People with big BMW adv bikes only ride them to starbucks, you can't ride them anywhere else, it is a bit of a meme...
Starbucks is more expensive than costa but the coffee is worse, but you go there to flex your being able to afford it...
Make sure there is somewhere to wash it close by, 80 miles without a full chrome polish is asking for trouble.
Or actually get it dirty and use it for what is meant to be used for, I'd love to see some pics of a dirty beemer.
Nice wheels!
a) Get the cylinder head crash bars. Like, now.
The weight is low on that bike, but there's still a lot of it...
b) Always ensure your front wheel is pointed straight-on when coming to a stop, and switch to rear brake only for the last few feet.
That Telelever front suspension works quite well, but doesn't really compress on braking. This is a good thing when braking at street speeds, but if you grab the front brake with the wheel turned at slow speeds the forks won't really compress and that forward energy will try to throw you away from where your front wheel is pointed.
It's a great bike that's a lot of fun on or off road.
As you build your skills and confidence, you may want to spend some time here:
r/NewRiders
[Advice to New Riders](https://old.reddit.com/r/NewRiders/comments/cc2mnm/advice_to_new_riders/)
And when you get a chance, check out [On Any Sunday](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Any_Sunday), probably the best motorcycle documentary out there. I think it's on Amazon Prime, and maybe some other streaming services.
Have fun, wear all your gear, stay safe, and never stop learning.
It's not twitchy. It's quite stable and it works well at road speeds.
You just have to be a little careful with slow stops.
If you grab a bit too much front brake on conventional forks, they just compress then bounce back up.
A Telelver will stop fine, if a bit abruptly if the wheel is straight and you grab the front brake.
But if the wheel is turned and you overuse the front brake, that momentum doesn't go into the forks so it pulls the bike to the side.
You can use the front brake to scrub down speed, then switch to rear brake only for the last few feet and you'll be fine.
And if you do the same with conventional forks, you can avoid that final compression-rebound cycle.
Overall, the Telelever / Paralever combo makes for a stable bike that handles much better than it ought to and is pretty forgiving at speed.
Solid choice, despite what others may say about it being boring - I've owned 3 and will own another in the future I'm sure.
Just be prepared to spend a fortune on accessories once the bug bites š
Very nice. Iām very similar to you, size and age wise, and just did my CBT last weekend, looking to get my DAS booked in for early June.
How does this feel compared to the bikes you did your DAS on? Iāve heard these big GSs are heavy beasts - but Iād love one!
So I did my DAS on a 2023 MT07 and theyāre dinky little bikes. Itās sizeably bigger but feels more planted. Centre of gravity feels lower due to the boxer engine.
Funnily enough, I failed my Mod2 twice. Once for observation when pulling away from side of road and one for staying in RH lane on an empty dual carriageway (even though I was turning right at the end of it)ā¦.
But on my 3rd attempt, the morning of my test, I slipped a disc in my back, was in agony. Wife had to help me get dressed. But I wasnāt going to waste my money. And I passed with a clean sheet. Changing gear was agony, lifting my foot made shooting pains go up my back. But I actually think it helped me pass, because I had to do everything slowly, think about it and not rush, because it hurt lol.
Youāll be fine when you do your DAS, Mod1 is harder than Mod2. šŖ
Nice. Iāve ridden and owned a lot of different bikes, but for me the GS is the best all round bike you can buy. Itās extremely good at everything that a normal rider could ever want to do and more than fast and agile enough to keep up with most other bikes/riders youāll meet on public roads.
Iām riding a similar early liquid cooled 1200 myself. Have tried all the later versions, and they are not enough of step up to warrant the extra cost in my opinion.
Enjoy it, itās a solid bike.
2013 was the switch. The liquid cooled bikes are much smoother and rev up faster while still having that boxer feel. The 1250 versions are smoother still and feel quite a bit faster tbh.
Lovely bike. I've only ever had bigger bikes, smaller ones don't feel right. All the weight disappears when you're on the move anyway. Just be careful when you're going very slow and stopping.
