Thanks for this great video and first look at the mid-year update to the GS series. Chris's description and riding really help showcase the Rallye model. In fact, I told the local BMW dealer about this video AND bought a Rallye! I think it was a great move--an evolutionary step forward--by BMW Motorrad--to bring back a Rallye edition, and I couldn't be happier with my decision. Thanks again, and keep making these wonderful videos!
Great review Chris, where have you been? Missed you testing bikes, (BIKEWORLD TAKE NOTE, US CHRIS MORE AS HE IS A LEGEND! ) love your vids doing head to head with the cars, especially with you on the Superleggera against the P1 and 918! Hope to see more cool vids soon 😜 Cheers, GMAN
WHAT A GREAT REVIEW YOU HAVE DONE, CHRIS!! CONGRATULATIONS TO THE TEAM FOR MAKING SUCH A GREAT VIDEO!! THE RALLYE VERSION SOUNDS AMAZING AND LOOKS FANTASTIC. HOPE TO BE ABLE TO TRY THIS MODEL ONE DAY, HERE IN ARGENTINA. KEEP UP THE GOOD JOB, MATES!! ;)
Bloody hell!! Chris might actually be the best motorcycle presenter ever!! Not only natural in front of the camera, but rides like a bat out of hell! Bring on more reviews with Chris bike world
LOVE IT. Both bikes look and sound fantastic, I love my Multistrada and I won't be in the market to change for quite some time but I'm almost set on my next machine....
Possibly the best review I've seen you guys do. Nice to see a journalist who can properly ride. I do wonder how many owners will actually ride what is still a large and expensive bike off road.
An outstanding review with it a single caveat... Please, please, please give us a chance to hear the bike. Just a few moments free of talk & music. The sound of a bike is very important to a lot of us & not to be ignored. Also, that was some impressive riding on that big Beast.... well done!
Excellent review vid! I own a '13 GS Rallye and I love it...mostly for its looks and the torque all up and down the gear box. This '17 Rallye edition is gorgeous - alas way too much for the likes of me...me want...can't have...me want...can't handle...me want... I'll just keep on enjoying my '13 model GS
So, if the Rallye has a stiffer, sportier suspension and the Exclusive also has a stiffer suspension, what suspension do the regular Light White and Black Metallic models have?
Tis suspension settings; min-max-automatic,does this have to do with the damping?Or what does it do exactly as the damping settings or set by the riding modes?Thx for the answer
Hey, what are the differences between the Rallye with a single seat and the one with double (which looks more like in excl ver)? Is it just that the suspension on the double seater is standard vs the Adv suspension in a single seater...or there are more differences?
great review, never seen one of these bikes ridden so well. Usually ridden very slowly and very upright with a queue of cars behind, or wobbling around town looking for a large parking bay.
That's some impressive riding... big bikes offroad are a handful. This new GS Rallye looks pretty capable, but I don't think KTM is all that concerned about being out-performed in the dirt.
Jeez was expecting a newer tech from BMW considering the high price bracket. KTM added their new impressive anti-glare electronic gauge screen, on the lesser costly 1290 Super Adventure R. I can see analog (coupled with that crazy expensive head unit) is still the way at BMW. Did they build the head unit into the price, or is it still an optional extra?
Hi Chris, I've been on the Level 1 BMW Off-Road Skills course in South Wales back in 2015 and your Portugal Tour in Feb 2018, when we were on the 1200GS Rallye. I'm now looking for a 2017/2018 Rallye, having been so impressed and had such a good experience on one, hence my trawling of old reviews! However, I'm now a little put off by your comment that this version is really not for novices but is best for experienced fast off-road riders. If that's the case, why do you use the Rallye for training fairly novice riders, or do you think it's the right version for me if I survived these courses? A great review anyway! Regards, David
The QS Pro (up and down) was certainly there last year. I think the Dynamic ESA was only on the GS Adventure though, and not on the regular GS, so that is new for this year. By the way, glad to see I'm not the only one spending time on RUclips and ADVRider while waiting for a new bike to arrive ;)
Std. GS definitely has D ESA (semi-active suspension) for while now. I've seen the Sachs iunits on them in person. :) Or is the idea that "dynamic" is supposed to figure out if it should be in comfort or sport automatically? BMW are terrible about adding "buzzwords" that overlap or are ill-explained - or indeed trhrowing pro or dynamic on the end .... like Ducati with "evo". I thought "Dynamic" was a S-A mode that was a bit like "sport" on other bikes. So if Dynamic ESA is an improved semi-active, what did they call the semi-active that has been around for a few years? "ESA" on its own was "manual electronic" (fixed positions)l and before the S-A version. Good to see another advrider floating around here, yes the wait is painful!
