I am tempted but as suggested I need a good long test ride and want to compare against a Multistrada. Perhaps a KTM GT also. The one in Wolverhampton looks to be a good buy at £12990, we’ll its the cheapest 6 month old Rallye for sale with only 1400 miles, they are £16400 new, one thing for sure there’s no shortage of second hand GS’s for sale so no real rush...
The only bad thing about a GS is everyone has one but there is a reason for that. I would never buy a Multistrada as the two people I know who have had them would never buy another, they spend more time in the shop being repaired than on the road. They ride very well when they're working The KTM 1190 is brilliant, much faster than a GS and much less common. Mine is as reliable as my LC GS, nothing ever went wrong with either, but not quite as comfortable. Still happy to do 5-600 mile days on the KTM though. I had a 09 GS and that was brilliant and 4 990 KTM's that were all brilliant except you couldn't tour on the Superduke. I have test ridden the previous 1200 Tiger and I thought it was rubbish, too heavy, too slow and didn't handle. Unless the new one is a massive improvement it won't touch the GS or 1290 KTM. I did ride the Tiger 800 in Spain and it was very good.
I am on my 4th 1200 GS, just ordered my 5th for delivery end of March - they are unequivocally the best all round motorcycle there ever has been. I have put around 1,000 miles per month on all of mine since my first in 2015.
Ive owned two both air cooled so cant comment on the liquid cooled models. The two had were excellent both twin cam models, first just a standard bike no bells or whistles the second a triple black adventure. Great bikes but one of the best bits of advice i got at the start was dont test ride or if you do take a long ride at least 100miles. Feels totally alien at first but once you get the hang of it you will love it. I have a fair commute to work 100miles on some cracking roads and im sure i am faster on the GS than on the blade i sold for it. If you go for it you will end up spending a fortune on crap for it its a bug. Anyway im now on my first Triumph so cant wait for that..
I was parked up in a lay by the other day waiting for a friend to join me, as we both had a day off and it was great riding weather for January. A chap on a GS stopped in case I had broken down and needed help. (And no I didn’t miss the emote!) There are always a few numpties who give the rest a bad name but they sure as hell ain’t all poseurs... (and before you ask the answer is no, I have never had a GS!)
Someone, forget who, told me the other week that their IAM group seem to be abandoning the GS in favour of the Tiger 1200. This surprised me as I would have thought the GS, being lighter and with a low c of g would be better for IAM purposes. Mind you, I'd have a Tiger 1200 if a) they lopped 40kg of the weight and b) £3000 off the price.
OK, I'll admit BMW riders aren't as bad as their 4 wheeled brethren (although they came close when they started fitting those indicators that squawked at you.), some of them can even be included in civilised conversation. But why are they almost always ridden with all 3 boxes on, even when commuting in traffic? Are they thinking (mistakenly) it looks better, do they have a rather large packed lunch or has BMW superglued them on ? I do feel sorry for them when I see BMW accessory prices though Makes Triumph stuff seem like cheap tat....
That is so true about the panniers being fitted, i used mine three times and it was when me and the other half were away for a few days to pack all her crap in. However i know a couple of lads who will run around with bugger all in them and with red and yellow tape down the rears of all boxes very odd.
Hi Tricolore, I have just recently bought A 2012 Rallye for continental touring, just been to the black forrest recently, To be honest i call it my "tarts bike" it does everything comfortably which is the point if travelling distances. You need to be quite tall for safely being astride. Last of the air cooled, plenty of power, can be quite heavy fully loaded and full of fuel, there is a similar on at rite bike in Bradford full luggage etc £8900 nearly as new condition. I dont see the point of posing but back/neck in agony, dont rush, shop around, there is some value bikes out there, Want different style, buy more bikes specifically for there intended use??? I have Cheers Jeff
I just bought a new 2018 Rallye TE with all the bits. Very good bike, improvement on the 2014 R1200GS LC.
Just come back from a monster tour of America, Alaska, Canada. Guesstimate, 70% Harley, 25% BMW GS, 5% Triumph. So contact approx 25% of North American motorcyclists.
