FIrst ride on a BMW motorcycle

[KRTW]

Ok, I will admit, I had no idea riding a motorcycle could be like this.....I have ridden all Japanese bikes and I am not complaining about them in any way - but riding a BMW changed my entire concept of what riding could be like....An older GS1200 - in great shape....when my buddy first offered I was a little reluctant - as this HUGE...but he talked me into it....and he joined me on his other bike.

I think we rode for about 20 minutes - hiway and dirt road.

The smoothness.
The balance.
The feel.
The transmission.

 

This was an eye opening experience. There is no way to deny the engineering that goes into these bikes - and I want one.....if I'm gonna live on a motorcycle - this is the one I want to live on. I only wish parts were not so expensive.......

[TEWKS]

Parts for almost all brands of motorcycles are pretty expensive these days.  
 

Not that I’m racking up big miles but throwing parts at my BMW hasn’t been the norm. I would ride something else if so.

 

Good luck with your search! 

[Hosstage]

My first ride on a BMW was an RT for 10 days in The Alps. I agree completely with your assessment, great bikes to ride, an eye opener for sure. Real suspension, very good power, smoothe shifting and handling. And 200 to 300 pounds lighter than what I normally ride. It is now on my short list of bikes for my next one. (Sorry, no GS, I just can't get past the look...)

[Rougarou]

4 hours ago, KRTW said:

 I only wish parts were not so expensive.......

 

The cheapest thing on a BMW is the nut between the seat and handlebar.

 

Anyway, I'm frugal, cheep, stingy, thrifty, penny pincher, tightwad or whatever else a thesaurus may come up with,......so I shop used parts, craigslist (not so good luck there), ebay, rubbersideup, beemerboneyard, and others.

 

The last used part, I think, I put on my RT was a stick coil.  I've done a used transmission, driveshaft, front shock, sidecase inner and some other things I'm sure I'm not remembering......and that bike has 140k on it.

[MikeB60]

17 hours ago, KRTW said:

An older GS1200 - in great shape....when my buddy first offered I was a little reluctant - as this HUGE...but he talked me into it....and he joined me on his other bike.

Great motorcycles!  As good as the older GS are, the waterboxers and shift cams are even better!  I might take exception to the transmissions, about a step ahead from a a old Army deuce and a half, but its close,  unless you use the shift assist pro which is fantastic.  

[RTinNC]

10 hours ago, MikeB60 said:

Great motorcycles!  As good as the older GS are, the waterboxers and shift cams are even better!  I might take exception to the transmissions, about a step ahead from a a old Army deuce and a half, but its close,  unless you use the shift assist pro which is fantastic.  

 Totally agree!   I have had numerous generations of the BMW motors from 1150 to 1200 hex head to 1200 camhead and now the 1200 LC and each one is better than the prior.   Smoother engine,  smoother shifting and better features.   I am sure a 1250 shift cam is in my future and will be better yet. 

[tmuenster]

Your post brought back memories of my first ride on a BMW.  It was a 1998 R100GS at Bratin Motors in San Diego.  I was riding a 1993 H-D Heritage at the time but I wanted to see what all the BMW fuss was about.  After an hour of riding the bike in the mountains outside of San Diego, I bought it.  The GS model does not always get the credit it deserves for being a great handling bike.  

[Jake]

1 hour ago, tmuenster said:

Your post brought back memories .  

 

And so did yours!  Hope all is well Tom!

[Bernie]

Switched to BMW motorcycles from Moto Guzzi in May 2000.

It has been a bad and terrible addiction.  I like riding my RT almost more than drinking coffee and eating, almost. 

[walton66]

echo the addiction comment.  A few here as old as me, but my introduction was on a silver-smoke 75 R90S.  I had a 74 Kawasaki Z1 and was riding in Utah with a friend on the beemer.  We switched off going east from I-15 to US89 on utah 14 out of Cedar city.  I never wanted to trade back.  Couldn't afford the S but purchased a 76 R90/6 and have been a boxer fan since, air, oil, and cam-head.  

[Ponch]

A GS isn't huge. 

[Selden]

Huge is relative. On a good day I am 5'6" with a 29" inseam (if that). For me a GS 1200 is yuuuge.

[TEWKS]

18 minutes ago, Selden said:

Huge is relative. On a good day I am 5'6" with a 29" inseam (if that). For me a GS 1200 is yuuuge.

Heck, I remember a story where a TW200 was huge, laying on top of ya...

[Ponch]

2 hours ago, Selden said:

Huge is relative. On a good day I am 5'6" with a 29" inseam (if that). For me a GS 1200 is yuuuge.

Yeah, I am 6'5, 34" inseam. I am a freak of nature in my family. Dad was 5'8 and his dad 5'1. 

[Missouri Bob]

My first ride on a BMW was in 1973 on an R60/5. It made an impression. Over the years, I've owned five Boxers, the last one being a 2008 R1200GS. Also over the years, I've gotten older. As much as I would like an R1250RS, I think they're just too big (and heavy) for me. These days, I ride a Triumph Thruxton 1200. Other than the chain drive, it reminds me of my 1980 R100, only quicker.

 

[Rinkydink]

Love me some Thruxton. 

[TEWKS]

In the proper British Racing Green, no less. 🇬🇧 

[Sonor]

My first BMW came to me by inheritance. My dear friend, to whom I referred to as my God Father, passed from Liver cancer at the age of 53.  Way too young.  I was riding Hondas at the time.  Well he told his wife that I was to receive his 1995 R1100R.  He lived in the Poconos of Pennsylvania and I had long before moved to NC.  Well I flew to NE PA, stayed with my family, went over to Mike's Widow's house and picked up the bike.  I then drove it to NC.  I was only on the bike an hour and said to myself, "Yup Mike, I get it. I know why you like these bikes so much."  Of course he had already put Ohlins and a Russell Day Long on it so the comfort was there.  But the handling was superior.  One year later I realized that the BMW had thousands of miles and the Honda had only gotten 550 miles in that same year.  Sold the Honda.