Very confusing naming, but I think it just gets down to the semi-active system reacting fairly slowly while the dynamic system is quick enough to react to each bump and jump individually, instead of just sensing the general road conditions and going for a best guess. Not easy to find out through google though! Edit: The GS I rode last year had the Sachs black box near the rear shock too, but I guess that is needed for any type of active/semi-active setup :)
A proper S-A system is suppsoed to react quickly (within 10ms). So I suspect this is just a newer/faster system or updated software, like the Ducati DSS evo versus the older DSS. ;) Or tying it in with the auto-preload which is actually a good thing, Aprilia had it first, then Triumph and now BMW, KTM need to get this done now too.
Good review. I just wish I were over 6' tall and had a fat-ass checking account. Way to keep evolving the species BMW. Now apply this Rallye logic to the 800, drop some pounds, smooth the vibes and we'll talk cash, Homie.
bmw has had some serious mechanical issues, the front suspension stanchons failed (IE: tubes ruptured causing critical rider injuries) on mild terrain. I hope they address them because these issues span 2013 to 2017 so far.
I'd say GS < GSA < Rallye. The Rallye is essentially a regular GS with the GSA's suspension, so it should have all the ground clearance of the GSA without the added weight and size :)
GhostCarbon0911 - I just finished the level 1 Off Road Skills course in wales, we had some ladies and gents at 5’ 5” work the bikes without issue, consider a test ride as it is truly a phenomenal bike....
It would be great if you subtitled your videos to Spanish, they are very good, 500 million Spanish speakers would appreciate it indeed. The vast majority of motorcycle tests in Spanish are terrible. Cheers!
LOve this bike, Hate the graphics and color. BMW is a master in all things but paint and graphics, oh and gauge clusters. It's so hard to find a REAL price on this in the US
Own the 2015 R1200GSA ...but I haven`t the balls or the wallet to really see what it`s capable of. In hindsight I should have gotten a Ducati Scrambler, and a proper enduro bike ...something along the lines of a KTM 300XC. The resale value is rubbish here in Florida, as I paid twenty-six and change for it and I`ll be lucky to get eighteen if I sell it on my own. Trade-in value is around 15K!!! My fault completely though ...damned tunnel vision!
Andrew9900 I bought the same bike October 2015. Absolutely love it. It will do much more than u think, on and off road. After lots of free shop rides and a handful of adv on n off road classes, I can handle most terrains and have a blast, w the exception of mud. tough stuff. just means more to learn so I can have fun there too! this thing handles air off water bars beautifully too. And, it's a tank/ can handle falls n drops no prob. Don't be afraid of using it! Get your hard earned money's worth! play!
Andrew9900 and yet I understand about what u think u should have gotten. I'd like a smaller lighter dual sport bike for my second one. for more technical riding. maybe even a trials bike.
The GS is an excellent running bike for about 3 years, then the warranty expires, and the bike begins to fall apart; at this point, the GS becomes a very expensive bike to own!
Авто/Мото
Finally Chris Northover is back, guy knows how to review a bike.
Can you get Chris to do more reviews please, great job mate.
Coming!
Good, clear and concise review. Every time I watch a big GS being chucked around like a 250, I take my hat off. Maximum respect, Chris!
One of the best reviews of the GS! Great job Chris!
Delighted to see so much praise for Chris Northover here..... all round good guy.
Thanks for this great video and first look at the mid-year update to the GS series. Chris's description and riding really help showcase the Rallye model. In fact, I told the local BMW dealer about this video AND bought a Rallye! I think it was a great move--an evolutionary step forward--by BMW Motorrad--to bring back a Rallye edition, and I couldn't be happier with my decision. Thanks again, and keep making these wonderful videos!
Welcome back Chris! Hope we see some more reviews from Mr Northover soon.
Great review Chris, where have you been? Missed you testing bikes, (BIKEWORLD TAKE NOTE, US CHRIS MORE AS HE IS A LEGEND! ) love your vids doing head to head with the cars, especially with you on the Superleggera against the P1 and 918! Hope to see more cool vids soon 😜
Cheers, GMAN
Good to see Chris back 👍
Great review!
...such an excellent review of these 2 new models! Thanks so much!
Great review!! well done.
Chris is back....loved it...
WHAT A GREAT REVIEW YOU HAVE DONE, CHRIS!! CONGRATULATIONS TO THE TEAM FOR MAKING SUCH A GREAT VIDEO!! THE RALLYE VERSION SOUNDS AMAZING AND LOOKS FANTASTIC. HOPE TO BE ABLE TO TRY THIS MODEL ONE DAY, HERE IN ARGENTINA. KEEP UP THE GOOD JOB, MATES!! ;)
Great review! The detailed breakdown of the characteristics of the two models is really helpful. Excellent reviewer.
