Took my BMW C600 in today to have a recall done, this is the Loan bike that they gave me



2014 BMW R1200 GS with every gadget fitted, Cruise control, electronic Suspension etc etc
It has the latest liquid cooled Boxer engine and has 125 HP
Has a Mode switch where you can change the engine tune, road , enduro, rain and dynamic
Lovely engine and goes like **** off a Shovel
Nice bike and yours for £15,000

Andy

Nice spec on paper but dear oh dear is it fugly.

Every incarnation of the big GS I've ridden I've disliked.

I went along when I had the wonga to buy an 1150 (pre-Ewan and Charlie), had a test ride half-day and took it back after an hour.

I borrowed Vines' 1200GS demonstrator a couple of years ago...and hated that too.

Put simply I haven't a clue why don't like them, I just don't. Probably a "marmite" thing.

Good thing you do like 'em, though.

I've never tried one, lucky 'cause if I did I'd have bought one, but the nearest dealer is too far for servicing etc.

Good thing you do like 'em, though.

I did over 100 miles on it and I liked most things about it.
The engine has power at any revs and pulls like a train, that bit I really liked
The handling is brilliant and the bike feels much lighter than it actually is.
Didn't like the vibration that started at 65mph onwards, not a bad vibration but for £15000 I would expect better!
When getting off the throttle at high speeds you could also feel a nasty vibration, felt like a bag of spanners!
The bike I rode only had 2800 miles on the clock so should have been all right.
If I was going to buy one, I would opt for the latest R1200RT liquid cooled version

Andy

Me and a friend had a GS and an RT out for a two hour test ride last year and swapped over halfway. I didn't like either of them, both too vibey, but test rode a secondhand FJR that the dealer had in stock when I got back. I later bought one but not from the BMW dealer. My friend bought an RT but doesn't like it. He currently has it up for sale and is looking to get a Trophy.

The latest version is chalk and cheese compared to the older version, I owned a R1200RT
The new engine is so much more lively.
Only thing that puts me off owning a Shaft drive BMW are the final drive failures that I hear all the time

Andy

Aren't all the new RT's grounded because of a potential rear suspension fault?

They' were, not sure if they have sorted them yet.
They did have them in the Showroom today.....

Andy

I read that some owners have been without their new bikes for 3 months after BMW advised then to stop using the bike. I'd be well pissed at that.