2020 BMW R 1250 GS Review | Daily Rider

2020 BMW R 1250 GS Review | Daily Rider

BMW’s flagship GS takes on the Daily Rider route. Where will it land on the DR Leaderboard?

SPECS:
MSRP: $21,900
Engine: 1,254 cc horizontally opposed twin
Measured weight: 565 lb. / 256.3 kg (no saddlebags)
Fuel tank: 5.2 gal. / 19.7 liters
Seat height: 33.5 or 34.3 in. / 850 or 870 mm
Claimed power: 136 hp @ 7,750 rpm
Claimed torque: 105 foot-pounds @ 6,250 rpm

Zack’s gear:

[BigRockMoto]

Some say the GS gets too much credit. I say it doesn't get enough. I'm on my fourth one. A 2021 GSA. I agree with Zack about getting a GSA over a GS.

[aaakdad]

Zack always finds new ways to impress me. What a rider. Him and Ari are the best journalists in motorcycling right now. Definitely my motorcycling heroes.

[davidthompson]

Good to see he's not using signals like a true bmw owner

[sarasmitz]

Seeing that speedo spin up to 70MPH in the dirt section had me worried... and then Zack and that porky GS pull an effortless wheelie. Pretty damn impressive for both Zack and the GS.

[RG-hndg]

I have a lot of experience with the 1250 GS from playing PUBG. The jumps this thing can do are insane. The suspension can handle 100 foot vertical drops without any damage to you or the bike. If you can keep from falling off the bike, then just about anything is survivable. This video just scratches the surface of what this bike can do. It can also take a lot of hits from an AK47 before it blows up. Handling is compromised a little if a tire gets shot out.

[FragEightyfive]

"you could 2, maybe 3 versys 650s"

That was hilarious. I went with a Versys 650 as my first street bike 5 years ago and I look at other bikes like, "Oh... that's like 2.5 Kawasakis."

[rickdelmonte]

I have an identical bike. I watched your review after getting home from a 90 minute ride: freeways, heavy traffic, high speeds, with rain and drizzle. I don't know any other bike that would make me feel as confident and comfortable in those conditions. I was one of the cynics until I made the mistake of test riding one. Now I keep looking for excuses to go on long rides. Nice review.

[scha]

So glad to hear Zack point out the overdrive issue. I have a '15 1200GSA, and it's high-revving at 90mph, which seems insane. I also have a KTM 1290 Super Duke GT (w stock gearing), and they got it right... you don't even shift into 6th until like 80mph, that 6th gear is TALL. I love it, and sure wish BMW had done the same, especially since there's nothing you can (easily) do to change it.

[horrykt]

this video made me understand that all the bad things attributed to the gs are actually about the owners.
cause seeing it in Zach's hands looks like it can really do everything

[bsmukler]

I was feeling trepidatious at the outset of this video because there is so much to this bike: its storied history; its evolution; the seeming complexity of its dash and systems; that I didn't know how on earth you could sum it up in a relatively brief Daily Rider review. Well, you did it! As someone who has owned multiple iterations of the GS and GS-A as well as of the Multistrada, I think you did a great job of hitting the highlights of the riding experience of the GS (especially the comfort over distance and the unexpectedly good cornering and general handling capabilities). I haven't owed the KTM equivalents and so cannot speak to them, but I think it is fair to say that the Ducati Multistrada vs the BMW GS comparison has now come down to brand loyalty or emotional response (which bike speaks to you, or which one you feel most at home on). They are different for sure, but genuinely solid, sophisticated, highly evolved machines, easily capable of globe trotting as well as having way too much fun on your favorite regional twisty roads. It is also noteworthy that both makers have done great work in preserving character and performance while complying with the increasingly stringent Euro standards. I think we should appreciate the richness of choices we have during what may be the last phase of ICE powered two wheelers. (I grew up happily making engine and shifting noises while daydreaming about sports cars and motorcycles and feel sorry for future generations who will be limited to making humming/whooshing sounds.... They will doubtless have much better hearing in their later years, but with not a lot to listen to!)

