BMW GS Update

bmac

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1500 miles is all my experience with BMW, and I knew I had already exceeded my patience with how they do business. This was back in 1991, so maybe things different now, but back then the owner manual was 150 pages long. 50 pages for info on how to ride, specs ect, 100 pages for dealer service visits where they document and place a dealer stamp. No place in the manual even showed where to drain the oil or do even the most basic work yourself. If you need to do these things, see your dealer. Dealer didn't have a tech that could tie his own shoes let alone check oil, change oil or even check tire pressure without injecting 3 problems.
Hope your experience is different. Looks like the dealer can drive 90 miles, which is promising. My dealer they would have got lost and gave up by 1.5 miles.
I had enough "excitement" in the 1600 miles I owned a BMW to satisfy my need for a long time to come.
Plus BMW and Harley are chock full of Chinese parts. I find Japanese far superior to Chinese, but maybe a lot of riders really lust for the Chinese stuff that breaks but is so much more exciting to own.
Perhaps, it might be time to move on. Your brief experience of 30 years ago is hardly relevant today even though it clearly scarred you for life. I hope you aren't still complaining about the girl that dumped you in high school.

There are lots of good bikes available, some better than others. Different strokes for different folks. I always look to Yamaha first and have had 3 Super Tenere's with the last one replaced by a 1250GS. As good as the Super Tenere was the GS just ups the ante in several categories, at least for me. Many folks are happy with their S10 and that is great but BMW does sell a heck of a lot of GS's. Perhaps it is a bit more than an attraction to Chinese parts.

I will have a Tenere again sometime this summer, but it will be a 700.
 

Sierra1

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There's always going to that BMW image. And, like I've said, I'm sure that there are plenty of Beemers that have been trouble free. But. like that old saying "one aw shit will wipe out all of the attaboys. And, after all is said and done, this is a Tenere forum.
 

Boris

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I’m sort of with bmac here. I’ve had my Super Tenere for almost 4 years now and likely to have it for at least another 2. I’m happy with it, but not overwhelmed by it. It’s taken me on numerous European tours, plus Scotland and Wales a couple of times, always without complaint and always trouble free. It’s fast enough for me, handles well enough for me to enjoy the twisties and is pretty cheap to run.

However, I don’t feel the need to drag BMW or any other bike through the dirt at every and any opportunity, like so many threads on this forum turn into. At times, IMO, it’s obsessive. I find it easy to like and enjoy my bike without the spite towards others.
 
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twinrider

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Yokohama
I've ridden the Tiger, and that big triple is GREAT. The sound, the power... it's intoxicating.

At the end of my test ride loop, I waved at the dealer as I sped by and did a second loop. When I finally pulled in, I was literally laughing in my helmet. Dealer said "what'd you think?", and I said, "WOOOOOOooooo!"

At the time, I was more about cheap/ dependable, and Triumph was having some big problems with the engine. A dyed-in-the-wool Triumph riding buddy bitched continuously about the cost and availability of parts. I've pushed it off my list as "too exotic."

It really does bring a lot to the table, and it's a decidedly DIFFERENT experience than the GS... or the S10.
I also had a long test ride on a 2014 Tiger 1200. Amazing engine and the bike also handled really well. The engine problems have been resolved and the touring-friendly features offered on the latest ones are very impressive. Electric windshield, heated seat,semi active suspension, lean ABS, etc.... I would definitely put the Tiger ahead of the GS on my list if I was shopping for a European adv bike.
 
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Dirt_Dad

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My wife really liked the looks of the Tiger, which is 90% of the sale to her. She was pleased to find a factory lowered at the dealer. For her, the bike was 90% in the garage...until she tried to pick it up off the kickstand. The bike is so top heavy the salesgirl was trying to share tricks for getting a top heavy bike upright. Not the direction she was wanting to go after getting off the Tenere.
 

HeliMark

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Dec 18, 2013
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Tennessee
I am looking to replace my bike, and looking at all that is out there, new Tenere, V85TT...etc. What has caught my attention is the new Tiger 900 that is due in a couple of months. From all the reviews, it is looking pretty good.
 
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ballisticexchris

Guest
Perhaps, it might be time to move on. Your brief experience of 30 years ago is hardly relevant today even though it clearly scarred you for life. I hope you aren't still complaining about the girl that dumped you in high school.

There are lots of good bikes available, some better than others. Different strokes for different folks. I always look to Yamaha first and have had 3 Super Tenere's with the last one replaced by a 1250GS. As good as the Super Tenere was the GS just ups the ante in several categories, at least for me. Many folks are happy with their S10 and that is great but BMW does sell a heck of a lot of GS's. Perhaps it is a bit more than an attraction to Chinese parts.

