I have a 14 plate GS TE. my brother has a 15 plate. Other than a few stone chips on the head covers, mine has no corrosion or had any issues nor has his and they have seen bad weather. For touring they are hard to beat and it is my go too bike for a ride just because it makes life very easy. Goes like stink for such a big bike and will hang with most in the twisties unless it gets silly. As most of my riding is touring, my Ducati or Aprilia just became a pain in the arse. The few roads that it was made for were far outweighed by the discomfort, short range and bronco ride on the poorer roads. So I sold the duke and the Aprilia is not even Mot'd as I just use the GS. If your a weekend rider, sports bikes make more sense. Not ridden a mutley for comparison but prop drive appealed. Not had cleaning issues either. Just as clean as my 848 was after rain. But I do avoid motorways even when touring.
That was my logic exactly. Went for a long blast last Sunday up through horseshoe pass and down the A5 into Anglesey and I was passing sports bikes for fun. Get off after almost 3 hours nonstop riding as fresh as a daisy. I am awaiting two knee replacements so that’s quite some feat! Just a great all round distance bike
My two pence conclusion. I am a Sunday rider and as such the multi is great even my enduro is all character and fun. But after a trip to the alps I have to say the GS is a better bike for covering miles touring.
On my 3rd BMW (2nd GS). Awaiting delivery of pipe and slippers as I type... Corrosion, seriously, from Ducati owners lol. My MTS was shocking. There ARE a lot of claims for corrosion on GS bikes, apparently, ..I dont know if its luck of the draw, but as above, my 3rd BMW and all have been corrosion free. Feking exhaust alone was a joke on the MTS, and the fasteners? The GS adventure, not for me, its HUGE. Add in the tank is 30litres its also top heavy when fully fuelled up. Sure the standard GS tank is 18litre. The bike is also not as tall. Standard GS all day long unless you really think you need the tank range. BHP is a low 125 (on paper). Compared to Ducati or KTM, but the torque is fantastic and drive out of corners superb with no waiting for power coming in. It will show a clean pair of heels to 'faster' stuff in the right hands. They also handle great regardless of load. Once used to the idea that something big, ugly(?) and odd looking can be so bloody quick there is no turning back. The lack of dive when braking hard due to the paralever thingy (technical term) up front, makes for a cracking road bike that can be pushed very hard on roads that leave sport bike riders out of the seat. Comfort is a given, along with lack of wind noise or turbulence from the screen. 120mph, two up with luggage, can still talk on intercom when cruising down the Autobahn. Then have fun in the Alps on twisty roads. Ooh, a knock at my door...gotta go...pipe and slippers are here.....
Had one for a day when my bike was in for a service - The Super Tenere is a ridiculously sized asthmatic steaming pile of boring brown stuff. I've never ridden anything with a 1000+cc lump that was so dull.
Totally agree that the Tenere is a cracking bike. I had 30,000 completely trouble free miles in 3 years on mine. Trouble is it's a bit big and a bit heavy and although it went quite well and handled pretty good for it's size, it just never really put a smile on my face, it was ever so slightly dull. That's why I went for the 1260 and I haven't stopped grinning from the moment I bought it
Well chaps the debate rages on. I think the truth is that we all love out bikes for different reasons. My Muttley was bags of fun but ucking fugly. It could be a pig to start but once running it was simply a thousand smiles per hour. The GS is technically astounding, torqier and utterly reliable. Last week through Horseshoe pass an R6 and speed triple Just couldn’t keep up with it so whilst it might have 25 less horses than my Duck, you just don’t notice it when riding on proper roads
I'm sorry but the fact that an R6 and a Speed Triple couldn't keep up with you is nothing to do with the bikes performance, more to do with the riders capability or self preservation. The facts speak for themselves the Multi is a more powerful bike. My mates 2017 GSA just can't live with my 1260 on acceleration, both have quickshifters. However on the twisties he leaves me standing, nothing to do with either bike being better, he's got more bottle and a less sense of self preservation
I had both 2017 GS (still got 2015 CVT) at the same time, and find it amusing that people seem to think a GS is more torquer than a 1200 multi or in my case DVT it is night and day, and once 3 figures are hit the duc and the gap gets even bigger. don't get me wrong the GS is a great bike and I loved it for so many different reasons over my DVT, but torque was not one of them. Also put a GS in the right hands and they will leave many a bike dead in the water once on twisties.
A fair point but I’m hardly Foggy and too old to be mental... it hurts when you fall off over 30 years old lol. It is about perception. I should perhaps have mentioned that my mini duel with the R6 et al was with my GS carrying 35 stone of me and Mrs Still whilst the others were solo so I’ll still reserve the right to be impressed by it
Always reminds me of a story a mechanic told me about his Pan..going around the outside of sportsbikes 2 up... yeah, that's why they all race them in the Motogp......ye cannae change the laws of Physics cap'n. I've had a GS go around the outside of me on my 999 on the outside of a left hander on double white lines. It wasn't because his bike was faster and better handling. Well I hope not.
I agree with you BH, going back a few years, not many people could stay with an old guy on a Honda 400 around the Llandovery area whatever they were on, I think his name was Malcolm Uphill.
IMHO it's a matter of personal taste at this level. Do you want a stolid, flaxen-haired German girl to reliably get you from here to there and back again, or a thrill-a-minute Italian beauty with raven hair streaming out behind and a compulsive commitment to fun? Plus the Multi is the bike others aspire to look like. The GS? Not so much.
