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BMW Motorcycle Newbie

A

amadison

New member
I am hoping that someone will take pity on my BWM ignorance and explain to me the BMW brand nomenclature. I own an S bike (hothead) which is the in-line 4. K's are the in-line 6 cyls. R's are the opposed boxers. I even get that the number after the first letter is the displacement. There are some exceptions like the HP4 Race (the closest I'll ever come to one of those is my carbon-fiber bicycle *wink*). Where I run into trouble, and the US BMW web site doesn't help me, is the final acronym. Is GS & GSA a contracted german word, akin to PKW (Panzerkampwagen)? Though the A is repeatedly broken out as Adventure/Adv which implies off-roading. But isn't both the GS & GSA capable of off-roading? And what is the actual model differences between the GS and the GSA? Is it more than the luggage rack and the engine guards? Better shocks and brakes?

After that silly pre-amble, what I really want to know, besides the price, what is the difference between the R 1250 GSA and the R 1250 GS.

But anyone who also wants to break out the RT, GT, and GTL acros would also help with my education.

Thanks in advance!!
 
Stop at a dealer as they usually have literature available for you to take and peruse at your leisure at home.
 
amadison said:
I am hoping that someone will take pity on my BWM ignorance and explain to me the BMW brand nomenclature. I own an S bike (hothead) which is the in-line 4. K's are the in-line 6 cyls. R's are the opposed boxers. I even get that the number after the first letter is the displacement. There are some exceptions like the HP4 Race (the closest I'll ever come to one of those is my carbon-fiber bicycle *wink*). Where I run into trouble, and the US BMW web site doesn't help me, is the final acronym. Is GS & GSA a contracted german word, akin to PKW (Panzerkampwagen)? Though the A is repeatedly broken out as Adventure/Adv which implies off-roading. But isn't both the GS & GSA capable of off-roading? And what is the actual model differences between the GS and the GSA? Is it more than the luggage rack and the engine guards? Better shocks and brakes?

After that silly pre-amble, what I really want to know, besides the price, what is the difference between the R 1250 GSA and the R 1250 GS.

But anyone who also wants to break out the RT, GT, and GTL acros would also help with my education.

Thanks in advance!!
Click to expand...

RT - Has a fairing and can be ridden long distances. Knees don't have to bend too much. Granddad's MC.
GT - Bigger faster than an RT
GTL - GT with all the BMW extras that could be added. The BMW Goldwing
RS - For those riders whose knees still bend
ST - Another spelling of RS
S - For those riders that aspire to be RS owners
R - either an RT or RS without a fairing
 
Last edited:
Gelände/Straße is the original German phraseology: Dirt & Street. The 'A' just amplifies the Off-road pucker factor exponentially.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_GS

BMW now offers a m/c tool for any purpose you might be able to think up. And you can even knock your socks off on a G310GS now... :dance

And an 'L' just means Luxury, like on their cars. There is some German logic to BMW's categorization - unlike Harley's Alphabetical characterization...

Different Strokes for different folks! :thumb
HSV-Phil
 
Last edited:
amadison said:
K's are the in-line 6 cyls.
Click to expand...

On older models there was the K1200/1300 in-line 4, similar engine design as the in-line 6.
The engine in the previous generation K was refereed to as the Brick engine. This was before the in-line 4 transverse engines.
The last year for the K1200RS/GT Brick was 2005, not sure of the last year of the K1200LT.
The Brick K bikes were in-line fours and triples.
The engine lays on it's side with the cylinder front to back.
 
azgman said:
Stop at a dealer as they usually have literature available for you to take and peruse at your leisure at home.
Click to expand...

The dealers around here rarely have model brochures.
If the shop has a GS and GSA on the floor I'm sure a salesman would be happy to point out the differences.
 
amadison said:
But isn't both the GS & GSA capable of off-roading? And what is the actual model differences between the GS and the GSA? Is it more than the luggage rack and the engine guards? Better shocks and brakes?
Click to expand...

Others have answered the origin of GS in German. The RT stands for Reise Tourer (travel tourer).

Differences between GS & GSA from: https://www.advpulse.com/adv-bikes/bmw-r1200gs-vs-r1200gsa/. I assume the same holds true for the 1250.

Studying the catalog spec by spec, line item by line item, we find nearly identical columns of data until we get to the geometry of the two machines. There we find the GSA is roughly one inch taller, one inch wider and one inch longer than its little brother, with one degree difference in the steering head angle, and a gain of 0.8 inches (20 mm) in suspension travel front and rear. The ground clearance is also raised 0.8 inches over than the standard model, to 8.5 inches (21.6 cm). The GSA also has an additional 18 pounds (8 kg) of carrying capacity.

Further down the sheet we see a saddle that has also climbed, 1.5 inches (40 mm) towards the sky, offering more room for comfort for the taller rider. It’s also adjustable and can easily be dropped back down to the standard GS ranges if you need it.

But then there’s a 48-pound (22 kg) wet weight difference between the two bikes (525 pounds vs. 573 pounds). That weight of course comes in part from the additional 2.6 gallons (10 l) of fuel (45% more!) and the physically-larger tank, standard crash protection and a few other random bits included on the Adventure.
Click to expand...
 
36654 said:
GT - Bigger faster than an RT
Click to expand...

