bmw Touring Bike reviews

These bikes are crazy good. I've owned 4 RT's in a row and decided to try a GSA last spring. The GSA suspension is a bit taller than the normal GS, which is a bit taller than the RT's that I'm used to. I have a 30" inseam. I got the low suspension Triple Black version. I use a Sargent seat on high setting. The bike is actually about ½" lower than my 2017 RT was. No drops so far on some several high-risk adventures and no trouble with the lower ground clearance except that I have to put my toes on the inside pegs in hard turns too keep boots from scraping pavement. I live in the Chicago area. Good motorcycle roads are hundreds of miles away. My bike has to be a good tourer first. The GSA definitely qualifies. I made a solo trip to Colorado last season; I-80 to Ft. Collins, then Top o the Rockies rally camping for a few days and a slower ride home. The bike was flawless. If you're used to a full touring bike, the stock windscreen won't make you happy on the interstates without ear plugs. I got a V-Stream Deluxe touring screen and Aeroflow Aerowings on mine. I can do 100 mile rides without plugs but keep a pair in my pocket for longer stints. With this setup, I'm able to easily hear music through my helmet speakers, run with visor halfway up, no bugs hitting my helmet or face and wind noise OK for under 100 mile rides. I've changed seat and screen for all my BMW bikes since my first '99 RT. I added bar-baks on this bike. The reach is just slightly too far. I like to sit up straight on the interstate. It's easier on the shoulders and extra height allows me to stand on pegs while riding. You will not have any complaint about the power, torque or handling of this bike. It's not a lightweight but for what it is, it's well designed and easy to ride. The weight is in a good place and it really can do a lot. I spend most of my time at 2500 to 4500 RPM, but I flog it, the red line is 9000...anything above 6000 is just scary fast...in a good way. It pulls forever. I've had it in the woods a few times and went through half a dozen water crossings with it. I ran the last RT through some unpaved stuff. This bike does it better even with near street tires on it. A negative is the fuel economy at speed. It gets MPG in the mid to high 30s at 78mph with cruise on...and it uses premium. That's the worst MPG I've ever had on a bike. If you stay off interstates, MPG rises to high 40s, even if you ride it like a lunatic. I think it's just not aerodynamically good and may be geared a bit lower than an RT. It's so smooth you don't notice the extra revs, but make sure that credit card is working well before you go cross country with this one. Storage in the aluminum side cases is spectacular. I really like them, however I also think their square-flatness is part of the MPG issue. I can put tools and luggage and camping gear on this bike and go anywhere at any speed. Triple Black is a bit hard to keep clean. I've used ceramic and other special brews to coat the surfaces. They look great when clean but there are a lot of matte surfaces that just can't be made to repel dirt well. Get some good wheel brushes for the flat-black spoked wheel rims. Mine came with Bridgestone 80/20 tires...noisiest tread I've ever had on any bike...and my first bike was a Honda Trail 90 with knobbies. I put a set of Continental Trail Attack 3's (90/10) on it and ALL that noise went away. They also stick like glue on asphalt. I dinged "Comfort" one star only because of higher wind noise at speed. People using their bikes as actual Adventure bikes won't mind that. The leg room on this bike is phenomenal. If you're long of leg, this is your bike....but then don't get a low-suspension like mine. I rode a standard GS on 10,000 Alpine hairpin turns this year with Beach's moto tours. It was fantastic. The differences aren't great. The big tank of the Adventure is the largest difference and it's not much of a problem. Gives a little more wind protection riding in colder weather and you get extra range...which is handy with the thirsty nature of the bike at speed. Show less

The r1200r is a great bike for commuting in California. I was commuting 50 miles each way to work in the bay area when I bought mine. The features that really make it shine are the handling and mid-range performance. Riding through rows of effectively parked cars for 30 miles each day will give you an appreciation for handling and performance. When the vehicle coming to a stop in the #2 lane abruptly changes to the #1 lane with no signal, you find yourself doing all kinds of emergency maneuvers to avoid a collision. Sometimes it is heavy breaking, sometime immediate change of direction to shoot for the open spot. The BMW R1200R has handling on par with a dirt bike at slow speeds and a sport bike at high speeds. This makes the bike a clear choice for those riding in both ranges regularly. I found with little practice after buying the R1200R I was able to turn it in a figure 8 within the 2 wide X 2 Length parking spots I could turn my dual sports in. Mid-range power is definitely another strong contender for the R1200R. When someone is merging onto the highway and they don't see you, it boils down to two options if getting out of that lane is not possible. The first is slow down, and we have already covered the great braking this bike has, The other is speed up. Often this will happen while you are happily cruising along at the speed limit in gear 6. You might be around 3K RPM and you need to speed up. In this mid-range performance area your engine needs a lot of torque to overcome all the inertia in order to accelerate. The BMW boxer is a great engine for smoothly accelerating with authority through its entire rev range. All told this is a great all around bike especially for those who commute. Other features of this bike one might enjoy is the great aftermarket. Whereas the bike is based on its GS cousin, the aftermarket is available for it. I was able to find crash guards, skid plates, and hand guards for reasonable prices. Show less

