[Mr calbiker]

When I sat on the BMW R 1200 RT I started laughing when the salesman asked how does it feel. “I replied I can’t reach the pedals”. My knees were jammed up against the cockpit and my feet extended past the foot pegs. After 11years on a aGoldwing I’ve hung up my long touring britches and I am looking for a motorcycle to ride in our local mountains with my buddies. We are aggressive riders, I have modified the gold wing to fit me and to handle better at our local mountains. They one friend rides at 1200 RT and sometimes I can stay with him but some of the time he leaves me until the next stop sign. So I have decided to sell my gold wing and I’m looking at a GS since there’s nothing else that seems to fit me in the BMW line. (6’4” 35” inseam, 210 lbs)I do not intend to do much in the way of off-road riding (I have a DRZ 400) for that activity. Therefore I don’t think I need knobby tires and I’m wondering what would be the best tire on a GS for carving the local canyons.
any thoughts?

 

[Ryno23]

Here we go! A can of worms was opened. Only oil threads can compete with tire threads.
But really lots of choices out there. Pirelli Angel GT, Dunlop Road Smart III or IV, Michelin Road 4 or 5 GT ?
If I knew for sure I would never off road i would chose the Perelli Angel GT. Standby for worms.

 

[Mr calbiker]

Here we go! A can of worms was opened. Only oil threads can compete with tire threads.
But really lots of choices out there. Pirelli Angel GT, Dunlop Road Smart III or IV, Michelin Road 4 or 5 GT ?
If I knew for sure I would never off road i would chose the Perelli Angel GT. Standby for worms.

Thank you, that’s what I’m looking for . . . not worms 😃

 

[bosnjo]

I'm 6'2.5 with 34" inseam. Just sold my Suzuki DL1000 and ordered R1250GS (non-Adv). When I left the idea of being "racer" on the street, in the same time my knees couldn't take anymore of GSX-R or RR bikes. Couldn't live with a pain and discomfort in my knees anymore and I wanted something I could ride longer without stopping every 30 minutes to rest. So I had 3 V-Stroms from Suzuki. Yes, much taller bikes, much more room for my knees but... My knees wanted more stretch so I had to order specific kit to lower foot pegs and rise the seat. That felt much better and I was OK to go on. The only problem was windshield as I took a lot of buffeting. Replaced OEM with Givi Airflow (no such a thing for GS 1250) and buffeting disappeared completely.
Now for GS I already ordered SW Motech lowered footpegs and Puig Touring screen with reenforcing brackets. I don't know If I'll need laminar lip, we'll see. I couldn't understand if the bike I ordered has adjustable seat hight. Will have to wait for it to arrive and see.
As for tires, I rode all 3 V-Stroms on Michelin Pilot Road 4 and loved them, gripped hard wet and dry. New GS will come with I don't know which tires but as soon as they ware out, I'll be putting Michelin Road 5 (model that replaced Pilot Road 4)

 

[Candubrain]

Welcome to the forum
6'5" with 36" legs here and I'm on a GSA. The GSA sits higher, and there is slightly more leg room because the GS foot peg is a different design from the GSA foot peg, and the seat is taller, otherwise the bikes ergonomics are the same. The GSA also has some farkles and better wind protection. Personally because of your height I think you would look better on the GSA as its a beefier looking machine.

I have added a Seat Concepts Tall seat, 40mm bar risers, BMW Enduro lowered foot pegs, a taller PUIG windscreen with PUIG spoiler to make the bike more comfortable especially for the long hauls.

Now to answer your tire question about tires.
The premium brands, such as Michelin, Metzeler, Pirelli, etc., all offer incredible tires with high silica content for excellent grip in both wet and dry conditions.

My last set of tires were 50-50's, Michelin Anakee Wilds. I was amazed with the grip I had at well above posted speeds limits while leaning over hard in the dry. In the rain, I used common sense, but still pushed the tires hard and never experienced a slip or slide, I am also quite sure the traction control and ABS had a big part in that as well, but neither help when you go into a corner hot, so I am very confident that the high silica content of the tires gave me the traction I needed.

Presently I'm on Pirelli Scorpion II's which are a 90-10 tire and have found them excellent as well.

In the end I believe you will find as long as you stick with a premium brand, choose the tread design according to where you're riding, you will not outdrive the capability of the tire....don't misquote me here as no street tire will be comparable to a sticky tire designed for the racetrack.

 

[Mr calbiker]

Welcome to the forum
6'5" with 36" legs here and I'm on a GSA. The GSA sits higher, and there is slightly more leg room because the GS foot peg is a different design from the GSA foot peg, and the seat is taller, otherwise the bikes ergonomics are the same. The GSA also has some farkles and better wind protection. Personally because of your height I think you would look better on the GSA as its a beefier looking machine.

