R1200R vs R1200GS

[mtl-R12R]

I have owned and very much enjoyed my R1200R acummulating over 20,000 km since my purchase last spring.
I have owned and ridden motorcycles all of my life, and the R1200R is by far the best all around bike that I've had.
My riding is a mix of daily transport to and from work and recreational riding which consists of exploring the twisties and back roads, mainly solo, sometimes 2 up ... all of which the RR accomplishes with excellence ... providing a truly rewarding experience.

My dilema ... is not with the bike, but the road conditions here in Quebec. Montreal is pitted with potholes, costing me a front wheel replacement last summer, all of our provincial roads are generally in a state of shambles ... and the twisty backroads that feed my spirit are often very rough with holes and heaves in the road commonplace.

For those of you with experience with both the R1200R and the R1200GS, my question is as follows ... would I have enough of what I so love in the RR in the GS, but with extra suspension travel that would allow me to travel these roads in greater comfort and ultimately safety, or would I be giving up the sporting side of the ride to gain that extra comfort ?

Howard

[ka5ysy]

Have you considered a suspension upgrade? Those on here who have done it really are impressed with the improvement.

I have ridden the GS bikes and am not really impressed with the ride for the substantial upcharge for them: kinda ho-hum for me. OTH you really should grab a ride on the K1300GT. That bike got to me just like the RR. Might well have one to keep the RR from being lonesome

[mtl-R12R]

Have you considered a suspension upgrade? Those on here who have done it really are impresses with the improvement.

I have ridden the GS bikes and am not really impressed with the ride for th substantial upcharge for them: kinda ho-hum for me. OTH you really should grab a ride on the K1300GT. That bike got to me just like thr RR. Might well have one to keep thr RR from being lonesome

Thanks for the input ... yes, I have considered a suspension upgrade, for the front, as the bike has ESA, and frankly I'm quite happy with the system, it is more the front of the bike IMHO that is lacking in the suspension dept.

Has anybody here replaced their front shock on a bike equiped with ESA ? If so, what are your impressions ?

I've also considered uprgrading the wheels to a set of wheels from Woody's ... spokes.

But if I consider the price of these two upgrades to the RR I'm easily at the price of an upgrade to the GS.

[bobw]

ADVrider has a specific GS section. Some very good folks and a ton of information that may help you. The r1200r is a bit harsh on bad roads, but I would test ride a GS/GSA to make sure she fit me well and responded as advertised on a poor stretch of pavement.

Good luck!

http://www.advrider.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=3

[crazyhorse]

i test road the r1200gs before i test rode the r1200r. i expected to be enamoured with the gs, coming from an f650gs and just wanting more motor.

well, the gs felt like i was riding a toilet, sorry to state it so crassly. it felt very stout and long, too long, and was geared very low for the street. i didn't like it, even though it looks so cool and i wanted to like it.

now i did want to get a more street oriented bike, so maybe i was predetermined to dislike it. however it doesn't seem like an around town bike. i bet on dirt it would be fabulous at hiding its weight.

you may want to try riding an f650gs. it's a much different mill of course, but for around town (not highway) it's actually better for me - i can wring its neck and it cannot bite me. not true of the r12 motors.

wes

[mtl-R12R]

i test road the r1200gs before i test rode the r1200r. i expected to be enamoured with the gs, coming from an f650gs and just wanting more motor.

well, the gs felt like i was riding a toilet, sorry to state it so crassly. it felt very stout and long, too long, and was geared very low for the street. i didn't like it, even though it looks so cool and i wanted to like it.

now i did want to get a more street oriented bike, so maybe i was predetermined to dislike it. however it doesn't seem like an around town bike. i bet on dirt it would be fabulous at hiding its weight.

you may want to try riding an f650gs. it's a much different mill of course, but for around town (not highway) it's actually better for me - i can wring its neck and it cannot bite me. not true of the r12 motors.

wes

I've looked at the F800GS as an option, but frankly, I'm just too hooked on the boxer and its torque.

As far as looks go, personally the RR is a hands down winner over the GS, but thats all subjective ... I absolutely love my RR, its just on the very rough road surfaces that the suspension comes up short ... and why I'm considering the GS option.

The commuting aspect of my riding is almost all highway, at which the RR is extremely competent, the recreational riding that I enjoy so much is on back roads, lots of tight curves, which the RR also handles extremely well, unfortunately those very same roads are in extremely bad condition and the RR rides those surfaces roughly.

[Bodes]

For what it's worth I had the same dilemma. A short 'long winded' history.

Bought a F800ST in mid '07. Loved it. Posted 12,000k's in 6 months. Wanted more power for long days in the saddle.

Bought a R1200R in Nov '07. Loved it. Posted 48,000k's in 18 months rode up and down the east coast of Australia until I was getting vertigo.

