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Gl1800abs

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
So the R1250GS/GSA is now in its third year and considering the competition from KTM and Ducati with their latest Adventure offerings, what do you think BMW will do to change/improve the next generation GS/GSA?

IMHO, I think they will just follow what they have been doing since the R1100GS, i.e. raising the engine size to 1300cc with ShiftCam technology and adding the 10.25" screen and ACC we now see on the RT bikes. Since the R1100GS, BMW has raised the engine displacement by 50cc with each generation after it; R1100, 1150, 1200 and 1250 so why not 1300.

Thoughts anyone?

TIA,
Rob
 
I'd start with more electrical/electronic reliability.

Then I'd fix the concerns here:

Then I'd add Moly grease to the final drive splines in Germany.
 
My thoughts...

I think the next move to differentiate / improve their product

1. Use more composites to lighten the overall weight
2. Possibly a larger engine, and with #1 involved, even better
3. Freaking auto everything
4. Built-in swivel point allowing you to spin your bike on ground (ie. You're facing downhill and need to turn around but no space for 200-point turn 🤪). I've actually done this, using a disc golf disc as my barrier between engine guard and earth. You can spin the bike easily. Then lift and you're pointing the right way!
5. Same as #4, but on center stand area. Drop single post that locks. You can spin the bike that way

Kam
 
Electric center stand
Auto ride height I.e lowers when coming to stop, raising when under way (this would be huge)
Same with the seat height
Lighter more power (of course!)
Option for lower rear rack to get the top box weight lower
Electric windscreen

Or as Kam said, freaking auto everything!
 
I like what Pops58 said about the lower ride hight, not everyone in the world is 2m tall and having the option of a low seat when standing still just makes life easier.
I do not want or need more power, rather spend that R&D money on making the bike lighter, BMW did it with the HP2 10 years ago, its been 10 years, I dont see why a bike should weigh more than 200kg, having 30kg weight cut will improve not only the performance but also maneuverability and probably save on fuel.
my prediction is which ever manufacturer brings out a bike that cuts the weight drastically in the big bike category will be the one to beat.
 
I've been cruising the Ducati forums lately and it seems that the Multistrada V4 is afflicted with some ugly first year problems. That bike has attracted my attention but I'm waiting a year or two to see how that all shakes out.

I'm not sure I'd bet on the M1300GS being designed as more of a sport/street oriented bike. That takes it away from its heritage of a one bike does it all offering. The ability to travel thousands of miles to a twisty OR dirt road is in the GS DNA and I think it would be a mistake to make a sport bike with the GS moniker. Now, give me a 160 HP M1300RS and I think I would forget all about the sexy Italian option for sport touring. A M GS with a 17" front tire and lots of carbon fiber seems to me a bike night/Starbucks attraction and not the more useful tool we know and love.
 
Discussion starter · #11 ·
Electric center stand
Auto ride height I.e lowers when coming to stop, raising when under way (this would be huge)
Same with the seat height
Lighter more power (of course!)
Option for lower rear rack to get the top box weight lower
Electric windscreen

Or as Kam said, freaking auto everything!
HD has auto ride height on their new Pan America............
 
Some of the items requested above are already here. Bigger tank? GSA. Lower seat? They've been offering a 2" factory- lowered version since 2016. Electric centerstand? K1200 LT, 2009 (adds weight and complexity). Some of the items are IMO incompatible with the "G" part of the "GS" appellation, which is a huge part of its appeal whether or not people actually take it offroad.

Speaking only for myself, I think they're beginning to lose the plot on the GS. The fancy swiveling headlight introduced this year is mechanically complex and expensive. Ducati achieved the same thing with a series of LEDs that lit up as the bike leaned over: zero moving parts. Bigger TFT? Frankly I was happier with the semi-analog dash on my 2016 GSA than the TFT unit on the 2020: a deliberately wrong speedometer showing I'm going precisely 53 MPH is not better than one saying I'm going "a little over 50" (plus they've disabled metric display on US-market bikes - why?); a massive bar graph for RPM that I don't even use? Unless it's widget- based and I can customize its layout to meet my needs I'm not interested. Did you know that the TFT can't even show fuel level and the odometer at the same time?

Bottom line, I think they'd be better served with a mechanically competent bike and two branches of electronics, one that shows off all the whizbang electronics and connectivity options for these that like such things, and another for the Luddites among us.
 
