If you will/could buy your GS1200 again

[gsMark]

Hello all,

My name is Mark and I am a GS-aholic.

Seriously, this is my first post so I want to thank you all in advance for having me here and for your reading.

Here is the deal. I have saved all the money, convinced my better half, and decided to buy my GS1200 in March/April. Coming from a Tenere 660 (as old as reliable) and not being a hardcore traveler I have decided to go for the "simple" GS and not the GSA. My poison of choice is the "tripleblack" edition.

Now, me being a newbie but not fully retarded I have decided to add crashbars, bottom protection and "saddles" to the standard equipment, but I would also like to ask the experts (that's you guys) what else would you get on the standard equipment (that I couldn't get or would be too costly afterwards).

So, in other words, if you were to buy your GS1200 new today, what would you definitely add to the standard equipment?

Thanks again!

Mark.

[Quanto12]

Hey Mark,
There are some guys here with way much more experience with the GS than I,but I thought i say my opinion anyway!
I have a complete loaded 2009 GSA(upgraded from a loaded 2008 GS), I put on about 20,000 kms on each,and the options that i appreciate the most are the heated grips,hand protection,crash bars, and the ABS that have proven themself once and that was enough for me! I do enjoy the onboard computer and the ESA, but i could probably do without.The Enduro Transmission is good for me since I only have 5 years experience on a bike,and it helps offroad.
For crash bars, i would suggest stainless steel ones, and the saddles the BMW ones are great,both the Vario and the Alluminium cases!

Good luck with your choices, and show us some pictures when you get it!

Arthur.

[cug]

1) Different windshield

The OEM was too noisy for me. Winter time I use a Givi Airflow combined with Adventure Winglets and Tobinators. Works quite well, but in the end, an Aeroflow might give better results for only a little bit higher price.

From my blog:

http://r1200gs.event-s.net/2010/09/givi-airflow_20.html
http://r1200gs.event-s.net/2010/10/u...i-airflow.html

2) Top Case

I used a Givi V46 as I got it for an absolute killer deal from a co-worker. Great, fits our two Shoei MultiTec helmets (other helmets might not fit as well, might be only one), I use the Givi low mount. Long term, I'll get a GSA rear rack and mount a different Givi baseplate to it for commute, but can take it off and have a nice luggage rack on trips.

http://r1200gs.event-s.net/2010/09/g...6-topcase.html

Photo of Top Case and Windshield:



A nice rear rack is the one from MC Products, too:

http://r1200gs.event-s.net/2010/08/s...s-luggage.html

3) Side Cases

I haven't decided yet, but look into a more narrow exhaust (Hattech, Keihan, Metal Mule ...) in combination with Micatech Cases like this:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showp...&postcount=168

Not with the low exhaust though (I hate the look).

4) Grip Puppies

Make the grip diameter a bit bigger, dampen vibrations.

http://r1200gs.event-s.net/2010/12/10-well-spent.html



5) Lower Pegs

Fastway, Pivot Pegz, you name it. Lower and wider and more comfortable. Cheap alternative is to look for used GSA pegs.

http://r1200gs.event-s.net/2010/08/m...en-better.html

6) GPS

I use a Garmin GPSMap 60CSx (didn't like the 62S and returned it) with Touratech mount, power supply from the bike (that's why I used a 60CSx), RAM mount base

http://r1200gs.event-s.net/2010/11/gps-mount.html

7) Large Handguard spoilers

I like the wind protection better and I didn't like the grey color

8) Seat

If necessary. I kind of like the OEM seat, also have a GSA seat but will probably sell it again.

9) Bash Plate

Not strictly necessary, but nice to have some more protection down below. I use a BestRest with extension.

http://r1200gs.event-s.net/2010/12/m...ad-worthy.html

10) Engine Bars

Probably will get Hepco & Becker, I like them. Haven't done it yet, but gravel roads are calling, therefore I'll add it soon.

