• Welcome, Guest! We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMW MOA forum provides. Some forum content will be hidden from you if you remain logged out. If you want to view all content, please click the 'Log in' button above and enter your BMW MOA username and password.

    If you are not an MOA member, why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the BMW Owners News magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMW MOA offers?

  • Beginning April 1st, and running through April 30th, there is a new 2024 BMW MOA Election discussion area within The Club section of the forum. Within this forum area is also a sticky post that provides the ground rules for participating in the Election forum area. Also, the candidates statements are provided. Please read before joining the conversation, because the rules are very specific to maintain civility.

    The Election forum is here: Election Forum

GS vs. GSA? Why did you chose one over the other?

GS fuel mileage

my GS will get up to 42 mpg if I ride it under 65 two up. If I ride 70 or better it goes down to 38mpg or so. If I really ride slow 55-60 I get as much as 45.
Have checked real mileage against computer a couple of times and found it to be reasonably close,

at least when the fuel strip isn't broke.
 
GS fuel mileage

my GS will get up to 42 mpg if I ride it under 65 two up. If I ride 70 or better it goes down to 38mpg or so. If I really ride slow 55-60 I get as much as 45.
Have checked real mileage against computer a couple of times and found it to be reasonably close,

at least when the fuel strip isn't broke.
 
Comfort is fine

Don't get me in trouble. . . I said I weighed 230, my wife is a fit 5'7" so with both of us and gear it adds up. Yes the comfort level is fine with a GIVI tail trunk and a gel pad on it for her. She has said there is no difference in the old "02" GS, the 06' RT and the 08' GSA. She can handle 500 miles a day easily and we are both at that magic retirement age.
 
I still don't get it

:stickWhy are most of the people i hear about bying the GS or GSA Short. They by one of the largest bikes on the market complan they can't touch the ground and the put a smaller seat and shorter shocks so they can ride it. I have a GSA because it's the only bike i've found that i can kind of fit on. I'm 6'9" and i make the bike look small, had to put 40mm bar risers on it so i can stand up. :stick
 
beemermyke said:
Does anyone have any claims on gas mileage on these later model dual-cam bikes? Also, aren't the gear ratio setups different in the GS vs. GSA? I thought I'd read or heard somewhere about two different transmission options on the GSA in particular. I do like that tall 6th gear for highway cruising. I currently get 45mpg on my RS and I'm happy with that. It's obvious to me that there's alot of passion floating around the BMWMOA about these GS bikes! :clap
Click to expand...

get a hog...
 
The GSA was too Hummeresque for my needs, and I like aftermarket farkels much better than those that come with the GSA. So aside from springing for spoked wheels, I got a stock GS and customized it for my style of traveling/camping.

It boils down to personal preference; both are excellent bikes.

Pete
 
New word

I like it," Hummeresque". One reason to get the BMW equipment on the bike when you buy it. . . it and the parts will come with the warrenty. I usually do the same thing with other vehicles. Then you put what accessories BMW doesn't have or are just way to expensive. But I do like the "Hummeresque" style at least for a while. The Colorado mountain and Utah desert just fits, again it is all taste and usage that separates the GS from the GSA. The line is fine but is distinguishable.
 
podsobinski said:
I like it," Hummeresque". One reason to get the BMW equipment on the bike when you buy it. . . it and the parts will come with the warrenty. I usually do the same thing with other vehicles. Then you put what accessories BMW doesn't have or are just way to expensive. But I do like the "Hummeresque" style at least for a while. The Colorado mountain and Utah desert just fits, again it is all taste and usage that separates the GS from the GSA. The line is fine but is distinguishable.
Click to expand...

You hit on a good point. Out West where you have enormous open spaces that extra weight might not be an issue and the extra fuel capacity comes in handy. Here in Vermont it's rare to find a straight section of road more than 4-5 miles long, and fuel is only as far as the next small town or village. Since most of our riding is done within a couple hundred miles of home, it might be that "home turf" colors our perceptions and influences our choices.
 
I wanted the increased range of the GSA and was all set after a test ride to plunk down the cash. Then on a whim took the GS out, and it felt like a sport bike after the GSA. I'm not going "round the world", plan to stay on the road 99% of the time, so went with the more nimble feel of the GS. I put a Russell seat on it so it's all all-day rider. Plus it gets 51mpg blasting around the back roads.
 
I traded in a 2007 GT for my 2009 GSA...and there is a back story.

I already have a road bike (Harley Ultra Classic), and it just hit me that I really need two "road" bikes. So the GSA looked mildly attractive. Here's what sealed the deal....

