2007 bmw reviews

First I must confess I am a newbie rider. Finished the MSF Basic course, received the certificate 2 weeks later, following day at the DMV for the written and that Saturday drove away with the F800ST. However during the 2 week wait period I went looking at bikes trying to decide what to buy. I didn't want something too small and grow out of quickly nor too large/heavy to handle as a new rider. The first place I visited was BMW by advice of my Brother-in-Law who owns 4 bikes, one of them being a BMW K1200R. The Blue F800ST grabbed my attention immediately. Great looking bike, period. The price vs. CC's forced me to look at other Mfrs. Visited Kawasaki, Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda and even HD. There is no argument one can get a lot of bike for the price going Japanese but can one get the performance, safety and service that BMW is known for? I bounced around my purchasing decision several times and ultimately came back to BMW as that was the bike I was glued to from the start. I decided the extra $ was not going to alter my life and I will get what I really desire. Aside from perhaps the Italians, few can beat German Engineering. Now for the review: OK, I'm new to riding so what do I really have to compare it to? The Yamaha 250 from the MSF Class? I can only honestly say it's the easiest bike one can imagine to ride through the twisties as well as on the freeway. It's lightweight and simple to turn at low speeds. It seems to make up it's own mind when executing a turn in a smooth fashion. It's spontaneous with the slightest push/pull on the grips. What a fun and exciting bike to ride! Seat is comfortable and although my longest ride non-stop had been approximately 120 miles, I had no discomfort except for my right wrist which has nothing to do with the bike, but as being new to riding perhaps gripping the throttle too tightly. Cruise Control would have been a good option for BMW to include on this model as they do emphasize this bike as the Touring version of the F800S. Pros: ABS Brakes may be controversial to some, but it can prevent a spill. Fortunately I have not had to use them in any emergency stop yet, but I feel good they are there when needed. Handling of this bike is nothing less of awesome. Computer is nice and already came up with one warning that the front tire pressure was low. It's those little things that make this bike seem safer to ride. Cons: 70 mph plus one gets you a head-full of wind. An aftermarket 4 inch taller windshield will take care of that. Also, as with most bikes, the stock exhaust is heavy and restrictive. I installed a Remus exhaust and not only it sounds sweet, but tests show an increase of 10 to 12 HP plus removing the lag/slight hesitation from starting out from 1st gear. Lastly, there is some heat coming into the left fairing and onto the leg although nothing major and actually would have been better if the hot air were to have been distributed to both legs for those cold days. Conclusion: When I decide to get a larger (touring) bike for long trips, I plan to keep this as the bike of choice for the enjoyable handling through the mountain and coastal roads! Show less

I rode my Adventure back home to Virginia in two days and it inspired more confidence at night and on busy wet mountain highways than any bike I've ridden before. But what I'm really excited to report is how well it handled on the dirt and gravel mountain roads around our property in West Virginia. The ABS brakes were fantastic at slowing me down in a controlled manner as I entered sharp turns too quickly. I'm sure they saved me several times. I felt like a kid with a new dirt bike. Then at the end of the day I could ride 2 hours home with the comfort of a touring bike. I would strongly recommend buying a GS Adventure. Show less

