2013 R1200GS

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Gromit
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2013 R1200GS

Postby Gromit » Wed Apr 10, 2013 2:14 pm

The 'Rare Red GS'...

Image

Image

Image

Water cooled! :)
Wet clutch! :)
'Normal' indicators. :(

Hell has truly frozen over! :shock:

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slparry
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Re: 2013 R1200GS

Postby slparry » Wed Apr 10, 2013 2:54 pm

Gromit wrote:The 'Rare Red GS'...



Water cooled! :)
Wet clutch! :)
'Normal' indicators. :(

Hell has truly frozen over! :shock:


Actually it's been melting this week and is a forecasted 18C for Sunday ... given many think of North Wales as Hell :)
--
Steve Parry


Current fleet: '14 F800GS, '87 R80RS, '03 R1100S BoxerCup, '15 R1200RT LE Dynamic, '90 K1

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Gromit
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Postby Gromit » Wed Apr 10, 2013 2:55 pm

Oh - and before anyone asks, no it isn't mine and no I certainly won't be buying one.

Really didn't like it to be honest.

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el-nicko
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Postby el-nicko » Wed Apr 10, 2013 3:15 pm

Fell out of The Ugly Tree and hit every branch on the way down?
.

Image

Mr. Spock is my role model so be advised; I possess no (discernible) sense of humour.

It's all VFR (DCT) round here now. STILL missing my 1100s tho.

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popsky
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Postby popsky » Wed Apr 10, 2013 4:15 pm

Gromit wrote:Oh - and before anyone asks

I really did like it to be honest.


There fixed it for you :!:

And just to smarten it up a little bit more, how about some rim tape Richard :wink:



I'll get my coat [smilie=sofa.gif]
Phil.

R1200S and loving it !

Hoch Bergstraßenjäger…………………………………

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Gromit
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Postby Gromit » Wed Apr 10, 2013 4:18 pm

el-nicko wrote:Fell out of The Ugly Tree and hit every branch on the way down?


:D

In the flesh I think it looks quite funky and the new gearbox is a revelation (it's now a combined unit with the engine because of the wet clutch). Don't like the FbW throttle though and the handling is just too frisky - feels wrong somehow, and no matter how much I fiddled with the ESA thingy the ride/damping quality was too bouncy.

Don't like the new switchgear - it feels cheap, and the quality of the plastics around fairing/screen is woeful.

It goes well though - reckoned to be itro 115-120bhp according the blurb.

The guy in the shop was obviously keen to sell me a bike, but I had to be honest with him when I took the GS back ie that I didn't like it. He offered me a go on an RT but I declined. Not much point me having one as I rarely/never ride 2-up these days and just want something fun for hooning around on with (hopefully) the odd long trip every now and again.

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Gromit
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Postby Gromit » Wed Apr 10, 2013 4:21 pm

popsky wrote:
Gromit wrote:Oh - and before anyone asks

I really did like it to be honest.


There fixed it for you :!:

And just to smarten it up a little bit more, how about some rim tape Richard :wink:



I'll get my coat [smilie=sofa.gif]


You can really go off people you know ;)

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Steve1200S
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Postby Steve1200S » Wed Apr 10, 2013 6:58 pm

shame, but all new stuff is cheaper and tackier than the old stuff it replaces...

seems like the engine is nice though?

wait for the water cooled R1250R....
----------------------------------------------
Steve.

1980 R100S
2003 VFR 800
A Silly Van.

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Gromit
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Postby Gromit » Thu Apr 11, 2013 8:41 am

Steve1200S wrote:shame, but all new stuff is cheaper and tackier than the old stuff it replaces...

seems like the engine is nice though?

wait for the water cooled R1250R....


That's the thing - a 12GS in basic form is in the region of £12.5k and looking at it closely (and getting a feel of the controls) that's a huge amount of money for what doesn't have a quality feel. My 75k mile old Blackbird feels more solid.

