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I am planning to retire at the end of this year and I am considering selling my 3 bikes (Road King, Multistrada and CB1100EX) and replacing them with an R1200 GS or an R1250 GS. My hope is to have time to actually do some trips and the GS seems like a really versatile bike. Sure, I could get a Harley Electra Glide or Road Glide, or a Honda Gold Wing, but those would mean that I will have less of an option to go off paved roads. I had a GS in the early 90s (a Bumblebee) and pretty much hated it, but that was a long time ago. It did not have enough power to get out of its own way, but I know that is far from the case now.
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The GS seems to be a very capable bike, but somehow it never appealed to me. Not sure why exactly, as it is a great motorcycle. Perhaps because it is a bit pretentious? Too big & heavy to really go off-road (unless you are a very skilled rider) and so, if one stays on the tarmac making very large trips, I would go for a Goldwing, or the K1600 or R1250RT, or a good old Yamaha FJR 1300.
Was it only the lack of power that made you hate your old GS?
What does the BMW have that your Multistrada doesn't have? (apart from the driveshaft)
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... shaft drive. Keep talkin' dirty bioman.
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(09-26-2022, 04:42 AM)GoldOxide_imp Wrote: ... shaft drive. Keep talkin' dirty bioman.
Not sure what you mean by this. A vehicle with shaft drive has a driveshaft instead of a chain to transmit power to the wheel. What's dirty about that?
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Our mate, GoldOxide worships at the altar of shaft drives. He pines daily for one. You simply titillated his fantasy.
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(09-26-2022, 06:14 AM)Cormanus_imp Wrote: Our mate, GoldOxide worships at the altar of shaft drives. He pines daily for one. You simply titillated his fantasy.
+1
..he already stocks a bucket of 10 gal gear oil
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(09-26-2022, 06:14 AM)Cormanus_imp Wrote: Our mate, GoldOxide worships at the altar of shaft drives. He pines daily for one. You simply titillated his fantasy.
Cormanus couldn't miss even if he tried. Dead on.
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I'm a big fan of the BMW GSs. 1250 is probably not so much of an upgrade over the 1200 if cost is a big factor. For me personally, I don't at all agree that they are too big and heavy to go off road. I think that people assume that because the tanks are so big that the bike just looks large. Of the bikes I have, it's the most nimble of the group (including the CB), and while I don't go completely off-trail, I've had the thing in far from paved road conditions and it's really super. If shaft drive is your thing, it's the bomb. While I haven't been on one, everybody I know who has tried out the Pan American seems to really like them...so that may be an alternative if you don't care about the shaft drive.
For me, it's still the best in the category.
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The thing I did not like about my old GS was the terrible lack of power. Two Bing carbs and it just was wide open all the time. While I do really love my Multistrada S with the Ohlins suspension, I don’t want to have to deal with a chain if I am able to really get away on longer trips after I retire.
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(09-26-2022, 09:36 AM)apex1_imp Wrote: The thing I did not like about my old GS was the terrible lack of power. Two Bing carbs and it just was wide open all the time. While I do really love my Multistrada S with the Ohlins suspension, I don’t want to have to deal with a chain if I am able to really get away on longer trips after I retire.
The R1250GS has more than enough power in my view. Top speed is claimed at 135...I don't know, but it accelerates through 60 lickety split,. I make heavy use of the cruise control because otherwise I'd cruise up around 90mph without even thinking about it... The bike won't resemble your old airhead at all other than the cylinders poking out the sides...
