New to me BMW 1200 GSA

J_Slyter

J_Slyter

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Well, Lytehouse is bugging me to post up on why she had to go to Utah with me and was delayed enabling BOM voting. She helped me pick up a new bike.

So what exactly did I get? A 2012 BMW GSA with 4086 miles on it. I saw the ad on Sunday morning on Adventure Rider and was the first post on it about 40 minutes after it went up and after a call from the seller a couple of hours later the deal was done. Details about the bike:

2012 BMW GSA with the "Special Model Triple Black" option. Another reason for BMW to charge more. It pretty much has every other option except the alarm system. Heated grips, Electronic suspension, ABS, On board computer, fog lights, enduro transmission, tire pressure monitors, and traction control.

The original owner added (Note, everything that says BMW is official BMW stuff, which means, if it is aftermarket but goes on a BMW it is twice as much as it should cost. If it is the official BMW version then add another 50-100%):

1. A brand new set of BMW Cast wheels (on the bike) because the original spoke ones were too hard to clean. He included the OEM spoke wheels. This may give you a idea of how clean he kept the bike.
2. BMW Aluminum Adventure cases. Left, Right and Top box.
3. BMW bag liners for all 3 cases
4. BMW carrying straps for the aluminum cases (seriously, BMW does not give you these with the cases).
5. BMW Large GS Tank Bag (just to give you an idea on the above note, this official BMW GS tank bag is apparently worth $328 to an online BMW dealer I sometimes use. Really... who pays that for a tank bag).
6. 2 sets of BMW GSA seats, because he liked the red trimmed version instead of the gray trimmed that came with the bike. I got both sets. I like the gray.
7. BMW Titanium exhaust made by Akropovic. I got the OEM "chrome" one that came as an option.
8. BMW Nav IV GPS with lifetime maps. He also threw in the car kit for the unit that he bought separately.
9. DSBP Tool Box
10. Stebel Horn on Hornig Mount (I got the OEM horn too)
11. Skene P3 Rear Running/Stop/Tail Lights
12. AltRider Lexan Headlight Guard
13. Machine Art Moto Front Fender Extender
14. Kaoko Throttle Lock
15. Added BMW Power Outlet (near left handlebar)
16. Additional Powerlet Outlet - Wired to Battery w/ Fuse
17. Touratech Sidestand Foot
18. GS-911 (2 of 10 VINs used) never heard of these, but apparently it is a service tool used to read/clear codes and reset the service light.
19. Touratech Rear brake master cylinder guard
20. BMW Factory Service manual DVD
21. Anodized aluminum fork caps from Wunderlich to replace the cheap plastic ones.

The bike looked like new, never ridden off-road and never dropped, and I got all the original documentation so I feel like I really scored on this one.

Lytehouse says I have to include the price because people will want to know. I paid $17,400 for it. The BMW hang tag that lists the factory options and prices says $21,890. I went to A & S Cycles web site to price most of the extras and a few other Adv sites for the other stuff and came up with $7966 for the all the extras. I do know he got the Akro exhaust on sale, but he still put a lot into this bike. I kind of knew the extras were going to add up quickly so when I saw what he was selling, I acted pretty fast.

Sorry Oldschool, I know you would have liked to test a KTM 1190R on the COBDR but this was too good a deal for me to pass up. This gives KTM a couple of years to work out the bugs on the 1190 before I start shopping again.

Apologize for the long post, it is helping me avoid dinner preparation...I love my wife, she let's me buy motorcycles and fixes dinner for me. :woot:
 
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very nice

Considering the bike and extras, that is a smoking deal. It is great to have both sets of wheels, so you can have two sets of tires and easy change overs. Keep the spoked for off road. You already have an orange bike for the tough stuff anyway.
 
The best all round motorcycle EVER!

I had a 2008 GSA for 4 years and would still have it if it had had another 40hp or so on top of the original 100hp.

It was gutless 2up with Luggage!
e5fi11.jpg
 
Oldschool said:
Considering the bike and extras, that is a smoking deal. It is great to have both sets of wheels, so you can have two sets of tires and easy change overs. Keep the spoked for off road. You already have an orange bike for the tough stuff anyway.
Click to expand...

I'm thinking about that, but not sure if I'll ever really put knobs on it. I may just switch back to the spokes at some point and sell the cast ones. Maybe just go with Metzler Karoo's or Heidenau K60's and call it good.

What do you plan on running for the COBDR?
 
