Thinking of getting a 2nd bike

[Doctor T]

Ive been looking around the R1250GS for a while. The RT is getting lonesome in the garage. Looking around a 23 model. Having never owned a 1250, will i feel much differance with the extra 50cc?

[DaveCly]

Well I can’t if I’m honest, I don’t process to be fastest rider out there, I ride the 1250cc RT’s on Blood Bike duty, I’ve also rode a 1250 GSA of a friends as well, found that to be noisy than the RT’s
On the second bike, I bought a GS over six years ago, and found it to be a fantastic little bike 310cc, I could certainly recommend one.

[Casbar]

The 1250 will be a lot different to your current bike. The GS is also lighter than the RT. Looking at the reviews, I might go for the 1300 rather than the 1250, but that will be £££££. Also looking on UKGSER insurance will be a lot more as well on the 1300.

[Elkinell]

The last 1200RT I rode was a loan bike in about 2018-19 while my K1600 was being serviced. I liked it but found it a bit loud at motorway speeds, difficult to judge the power as not much will impress you after a K1600. December 2022 I took a 1250RT out and was so impressed with it, I bought a used one pretty much a year ago and am very happy with it. Last September I took out one of those GS750's that's really an 850 and loved it.I'm seriously considering getting a used one as a second bike to keep the RT for holiday tours but in order to do that I'd have to sell the other three first. I like the big GS's but unless a bargain shows up I'm buying smaller bikes in the future.

[Doctor T]

The 1250 will be a lot different to your current bike. The GS is also lighter than the RT. Looking at the reviews, I might go for the 1300 rather than the 1250, but that will be £££££. Also looking on UKGSER insurance will be a lot more as well on the 1300.

It would be a 1250 as i dont like the style of the 1300

[Doctor T]

The last 1200RT I rode was a loan bike in about 2018-19 while my K1600 was being serviced. I liked it but found it a bit loud at motorway speeds, difficult to judge the power as not much will impress you after a K1600. December 2022 I took a 1250RT out and was so impressed with it, I bought a used one pretty much a year ago and am very happy with it. Last September I took out one of those GS750's that's really an 850 and loved it.I'm seriously considering getting a used one as a second bike to keep the RT for holiday tours but in order to do that I'd have to sell the other three first. I like the big GS's but unless a bargain shows up I'm buying smaller bikes in the future.

The K1600 was nice but too heavy for me. I like the 850/900GS but i didnt like it on the motorway. I found the engine too buzzy at that speed.
As i tour alot and cover around 15000 miles a year i prefer the GS for the shaft and the Boxer engine.
I had a R1800 one over a weekend. Loved the engine proformance but after an hour my hips, knees and arms gave me pain. Ive got the body of a Hampster long body with short arms and legs. I can tip toe a GS and flat foot on a lowered model.

[Elkinell]

The K1600 was nice but too heavy for me. I like the 850/900GS but i didnt like it on the motorway. I found the engine too buzzy at that speed.
As i tour alot and cover around 15000 miles a year i prefer the GS for the shaft and the Boxer engine.
I had a R1800 one over a weekend. Loved the engine proformance but after an hour my hips, knees and arms gave me pain. Ive got the body of a Hampster long body with short arms and legs. I can tip toe a GS and flat foot on a lowered model.

Agree about the weight of the K1600. I got it in 2015 and I could push the bike, her ladyship and all the touring luggage flatfooted backwards up a steady incline. By 2020 I was in denial about the muscle wastage from having an office job and finally gave in last year and bought a lighter bike. I also prefer the shaft drive over chain, have done for years but I'm having a word wi' meself as there's so many good bikes I'm missing out on and the clock is ticking. Done UK touring only for the last few years but this August another European tour is being planned, not going as far as we used to. I have a plan to get down to only two bikes in the near future for simplicity and economic reasons.