GS Adventure: 2007 My first taste of a GS and this flavor will be with me forever. Actually bought it and had never even ridden one before. My experience: I am 45 and been riding for 33 years and have ridden just about everything you could imagine. I have raced amature motocross, street raced a formula road bike, AMR back in the day and dabbled in Trials, no competition but still own a Honda TLR. Admittedly, I only have about 2000 miles on my 2007 GS, but I probably have more then 2000 smile and grins from it. No one should ever really buy this bike for off-roading (In my opinion of course). But everyone should ride a BMW GS just once to experience just how comfortable, controllable and safe you will feel riding this motorcycle. Comfort: I have had several, ok, over forty, motorcycles, motocross bikes, trials bikes, street cruisers, exotic six cylinder Honda CBX's and many others. When you ride the GS you will find you are in the most ergonomically correct position for riding. I have seen people add the highway foot pegs to the GS's - to eaches own. Controllable: I recently took an advance motorcycle riding course offered by the DOT, CT. It teaches you some best practices in motorcycle safety. Panic stops, avoidance of road objects, sudden swerve maneuvers etc. Thinking I had nothing to learn after 30 plus years on the road, I was wrong. Riding the GSA, I was cheating the course. Riding Figure- eights in tight boxes drawn on the ground. Combining acceleration through three gears then adding panic stops. Everything they could think of to simulate dangerous situations for a motorcyclist. The GS could have probably done it all by itself. The GSA With ABS stopped in just over half the distance of any bike out there in all the braking tests. You could hit the brakes for everything they were worth and the ABS did the rest, it was unbelievable! You stop straight in line with total control of the motorcycle. Safety: I would strongly suggest adding or ordering ABS package as an option. It by it's self is the best friend you could have to trust with your life! This is the first motorcycle I have owned with ABS I can not say enough about it get it. It could save your life! The suspension is like riding on air with the long suspension travel, you glide over some pretty tough stuff without a flinch. When set up properly for your weight, riding style and ability, there's really nothing this bike won't do short of motocross. The handling is steady, nimble and very responsive. You can toss it around on the street like a toy. It feels sturdy, smooth and sure footed and if you're into dragging your knee around the corner I invite you to do so. I can't believe how much you can crank such a tall bike over and still feel stable. With road tires on it of course. Now if you want to get goofy, the GSA I ride will nail a wheelie for as far as you ae willing, or daring to ride one. Up through the gears 1st, 2nd, and try third it's tall but very manageable on the rear wheel! And did I mention fun as hell? My overall rating is five stars! They only thing I would ask BMW for is just a pinch more HP. But it certainly has enough for the average rider @ 103 HP. I just am spoiled after spending many years on some real hypo machines. Happy trails, Keep the shinny side up! Show less

Recently traded my 2006 F650GS for a new F800ST. I liked the 650 very much but it was not well suited for longer trips. The 800 is a more all purpose bike for both short and long runs. The extra power, 6th gear, smoother gearbox and drive, more comfortable seating and riding are all well worth the small additional weight and price. Super easy to keep clean and looks fabulous. I added most options and love all the information available with the on-board computer. I'm not sure yet if this is even a flaw but the motor does generate quite a bit of heat, handled well by the radiator and fan but still runs up the left fairing. Not very noticeable when the bike is moving but in traffic or stop and go, it does get a bit warm on the left side. Too bad the heat could not have been distributed more evenly and you'd have a great leg warmer in winter or cooler weather. In any case, it's not much to complaint about - more an observation. All the other superb features and quality far outweigh this minor issue. Show less

In recent years I have owned or ridden extensively a CBR600, VFR 800, Monster 900, VStar 650, Magna 750, SV100S, ST1300A, Tiger 1050 and most recently purchased the K1200GT. I still own the Tiger 1050 and if I could only have one bike, the Tiger would win hands down. It is the best all around bike I have ever ridden and is reasonably priced. However, when I really want to put some miles on the added amenities and storage of a bike like the K1200GT are nice. Prior to the K1200GT I had the ST1300A and was quite happy with the ST with the exception of the heft of the bike and lack of cruise control. With a bike designed to really cover the miles, cruise control is great. Though it was possible to add aftermarket cruise to the ST, I decided to look at other options. The R1200RT and FJR1300 were appealing but overall package of the K1200GT ideal for me and worth the extra cost compared to the FJR. I was very hesitant to get rid of the ST that I was pretty happy with, but after getting the K12GT I was very glad I did. The ESA, heated grips & seat, cruise control, ideal power delivery and many of the other features of the K12GT get a lot of attention but for me one of my favorite features of the bike is the ability to adjust the handle bars. With any bike I get fatigued by staying in the same seating position for hours. The ability to change the handlebar height in the middle of a trip coupled with the cruise control make this bike just wonderful for eating up miles. I must admit I do like the Tiger a bit better for being an all around bike, but to cover a lot of miles over several days I'll take the K12GT and enjoy every minute of it! PS, some of the problems you read about with the new K bikes do exist on my bike and I would still buy it all over again. Show less

BMW finally replaced the K1100LT. Good riding position and plenty of power. Not a good seat and the windshield doesn't (but can be replaced). This is a very good bike. Even the wife likes it (we've ordered lower passenger pegs, as it's not made for adult passengers). Worth the money. Show less

Warning, this bike is very addictive. I have never ridden a bike this comfortable that offers the performance which is nearing a full out sport bike. It does have a clunk when shifting from first to second gear as has been reported, but it is nothing that isn't quickly forgotten. The ESA is worth it's weight in gold if you ride with a passenger at times. The K1200GT will take you from the store down the street to the other side of the country as fast as you care to go and in total comfort. Show less

