BMW R1200RT/R1250RT Forum

Anyone here owned both?  I currently have a GS-LC and kinda miss the wind protection and other niceties of the RT.  (I owned a hexhead RT)  I am mainly curious about the handling, if its as flickable as the GS in the twisties.  I did test ride a RT-LC and felt a lot of handling  improvements had been made since the hexhead/camhead days. 

I've gone the other way - RT to GS.


Before the RT I had a Multistrada, so I knowingly have up a lighter, more agile bike for the protection and comfort of the RT, to handle a motorway commute.


I found the RT(LC) to be a fabulous bike - way more agile and way more fun on social rides than it should be. I came to like its size and road presence and its ability to surprise people with its performance and speed through the lanes.


I got fed up with the weight around the garage though and the way the weight would overwhelm it a bit on really twisty lanes.


I recently swapped to a GS - same engine (which I love) less weight but less refinement or protection.


Take your pick I guess. On balance I probably prefer the GS for most of my riding but sometimes I miss the comfort of the RT.


The gearbox and GSAP are much slicker on my GS but I think that's true of 17 RT compared to 14 too...

I own a RT LC and had a 16GS as a loaner for a few days. Not a long term test, but I really liked it. This was in November and on the first ride I was surprised about how much more sure footed it felt around the lanes and how light it felt. When I stopped, I even checked to see if it was a 1200 rather than a 800. Loved it and would own one apart from the weather protection. It felt more like a naked bike. So whilst I'm doing long trips and riding all year around and my other half still wants to ride, there is no better bike than the RT. If I could justify it, I would have both  8)  I am also vertically challenged at 5ft 8, so rode the low frame model. The RT is fine with the seat on the low position.

I exchanged my 2013 GS for a 2017 RT. The RT doesn't feel quite as aggressive when I open the throttle as the GS, nor quite as 'flickable' due to the greater top-hamper. But it's no slouch and the weather protection of the RT is brilliant so as an all-weather rider I would not go back to the GS.

It really depends on the type of riding you do.


I own a '15 RT which I love for all the reasons stated above - road presence, weather protection, creature comforts, etc.


Having said that I've just come back from a 16000 Km trip around southern Africa over 6 weeks on a '16 GS (not the GSA) and I really found the bike to be very enjoyable. It's much lighter and obviously has the capability to go places you really wouldn't want to take a RT whilst maintaining more than respectable on-road manners - very "flickable" albeit not as sharp on the turn in as a RT. And I actually found the ergonomics of the seating and peg positions to be much more comfortable than the RT.


There are two deal breakers for me preventing me going down the GS route: The lack of weather protection (I did hit some nasty weather where I really missed the RT) and secondly the range. We're kind of spoiled with the big tank.


If you're going to be exclusively on-road then the RT is much the better choice. However if you want to throw in some off the beaten track stuff then the GS is the no-brainer. I would go for the GSA purely for the larger tank though.

Tank range on the GS is an interesting point. Saw a good review GS vs GSA. In the end the chap chose the GS as he concluded the extra weight of the GSA and the extra 10 litres of fuel wasn't worth it. How many people who have a GSA in Europe use the extra fuel, most need a break well before the fuel runs out. If your in the middle of nowhere with sparse fuel options, then have a GS with plastic extra tanks  8)

Just sold my 2016 GSA TE and kept my 2016 RT LE which I had for 6 months before selling the GSA. The GSA is a great bike and very comfy with sergeant seats fitted but I couldn't resolve wind buffeting around 65mph +. The RT is a much better road bike and a bit more agile with far better wind protection. GSA has better suspension probably because of the slightly longer wheel base and greater suspension travel. It absorbs the bumps far better.  Also GSA is more adaptable for luggage carrying. You do need to live with the bikes for a while to see the real pros and cons.  It's worth hiring both bikes for a week if you're really torn. You might be able to do a deal if you buy a bike from the dealer to offset the hire cost. Hope that helps


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But is there a massive advantage for the GSA over the GS. Or is it really a lifestyle thing? Paris Dakar et al, how many who go for the GSA buy because of the off road looks etc, think the tank range is a red herring if riding in Europe. I am a great fan of the GS, but not sure I would opt for the GSA.

