Sounds like you are making a well-considered decision. Your logic seems tight to me; hope to see you here more in the coming weeks and months!
Hello from Illinois! Considering a 1200GS Adventure vs a Pan America, Triumph Tiger 1200
Greetings! I have owned Harley's most of my riding life from the V-ROD to the Ultras. I owned my 2015 Ultra Limited the longest and put the most miles on it in 7 years (About 40k). I take a couple big trips each year and maybe a couple smaller ones and commute back and forth to work.
After owning my 2015 Ultra I started getting the its to have something more powerful and lighter, so I bought a 2021 Kawasaki Concourse 14 ABS (The cousin to the ZX14R) sport touring bike. I found that I was riding it more than the Harley and the Harley sit for almost a year, in which I sold it to my Nephew. and Bought a Kawasaki ZH2.
The ZH2 is fun but I wont be traveling long distances on it, and the fact that it is a rocket ship, I am more likely to get hurt on that bike than the other.
There are things I like about the Cconcours and things I do not, I like the community I am a part of. I like the fact the bike is very reliable (not sure in the long term as I have only had it since Feb 2021 and have about 6K miles on it).
I enjoy doing my own work so I have made many modifications to the Concours and begging to do more on the ZH2.
Here is the rub. As much as I like the power and performance Concours, it is missing some important features, you can't take it off-road other t hat the occasional dirt road or rock. I am still leaned over even though I have 2" risers, the seat is pretty comfortable but there is no adjustments. I like having a larger movable windscreen to keep the wind off me at highways speeds. It gets good gas mileage when traveling. But it lacks in technology and features, like cruse control! It can be added aftermarket but it is spendy (1000-2000 USD).
Most of not 90% of my riding will be on some sort of paved roads, so I do not NEED and adventure touring bike, but I wants lots of luggage space, and a comfy ride. If I could combine some of the features of my Concours and [email protected] it would get me close.
Here is were I began looking at the Pan America from Harley. I have a local dealer that I could ride one and look it over. Very nice bike. BUT Chain drive! My Concourse is shaft drive, the ZH2 is chain, I hate it. Price wise, I have negotiated around with trading in both my bikes about $17,500 diff with bags and a quick shifter.
In the past I would look at one bike and forgot "shopping around" at other makes, this time I spent more time looking at other options.
Next I looked at the Triumph Tiger 1200, Lots of features and tech, but that 3 cyl motor seems to be a problem for some specially at highways speeds. But it is a shaft drive as well. So points there.
It hadn't occurred to me to look at the GS, and by chance I have a local dealer about an hour from me, that has a 2023 Adventure fully loaded that I can get for $17,600 after my trade.
I am going this afternoon to have a look, but based on what I have read and watched on videos, it seems that everyone compares their bikes, as well as the reviewers to the 1250GS, so I am going to see in person what the attraction is.
Perhaps I will become a regular here. My bet is that in the long run, even if I don't fall in love with the GS, I will be a lot better off with it than the other two a couple years from now.
After owning my 2015 Ultra I started getting the its to have something more powerful and lighter, so I bought a 2021 Kawasaki Concourse 14 ABS (The cousin to the ZX14R) sport touring bike. I found that I was riding it more than the Harley and the Harley sit for almost a year, in which I sold it to my Nephew. and Bought a Kawasaki ZH2.
The ZH2 is fun but I wont be traveling long distances on it, and the fact that it is a rocket ship, I am more likely to get hurt on that bike than the other.
There are things I like about the Cconcours and things I do not, I like the community I am a part of. I like the fact the bike is very reliable (not sure in the long term as I have only had it since Feb 2021 and have about 6K miles on it).
I enjoy doing my own work so I have made many modifications to the Concours and begging to do more on the ZH2.
Here is the rub. As much as I like the power and performance Concours, it is missing some important features, you can't take it off-road other t hat the occasional dirt road or rock. I am still leaned over even though I have 2" risers, the seat is pretty comfortable but there is no adjustments. I like having a larger movable windscreen to keep the wind off me at highways speeds. It gets good gas mileage when traveling. But it lacks in technology and features, like cruse control! It can be added aftermarket but it is spendy (1000-2000 USD).
Most of not 90% of my riding will be on some sort of paved roads, so I do not NEED and adventure touring bike, but I wants lots of luggage space, and a comfy ride. If I could combine some of the features of my Concours and [email protected] it would get me close.
Here is were I began looking at the Pan America from Harley. I have a local dealer that I could ride one and look it over. Very nice bike. BUT Chain drive! My Concourse is shaft drive, the ZH2 is chain, I hate it. Price wise, I have negotiated around with trading in both my bikes about $17,500 diff with bags and a quick shifter.
In the past I would look at one bike and forgot "shopping around" at other makes, this time I spent more time looking at other options.
