the intention of off roading them, unless they are going to be taken on 'an adventure'. Why didn't they buy a normal GS? The same reason people buy a Land Rover Defender to run the kids to school - they like the image and the potential.

What is adventure biking? IMO is what I did in Portugal last year on my XT600, or what The Lone Wolf has done in Morroco on his KTM 950. Either of us could have done those trips on a GSA. Though you could argue setting off round Scotland on your SV, without having a route plan or any accomodation booked, is an adventure too.

On the fastest selling genre of bikes, about 5 years ago, I had as my signature

"Britain rides the wrong bikes, but we are learning"

Somebody started a thread asking what it mean, so I explained that our obsession with super sports bikes was totally contrary to the roads we ride on in Britain, and what we use our bikes for, and that the bias was slowly changing. Most people said I was talking bollox. Now look at the sales of adventure bikes and nakeds.

Re: BMW GSM 1200 Adventure.
 

Was following a mate of mine round France on one a while back. He had pegs down two up in the wet!! They are a very well planted bike but damn expensive if anything decides to go pop outside of warranty.

Sound good with a loud can too.

Suzy is no longer tonight :-( Big birtha will take over!

Re: BMW GSM 1200 Adventure.
 

Ralph's post @ No.17 is the most sensible thing I've read on here so far.


GS's are great bikes and have been selling in big numbers worldwide for years because of that fact.

I tried to take mine for some gentle off-roading because I've had MX and trials bikes in the past. Not too bad on the easy gravel trails through Kielder (although I did manage to fall off) and S/W Scotland but anything muddy/sandy/rocky........forget it unless you're very good, on knobblies and built like Martin Johnson. As Yorkie Chris says elsewhere, horses for courses. If I had to choose only one bike to keep in my garage, something that had to do everything, from trips to the shop, trips to Casablanca and beyond, track-days or two-up to the NW200, it would be another GS12. With two sets of wheels, TKC's on one, RoadSmarts on the other.

I agree. Were not looking to go off roading and rip up some mud, we've got a KTM LC 600 for that ;-)

Big Birtha will be expensive to repair and service after the 3 month warranty is over. Im just looking forward to having a bike that SUITS US. People may not be fans of GS's i mean we all have our own ideas of a good bike but for now it suits us perfectly.

I've heard a few reviews about them and they're meant to handle like a sports bike, comfortable and some power. What's the point buying a busa for touring? It seems to tick all the boxes and if it gets us from A to B.. Im happy.
Reliability isn't a issue.. After all we used to go out on rides with a BSA C15, that says it all! ;-)

Re: BMW GSM 1200 Adventure.
 

Oh I've nothing against them, and am a great proponent of "if it gets you out riding it's a good thing", however to me they are neither one thing or another, they aren't as sharp as a sports bike, aren't as good off road as a lighter machine, aren't as comfy as a proper tourer, to big to wiggle through traffic, but perhaps that's the point :smt102, you can do just about anything with mostly any bike, just look at what some have done on any of the Cub 50 forums, I've owned many bikes but have avoided the long fork custom type and these as the limitations out weight the benefits IMO

Cheers Mark

Re: BMW GSM 1200 Adventure.
 

One word - "Compromise"

Most people can't afford to own one of every type of bike, so compromise is exactly what they are looking for.

Wind & weather protection, they are not as good as a 'proper' tourer, but other than that I'd say they are as comfortable, and being perched higher up is a great visibility advantage. They are no less capable of filtering traffic than a big tourer.

They aren't as good off road as for instance a DRZ, but a DRZ isn't going to be the best thing to get you to for instance Spain, if that's where you want to ride off road. Big tourers are nice to get up to Scotland on, but I'd rather cross the Bealach na ba on a GS1200 than on a K1600GT. :smt102

A bike that can do it all, and do it pretty well, is what most owners are after.

A bike like this doesn't appeal to me but I can see why it does to a lot of people. If I ever start carrying a pillion I might consider one.

Riding around Germany and Italy a couple of years ago pretty much everyone had a BMW.

I must reluctantly add that I have been shown a clean pair of heels by people riding these bikes on numerous occasions. Both on the road and on the track!

