Hi,

Sold my '09 Green Versys and bought a '10 BMW R 1200 GS. I enjoy this forum and intend to continue to watch.

I have included a couple of pics of my new bike. :yeahsmile: Here's a good link for a bike review:
http://www.webbikeworld.com/BMW-motorcycles/2010-bmw-r-1200-gs/

A few of my new bike's features:

ABS with semi-integral braking (handle bar lever applies front & back)
ESA (electronic suspension adjustment (5 varieties X 3 levels)
ASC (Automatic Stability Control)
1170 cc's delivering up to 110 HP and 88 lb-ft of torque
Heated grips with hand protectors
Solid handling
Great seat
Great windshield
Great vibration-free mirrors
Stainless steel brake lines
Drive shaft power delivery (no chain)
Only 50 lb heavier then Versys (wet weight)
3 year warranty

Some little stuff but nice to have:
TPM (tire pressure measurement)
Outside temp. gauge
Center stand

surferbum.

Enjoy your new bike and stay in touch.


:cheers:

enjoy your new bike and i really enjoyed time i had with a 650 GS

Good luck with the new machine.
You have pretty much climbed the letter as far as luxury and performance goes.

When you get a chance, tell us how it compares to the Versys (beside the obviouse).

Cheers.

tell us how much it costs to fix

Surferbum
Enjoy - Good Luck & Ride Safe

tell us how much it costs to fix

If by some odd chance it ever happens to break.

Ok. I admit that I'd love to own that bike but first on the Bike World's list of improvements on the new model is: Electronically controlled exhaust flap for a "more muscular sound." What?

Very nice ride surferbum. Enjoy and be safe.

I've been intrigued by the GS's, my only question is how you get hardbags on the exhaust side. I would consider that bike my next step ( if there is ever going to be one ) but I would want to be able to use my existing Givi cases on it.

Nice ride, wouldn't mind having one.

Nice bike!! Enjoy!

I've been intrigued by the GS's, my only question is how you get hardbags on the exhaust side. I would consider that bike my next step ( if there is ever going to be one ) but I would want to be able to use my existing Givi cases on it.

Touratech

I've been intrigued by the GS's, my only question is how you get hardbags on the exhaust side. I would consider that bike my next step ( if there is ever going to be one ) but I would want to be able to use my existing Givi cases on it.
Hardbags on the 1200 GS. Now that's a good question. I had Givi V35's on my Versys and was very happy with them. I liked their look and used SWMotech racks. Didn't research much but with the BMW 1200 GS, I have spent a few (too many) hours.
The short answer to your question is that there are bike-specific racks for the bike which solve the exhaust issue. These typically entail having the left rack designed around the exhaust and for symmetry purpose the left hardbag is a smaller capacity than the right (e.g., 38L & 45L). I won't hold too much hope in using the same hardbags.
I still haven't decided what to do. The bike had BMW Saddle Bag Mounts from the factory. The universe of fabric bags vs. leather bags vs. Al. hardcase vs. steel hard cases vs plactic/metal hardcase. Well your head start spinning. :confused: :eek:

nice upgrade .you will miss the flexibility and the v character though.if i went for bmw i would look the smaller 800gs .Wish you Safe endless rides .

I'd be interested to hear how you like the 1200 GS as well. That's always been a dream bike of mine. We visited the BMW dealership, where I drooled over a 1200 and looked semi-seriously at an 800 GS. My fantastic wife suggested I try something a little less expensive to see if I liked the adventure touring style of motorcycle.

Now I'm the happy owner of a Versys which will be perfect for everything I want to do, but I still do like the idea of a 1200 GS someday. I'm looking at H&B luggage that might be easier to move to a another motorcycle down the road rather than the V35s which really do look good on the Versys.

Sweet looking bike surferbum- enjoy

It is my dream too, please, ride it and write us a comparation

tks

Congrats on the new bike, it sure is a looker! When you get some miles on it, please do give us a comparison between the two!

Cheers, and safe riding!

:cheers:Farewell, Surferbum! Alas, you will only find jealous comments, and envious remarks if you don't move on. Your Bavarian friends are calling you to cross over....:goodluck:

If by some odd chance it ever happens to break.

I guess you haven't heard about BMW final drive failures. Surf over to any oilhead forum and you will. Three of my friends own R1200GS and two have had final drive failures, one of them 400 miles from home on a vacation with his wife. (The third hasn't had a failure, but then he doesn't ride much.) One of the two whose bike failed now rebuilds the rear drive every 18,000 miles. Considers it routine and required maintenance. I replace my chain about every 20,000 miles.

The days of BMW having clearly superior longevity and reliability are in the past. Other manufacturers have caught up in quality.

No disrespect to your choice intended, surferbum. They are clearly very capable and versatile motorcycles.

The days of BMW having clearly superior longevity and reliability are in the past.

funny but i try to recall the days you refer to....
maybe you refer to 2nd world war cause only back then german punchers where superior to other hardware :(
anyways german stuff are good but dont exaggerate ,now its more marketing than pure quality

nice bike. butt ugly though

funny but i try to recall the days you refer to....
maybe you refer to 2nd world war cause only back then german punchers where superior to other hardware :(
anyways german stuff are good but dont exaggerate ,now its more marketing than pure quality

Allow me to rephrase that:

The days when some riders' beliefs that BMWs had greater longevity and reliability were supported by some evidence (and not just marketing slogans) are long since past.