I will have a Tenere again sometime this summer, but it will be a 700.
I’m sort of with bmac here. I’ve had my Super Tenere for almost 4 years now and likely to have it for at least another 2. I’m happy with it, but not overwhelmed by it. It’s taken me on numerous European tours, plus Scotland and Wales a couple of times, always without complaint and always trouble free. It’s fast enough for me, handles well enough for me to enjoy the twisties and is pretty cheap to run.

However, I don’t feel the need to drag BMW or any other bike through the dirt at every and any opportunity, like so many threads on this forum turn into. At times, IMO, it’s obsessive. I find it easy to like and enjoy my bike without the spite towards others.
Well said guys. OTOH this is a Super Tenere forum so a lot of the guys are biased.

I for do not care for the BMW brand simply for cost of ownership and the odd handling characteristics of the bike. The BMW shaft hop is something I cannot live with. It forces you into relearning how to control a bike in the corners. Also the torque of the engine pulling the bike to one side when accelerating in a corner is really strange.

One thing I will say that is a big plus on the GS is the Telelever front suspension. It is nothing short of amazing. You have the plushness of ride quality with zero front end dive when braking hard.

What's cool about motorcycles is we all have choices. It's not a one size fits all. I have no problem at all riding my bike in a sea of BMW and KTM's. At almost any given ADV rally almost every single bike is a BMW GS or KTM:

08D4ABEF-4372-4D81-A947-91B8460CCAAC.jpegBF27C326-70BA-4025-AC6E-50CE8A5195A2.jpegCA6C830E-A5CC-4FF1-B08C-61CC4874D56F.jpegFC21C85A-1B44-4EE6-B5B0-D30C077C2DB6.jpeg5DB9F7BA-132D-4B45-BB8C-6AC9109CF7F0.jpeg
 

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Sierra1

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….I have no problem at all riding my bike in a sea of BMW and KTM's. At almost any given ADV rally almost every single bike is a BMW GS or KTM...
That's part of the image thing I was talking about. The Tenere does look a little mundane beside the decked out competition. My bike doesn't have to live up to any expectations, or project a certain image. What you see, is what you get. Nothing against any other brand(s), but when I pull up beside one of them, I feel like I know a secret that they don't. :)
 

bmac

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Mar 17, 2012
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I for do not care for the BMW brand simply for cost of ownership and the odd handling characteristics of the bike. The BMW shaft hop is something I cannot live with. It forces you into relearning how to control a bike in the corners. Also the torque of the engine pulling the bike to one side when accelerating in a corner is really strange.
Where do you come up with this stuff?

I have no idea what you are talking about. There is absolutely no substance to those statements. The bike handles extremely well in corners and reacts no differently than any other motorcycle. The biggest reason I bought it and sold the Super Tenere is the substantially improved side to side transitions while cornering in successive turns. I ride a bunch of different motorcycles on a regular basis and the GS does nothing unusual.
 
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ballisticexchris

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Where do you come up with this stuff?

I have no idea what you are talking about. There is absolutely no substance to those statements. The bike handles extremely well in corners and reacts no differently than any other motorcycle. The biggest reason I bought it and sold the Super Tenere is the substantially improved side to side transitions while cornering in successive turns. I ride a bunch of different motorcycles on a regular basis and the GS does nothing unusual.
I actually rode a GS and it is one of the most odd handling machines I have ever swung a leg over. Trying to do mid corner steering/direction changes was next to impossible. The shaft hop when off/on throttle trail braking in the turns was spooky. And the torque of the motor wants to pull you over to the right. I did not like it. Having to compensate for that was not enjoyable.

When I ride a bike for the first time I want it to feel part of me. I don't like having to compromise for all the little quirks of the machine.
 

Dirt_Dad

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When I ride a bike for the first time I want it to feel part of me. I don't like having to compromise for all the little quirks of the machine.
I want Ed Mcman handing me a million dollar check every time I open my front door. Sadly that has never happened. Nor have I ever gotten on a new bike and ridden at a high level without getting adjusted to the new everything.

But maybe that's just me.
 
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VRODE

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Ride what you like, like what you ride.


FWIW this is a Super Tenere forum. Most here have come to appreciate the experience of owning one. If you're here to expound on why the ST doesn't float your boat, you will hear contrary opinions and then we inevitably segue into what's wrong with brand X,Y, and Z.

There are hardly any terrible motorcycles being made anymore. But human wants, desires, and conclusions vary with every rider. If it works for you, fine. If it doesn't work for you, that's ok too. But listing why the bike you ride is so much superior, while slagging on another brand isn't a good look IMHO.
We all ride, but we don't all ride for the exact same reasons, desires or motivation. I only wish I had the resources to own more motorcycles (of all different brands). For now I'll continue to enjoy the road with Godzilla.
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