I have added a Seat Concepts Tall seat, 40mm bar risers, BMW Enduro lowered foot pegs, a taller PUIG windscreen with PUIG spoiler to make the bike more comfortable especially for the long hauls.

Now to answer your tire question about tires.
The premium brands, such as Michelin, Metzeler, Pirelli, etc., all offer incredible tires with high silica content for excellent grip in both wet and dry conditions.

My last set of tires were 50-50's, Michelin Anakee Wilds. I was amazed with the grip I had at well above posted speeds limits while leaning over hard in the dry. In the rain, I used common sense, but still pushed the tires hard and never experienced a slip or slide, I am also quite sure the traction control and ABS had a big part in that as well, but neither help when you go into a corner hot, so I am very confident that the high silica content of the tires gave me the traction I needed.

Presently I'm on Pirelli Scorpion II's which are a 90-10 tire and have found them excellent as well.

In the end I believe you will find as long as you stick with a premium brand, choose the tread design according to where you're riding, you will not outdrive the capability of the tire....don't misquote me here as no street tire will be comparable to a sticky tire designed for the racetrack.

Thank you that is a big help

 

[Ryno23]

IMO, you cannot go wrong with Pirelli tires.

 

[Ryno23]

Somebody mentioned Michelin tires earlier in this thread. Rocky Mountain ATV MC has a rebate going on for the Road 4 GT and Road 5 GT.

2020-Michelin-Nov-Rebate-Info

www.rockymountainatvmc.com

 

[aofl]

Welcome to the forum
6'5" with 36" legs here and I'm on a GSA. The GSA sits higher, and there is slightly more leg room because the GS foot peg is a different design from the GSA foot peg, and the seat is taller, otherwise the bikes ergonomics are the same. The GSA also has some farkles and better wind protection. Personally because of your height I think you would look better on the GSA as its a beefier looking machine.

I have added a Seat Concepts Tall seat, 40mm bar risers, BMW Enduro lowered foot pegs, a taller PUIG windscreen with PUIG spoiler to make the bike more comfortable especially for the long hauls.

Now to answer your tire question about tires.
The premium brands, such as Michelin, Metzeler, Pirelli, etc., all offer incredible tires with high silica content for excellent grip in both wet and dry conditions.

My last set of tires were 50-50's, Michelin Anakee Wilds. I was amazed with the grip I had at well above posted speeds limits while leaning over hard in the dry. In the rain, I used common sense, but still pushed the tires hard and never experienced a slip or slide, I am also quite sure the traction control and ABS had a big part in that as well, but neither help when you go into a corner hot, so I am very confident that the high silica content of the tires gave me the traction I needed.

Presently I'm on Pirelli Scorpion II's which are a 90-10 tire and have found them excellent as well.

In the end I believe you will find as long as you stick with a premium brand, choose the tread design according to where you're riding, you will not outdrive the capability of the tire....don't misquote me here as no street tire will be comparable to a sticky tire designed for the racetrack.

Hi, What 40mm risers did you install? Did you have to order new cables? I am 6'7 and it's been a pain to stand.

 

[aofl]

Hi, What 40mm risers did you install? Did you have to order new cables? I am 6'7 and it's been a pain to stand.

Sorry, i have 2 in risers and i got confused with 40mm. so its about the same. I don't have lower footpegs though.

 

[Stray Trons]

IMO, you cannot go wrong with Pirelli tires.

Got the Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR's my '18 GSA and these things have handled everything from wet FL roads to the deep beach sand and powder/sugar sand very well. Have not really ridden heavy mud, or wet clay but my jeep slides all over on wet N. FL and GA red clay road surface so I'm not even going to try on the bike.

I had 40MM risers for a while but took them off due to the negative effect on handling.

 

[Skant153]

obviously looking at the anakee wilds, they don't exude cornering confidence. until recently, i spent a lot of time at track days with various 900-1000 cc super bikes.
my first experience on an adv bike was last march with a veteran's charity where they supplied the bikes. it was an 05 GS with anakee wilds. they told me they offered a surprising amount of grip in the corners for what they were. so i figured i was in full kit anyways and it wasn't my bike. i let her rip up mount lemon outside tucson arizona. i started out gingerly in the corners but by the end i was scraping the engine guards on the ground while hanging off the inside of the bike. the grip on those things was exceptional.
michelin also makes an anakee adventure. it's far more road focused even when compared to the continental. i know a bunch of the guys who rode with the charity run them on the gs they bought shortly after and they rave about them. i'll be throwing them on my gs next tire change.
plus, michelin provides a free set of tires for each bike in the charity's fleet every year so supporting michelin supports them.

 

[bosnjo]

I was very happy with the grip Michelin Anakee's provided on the road on my GS. I just couldn't stand the noise from the front tire so replaced the set half worn with Michelin Road 6.