advice on what BMW GS bike to start out with

[kirkmoon]

any advice for improvments to my 06 GS1200 for long distance travel would be a great help.
I plan on taking a cross country trip in the late spring from GA to ID, going to visite my older brother in Swan Valley ID
Id like to get the bike as comfortable and travel ready as possible.

Im looking at things like wider foot pegs and a new windshield, as well as a decent size top box....

Thanks,

I posted this up in ADVRIDER.COM as well trying to get some opinions and advice on good parts, where to put my money and time first.

I installed a Givi windscreen on mine and thought it was just about perfect.

I thought that the BMW metal topbox (the one designed for the GS Adventure) was the best. Same goes for the side cases. I thought that the vario luggage was junk. One tipover and they break. And if you ride on dusty roads for any length of time the dust gets into the sliding mechanism and makes them harder to "vario". I dumped my vario set and got the metal set and loved them.

The Touratech luggage is also excellent.

Wider footpegs are nice. The ones I like are made by Fastway.

For long trips, the best money you can spend is on a new seat. Russell All Day. Rocky Mayer. Something like that.

Make sure to get head cover protectors or crash bars so you don't grind a hole in your head cover when/if you tip over.

You might want to eventually think about swapping out the shocks for higher end ones like Ohlins. They firm up the ride and improve the handling a bit. Not a high priority item.

Not much else you need. The GS1200 is a great ruggedized touring bike. It isn't very good in mud or sand. But on reasonable dirt roads it is fine. And on pavement it is outstanding.

 

[traveltoad]

Hey Kirk!!!

 

[BMWGSer]

I've put a lot of miles on a BMW F650GS Dakar as well as a R1200GS Adventure. For solo adventure touring with gear I think the smaller GS's are tough to beat. If two up is part of the equation, the big GS's are much better suited for most folks. My wife and I or my daughter and I can take our personal gear, camping gear and enough food for several days very easily on my GS Adventure. The bigger bikes handle the weight of extra gear more easily, though it's easy to go overboard on any bike and I see it all the time.

To me the biggest advantage of the boxer twins is the ease of maintenance. It appears the valve adjustments may be somewhat more involved on the new 1200's if an adjustment is required. The valves are still right there and easy to get to though. You will read horror stories about FD failures, but in my experience if you take care of the FD it is unlikey to leave you stranded without warning. I prefer the FD to worrying about keeping a chain properly lubed in the rain or muddy, gritty conditions.

None of the GS's are dirbikes, or as dirt oriented as the KTM's. Any of them are capable of covering incredibly diverse terrain, it may just be at a slower pace. I have had my adventure in deep sand and climbed some rocky hills on it. With sane riding and common sense you can take the big bikes some amazing places.

 

[HMR]

Congrats on a great choice of bike!

any advice for improvments to my 06 GS1200 for long distance travel would be a great help.

Have you found anything you don't like (seat, windscreen, etc)? Long distance "comfort" items are different for everyone. I hated the seat and screen on my VStrom 650. Fixed it with an Airhawk and an MRA Vario. I also hated the seat and screen on my KTM 950ADV. Fixed the seat with a Corbin but never found a screen that worked. My 1200GS is the first bike I've loved in totally stock form. The seat, screen, pegs, handlebars... everything is perfect for me. YMMV but if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Enjoy the new bike!!!

 

[BMWGSer]

The seat issue is really variable amongst various riders. I've done quite a few long days on my stock adventure seat, including one recent BBG (1,564 miles in 21 hours) and I find the stock seat very comfortable. The trouble for some with seat like the Day Longs is that they can restrict movement while standing, such as when riding offroad.

I've met a lot of folks that get on their bike and put in a good day and then complain about their seat when they just haven't been riding much. Some times there isn't much of a substitute for actually spending some time on your bike. Many seats will get broken in to the shape of your butt, and your butt will get used to a seat as well if you give it a chance. In the past, in really warm climates, like Baja, I've used an Alaska Leather sheepskin butt pad. If my butt was getting uncomfy with it on I would take it off and would feel better for a while, and vice versa. It changes the presure points a bit and can make a difference.

