BMW Luxury Touring Community - Hello All, and a ? re. GS vs GS Adventure

View Full Version : Hello All, and a ? re. GS vs GS Adventure

Reed

Jul 10th, 2006, 11:03 pm

Hi,

Newb horning in here. I know I'm sposed to lurk for a while but I don't have a while. Please indulge me. I'm in heat over the GS. My last bike (fourth overall) was a Harley Sturgis but it's been 20 years out of the game for me.

I always said if I got back in it would very likely be on a BMW. After a couple months of pondering it came to me that it was time to get back in. I ain't gettin any younger (56) and getting from here to there has become an absolute bore ... not to mention the disgust at those $80 fillups. I put 90% of my road miles in on easy country roads in the Texas Hill Country and I do a lot of back road exploring as a professional art photograher. I shoot landscapes and nature.

Obviously the GS is made for a guy like me. It would be sensible to go with a smaller bike but hey ... life is short. Big powerful bikes are fun. Getting to my question: I was all het up over the Gs Adventure but when I saw the GS in person I began to think the Adventure was a bridge too far.

The furthest afield I will ever probably go is a bad dirt/gravel road or the occasional well worn jeep trail through a rolling pasture. Though these will be regular fair. 200 miles will be top of my range and seldom further than 40 miles or so from a gas station. I like the idea of crash bars but these can be stuck on the regular GS. The big ole tank on the Adventure seems now to me like a disadvantage given my needs. The extra suspension travel will not be required.

What am I missing? Are my calculations correct? :bmw:

mikerd400

Jul 11th, 2006, 12:11 am

Go with the regular GS. Especially since it has been awhile since you've been on a bike. You will love the GS. It is such a blast.

See if you can test ride the bikes, that way you can tell what you like.

Reed

Jul 11th, 2006, 1:12 am

Thanks mikerd,

For sure. Kinda hard to test drive an Adventure as they're very rare around here but I'm lookin. :D

ranks

Jul 11th, 2006, 8:00 am

Sounds like you pegged it.

If you don't need the range or suspension travel, the only thing you're missing are the bars and new/improved windscreen on the Adventure.

I'm like you, except every once in a while, I wish I had a longer range, but not too often, and not enough to change tanks or add an auxillary.

DaveDragon

Jul 11th, 2006, 8:13 am

I love the additional range of the Adventure!
But thats just me.

ranks

Jul 11th, 2006, 8:22 am

Well Dave,

I bet you do !!

What an awesome ride you just had.
12-14 hours and I'm ready for a good nights sleep.

I wonder how many extra hours it would have cost you with a 200 mile range, instead of a 400 mile range ?

DaveDragon

Jul 11th, 2006, 8:25 am

Reed

Jul 11th, 2006, 1:23 pm

Thanks ranks. Have to look into the windscreen. I've seen that lots of folks change the windscreen on the GS but had not picked up the fact that the Adventure has a new improved one. Can you just buy the Adventure one and farkelize it or does it bolt right on the GS?

Reed

Jul 11th, 2006, 1:28 pm

Dave Dragon,

I caught your trip report. Highly individualistic pictoriography to say the least. :p How'd you do that anyway? Loved it. :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

DaveDragon

Jul 11th, 2006, 1:30 pm

Dave Dragon,

I caught your trip report. Highly individualistic pictoriography to say the least. :p How'd you do that anyway? Loved it. :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:
Smoke & Mirrors http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/images/icons/icon10.gif

ranks

Jul 11th, 2006, 1:35 pm

The GS Adventure comes with winglets next to the windscreen. I think the windscreen can be bolted on but the frame mounts for the winglets don't exist. Some people have bought them and drilled holes and made mounts to put them on their GS.

I haven't tried it, but would check out the posts on advrider for more details

http://www.bmwgs.com/forums

mikerd400

Jul 11th, 2006, 4:35 pm

The GSA windscreen can be installed on the GS. Cost is about $400. Includes windscreen and hardware.

TG6

Sep 7th, 2006, 12:42 am

I believe you have already made your decision but here are some of the facts you should consider. The extra range is great when travelling but if you are to venture off road the extra weight may be a problem (all though you don't have to fill the tank to the top). The crash bars are also nice and recommended if you are going to get your bike dirty. The shorter screen will only be an issue if you are tall but the winglets down the side are nice to keep the wind off of you. If you are to buy all the extras to put on a GS then I would suggest you purchase the GSA (it will be cheaper then the upgrade). If you don't need the extra suspension, wind protection, range and motor protection, get the GS. Just my 2 cents...