new GS Model - 1150 GS Adventure - the details

[fish]

A little blurb in the latest Cycle World says the Adventure GS will cost around $16K. Sounds pretty reasonable for all the goodies it's got.

[Baldy]

I'll bet some things are extra, like the luggage.

[jimjib]

I wish they would start making the RR version of the GS....I could really go for that.

[fish]

This has some more info on the Adventure, but I'm not sure it's anything we don't already know.

http://www.motorrad.net/Technik/Vors...Adventure1.htm

translated to english: http://translate.google.com/translat...ture%26hl%3Den

[cRAsH]

Originally posted by jimjib
I wish they would start making the RR version of the GS....I could really go for that.

ME TOO!!!

[bigrichard]

Saw one of these at the recent San Francisco bike show.
Overall impression: better than it was; not as good as it could have been.
Random impressions:
luggage-way better than the existing stock plastic but probably still not as good as Al Jesse's.
beemer aluminum stick out way beyond heads, however the mounts can fold up after the bags are removed, thus accomodating lanesplitters. leaving mounts unfolded supposedly allows you to use them for carrying odd items like firewood.

[Marc]

Originally posted by bigrichard
...luggage-way better than the existing stock plastic but probably still not as good as Al Jesse's....

Yeah, but did you check out how they lock? The lock and latch mechanism are on the bottom, outboard side of each side case. The first time you drop this thing, it's a sure bet that you'll screw up the locking mechanism - or at least fill it up with dirt. Another friggin faux-adventure detail...

The crash bars missed the mark, too. On the plus side, I checked and the final drive has the same ratio as the R1150GS. That means, to achieve the lower gearing spoken of, they had to change the transmission itself! This means that there is hope of a truly lower first gear. Time will tell.

Marc

[Fitzy]

I saw the new bike at the NEC show in the UK & it does look pretty impressive.My concern is the loss of a tall top gear for a shorter one.Surely in the real world of 99% tarmac an overdrive style gear is far more useful for both economy & lack of rev. noise at speed.Whenever i do long distance riding i tend to use big open & fast roads.Maybe i`ll keep the stocK R1150 GS.

[bigrichard]

I didn't like the crashbars either. Unless you're planning to throw it down in rocks all day every day you're probably better off without.
Internal ratios for first and sixth will be new.
Adventure will be submodel of 1150GS as PD was submodel of Real GS's (R80/100). Base 1150GS will probably have existing gearing, although I didn't ask about this.
Despite onepiece seat, subframe will still accept twopiece.
Still same stupid muffler. BMW got it right on R80/100 GS - why the backwards step?

[Marc]

Originally posted by Fitzy
...My concern is the loss of a tall top gear for a shorter one.Surely in the real world of 99% tarmac an overdrive style gear is far more useful for both economy & lack of rev. noise at speed...

Hey Fitz,

Check out this thread: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...=&threadid=126 - we're currently at about 81% of voting participants saying first gear is too tall. You might want to add your vote to the numbers... Regarding the top gear, I was under the impression that it was the same. Anyone have any real info?

Marc

[Rad]

The Adventure was fun to see in San Mateo. Things I liked included, improved gear ratios, bigger tank, wheels.

Things I did not like included: the add on piece to the beak (no purpose), the non adjustable screen, the wide ass bags with complicated mounting set up

My favorite item: the new skid plate. One aluminum skid plate that they said would retro fit the 1150GS. No more of the two piece, over under, weirdness.

[Rider]

Okay, I confess ... I'm in serious lust.
Beautiful, aside from maybe the knobby tires.

[Andrew]

Originally posted by Conrad Sudduth
My favorite item: the new skid plate. One aluminum skid plate that they said would retro fit the 1150GS. No more of the two piece, over under, weirdness.

I took the two-piece skidder plates off my GS, and they stay off. Unless you're cRaSHinG over logs, the skid plates just keep the engine hot. For my money, the less crap hiding the motor from your eyes the better it looks. But what do I know, I put those poseur plastic covers from Touratech under the seat on my GS.

I think the old airheads had a better setup for bash plates, as they could be welded to the double-cradle frame and leave the motor untouched.

[Rad]

I took the two-piece skidder plates off my GS, and they stay off. Unless you're cRaSHinG over logs, the skid plates just keep the engine hot. For my money, the less crap hiding the motor from your eyes the better it looks. But what do I know

I like your thinking, I have taken off about everything I can.

I won't take off the skid plate because it came in handy two times off road on my Canyon Lands trip in the fall.

[CodeMonkee]

Originally posted by Andrew I think the old airheads had a better setup for bash plates, as they could be welded to the double-cradle frame and leave the motor untouched.

I suppose you could to that, but I have never seen any GS that had that done; all of them that I have seen had the bash plate bolted to the bottom of the crankcase which extends a good five inches below the frame. At one time I thought it would be a good idea to do a dry sump conversion and get that sump up into the frame, but I think raising the engine would just be a better idea.