Some Questions About The Hex-Head Generation 12GS

PhaedrusMC

PhaedrusMC

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A colleague has developed an interest in a 12GS, and has started asking me questions. As I have no personal interest in the 12, I can't answer him from my own knowledge bank. So here's what I think I know:

The GS is lower than the GSA.
The GS has cast alloy wheels, GSA are spoked.
Both run tubeless tyres.
GSA came standard with aluminium luggage (made by TT, branded as BMW?)
GS had optional BMW-made "Vario" luggage?
GSA screen is taller & wider than GS?
GS had 20l tank, GSA was 30l?

Does this fork recall thing in the news now concern the Hex-Head 12? Or just the later LC?

How heavily-loaded with complex electrickery was the Hex-Head?

Is luggage inter-changeable between GS & GSA?


Thanks Guys. :thumb2

Mark
 
Luggage yes with correct racks. Yes to petrol tank sizes and yes to the other questions too. Fork recall is for the "Unstoppable" toilet version not the TC hexhead.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
How will you win any pub quiz ???

Only LC; at the moment !

There are 12's that don't have any electrickery, most will come with abs. Stay away from servo'd (55/06 plate).

All have canbus.

You can swap luggage but require mounts too.

Standard headlight is crap and needs an upgrade; hid or led.

Treat them as different bikes not similar model's.

Getting the fueling set up properly makes a major difference to the 12.

Sent from my GT-N7105 using Tapatalk
 
GSA didn't come standard with any luggage. Electronics depends on what model you got. Some don't even have ABS, as said though they do all have CANbus.
 
They are basically the same bike! Just one has longer shocks

One has a normal size Tank the other one has a barrel

They all have canbus

up to 2006 if it has ABS it will have Servo brakes

after that it will have a non servo ABS system that has problems with sticking brushes

TC or Twin Cams are pretty well sorted but need ridden regularly or the ABS brushes stick

Various luggage kits are available Vario were the standard GS and the Alloy boyos were the GSA but could be fitted to either bike

Spokes Alloys It could have been spec'd from the factory with either Lots of people found the alloys MUCH easier to clean
 
Might be a lovely well sorted one coming up for sale (in Naas)

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Thanks Guys. It's actually two colleagues looking at GSs. One fancies a 12, the other is looking at 1150s, but might swing to a 12.

So a TC is a twin-cam hex-head?
 
Yeah, 2010 on should get you a Twin Cam. Visually, the Twin Cam will have vertical spark covers on the cylinder heads. and the single cam will have horizontal.

Sent from a OnePlusX.
 
DrFarkoff said:
They are basically the same bike! Just one has longer shocks

One has a normal size Tank the other one has a barrel

They all have canbus

up to 2006 if it has ABS it will have Servo brakes

after that it will have a non servo ABS system that has problems with sticking brushes

TC or Twin Cams are pretty well sorted but need ridden regularly or the ABS brushes stick

Various luggage kits are available Vario were the standard GS and the Alloy boyos were the GSA but could be fitted to either bike

Spokes Alloys It could have been spec'd from the factory with either Lots of people found the alloys MUCH easier to clean
Click to expand...

Or it could have no ABS at all like my 2011 GSA
 
So if an early 12 had ABS it was servo? There was no non-servo ABS on early 12s?
 
PhaedrusMC said:
So if an early 12 had ABS it was servo? There was no non-servo ABS on early 12s?
Click to expand...

Correct - up to and including the 2006 model you could have servo ABS or no ABS at all. From the 2007 model they switched to ABS 2 (no servo) and there was still a non-ABS option (not very common).
 
Marki_GSA said:
GSA didn't come standard with any luggage. Electronics depends on what model you got. Some don't even have ABS, as said though they do all have CANbus.
Click to expand...

Some don't even have ABS, you say it like it came without wheels.
 
Mine has the later type ABS (uses a car style ABS unit). The speedo sensors has packed up (again) and TBH I really do miss the linked braking and I like the security of ABS when its chucking down rain.

"Normal" bikes hardly need the back brake as the fork dive reduces rear wheel loading. On the GSA with ABS is off, the bike has more front end brake dive than normal because the rear brake is not pulling the back end down. The pedal does add to the stopping power. The rear brake is certainly under specced for the work it does, but it adds useful stopping power and does stabilise the bike under braking.**

I have fitted GS suspension units to my GSA (waiting for enough cash to get Wilbers). The GS shocks I bought are EXACTLY the same length as the GSA shocks. The GS shocks actually ride a little higher than the GSA because the springs are stiffer.

** A Saxon/Telelever fork should not dive at all on the brakes. I believe BMW dialled in some brake dive to better suit riders who expect to feel the front end dip. Press comments about the "remote feeling" front end can't have helped. Personally I think they went too far so compensated by dialling more rear brake into the linked brake system. That pulls up the back end so there is less of a dive feeling at the front end.
 
Bendy toy said:
Mine holds just under 35 litres from bone dry filled while on the side stand. It's not been modified at the filler spout.
Click to expand...

I must admit - at the back of my mind, I had the notion that I had managed to get more than 33L in....... :blast

Not sure what the manual states, but it is at least 33lts

Al
 
Bendy toy said:
Mine holds just under 35 litres from bone dry filled while on the side stand. It's not been modified at the filler spout.
Click to expand...

Mine holds an infinite amount of fuel, because however much I put in it still shows me a warning light and says "Fuel" on the display. Oh hang on ....
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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