Interesting write up

Outtomunch said:
:jes



KTM et al would be dead to me if they copied the GS.

Andres
Click to expand...

KTM are great, fun bikes I am sure - the 1290 Adventure comes close to being as good as the BMW GS for all round ability but still falls down in those areas I have already pointed out - so for serious all round high milers the GS is still the best bet, dilettantes can choose something else.
 
Charles Martel said:
Stick , the problem is these Journo-types get influenced by the huge BM Marketing machine ...
Bribed with advertising revenues, trips to fab hotels and freebies....

One guy on here has both bikes and he prefers the KTM. I think sometimes our loyalty to the GS blinds us to other developments and ideas.
Since he is unbiased, I think he's probably right.... it's more exciting and hugely capable.

(I still can't bring myself to buy one till they pop a shaft drive on it though , and the KTM dealers raise their game .....)
Click to expand...

I have done 1000s of miles on my GS and have found it to be a great bike , the article picks up on a great point , the KTM with its mighty engine is so fast , but the gs is as quick as it allows you to keep the speed and momentum backed up by the great handling , your not holding on to a rocket and braking all the time and readjusting everything .
I rode the 1290 s for a week in Spain and still found the Gs was quicker most of the time , okay on the fast straight the KTM was faster but so what, the bm was maxed at 140 , that's fast for a so called soulless bike ( not your comment) and agin the BM still stayed glued to the rear of the so called Hypership. Its a good bike but no as good as the BM. IMHO
To add i had the Multistrada S (147 at the rear) before and found the same .. quick but not as good and the novelty soon wore off.
 
stick said:
I have done 1000s of miles on my GS and have found it to be a great bike , the article picks up on a great point , the KTM with its mighty engine is so fast , but the gs is as quick as it allows you to keep the speed and momentum backed up by the great handling , your not holding on to a rocket and braking all the time and readjusting everything .
I rode the 1290 s for a week in Spain and still found the Gs was quicker most of the time , okay on the fast straight the KTM was faster but so what, the bm was maxed at 140 , that's fast for a so called soulless bike ( not your comment) and agin the BM still stayed glued to the rear of the so called Hypership. Its a good bike but no as good as the BM. IMHO
To add i had the Multistrada S (147 at the rear) before and found the same .. quick but not as good and the novelty soon wore off.
Click to expand...

...............and that's where the 'soul' thing gets soooooo subjective isn't it.

It's nothing to do with which bike is fastest. That's to do with school playground Top Trumps. I totally get that the GS is as quick as anything in the real world so, what makes something like the KTM have more soul (for me)? Well, ALL the things that you criticise it for. They are all things that make you engage with the bike more. Have more fun with it. That's what I call soul.

A mile muncher with no quirks or foibles is just that, a mile muncher. A tool.

Andres
 
stick said:
I have done 1000s of miles on my GS and have found it to be a great bike , the article picks up on a great point , the KTM with its mighty engine is so fast , but the gs is as quick as it allows you to keep the speed and momentum backed up by the great handling , your not holding on to a rocket and braking all the time and readjusting everything .
I rode the 1290 s for a week in Spain and still found the Gs was quicker most of the time , okay on the fast straight the KTM was faster but so what, the bm was maxed at 140 , that's fast for a so called soulless bike ( not your comment) and agin the BM still stayed glued to the rear of the so called Hypership. Its a good bike but no as good as the BM. IMHO
To add i had the Multistrada S (147 at the rear) before and found the same .. quick but not as good and the novelty soon wore off.
Click to expand...

My sentiments entirely . I think the GS is the fastest A to B vehicle on the roads with its amazing effortless handling . These qualities don’t probably do it for a few KTM riders , and prefer their machine , probably due to it having more soul , punch and makes a statement too . Bmw s will always have a slightly dowdy image . I can cope with that . KTM has a more Paris Dakar image , something that Bmw tried to unsuccessfully steal !

Out of 4 bikes ( 2 sports bikes and 2 Big trailies) I prefer my GS for day to day zipping about .

Each to their own I say , and enjoy whatever you’ve got between your legs
 
I like the all round package. The front suspension is a big plus. The benefit of braking being separated from fork dive makes for a smoother ride.

I also like things operated by buttons rather than screen menus and sub menus. The handling is far better than people would expect who have never ridden one. Other members have pointed out but for me the dealer back up is better than others.

I have owned a KTM 990 SMT and one of the early Ducati Multi 1200’s. If people think BMW lets us down with faults, try owning a Duke. My after sales was non existent. My BMW dealer is brilliant. I accept the KTM’s are good bikes but more sporty focused for me with higher power and still prone to little niggles. If you want a comfier type of sports bike - buy one.

Where the GS succeeds is doing everything well without excelling at anything. After all, Honda has done that with bikes for years. There is a reason BMW sell so many, all over the world. If people don’t like them, they have freedom of choice. I have had two and am now waiting to see what the expected new model, next year, has to offer. Then I will compare it with the alternatives before choosing, but I expect BMW to up the standard yet again!!!

They are the benchmark all the others are trying to beat and every time they think they have achieved that, then the next GS raises the bar yet again.
 
r1happy said:
I like the all round package. The front suspension is a big plus. The benefit of braking being separated from fork dive makes for a smoother ride.

I also like things operated by buttons rather than screen menus and sub menus. The handling is far better than people would expect who have never ridden one. Other members have pointed out but for me the dealer back up is better than others.

I have owned a KTM 990 SMT and one of the early Ducati Multi 1200’s. If people think BMW lets us down with faults, try owning a Duke. My after sales was non existent. My BMW dealer is brilliant. I accept the KTM’s are good bikes but more sporty focused for me with higher power and still prone to little niggles. If you want a comfier type of sports bike - buy one.