Decided I wanted a different experience, tested the R1200GS, F800GS, KTM's, HP2, Triumph ST 1050, Harleys. Came down to the two GS's.

In the end I thought the R1200GS was the pick because; it is supremely comfortable, has wonderful suspension, has a great reputation, I love the boxer engine. I thought I would do some unsealed & rough stuff as I wanted to tour round Australia and even when not doing so wanted to determine starting location and destination and not concern myself with the quality of the road in between. (The two wheel equivalent of the 4WD adventure fantasy.) Well I did post 11,000 k's in 3 months, much on unsealed roads, did the full on BMW adventure course and then ...

One morning I woke up and, like one of my marriages; I looked at her (the GS) and said to myself - why, I don't love you?

At that moment I realised despite all the positives, the GS had not seduced me. I never really liked the beak, and even though I am reasonably fit and tall I found manouvering her - cumbersome and awkward.

I went back to the dealer, test rode a few bikes and bought a '09 R1200R. The way I see it; if the suspension is not good enough I can change it (although I have ESA) and I can spec it up for the performance mods I want.

I have a beautiful, basic, classic which is so easy to love and ride it reminds me of younger days - hey this is getting weird...

It's a conundrum but an expensive mistake - or an expensive joy. Over to you & good luck

[crazyhorse]

I have a beautiful, basic, classic which is so easy to love and ride it reminds me of younger days - hey this is getting weird...

not weird at all. i know what you mean.

[gibbo111]

I've had an 1100gs and before my 07RR i had an 1150GSA but didnt keep either bike very long cause they are just to big for me. I am5' 8'' and weigh 75kg and cant throw a gs around in the rough so didnt go off road much but the 1200r is so easy to handle for a short ass like myself. I only do a little on unsealed roads but find it OK

[Bodes]

gibbo,

I totally understand if the GS is too big for you. I am 6 feet and truthfully I found it cumbersome, parking on a road with camber, pushing it uphill just a few feet, dropping it on an adventure course 8 times in a day & picking it up. Mind you if you don't drop it on one of those courses you are not trying and I'm improving as an adventure rider.

They say each time you go beyond your capacity i.e. drop it - you improve as a rider; who needs it? The bike is there for us.

Most people don't need the supreme adventure bike to go for a 'fang'. I did 60,000 k's in less than 2 years and never felt I needed a X country bike even though I did a fair bit of unsealed. I just thought after all those K's I would add another dimension to my riding - adventure riding. I proved myself wrong.

What I needed was to understand I had the right bike in the R1200R. I can get spoked wheels, 50/50 tyres, change suspension or just sit tight. Options are just solutions in disguise.

In the end I decided that if I wanted an adventure I could persevere or rent a GS.

Fifty (50) weeks a year I want to enjoy every ride and looking at my ride while I'm musing over the next performance enhancement.

I am not sacrificing that for two weeks of reality or fantasy.

Hard lesson but lesson learnt!

[Bodes]

PS

In my experience the R1200 GS suspension sh&%s all over the R1200R in every department.

The sacrifice is cornering stability.

[mtl-R12R]

I so much appreciate all of the input ... this is what I need ... I too have been totally seduced by my RR, and am concerned that the GS might well solve the suspension issue, but leave me "unattached" .

Please keep the comments coming !

Howard

[deilenberger]

Howard,

If suspension is your problem (and the stock suspension is a tad harsh on sharp bumps) then aftermarket is your friend. Any quality aftermarket suspension should solve your problems (I prefer Hyperpro -there are others available..) No reason to go to the Hummer of BMW's (where most off-road is parking lots..) with it's bulk and high center of gravity.

[AmostThere]

I went to the dealer believing I wanted an RT. Rode that. She said why not try the GS. Rode that. She said there was one more I might like...

The R12R was a winner for me over those other two for one simple fact: responsiveness. I feel like the R12R executes NOW while the other two take a while to do something. But I am riding on pavement and you desire back road competence...

[Tak]

I owned a R1200GS before I bought my R1200R.

On rough pavement, the stock suspension of the GS was better than the stock suspension of the R.

Now that my R1200R has Ohlins suspension, it is much better than the 1200GS stock suspension. Keep in mind I am talking about rough pavement, not off-road. The R is also more nimble so it is easier to avoid big potholes.

I am lighter than average (130 lbs) so YMMV.

[mtl-R12R]

For what it's worth I had the same dilemma. A short 'long winded' history.

Bought a F800ST in mid '07. Loved it. Posted 12,000k's in 6 months. Wanted more power for long days in the saddle.

Bought a R1200R in Nov '07. Loved it. Posted 48,000k's in 18 months rode up and down the east coast of Australia until I was getting vertigo.

Decided I wanted a different experience, tested the R1200GS, F800GS, KTM's, HP2, Triumph ST 1050, Harleys. Came down to the two GS's.

