Newbies first ride review - 2016 R1200GS TB

Hatcho

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Took the (very new to me) GS out yesterday after work for a spin with a couple of mates. One chap rides an XR, the other an S1000R, both 2017 bikes and both lads are tidy pilots - swift but also smart). I had the GS in dynamic mode with the suspension set to hard most of the time.

From Dublin the roads up into the Wicklow mountains are tight narrow twisties with a healthy dose of cyclists out for an evenings punishment on the hills. I was expecting the GS to be difficult to lever around the tighter stuff compared to the two 'sportier' bikes. But no, the GS felt totally at home the whole time (you guys probably know all this already, but anyways...). In fact, to make sure I perpetuated the reputation of the GS, I even found time to pop on the slippers and light the oul' pipe - all without slowing up a bit! :)

The three of us would be pretty much on a par in terms or riding skills (being as ancient as I am, I'm probably slowing up a tad), but with us all at the same pace it seemed that I had the least amount of work to do on the GS. The wide bars give incredible leverage on the corners (so much so I'm having to reduce the amount of counter-steering I apply). My other bike (SV1000S) is much slower to turn in and it feels like riding through a bowl of porridge in comparison!

The brakes on the GS are stonking - when we were met by a coach which was running wide on a corner I was able to shed a bundle of speed all without any loss of stability at all. Amazing. Not harsh at all, but very very effective at pulling the bike up when required. The way I put it to one of my mates was that it was the easiest bike to ride well that I'd ever been on. Things just fall so nicely into place. Combined with the ability to tour two up for many miles at a time the GS is the complete package (but ye all already knew that) :)

Comfort is never ending - the ergonomics guys in BMW should get awards. Every control is easy to locate (and subsequently remember), already the more commonly used bits are becoming second nature as the muscle memory sinks in. The upright seating position makes for excellent vision - you're up high with a great view ahead, makes watching the likes of limit points, hazards, road surface etc. so much easier. No more staring past my eyebrows from waist height off the ground!

My only regret? Not having bought one sooner. But now I have the one I have, and I reckon this could be the start of a very enjoyable long term relationship. Still keeping the SV though (can't beat that v-twin rumble)!

So that's my take on the new bike - I'm having a hard time removing the grin off my face! Have a few days two-up riding around Ireland coming up at the end of the month and I can hardly wait to flex the GS's touring muscles as well. :thumb2
 

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Its o...k... I suppose.
 
Young bull says to old bull; Farmer has left the gate open, lets run down a shag a cow.

The old bull says, lets walk down and shag all of them.

The moral, if there is one; experience + gs = lots more fun.

Sent from my GT-N7105 using Tapatalk
 
Young bull says to old bull; Farmer has left the gate open, lets run down a shag a cow.

The old bull says, already done it. Where do you think you came from.

The moral, if there is one; get up early and get everywhere first.
 
Sounds good fun. Number of vids out there that show that, in real world conditions, there's not a lot between the large capacity bikes: just that some, like adventure bikes, get you there more comfortably!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFtEQ5Ocw3U
 
Nice report. Great bikes, aren't they?:beerjug:
 


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