6 Apr 2014

R1200GS Adventure test ride


Thanks to BMW Park Lane for letting me have a go on the rather lovely (and very large) Adventure version of the R1200GS today (mine is the standard version). Love the transformers style, nothing pretty about this beast but that is its charm!

Main differences are the *huge* fuel tank which makes it quite a bit wider between the legs, an extra inch of suspension travel, black wheels/engine/frame (instead of silver), and a heavier flywheel (more inertia in the engine) which makes it slightly smoother on/off throttle at very low speeds.

Felt a little bit more compliant over rough patches than mine, and ever so slightly less energetic on acceleration, no doubt due to the extra 20kg of weight. It is also less prone to lifting the front wheel on hard acceleration.

The handling (in traffic and on the open road) is virtually indistinguishable from the standard version, you can throw it around just as easily as some 600cc/180kg bikes I've ridden—this is some amazing engineering.

At 70mph with the windscreen in the high position, the wind flow is similar to being in a car with the side window open. I think in the rain you would stay quite dry while moving.

As for the reach to the ground—on the standard model my feet are almost flat on the floor, on this I am on my toes which is the same as on my F800GS and I didn't find this an issue. For reference I am 5'9"/175cm.

Once mine is in positive equity in its lease, this is definitely a contender! In the olive mat paint scheme please 

If it's not obvious, I liked it (a lot).

R1200GS Adventure front 3/4 view

R1200GS Adventure front 3/4 view with DRL

R1200GS Adventure front view with DRL

R1200GS Adventure rear view

R1200GS Adventure rear 3/4 view

R1200GS Adventure pillion view

R1200GS Adventure rider view

R1200GS Adventure beak detail