Most sportbike riders have pointed and laughed at the urban commandos clipping by on their Beemers. Typically clad in textile gear, these are the riders that sport dirtbike helmets, Camelbacks and gadgets straight from a Tom Clancy novel.
But throw a leg over one of these adventure machines and you’ll instantly understand why they’re so popular and how even on your sportbike you couldn’t shake one on a twisty road.
Although slightly top-heavy at slow speeds, once underway the GS makes quick work of any curvy road. Thanks to a neutral chassis and tall, wide bars, the rider not only sits stark upright for a great view of the oncoming road, but there’s plenty of leverage for direction changes. Add in limitless ground clearance and it’s easy to see why a GS BMW can be surprisingly fast on pavement and haul ass on gravel.
Within the capable chassis lies the famous boxer twin engine. This apposed orientation is like a Subaru cut in half, or a Porsche cut in thirds, with two cylinders laying flat. Its powerband is as unique as its raspy exhaust note with plentiful thrust available at all revs without ever being too abundant. Forget spinning it to the moon, learning to surf the waves of torque is crucial to enjoying the boxer design. Aside from a few vibes down low, the big twin is smooth as butter at cruising pace and long-distance hauling at triple-digit speeds is well within its means.
Like any modern BMW, the electronic gizmos are bountiful. A GPS unit, heated grips, traction control, ABS, electronically adjustable suspension settings and many other gadgets are all at your fingertips. As for the funky headlight orientation—it literally turns night into day.
When it comes to getting down in the dirt, the GS certainly isn’t a YZ450, but respect its mass and it’s surprising just how far it’ll take you into the backwoods. Hill climbs are a cinch, moderately technical trails aren’t a problem and fire roads are a flat-out affair thanks to enough grunt to powerslide through fourth gear.
Sure the GS is a little pricey, but when you consider it’ll easily run over 150,000 miles and offer the utility of a Swiss Army knife, it makes sense that you have to pay to play. SSB
450
RANGE WITH OPTIONAL 8.7-GALLON TANK
R1200GS
Even the base model comes packed with all kinds of goodies like ABS, adjustable windscreen and seat, heated grips and the expected electronic gizmos only Beemers bring to the table.
Starting at $14,950R1200GS Adventure
These all-terrain warriors come with lower gearing, more off-road ready suspension, crash bars, extra lights and an 8.7-gallon fuel tank good for a range of 450 miles.
Starting at $17,000
Used examples
1980-1997 (Airhead):
These early air-cooled bikes were as funky as they were cool. Sure they don’t have the amenities or performance of the current GS, but if you believe old is cool, these are your ticket.
Average price, $2500+
1994-1999 R1100GS (Oilheads):
The all new 1100GS brought forth the new (current generation) oil-cooled boxer twin packed with sophisticated fuel injection along with the now standard, Duolever/Paralever suspension and ABS.
Average price, $4000+
1999-2005 R1150GS:
Upgraded throughout with better suspension, stronger brakes, more power and better wind protection. Adventure models entered the lineup with larger fuel tanks, lower gearing and a taller ride height for more off-road prowess.
Average price, $7000+
2005-Present R1200GS
La crème de la crème, the big 1200 takes the GS platform to new heights with ESA suspension, improved ABS and a bigger, more powerful motor now with twin overhead cams.
Average price, $12,000+