GS as a touring platform?

['05Train]

Hi y'all, got a couple of questions I hope you can help with.

I currently ride a Harley Ultra Limited touring bike. In the 19 months I've owned it, I've ridden 35,000 miles. It's a really comfortable long-distance cruiser, and it's nothing to do consecutive 800-1000 mile days. The only two issues I have with the thing are:

- It's no fun on gravel, in the mud, in sand, or in snow. It'll do it, in the same way that you can drive a nail with a pair of pliers.

- I'm less than pleased with the reliability of the bike. Much as I love my Harleys, they're built with the typical Harley owner in mind....The one that rides 1,500 miles a year.


I like the idea of a DS bike. I don't go off-road often, but I bet I would do it more if the bike was more suited to it. What I do quite a bit though is ride 2-up on the slab for hours at a time. I also like to hustle through the corners every now and then.

So is a GS or a GSA going to do what I need it to do? Give me 14 hour days in the saddle without agony, carry my wife and I with a week's worth of stuff, and be reasonably entertaining on mountain roads?

Thanks.

[def]

Visit your nearest BMW dealer and arrange a test ride.

['05Train]

Originally Posted by def

Visit your nearest BMW dealer and arrange a test ride.

I plan on it, but I doubt they'll let me take one for a week to verify these things on my own.

[Smithhammer]

I wouldn't say that the GS is your only option in what you say you're looking for, but it's a damn good one, which will do everything you describe very well. I think you'll find a huge difference from your current ride, especially when the going gets rough and less than sunny.

Like Def said, try one. Maybe they won't let you have one for a week, but rest assured that if you test ride it and you like it, then you're probably gonna like it even more when you get down to using it for what it's really intended for.

['05Train]

Originally Posted by Smithhammer

I wouldn't say that the GS is your only option in what you say you're looking for, but it's a damn good one, which will do everything you describe very well. I think you'll find a huge difference from your current ride, especially when the going gets rough and less than sunny.

Like Def said, try one. Maybe they won't let you have one for a week, but rest assured that if you test ride it and you like it, then you're probably gonna like it even more when you get down to using it for what it's really intended for.

The long-distance comfort is really the key, especially for my wife.

You mention "less than sunny", how is the rain protection, or is that relegated to the gear we're wearing? It doesn't look like there's much to be had.

[Smithhammer]

Yeah, the GS is clearly not designed to protect you from the elements, other than a windscreen. No dual-sport really is. DS touring is a different approach than big fairing road touring style. You need decent weatherproof gear, but then why wouldn't any long-distance rider have that anyway?

[Mr Head]

Why not rent one?
Both H-D's and BMW's are available.

Originally Posted by '05Train

I plan on it, but I doubt they'll let me take one for a week to verify these things on my own.

[island808]

Originally Posted by Mr Head

Why not rent one?
Both H-D's and BMW's are available.

I have never seen a BMW for rent. They won't even let us test drive them here.

I hear you can rent motorcycles, but I've just only seen it from 1 place. Not that I've been looking. It definitely isn't too terribly commonplace in a good chunk of the US.

['05Train]

Originally Posted by island808

I have never seen a BMW for rent. They won't even let us test drive them here.

I hear you can rent motorcycles, but I've just only seen it from 1 place. Not that I've been looking. It definitely isn't too terribly commonplace in a good chunk of the US.

Really? I rent a bike nearly every time I travel either for business or vacation. Never had an issue finding a place, and it's usually reasonably inexpensive. Well, except Ireland. That cost a fortune. Totally worth it though.

[Mr Head]

When I did the jimmy Lewis adventure school there was a guy who had rented a 1200 GS there.

Originally Posted by island808

I have never seen a BMW for rent. They won't even let us test drive them here.

I hear you can rent motorcycles, but I've just only seen it from 1 place. Not that I've been looking. It definitely isn't too terribly commonplace in a good chunk of the US.

[cug]

Originally Posted by island808

I have never seen a BMW for rent. They won't even let us test drive them here.

I hear you can rent motorcycles, but I've just only seen it from 1 place. Not that I've been looking. It definitely isn't too terribly commonplace in a good chunk of the US.

http://www.dubbelju.com/
http://www.eaglerider.com

Have fun.

[Geoffster]

Originally Posted by Mr Head

Why not rent one?
Both H-D's and BMW's are available.

The dealers in SoCal compete with one another, and thus, I've had no trouble getting demo bikes for extended rides. Perhaps you can work that where you are.

Most recently I said, "I need to wear myself out on this bike, so I'll see you this afternoon." Rode it 170 miles -- in traffic, up and down a twisted, canyon two-lane, and finally nearly an hour on a freeway into a 30 mph headwind. (The latter succeeded in wearing me out.)

Suggestion: Ride your Night Train for 200 miles in the morning, then pick up a demo BMW. After riding your NT you'll be slightly to moderately tired, and you'll be able to see how the BMW stacks up within a 100 miles or so. At that point you'll have a good idea if you want to continue pursuing a BMW, perhaps renting one for a weekend.

[nuke]

Pretty much what it is designed for. The GS and the GS-Adventure sit different.

Like the man said, visit your BMW dealer and inquire about a test ride.

[joints4sale]

Check out the regional forums and look around, plenty of us are riding GS and GSAs.
http://advrider.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=63

A group of us just did an all in Maryland Saddle Sore 1000 last Saturday.
http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=685364

I came from a K1200GT last year for some of the same reasons you are describing. There are a lot of gravel roads out west that I have always gone by wondering....

My only complaint, and it must be a BMW weenie thing, is that I miss the cruise control that I had on the GT.

[cug]

Nope. Can't do it. Move on. There is nothing to see here ...

What do think you'll get as a response in a GS forum?

Some people can only tour on lounge chairs, so they use either HD bikes or Russell seats which look about the same ... Others tour on mountain bikes for 40 hours without a break. My wife can do the second, I'm in the middle. A standard GS with a taller windshield does everything I need. Sport bike hunting in the Santa Cruz Mountains (it's the rider, not the bike, those 200k km experience must help at least somewhere ...) and all day touring for several days. I avoid straight highways though as I might fall off from shear boredom.