BMW R1200R R1150R/T F800 K1200R R1100R/T R1250R RnineT Message Board

wondering if anybody has made the switch from R to GS and what the differences are. my '03 R as 23k on the odo and has treated me well. my use is primarily commuting, a few trips for work, and hopefully a few trips for fun.

things that i appreciate about the R, ease of maintenance, ride comfort, handling, boxer character, and versatility. wondering what i might be giving up by going to a GS, other than a little more money. i understand that they are taller, i'm 5'10" and can flatfoot the R without problem even with the taller Sargent seat. i'm actually leaning towards the 1150gs, since i'm familiar with maintenance requirements and character of this motor, as well as being able to use my current Sargent seat. i am going to try to test ride both.

Well, I'm on an '02 GS Adventure with my previous bike being an SV650 standard but I have a family member with an R and have ridden that numerous times. The two major advantages of the GS are comfort on long hauls and ability to carry a bit more stuff(can mount Jesse bags without scraping the ground). For in town riding, I prefer the R. The GS is obviously taller which makes it a bit more to deal with standing still and riding at low speeds. After several months and 5k miles, I love the GS on the open road but I really miss my SV for around town. I think that the R is a good mix of the two and wonder if I wouldn't prefer an R or a Rock full time. I think it depends really on just how much commute vs. out of town time you will be spending on a bike. Oh, my GS is definitely heavier than my cousin's R which makes it slower both handling and acceleration wise. Unfortunately, I still owe on my GS or I would offer a trade.

Had both R1150R and R1150GS and alternated days on same commuter route - all conditions, loads, etc.

Love the overall Roadster feel, fit, function better. The GS has a certain flickability factor that belies its high center and on/off road tires. The Roadster has a slightly higher capacity for total load. The GS is functionally better for rough, unpaved, forest roads and worse. The Roadster is lighter, unloaded, and more fun to me. GS seat is higher.

Mechanically the same. Spokes versus cast for wheels. GS has ABS turn-off feature.

You cannot go wrong either way.

BUT

If you consider the R1200GS - it is better than either in every mechanical, electrical, performance, handling way.

I don't think the seat is interchangable between the R and the GS. I own both but find myself riding the GS more. However, the Roadster always makes me smile.

GSRoadsterGuy wrote: BUT

If you consider the R1200GS - it is better than either in every mechanical, electrical, performance, handling way.

Ouch! Wish you hadn't said that!!!

I would be interested in what you think if you test ride an 1150GS and a 1200GS.

I just bought a 1200 GS that I had no intention of buying, UNTIL I test rode one. I am 5'7". The 1200GS with a low seat is managable height wise for me. Still tallish, but managable.

This bike is just amazing. It feels 200 lbs lighter than the 1150's, has front end feel like you wouldn't believe, is nimble as hell, pulls like I still can't get over, and did I mention how light it feels and how well it handles?

Also, once I got to a bit over 1K, I started to ride it in the "party zone." They really got it right with the 1200 engine. It likes to be run hard and I found out that it will wheelie in first second and third gear ( I only weigh 145#) if you wick it up. Not that there is any purpose to wheelies as far as I am concerned. But the point is, it pulls like a maniac.

Did I mention how light it feels and how well it handles?
The ergos for all day riding are fantastic. Easily do 9-10 hours riding days and still want to ride. Good wind protection for a "naked" bike and even the stock screen does a nice job.

I got the NON servo NON abs version and the brakes are fantastic.

Did I mention how light it feels and how well it handles?

What do you lose? Well, they are ...."interesting" looking. I think the 1150R is just so beautiful and unique. The GS bikes have a different esthetic mojo altogether. BUT, I felt like I was home again when I got back on the boxer engine.

I forgot to mention that the 1200 series transmissions are so smooth and shifting is fantastic. A mile better than the previous trannies.

Can you tell I am happy with mine?

Did I mention how light it feels and how well it handles?

Test ride both, back to back if you can. I would really like to know what you think.

