Long Distance Tour (GS1250 or an HD Road King)

Alex B

Alex B

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Planning a month-long long distance tour of "Outer Europe" ....

As people here seem to know their GSs and their HDs, which would be your preference and why ?

My R1250GS has been a great middle distance tourer but easy to break. The HD Road King seems to be tougher built bike allround and good for long distances day after day.

All views welcome.
 
Last summer I did Spain, Portugal and France on a 35 day jolly on my 2010 Ultra Classic with no problems at all. Most money spent on fuel with the odd beer thrown in.
Met a lot of adventure bike riders from all over the EU.
But, it felt good to be different. A comfortable ride at a leisurely pace.

Sent from my MI 9 using Tapatalk
 
I’ve done more European and US miles on HD than any other make!

And I have a GSA
 
The GSA has one benefit - punctures are an easier fix….
 
Alex B said:
My R1250GS has been a great middle distance tourer but easy to break.
All views welcome.
Click to expand...

What? Did over 4000 miles, two up. Kid kept going to sleep, on the back.
 
Alex B said:
Planning a month-long long distance tour of "Outer Europe" ....

As people here seem to know their GSs and their HDs, which would be your preference and why ?
Click to expand...

Either will do the job just fine.

A few years ago I went to Norway on my (then) Road King which handled the trip just dandy and on my GSA most European trips are a pleasure as well.

If I was splitting hairs I’d say the GSA is marginally more comfortable for me but the RK certainly got more attention from the locals etc :thumb2
 

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Nice looking bikes, there, Tricky. Not surprised.

Good thoughts.. there's not a lot in it.

(Att: I had a Puch Maxi (and a CZ175) over 30 years ago and both would've been great as long as I'd tied a carton of spare spark plugs on the rack :) and could have strapped a radio to the handlebars for the long, slow bits across France :) )
 
Alex B said:
Planning a month-long long distance tour of "Outer Europe" ....

As people here seem to know their GSs and their HDs, which would be your preference and why ?

My R1250GS has been a great middle distance tourer but easy to break. The HD Road King seems to be tougher built bike allround and good for long distances day after day.

All views welcome.
Click to expand...

There should be more BMW dealers than Harley dealers in Outer Europe.

If your particular BMW is "fragile" then consider changing it for something else. I have meet 2 ex-BMW service staff who now work for Triumph ( 1 in London and the other in Hampshire) and they say that Triumph suffer far fewer warranty claims. I'd recommend the S10 but they're not made any more.
 
Having owned both I'd say (for me) all a GS needs is panniers and a better seat and it's all day comfortable to go on all kinds of roads.

To get my Road King comfy it involved a seat, lower bars, and cutting the shield down 2". OTOH panniers are included. Most (maybe all new ones?) RK's have tubeless wheels and I wouldn't consider touring on one that had spoke wheels requiring inner tubes because there is no centre stand and the rear is a bugger to remove.

Road Kings ride and handle nicely....... ON SMOOTH ROADS. On poor pavement with frost heaves, pot holes, etc., the ride is harsh. Obviously the GS is in its element here.

In short if you'll be on nicely paved roads the great majority of your ride either will do well. If not I'd take a GS.
 
I had a friend with an RK in a hot climate, roasted nuts were a feature.....
 
My R1250GS has been a great middle distance tourer but easy to break.
Click to expand...

What does “Too easy to break” mean?

That it will snap a clutch leaver, when it falls over in Tesco’s car park?

That it’ll spit its innards down the road, when burning up an R1 through the twisties?
 
Tricky said:
Either will do the job just fine.

A few years ago I went to Norway on my (then) Road King which handled the trip just dandy and on my GSA most European trips are a pleasure as well.

If I was splitting hairs I’d say the GSA is marginally more comfortable for me but the RK certainly got more attention from the locals etc :thumb2
Click to expand...

Didn't you tell me you should have done the Norway trip on the BMW as it made you realise the only good thing about the RK is that it makes you cool?
 
Preference is, of course, a very personal thing.

I’ve toured Europe on a GS many times over a number of years, and also done similar on the RKS in the last couple of years. I really enjoyed all of those trips, and I suspect it will be the same for you as both bikes are immensely capacity at touring, but they were quite different in character and feel, and may deliver a different experience for you.

When I was on the GS, it handled everything (including some light off-road) extremely well, but I tended to hoon around a bit more on it, and was quite focussed on getting around the next Alpine bend as quickly as I could, so I tended not to take in the scenery as much. With the RKS, I am a lot more relaxed and a lot slower, so I just pootle up the passes whilst admiring the amazing scenery.

So both bikes will be a great choice, I guess the one you actually take comes down to what you want to experience., Personally I now prefer the more laid back cruising on the H-D, but that might be just a symptom of me turning into an old duffer!:D
 
And yes I can confirm that your nuts do occasionally get a tad warm on the M8 in very hot weather!
 
Loving mine for doing some touring on. Had to spend a few pennies making it more comfortable. Suspension being the main one. Big test is if our lass likes it when we go to Europe on it this year. If its a yes maybe bye bye RT.
 

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