1250RT has a greater P:W ratio that the K1600GT so I don't know how much faster they are, though the engine will be far smoother than the boxers. Maintenance costs will be considerably higher w/ the K1600s as well. I could only justify K1600GT if I was riding 2-up all the where its heft might matter, and in that instance effective (i.e. with 2 riders) P:W will be better w/ K1600.
 
I don't know about the OP (amadison), but none of these replies make much sense to me. Hope the OP understands you guys better than I do.
 
First letters: (prior to displacement numbers)

R - indicates boxer motor, opposed twin cylinders
K - 4 or 6 cylinder motors
F - parallel twin, except F650GS '00 - '07 were single cylinder motors
G - single cylinder motors
S - sport bike with inline 4 cylinder motor


Letters that follow the displacement numbers:

C – Cruiser (HEY CHROMEHEAD!)
CL/CLC - Cruiser, full dress touring
CS – Classic Sport
G/S – Gelände/Strasse Off-road/Street
GS – Gelände Sport Off-road Sport (Enduro)
GSA - Same as GS but with larger fuel tank
GT – Gran Turismo or Grand Touring
LS – Luxury Sport
LT – Luxus Tourer (Luxury Tourer)
R – Road or Roadster, typically naked
RR – Racing Replica
RS – Originally stood for Rennsport, but since 1976 has stood for Reisesport[40]
RT – Reise Tourer (Travel Tourer)
S – Sport
ST – Strasse (Street) or Sport Tourer
T – Touring
Additionally, a bike may have the following modifiers in its name:

A – ABS
L – luxury
P – police
C – custom
PD – Paris Dakar

That is all I can think of for now. Hopefully, that may answer your original post.

Cheers,
William
 
WWeldin said:
First letters: (prior to displacement numbers)

R - indicates boxer motor, opposed twin cylinders
K - 4 or 6 cylinder motors
F - parallel twin, except F650GS '00 - '07 were single cylinder motors
G - single cylinder motors
S - sport bike with inline 4 cylinder motor


Letters that follow the displacement numbers:

C – Cruiser (HEY CHROMEHEAD!)
CL/CLC - Cruiser, full dress touring
CS – Classic Sport
G/S – Gelände/Strasse Off-road/Street
GS – Gelände Sport Off-road Sport (Enduro)
GSA - Same as GS but with larger fuel tank
GT – Gran Turismo or Grand Touring
LS – Luxury Sport
LT – Luxus Tourer (Luxury Tourer)
R – Road or Roadster, typically naked
RR – Racing Replica
RS – Originally stood for Rennsport, but since 1976 has stood for Reisesport[40]
RT – Reise Tourer (Travel Tourer)
S – Sport
ST – Strasse (Street) or Sport Tourer
T – Touring
Additionally, a bike may have the following modifiers in its name:

A – ABS
L – luxury
P – police
C – custom
PD – Paris Dakar

That is all I can think of for now. Hopefully, that may answer your original post.

Cheers,
William
Click to expand...

So, my 1986 K75c was a cruiser? Otherwise, your list was pretty good.

But, calling my 1984 R80ST a sport tourer, is a stretch of the imagination.
 
WWeldin said:
First letters: (prior to displacement numbers)

R - indicates boxer motor, opposed twin cylinders
Click to expand...

Once upon a time all BMW produced were opposed twins and a few singles based on them. They were ALL R- bikes. R stands for rad which is German for two wheels bicycle.
 
Thanks folks. My google searches were too specific. Of course, should have just searched the two suffixes. So the major difference is range, wet weight, ground clearance, and shock travel. Thought it was something like that. Way too practical compared to crotch rocket Race-Replica fads.

I really appreciate the crib sheet of acronyms.
 
WWeldin said:
First letters: (prior to displacement numbers)

R - indicates boxer motor, opposed twin cylinders
K - 4 or 6 cylinder motors
F - parallel twin, except F650GS '00 - '07 were single cylinder motors
G - single cylinder motors
S - sport bike with inline 4 cylinder motor


Letters that follow the displacement numbers:

C – Cruiser (HEY CHROMEHEAD!)
CL/CLC - Cruiser, full dress touring
CS – Classic Sport
G/S – Gelände/Strasse Off-road/Street
GS – Gelände Sport Off-road Sport (Enduro)
GSA - Same as GS but with larger fuel tank
GT – Gran Turismo or Grand Touring
LS – Luxury Sport
LT – Luxus Tourer (Luxury Tourer)
R – Road or Roadster, typically naked
RR – Racing Replica
RS – Originally stood for Rennsport, but since 1976 has stood for Reisesport[40]
RT – Reise Tourer (Travel Tourer)
S – Sport
ST – Strasse (Street) or Sport Tourer
T – Touring
Additionally, a bike may have the following modifiers in its name:

A – ABS
L – luxury
P – police
C – custom
PD – Paris Dakar

That is all I can think of for now. Hopefully, that may answer your original post.

Cheers,
William
Click to expand...

except..

early R's included single cyl bikes

K's could have 3 cyl. K75

S - i would hesistate to call an S1000XR a sport bike. it is more like a GS. the S should be for "Slant"...the configuration of the cyl's. the K1300/K1600 should be S1300/S1600


as messed up as the BMW MC model designators are, they are way better than the totally non-nonsensical nomenclature for BMW cars/SUVs. sheeesh.
 
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