Next I looked at the Triumph Tiger 1200, Lots of features and tech, but that 3 cyl motor seems to be a problem for some specially at highways speeds. But it is a shaft drive as well. So points there.
It hadn't occurred to me to look at the GS, and by chance I have a local dealer about an hour from me, that has a 2023 Adventure fully loaded that I can get for $17,600 after my trade.
I am going this afternoon to have a look, but based on what I have read and watched on videos, it seems that everyone compares their bikes, as well as the reviewers to the 1250GS, so I am going to see in person what the attraction is.
Perhaps I will become a regular here. My bet is that in the long run, even if I don't fall in love with the GS, I will be a lot better off with it than the other two a couple years from now.
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Just got back from the test ride. She is a big girl :-O The front suspension and turning will take some getting use to. Even with the seat in the lower position, and the ride height set low, its a little more of a struggle to get my foot on the ground. Its defiantly taller and my Concours. and prob the same seat height as my ZH2. she is heavily optioned out, just missing that dang LED headlight .
Now the bike I am looking at, is Triple Black Adventure, it has all the bags, and a few more accessories. But from what I was reading and watching other videos, it does not seem to have the heated seats or the Dynamic LED headlight. The dealer said they could add the headlight installed for $700, I notice they subtracted $500 off the sticker. So other than the additional accessories sheet ($4700 worth) the Build/sticker sheet just says the Adventure Base price, $20,345 then the add ons are, Triple Black $675, Premium Package $3295, Led Headlight -$500, LED Aux Lights $415, then destination at $695, they are discounting that $1000, and although showing the added $4766 in accessories, that includes all the boxes, and a set of Clearwater ERICA lights, and all the bags in black. I can get the bike for $27,600 my trades are worth $23,000 and my payoff is $13,000 so my loan on it will be just under $18K
Just a thought, and not one you’d expect to find here: have you given thought to getting a chain drive bike and just replacing the chain and sprockets every 10-15k?
Chains these days are pretty good, been some guys make a go at zero maintenance with them and get pretty long mileage before they need replaced. That said I do understand for some it is a deal breaker.
Chains these days are pretty good, been some guys make a go at zero maintenance with them and get pretty long mileage before they need replaced. That said I do understand for some it is a deal breaker.
Yes I have been shopping, and my first choice was the Pan America, matter of fact I am going tomorrow to test drive one of those as well. But I do like the convenience of the shaft drive bikes.
If I hadn't found the good deal on my GSA, I was strongly leaning towards the Tiger. If the money's all the same, go for the GSA
I prefer my GS to the GSA as it is a bit lower and fits me. I put a Russell Day Long seat that is taller than stock and I’m still good. If you don’t need the extra range, you might also like it better.
When I priced out my GSA against a GS before purchasing it, if I had optioned out the GS like the GSA it would have cost more. That was part of my decision. At 5' 10" I got a lowered GSA. If I had purchased a GS I would have got a regular one (not lowered).
I wasn't interested in a Pan American (too new and I'm just not a fan of Harley). Similarly I wasn't interested in any other bikes (for various reasons) which meant either the GS or GSA and I chose the GSA.
Love the bike. Its great on the highway as well as offroad.
I wasn't interested in a Pan American (too new and I'm just not a fan of Harley). Similarly I wasn't interested in any other bikes (for various reasons) which meant either the GS or GSA and I chose the GSA.
Love the bike. Its great on the highway as well as offroad.
With the Pan American being made by Harley I would stay away from it. I have had 8 Harley's prior to my GSA and everyone had some problems.
Get a Scot Oiler and the chain will last 40 or 50K and virtually no maintenance other than topping up the reservoir every 800 to 1000 miles. Easier than lubing the splines on a shaft drive bike.Just a thought, and not one you’d expect to find here: have you given thought to getting a chain drive bike and just replacing the chain and sprockets every 10-15k?
Chains these days are pretty good, been some guys make a go at zero maintenance with them and get pretty long mileage before they need replaced. That said I do understand for some it is a deal breaker.
To the OP IDC what you finances are (trade allowance, payoff etc, new loan amount) as that your business and a devil you'll have to dance with. Personally, I hate loans and owing money, so I don't typically buy unless I have cash in full. I also rarely buy new especially when you can get a gently used late model bike for $1000's less. i don't mind letting someone else take the hit for the luxury of being the 1st person to drive it off the lot.
As for bikes personally I prefer the GSA over the GS but that's me. As for comparing it to other bikes again that is something you'll have to do. This site will obviously be biased towards BMW as the Harley site will be towards it. You need to go and ride them all and see what fits/works and what doesn't then make decision from there. The decision may be to keep what you have and not dig the financial hole any deeper or it might be buy one of each cause' you can't take it with you.
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