BIKETEST BMW R 1200 GS:A few months with the R 1200 GS and CONOR TWOMEYcan see why it's so popular but he's still not in love
THE ORIGINS of my long-term testing of the BMW R1200GS go back to last year’s F800GS launch, when I told BMW Ireland’s Motorrad manager that I didn’t really see why anyone would need a R 1200 GS when the F 800 GS was so good. She thought I was mad and explained that until I lived with one for a while, I wouldn’t “get” the R 1200 GS. She was convinced I’d fall for it whereas I was full of scepticism – it’s too big and posh for proper enduro riding. It may be BMW’s most successful model, with well over 100,000 sold worldwide, but to me it just seemed like a two-wheeled SUV.
To ensure I got the most from my GS experience, I was given the facelifted version with new LED rear lights, wheels, restyling faring, revised induction and exhaust systems and reworked gearbox. BMW also fitted the premium and dynamic packages, meaning I got the more advanced computer-controlled suspension system, which offers push-button adjustability of both ends, as well as two-mode traction control and ABS. Kitted out in Namibia orange, it came to €18,455 – a lot of money, but you get a lot of bike for your buck.
While I’ll admit the looks didn’t grow on me at all, once I started using it regularly my opinion did change somewhat.
Whenever the city centre beckoned, covers came off and, thanks to excellent visibility from its elevated riding position, light steering and torquey boxer engine, it is deceptively good at nipping through heavy traffic. It looks wide and heavy but is quite wieldy and the ease with which it catapults away from the lights still catches me by surprise. For safety and convenience, I fitted a TomTom Rider sat-nav, which comes with a Bluetooth headset, and I invested in a Keis heated vest. Yes, I know, I’m not a real man, but sitting bolt upright on the GS can get chilly during the winter months and why suffer the pain when you don’t have to?
For much of the winter, the GS ran on knobbly Metzeler tyres, which allowed me to see how it coped with my favourite haunts. With six off-road suspension settings, it took a while to find the ideal set-up, but once properly configured, it proved capable over modest terrain.
Traction control was a no-brainer. In Sport, it allowed just enough slip to keep the bike moving up slimy inclines without killing momentum, but when turned off the GS became very unruly and kicked me into the bushes more than once.
Fortunately, the GS didn’t suffer any damage but because it’s such a heavy beast I wasn’t able to pick it up on my own, which underlines the main issue I have with it – its weight. When the going gets tough, it becomes real work to keep it upright, and the front wheel proves surprisingly difficult to keep out of ruts. If the GS gets knocked off balance, it takes real effort to right it again and it also lands with an unpleasant thud if it catches a little air.
It wasn’t until I got the Bridgestone Battlewings re-fitted that I started to feel at ease again. During a recent long-distance tour of the country I started to enjoy the GS’s surprisingly lively handling and ability to cover huge distances. The average fuel economy of 6.4l/100km that I saw was poor, though, forcing me to stop for fuel every 250km or so.
So, while it looks like you could take it anywhere, the R 1200G S is really a grand tourer dressed as an enduro bike.
Used as such, it’s rather excellent, a relaxing and rapid way of criss-crossing the country. It has also been faultlessly reliable, enduring all kinds of temperatures and weathers, with nothing more than a flimsy bike cover for protection, yet it fired up every time and nothing malfunctioned, fell off or broke, with the exception of the rear light lens (which was my fault).
As far as BMW is concerned, mission accomplished: I now understand why the GS is so popular. But my original argument holds true: the R 1200 GS might be a fine bike in its own right, but as an all-purpose enduro, the F 800 GS wins out.
FACTFILE: BMW R 1200 GS
Engine:1,170cc, air/oil-cooled, single cam, 4-valve, flat Boxer twin putting out 105hp @ 7,500rpm and 115Nm @ 5,750rpm
0-100km/h:3.3 seconds
Top speed:200km/h+
Transmission:six-speed gearbox, dry clutch, shaft drive
Frame:steel tubular frame, load-bearing engine
Dimensions:length – 2,210mm, width – 940mm, wheelbase – 1,507mm, seat height – 850/870mm
Weight:229kg wet
Brakes:Brembo 4-piston fixed front callipers, twin 305mm floating discs; double-piston rear floating calliper, single 265mm disc
Price as tested:€18,455