HD has auto ride height on their new Pan America............
Yeah, that's what gets me why HD offers it before BMW. The possibilities it would open up, and not just for shorter riders, would be excellent. Low seat/suspension no longer needed (for my virtually challenged friends), the benefit of a greater distance between seat and pegs etc. I'm thinking off test riding that HD just for fun

Rider2, you make excellent point. Personally moved from an RS to a GS as I do a lot of touring, always wanted a GS for the ergos, it's a twin, has shaft drive, a center stand and is under 550lbs (before luggage etc.) But the GS was always way too tall for me. Jumped on a '19 Exclusive low suspension when I came across it. So for me I want to be comfortable but the luddite in me can relate.
 
BMW will replace all remaining components which were still manufactured in Europe or the USA by Chinese items, thus maximizing their profits .
BMW have no interest in improving the intrinsic quality of their products, because if that were the case they already would have addressed those well known problems a long time ago.
 
BMW will replace all remaining components which were still manufactured in Europe or the USA by Chinese items, thus maximizing their profits .
BMW have no interest in improving the intrinsic quality of their products, because if that were the case they already would have addressed those well known problems a long time ago.
POtaTO, PoTAto. One man's known problems are another's design choices. You might not agree with them but I think it's pretty much assured that the BMW Motorrad guys have thought more about these things including the price point of the bike and the net profit from sales. It does no one any good for them to make the most extraordinary bike in the world and offer it at a price no one can afford; or offer it at an unsustainable price for the manufacturer. Everything is a trade off - weight, complexity, cost, features vs. design mission of the bike.

Name another bike that's been around for 40 years that defined a whole new category of motorcycles that still has the same basic design DNA throughout its life? Pick a feature or characteristic and you can likely find another bike that does that one thing better than a GS. It's quite something that there's a bike that does just about everything well regardless of how you want to use it even if it doesn't do anything perfectly to everyone's taste.

Call me a fan boi but I've owned a lot of motorcycles in just about every category they're made but I don't think I'm the only one that would say if I could only ever own one motorcycle, a GS would be the one.
 
I think you missed my tongue in cheek of the first paragraph.
I have owned over 40 motorbikes ... ten of them were/are GS-es ... You may assume that I am a fan of this motorcycle, even though two of them were lemons.
Having a very little smidgen of knowledge however of what’s decided behind the scene, it appears that the business mentality of BMW is quite cynical.
This however is no impediment for the GS being a hell of a motorcycle indeed.
 
I would like the to come out with a Sport Tourer edition for us that use the GS/GSA as a touring machine. Something that has a less “aggressive or utilitarian” look. I truly love my GSA and is my 4th BMW. I’m 6’5” tall and traded my RT in for a GSA for comfort reasons. I know, if I want something like that, I should look at the Versys, but I’m a fan boy also.
 
I would like the to come out with a Sport Tourer edition for us that use the GS/GSA as a touring machine. Something that has a less “aggressive or utilitarian” look. I truly love my GSA and is my 4th BMW. I’m 6’5” tall and traded my RT in for a GSA for comfort reasons. I know, if I want something like that, I should look at the Versys, but I’m a fan boy also.
Do you need the Boxer? Maybe this?
 
Since I posted my reliability rant above I figured I might offer some constructive feedback...as if BMW Motorrad will read this (or care lol).

I'm not a fan boi (or fan boy :) ) so I would represent a buyer who would truly shop across brands and not blindly buy a GS. As I've thought a out upgrading my old GSA I've considered Tiger 1200/900, Africa Twin, V-Strom. My local BMW dealer is mediocre so would be on the fence considering them.

I think for BMW does need to be cautious on weight. I look at bikes like the Super Tenere and Tiger 1200 and I think weight holds them back. I test rode a 2020 Tiger 1200 yesterday and while the power was incredible and straight line handling good I didn't get the hang of it in corners. Not as natural a turn in as my old GSA. I was however impressed with the Tiger 850 Sport but that is a different category.

Harleys new suspension lowering at stops (if not patented) seems a must. I would disagree with needing more power, I don't see that holding back sales. Adaptive cruise and blind spot monitoring would be good adds for tech.

All that said...if I owned the R&D budget I'd pour nearly all into the 850 and 750 GSes. I think Triumph, KTM and Yamaha have great bikes in that segment and BMW is far behind. BMW missing an opportunity. And those buyers as they age will potentially move to the 1200+cc bikes for touring as they age.

Back to my reliability rant above...I do expect a $20k+ bike to have stellar reliability. Can't see spending that much and missing riding time, or needing a spare bike.

My 2 cents...maybe a nickel even.
 
Do you need the Boxer? Maybe this?
I did try them, but the riding position wasn’t as nice as the GSA for me.


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