11) Hammerhead Shift Lever

A little bit lower, a little bit longer. Worked good for me so far.

http://r1200gs.event-s.net/2010/09/h...ift-lever.html

12) Tankbag

Thinking of getting a BMW bag, the smaller one. Some thoughts here:

http://r1200gs.event-s.net/2010/08/t...selection.html

I didn't think I'd need one but the more I use the bike for trips, the more I miss one.

13) Lights

I plan on adding additional lights for being seen as well as to see better. Probably a combination is in order for the two tasks.

14) More power outlets

For some more electronic gadgets.

15) Fender Extender and Rear Hugger

Worth a 100 washes ...

16) Tool Tube

The space under the seat is too small for a really useful toolset.

17) Tool Set

The stuff that comes with the bike is a joke.

18) Headlight Glare Guard (was necessary with Givi Airflow Screen)

I got the Altrider one.

19) Headlight Protector

Haven't done that.

20) Oil Cooler Protector

Haven't gotten one but like the Twalcom.

21) Bar Risers

Haven't done yet, but will add 30mm risers. That should be enough for me.

22) Louder Horn

Haven't done, don't think I ever will.

23) Lots more ...

Have fun.

[marc]

#1: After market shocks. I've Ohlins front and rear. Best upgrade ever.
#2: Zega aluminum panniers. Not the Zega pro, but the old style. I would not buy a bike with the stock bags.
#3: sheepskin butt pad for the saddle
#4: A decent tank bag. I'm partial to my Touratech bag.
#5: Fog lights on a light bar. I'm happy with the Hella Micro-DE fogs.
#6: side stand foot enlargement plate.
#8: crash bars. I'm using the Hepco Becker
#8: Mt. Sun tank paniers. Best thing for distributing the load of all mu camping gear.
#9: Kaoko throttle lock. Don't use it often but appreciate it when I do.
#10: After market foot pegs. I'm using the no longer made Powerpegz.
#11: bar risers. They add a touch of comfort.
#12: Rear seat/deck bag to hold my camera gear.

There's more, but those are the things I'd most likely remove from my current bike before selling (I kept the stock suspension for that purpose) and move to any new bike I was buying.

[gsMark]

Hello again,

First at all, thanks for all your replies. I can already see that a huge added value to this motorbike is the biker community. I am honestly impressed by the amount of time you guys took to provide me with the best advice possible, so kudos to you all.

Regarding some of your answers, here are some comments:

To Quanto12
As I understand you went from GS to GSA. Was that worth it? I am not so hot about the extra weight and width that comes with an increased tank. I always thought that, shall I ever need the extra capacity, I can either add gas tanks to the side luggage or get one of this gas "extensions" like the one that Touratech sells, which is basically a couple of tanks that replace the front sides of the bike.

Also, although not a German I live in Germany and, for the time being, I am going to focus my travelling around the whole of the EU, so I doubt I will will find myself out of gas for the next few years.

So, what do you think about it?

To Cug
Your blog is amazing. I was browsing a bit this morning and man oh man talk about documenting your steps! Great job and keep it up!

Regarding your comments:
1. Winshield - Check! Not sure I want to get something that high, but then again that is an aftermarket product so I will buy it after I get the bike.

2 and 3. Cases - Check! Big dilemma there, though. I am going to use the bike daily and also for long trips, so my plan is to get a hard top case (making sure I can fit 2 helmets as you indicated) and maybe a couple of soft cases such as the Firstgear Onyx saddlebags. I have also seen Jeese bags and they look pretty good as well, but then again I want something "easy" and not too bulky.

And yes, no low exhaust here either!

4. Grip puppies - Check! Never heard of them so thanks a lot for the tip, and believe you me that I will probably carry them with me the day I go pick up the machine from the dealer. On a second thought, since I am going to need hot water to fit them I may wait until I get home to do so.

