GS is a bit like a swiss army knife (or a leatherman) on two wheels, adaptable and does a pretty good job of most things. Not as focused as that specialist snap-on tool for getting to that awkard fixing on certain vehicles but when the design changes on the vehicle the specialist tool becomes unfashionably redundant. A bit like last years race bike colour scheme or the weight saving of this years model (about 20 grams).
Think I will still be carrying a swiss army knife, saving thousands and letting the extremely talented and highly visible power rangers pass me (occasionally!) - after all they are such ambassadors for motorcycling
as ive only had the gs less than 6 months and still finding its good n bad points.
i recon for an all year round bike the gs is the best multy pourpose bike ive ridden so far. (like my leatherman tool 12 yrs old n still gion strong)
ive riden gixers for many years , ran a bandit 1200 streetfighter through winter (not fun in snow/ice)
i find the gs (mine r1100gs) give me a feeling of confidence wen riding in bad conditions .
just this morning i was on a road which two cars had slid off the road with black ice, riding steady the gs stopped shine side up ,even wen the front end went away in the icy conditions .
i dont know if its the offroad heritage and riding position it just feels solid and planted on the road (all probably fall off tmorra now
)
ive had a few enduros n dirt bikes , but they wer not up to high road speeds n milage unlike the gs.
the weight takes a bit gettin used to especialy after light gixers , i sat on me mates bandit 1200 other day n it felt like a 500cc toy bike.
i found the gs is a good scratcher for a uge enduro, even with baggs on
my 1st experiance with a gs was 5 or 6 years ago , out ridin with two guys on mbws on a gs the other a brick (i think?) i was on my gsxr750wp flat bar fighter , with a lady passenger (good grip on her)
we went to helmsly n i thought bmw, wer in for a boarin ride now ! ( usual thinkin on folk then) as we rode on i foud the bms wer tramming on and i had to pick up the pace. hmm . so wen we got near helmsly (familar teritory) i gunned the gixer , n bugger me the gs was still infront twisty bends n all.
i kept up for a few miles just keepin sumat in reserve (thinkin of me passenger ov course) . i saw me chance a long sweeper bang , down shift a gear n passed the gs at 140 ish , ha got him, but not for long he was up me arse like a stink on a fart!!!!
later we exchanged respects ( turns out he was an x fireblade rider n he hurt his back , the gs was the only bike he could ride n still have fun
)
we went on our seperate way. my passenger had wrist ache tho ( forgot she was on the back ha,ha.)
as i was riding back (n playin tigg with other plastic rockets) my thoughs wer still on the gs n how well it performed under an experienced scratcher!!
yers later i saw long way round n ther the gs was in the spot light again . i was impressed with its off road capabilities as well.
i was a hard core gixer chop fighter rider to the bone n never would of thought of riding a bmw back then.
old man digger06 bought one n he rode it to scottland n said it was a geat bike . that was it my mind was made up.
am now a proud owner of a 1100gs n plannin me 1st trip round europe
to me the gs is a "xl600, bandit 1200, rf900" all in one , sorted
ugg ( life story to follow ,, not
)