So good it has ruined biking

jefformston · Apr 11, 2022

Spareparts said:
Good choice given the option between the 2!

Sorry, I was referring to the 890. But the 1290 has shocking build quality, the 1290 does not punch as hard as the 1250 upto around 6/7k rpm, and the electronics intervention is so high thay there feels a detachment between motor and chassis. I suspect the simpler 1290 SAR may be a better or more homogeneous bike.

Build quality of my 1290SAS is equal to my 1200TC, engine is streets ahead of the 1250. Get a mate to ride your/their GS and both open the taps, the GS will be left in your dust.

Build quality of the 1250 seems to vary tremendously as illustrated in many posts on this forum, re corrosion, etc.

Imho the 1250GS/A is a brilliant bike and popular , too popular maybe, for a reason. I went down the KTM route because I fancied a change and the SAS is a hoot to ride. No regrets so far, 8,000 miles and 11 months of ownership.

alanbmwgs · Apr 11, 2022

Keep your GS and buy an R. :aidan

DevonAl said:
Thanks for that, I am just about to buy an R and sell my GS!!

Al.

Gs12bos · Apr 12, 2022

jefformston said:
Build quality of my 1290SAS is equal to my 1200TC, engine is streets ahead of the 1250. Get a mate to ride your/their GS and both open the taps, the GS will be left in your dust.

Build quality of the 1250 seems to vary tremendously as illustrated in many posts on this forum, re corrosion, etc.

Imho the 1250GS/A is a brilliant bike and popular , too popular maybe, for a reason. I went down the KTM route because I fancied a change and the SAS is a hoot to ride. No regrets so far, 8,000 miles and 11 months of ownership.

I have a friend with a new KTM he’s had nothing but problems fueling /stalls/lurching etc yes BMW have there problems most bike manufacturers do and the KTM would leave the GS standing, but surely you don’t buy these bikes for speed , if you want that buy the latest RR get on the KTM forum as you probably have and have a look at the problems KMM as and as for build quality say no more ( my opinion) enjoy your KTM.

xantamisch · Apr 12, 2022

Gs12bos said:
I have a friend with a new KTM he’s had nothing but problems fueling /stalls/lurching etc yes BMW have there problems most bike manufacturers do and the KTM would leave the GS standing, but surely you don’t buy these bikes for speed , if you want that buy the latest RR get on the KTM forum as you probably have and have a look at the problems KTM as and as for build quality say no more ( my opinion) enjoy your KTM.

my 4 year old 30,000 mile SAS looked a lot better than my rusting 3 year old 25,000 mile GS. I've well over 100,00 miles on 4 KTM's without a major issue (fuelling on 990 was a bit iffy to be fair). Opinions will vary but to say KTM build quality is an embarrassment is inaccurate. I've no bias - loved my GS also. And you get an actual toolkit with KTM

Neil W · Apr 13, 2022

In the past I have test ridden both the 1190 and 1290 Adventure models and in the case of the latter it was imho just too much for the road.

I now own a 2018 1090 Adventure S and as a pure plaything it will run rings around any BMW GS/GSA I have owned and ridden including my brand new R1250GSA, steering is more precise and the WP suspension is excellent.

As for overall design and ergonomics when working on the bike it is immediately obvious that KTM have approached the adventure touring market from the direction of an offroad competition manufacturer.

It would no doubt be an excellent tourer, BUT after a day in the saddle I know that I would be less tired and more relaxed if had done the miles on the GSA.

I would not ,however, slag off KTM build quality and design after the issues I have had with BMW build quality and reliability

Arsey · Apr 13, 2022

Gs12bos said:
I have a friend with a new KTM he’s had nothing but problems fueling /stalls/lurching etc yes BMW have there problems most bike manufacturers do and the KTM would leave the GS standing, but surely you don’t buy these bikes for speed , if you want that buy the latest RR get on the KTM forum as you probably have and have a look at the problems KMM as and as for build quality say no more ( my opinion) enjoy your KTM.

I have a friend with a BMW . He’s had nothing but problems trying to see traffic pulling out from junctions and the bike pulls left . I told him to remove the huge fucking blinkers from his vision and the chip from his shoulder .
Sorted .
Enjoy your BMW

casbar · Apr 13, 2022

Arsey said:
I have a friend with a BMW . He’s had nothing but problems trying to see traffic pulling out from junctions and the bike pulls left . I told him to remove the huge fucking blinkers from his vision and the chip from his shoulder .
Sorted .
Enjoy your BMW

Every manufacturer has issues with some bikes. Last year one of my mates did a UK tour from NI on his new KTM Adventure. By the time he got to me in the South after 10 days his clutch was rattling badly. Took the bike down to the local dealer, who were brilliant, but after stripping it down, came out to tell us, the springs on the clutch were the wrong size, or had shrunk

Anyway, they couldn't get the parts to sort, so told him to ride it back to NI and if he broke down, use the KTM rescue or whatever its called. It then took him months to get it sorted with the one KTM dealer in Belfast. But it was a great bike

jefformston · Apr 13, 2022

Gs12bos said:
I have a friend with a new KTM he’s had nothing but problems fueling /stalls/lurching etc yes BMW have there problems most bike manufacturers do and the KTM would leave the GS standing, but surely you don’t buy these bikes for speed , if you want that buy the latest RR get on the KTM forum as you probably have and have a look at the problems KMM as and as for build quality say no more ( my opinion) enjoy your KTM.

