BMW’s GS series boxer-twins have long been leaders of the pack when it comes to big dual purpose motorcycles. The massive R1150 GS with the beak-like front mudguards and odd-sized headlights that resembled a drooping eyelid earned the sobriquet “duck on drugs” when the company brought out a bright yellow version, but everybody respected the Teutonic Titanic’s all round ability.
Now there’s an even better adventure tourer around, and it’s also built by BMW. The all-new R1200 GS is 15% more powerful and 12% lighter than its ancestor, and the moment I sat on the test machine at Tommy Johns Motorcycles in Pinetown I knew it was going to be winner. The 199 kg motorcycle feels tons lighter than the older model, and the narrow saddle and fuel tank mean that the machine is much less cumbersome. Once mobile I discovered that the bike felt midway between my old BMW F650 and the R1150 GS in terms of manoeuvrability — bloody good for a 1200cc motorcycle.
When you open the throttle the new Beemer is a revelation. The old bike was a good enough performer, but the new one leaves it for dead in just about every sphere. Throttle response is instantaneous, and the bike sprints away from the blocks like a spotty-faced teenager invited to Teazers for the very first time. Handling is absolutely stunning, and more than a few of the superbike brigade are going to get a shock when the big BMW hangs in with them through the bends at anything up to its 208 km/hr top speed.
The R1200 GS gearbox is the best of any BMW I’ve ever ridden. There’s a bit of a “clunk” when engaging first gear, but from then on it clicks crisply through the cogs. The brakes — ABS units — were less satisfying. I found that just about every time I started it and rode away the ABS light would start flashing, and the brakes felt wooden. Most times the flashing would stop after a good few kilometres as the brake servo took up its duties again, and then the brakes were great. The test machine was one of those used for the international launch down near George and had 10 000 hard kilometres on the odo, so I suspect that something had taken a knock along the way. I’ve ridden literally dozens of BMW motorcycles with ABS brakes, and this is the first time I’ve had a problem with them.
Instrumentation is great on the new BMW, with the dash containing a gear indicator, a clock and fuel and temperature gauges. A neat touch is the handlebar-mounted button that switches between the two trip meters and the overall distance indicator.
With the R1200 GS I think that BMW has created the ultimate all-round motorcycle. It’s far better off-road than anything else in its class, with the exception of the KTM 950, which it eats alive in terms of comfort. It’s a superb back-road scratcher, and it’s not at all shabby in a straight line. And it comes with ABS brakes and electrically heated hand-grips. What more could you possibly ask from a classy motorcycle costing R114 900?