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OMG! Water cooled R1200GS

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kurt

kurt

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Location
Lago Vista, Texas
First Name
Kurt
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Brown
First off, no, I do not have a new bike. :mrgreen: I did tell Robert K to let me know when its demo days are over though.

Lacking anything constructive to do today, I wandered over to LSBMW because Woodbutcher had told me yesterday that they were uncrating three of the new bikes. One sat with a sold sign on the floor, a second sat there as a demo and the third was MIA. Robert twisted my arm for a few minutes and soon I was riding this new machine with 18 miles on the odometer down the back roads behind LSBMW.

My impressions:

Ergonomically, it feels just like the previous R1200GS

Cosmetically, it is very similar

Windscreen is easily adjustable while riding with a single knob

Winglets should provide better protection from the wind

Japanese style controls..... Some will be happy, I am not

Cruise control!......finally

Fly by wire throttle somewhat abrupt, but no different that the carb to FI adjustment

The engine..... Wow. It is an even bigger difference than the 1200 was over the 1150. Smoother. torquier, more power and what a sound!

The clutch.... pure wet clutch feel. None of the grabbiness associated with dry clutches with a lighter clutch pull than my GS.

file_zps945df762.jpg

file_zps4c2f5cc6.jpg
 
Last edited:
I foresee a demo ride in my future, but I'm scared a little bit. I'm mentally counting up things to sell...
 
i was in there this morning too, picking up a new oil filter, walking past the sold one really surprised me how small it was. i liked it.
 
JasonJ said:
i was in there this morning too, picking up a new oil filter, walking past the sold one really surprised me how small it was. i liked it.
Click to expand...

It doesn't have bags yet. It felt every bit as big as mine while seated on it.
 
Uh oh. I rode it. Talking numbers...

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2
 
Love a dry clutch! Keeps you on your toes.
 
Well, that was a fun ride. Very responsive. I could get in trouble quickly on that bike. I'm going to run the numbers, but with a kid in college financing is out and I'm not sure I can make up the difference between my bike and the wet head. First bike I've ridden since I got my GSA that I like more. I'm going to be wanting one whether or not I can afford it.
 
I bought my Gelände Strasse to be just that. I think the new one is a fine piece of hardware but with all the techno ergo doo-dads, I see it as a VERY expensive drop in the desert.

Maybe when I get this dirt bug out of my system, something like this bike would be more fitting.
 
:tab The hand guards need to be bigger. For that bike, trying to make them look like dirt bike hand guards is silly. They need to effectively block the wind off your hands. Even with heated grips, the wind can make your hands very cold.

:tab Desert Skies, I agree with you. That is why I finally just got my KTM and keep the GS on pavement and dirt roads that you could drive most trucks/jeeps down without too much trouble.
 
Tourmeister said:
:tab The hand guards need to be bigger. For that bike, trying to make them look like dirt bike hand guards is silly. They need to effectively block the wind off your hands. Even with heated grips, the wind can make your hands very cold.
Click to expand...

My hand guards have two different size upper shields. The larger is similar to those on the 1150 GS. I'll bet the new guards are similar as the have the mounting screw in the same location.

77328525880.jpg
 
TWTourist, put the Rostra cruise control on your new Vstrom, like I did on mine and you will be More impressed. Why they all don't have it, I'll never know. HB
 
I was just up at Hurst BMW yesterday, and saw the demo they had. I'd seen it around town earlier in the week as well. I'm different than most probably, but I think at least aesthetically. Maybe it was the light blue color, but I prefer the previous model. I'm sure it runs much better from what I've read, however, I'm not allowing myself test rides for a few years, so I guess I'll wait a while to see for myself.
 
Waiting on my Fire Blue GS to arrive at Lone Star. It was supposed to be built last Friday. Now the wait starts for the trip across the pond.
 
hardybaker said:
TWTourist, put the Rostra cruise control on your new Vstrom, like I did on mine and you will be More impressed. Why they all don't have it, I'll never know. HB
Click to expand...

Need more info. You do the work yourself? Where did you get the CC? Sorry for the hi-jack.
 
Duke said:
Its official...

Guess I will be heading down to Lonestar soon. :rider:


i-43jBDP9-L.jpg
Click to expand...

Watch out for these switches!
I don't think they have finished the design, at least not for the Texas summer.
 
:tab It definitely looks better than the standard water cooled 1200 GS. But the last few years it seems like the BMW styling people have gone nuts with plastic bits and pieces. They bikes went from a simple functional look to a BUSY globbed up look. Just think of all the little clips, tabs, etc... that it must take to keep all those bits in place. I kind of miss the simplicity of removing ONE bolt and popping two quick disconnects to get the gas tank off my old 1150 GS. Now you have a myriad of fasteners and body parts to keep track of :doh:

:tab Still... I'd ride it :mrgreen:
 
kurt said:
First off, no, I do not have a new bike. :mrgreen: I did tell Robert K to let me know when its demo days are over though.

Lacking anything constructive to do today, I wandered over to LSBMW because Woodbutcher had told me yesterday that they were uncrating three of the new bikes. One sat with a sold sign on the floor, a second sat there as a demo and the third was MIA. Robert twisted my arm for a few minutes and soon I was riding this new machine with 18 miles on the odometer down the back roads behind LSBMW.

My impressions:

Ergonomically, it feels just like the previous R1200GS

Cosmetically, it is very similar

Windscreen is easily adjustable while riding with a single knob

Winglets should provide better protection from the wind

Japanese style controls..... Some will be happy, I am not

Cruise control!......finally

Fly by wire throttle somewhat abrupt, but no different that the carb to FI adjustment

The engine..... Wow. It is an even bigger difference than the 1200 was over the 1150. Smoother. torquier, more power and what a sound!

The clutch.... pure wet clutch feel. None of the grabbiness associated with dry clutches with a lighter clutch pull than my GS.

file_zps945df762.jpg

file_zps4c2f5cc6.jpg
Click to expand...
Is it as tall as the older model?
 
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