The BMW GS boxer twin thread

[Box'a'bits]

Which is why the photo is all over the interweb? The first google image hit? R1150GS upside down

[GSers]

You mean this one
GSers

[Aslan]

Owned by a pensioner, never been anywhere, who could resist :-)

Good one Koko - that was a great ride BMW owner's register annual rally Alexandra January 2008 Old Man range - I did describe my 1150 as 'tidy' and with the patina of use

I've a feeling the subsequent photo of your 1150 upside down is a photo I took

[Aslan]

obviuosly priced to sell. good one aslan.

lets see some pics of the new frau

Cheers Padders - will post some pics later

[Kokopelli]

This photo has reminded me that my GS is actually black and not some washed out grey. So I've given it its spring wash. I was lucky, too, because the belly pan was only dangling by the rear to screws. The front ones are on the road somewhere. Bugger. Anyway, it's as clean as it's going to get. The photo is being kind. One day I'll have an ad that says, owned by pensioner from new, upgrading to a mobility scooter. I am sure BMW will make one, soon.




The dirt behind the rev-counter lens is from the Old Man range. You used to be able to see a waterline, now it's just dust.

[Padmei]

What do you like about your 1150/1200s?

[Kokopelli]

So Gerda and I went for a ride out to Pahi (on the Kaipara) today. Had lunch in Maungaturoto. 3 guys pull up on dusty bikes, 2 of them on 990s. One of them looks at my bike and says, wow, that's in good nick, it obviously hasn't been on gravel. So that's what you get for cleaning your bike. Oh the humanity. So I stayed off gravel today, even though the bike usually is a bit like my old dog, r.i.p. every time he got a wash, he went and rolled in the nearest pile of crap. Not today.

The guy on the Kawasaki (or something like that) sports bike, was a bit surprised that the clean 1150 he had just passed, was still behind him, so he wound it up a bit. Yup, still there, hanging off is overrated. But hey, I need my license to get to work and I still had Gerda behind me, somewhere, so I gave up. But I know, it's so much harder in front :-).

Anyway, for what is now an essentially worthless bike, it's going all right. I like that.

[Aslan]

What do you like about your 1150/1200s?

Well Koko's post above speaks volumes

My subjective impressions are as follows - having pondered Padmei's incisive Q for a day or so

I first fell in love with the idea of owning a boxer twin in my youth (early in the 1960's) when a journo on the ODT (Dundein) had an R69S - had pin striped - earles forks etc - that's when infatuation the BMW marque was seeded in me - I don't really have a rational justification / explanation for what I like about the Oil Heads - for me they were simply an evolution of the bikes available from BMW

My first Beemer was a K75 in the 90's - capable but lacking soul IMO- this was followed by an R65 - Okay- surprisingly capable in gravel. This was followed by an '89 R100 Bumble Bee GS from New York - should never have sold that given the resurgenence of Air Heads as the preferred restoration machine.

From here I went to an R1100GS that had been totalled in a collision with a train (Yes and rebuilt be a certain BMW mechanic revered by many as a guru). This made way for an F650GS Dakar as I sought to build confidence as a gravel rider.

The desire for change bit again in 2005 when I purchased the R1150GS that left my ownership this past week. A great machine - always felt planted, dependable yet way too heavy for serious off road use - some folk manage - but for me with my limited skill a DR650 was a far better prospect as an adventure bike. That said the R1150 is a great all roads tourer and in the right hands is a capable sport bike

Having toyed with the idea of owning some sort of KTM 9xx since 2008 I finally realised a R1200GS was actually far more 'me' in terms of riding style and attitude toward maintenance etc. Having had my 09 R1200GS for a little over a week - I'm enjoying the relative lightness compared to the R1150GS and its responsiveness.

Koko makes the point above that sadly the market does not place a great deal of value on the R1150GS - yet they are still great machines - probably seen as too heavy by many aspiring BMW owners who prefer the thought that an F650GS (single) would be more manageable

Not an objective test - simply my impressions - suffice to say I'm very pleased by my new to me R1200GS

[Gremlin]

What do you like about your 1150/1200s?

For me, my 12GSA is my first foray into BMWs, after 3 Kawasakis (road) and a KTM 990SM. My riding evolved from road only, to also some adventure riding, but more than 1 bike was impractical. It was likely I would travel half the country, then do a nice adventure ride, and I still do a lot more road km than gravel km. Therefore, some sort of dual purpose was required, capable of both (road biased was fine) but still able to do the other (within reason).

I've got no desire to slog it out in mud or sand but have done the odd river crossing, which is fun if you don't keep falling off. For me, the GSA is the do all bike I searched for. I can tackle 1000km a day no problem (longest was 1850km in 25.5 hours and included gravel like Hakataramea Pass at night) and still do a little adventure riding, with tyres being the only limitation. It certainly isn't the easiest in the rough stuff, too large for most people, but I'm a big guy. Gives you an excellent work out too.

Can't imagine a bike that could tackle such diverse riding more easily.

[BMWST?]

Not an objective test - simply my impressions - suffice to say I'm very pleased by my new to me R1200GS

looks like a lot of lunch in the bag!

[Aslan]

looks like a lot of lunch in the bag!

Onya BMWST? - Bag came with the bike - long term plan is to purchase a Wolfman rack for my Wolfman Soft Luggage

[BMWST?]

Onya BMWST? - Bag came with the bike - long term plan is to purchase a Wolfman rack for my Wolfman Soft Luggage

gonna test ride a 1200 soon too

[Aslan]

gonna test ride a 1200 soon too

hope that goes well - will be watching with interest - I'm certainly very pleased with mine

[cold comfort]

Well Koko's post above speaks volumes

Nice looking ride there Stephen. I was going to also say Shrek would approve, and then he did,- I must be psychic!.

[_Shrek_]

very cool there sir