Motorcycle Overview: This S1000 meticulously maintain. No scratches and garage kept. It has a full Akrapovic exhaust and Brembo brakes. All Maintenance is done Via BMW Dealer. 2013 BMW S 1000 Sapphire Black Metallic. The S 1000 revolutionized the supersports class when it first came out in 2009. Now it steps up to the very same challenge. The current S 1000 model has been completely revised: BMW Motorrad engineers have entirely revised the bikes technology, design and fittings. The result is a new supersports machine on the road. A facelift is not enough. The new S 1000 has an output of 199 hp - 6 hp more than its predecessor. But it is not just its higher rated output that makes this faster and more agile. Weighing in at 450 lbs incl. ABS and traction control, it is some 8.8 lbs lighter than the previous version. Furthermore, it has a newly designed exhaust system as well as a new engine set-up for increased torque, an improved output curve and many other optimized details. Consistently revised down to the last detail, in taking the S 1000 a step further for model year 2013, absolutely every component was re-assessed. The result is THIS superbike!! Show less

As a replacement to my cherished yet aged 1987 K75S, my initial buying considerations were a mid-weight sport tourer. Comfortably solid on the highway yet nimble on the majority of backroads I tend to seek. Reliability and low maintenance were also obvious considerations. Perusing various models, I came across the F800GT. Looks notwithstanding, BMW definitely hit my sweet spot with this model. There are so many plusses. First, the overall fit to my body and riding style. I'm #170 at 6'0". A bit tall but not a big boy. My bike has the ZTechnick V-Stream windscreen and am glad for that. I would imagine the stock windscreen would have created helmet issues. The belt drive absolutely rocks, but I have read of belt breakages with riding on gravel roads. That has left me a bit leery of being able to travel less groomed roads. The parallel twin motor (90hp/63lbs) is absolutely perfect for me. Living on the Oregon Coast, I can overtake most any line of RVs and rubber necker tourists with a downshift and a flick. The fuel tank is located underneath and affords easy access to refueling w/o pulling off my tank bag. It also lowers the weight distribution and gives greater agility. MPG is as advertised. It's great. My *one* con- the side cases. On my old bike, I could fit my 21" tent poles and keep a clean and secured profile with my gear. The F800GT cases, while wider, are not long enough to accommodate my tent. That's a bit of a rub. But, every other metric for my personal comforts has been met. I dig the analog faces for speed/rpm and yet have some new digital toys in ascertaining needed info. Overall- I look forward to every ride... Show less

I'm a hard core 50 year plus motorcycle enthusiast. I've owned at least 75 motorcycles of all modern makes except Ducati. I've had at least 8 or 10 BMW's and really liked each of them. Most were RT1200R's. They're dependable, reliable, easy to work on if you have to. No chain, no belts to mess with. They handle well and brake well and have a decent amount of power. However, I have never owned a single BMW that was comfortable right out of the crate. BMW needs to go to seat building school. It is my single biggest complaint with the BMW's. I am going to get a custom seat made for my 2016. I also have a Harley Ultra Classic and when I asks my wife which bike she prefers......it's the Harley every single time because it is more comfortable. The BMW is absolutely safer, and will run circles around the HD in performance, handling, and braking..... HANDS DOWN!!! it's not even close. Show less

I put 127,000 miles on this bike. Other than an occasional flat tire, I NEVER had any problems. THAT'S reliability. At 107,000 miles a sidecar was installed. I was dead in the water ONE day. Mechanic failed to tighten the nut when points were replaced. Tightened nut, good to go! Show less

I purchased my K1200 new at the end of 2003, and sold it at the end of 2019; I put approximately 40K miles mostly in Southern California. This is a superior performer in terms of power, suspension, and braking. The fit and finish was excellent, mechanically sound, no major repairs or issues other than routine service and tires. Compared to my current bike (2019 BMW R 1250 GS) the seating position is "sport" which means you are bent at the waist leaning forward with more bend in your knees. For shorter rides (say under 100 miles) this is not too much of a problem, for anything more you will experience soreness and minor muscle cramps. Heated grips and seat make it comfortable in colder weather. Fairing provides excellent wind protection. The generic "flaw" in this particular bike are the rear engine seals and the seals of the final drive train. At 40K and 16 years mine began to leak with the cost of repair equaling the net worth of the bike. Suggest you ask if the fuel line "quick connects" have been upgraded, this was a BMW recall item, if not replaced raw fuel may leak onto your engine. I used Bridgestone Battle AX, BT021 tires and found I was replacing the front tire every 5-6k even though I maintained proper air pressure. Side cases are air and water tight, with substantial volume, are locked, with a second handle that allows them to be easily removed and used as "little suitcases." This bike weighs about 680 lbs wet, at low speed turning the front wheel is less than nimble, once you get past 10 MPH the front is very responsive. Suspension is firm and tight. I considered a K 1600 GT but they are a larger (and more bulky) bike vs. the K 1200. I chose the R 1250 GS due to superior riding position, horsepower, substantial torque, ride modes, and ground clearance...and have not been disappointed. The K 1200 GT is a superior motorcycle, perhaps one of the last combining practical sophistication, refinement, and raw power. Show less

I enjoy riding this bike. At 36,500 Miles my drive shaft self destructed. I was riding on a trip on a straight road when it started to shake and sounded like a tin can full of marbles. I had to rent a uhaul and trailer. Cost $3,400 parts and labor not including uhaul. If you have deep pockets you will continue to enjoy this bike. For reliability it's hard to beat the Japanese. I asked bmw to help with the cost since this was such low mileage. They told me to take a hike. Show less

I have owned the motorcycle for about one year now. I have put 6200 miles on it and it has proven to be extremely reliable and comfortable. There are people that talk about it being underpowered, however I have not found this to be the case, I can always drop a gear and accelerate. Even with my wife on the back the bike will just get-up-and-go. Show less

I actually own a 2006 R 1200 RT and love the platform. I test drove this bike and it is super clean - very quick and smooth… Excellent handling and being offered at a great price. I’m used to a lighter colored bike and that’s what I am going after - however this would also make a great choice. Show less