Hi, nice to read a Frank and honest article, although in the uk , the gs gets such bad press ?!, but how do they sell so many, secret comes out when you bite the bullet after years of denial, I wish l had brought one years, happy to have mine now 🤙😎
GSA - No Knobbies and take off the panniers
I always swore I'd never buy an GS or a BMW for that matter although I've always secretly desired an R80 GS Paris Dakar and love the looks of the old R75 bikes. The reason for my distain of the GS was the perception that GS's were for "posers". Most had (have) knobbies, stickers of places the bike never went, new thousand dollar aerostich suits, farkles galore, and the bike loaded for a RTW trip during a weekend day ride (or to starbucks 
). However, I couldn't deny all the GS's at the Iron Butt Rallys back in the 00's.
Well, I own 2 BMW's now (RT and GSA). I put almost 8K on the GSA this winter going down to Baja from CO and back., with many excursions and side trips. My GSA had new Motoz Adventures on it when I bought it. The GSA is a pig compared to other bikes but so good at long distance variable terrain touring, mine is affectionately named "La Chancha Roja" (the red pig).
When I took off the almost bald, screaming & howling Motoz Adventure tires and put on a pair of Dunlop Trailmax Missions it transformed the bike and brought out it's full potential. And yes, I've ridden those tires on jeep trails here in CO (followed a moose down the road the other day) and they are plenty aggressive for that and for the bike's realistic capabilities with a competent rider.
Knobbies ruin what it does best and barely make it capable for the little time and miles one would need knobbies for, especially for low skill riders. Novice riders often compensate for low skill with aggressive tires but it's, mostly, not worth the trade off (unless riding primarily gravel and dirt but really how many actually do?). Additionally, panniers are a wind and performance suck. I see so many guys here in CO and surrounding states out for a day ride parked at various small town coffee shops and such with knobbies and huge panniers on their super clean GS's. It makes me cringe and park my bike around the corner.
WHY??? Why are people handicapping their bikes and perpetuating this negative stereotype? It's beyond me. Why leave panniers on the bike when you have no trip planned? Stack em in the corner and free up space in the garage! And enjoy the smooth sportiness of the GS, one of it's best characteristics.
The GS is SO DAMN GOOD at what it does!!! But let's not kid ourselves, it's not a dirt bike. My friend and former GS owner called it a utility knife. And I'd say my Norden 901 is a scalpel. The GS is a long distance TOURING bike for use on variable terrain. Sure it does other things well but let's be real and not try to make it something it's not.
And I see these posts of people complaining about poor mileage on FL to CA trips with TKC 80's. Stop it.
So please stop putting aggressive knobbies on this machine. Take off the panniers when your long trip is done. Enjoy the full potential of this truly amazing bike that rules the Big ADV segment for several damn good reasons.
). However, I couldn't deny all the GS's at the Iron Butt Rallys back in the 00's.Well, I own 2 BMW's now (RT and GSA). I put almost 8K on the GSA this winter going down to Baja from CO and back., with many excursions and side trips. My GSA had new Motoz Adventures on it when I bought it. The GSA is a pig compared to other bikes but so good at long distance variable terrain touring, mine is affectionately named "La Chancha Roja" (the red pig).
When I took off the almost bald, screaming & howling Motoz Adventure tires and put on a pair of Dunlop Trailmax Missions it transformed the bike and brought out it's full potential. And yes, I've ridden those tires on jeep trails here in CO (followed a moose down the road the other day) and they are plenty aggressive for that and for the bike's realistic capabilities with a competent rider.
Knobbies ruin what it does best and barely make it capable for the little time and miles one would need knobbies for, especially for low skill riders. Novice riders often compensate for low skill with aggressive tires but it's, mostly, not worth the trade off (unless riding primarily gravel and dirt but really how many actually do?). Additionally, panniers are a wind and performance suck. I see so many guys here in CO and surrounding states out for a day ride parked at various small town coffee shops and such with knobbies and huge panniers on their super clean GS's. It makes me cringe and park my bike around the corner.
WHY??? Why are people handicapping their bikes and perpetuating this negative stereotype? It's beyond me. Why leave panniers on the bike when you have no trip planned? Stack em in the corner and free up space in the garage! And enjoy the smooth sportiness of the GS, one of it's best characteristics.
The GS is SO DAMN GOOD at what it does!!! But let's not kid ourselves, it's not a dirt bike. My friend and former GS owner called it a utility knife. And I'd say my Norden 901 is a scalpel. The GS is a long distance TOURING bike for use on variable terrain. Sure it does other things well but let's be real and not try to make it something it's not.
And I see these posts of people complaining about poor mileage on FL to CA trips with TKC 80's. Stop it.
So please stop putting aggressive knobbies on this machine. Take off the panniers when your long trip is done. Enjoy the full potential of this truly amazing bike that rules the Big ADV segment for several damn good reasons.
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What is great about the GSA is they it can be ridden and set up as a street bike with highway tires or more aggressively with knobbles based upon the owners likes and skills and the hell with what others think.
For me and my riding, I want knobbies and keep my aluminum boxes, covered with stickers, on unless I am going to encounter sand and/or mud, then I put on soft side bags.
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I didn't expect mud on that trip.
For me and my riding, I want knobbies and keep my aluminum boxes, covered with stickers, on unless I am going to encounter sand and/or mud, then I put on soft side bags.
I didn't expect mud on that trip.
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