Where the GS succeeds is doing everything well without excelling at anything. After all, Honda has done that with bikes for years. There is a reason BMW sell so many, all over the world. If people don’t like them, they have freedom of choice. I have had two and am now waiting to see what the expected new model, next year, has to offer. Then I will compare it with the alternatives before choosing, but I expect BMW to up the standard yet again!!!

They are the benchmark all the others are trying to beat and every time they think they have achieved that, then the next GS raises the bar yet again.
Click to expand...


Yep , agreed ... and with stick’s well argued post ...
 
Outtomunch said:
I ride my 1190R all year round and commute into work on it.

Modern chains and lubes are a world apart from what we grew up with and as ever you are taking out of your arse. I don't even have a chain oiler and I'm still on my original chain on a 14 plate with life left in it still.

What little maintenance I do to my chain at this time of year (clean and re-grease once a fortnight) is more than equalled by the amount of time you spend cleaning and Scotoiling your GS to prevent it dissolving before your eyes.

Back to the OP ~ I didn't read the article but in my opinion the GS is always going to have broader appeal than the KTM 'R'. The 'R' is a much more focused bike. For me that's a good thing but not for everybody. The GS has hit the sweet spot as a 'jack of all trades' bike but that's what turns me off them, it's good at most things but doesn't really excel at anything.

Now, if we compare the 'S' to a GS then I think it's pretty close. The 'S' has all the techno bollox that seems to appeal to a lot of GS owners. Is a gnats breath off being as good two up. Is better built and, well, just goes, stops and handles in a different league to the GS.

The GS is a tool. A good tool. But, a soulless tool.

The KTM has soul in spades and for me that's what biking is about. Soul :)

Andres
Click to expand...

If you need any expert advice on chain care I'm sure Rick would be happy to help :eek:
 
Another great write up for the GS in the latest Ride magazine Review of the Year 2017 - no other bike has ever achieved such a following - the other manufacturers need to up their game and produce a better copy if they want the sales - that simple really. I wish one of them would come up with some serious competition.
 
Don't think the bandwagon will ever stop, had my first gs 1100 in 1999 in those days all my mates took the piss that it was on an old mans bike that only doctors lawyers and the police rode , then came ewan and charley to let the secret out of the bag and now every place I go is sea of bmw gs,s the fans will continue to buy them even if they are all built in india or china as they cant get past the badge and perceived image.
The quality is no better than any other brand but I do agree the dealers are good but you pay.
 
Engineer said:
Another great write up for the GS in the latest Ride magazine Review of the Year 2017 - no other bike has ever achieved such a following - the other manufacturers need to up their game and produce a better copy if they want the sales - that simple really. I wish one of them would come up with some serious competition.
Click to expand...


Deluded twat !
 
In the conclusion the journos also said that for most the road going versions with a bigger screen and semi active suspension would be a better option than the Rallye or S. I test rode a few bikes recently but ended up getting another (lowered) GS, which is the first time I've bought the same bike again. The acid test was always the ride home after the test ride and each time on balance I decided the GS was the best option for me. As many have said it's not perfect by any means but they have improved the 2 biggest issues I had with my previous one with a better gearbox and the TFT screen. My criteria was reasonably simple. The bike couldn't be any heavier, taller or less powerful than my (then) current GS. That ruled out KTM straight away as I'm a short arse, with many of the others failing in other areas. Get them hilltopped, put decent tyres on them and with the latest minor improvements to things like the GSAP it becomes a very capable package. Whoever decided on this year's colours of white, black or brown needs taking outside and given a stern talking too though and charging extra for a different colour on 2 plastic panels on a 16k bike is just taking the piss.
 
littleade said:
In the conclusion the journos also said that for most the road going versions with a bigger screen and semi active suspension would be a better option than the Rallye or S. I test rode a few bikes recently but ended up getting another (lowered) GS, which is the first time I've bought the same bike again. The acid test was always the ride home after the test ride and each time on balance I decided the GS was the best option for me. As many have said it's not perfect by any means but they have improved the 2 biggest issues I had with my previous one with a better gearbox and the TFT screen. My criteria was reasonably simple. The bike couldn't be any heavier, taller or less powerful than my (then) current GS. That ruled out KTM straight away as I'm a short arse, with many of the others failing in other areas. Get them hilltopped, put decent tyres on them and with the latest minor improvements to things like the GSAP it becomes a very capable package. Whoever decided on this year's colours of white, black or brown needs taking outside and given a stern talking too though and charging extra for a different colour on 2 plastic panels on a 16k bike is just taking the piss.
Click to expand...

Yeap , they don’t do them selves too many favours with the colours imho but they must work for the majority . Probably why I got the Rallye . Best colour.

And fastest
 
Charles Martel said:
Why is that ? Do you think ?


( I do find the loyalty exhibited to the GS quite unexplainable ... probably due to the limited intellect of the posters here ....)
Click to expand...

You used that very same 'limited intellect" phrase in the Africa Twin 1st service thread to again describe the other posters on the thread, it's disappointing to see you doing it again. It's also a shame that your superior intellect doesn't extend to knowing that the correct word to use in your statement above would be "inexplicable " . Anyway , you carry on insulting people who disagree with you or those that have different preferences :thumb
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Dunlop Roadsmart IV
Replies
8
Views
461
Neil W
Neil W
Hartley
Same but different
2
Replies
24
Views
1,762
Hartley
Hartley
Here at last.
Replies
6
Views
246
Posh Pete
Posh Pete
Pimp My Ride
Replies
12
Views
442
Revfred34
EVskij
My fellow 1290 (2018MY) SAS owners...
Replies
18
Views
310
EVskij
EVskij


Back
Top Bottom