In the end I thought the R1200GS was the pick because; it is supremely comfortable, has wonderful suspension, has a great reputation, I love the boxer engine. I thought I would do some unsealed & rough stuff as I wanted to tour round Australia and even when not doing so wanted to determine starting location and destination and not concern myself with the quality of the road in between. (The two wheel equivalent of the 4WD adventure fantasy.) Well I did post 11,000 k's in 3 months, much on unsealed roads, did the full on BMW adventure course and then ...

One morning I woke up and, like one of my marriages; I looked at her (the GS) and said to myself - why, I don't love you?

At that moment I realised despite all the positives, the GS had not seduced me. I never really liked the beak, and even though I am reasonably fit and tall I found manouvering her - cumbersome and awkward.

I went back to the dealer, test rode a few bikes and bought a '09 R1200R. The way I see it; if the suspension is not good enough I can change it (although I have ESA) and I can spec it up for the performance mods I want.

I have a beautiful, basic, classic which is so easy to love and ride it reminds me of younger days - hey this is getting weird...

It's a conundrum but an expensive mistake - or an expensive joy. Over to you & good luck

Thanks so much for taking the time to write ... your experience may just save me thousands of dollars and much anguish ...

Keep it coming guys, learning much from your experiences !

[Bodes]

Went for a scratch today on the R1200R. Sublime. Realised that the R12GS was a noodle - to me.

Good friend lent me his MV Augusta Tamburini, another his Triumph 955i Triple a few days ago.

Every time I want to stray I ride another bike but very happily keep coming back. Like a good wife she sways me home despite my primevil urges.

Top end, straight line, lots of other bikes poo all over the R12R. I don't care anyone can do that stuff, even Harleys.

Once you are in the twisties or just enjoying yourself without competing against insecurities, the R12R does it all very well and it's real - because it's naked, has deep down grun, is superbly flickable (like a street triple or hypermotard) and can break out beyond fashions.

You just have to be brave enough to admit to riding a BM. If your'e not, no bother , go your own way. If you are , you will carve up the sceptics to their private dismay.

There is no purer ride. The fashionasistas disagree but do I care?

I love my ride - that's real enough.

[Bodes]

mtl-R12R,

Only you will know but the simple equation is if you push the R1200R to its limits you will be disappointed in the R1200GS IMO.

They are almost the same bike but one (R1200R) is an aggrerssive riders upright while the other (R1200GS) is a a tourers delight IMHO.

By the way there is no doubt that my new '09 R12R is a much better bike than the '07 R12 R on which I posted 48,000 k's in 18 months. Silent model upgrade is denied by BMW. Whatever. I feel like it's a different bike particularly in brakes, torque and seat comfort.

Don't get me wrong the GS is sooo capable.

It's just that I found it uninspiring. If I kept it I probably would have done a few trips, sold it and sat down in a rocking chair.

[mtl-R12R]

mtl-R12R,

Only you will know but the simple equation is if you push the R1200R to its limits you will be disappointed in the R1200GS IMO.

They are almost the same bike but one (R1200R) is an aggrerssive riders upright while the other (R1200GS) is a a tourers delight IMHO.

By the way there is no doubt that my new '09 R12R is a much better bike than the '07 R12 R on which I posted 48,000 k's in 18 months. Silent model upgrade is denied by BMW. Whatever. I feel like it's a different bike particularly in brakes, torque and seat comfort.

Don't get me wrong the GS is sooo capable.

It's just that I found it uninspiring. If I kept it I probably would have done a few trips, sold it and sat down in a rocking chair.

Becoming more and more clear with your comments ... I am one to push my RR, and love how she responds to my pushing ... knowing that she can take anything that I can give her ... and respond predictably

Do I love my RR experience ?

58 and nowhere near sitting back in a rocking chair

[snag]

Howard,

Not to be contrarian, but my GS experiences have been great. Each winter I go south to Arizona with my Harley buds and rent a GS. This year, two of us rented '09 GS's. The other guy is 20 years my junior and an accomplished sportbike rider; my last ride (dearly departed) was an '09 Hayabusa. My pride made me try to lose him in the twisties, his made him try to keep up. We had great fun, see my tag line below. You can hustle a GS through the twisties at an alarming rate if you have a mind to. This year's ride was absolutely the most fun I have ever had on a bike.

Like Quebec, Canadian winters turn the Alberta roads to crap. There has been many an occasion that I wished I had a GS instead of beating my 12R to death on the frost heaved Alberta "pavement".

I agree wholeheartedly with trying the suspension upgrade first, but if that doesn't solve your issues, the GS will certainly fill the bill. I'm 6'2" and find the GS more comfortable on those long days in the saddle; particularly with the always present windshield issues that a lot of us experience. YMMV. Having said all that, I'm not about to trade the 12R in on a GS.

Doug