[StormBringerVids]

4:04
"No GPS, I think I know where I am going."
And he was never seen or heard from again...

[michaelbrown]

What I like about the BMW Boxer platform is I can have at least 50% of the 1250 GS’s goodness for 1/5 of the price with my 16 year old 1200RT. My 1100 RT was 1/10 of the price. Also a great riding bike. Basically, there’s something at every price point, they ride amazingly well and run forever.

[LivinLifeLoud]

I just bought this bike, same color too! At 5’8 I got the low suspension model. This bike is amazing. Well balanced and I do not feel the weight. Great review!

[jrloPanigale]

"Zat is what I will give you!" 🤣 Zack is the best bike reviewer! Informative with a good dose of humor!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[redodr]

kinda neat how you can see the rev limit (the red area in the rev counter) getting higher the warmer the engine gets, this bike really thinks for you, cause we germans trust nobody xd

[jf]

So you've covered the GS.. you better do the new 1290 SAR when it comes out!

[rockyk]

Hey Zack, fun review as always. I test rode and bought a new, fully loaded R1250 GS Adventure Low (as in Low Suspension) back in 2019 at the suggestion of a buddy that has ridden the big GS for years. When test riding a GS/A was first suggested to me I derisively laughed it off. I am short, 5’5” tall with a 30” inseam. That said, one test ride was all it took for me to buy the bike (and I was by no means a BMW fan-boy, almost the opposite). The handling is incredible for a bike it’s size and, very manageable at parking lot speeds. For shorter riders looking for a full size ADV bike that they can fit on, the low suspension GS or GSA (in 2019) seemed to be about the only game in town i.e. a full size ADV bike that could pass the laugh test for accessible seat height. (The HD Pan America Special seems to have changed that this year and I plan to test ride one to compare.) After two years of back road sporty riding on my GSA and, having owned dozens of bikes of all brands and sizes over many years, I have to say that the hype about the GS/A from those that love it, is (mostly) justified. That is, if one can get past the sticker shock of the purchase price and the cost of dealer maintenance. One additional thing to note about the GS Adventure vs. the GS is that the GSA’s have the “Sport” front suspension geometry versus the standard GS without the “Sport”suspension option. Having owned dozens of bikes, my GSA has lived up to it’s name as a comfortable and highly capable do-it-all bike. The closest my GSA has come or ever will come to off road has been a fire road or two but, like many GS owners I never had any pretensions about taking it off road. What I wanted was a sporty touring rig that handles well on both good roads and bad, has good wind protection, stops well and has the creature comforts I never had before on any other bike. My R1250 GSA has lived up to all my expectations and then some. For anyone considering the GS or GSA, just be prepared for sticker shock at the cost of purchase and, for pricey parts/service. The BMW “brand” does unfortunately, carry a price tag. It will be great to see how the HD Pan America Special compares to my bike once I can get my hands on one to test ride.

[harrisonjacobsen]

i got a GS a couple years ago and this made me fall back in love with it all over again

[infinion]

i was excited to see you do the GS. Zach, i met you at Laguna, I told you I got the Tracer after your review. Well i sold that for this exact GS. I am 5'6. People have to ride a GS to understand its pedigree. Telelever, paralever, boxer engine are the 3 main things that atribute to the bikes impreccable handling. Any bike can follow the recipe of power, wire wheels, etc, but it will never ride like a gs without the mechanical design that GS has. ive done lots of moderate offroad, GS is superb within reason. if u want serious offroad, go get a dirtbike. I will only replace the GS with the same or improved GS. Supreme onroad, track able bike, and it does offroad well. amen.

[iwasadeum]

Bought mine three weeks ago, and I'm absolutely in love. Extremely comfortable (on and off road), still pretty quick, and loaded with more bells and whistles than I thought possible on a motorcycle. It carries its weight very gracefully, IMO. Feels really sporty on the road, and feels very composed on the dirt.