Cobdr

J_Slyter said:
I'm thinking about that, but not sure if I'll ever really put knobs on it. I may just switch back to the spokes at some point and sell the cast ones. Maybe just go with Metzler Karoo's or Heidenau K60's and call it good.

What do you plan on running for the COBDR?
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I'll be running a Michelin T-63 front and either the Heid' K-60 rear, or if I wear that out before the trip starts I may splurge on a Dunlop 908 rear. If I do, I don't expect it to do more than just the one trip. They are a great tire if you don't care about getting any life out of them. They are better for what I will be doing on the COBDR, but lots of guys have run the K-60 on both our machines across that route. You can't go wrong with the K-60's.
 
Mattsplat said:
The best all round motorcycle EVER!

I had a 2008 GSA for 4 years and would still have it if it had had another 40hp or so on top of the original 100hp.
Click to expand...

They did manage to add 10hp with the camhead motor. They added another 15hp with the new water-cooled engine, if you're willing to risk a new model BMW, which I'm not. Seems like BMW always takes a few years to work out the kinks.

Mattsplat said:
It was gutless 2up with Luggage!
Click to expand...

Tell me about it. Try a 90hp BMW 1150RT 2up with luggage at about 10,000ft in altitude. You learn to anticipate passing traffic and get a running start. Did a lot of miles that way with Lytehouse, but no more 2up for us for a while since she is on her own ride now. This bike is noticeably quicker than the RT, it has 20 more horses and is a little lighter according to BMW spec's, but that is probably before the bags are added.

One bike can't do it all for me, so I am keeping my Ducati for the 100% paved mountain road rides. Nothing sweeter than a Ducati V-Twin from 0-100, IMO.
 
They are tall bikes, can you plant both feet firmly on the ground?

If not, be prepared at some point soon to be picking it up off the floor! :banghead:
 
Easy

Mattsplat said:
They are tall bikes, can you plant both feet firmly on the ground?

If not, be prepared at some point soon to be picking it up off the floor! :banghead:
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In my off-road course last spring we started the day by picking up a GS and learned the proper Technic to do it by yourself. The GS carries most of its weight low and the cylinders keep it from dropping totally flat.

First make sure it is in-gear.

Grab the end of the handlebar (closest to the ground) with both hands, turn the bars so the wheel faces up. Lift using your legs. Even the smallest person (5'5" woman) could do it herself.

No need to find a huge Austrian bodybuilder to help out.
 
I'm 6'3" skewed towards the legs with a 36" inseam, so I can flat foot it. I plan on using it on pavement only to get to the parts of Colorado that are not paved, (and maybe a ride to Alaska and possibly the Arctic Circle someday) but hopefully nothing too gnarly for a 500+ lb bike. I have a KTM 450 for the rough stuff.

I do expect to end up over my head and to drop it at some point. :mad: Hopefully I'm riding with friends when that happens. Hey Oldschool, will you help me pick it up if I try the COBDR with you? I'm pretty sure there are a couple of spots I've been on the 450 where I'll give it an 80% chance the 1200 will get dropped. Hopefully not off the edge of Black Bear...those crash bars won't help if it falls 1000ft.
 
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With a 36" inseam you'll have no worries.

Its only when the adventure tank is full and you have some luggage on it can be a handful with slow manoeuvres, she's a top heavy beast then...
 
Oldschool said:
In my off-road course last spring we started the day by picking up a GS and learned the proper Technic to do it by yourself. The GS carries most of its weight low and the cylinders keep it from dropping totally flat.
Click to expand...

That works for the RT also. Unfortunately off-road in the mountains, dropping a bike on a slope can still mean the wheels are higher than the seat even with the boxer cylinders holding it up. Lytehouse's XT225 seems to always land with the wheels higher up, which makes the little 250lb bike a bear to pick up (or I'm just doing it wrong). Seems to always happen on really high passes too (I think she is trying to collect on my insurance policy)
 
Mattsplat said:
Its only when the adventure tank is full and you have some luggage on it can be a handful with slow manoeuvres, she's a top heavy beast then...
Click to expand...

It was delivered with a full tank and I've noticed the weight just moving it around in the garage, without the bags on it.
 
1st mod...

Fit a cameltoe to the sidestand, the bike likes to bury itself and fall over on grass/mud/hot tarmac...

More chances to learn how to pick it up :p
 
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It came with a huge Touratech sidestand enlarger.

At this point the only thing that it doesn't have that I'd consider adding is a beefier skid plate. The OEM BMW one is not too bad, but is a little small.
 
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