5. Pegs - Check! I am not tall but my feet are big, so I will do exactly what you wrote and try to take a look at some from an old GSA.

6. GPS. I have one in my phone so I think I want to try to use it in the bike. I used it in the car and it was superb, so we shall see whether I will buy a new one or not.

7. Handguard spoilers. The Tripleblack comes with its own, so they should do the trick.

8. Seat. I am going to test drive a bike in a few ones that is exactly like the one I plan to buy. At 5'7" I don't know whether I will need a lower seat (I know how to lower the OEM one, which I will do during my test) so we shall see about that one.

9. Bash plate - Check! To me, that's a must because I have seen far too many scratches and damages at the lower sides.

10. Bars - Check! Here I have a dilemma because I don't know if I should buy the little ones that only protect the boxer pistons or the ones that cover the whole thing (where you usually place extra lights). Big ones usually weight an extra 3-4Kg, so I wonder how much better are those in the event of an accident. What do you think?

11. Steer level. Will keep the factory one for the time being.

12. Tank bag. I see your point, but I will buy one ONLY if I can get one that is truly minimal in size.

13. Lights. Check! Another must. Will go for the Skene P3 ones.

14. Power outlets. Check! Here I want to do a bit of a DIY and see if I can fit an USB entry point. If I can make it I will sure put pics of it.

15. Fender extender and extra hugger. Would you mind to post a couple of pics of those? I would like to see how they look like.

16. Tool tube. Check! I will get something once I do my first long distance trip. I have seen a very neat idea of using a tube to hold extra gas as well as a set of tools.

17. Tool set. A nice post would be to write about all the tools needed on a BMW.

18-19. Headlight protection. For sure!

20. Oil cooler protection. I understand that they may cause engine overheating, so I need to do some research before moving forward on that one.

21. Bar raisers. I don't know about that one. I saw a GS with some sort of gimmick that you could use to manually loosen the bars and raise them at will. Not in my list of priorities yet.

To Marc

#1. Care to post a pic of those?
#3. I am thinking to go wild and put a bull horn in front of the bike together with the sheepskin seats

The rest I basically covered above but thanks again for your contribution!

Mark.

[marc]

Originally Posted by gsMark

#1. Care to post a pic of those?
#3. I am thinking to go wild and put a bull horn in front of the bike together with the sheepskin seats

http://www.snafu.org/pics/r1200gs/ has lots of pics (or links to lots of pics, anyway). As for the sheepskin pad...

[cug]

As I understand you went from GS to GSA. Was that worth it? I am not so hot about the extra weight and width that comes with an increased tank. I always thought that, shall I ever need the extra capacity, I can either add gas tanks to the side luggage or get one of this gas "extensions" like the one that Touratech sells, which is basically a couple of tanks that replace the front sides of the bike.

I was in the same position thinking about getting GSA or GS and decided to go with the GS and I prefer to not have the extra bulk in daily life and rather carry extra fuel somewhere else if I need it. So far I haven't needed it.

Your blog is amazing. I was browsing a bit this morning and man oh man talk about documenting your steps! Great job and keep it up!

Thanks! I'll do my best. Have quite things left to document ...

(making sure I can fit 2 helmets as you indicated)

If I would buy new, I'd definitely go with the large Givi Maxia E55 instead of the V46. It's more expensive but I liked it better as you can fit two helmets without fussing around and other stuff fits better, too. The V46 barely fits the two helmets we have. Other than that, for 90% of the time I could do with a smaller Pelican case as the top case and will maybe even do that - just bolted on the Givi carrier.

When I got mine I got a brand new V46 for $100, couldn't resist.

5. Pegs - Check! I am not tall but my feet are big, so I will do exactly what you wrote and try to take a look at some from an old GSA.

A "want to buy" request on advrider.com got offers for me but I got a good offer on Pivot Pegs and went with them instead.

Big ones usually weight an extra 3-4Kg, so I wonder how much better are those in the event of an accident. What do you think?

