Had a test ride

Minty1

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Hello, I'm new here.
I finally had a test ride on a 1250 gs te (not adventure) yesterday, my first ever time riding any kind of twin so didn't know what to expect.
I have been looking for a lighter bike since the end of summer when I almost dropped my gtr1400, slipping on gravel when I put my foot down at the side of the road, it's a heavy old beast! she didn't go down but my back and thigh took a beating.
I've always liked the look of the gs so that's a plus. I have been youtubing for weeks, like you do, and was really looking forward to the ride with people saying if you try it you'll buy it. I did and it was mostly good...

Good points
Seating position - spot on
Wind protection - pretty good
Brakes - fantastic
Engine/Torque - wow, took me by surprise! It's my kind of power delivery, I rarely go above 7k on the gtr
Suspension - didn't really notice until I looked down at the forks and saw how much work they were doing!
Tft screen - I would prefer analogue but its ok
Engine/exhaust - pretty nice actually

The bad point... and this really upset me because I fully expected to walk out of the dealers with signed paperwork and a bike ordered. 1st 2nd 3rd gears/shift assist, please help me with this.
The shifts are so violent I honestly thought the bike was broken, or I might have damaged it, even using the clutch to go 1,2,3 it seemed like even though I was pulling the clutch to change, the bike wanted to do it's own thing, retarding the ignition or whatever it does so when I changed gear it still went with a clatter, oh and the gear lever really needed a posative push. This was trying to ride at town speeds so just bimbling around. Clutchless 4,5,6 was sublime up and down at higher speed, even the exhaust is pretty fruity.
I know it's my first time on the bike, but was I doing something wrong. I like to think I am a smooth rider, I was made to feel like a new starter, not someone with 30 years riding!

I will be going back for a second ride at some point and will be doing the same at another dealer, maybe it's just time in the saddle. I see used bikes for sale with very low mileage and wonder if the owners bought them unseen and just never bonded with the bike!
Paul.
 
They all do that ;)

its a GS thing, do a search, the quick shift always has been a bit hit and miss

yes they clunk going into gear, yes they sound agricultural,

ignore those minors and your in for life ;)


get back tommorow and sign the paperwork,

but save some mullah and by a low mileage used unit ;) ;)


Welcome aboard :)
 
Shift assist never worked well for me in the lower gears either although mine was an earlier model.

I’m surprised about the clunkiness using the clutch tho’

See if you can get another bike but don’t expect shift assist to be much better till you are going third to fourth.
 
Welcome Minty. I loved my GTR .. turbine smooth super quick and all that. A mate at work went on leave for a couple of weeks and asked me to ride his GS home a few times to keep it ticking over ... I was hooked in the first few miles.. big, clunky, massive GSA tank, what's not to like. Mr Santa is spot on ..."They all do that" .. and "that" is what we all love about our GS's!!! Enjoy my friend :) Get your arse back to the dealer and just buy one .. you'll never regret it.
 
Hi Minty.
I’d go with your gut feeling.Modern GSs do seem to have crap gear boxes and you only have to ride a KTM to see how bad the quick shift is on the BMW.
There are many on here who won’t have a bad word said about their beloved GS and they religiously upgrade just before the warranty runs out (funny that !!)
Others have had GSs and then tried the opposition and preferred it.
I’m not saying don’t get the GS but why not go ride others such as a KTM 1290 and Africa Twin 1100 as well.
Both great bikes and both very different to each other and the GS.
 
Might be worth a look at the 750/850 GS models. I found the 1250 too heavy so I changed to a 750 (which is actually an 850) - much lighter to deal with and more nimble handling. I initially dismissed it but I’m glad I gave it a chance - love it
 
As others have said GSAP isn't great 1st-3rd and I don't use it much to downshift either so I use the clutch and apart from the initial clunk into 1st have no problems at all but do find GSAP smooth in the higher gears. Try the opposition and see if you like any of those then test ride the GS again and see which works best for you. I'm one of Arsey's sect but in my defence before buying each one I have test ridden other bikes each time but for me the GS was the better option but each to their own
 
..... my first ever time riding any kind of twin ....


Twins make great road bikes! Because they predominantly make their torque quite low in the revs (compared to your jap four) then you get grunt right where and where you want it. Corner exit? Overtakes? They are mostly done low to mid revs so your big twin delivers the power right then. Then of course you get massive engine braking, again, nice on the road for acceleration sense and load the front off gas corner entry.

Big twins have in the past been pretty lumpy around town, but over the last few years some of the manufacturers have really ironed this out.

Quick shifters on big twins will always struggle in low gears - Ive got two twins and a V4, and the V4 is by far the smoothest. I wouldn't even consider using the QS below 3rd. :thumb2
 
Never use a quick shifter in 1 - 2 on any bike, on the GS... horrible.

I'm not convinced a QS on that configuration of engine is good at all, always felt chunky when I had my GS, the XR was another story.

They are brilliant bikes but for some of us, they just aren't for us.
 
Minty,

The GSAP may not be as smooth as some, but to make a decision on your next bike, based upon this would seem strange, particularly as it is not (in my experience) violent.

I can change from 1st upwards without it snatching. It is nothing more than a little practice and patience, learning how to get the best out of it.
 
Had well over 150 bikes in my time…. And the GTR 1400 I had is one I wish I still had :cool:

slipping on loose gravel can happen with any bike :thumb
 
I have owned 4 GTR 1400s over the years and they are undoubtedly a great bike, which can swallow European boundaries with ease

I now own a 2020 R 1250 GS TE which has all the 'bells and whistles' including GSAP

IMHO the GSAP on my bike is as smooth as silk and the gearbox is no better or worse than other bikes I have owned

The TFT screen is fantastic and once you get over the analogue dials on your GTR then you will love it

Like Rusty says, Go ahead, sign up, you won't regret it

BTW Minty1 are you a member of the UK GTR forum ?
 
