Why BMW R 1250 GS may NOT be for you (HONEST REVIEW)

This is why BMW R 1250 GS may not be the best choice for you.

Whether it's R1250GS or R1200GS, all of the points are valid.

Background music used under 3.0 CC license:

[christianallgayer]

I lost my job due to the COVID situation, sold my F 150 v8 and my Hayabusa. I have been doing everything on the GS.. from supermarket to travel 1000 km to spend holidays with my family. It is only during a crisis that we can contemplate what is really necessary. For me is the bike. This bike especially.

[mickmounce]

I've owned many different brands and types of motorcycles, and my favorite is still the BMW GSA! Thank you for your comments!

[thetallguy]

The last time I saw a Multistrada is when I traded mine in for a 1250GS 😀

[paulscott]

Good video. I currently own a R1250GSA as well as a KTM 1190 Adventure and a Triumph Tiger 800. The KTM is so fast and such a total thrill that I love every minute of riding it. The front end however is unstable at times. The Triumph is a joy and nothing sounds like a triple. Extremely stable, light and perfectly fueled at any RPM. A little revy at today’s freeway cruising speeds for extended periods of riding for my taste. The BMW is the motorcycle I feel safe on. It’s torque is the key to a level of control that when coupled with the amazing suspension makes this motorcycle easy to ride. Wind protection is perfect. The bike never feels unstable and if you twist the throttle it makes remarkable time without the fear of accelerating faster than your brain can process the event. It’s a gentleman’s motorcycle which has become my daily ride of choice. While the Triumph and the KTM will corrode eventually, the BMW looks like new after a wash. Thousands of miles on this machine makes it my ride of choice.

[bartcoppens]

I did 60000 on a ktm 1190. Then 40000 on a 1200gs . I was convinced that I needed some more HP. So I went testing multistrada and ktm 1290. Went home and bought me the 1250. On paper you r 100% . But reality is that the gs1250 is such a joy to ride. I think you can only understand it when you ride it a lot and not simply a nice sunny day.

[jjdatranz]

I still stick to GSA for two only reasons
1. 30liter tank - hell lots of milaege
2. Shaft drive - i hate to maintain chain

[sixsigmax]

As soon as my short-lived infatuation with the KTM and Ducati wore off, I was back on the GS. Yes, it’s a bit heavier (perhaps sturdier is a better word) and doesn’t hold the record for most ponies, but the GS still reigns supreme for the best all-around adventure motorcycle.

[dkslackmaster]

As a GSA owner....this guy is not wrong. However I love my big old girl and her quirky ways

[Gazza]

It’s all very emotive and subjective, people have very different needs from their bikes and so taylor their choices appropriately. I’m a 120 mile a day commuter and tourer so normally 18k-20k miles per year so need a bike that’s reliable, virtually maintenance free, good fuel range and supported be an assistance programme and dealer network which support me and my bike. So don’t need 170bhp+ or chain drives on my wish list. So confession time, I’m on my 2nd GS Adventure and live the bike and brand; still love KTM and Ducati adventure models (especially new V4 MS), and would love a 990 in the garage if I had the cash, but those bikes really don’t fit my individual needs. 👍👍for the GS every time (well until the V4 MS comes in Enduro mode perhaps!!)🤣

[samuroadventure]

As a GSA owner I can only agree with the engine noise, it is a little bit high for me because I commute to work on my almost everyday. But even though there is no substitute for the GSA!!

[royhuxley]

Sold my R1250GS after three years with no regrets. I agree with all your points, very accurate. Easy to stall from a standstill so tended to give extra reps to make sure I did not. In slow stop start traffic this made the bike more of a handful than any other bike I had ridden. Bikes do not need to be that big or high or expensive as a medium size bike with give you just as much enjoyment with more confidence for less financial outlay.

[willp]

Thanks for your comments. I am owning Harley, Ducati, Honda and now GSA, loved this toy.
You are totally right when mentioning engine stops suddenly if we dont maintain the gas that caused its falls off but I think most bikes are the same clutch & gas issue.

[oztursen]

I just rented a 2020 R1250GS today for the entire day as I was planning to order my own configuration of this bike from the factory. Due to reasons below that you also mentioned in your video, I am keeping my KTM 790 Adventure for the time being. I will wait for the KTM 1290 Adventure release in the U.S.
I haven't stalled or dropped the bike all day today but I agree that clutch doesn't start to grab all the way at the end and it requires lots of throttle. I guess it is because of the weight?
Price at this point in time is like $28k in the US. Yes, you can buy a mid-size car for that money.
Engine sound and wind sound in my head, despite earplugs, was obnoxious all day.
I loved the seating position and its balance when its standing still is pretty good. But, it is not a flying carpet despite all the electronics like people say.

[stevendegoodmojosmet]

Had over 30 bikes, two gs, a r1100gs and now the 1200gs, there is no bike like it. I love it . The rt is very good too .. loved my Honda's and Beta's, had a tracer 700, fun bike too, but the GS is crazy good.

[VToldsMotoShow]

BMW GS owners, please don't get mad, we all still love the GS bikes!