I will only get the lower ones - don't think the big ones are worth it for me. Hepko & Becker seems to be the most recommended.

12. Tank bag. I see your point, but I will buy one ONLY if I can get one that is truly minimal in size.

I have a Cortech Super Mini sitting here that I'm not using at the moment and I plan to attach it to some SW Motech Quicklock gas cap mount. It'll be either that or the small BMW one that has the advantage of being waterproof without needing a raincover.

13. Lights. Check! Another must. Will go for the Skene P3 ones.

I haven't decided yet. Still waiting for something to show up that I really like.

15. Fender extender and extra hugger. Would you mind to post a couple of pics of those? I would like to see how they look like.

Just examples:

http://www.maier-mfg.com/catalog/bmw...r-splash-guard
http://www.maier-mfg.com/catalog/bmw...nder-extension

17. Tool set. A nice post would be to write about all the tools needed on a BMW.

Simple: http://www.advdesigns.net/ulcobmwr1gsg.html

DIY: http://www.jimvonbaden.com/Tool_Kit.html

18-19. Headlight protection. For sure!

I don't have one. Maybe I get one, low on the list as long as I'm not riding with other people on gravel roads.

20. Oil cooler protection. I understand that they may cause engine overheating, so I need to do some research before moving forward on that one.

Same as headlight guard.

[scootertrash]

Originally Posted by gsMark

Hello all,

My name is Mark and I am a GS-aholic.

Seriously, this is my first post so I want to thank you all in advance for having me here and for your reading.

Here is the deal. I have saved all the money, convinced my better half, and decided to buy my GS1200 in March/April. Coming from a Tenere 660 (as old as reliable) and not being a hardcore traveler I have decided to go for the "simple" GS and not the GSA. My poison of choice is the "tripleblack" edition.

Now, me being a newbie but not fully retarded I have decided to add crashbars, bottom protection and "saddles" to the standard equipment, but I would also like to ask the experts (that's you guys) what else would you get on the standard equipment (that I couldn't get or would be too costly afterwards).

So, in other words, if you were to buy your GS1200 new today, what would you definitely add to the standard equipment?

Thanks again!

Mark.

Interesting thread so far, but if I read Mark's original question correctly, it was what "factory installed options" should I not do without.

If that is the case, In addition to ABS (which imho is mandatory) heated grips and hand guards are going to be already on virtually every bike anyway.

Now that I have a 2010 with ESA, I see this as an easy option to do without. My 2007 GSA doesn't have it, and I've never missed it. I actually think my ESA equipped 2010 rides harsher, regardless of how I set it.

The one factory option I'm really high on is the TPM. Your actual tire pressures are displayed on your OBC display. Plus, should either drop below a preset threshold, you get a big warning light flashing in your face. When I pull out of my driveway, I select the TPM option on my OBC before the first hard right turn up ahead. Nice knowing all's OK before going into that turn. Plus, I never have to use a pressure gauge just to see where I am.

Lastly, the TPM can be dealer installed as well, but usually costs more than factory installed.

[cug]

You're right. Given that I would get:

- heated grips, OBC, ABS are mostly standard
- spoked Wheels (stronger than cast, very similar weight, better resale)
- TPM
- ASC (maybe, maybe not)

As far as ESA goes I like it but could easily live without it. If you often change your load parameters, that might be different, but I mainly ride alone with very light luggage, so that wouldn't be a problem for me. I have it and I like the features and when the suspension wears too much I will get a Wilbers WESA system.

[marc]

Yes ASC, no for the standard TPM (unless the BMW TPM has changed).

There is no way to set "proper" tire pressure with the BMW system. You are stuck with what BMW considers proper. If you are the type who airs down for off road riding, for example, you're going to have to live with a flashing warning. If you can't believe the warning the system is useless.

I like tire pressure monitors and have an after market system on my bike. It lets me set the "proper" pressure and warns me about deviations from my set point.