 

[zolo]

Have you found anything you don't like (seat, windscreen, etc)? Long distance "comfort" items are different for everyone. I hated the seat and screen on my VStrom 650. Fixed it with an Airhawk and an MRA Vario. I also hated the seat and screen on my KTM 950ADV. Fixed the seat with a Corbin but never found a screen that worked. My 1200GS is the first bike I've loved in totally stock form. The seat, screen, pegs, handlebars... everything is perfect for me. YMMV but if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Enjoy the new bike!!!

Im good with the seat, but the stock screen is awefull. Going to be changing that first thing. THe bike is very comfy otherwise. I was thinking pegs and screen for now.
Looking to be putting some long days and ride as much as possible.
Has any one had exsperience with either the Parrabelum screen or Givi?
Got it down to those two, in a 20"

 

[trailsurfer]

ZTechnik VStream. I had a 2007, 1200 GS before my GSA, and I put this windscreen on my bike, and I loved it.

It mounts easily, and works as advertised. I have a long torso and this windscreen worked very well.

 

[zolo]

SO I didnt got a new windshield for the Holidays, but the Touratech Santa visited me. He thought that my headlight needed some protection and decided a new Headlight guard was what I needed.
When I get it home I will have to post some pics of the install.
As well as a copy of the 3 pack.
Long way Down
Long way around,
And Boormans Dakar documentary.
So Im happy, New windshield and Hepco and Becker upper tank guard on the way. After XMas present to myself.

 

[bmwf800gs]

My experience with BMW and my f800gs. I wish it was better.

Pride in work and Customer Service?

1 Leaking engine oil from a valve cover gasket. not caught or fixed during first service.
2 Pulsating/stiff brake lever or front brake at a crawl speed wise.
3 Backfiring. Related to the gasket leak?
4 Fuel gauge not registering properly even after the recall fix.
I ran out of gas on a very dangerous bridge with no cell phone.
So again BMW wanted me to run out of gas and maybe get killed before they fix a known defect!!!
5 One of only two screws falling out of headlight mount. And Battley's wanted me to pay for it!! The moto was about 2 weeks old.
6 Gear display going blank.
7 Missed shifts (could be me I admit, but I wonder)
I want to be reasonable, but it seems like a lot of issues/problems.
I do not like the fact that I spent $$$$ on a supposedly new motorcycle and now I have to give up my days off/rest to deal with all these problems!
Thank you for your time/wisdom and opinions.
8 A BMW dealer called me in I think november and said they had the new airbox in. They had not told me they had ordered it. so it was again another BMW lack of being open and forth coming communication, I think they broke my old one and needed to replace it. So again I probably had to waste another day at the dealership getting it installed. I called BMW Motorrad and asked about it and they were supposed to get back to me about what was going on and if I needed to waste another day at the dealership or if it had been replaced in one of my previous visits by another dealer. Again I have asked and still not received any definitive answer as to whether or not the airbox had been replaced or not. It is now Jan. 15 2010 and no answer. I do not understand why it is so hard to answer what seems like a simple straight forward question. Should I ask KTM or Suzuki questions about BMW motorcycles, service and parts/accessories because BMW to this point has not proven they are capable of a knowledgeable professional answer about their own business, and that is if they even provide any answer at all.

The other irritating thing about BMW is they tell the customer to ask the dealers technical or mechanical questions but every person I have asked at each of the 3 dealers and 2or 3 at BMW Motorrad tell me something different about what motor oil to use in the motorcycle.
I have been told to switch by mechanics and parts people at the dealers to synthetic motor oil at 3,000 miles, 5k, 6k 7k 10k, 12k, 13k, and maybe 20k( I may be missing some) and one sales person at Bob's BMW told me never to use synthetic motor oil. One person at BMW Motorrad after I told him what I had been told by all the previous people both at Motorrad and the motorcycle sales person at Bob's said to never use synthetic.
Also one person at Motorrad said to use 20w-50 conventional motor oil.
The manual says:
Engine oil, capacity 2.9 l, with filter change
Lubricant Engine oil, 10W-40
Oil grades Mineral oils of API classification SF through SH.
BMW Motorrad recommends not using oil addit-
ives, because they can have a detrimental effect
on clutch operation. Please do not hesitate to
contact your authorised BMW Motorrad dealer
if you have any questions relating the choice of a
suitable engine oil for your motorcycle.
Permissible viscosity classes
SAE 10 W-40 L-20 °C, Operation at low temperatures
SAE 15 W-40 L-10 °C