I guess you haven't heard about BMW final drive failures. Surf over to any oilhead forum and you will. Three of my friends own R1200GS and two have had final drive failures, one of them 400 miles from home on a vacation with his wife. (The third hasn't had a failure, but then he doesn't ride much.) One of the two whose bike failed now rebuilds the rear drive every 18,000 miles. Considers it routine and required maintenance. I replace my chain about every 20,000 miles.

The days of BMW having clearly superior longevity and reliability are in the past. Other manufacturers have caught up in quality.

No disrespect to your choice intended, surferbum. They are clearly very capable and versatile motorcycles.

nice bike. butt ugly though

Allow me to rephrase that:

The days when some riders' beliefs that BMWs had greater longevity and reliability were supported by some evidence (and not just marketing slogans) are long since past.

Ouch. I like the look of the 1200 GS. I guess the Versys conditioned my right brain. Keep my fingers crossed about any reliability issues. :) Have a number of friends with tens of thousands of miles on their BMWs and no complaints. Expect the three year warranty won't be needed, but time will tell. So far the bike feels like a good upgrade over my Versys and hope this continues. Will continue to check back to this forum and enjoy the people. :thumb:

Good luck to you! Hope for many safe and enjoyable miles in front of you.

Hi. . . I'm new at the forum and I had a R1200GS, the reason why I sell it was because I'm buying a house, so now I have a Versys, and there are so many differences between both machines

For me R1200GS pros are,

1. better brake system, you don't need to use your foot, with the handle you brake both wheels is very effective, you dont need to apply high pressure to stop and of course the ABS sys

2, Suspension is softer

3 on board computer, (ouside temp, fuel range, etc)

4 wind protection

Cons

1 expensive parts and accesories

2 expensive mantenance

3 Heavy weight to manuver, it's not as versatile as Versys

Before I bought my V, I thought GS has the best cornering, but I was not correct, the Versys has the best cornering I have ever tryied before

:thumb::thumb::thumb:

You can never go wrong with the gold standard of adventure bikes, if they were not so damned expensive that is what I was be on. Enjoy!

Hey surfer...Kudos on the new ride...Always great to get exactly what ya want and that beemer is way cool...I have my heart set on the 800GS...Was curious if you gave it any consideration? Good ridin to ya

I can not speak about the 1200gs but I do have the 1150gs. You will enjoy it the more you ride it "get it dirty". After awhile you see a road that might be intresting and you go for it. Something I have not found in any other motorcycles I have owned. It truely is the swiss army knife of motorcycles.

Hey Surfer,
I was interested in a big GS several years ago until I found out they weighed 500 lbs. Are they still that heavy? I hope not. Enjoy!

Hey Surfer,
I was interested in a big GS several years ago until I found out they weighed 500 lbs. Are they still that heavy? I hope not. Enjoy!
Hi Aleeoop,
You are correct. The wet weight of the bike is 500 lbs which is 50 lbs. heavier than the wet weight of the Versys. Like Yogi Berra said "50 lbs is twice as heavy as 25 lbs" but in city driving, I don't notice any difference. On the highways the BMW feels to me more stable. Around where I ride the highways are grooved (parallel to the direction of travel) for wet weather and the Versys used to wander in the grooves a bit. The 1200 GS doesn't wander at all. I don't know if it is the heavier weight or tires or suspension design or ...

I weight 210 lbs and when traveling with gear + wife, our total is north of 400 lbs. Add this to the bike's 500 lbs and you're looking at 900 lbs. so the 50 lbs starts being a smaller percentage.

On one level, you have added 50 lbs and get twice the displacement and ABS. This was originally going to be a short answer :D

Surferbum, how do you like the twin-cam Boxer? The reason I ask is I didn't much care for the 1150 Boxer in an RT I test rode years ago. Very coarse and buzzy. I liked just about everything else about the RT, but the motor was a deal breaker.

I bought an ST1300 for the incredibly smooth V4. After 8 years the only thing I don't like about the ST is the weight. With a Versys in the garage, the ST's weight is all the more apparent. I've grown to like the twin in the Versys, too.

Since you've had a Versys and now have a Beemer with a twin cam Boxer, I wonder how you'd compare the two mills. Thanks and enjoy your new toy.

hey surfer, I have looked at the GS and thought yes they would be great for some long haul touring but have thought for commuting you can't go much wrong with the V.
A couple of guys in the club I belong to have a GS each and they always say that V certainly can move along and really like it's looks which I certainly have to agree with them.
Happy motorcycling.

Congratulations on the new bike!!!! I know several people that have them and they absolutely love them. This coming from some old riders that have had many bikes over their life time.

Always welcome here!!! Not about what you ride, just that you are riding :D

Be safe, and enjoy that new ride :thumb:


Todd

So far the bike feels like a good upgrade over my Versys

Those are fightin' words 'round these parts. :nono:

Haha, just kidding around. Congrats on the new purchase, happy to hear you're planning on sticking around the forum.