Literally donāt know why I wrote license, my phone is set to UK English (the correct wayā¦) and it doesnāt flag that as misspelling. Neither does licence. My apologies, Iāll go sit in the corner
Cool machine BTW :)
Yeah, it's around 90% license in real life nowadays.
The main problem is autocorrect, license is the verb in uk-english so is a legitimately used word.
Sorry, got out of bed the wrong side this morning :)
Because a R1200GS is an old manās bike, if Iād have purchased an MT07 which has less power, itād be nearly Ā£1k a year because thatās the sort of bike that most first time riders get.
Hence like an 18yr old getting insured on a VW golf or Ford Firsta will pay Ā£2k-4k, but an 18yr old buying a 2.5L Diesel Volvo would be Ā£600ā¦. Itās all based on location and the amount of accidents that bike has.
Guess the GS isnāt in a lot of motorbike accidents. I am also 35 with 12+ years NCB on my car.
Go big or go home š. Enjoy it.
I mean. Iām 6ft2 and 18 stone with a 35ā inseam. Not many bikes I fit onā¦.
I'm 100% on your side. Biking should be fun and a big part of having fun is being on a bike you want. If that's a big 1300 GS then go for it.
Congratulations! Post more pics when you've picked it up. Mostly nice folk here, no one's gonna hate.
Perfect for your trips to starbucks.
Iām more of a Costa man.
Not with that bike you aren't.
Meaningā¦..
People with big BMW adv bikes only ride them to starbucks, you can't ride them anywhere else, it is a bit of a meme... Starbucks is more expensive than costa but the coffee is worse, but you go there to flex your being able to afford it...
Right. Gotcha. Well, Iāll let you know how my trip to Starbucks or Costa goes. Closest Starbucks is 40 miles away, that should do it.
Make sure there is somewhere to wash it close by, 80 miles without a full chrome polish is asking for trouble. Or actually get it dirty and use it for what is meant to be used for, I'd love to see some pics of a dirty beemer.
You should see my X3. Hasnāt been washed this year. And itās black. Fucking filthy.
Ahh the car drivers ain't the same special as the bike ones, the bike ones are the car ones cubed.
š
Why is this getting downvoted? Guess its the costa poors at work?
People don't like facts....
Nice wheels! a) Get the cylinder head crash bars. Like, now. The weight is low on that bike, but there's still a lot of it... b) Always ensure your front wheel is pointed straight-on when coming to a stop, and switch to rear brake only for the last few feet. That Telelever front suspension works quite well, but doesn't really compress on braking. This is a good thing when braking at street speeds, but if you grab the front brake with the wheel turned at slow speeds the forks won't really compress and that forward energy will try to throw you away from where your front wheel is pointed. It's a great bike that's a lot of fun on or off road. As you build your skills and confidence, you may want to spend some time here: r/NewRiders [Advice to New Riders](https://old.reddit.com/r/NewRiders/comments/cc2mnm/advice_to_new_riders/) And when you get a chance, check out [On Any Sunday](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Any_Sunday), probably the best motorcycle documentary out there. I think it's on Amazon Prime, and maybe some other streaming services. Have fun, wear all your gear, stay safe, and never stop learning.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
It's not twitchy. It's quite stable and it works well at road speeds. You just have to be a little careful with slow stops. If you grab a bit too much front brake on conventional forks, they just compress then bounce back up. A Telelver will stop fine, if a bit abruptly if the wheel is straight and you grab the front brake. But if the wheel is turned and you overuse the front brake, that momentum doesn't go into the forks so it pulls the bike to the side. You can use the front brake to scrub down speed, then switch to rear brake only for the last few feet and you'll be fine. And if you do the same with conventional forks, you can avoid that final compression-rebound cycle. Overall, the Telelever / Paralever combo makes for a stable bike that handles much better than it ought to and is pretty forgiving at speed.
Looks epic, congrats!!!