[Doctor T]

It doesnt help that I walk with a stick and not very far. If the weight is low down like a Boxer or Goldwing am OK but a normal 4 pot with it's weight up high is a no no. Same goes if i drop the thing. So a Boxer is perfect for me as it doesnt fall flat as ive found out a few times.
I test rode a 1250 GSA this morning with a low seat and found the sitting postion perfect. It didn't feel much lighter. I will say that the new to me type engine did feel more powerful and even got to the point of saying it was smoother. I would have to buy a higher screen to make it perfect.
Am in no rush to hand over any money yet but if a TE model comes along with all the bells and whistles i may be tempted.

[Elkinell]

It doesnt help that I walk with a stick and not very far. If the weight is low down like a Boxer or Goldwing am OK but a normal 4 pot with it's weight up high is a no no. Same goes if i drop the thing. So a Boxer is perfect for me as it doesnt fall flat as ive found out a few times.
I test rode a 1250 GSA this morning with a low seat and found the sitting postion perfect. It didn't feel much lighter. I will say that the new to me type engine did feel more powerful and even got to the point of saying it was smoother. I would have to buy a higher screen to make it perfect.
Am in no rush to hand over any money yet but if a TE model comes along with all the bells and whistles i may be tempted.

That reminds me, I must get around to buying some crash bars. I bought a lower seat from a chap on here so I can flat foot the bike with her ladyship on board but the standard seat is kinder to my old knees and I don't want to start with peg lowering kits just yet.Don't leave it so long that the seasonal prices start to go up again.

[Mac001]

Having had a GSA I will add that the handling and weight changed massively when you fill up that 30litre tank. The bike would go from neutral ish to top heavy. Great if you are on a long tour sat on the motorway but otherwise a pain when full. You will rarely if ever find a GSA having a full tank when you borrow one for a test drive unless you fill it. Worth a thought before you decide.

[EasyRider]

Not had a GS, but ride a Varadero 1000 in the winter.
If you want any luggage on the bike. I would fit panniers over a top box.
Having the weight lower down is so much better. I stopped using the top box for this reason.
When going at slow speed around town or at lights you will feel the top box weight and you will wobble.
I have long leg and have to put my feet down at slow speed to keep my balance better with or without a top box fitted.
This is one of the reasons i bought my RT, because the weight is low to the ground.
I will keep the top box fitted on the RT, but will use the panniers more and keep the top box for lighter items only if needed.

Photo of Varadero with just the panniers fitted.

My Varadero.jpg (479.02 KiB) Viewed 2106 times

[Glenn]

I bought a 2011 F650 GS Twin, just before I dislocated my shoulder, so not ridden it so far, hopefully soon though

[Doctor T]

I've gone mad and fallen in love again. I know I am a traitor to the site and have gone against my rules of must haves. I swore i would go Japanese again but after a two hour test ride i just fell in love with the whole bike. Yes it's a chain drive, yes it has 4 cyl and yes it drinks more fuel than i drink Tea but it a perfect riding position for my Hamster body, more electronics than Apollo 13 and it goes like muck off a shovel. The main thing is ive been offered what my bank manager thinks is a good deal. Shock horror, even the Wife liked it. The shop has included a comfort seat, heated grips, mid height screen, rack, panniers, Tracer mirrors(longer arms) plus one year's extra warranty. All for just under £16,599 cash otr. This is under Rrp for the 2024 model. I said i would never buy a new bike again but that always gets thrown out the window when there are shinny bikes about.
I arranged a long weekend(Fri to Mon) test ride just to make sure this weekend if it's not snowing.
Shall i let you guess what it is and what model?
To give you an idea i also rode a S1000R as well this morning just before the above bike but just couldnt jell with it. The riding position was a bit too lean forward for me and even with the salesman offering a deal, he was just too pushy. I just didnt like his sales tactics at all. He must be trying to get his sales figures up for the month. Not going there again.
So what do you think I am going for?

[SimonD]

MT10?
Bloody lovely thing if it is. Small tank and heavy fuel consumption is the only thing that put me off a few years ago. Still waiting for a Tracer 10.

[Doctor T]

99.9% there. It's the SP model