Re: BMW GSM 1200 Adventure.
 

My requirements list for my XT600 copy and paste from an old thread, there's not many bikes that could fit this list

off road ability to go anywhere, ie: muddy, rutted UK green lanes. Though it is damn heavy compared to a 250cc enduro bike, but you learn to handle it and keep it moving

ability to sit at 80mph on the motorway, though the seat is comfortable, it's not a refined cruiser

ability to be loaded with luggage and do long trips, for instance it's going to Portugal in two weeks time

a commuter and a winter hack

not so expensive that I mind when it gets damaged off road

air cooled, no radiator to put a hole in

carbs, easy to fix at the side of the road

unburstable single cylinder simplicity

not as heavy to handle off road as something like a Transalp or Africa Twin

can get parts for it anywhere

runs on any grade of fuel, or with whatever engine oil you can get your hands on

Re: BMW GSM 1200 Adventure.
 

I don't think you can legitimately use the cost angle, as they are far from cheap and you could easily buy two bikes for the price, go secondhand and you could make that three, I wouldn't have a tourer for filtering anyway, it's not what it does or doesn't do, I guess it's what it purports to be, it's not a motorbike version of a landrover, no matter how much more metal you bolt to it....

Cheers Mark.

Re: BMW GSM 1200 Adventure.
 

So if you buy three bikes for the same money, what are you going to do? Get a Goldwing to travel up the M6/M74, but once you get to Scotland leave the Goldwing at the campsite and unload the R6 off the trailer to do a day of Scottish B' roads, then the next day unstrap the XT660 from the pillion seat to cross the Bealach na Ba and do some light off-roading?

No, you take an Adventure bike.

It's not a motorbike version of a Landrover, it's a motorbike version of an X5

LOL! That made me chuckle.

Like i said everybody likes different bikes and this happens to.be one we both like :-)

Re: BMW GSM 1200 Adventure.
 

no I wouldn't I can think of many bikes that would do what you suggest more rewardingly than a GS1200, which is probably why I fail to see the point of them, and if as you say it's more Honda (ish) this could well be another reason (but that's a different discussion), I've done 1500 miles on a superduke (clearly unsuited to touring) as well as a over 900 miles overnight on the pegaso, so as said you can do most things on most bikes, I just interpret do anything as fairly bland...

Cheers Mark.

Re: BMW GSM 1200 Adventure.
 

Stop picking on Land Rovers.

Re: BMW GSM 1200 Adventure.
 

Threads turn into this kind of discussion on this forum all the time Femaleacid. It's not a discussion about why you bought your bike, it's a general discussion around adventure bikes. Don't feel you have to keep justifying why you've bought the bike, just because the discussion is in this thread. It's kind of a derail in a way and nobody is questioning your particular choice.

No i know that :-) that's why i said everybody has their own style.

And one day I WILL have a Land Rover Defender TD5.. They're awesome.

Re: BMW GSM 1200 Adventure.
 

congratulations you are now part of the ignorant snobby *******s club.. please remove yourself from this nice peoples forum immediately.
























only kidding.. i'm just jealous i will never ever be able to ride one. have fun and stay safe.

You couldn't do that to me Bib :-( my signature says it all!

Re: BMW GSM 1200 Adventure.
 

Don't know about TD5's, mine's a Puma. Hence lumpy bonnet. :)

Re: BMW GSM 1200 Adventure.
 

For instance?

Re: BMW GSM 1200 Adventure.
 

haha you're doing what ride mag (I think it was) done to justify the Versys 650 being better than a R1...

but seriously it would depend on which was more important than the other, but generally, a LC4, pegaso trials, africa twin many more those are all better off road and well able to maintain motorway speeds :smt 102

but if the bias is the other way then a TDM, tiger,even something like a hornet would do.

Re: BMW GSM 1200 Adventure.
 

But not as rewarding on the motorway as a GS?

TDM, Tiger 1050, Hornet? Rewarding off-road?

Depends on your definition of rewarding I guess.

Re: BMW GSM 1200 Adventure.
 

Personally I like the tiger 800 xc, it will do silly speeds all day long and will do off road stuff too no bother.