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BMW GS 1250 review

November 3rd, 2019 · No Comments

Just spent an hour test riding the GS1250. That is some motorcycle :). It’s the first motorcycle, since I’ve bought the wee, that put a silly grine on my face.
Surprisingly the bike didn’t feel heavier than my Wee (Suzuki Vstrom 650, 2014), and it even felt more agile and not less maneuverable, even in traffic. Could be due to the low center of gravity and the low flat twin boxer.

This review is on this specific model, with cast wheels

You can imagine the engine, that’s quite an impressive powerplant, very smooth, pulls like a train, any gear, any rpm. Only slight vibrations at idle, that disappear the moment you’re on the move. You can chose between four or so riding engine maps: Rain, Off Road, Road, Road Dynamic. I stayed with the road map. Throttle response at takeoff is something to get used to, as the bike tends to take off slightly faster than what you wanted it to do, but I guess that’s part of learning the bike, than of a downside.

The bike came equipped with a quick shifter which most of the times I did not use, but it did work great going up the gears and it does make the bike faster (it eliminates the need to close the throttle while shifting). Gear shifting is good, with short pedal travel. Not the clunky gear you’ve might expect from a big engine with a driveshaft. Clutch pull is easy and clutch engagement is more progressive than the Vstrom 1000 for example. Works great.

Front brake is excellent, with good feel and bite. I really like how the Telelever cancels diving while braking. No matter how hard you brake, the front doesn’t dive and the weight distribution of the bike is not disturbed. It’s an added active safety and contributes to a more comfortable ride.

The GS is a big comfortable bike, although the seat could be better. I’m about 90+ kg and 1.80 tall, and I felt at home on the GS. The wind protection was adequate , with the wind screen in its highest position. I did not feel any unusual buffeting, even at high speeds.

The GS comes with all the goodies you might expect from a premium motorcycle, such as a keyless start, heated grips, LCD screen. The drive shaft, in my personal opinion, saves the chain and sprockets fuss, although while you accelerate hard, the bike tends to shake a bit between gears. It’s not something abrupt, but it’s felt.

To sum, compared to my Wee and the last couple of bikes I tested (the KTM 1090 and the 2018 Vstrom 1000), It’s a great motorcycle, very capaple and comfortable. However, compared to the Vstrom 1000, the bike felt less planted on high speeds and under hard acceleration even though suspension was in a Dynamic mode. My explanation is that the GS one sided rear arm is less rigid than the Vstrom’s (rear arm is made of two parts rather than one piece). What more, the front suspension on the GS is probably the same, it’s not an inverted type, being less rigid than the Suzuki front, what should make the later, handle more agile and accurate. Bottom line, I was wondering if its worth the Extra (extra extra…) money. I’m Not sure. This bike got to me for various reasons, first I like the drive shaft. Second, I like to maintain my bikes by my self, most of the time, and the flat twin should make the valve adjustment an easier task. Third, the engine is awesome, BMW engineers built a very powerful and pleasant engine fitted in a well balanced package. It was one of the easiest motorcycles to ride, all the more so, being that big (in CC and Weight).

What about my Suzuki Wee? I was happy to return to him, and I even enjoyed the ride back. I think that the Vstrom 650 can give you a lot of motorcycle, certainly in everyday usual riding situations. That being said, I could not ignore the GS added abilities, that make me seriously consider the GS as my next bike.

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Tags: Just Fun · life style · Motorcycles & Scooters · Reviews

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