I LOVED the GT, but if I knock the GT over....its hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars to make it look perfect again...if I knock the GSA over, its just another battle scar, and its no big deal. Also, these two bikes in the garage (the Ultra, and the GSA) are completely different rides.

Probably my favorite feature....big fuel tank....
 
TVTommy

You got to put a dual sport in the garage also, wait maybe a crotch rocket, oh yes and an off road bike and maybe a scooter. . .I am never satisfied with just two or three bikes but always one BMW GSA.

gpodzo 08 GSA 07 DR650 08 Kymco People 50cc
 
podsobinski said:
You got to put a dual sport in the garage also, wait maybe a crotch rocket, oh yes and an off road bike and maybe a scooter. . .I am never satisfied with just two or three bikes but always one BMW GSA.

gpodzo 08 GSA 07 DR650 08 Kymco People 50cc
Click to expand...

Exactly.

Last fall I went to a NETRA (New England Trail Riders) Turkey run in New Hampshire.

While I wasn't the only big bike I was the only participant that arrived on two wheels, camped for the evening, did the ride and loaded up at the end of the day to ride 150 miles home.

The GSA is a better all around bike than the GS, however one must always be mindful of how much fuel is in the tank before hitting the trail.
 
I went with the 12GS over the 12GSA. I'm a street rider, and the 12GS is lower, lighter, nimbler, more flickable, easier to ride on dirt and bad roads, better mileage, etc... And cheaper. :D IMHO the main reason to get the R12GSA is the larger fuel tank, which can be a big deal if you're an Iron Butt type of guy, or ride in areas with few gas stations. But my riding tends to be on pavement in the lower 48, so fuel availability isn't an issue.




beemermyke said:
I did notice the DOHC motor seemed smoother than the boxer motor on my R1150RS..
Click to expand...
I moved to an '05 R12GS from an R1150R, and the smoothness you notice is simply the R12 powerplant rather than the newer DOHC motor.
 
GS vs GSA

I bought a 2009 GS because of the deal I got. Love the bike. But I mostly ride on the pavement not the dirt. Figure out what your gonna do with the machine then make YOUR decision based on that. Cool is Cool, but buy a bike your gonna want, no need, to go out and ride. Good luck.:bikes
------------------------------------------
Brian
2009 R120GS
2005 K1200LT
 
podsobinski said:
You got to put a dual sport in the garage also, wait maybe a crotch rocket, oh yes and an off road bike and maybe a scooter. . .I am never satisfied with just two or three bikes but always one BMW GSA.

gpodzo 08 GSA 07 DR650 08 Kymco People 50cc
Click to expand...


Podsob, if I had half your $$$, that wouldnt be a problem :burnout
 
glenfiddich said:
Fixed it for you, Rob. Different folks have different needs.
Click to expand...

Perhaps, but I'll say that the GSA meets a wider range of needs. It's better in the woods and it's better on the highway.

The only place the GS is equal is in low speed stuff.

Now if you're looking for something more specific to your individual preferences then yes an RT might be a "better bike" or the standard GS too but then we're talking about fitting the bike to the individual whereas my point is that the GSA is one of the most versatile bikes made; more so than the stock GS.
 
robnye said:
Perhaps, but I'll say that the GSA meets a wider range of needs. It's better in the woods and it's better on the highway.

The only place the GS is equal is in low speed stuff.

Now if you're looking for something more specific to your individual preferences then yes an RT might be a "better bike" or the standard GS too but then we're talking about fitting the bike to the individual whereas my point is that the GSA is one of the most versatile bikes made; more so than the stock GS.
Click to expand...

Maybe so. I understand that the GSA excels at jousting with porta-potties... :laugh
 
glenfiddich said:
Maybe so. I understand that the GSA excels at jousting with porta-potties... :laugh
Click to expand...

I say this as an owner of a RT: The GSA has the best ergos for big guys. Best seat to peg distance, etc. The only reason I don't own one is that my wife wouldn't ride on one.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

R
2007 R1200 GSA no-start - fuel related diagnosis help needed (long)
Replies
7
Views
1K
dalejohn123
D
bigjohnsd
2022 Ride Planning - Who's Riding Where - What else are you doing?
2
Replies
23
Views
4K
cabnfvr
cabnfvr
L
BMW R100GSPD Ride in the NC Mountains
Replies
5
Views
2K
robsryder
R
L
Bmw r100gspd ride in the nc mountains
Replies
3
Views
964
barryg
B
H
New to the MOA - Considering my first BMW
2
Replies
34
Views
5K
22600
22600
Back
Top