TDM v. 1200GS Options

[Emmett]

Both arms... ouch! But was that because of the boxer engine layout?

No that was on the handle bars. So I'm gonna take the 'bars off the TDM just in case

[sidestand]

I've never ridden a GS (1150 or 1200), but everyone I know who has, half a dozen mates at home, Wrex, AlunL.......has had nothing but praise for them. Admitted, they look a bit strange, but to a mainstream biker (read sportsbike), the TDM's are an ugly bike.
Having a BMW K1200RS, I know where the GS fans are coming from with regard to comfort, handling, quality, not having to feck about with chain oilers etc, etc,
The GS has been made very popular with Ewan, Charlie & The Long(& now pretty boring) Way Round
It has made it the 'must have' fashion accessory for the City high flyers & Yuppies - they are actually attracted to the high prices & buy all the overpriced BMW accessories & clothing to match.

But stop to consider - in a year or so, they will be out of fashion, so just think what that will do to the second hand prices when all those Yuppies get rid of last years toy

There will be a glut of 3 & 4 year old GS's with 3-4000 miles on the clock going for under five grand.
That's exactly what happened with my K1200RS - bloke had that & 2 other BM's in his garage from new & hardly used them. I bought the bike (£11500 new) at five years old for £4850 with a years BMW warranty & 5175 miles on the clock - will have only had it a year come September & its got 14000 miles on already.

So just be patient lads, & them GS's will be cheaper than yer TDM's

Oh! and of course they're better than a TDM.........Who d'yer think yer kiddin' ??

Admitted - the TDM(850) LOOKS better

Right, I'll get off me soapbox now

[alunl]

No that was on the handle bars. So I'm gonna take the 'bars off the TDM just in case

Good idea Emmett... Handlebars are dangerous things you know... My mam told me

[beeble-tdm9]

Interesting topic...

Just interested about the fuel consumption you're getting out of the GS... so what is it?

Cheers,

Paul

[Dave in Thailand]

I don't want to be a BMW rider. It's not really racist or anti-German; I speak a bit of German and have holidayed there a few times (piss-boring, actually, 'cept for the Nurburgring). It's more to do with Brit BMW riders with their sensible riding and apparel for all eventualities. There are plenty of Germans who won't ride BMWs for the same reasons. I say get something else or you'll really regret it first time you pull up at the lights and there are other BMW riders there and you think I'm one of them now

[wrex]

Interesting topic...

Just interested about the fuel consumption you're getting out of the GS... so what is it?

Cheers,

Paul

I'm getting 200miles from a tankful which is 20l. My sincerest apologies if that offends anyones sensibilities

[duibhce Kaelann]

I'm getting 200miles from a tankful which is 20l. My sincerest apologies if that offends anyones sensibilities

the GS adventure has a 33(!!) liter tank btw. Now that's impressive.

[alunl]

the GS adventure has a 33(!!) liter tank btw. Now that's impressive.

I usually fill up at about 230 miles on my Adventure (and the fuel guage still shows just under a quarter of a tank), as opposed to about 160-170 miles on the TDM850... Mind you, that's wasted on me... I need to stop for a fag long before I need fuel!

This post has been edited by alunl: Mon 31st Jul 2006, 02:24 PM

[wrex]

I need to stop for a fag long before I need fuel!

Amen to that

This post has been edited by wrex: Mon 31st Jul 2006, 04:30 PM

[Mender]

I had an old GS, a very capable commuter (Worthing to HM Dockyard Pompey) However, I slid off it on some diesel on the Chichester roundabout, the GS glided majestically on the engine crash bars into the raised kerb.........................which promptly removed the left hand cylinder and bent the frame. write off and I wasn't going very quick I only bruised my ribs. No more bikes with sticky out bits for me!!!!!!

[ROB1]

I had an old GS, a very capable commuter (Worthing to HM Dockyard Pompey) However, I slid off it on some diesel on the Chichester roundabout, the GS glided majestically on the engine crash bars into the raised kerb.........................which promptly removed the left hand cylinder and bent the frame. write off and I wasn't going very quick I only bruised my ribs. No more bikes with sticky out bits for me!!!!!!

i posted before about having a impromptu hook up with 2 gs riders on good friday.they rode similar to me but i got immense pleasure from the fact of giving away350cc & loads of years of techno they didnt remotely pull away from me & leave me behind.

[Pict]

the GS adventure has a 33(!!) liter tank btw. Now that's impressive.

Should provide an even BIGGER fireball in a pileup, then??

[Emmett]

i posted before about having a impromptu hook up with 2 gs riders on good friday.they rode similar to me but i got immense pleasure from the fact of giving away350cc & loads of years of techno they didnt remotely pull away from me & leave me behind.

After having ridden a TDM and 1200gs back to back I have to say the gs has alot more grunt, and I think that if they didn't pull away from you it was more about the riders than the bikes. Don't get me wrong, I still was happier when I got back on the TDM, mainly because I was more used to it though.

