Harley touring bike to a GSA?

I have been a lurker for a while, the Dual-Sport bike has intrigued me to the point of wanting to buy a GSA. Being a current Harley Road Glide guy I am looking to do long distance on the GSA. I am renting a GS for a 3 day ride in AZ next month to make sure I like the bike. Has anyone done the switch from a Harley touring bike to the GSA? At 6'5" the bike seems to fit well.

I wish the GSA had cruise control but have noted the options available. There are plenty of posts about windshields so that seems like something to figure out once I have the bike. What are some not so obvious differences I might notice between the two bikes? I look forward to having the ability to ride some forest service roads, nothing to serious other than dirt/gravel roads. Has anybody done the switch and been disappointed? Has anyone switched and found it to be better than expected?

Thanks

yes,i went from a ultra classic to bmw gs motorcycles about 4 years ago and dont ever plan on buying another harley unless i fall into lots of money and want a pretty machine to look at and polish.

oh,and as far as cruise put a kaoko throttle lock and a 10.00 throttle rocker or cramp buster on and you will be good.

as far as the windshield,if the stock doesnt work for you ,you may want to look into a aeroflow.

+1 for the cramp buster.

Totally worth it.

I have had a 2004 Harley Road King Sreamin Eagle 103 (and still have it), but I have always liked the idea of the GSA....this past spring I bought an 09 GSA and love it. I have done several long trips on it, and for me....I would much rather sit on the BMW all day than the Harley. Now I only ride the Road King around town or let my friend ride it when he want to go with me on a trip. I am 6'3" and I did have to go with a taller windshield....with the stock screen the wind hit me right in the visor of my helmet and was very annoying at speeds above 60mph.

Thanksgiving, I went up to West Virginia and road in the high 30 degree weather....400 miles on backroad, including some dirt. I was on the bike for 9 hours total that day.....rested for only 1.5 hours during the trip. I can tell you...I would have never attempted that on my Road King...not that it can't do it, but that it just doens't create the same sense of adventure for me. I searched out back roads and the suspension on the BMW is much better on rough pavement....you don't even notice it.

The BMW may not be great for everyone, but for me, it is great. My Harley is put away for winter, but the BMW will get miles on it all year long.

Hope you enjoy your trip on the BMW.

I have both, and love them both for different reasons. I commute on the BMW and run them both on long haul trips. Best of both worlds. Bought my 2007 GSA used and have been really happy with it. My Harley Is a 2005 Road King Custom which is no longer produced. I see me keeping them both for the long haul.

I had about 5 big twins in a row (a pan, a shovel, and several evo variations) love the things- but nothing compares to the GSA when it comes to all around durability, ride-ability, and fun. The springer was a monster coming out of a corner- it was just slow as hell going into it! The GSA you can just lean and lean and lean and you'll be alright, you can push a button and load the shit out of it. you can add all the heated gear, and driving lights, and whatever else you need for you commute and its no big deal. it could be 22 degrees outside, plug in, hit the grips and roll- no carb or choke to f*** with- no worry about running lean. now the thing about the big twins is (if you set your bike up right) you can run with anyone in the first 3/4 gears and cruise at 70 mph all day, you can easily run cross country (or any where you'd like for that matter- i have a buddy that rides his cross bones through some off road shit that i'd rarely tackle) its just easier on the GSA. my old twins were made for running and as much as i miss them- i dont think i could own just one with out a gsa in the garage. I can live (its also hard with out a K bike) but not with out the GSA. just .02 for ya. (should note that those twin cams are good bikes- if thats your thing////////now somebody talk me out of a ducati streetfighter)

jb

I still have my Ultra but am considering letting it go in the Spring. I haven't cranked my Harley but once since I got the GS.

I was unable to find a GSA to rent. I did find a new GS. Do you think the GS will give me a good enough idea about what the GSA is about? Are there any big differences between the GS & GSA I would notice?

I will keep my Harley but am looking forward to another style of riding. The positive comments about the BMW don't stop. I also wonder if the Harley will be used less and less. Thanks for the info...

Tucknkitty- interesting point. I also had my eye on a Multistrada. Just thought it was a little to mission specific for me where the big GS seems to do it all

If you are going from phoenix area , check out azride
http://www.azride.com/MotorcycleRental.html?gclid=CJicxcKt_KUCFUVqKgodaHpdnQ

or eagle rider ,, they rent bmw's out of scottsdale bmw

http://www.eaglerider.com/

Thats exactly who we are renting from. In setting up the rentals for 4 of us they have been very helpful and super nice. They gave us a nice 3 day ride suggestion. The group of 4 have been doing the Harley thing for years and looking for a change, this should be fun.

great. Not sure where you are traveling,, if you are based out of phoenix, head up the 'front' way to crown king,, nice bit of dirt road,, big bike friendly, great elevation,, have lunch,, maybe back down. If you are not use to dirt you may not want to continue on the senator highway,,, it ain't no highway.

head up to payson area and check out some fireroads around tonto.
another good big bike ride would be to just blast out to the apache trail to the resavoir check out the road to Young. great fun..

Have them both, love them both, a guy needs about 3 different bikes. Looking for that third one!

Softail Deuce to GS. Never looked back.

To me the GS feels just a little lighter, lower seat, and easier to handle than the GSA, but similar enough that you'll have a very good idea. I like the seat and larger tank on the GSA. But I believe if you like your rental GS, you'll like the GSA. Especially given your size. Either should feel a lot quicker, better brakes, and easier handling than your RG. I hope you post back after your ride next month!