So since my last post some things have happened. The bike would not run while trying to ride in the rain to work. I had to take the day off. I made BMW flatbead it to Bob's BMW and they supposedly fixed the factory known defect. Why did BMW not fix this before I bought it and make me go through the hassle and $? I asked for my money back or a new 2010 that hopefully has the bugs worked out, and they say no.
I also asked since they will not buy the problem back or swap for a 2010 that I thought it reasonable to pick the motorcycle up and return it to me when fixed, every time the moto had a problem for about a year. BMW Motorrad said no. I have wasted far too many days at the BMW dealership trying to get know defects and other problems fixed. It has also cost me money and stress due to days I had to take off from work.

Now BMW Motorrad has said no to my request and instead offered me a "mystery" fog light to shut me up. I told them I was not interested in a fog light that THEY would not tell me anything about claiming they knew nothing of the fog light and did not know who did. I called another BMW dealer that has the latest info for parts/accessories... and they said there is no fog light for the F800GS. Now how *****ked up and wrong is that? So the way I see it they want to put a poor quality light on my motorcyle that is probably halogen which is crap compared to the LED technology and even HID. The mystery fog light will probably cause me more problems and cost me more money due to being too high a drain on the system along with who knows what other problems. Now I may not be totally correct in my assumption but as a result of trying to drag information out of BMW and their past efforts, would you not be highly skeptical and expect the worst?
They had offered for me to pick 3 things from the catalog and then said NO, and I picked the Rallye Pro 3 or Streetguard 3 and might have been willing to take the RP2 in a offering of peace and reconciliation but I made the mistake of asking about the fog light because BMW-riders-gear.com will not answer the phone and will not answer e-mails. I have tried for 2 weeks to have any contact with the gear/apparel people with no results or help from BMW. As I have experienced BMW seems to have NO people that know any of their products and will not offer up any information as to how to contact someone that does. EVERY TIME I DEAL WITH BMW IT IS LIKE TRYING TO TALK TO A BUNCH OF CORRUPT GREASED UP RETARDED MONKEYS OR POLITICIANS.
WHY IS IT SOOO HARD FOR THEM TO SAY I DO NOT KNOW THE ANSWER TO A QUESTION OR ABOUT A PRODUCT, BUT I WILL HAVE A PERSON THAT IS KNOWLEDGEABLE CALL YOU, OR I WILL PUT THEM ON THE PHONE TO TALK WITH YOU? WHY NOT USE THE APPROACH OF: WE WILL MAKE IT RIGHT AND MAKE YOU A HAPPY AND DEDICATED BMW CUSTOMER. A person then would be free and willing advertisement and propaganda. Is it asking too much to get a new quality product and service that I paid for from BMW? How does it help BMW and the dealers to provide either no service or no quality product at all and piss people off that will obviously in a rage tell all willing to listen or read?
I did not buy my BMW thinking, now how can I make my life more stressful, costly and develop a relationship of distrust and resentment.
I understand that NO company or product is perfect but, come on! Man up and do the professional thing and fix the problems. Hire some willing and knowledgeable people to develop symbiotic relationships with customers.
I am so pissed off I want to scream in their face! I can hardly think straight!

I have since 1-16-2009 bought from a knowledgeable friendly competent company named: BMG/British Motorcycle Gear. I bought their ADVENTURE suit. My willingness to advertise for BMW by paying for and wearing their gear has been tortured to death by BMW.
Is there a person left at BMW with a brain and the willingness to help a customer and that can get BMW in order?

 

[650GSguy]

Best Bike is 650 GS

Another 10 cents (or less) from a newcomer to the forum. My wife and I did Alaska two up in tent with the 650 GS. No problems loved the trip. :victory:

We have our packing under control. No breakdowns. We're not big people 5'9" and 5'8". We enjoyed ourselves. A little more shifting than a 1200. No problems with the chain. New tires for the trip and over 7500km.

Any bike is better than a cage. You can't lose with any bike.

 

[Christian P.]

for what's it worth (and I have no interest one way or the other)...when I was in Africa I met several overlanders with BMWs. The new 800gs does not have the best reputation over there - apparently partly because of suspension issues.