[Big Bird]

After having ridden a TDM and 1200gs back to back I have to say the gs has alot more grunt, and I think that if they didn't pull away from you it was more about the riders than the bikes. Don't get me wrong, I still was happier when I got back on the TDM, mainly because I was more used to it though.

I totally agree. I took the R1200GS out for a good ride over a year ago, and the 1200 sure puts out a lot more than my 850. However, I too prefer my $10k Yammy than an ridiculously overpriced $30k+ bloody R-series. My old '87 K-series was indestructible (until it was squashed up against a brick wall by my neighbours out-of-control car), but it'll be a cold day in hell before I get an R. I've heard horror stories from friends who own newer BM's, about the clutch going at 50,000km and universal joints and final drives failing as well. BM have lost the plot and no longer deserve their reputation for producing a quality product.
I never thought I'd say something like that - I really loved that old K of mine.

[TDMBob]

This is a spooky subject to come up on the TDM forum as I am going through a should I should I not trade in me 900 for a 1200GS its been in the back of my mind but I have always dismissed the thought as I am a bit vertically challenged and sometimes have a fight getting on off the TDM when the paniers are on. Anyway I breezed into my local BMW dealer last week mainly to have a look at the new belt drive 800's when I spotted this 1200GS and the sales guy said take a seat on it as it has the lowering kit on, well I thought this will be interesting so I cocked me right leg over it and got the bastard stuck on the pillion seat and there I was stuck like a feckin ballet dancer practising at the bars and I am thinking to myself now what do I do, will I make the final effort and try and get me leg over and then ask the guy to phone the fire brigade to get me off the fecker or do I try and dismount and end up in a big heap on the floor and give the guys at the dealers some free entertainment well I thought to heck with it I'll strugle and get me leg over and when I did was surprised to find that I could get both feet on the ground flatter than the TDM. I said to the sales guy this is good but I don't know how the hell I will get on and off it and it was at this moment that he chose to tell me that the pillion seat comes off if needed so problem solved except he could not get it off with yours truly sat nearly on it and it would have looked bad to pasers by so I sent him out to look at my TDM so I could try and extricate myself out of the situation in private and managed to get off the GS by kind of doing a goose step in reverse fit to make John Cleese ministry of silly walks not funny anymore. Anyway once we got the pillion seat off everything was fine and I do like the GS so I will have to sit and make up my mind I agree with Emmett it is faster than my 900 but a lot smother at low revs.

[Walt_M.]

GS vs TDM? To see what BMW thinks, look at the new BMW 800, they've built their own TDM but with that ridiculous looking belt drive. I'll keep my Yammie thanky.

[laughin in a win...]

there is always talk of more power or grunt from the GS over the TDM's, well that shouldn't really be a surprise should it, what with 300-350cc's more engine capacity, I personally can't see why the GS always seems to be the bike people want to move to from the TDM, if you want more power or grunt why not just choose any one of the many sports tourers or retros or one of the other big trailie type bikes from any other manufacturer, a KAWASAKI ZRX1200 will annihilate a TDM or a BMW GS in terms of performance, it's smooth, it's comfy, it's fast and it can be loaded up with as much luggage as any bike and still be comfy with a passenger, plus you can pick them up second hand in good condition for not much more than £3000 and then sell them again a year or so later for almost what you paid for them as long as they're still in good condition.
so why does the GS seem to be the bike chosen to replace the TDM ?, is it just the media hype and heresay or have people really tried all of the many varied options of motorcycle on the market to make up their mind.

[duibhce Kaelann]

there is always talk of more power or grunt from the GS over the TDM's, well that shouldn't really be a surprise should it, what with 300-350cc's more engine capacity, I personally can't see why the GS always seems to be the bike people want to move to from the TDM, if you want more power or grunt why not just choose any one of the many sports tourers or retros or one of the other big trailie type bikes from any other manufacturer, a KAWASAKI ZRX1200 will annihilate a TDM or a BMW GS in terms of performance, it's smooth, it's comfy, it's fast and it can be loaded up with as much luggage as any bike and still be comfy with a passenger, plus you can pick them up second hand in good condition for not much more than £3000 and then sell them again a year or so later for almost what you paid for them as long as they're still in good condition.
so why does the GS seem to be the bike chosen to replace the TDM ?, is it just the media hype and heresay or have people really tried all of the many varied options of motorcycle on the market to make up their mind.

it's
1) hype and hearsay
2) pricing: It's bloody expensive so people think it must be better

[wicklamulla]

I'm getting 200miles from a tankful which is 20l. My sincerest apologies if that offends anyones sensibilities

you going onto reserve to get that figure Wrex ??? i am impressed as i thought they drank fuel.

[wrex]

you going onto reserve to get that figure Wrex ??? i am impressed as i thought they drank fuel.

That does include reserve down to about 20m left on the warning indicator thingie. The faster you go the more it drinks, but you know I'm very sensible when I ride Wickie. Always suprised me that they put such a small tank on it to tell you the truth. You can get a bigger tank but I just cant be arsed!