I have an R1150GS, owned from new 115,000 miles. Brilliant bike, still makes me smile when I ride it. I had a R1200GSA TC (2012), again brilliant bike and loved the 9 years and 50,000 miles I had it, fuelling wasn’t as good as the 1150, would occasionally cut out when stopping at junctions after a decide period on a steady throttle, other than that great bike.

Now in the garage along side the 1150 is a KTM 1290 SAS, another great bike, build quality on par with the BM’s, engine on a totally different level, comfort better once the AirHawk from the GSA was added, nice to sit on a seat that is level. As for too much power for the road, well the throttle goes both ways and I like the fact there is always more on tap if needed, on the BM’s that wasn’t normally the case when overtaking especially with a pillion.

Would I be happy with a R1250GS/A undoubtedly, am I happy with my 1290SAS, too bl**dy right I am. No issues at all in the 11 months I had it, none, nada, which wasn’t the case with either BM. One major one on the 1150, new wiring loom needed whilst at the BMW event in Garmisch and a few minor ones, e.g. oil pressure switches on the 1150, four replacements so far, fuelling as mentioned above on the 1200.

Bottom line is, enjoy what you ride, life’s too short.

Spareparts · Apr 14, 2022

jefformston said:
Build quality of my 1290SAS is equal to my 1200TC, engine is streets ahead of the 1250. Get a mate to ride your/their GS and both open the taps, the GS will be left in your dust.

Build quality of the 1250 seems to vary tremendously as illustrated in many posts on this forum, re corrosion, etc.

Imho the 1250GS/A is a brilliant bike and popular , too popular maybe, for a reason. I went down the KTM route because I fancied a change and the SAS is a hoot to ride. No regrets so far, 8,000 miles and 11 months of ownership.

I was certainly looking for or considering a change. The 1290SAR is a bike that I really want and would have in the garage - but not as a primary bike. Sadly could not test ride the [current/new] SAR due to their limited status. The SAS put me off as it was in a poor condition from the KTM dealer, even though just run-in. Headrace bearings loose, chain slap that made the back end sound like it was going to fall off, and there were numerous clicks and rattles that I couldn’t identify where from. The switchgear felt spongy in action, and there was no shortage of them with Left/Right/Up/Down/Back/Enter instead of just one Wonderwheel. It felt very cheap overall. The orange/blue/white SAR looks fantastic imho, although it is a big and very tall bike. The SAR simplicity of the suspension appeals - especially as the SAS did not feel natural to me given the extent of electronics intervention. Whilst on the back-to-back 890 test ride, the dash blanked out on me, so again - quality/reliability was lacking.

This wasn’t meant to be a KTM v BMW quality thread, but riding a new 1250 after the rattles/shakes of the KTM revealed how well damped/oiled etc the controls and mechanicals of the BMW were in comparison. I am comparing a new BMW with a new KTM - not an older or previous generation bike vs a newer one.

In terms of engine, I don’t ride bikes very much over 7k rpm very often. Most of my riding is below 7k rpm. And up to that number, the 1250 puts out as much, if not more, than the 1290; and the 1250 delivers the torque in bigger dollops. It is a more accelerative bike in my hands than any 1290. The BMW chassis/controls also allow me to deploy it more often and with greater confidence. So even when gunning it, the GS feels ahead of the KTM in most conditions. Maybe not VMAX, but I really don’t care about Vmax either as it is totally irrelevant off a race track. Hence why I didn’t go for the MultiV4 which is faster yet than the 1290 as well.

Peace and enjoy the bikes!

Tricky · Apr 14, 2022

I keep coming back to a GS just because it truly is such a great bike particularly for comfortable long distance travelling. :thumb2

I also have a Harley and an MV Augusta because sometimes you need the excitement of unpredictability and knowing something is bound to go wrong.

Spareparts · Apr 15, 2022

Tricky said:
I keep coming back to a GS just because it truly is such a great bike particularly for comfortable long distance travelling.

I also have a Harley and an MV Augusta because sometimes you need the excitement of unpredictability and knowing something is bound to go wrong.