Stable, relatively fast, very comfortable. This bike is fun to ride, especially with inexperience as a sport bike pilot. It's not the K1200 which I strongly considered, but actually, I think having driven one of those, this one is more approachable. Like any BMW, the 800 rides like it's on a rail. The seating position is very comfortable with no back strain, arm strain or hand strain at all. Ergonomics-A+ for me. It's a tad windy at speed and the wind noise requires earplugs. Not a good bike for the rain not because of instability but because of the lack of faring. At least in downpours, I got caught in one and learned the hard way. The bike accellerates very quickly. 6 speed gearing is great, the clutch has been flawless. The seat is very comfortable for long distances. As a light weight, it's easy to maneuver, quick and nimble on it's feet. Great cornering--has inspired in me a lot of confidence. After 2,000 miles I'm just now getting used to what I can do and the bike can do, but it seems like the bike will let me do a lot and we are one on the road. What I like about it vs. the K1200 which was my other choice, is that this bike is much less expensive, the maintenance in theory will be much less, the insurance on this is 1/2 of the K1200 (I'm 51 and married and was quoted $1,200 a year on the K vs. $600 a year on this machine). I use the bike principally for commuting and man does it fit that bill like a glove. I go on one or two week long trips a year and I won't hesitate to take this bike. It's a big seller in Europe and I'm surprised that here in the U.S. it doesn't seem to garner as much press. I think here we like bigger, badder, faster but to overlook this model is a mistake and the bike should be considered. It certainly is much more practical from an expense point of view. And the 50 mpg I'm averaging is real sweet. And I don't need a bike that goes 167 mph, because my brain won't let me do that. Bottom line is although 2,000 miles is a little early for a review, I absolutely love this bike. It's one I think I've been looking for in the 20 plus years I've been riding. Previous bikes-Suzuki 450, Suzuki GS 750, Shadow 1100, BMW R1100RT. The 800S vs. a K is like driving a Mazda Speed 3 vs. a Corvette---yeah the Corvettes a dream car but the Mazda 3 does supposedly everything the same-just 40,000 bucks cheaper. Oh, and this 800S goes 0-60 in 3.8 which beats the Corvette, so there you go. The only caution I have is on the gas guage, computer driven. Rely on your odometer like the old days because the gas guage is weird on the computer-it tells you you have a full tank until you have about 20 miles to go. Otherwise, no other nitpicks. Show less

As I was searching for a bike, I narrowed it down to three: the Ducati Multistrada, Suzuki VStrom 1000 and the BMW R1200GS. The Ducati lost out as it really isn't meant for off-road work. The VStrom is a nice bike, but I really wanted a bike that was built to withstand almost anything and would last many, many miles. The BMW R1200GS won hands down. Although the price tag would send some running, one has to realize that these bikes are engineered to last 300,000 miles. I would be more than happy to sit on mine at the 200K mark. Once on the bike you realize that is a very, big, bike! At 5 feet 7 inches and a 29 inch inseam, my feet do not sit firmly on the pavement. Thus, my only complaint is the lack of a suspension that can be lowered for on-road use. The adjustable damping for the front and rear suspension works fantastic, but doesn't lower the bike. The lower seats help out a little, and I may opt for a lower suspension. But for now, I get around just fine. It takes a little getting used to. Apart from the height, the R1200GS handles as nimble on the road as a bike half its size. I could not believe how tight this bike can take the turns! It is so much fun to ride, and I ride it every single day. I can't wait to test it in the dirt! As far as the staff goes, the dealership I went through is top notch. The fantastic experience I had began with the salesman. Easy going and knowledgeable, he gave me all the information I needed to make the right choice. And it does not stop there. Everyone at that dealership will do whatever they can to insure you have a positive experience. The staff is extremely well-informed and will take all the time necessary to give you the help you need. These guys are true professionals. All-in-all, I am supremely happy with my GS. It is by far the best bike I have ever owned. It will take you wherever you want to go in comfort and style. And with the reputation of BMW Motorrad, I know this bike will last a long time. Show less

I am a new owner of the BMW K1200GT. Truly an expression of sleek design and proven quality to be expected from the manufacturer. A proud 20 year owner of its ancestor- the K100RT, this proud offspring has opened my eyes to what a generation of R&D can provide. It is a big bike, with incredible throttle response, yet refined in touring capabilities. With optional cruise control, ESA and an onboard computer, eating daily commuting miles can be achieved at 49 mpg, and even more. Storage capability is at an acceptable minimum, with included sidebags and one small fairing pocket at the front right side. Optional rear bags and tank bag will enhance longer trips and should be considered. Show less