K11 Owners Group

HoosierStu · Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 8:42 am Post subject: GSA or GT?

If I was buying a new bike, I would be torn between a new GSA and GT. I was wondering what you guys would choose.

Here are the rules/scenario...
1. This bike is given to you (no cost to you)
2. You cannot sell it
3. This has to be the only bike you own
_________________
"Still can't find 6th gear" 94 K1100LT

Das Boot · Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 10:48 am Post subject:

If the choice would have been the K1300S and the GSA, I would have gone with the S. The GSA has the olde style turn signal switch an added bonus. The R1200's are lot of fun, the RT is the best bang for the dollar from BMW. THE GS and the R are expensive to get the bikes set up for touring.
_________________
Dom

owrstrich · Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 11:25 am Post subject:

i recently rode the r1200gs and the k1300gt...

if i were gonna score a new bmw... it would be the k1300s... i was surprised how 2 up friendly it was...

however... im with phil marvin... stick with the brick...

j o
_________________
yeeeeeehaaaaaaa...

Phil Marvin · Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 12:18 pm Post subject:

Hi, All,
I wouldn't want either one. I'm 275 miles from my closest dealer and, with the new bikes needing lots more dealer servicing than the earlier bikes, I'll stick with the earlier K's or, if I get bored with them, go back to airheads, of which I had 7 different.
_________________
Ride Safe,
Phil Marvin in El Paso, TX
'94 K75A/3
'95 K75RTP

HoosierStu · Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 6:06 pm Post subject:

I've got some pretty temperamental knees. They really need the highway peg option. Obviously the continuous fairing on the GT would not allow for such a highway luxury.
My main problem with the GSA is that is isn't as much fun in the twisties and would not be a substantial increase in horse power over my L1100LT.

Perhaps I'm just being juvenile, but I want a new bike with new zoom!

Test riding the GSA didn't get me very excited (which is pretty easy to do on a new bike). I didn't ride the GT due to fear that I would be bit with the "I have to have one" bug.
_________________
"Still can't find 6th gear" 94 K1100LT

Off the grid · Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 6:08 pm Post subject:

Funny, I thought the same thing about the highway pegs.

So I put a set of highway pegs on my 4 thousand dollar, pennies to maintain, 140+hp at the rear wheel FZ1.
_________________
Bane of your existence since July 2006
2007 Triumph Tiger ABS. "Sabertooth"
2009 Husqvarna TE610. "The dirty Italian mistress"

Klinker · Posted: Sat May 23, 2009 1:13 am Post subject:

GT.

I rode a R1200RT demo last week. I was glad to return to my 15-year-old K.

But that GT...
_________________
tlp
1994 K1100RS

Only the Reasonists. They believe in an evidence-based world, something called Rationalism. But it's a tiny group, not so influential.
- Page Griffin

Geoff · Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2009 12:19 pm Post subject:

GT!
_________________
2000 R1100RT
2008 H-D Electra Glide Ultra Classic

HoosierStu · Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2009 1:58 pm Post subject:

The story in the latest BMW Owners News illustrates a reason for touring with a GS or GSA. The article is about a couple (one on an R and one on an RT) who end up navigating a "shortcut" that gets softer and muddier as they go. She ends up dumping her R1150R bike a number of times. It made me realize sometimes the GS would be nice to have when exploring unknown territory.

Touratec is now making the sadlebags for BMW. It's weird, the bags now say BMA and Touratec on them. How do these differ from the ones you can buy direct fro Touratec? If buying a new GSA would you buy the bags with the bike or aftermarket ones?
_________________
"Still can't find 6th gear" 94 K1100LT

Off the grid · Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2009 2:02 pm Post subject:

Tourtech or similar aftermarket cases retail for around 1100 bucks just for the side cases.

The GS makes for a decent touring bike as it has a relaxed riding position, but it does not get good mpg, poor wind protection, and final drives that tend to detonate. I have read of an 07 that is on it's 3rd FD.

Also, for an "adventure touring" bike, something lighter and less expensive to drop would be ideal. Like a Wee-Stromm or V-Stromm.
_________________
Bane of your existence since July 2006
2007 Triumph Tiger ABS. "Sabertooth"
2009 Husqvarna TE610. "The dirty Italian mistress"