I agree cruise would be a nice option on the GS (I like it on my EG.), a nice throttle lock is the next best thing and there are a number of them for the GS and GSA. Throttlemeister's are not cheap, about $150, but they make specific ones for; different years, non vs heated grips, hand guards or no hand guards. So they fit correctly right out of the box. http://throttlemeister.com/applications.html

I have an 07 GSA and started into BMW's with an 05 GS. I am 6'8" tall and found the GSA to be a much better fit, as I am sure you will at 6'5". I had an 08 KLR and just didn't ride it, so for something totally different bought an 09 Police roadking. Crazy,but fun. I like them both, but the GSA is a great all around bike! If I had to choose the Harley would have to go. Hopefully it won't come to that. Have fun with the GS!
BTW I just use a touratech clip on extender and it works very well, no other windshield mods needed.

Traveling Man
Here is my story.
I just made the switch to a 2011 GSA from an 08 HD SE Ultra (902 lbs. wet).
Nearly all of my riding is two-up with the wife and I'm tired of wrestling that beast around. It's OK on the Highway but on rough roads with adverse conditions, it gets to be a handful in a hurry.
The wife and I were able to take a 2010 GSA Demo for nearly an entire day and we had an absolute blast on it. They didn't have a top box available for a backrest so she had to hold on to me all day. She was a trooper though. She said the seat Hurt her butt but she liked the ride.
For Me, The ride and handling was a dream.
Things like gravel, U-turns on a sloped narrow road or adverse road conditions that will tighten up your butt on the Harley are easily handled on the GSA.

I've only had mine for a few weeks and only have about 300 miles on it.
Between work schedule and the Rainy weather, I've been sorta grounded.
Now for the bad news.
With less than 300 miles, My new 2011 is in the shop for a final drive problem.
Bearing noise and play in the drive unit. F#$K. Just my luck.
I heard it the first time we rode two-up together. 35 MPH, light throttle,
O-Crap!!! I asked my wife if she could hear it. Do you mean that groaning sound? she said. Yep, that's it. That's not normal?she said. No Dear, that's not normal and it ain't good.
The BMW tech put it on the rack, grabbed the rear wheel and said "Yep it's got play in it already". He looked at the odometer, shook his head and said Don't worry man we'll replace the entire unit and it will be fine!
So now I am waiting for the part to come in. I wonder what the chances are that the replacement unit will be assembled incorrectly also. Naw, that would never happen :eek1. Not to me.
I won't sleep until I get it back.

MY Harley has just about every gadget available from the factory but the only thing that I really miss is the Cruise Control and maybe the XM radio.
I had a Throttle lock installed on the GSA and it is OK but it isn't electronic cruise.
The Harley is fly-by-wire and the cruise control is spot on. Yeah I miss it.

The GSA carries nearly 9 gallons of fuel and has a longer cruising range than just about any other motorcycle made. Why they won't put cruise on it is beyond me. The Germans are some hard headed SOB's. I'm Part German.
Now that I have finally bought one it will probably become available next year.
Anyway, I still think that we will have a blast on it assuming the rear end will stay together.
I'll let you know when I get it back.

Jim

Went from a whole series of Hogs, including a Street Glide, to an '07 KTM 990 Adventure. Great bike, but I had a few issues as far as long distance comfort was concerned.

I'd wanted a GS since test riding one in in 2000. Ten years and about 5 bikes later, I've got a 2010 GSA and am real happy with it.

I'd still have a Hog, too, if I could. But getting kids through college has that plan on hold for a few more years!

The GS/GSA (and the KTM 990) offer a considerable advancement in handling and precision over the Harley, not to mention the capacity to travel on dirt roads.

And what a previous post said about the Senator Highway is dead on. It ain't no highway, but at times it can be full of quad knobheads who zoom the blind corners with reckless abandon. They can ruin your day. They have sure helped ruin parts of the road, in my very humble opinion.

The Apache Trail, on the other hand, is a great ride, with some of the best scenery Central AZ has to offer, and its much better if you aren't that familiar with off pavement riding.

Seven Springs Road and Bloody Basin Road also offer a reasonable off pavement experience and good scenery with much less quad traffic.

Good luck and have fun!

I bought my Sportster in 1995 and have put 50K miles on it, mostly before 2004. In 2004, I got a Road King and put 20K on it the first year commuting for work. Since mid-2005, I have put about 5K on it. Still, I never figured myself for a Harley guy.

I bought an 07 GSA to join a friend on a leg of his RTW trip. I got the bike since he had it, and figured I would sell it after the trip. I liked it so much that I kept it. After riding the GSA for a month through Central and South America, I thought there was something wrong with the Road King when I got on it while I was waiting on the GSA to ship back. It felt like a pig.

To give you an idea of how little I ride the Harleys - the batteries are dead on both of them. Conversely, I use the GSA almost every day. It is a great bike.

Had several bikes (Goldwing, 1098S and '05 Fatboy). Always had this intrigue about the GS. Last year, I tested the '09 and loved it but could not find a good deal on one. This year however, I went on an hour long demo of a 2010 GS and I was in love. The sound was so diff. like it had a slip on, and its pep and power as well as its handling was simply out of this world. Very comfy as well and nice to be able to see traffic ahead without stretching my neck!
After selling my faithful Duc (which I did so many long trips on) and the Wing, I got a nice red '10 GS (I'm only 5'7"). My Fatboy is also not being ridden and is up for sale.
You need to go on a long demo ride. Go ride highways, stop and go traffic, parking lot U turns and if you can find a short fire road nearby even better. You will not be disappointed.