For those of us who have ridden other marques with quick shifters will attest the BMW version is very poor, albeit vastly improved on the earlier versions.

GS/GSA is the number one best selling bike because people like them and many are repeat customers, i’ve had two 800s a 1200 and two 1250s and I’d say the GSAP is the weak point, not deserving of the ‘P’

I’ve test ridden the KTM equivalent a couple of times and compare it to the XR not the GS/A, I didn’t like either. If it’s power and ride enjoyment with smooth gear changes then maybe you should look at the Multistrada V4S.

I’d happily get back on a GSA tomorrow, for all its knockers there are a huge amount of very satisfied owners who don’t spend a lot of time on forums such as this complaining.
 
I must be the odd one out.

I've got a 2021 GS with GSAP. Previously had a 2019 with GSAP. Never had a problem. Only shift from 2nd upwards, and still use the clutch to downshift (habit I guess).
I find the GSAP spot on. No big clunks, bangs, or violence. I also find the hill start much improved on my 2019 model.
 
I must be the odd one out.

I've got a 2021 GS with GSAP. Previously had a 2019 with GSAP. Never had a problem. Only shift from 2nd upwards, and still use the clutch to downshift (habit I guess).
I find the GSAP spot on. No big clunks, bangs, or violence. I also find the hill start much improved on my 2019 model.

The hill start on the later models is hugely improved and better than Ducati’s, but the GSAP still needs work.
 
Hello, I'm new here.
I finally had a test ride on a 1250 gs te (not adventure) yesterday, my first ever time riding any kind of twin so didn't know what to expect.
I have been looking for a lighter bike since the end of summer when I almost dropped my gtr1400, slipping on gravel when I put my foot down at the side of the road, it's a heavy old beast! she didn't go down but my back and thigh took a beating.
I've always liked the look of the gs so that's a plus. I have been youtubing for weeks, like you do, and was really looking forward to the ride with people saying if you try it you'll buy it. I did and it was mostly good...

Good points
Seating position - spot on
Wind protection - pretty good
Brakes - fantastic
Engine/Torque - wow, took me by surprise! It's my kind of power delivery, I rarely go above 7k on the gtr
Suspension - didn't really notice until I looked down at the forks and saw how much work they were doing!
Tft screen - I would prefer analogue but its ok
Engine/exhaust - pretty nice actually

The bad point... and this really upset me because I fully expected to walk out of the dealers with signed paperwork and a bike ordered. 1st 2nd 3rd gears/shift assist, please help me with this.
The shifts are so violent I honestly thought the bike was broken, or I might have damaged it, even using the clutch to go 1,2,3 it seemed like even though I was pulling the clutch to change, the bike wanted to do it's own thing, retarding the ignition or whatever it does so when I changed gear it still went with a clatter, oh and the gear lever really needed a posative push. This was trying to ride at town speeds so just bimbling around. Clutchless 4,5,6 was sublime up and down at higher speed, even the exhaust is pretty fruity.
I know it's my first time on the bike, but was I doing something wrong. I like to think I am a smooth rider, I was made to feel like a new starter, not someone with 30 years riding!

I will be going back for a second ride at some point and will be doing the same at another dealer, maybe it's just time in the saddle. I see used bikes for sale with very low mileage and wonder if the owners bought them unseen and just never bonded with the bike!
Paul.

Buy one without GSAP , gearbox is much better without it
 
I have owned 4 GTR 1400s over the years and they are undoubtedly a great bike, which can swallow European boundaries with ease

I now own a 2020 R 1250 GS TE which has all the 'bells and whistles' including GSAP

IMHO the GSAP on my bike is as smooth as silk and the gearbox is no better or worse than other bikes I have owned

The TFT screen is fantastic and once you get over the analogue dials on your GTR then you will love it

Like Rusty says, Go ahead, sign up, you won't regret it

BTW Minty1 are you a member of the UK GTR forum ?

I am, but don't really go there much, it seems very quiet.
 
Thanks for all the replies. There's a lot of love for the bike. I am used to the adventure style, I put 15000 miles on a tiger explorer and loved every mile of it but, like the gtr, they are a bit top heavy.

I will be arranging another test ride in grimsby and I've just arrived back from Barrie Robsons in york but they were shut. I had a long talk with John yesterday but never thought to ask if they work sundays lol

The general consensus is it's a good bike, I just need time on the bike to get used to a different way of going through the gears. I found when not using the clutch, the gear lever really does need to be shoved home.

To be honest, the excuse of my foot slipping on the gravel and nearly dropping it is just really a way of starting the process of changing the bike hahaha. Do I need another bike, no, but do I want a gs, YES, I was sold after my first overtake, that is some slug of torque!

I am well known for not rushing into anything, back in 2003 I spent half a day walking between a red and blue vfr vtec in the showroom, I eventually bought the blue one then, a year later, I bought the red one lol
 
The looks and style of a bike are a big thing for me, I've always like the style of the gs but I'm not really a fan of the ktm, Ducati etc plus I don't want a chain, the africa twin is a cracking looking bike but again it's a chain. If you've seen the film Shallow Hal then you get the idea lol.
 
The looks and style of a bike are a big thing for me, I've always like the style of the gs but I'm not really a fan of the ktm, Ducati etc plus I don't want a chain, the africa twin is a cracking looking bike but again it's a chain. If you've seen the film Shallow Hal then you get the idea lol.

Depending on how tall/strong/long in the leg you are if the standard GS seat feels a bit high off the deck you can get a factory lowered one with either the standard seat or low seat now I believe which in its lowest combo gets the seat height down by another 50mm
 


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