[zeedustrakok]

As a GS 1200 and 1250 driver I would say the boxer doesn't easily stall. I can drive off without throtle.
And my new 1250GSA can be considered quite expensive. Sound? It's relatively silent and I like it that way. Make my bike nice and silent on the motorways.
Related to power: below 6000RPM the GSA overpowers all of its competitors. I can count on one hand when I go over 6000 rpm.
Digital panel: if it is clean I can always read it.
Seats: I have a different one that's even harder, I like hard seats, but not the standard one since the shape doesn't suit me.

I'll put it this way. Based on your comments the GSA doesn't suit you, I however really like it.

And you missed some of the flaws.

[paachi]

Interesting video. Just came across it. I’d like to proffer my two cents having owned an R1200 GS oil cooled for 8 years.

1. They are expensive. No getting around that. But motorcycling at this price point/ product proposition is marketed as a hobby and lifestyle choice and not a daily driver/ value conscious choice. So manufacturers extract a premium to cover RnD costs etc.
2. The stalling seems more like rider error or a faulty coil pack or imbalanced throttle bodies and not a general issue of the bike. From personal experience when I first tried to take my GS up a sandy/ muddy hill I stalled precisely due to bad rider skills and poor tire choice. No fault of the bike
3. My GS has an analog gauge and I have ridden the modern 1250 variants with digital gauges. I don’t think visibility has even been an issue in the couple of hundred miles I have ridden the new GSes
4. Exhaust: I for one like the quieter exhaust on the GS. Makes for a good commuter and touring experience. I have commuted in a Ducati (1000DS air cooled motor) with a Termi exhaust..and it gets tiring real fast if you aren’t riding on track or carving canyons.
5. Handling: It is one of the best handling bikes I’ve ever ridden. I can easily hang with and at times smoke my fellow riders on R1s and Monsters. Caveat emptor..riding skills are a critical variable in this equation.
6. Modifying: This is the main gestalt of the GS and why people love it. Being such a widely sold model, the aftermarket is rife with excellent mods to personalize the bike. Much akin to Jeep or a Land Cruiser.
7. Power: My GS has even less HP (110 vs 135) than the water cooled ones. But I’ve never found it lacking in areas that matter the most to me (canyon carving, touring, light off-road and commuting) thanks to the prodigious low down torque

Things I really wish were better on my GS
1. The ESA suspension is now done after 30K miles on the stock unit. Unfortunately it isn’t rebuildable. It wasn’t much good in the first place anyway. This is a problem not just with the GS but also with many new bikes. They are sprung for a ~160lb rider with ~15-20lbs of luggage. At 235lbs plus gear and luggage I am well past the operating range of the shocks. New after market shocks are in order
2. Range: I have the GS not the GSA (I prefer the rake angle and handling of the stock GS) but the 5 and change gallon tank is good only for 170 miles or thereabouts. I carry spare fuel but when commuting 100 miles a day filling up every other day gets irritating. I’m yet to find a clean way to add aux tank to the GS. So Rotopax it is..
3. Weight: The bike is great for paved roads, gravel roads, really broken up roads but take it to sand/ mud/ moderate single track and the weight becomes a penalty rapidly. It can still do it but exceptional rider skills required to achieve it. I haven’t taken a new 1250 off-road but I hear the electronics help out in a huge way to tame the weight effects and improve dirt handling. Nonetheless I strictly believe such a heavy bike isn’t destined for pure off-road
4. Dry Clutch: This applies to 2012 and earlier GSes. The modern liquid cooled GSes come with a wet clutch which imho is superior and more forging of poor technique than a dry clutch. In very technical off road which requires a lot of clutching finesse I can smell my clutch quite a bit. Again caveat my poor riding skills

Summarily, I think of this bike as an overlanding bike rather than a rock crawler. It’s designed to take you anywhere you wanna go in a deliberate and steady manner. It’s not a rip roaring racer like the KTM or Ducati. But it’s a damn sight more reliable than them. When it breaks it’s gonna be expensive but I find it easy to work on and maintain. The only other travel/ enduro/ off-road bike that excites me today is the KTM 690 (very light compared to the GS and a very good platform to build up on). Again like the GS a good overlanding platform that can be modified and tweaked to suit ones needs. I can unequivocally can that the GS is one of the best bikes for me and my style of riding and it doesn’t disappoint

[diegoalonso]

Nice review.... But I wouldn't change my 1250GS by any other model. The noise I find it great, TFT screen just fantastic, seat very comfortable, power.... wow.... much more than enough even in couple and full loaded, shaft drive and suspensions are excellent... The price.... Well... I agree with you on that one ;-) It's an excellent machine (just like the other alternatives)... Buy the one you like most and enjoy it!!!

[kcrush]

I’ve never stalled my R1250 GSA, either on, or off-road. The fuel management system calculates fuel & air mixture so quickly under acceleration and deceleration, throttle position nearly means nothing when moving at any speed. It’s gear selection & clutch control that determine a stall. Regardless of the weight of my gear, riding surface, barometric or elevation changes, my 1250 will burn fuel with fire. I enjoyed your video nonetheless.

[myleslanglais]

Ive owned 46 motorcycles in my life, , inc 16 dirt bikes, , this is my 3 rd Gs/GSA, , , the best and most fun bike ive ever owned....