Basic Ramblings

Neil W

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Well further to an earlier thread regarding if anyone has bought a Basic model I put my money where my mouth is and bought a new 2018 model Basic GSA , put in my 2014 GSA TE model and picked up the new bike this morning.

It does have some options fitted which I wanted and actually use , the Comfort pack for the TPC and Heated grips,the Onboard Computer Pro, GPS preparation , Cruise control, LED Fog Lights, LED indicators and Pannier Frames. In all the bike cost almost £2500 less than the equivalent TE model and it has no ESA, no LED headlight ,no keyless, no shift assist pro and no other toys .

Paid cash and put in my old TE as part ex (could have afforded the TE model , GSA Rallye or the Triple Black but didn't want either of them).

Bike is is the new gloss racing red which really suits it BUT the new silver main frame does looks chatty and cheap.

No real difference in the rest of the bike except it hasn't got dynamic,enduro and enduro plus modes but I never used any of them on the old bike in 3 years of ownership.

First thing I noticed on riding the bike was how much better the newer bikes gearbox is , a silent click into first gear from cold and once moving all the changes are clunk free and smooth with brilliant clutchless changes through the box if you want to do them . I would say it is one of the nicest BMW gearboxes I've used .

As for the suspension , on its standard factory settings I noticed that yes it is quite firm but the non ESA shocks are also compliant in a way that any ESA bikes I have ridden never seem to be.

You can feel the front and rear suspension working over poor road surfaces but they are doing it independantly , on the ESA it always felt that the as soon as the front picked up on a small bump in the road it communicated to the rear which always became far too harsh , causing the rear end to be unsettled and for want of a better word jiggly.

My bike had numerous ECU updates re the suspension , a new front shock early on and then later on a pair of new shocks but it was always the same, I have ridden numerous other GS/GSA LC models with ESA and all of them to one degree or another suffered with the same issue on less than billiard table smooth roads.

Despite being fitted with Anakees (didn't get a chance to change them prior to picking up the bike) it handles brilliantly through the twisties and I found myself deliberately riding across the worst parts of the road surface and revelling in the fact that it was providing a smooth ride .

There have been some reports of fuelling issues on the new bikes but throttle response on mine is excellent and the low to mid range fuelling appears to be spot on , in fact if anything it seems to be quicker off the mark than the old bike.

The engine also seems to be quieter with less of the spanners in a tumble drier noise characteristics of some of the LC models I have ridden .

Now tucked up in the garage with the extras off the old bike fitted and hopefully this one will be a longer term keeper

PS heated grips are also superb compared with my old bikes
 
enjoy if you dont need all the bells and whistles dont have em ....a guy near me did similar less to go wrong he quotes
 
enjoy if you dont need all the bells and whistles dont have em ....a guy near me did similar less to go wrong he quotes

Less to go Right as well.

I love my electrickery.
 
Few pics ,as I said not sure about the silver frame
 

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But this is the main thing about the bike , no ESA !!!!!!!!!!!!
 

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Why have they painted the frame silver?
 
Why have they painted the frame silver?

2018 colours and it looks cheap and chatty................ when the engine has to come out after the paint falls off I think I will pay for them to get the frame powder coated black
 
Trying to figure out why they changed the bloody steering lock to work with the bars turned to the left (at least on the old one it could be locked in either position) ........where the bike fits in the garage it is a pain to fit with the steering locked to the left
 
Trying to figure out why they changed the bloody steering lock to work with the bars turned to the left (at least on the old one it could be locked in either position) ........where the bike fits in the garage it is a pain to fit with the steering locked to the left

I had exactly the same issue with the keyless. I'm glad to have gone back to a bike with a key to be honest.
 
I had exactly the same issue with the keyless. I'm glad to have gone back to a bike with a key to be honest.

Mine is key ignition not keyless and the steerig lock still only works on left hand lock
 
Mine is key ignition not keyless and the steerig lock still only works on left hand lock

I assumed it was specific to the keyless. Of course I missed the clue in the fact you mentioned no keyless in your OP. :rolleyes: I guess indirectly it is for the keyless but it's just cheaper for them to now start fitting the same steering lock to keyed and keyless. Hardly the end of the world but pretty poor imo.

Are those seats now standard on the red?
 
I assumed it was specific to the keyless. Of course I missed the clue in the fact you mentioned no keyless in your OP. :rolleyes: I guess indirectly it is for the keyless but it's just cheaper for them to now start fitting the same steering lock to keyed and keyless. Hardly the end of the world but pretty poor imo.

Are those seats now standard on the red?
I don't think it has anything at all to do with keyless, either directly or indirectly.

My keyless GS locked both ways. Got an RS in April, with keyless, and it locks both ways. Wife got an RS in May, with keyless, and it only locks on the left. I compared headstocks on the two bikes, and hers appears to have an extra bit of metal welded on which stops the bolt from the steering lock engaging when the bars are to the right.
 
I assumed it was specific to the keyless. Of course I missed the clue in the fact you mentioned no keyless in your OP. :rolleyes: I guess indirectly it is for the keyless but it's just cheaper for them to now start fitting the same steering lock to keyed and keyless. Hardly the end of the world but pretty poor imo.

Are those seats now standard on the red?

No it came as standard with the two tone red/black seats, those are the BMW Exclusive seats I had on my old GSA (much more comfortable)
 
Oh Bullocks went to plug in the GS911 today to have a bit play and then remembered it is Euro 4 compliant and has an OBD2 port so need to buy an adaptor
 
Front is manual preload only ,rear has a hydraulic preload adjuster and rebound damping adjustment only......that said it is non the worse for it.
 
Front is manual preload only ,rear has a hydraulic preload adjuster and rebound damping adjustment only......that said it is non the worse for it.

i would agree with that,my 2016 gs is non esa and im quite happy with the suspension inc 2 up
 


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