Bones

I went the other way and would never have considured it but the GS was just to big for my little body. Even with a low seat I was on tiptoe. Not the best when you are using it to comute in London trafic. I loved the bike but it was just a bit too much in trafic otherwise I would never have changed. I loved the open road feel of the GS. But one ride on the R was enough to convince me this one would be a real alternative. I like the sharper hadling and the fact I can reach the bars and the ground. The R feels more compact, but does not scare car drivers so much. I loved the respect you get on a GS. It looks like it could hurt. I've tried the new 1200 boxer engine and people will think me strange but prefer the older 1150. Most of my trips are short so the vibes are not a problem but on a longer run 100+ less would be good. Of course the GS feeds less vibes to the rider. But if you like the R then there is no reason you would not like the GS as long as you make sure to get a test ride first.

Tell me more Bones.... what do you mean when you say you got the non servo, non abs version??? i didn't realize that this bike could be had without ABS? from my limited research, it is only available with it, but the ABS can be turned off. Is this bike available as a non-ABS version similar to my roadster? I know that the GS was offered in '03 as a Sport version that had no, none, zilch, zero ABS.

Also, the spoked wheel option is like 600.00... is it worth the extra coin?

i do like my roadster, and it has been so much of a good thing just not sure if i will regret getting a GS or if it will prove to be more of a good thing. i will be test riding the 1200gs, that is the only one available at my dealer, they have no 1150gs' and do not plan to get any more. In '06, there are some 1150gs' available still also. My dealer did tell me that there will be an r1200r, just not sure when or what or how much? i might just hold out to see what it is like.

At least some dealers have/had a non-ABS R1200GS from the factory.

Morton's (Fredericksburg, VA) still advertised one available last week. Knocks 1K off the pricer more or less. Still has heated grips - the gentlemen's comfort grip of all time.

BOL

First bikes off the line were all near enough the same high spec, ABS, Servo, ect... They did plan to add more choice as time moved on and they met the expected demand. I would expect that now you could have what you wanted but it might depend on what market area you are in.

Jimbo,
As of 3 weeks ago when I got mine, there were 8 NON servo NON ABS 1200GS's in the USA. At least that was what I was told when I told my dealer that I wanted a GS IF I could get it without servos. Four were Blue, the others were red. I have one of the Blue ones. They were offered as a more offroad version and thus, came with spoke wheels, no mounts for the cases and no handguards. I kept the spoke wheels (though I have no plans to offroad with the bike, really) added the handguards and mounts for the cases. Got the side cases but not the top case. I got the low seat.

The ABS version has servos which are a lot better than the last generation of them, but they are still servos, which I wanted to avoid. So I saved some $ avoiding the servo/abs and spent some getting the add ons that aren't add ons on the servo/abs version. It still ended up a little less than the servo version but not much.

I love the bike. I love the esthetics of the 1150R, but I also love the very odd looks of the GS bikes....all of them. The 1200 has its own mojo.

Hope that helps.

Bones

Bones wrote:I would be interested in what you think if you test ride an 1150GS and a 1200GS.

I just bought a 1200 GS that I had no intention of buying, UNTIL I test rode one. I am 5'7". The 1200GS with a low seat is managable height wise for me. Still tallish, but managable.

Bones

Kinda tallish? Wonder if it feels heavy and ill-handling?

I've placed an order and a deposit of £500 for the R1200GS Adventure which is being released in the UK February/March 2006. This is the Adventure version of the current 1200GS which, I suspect, will have the tank (and many of the looks) of the R1150GS Adventure, but with the 1200 engine.

Will I keep my R850R? Yes, probably.

Jonothan

Guest,
It is literally the lightest feeling bike I have ever ridden. At a stop sign or traffic light it feels a bit heavy if you tilt it at all because it is a little tall, but once it is moving even at 2 mph, it is so well balanced. Once you are above 5 mph, it is light as a feather, really. You have to test ride one.

Bones

didn't know that the GS could be had without ABS, that is a plus for me. i'm certainly going to look into this further and will be testriding one soon.

bones - sent you a pm with a few further questions. thanks for the help.

on the bmw website, they list handguards as a standard feature, rather than an option. not sure if the listed price of 15,400 includes the ABS or not?

I wonder if the 1200GS can be short-shocked while keeping a decent suspension? Being 5'3", I don't see how I could manage it otherwise even with the low seat. I can only get one tip-toe down and even that is shaky. The 650 just isn't the same bike. Maybe I need stilts.