Add the 'usual' stuff ie heated grips and pannier fixings to the GS and before you know it the price is pushing 14k.

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Blackal
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Postby Blackal » Thu Apr 11, 2013 9:07 am

I'm keen to try it this year - with a view to changing my 1200Adv next year.

Everyone who has come from the previous GS - sing the praises of the new one - but a newcomer to the type - might not be so sure?

Al :)
If I am ever on life support - Unplug me......
Then plug me back in..........

See if that works .....
:?

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Gromit
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Postby Gromit » Thu Apr 11, 2013 9:12 am

Blackal wrote:I'm keen to try it this year - with a view to changing my 1200Adv next year.

Everyone who has come from the previous GS - sing the praises of the new one - but a newcomer to the type - might not be so sure?

Al :)


Thing is, each time I've ridden a GS, be it an 1150 as I once owned and then a pre-l/c 12GS it's taken 10 mins or so to get 'into' it and then I've had a ball. This one just didn't push any buttons for me at all. I really wanted to like it, but after an hour I just decided to bring it back - which I did (they were going to let me have bike for a good 2-3 hours).

Usually, whenever I've ridden any Boxer, I've gone away and thought 'hmmm not sure but I'd love to have another go on it' whereas this GS? I've got no desire to ride one again.

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ianc53
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Postby ianc53 » Thu Apr 11, 2013 10:15 am

I too had a run on the new GS this last weekend, it was a red one as well.

As Richard says, more nimble, bit more power (welcome). Gearbox, clutch much better. Brake feel not as good as existing bike (although they stop well enough). Screen not as good. I actually though the bodywork, such as it is, fitted better than on my current bike (although that's not saying much).

Cost £13.5K + wire wheels + panniers = £15K. That's a lot of money. Given BMW's history with new bike development probably best to wait 6 months or so till they've sorted the inevitable problems. Might be interested then :)

Cheers

Ian
Motorrad R1250RS SE 2023
Blue R100RS 1980
Suzuki GT250B 1977

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Steve1200S
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Postby Steve1200S » Thu Apr 11, 2013 10:57 am

I once borrowed a 1200RT with ESA. I had it on 2 up sport mode and still thought it pogo'd around too much.

Luckily it's much stiffer on the K1200GT and actually seems to work (and I feel the benefit everyday of 'comfort' on the crappy roads near us, and 'sport' on the dual carrageways and roundabouts near work).

Maybe it was just broke on the RT, but It seems the ESA can be hit and miss depending on model....

Yea, if I was going to spend 15k is on a new bike, a K1600GT without any gizmos would top the list.
----------------------------------------------

Steve.



1980 R100S

2003 VFR 800

A Silly Van.

dave the german
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Postby dave the german » Thu Apr 11, 2013 5:42 pm

[ Brake feel not as good as existing bike (although they stop well enough).

Ian can you remember that junction on the way back to Moffat last year where you tested your brakes? [smilie=whistle.gif]
'15 R1200GS TE
'06 R1200S
'04 BCR
Yam SR 500 long term restoration
wanna win the lottery and ride my bike

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Gromit
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Postby Gromit » Thu Apr 11, 2013 7:26 pm

Steve1200S wrote:I once borrowed a 1200RT with ESA. I had it on 2 up sport mode and still thought it pogo'd around too much.


That's exactly what the GS felt like Steve - it had that BMW 'overspung/underdamped' feel of the old bikes (we're talking pre-Oilhead here). I fiddled with the ESA in all directions but all it seemed to do was make it bounce more - the ride didn't get stiffer (as one would expect with increased damping) but it kicked off bumps too readily rather than smoothing, or riding them out. Getting back on the Blackbird the ride, while stiffer and with less travel, you can feel that rear shock helping the bike, not hindering it.

I got off the GS and noticed the shock is made by Sachs - the last time I had a bike with a Sachs shock was my Aprilia Falco and it was terrible (spoilt an otherwise superb bike in fact).


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