I bought a well used but exceptionally well maintained 2003 BMW R1150GS ADV for under $5K and added some new features for myself like a lower seat. That's a lot more affordable than a new GSA at $21K. A fantastic deal. The old beast has PLENTY of miles left it is, and has currently 115,300 miles on it. I like the new features of the R1200GS ADV, but the older R1150GS ADV is mechanically fixable in many more respects out on the road using tools you bring with you. You aren't dead in the water when a CANBUS goes *poof*.
How do you guys think this bike handles in the extreme hot weathers like deserts. I live in the middle East and the heat here literally burns parts of some machines, do you guys think the BMW handles it in such places? BMW cars are notoriously unreliable in my country cuz of the heat. Thanks :)
Get a Yamaha or a Honda. I have seen a GS choking down and died in the middle of the Australian desert while a Honda CB500X that costed maybe 1/10 of the price just keeps on going. BMWs are unreliable in heat and wet weather.
I rode the 2013 GS Waser when it was one of only a few in existance in Australia - I toured for over a month on it from East to West via the red centre, I did over 1200mile on dirt tracks, the only complaint i had about the bike was the tank range (c.240 miles) with the standard GS the GSA (450 miles+). The new motor is nuts! put it into Pro mode - it's a complete hooligan! Great bike, loved it! If i had the money i would buy one tomorrow, but im saving for the 2014 RT with the same motor. Go for a test ride or hire one for a weekend, you wont regret it! i'm not sponsored by BMW btw!
Over the years they took what was basically a nice simple large adventure bike that was reliable and made it so overly complex I wouldnt want to trust it to ride a few states away let alone ride it around the world thousands of miles from spare parts.
Fine dont agree with me and insult me go on the attack because you disagree... or look around online for reviews of what bikes and bike brands are the most and least reliable and BMW and harley will be below almost everything else. But in this case yes the GS isnt designed for hard use its got too much stuff on it that can go wrong that dosnt need to be there. And yes like charley and ewan with the multiple problems and breakdowns.
can you have someone else do your voice over? Jesus that is one annoying voice. He doesn't have a radio voice nor a deep one but is trying to do so and it sound terrible.
Anonymous This comment is old. I bought a V-strom now and it's so amazing. It has everything I want so far. But still I will buy a BMW in the future. This is the number of BMW Tristar dealership in Riyadh if you want to go to them 0114804567, I'm from Makkah so I don't know exactly where it is. I heard that they are very lousy and poor in service. But that's what we have though. I would love to see an Indian dealership opening in here but the company is still reviving from long hiatus so I guess they will take so much time to have more branches around the world. I hope that helped and sorry for the long reply :D
Faisal Almaiman Thanks! (Bad service in KSA? That's just the way it is!) Be safe, fellow rider. This part of the world is a dangerous place to drive...especially for bikers. Cheers!
![R1200GS / R1250GS | Complete Buyer's Guide [2005-2020]](/img/n.gif)
Good to know. I’m gonna buy one next week, a 2014 with 8,900 miles on it. I had a 07 GS, and it just wasn’t enough for off-road riding. 👍🏻👍🏻
I bought a well used but exceptionally well maintained 2003 BMW R1150GS ADV for under $5K and added some new features for myself like a lower seat. That's a lot more affordable than a new GSA at $21K. A fantastic deal. The old beast has PLENTY of miles left it is, and has currently 115,300 miles on it. I like the new features of the R1200GS ADV, but the older R1150GS ADV is mechanically fixable in many more respects out on the road using tools you bring with you. You aren't dead in the water when a CANBUS goes *poof*.
How do you guys think this bike handles in the extreme hot weathers like deserts. I live in the middle East and the heat here literally burns parts of some machines, do you guys think the BMW handles it in such places? BMW cars are notoriously unreliable in my country cuz of the heat.
Thanks :)
Get a Yamaha or a Honda. I have seen a GS choking down and died in the middle of the Australian desert while a Honda CB500X that costed maybe 1/10 of the price just keeps on going. BMWs are unreliable in heat and wet weather.
I rode the 2013 GS Waser when it was one of only a few in existance in Australia - I toured for over a month on it from East to West via the red centre, I did over 1200mile on dirt tracks, the only complaint i had about the bike was the tank range (c.240 miles) with the standard GS the GSA (450 miles+). The new motor is nuts! put it into Pro mode - it's a complete hooligan! Great bike, loved it! If i had the money i would buy one tomorrow, but im saving for the 2014 RT with the same motor. Go for a test ride or hire one for a weekend, you wont regret it! i'm not sponsored by BMW btw!
watch Long Way Round movie, the frame of the GS has broken! having few cracks...
+Robert Urban Put anything through that torture and you get the same result! So what's ya point?
The tank is 30 Litres? 300 mile range
Over the years they took what was basically a nice simple large adventure bike that was reliable and made it so overly complex I wouldnt want to trust it to ride a few states away let alone ride it around the world thousands of miles from spare parts.
plaid13 Stop spewing your idiotic unfounded comments.. since 2010 they are bomb proof.
Fine dont agree with me and insult me go on the attack because you disagree... or look around online for reviews of what bikes and bike brands are the most and least reliable and BMW and harley will be below almost everything else.
But in this case yes the GS isnt designed for hard use its got too much stuff on it that can go wrong that dosnt need to be there.
And yes like charley and ewan with the multiple problems and breakdowns.
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Same here
😍😘BMW GSA1200😘😍
Can we be done with all the R1200GS videos?
can you have someone else do your voice over? Jesus that is one annoying voice. He doesn't have a radio voice nor a deep one but is trying to do so and it sound terrible.
Most unreliable adventure bike ever or most unreliable adventure bike ever?
Please elaborate on this, for I want to buy one and use it for turing only in my country, Saudi Arabia. Have you tested it in long term? Thank you.
Faisal Almaiman Did you buy one? I am in Riyadh. I wish they had an Indian dealer here...I'd like to tour on a Chief Classic.
Anonymous This comment is old. I bought a V-strom now and it's so amazing. It has everything I want so far. But still I will buy a BMW in the future.
This is the number of BMW Tristar dealership in Riyadh if you want to go to them 0114804567, I'm from Makkah so I don't know exactly where it is. I heard that they are very lousy and poor in service. But that's what we have though.
I would love to see an Indian dealership opening in here but the company is still reviving from long hiatus so I guess they will take so much time to have more branches around the world.
I hope that helped and sorry for the long reply :D
Faisal Almaiman Thanks! (Bad service in KSA? That's just the way it is!) Be safe, fellow rider. This part of the world is a dangerous place to drive...especially for bikers. Cheers!
Over-priced, unreliable and ubiquitous,.. just like the iPhone.