BMW R 1250GS: First Ride Impression

After test riding both the Rally Pro and GT Pro, makes sense that the next bike on the list to test is the R1250GS. One of the member in the group mentioned that he was lucky to have bought the GS before the release of the Tiger 900 else he would be in a dilemma on which to get.

Called BMW Penang to enquire if they have the test ride unit for R1250GS and F850GS. The test unit for the F850GS was not available because it was in the service center for maintenance but both the GS and GSA are available.

Headed to BMW and at the entrance to the Motorrad section, they have the Boxer engine on display.

Call the salesperson to inform him that I am at the showroom and he told me he will be with me in minute so I entertained myself with the other bikes available at the showroom. The first bike that caught my eye is the R1250GSA exclusive in stealth black.

The stealth black R1250GSA Exclusive

The next bike which caught my eye is the R1250GS Rallye. The rallye version was equipped with the rallye seat which is "harder and higher for off-road riding, the seat’s narrow silhouette gives an enduro look and the slim line design helps off-road riders reach the ground easier. The seat replaces both standard rider and passenger seat."- from Bahnstormer.

Testing out the GS Rallye version

There are a few other bikes on display as well. There is the S1000RR on display and I couldn't resist the temptation to sit on it as the bike looks so good. It is a shame that the riding position is not suitable for me. There is also the R nineT and the F 310GS on display.

F 310GS

R nineT

After handing over the required documents to the salesperson, I was given the option to test ride either the GS or GSA. I opted for the GS as I was afraid that the GSA might be a bit too wide for me. To be honest, I was a bit nervous before getting on the GS as this is the biggest cc bike I have ever rode. First thing I noticed was the seat was very comfortable. Now I know why people opted to take this bike for long trips.

Before taking off I was briefed on the different riding modes and controls of the bike. There are a total of 7 riding modes: road, rain, dynamic, dynamic pro, enduro and enduro pro. I was advised to not try dynamic pro on the road as it is easy to wheelie on that mode. It was a breeze to change between the modes: close the throttle, change to the desired mode and back on the throttle. Testing all the riding modes except the dynamic pro, I left the bike mostly on dynamic mode during the ride. The bike comes equipped with electronic suspension like the Triumph GT Pro. It consist of road which has a softer suspension and dynamic for firmer suspension. I tried both and prefer the dynamic suspension. Before I took off from the showroom, the salesperson told me that it is keyless so I asked him if it was okay for me to ride off without the fob. It was only then that he noticed he still has the fob and passed it to me.

All the nervousness went away when I got the bike moving. I am not sure if this is the main intent of the BMW engineers but the bike has a very deceiving look to it. It looks big and intimidating when view on the outside but once you are in the cockpit the bike feels much smaller. The GS is very nimble, light and the throttle response is very smooth. I expected the bike to be hard to filter through traffic but that is not the case. The bike is very stable at low speed. With a 1250cc engine, there is no need to change gears that often. I only manage to use 2nd gear while riding in traffic. The most I have gone up to was 3rd gear but that is only for awhile before getting caught in the next red light.

As with the Triumph Tigers, the GS comes built in with auto off signal lights function. Since this is an adventure bike, I tried to ride standing up and found it very comfortable and the controls and hand positions are very natural even at high speed. Feels more natural than on the Tiger.

The side view mirror has a huge blind spot. I tried to adjust as best as I could but was still not satisfied with it at the end if the test ride. Another complain I have with the GS is the horn and pass light positions are too far from handlebar. I always ride with my thumb resting over the horn and pointer on the pass light and I always rest my thumb on the joystick instead of the horn.

One can feel the piston for the boxer engine moving left and right when the bike is not moving. It is something I am not used to but this is the characteristic of the boxer engine. One can also feel the vibrations of the engine but it is not as bad compared to the GT pro. Not sure if this is a normal occurrence or if it is due to the demo bike but there is clunk when you shift into gears. I would expect it to be smoother.

After returning from test riding I was instructed to park the bike at the back. I was wondering where to park until I saw another GS and when I parked next to it only then I notice that the bike is a GSA and the difference in size is very noticeable.

Size difference between the GSA and the GS

Overall the GS is a nice bike to ride. Now I know why so many reviews online recommend GS as a all-rounder bike and I agree with them but if I was given a choice between the GS and the Tiger, I would go for the Tiger.

The most fuel efficient and zero carbon emission GS ever produced

 Remember to ride safe, be vigilant and keep the rubber side down