Casbar wrote: But is there a massive advantage for the GSA over the GS. Or is it really a lifestyle thing? Paris Dakar et al, how many who go for the GSA buy because of the off road looks etc, think the tank range is a red herring if riding in Europe. I am a great fan of the GS, but not sure I would opt for the GSA.

I tried GSA and GS several times before swapping to GS from my 14RT.  To me the GSA is just an inferior RT.  It has all the RT's disadvantages of weight and all the GS's disadvantages of poor(er) weather protection.  If I wanted a heavy, sheltered bike for road riding, I would pick an RT over the GSA every time.


I chose the GS because it's so much agile than either of the other two.  I loved my RT but the GS is making me chuckle as I ride it.  It's brought the fun back - and I can push it around the garage easily.


The GS's poor(er) weather protection can be improved to an extent by the addition of a different screen and winglets, although I suspect winter may see me resorting to the heated clothing that I never needed on the RT.


Oh - and for what it's worth, I think the tank range thing is a total red-herring.  In what I guess is now in excess of 200,000 miles of riding since I was born again, including the Dalton to Deadhorse, an off-road circuit of Iceland, the Skeleton Coast of Namibia and crossing rural Botswana, the only time I've ever needed fuel beyond the tank range of a standard GS was coming down from Appplecross to Plockton on a Sunday.  Nobody needs the range of a GSA.  It's just extra weight for no benefit whatsoever...


Of course, other opinions are available - but treat them with caution!

richardbd wrote:
I tried GSA and GS several times before swapping to GS from my 14RT.  To me the GSA is just an inferior RT.  It has all the RT's disadvantages of weight and all the GS's disadvantages of poor(er) weather protection.  If I wanted a heavy, sheltered bike for road riding, I would pick an RT over the GSA every time.


I chose the GS because it's so much agile than either of the other two.  I loved my RT but the GS is making me chuckle as I ride it.  It's brought the fun back - and I can push it around the garage easily.


The GS's poor(er) weather protection can be improved to an extent by the addition of a different screen and winglets, although I suspect winter may see me resorting to the heated clothing that I never needed on the RT.


Oh - and for what it's worth, I think the tank range thing is a total red-herring.  In what I guess is now in excess of 200,000 miles of riding since I was born again, including the Dalton to Deadhorse, an off-road circuit of Iceland, the Skeleton Coast of Namibia and crossing rural Botswana, the only time I've ever needed fuel beyond the tank range of a standard GS was coming down from Appplecross to Plockton on a Sunday.  Nobody needs the range of a GSA.  It's just extra weight for no benefit whatsoever...


Of course, other opinions are available - but treat them with caution!

Great points and I am pretty much with you. Love the GS

Bump-  I have a 16 GS with 13K and really enjoying it.  I have fallen for the looks of the new red RT and am scheduling a test ride in the next few weeks.  Any more comments on this topic would be appreciated.  I do live in South Florida which may be a factor based on reading posts about lack of airflow on the RT.  I commute 1 to 2 times a week 80 miles round trip on mostly highway roads; 1-2 long trips to the GA/NC mountains a year.  Otherwise ride around town to the tune of 8-10,000 miles a year.

I would say GS then. As I said I love the RT, but there is no airflow when its hot. I believe for nipping around the GS is ideal, if I didn't need the weather protection and didn't tour with my wife, then I would have a GS or possibly an Africa Twin 

I agree with Casbar. The RT is perfect for touring but if you don't plan to do long distances or ride regularly in poor weather then I would say the GS is a better choice.

Does it depend on how long your legs are tho? I traded my Multistrada in for an RT partly because of this, I've had GSs in the past, perhaps my legs are shrinking but I'm having trouble getting my leg over adventure bikes now.

Well, with both the RT, and previously the GS, I have learned to stand on the left-hand peg before swinging my right leg over. I also think it's an age thing, I just don't seem to have the mobility I used to (sad to admit as I'm not even that old yet). In terms of 'feet down' I'm 6' 1" and I can just about flat foot the RT with the seat on the low setting. On my GS I had the seat at the higher setting and I could get the balls of both feet down but not flat foot. Potentially if I had gone with the lower seat height I could have managed that.