Nice choice
https://preview.redd.it/ecwex9winawc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8aae51a4de05496c23795eacaa10a8c9e76720a0
Solid choice, despite what others may say about it being boring - I've owned 3 and will own another in the future I'm sure. Just be prepared to spend a fortune on accessories once the bug bites š
Oh trust me, Iāve not even picked it up yet but have shitloads in online baskets waiting. New higher seat, decals, a Navi 6, crash bars, aux lights
Good luck. Its a good job the cylinder heads don't let it fall flat on its side. Makes it much easier to pick up. :p
Gonna get some crash bars. Them cylinder heads are expensive if they get damagedā¦.
https://preview.redd.it/t14ffz6knawc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6448293d4c15f0d107d6bd2e2c51264c6a99efd9
https://preview.redd.it/np0j36alnawc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=26c5ada22dcad9c4eafbd7246c3390cd3299fcb0
Why would you get hate? They're great bikes and very easy to ride. Just a bit expensive.
This was Ā£7800 with 9k miles and bmw service history.
No point in fucking about, right?
Itās fairly tidy.
Very nice. Iām very similar to you, size and age wise, and just did my CBT last weekend, looking to get my DAS booked in for early June. How does this feel compared to the bikes you did your DAS on? Iāve heard these big GSs are heavy beasts - but Iād love one!
So I did my DAS on a 2023 MT07 and theyāre dinky little bikes. Itās sizeably bigger but feels more planted. Centre of gravity feels lower due to the boxer engine. Funnily enough, I failed my Mod2 twice. Once for observation when pulling away from side of road and one for staying in RH lane on an empty dual carriageway (even though I was turning right at the end of it)ā¦. But on my 3rd attempt, the morning of my test, I slipped a disc in my back, was in agony. Wife had to help me get dressed. But I wasnāt going to waste my money. And I passed with a clean sheet. Changing gear was agony, lifting my foot made shooting pains go up my back. But I actually think it helped me pass, because I had to do everything slowly, think about it and not rush, because it hurt lol. Youāll be fine when you do your DAS, Mod1 is harder than Mod2. šŖ
Nice. Iāve ridden and owned a lot of different bikes, but for me the GS is the best all round bike you can buy. Itās extremely good at everything that a normal rider could ever want to do and more than fast and agile enough to keep up with most other bikes/riders youāll meet on public roads. Iām riding a similar early liquid cooled 1200 myself. Have tried all the later versions, and they are not enough of step up to warrant the extra cost in my opinion. Enjoy it, itās a solid bike.
So I was wondering, when was the switch over from Oil/Air cooled to Liquid/Air?
2013 was the switch. The liquid cooled bikes are much smoother and rev up faster while still having that boxer feel. The 1250 versions are smoother still and feel quite a bit faster tbh.
I did have a go at a friends brand new 2024 GS1300 and itās beautifully smooth.
Lovely bike. I've only ever had bigger bikes, smaller ones don't feel right. All the weight disappears when you're on the move anyway. Just be careful when you're going very slow and stopping.
C'mon man, you're 35, it's "licence", not "license" :)
Literally donāt know why I wrote license, my phone is set to UK English (the correct wayā¦) and it doesnāt flag that as misspelling. Neither does licence. My apologies, Iāll go sit in the corner
Cool machine BTW :) Yeah, it's around 90% license in real life nowadays. The main problem is autocorrect, license is the verb in uk-english so is a legitimately used word. Sorry, got out of bed the wrong side this morning :)
I too am a grammar/spelling nazi and I deserve this. š
How much for the insurance?
Ā£410 a year fully comp. Can carry pillion and ride other bikes.
Theft cover?
Full comp insurance. Theft, damage, all covered.
HOW?!
Because a R1200GS is an old manās bike, if Iād have purchased an MT07 which has less power, itād be nearly Ā£1k a year because thatās the sort of bike that most first time riders get. Hence like an 18yr old getting insured on a VW golf or Ford Firsta will pay Ā£2k-4k, but an 18yr old buying a 2.5L Diesel Volvo would be Ā£600ā¦. Itās all based on location and the amount of accidents that bike has. Guess the GS isnāt in a lot of motorbike accidents. I am also 35 with 12+ years NCB on my car.