Been there with the MV, and still have that with my Ducati!

bosnjo · Apr 15, 2022

There is no use in repeating what's been said here already. I'll just add my opinion:
I ride for 40 years. Owned so many bikes, I've lost the count of them. My 2021 1250GS is my first GS and first BMW. It has so many mechanical and electrical solutions that I'd like to be done differently but I can live with them the way they are. Some really need improvement (rattling windscreen mechanism, missing DIN plug at the dash, mud spray etc.) but nothing I can't solve by myself. I don't care about which bike is faster. I owned bikes faster and slower then GS but I don't go to the track anymore and don't ever use streets and public roads for racing.
However, there is one thing that, for me, is better on GS then on any of my previous bikes. It is that I feel planted in corners more then ever before. None of my previous bikes gave me such a confidence (Adventure bikes or reacing models) and it's on 80/20 tyres. I think after installing Michelin Road 6 it will get even better.

stick · Apr 15, 2022

Never got on with the 1200 / 1250 R , twitchy , awkward . The GS / GSA is a better bike , all day , every day .

Chazzmanbm · Apr 21, 2022

I've just seen this thread and wanted to add my experience after having both an R1250R and 1200GS TE. I had fully loaded, BMW motorsport white 1250R and loved the look and sound the thing made (with the Akropovic exhaust). The handling was good and predictable when in Dynamic mode and felt like you could hustle it along quite well.

Life was great until I took the R in for a service and had took a new 1250 GSA out for a test ride. I was immediately faster, more comfortable and more confident on the GSA, so much so that my buddy who I normally ride with (and owns a 1250RS), was shocked at how much faster I was on the GS.

In the end, I ended up replacing the R for a 2016 GS TE, which is absolutely brilliant. The 1200 motor is not as smooth as the 1250 but that could also be because the 1250 was a lot newer but, for me, the GS is a much better motorcycle in general. My only issue with my GS comes down to my own personal taste, whereby I find the standard Alpine White colour scheme a bit boring. For me, the perfect GS would be a road focussed, BMW Motorsport (M) version (black wheels, motorsport white with blue and red graphics, 17" front wheel,blacked out visor and sports exhaust), similar to what Ducati does with its Pike's Peak edition Multistrada. .....in other words, my old 1250R livery on a GS.

Flipfly · Apr 21, 2022

Chazzmanbm said:
I've just seen this thread and wanted to add my experience after having both an R1250R and 1200GS TE. I had fully loaded, BMW motorsport white 1250R and loved the look and sound the thing made (with the Akropovic exhaust). The handling was good and predictable when in Dynamic mode and felt like you could hustle it along quite well.

Life was great until I took the R in for a service and had took a new 1250 GSA out for a test ride. I was immediately faster, more comfortable and more confident on the GSA, so much so that my buddy who I normally ride with (and owns a 1250RS), was shocked at how much faster I was on the GS.

In the end, I ended up replacing the R for a 2016 GS TE, which is absolutely brilliant. The 1200 motor is not as smooth as the 1250 but that could also be because the 1250 was a lot newer but, for me, the GS is a much better motorcycle in general. My only issue with my GS comes down to my own personal taste, whereby I find the standard Alpine White colour scheme a bit boring. For me, the perfect GS would be a road focussed, BMW Motorsport (M) version (black wheels, motorsport white with blue and red graphics, 17" front wheel,blacked out visor and sports exhaust), similar to what Ducati does with its Pike's Peak edition Multistrada. .....in other words, my old 1250R livery on a GS.

So what’s stopping you from turning it in to that, plenty of people do.

The beauty of BMWs platform is that it is easily customised with parts from other bikes with the same platform.

There’s also next to no paintwork to speak of, so the cost of respraying is not astronomical.

Make it what you want it to be

Chazzmanbm · Apr 21, 2022

Flipfly said:
So what’s stopping you from turning it in to that, plenty of people do.

The beauty of BMWs platform is that it is easily customised with parts from other bikes with the same platform.

There’s also next to no paintwork to speak of, so the cost of respraying is not astronomical.

Make it what you want it to be

Not a whole lot, ....well there is the issue of saving up to do the mods but the plan is to do just that. Reggie353's Megamoto project has given me the inspiration to go ahead with it.

r1happy · Apr 21, 2022

PM sent

r1happy · Apr 22, 2022

For Chazzmanbm as requested. Rear tyre is a 190/50 on 6” K1300S wheel which is why clearance is tight with exhaust with GS swingarm. I changed it for 180/55 on 5.5” RS wheel which quickened steering a smidgen.

edtxw01 · Aug 3, 2022

I love the above discussion which aligns with my own experience. I've had a 1150GS, 1200GS, K1300R and then a 1200RS. I loved the look of my blue/white RS and it was a great ride for 5 years, but as I got older it became less comfortable on longer journeys, to the point where I stopped riding so often. I swapped the RS for a new 1250GS; what a difference, the GS was much better than my older 1150GS and 1200GS bikes, far more comfortable than the K1300R and the 1200RS. I'm now riding more than ever and enjoying every ride; the reasons are all listed above, the GS is a do everything very well bike.

Pukmeister · Aug 3, 2022

I loved the (approved-used) 1250GSA I took out on a test ride compared to my old Hexhead, so much so that I bought it.

All I need in a road bike for commuting, touring and the odd scratch through the twisties.

I will love it even more once I get it back from the dealership today with its oil leak sorted.

So good it has ruined biking

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