It seems bmw has recaptured the spirit of the HP2 with the Rallye 1200, nice video, amazing riding
Very good review, thanks for the effort mate.
the best motorcycle review ever I heard..... tnx man ...
Brilliant review, brilliant reviewer!
Good review mate. The Rallye looks the bomb!
great,
proper rider, proper review!
Thanks
I need to learn how to ride a bike like this!! great job mate
Awesome review, great to see how they handle off road :)
Great review! Please send the same guy to the KTM 1290 SAR launch :)
I love this motorcycle, recently received one in my workshop to install a tool box, I love that edition
Great Review!
this guy can ride! nice review!
nice review!
Bloody hell!! Chris might actually be the best motorcycle presenter ever!! Not only natural in front of the camera, but rides like a bat out of hell! Bring on more reviews with Chris bike world
Blooming heck the standard end can is as big as a pannier!
fantastic review! makes me want to buy rally version :)
Super love this GS rallye
greta reviews. Love the new models
LOVE IT. Both bikes look and sound fantastic, I love my Multistrada and I won't be in the market to change for quite some time but I'm almost set on my next machine....
Possibly the best review I've seen you guys do. Nice to see a journalist who can properly ride. I do wonder how many owners will actually ride what is still a large and expensive bike off road.
Banditmanuk some of us already are! ;-) ...On a R1200GSA for that matter. I dig this Rallye.
Banditmanuk me
Great review, good to see this guy back.. I expected the Rallye to be the more expensive bike?
An outstanding review with it a single caveat...
Please, please, please give us a chance to hear the bike. Just a few moments free of talk & music. The sound of a bike is very important to a lot of us & not to be ignored.
Also, that was some impressive riding on that big Beast.... well done!
Excellent review vid! I own a '13 GS Rallye and I love it...mostly for its looks and the torque all up and down the gear box. This '17 Rallye edition is gorgeous - alas way too much for the likes of me...me want...can't have...me want...can't handle...me want... I'll just keep on enjoying my '13 model GS
Thanks!
Dream bike. 😍😍😍
Oh Crish is back!!!! Nice!!! Give him a new GSXR!!! I wanna see that review!!!
Thks
So, if the Rallye has a stiffer, sportier suspension and the Exclusive also has a stiffer suspension, what suspension do the regular Light White and Black Metallic models have?
Good video, nice quality. It would be cool to talk about how this bike fits in the current culture of bikes. Subbed.
Thanks
Glad I stumbled on this video - great review! Might look at this now instead of its big bro 1200GSA. How tall is is Chris Northover?
I have an hp2 Enduro and wonder if this is as close as BMW will ever get to another HP2.
Great review. The GS Rallye will replace my 2005 GS.
Awesome video guys, you're back! Chris rides that bike like a friggin demon. Add Suzy in there as well and it would be perfect :)
My dream bike 😍
Tis suspension settings; min-max-automatic,does this have to do with the damping?Or what does it do exactly as the damping settings or set by the riding modes?Thx for the answer
Hey, what are the differences between the Rallye with a single seat and the one with double (which looks more like in excl ver)? Is it just that the suspension on the double seater is standard vs the Adv suspension in a single seater...or there are more differences?
Now i want to buy one
great review, never seen one of these bikes ridden so well. Usually ridden very slowly and very upright with a queue of cars behind, or wobbling around town looking for a large parking bay.
That's some impressive riding... big bikes offroad are a handful. This new GS Rallye looks pretty capable, but I don't think KTM is all that concerned about being out-performed in the dirt.
How does the Rallyee go on the road?
best bike for all the time
skill!
Chris Northover is back!!!!! Where have you been?
Can you do a similar offroad test on a KTM super adventure R and compare and contrast with the Rallye?
We are bmw EVERYTHING IS A OPTION on our ridiculously expensive bikes
Great video
As I’m new too your video can I ask how tall are you??
I want a Rallyeeeeeeeeee
Get Chris on more videos and give him a pay rise ;)
I`m a proud ower of a BMW R nine T GS advetuture. I drive her daily, rain or shine
Rallye // Africa Twin?
Also, thank you!
Pinned it super nice! Great review.... But where is Luke? He also did a great job!!!
Thanks, Luke's been gone a few months now.
Jeez was expecting a newer tech from BMW considering the high price bracket. KTM added their new impressive anti-glare electronic gauge screen, on the lesser costly 1290 Super Adventure R. I can see analog (coupled with that crazy expensive head unit) is still the way at BMW.
Did they build the head unit into the price, or is it still an optional extra?
Hi Chris, I've been on the Level 1 BMW Off-Road Skills course in South Wales back in 2015 and your Portugal Tour in Feb 2018, when we were on the 1200GS Rallye. I'm now looking for a 2017/2018 Rallye, having been so impressed and had such a good experience on one, hence my trawling of old reviews! However, I'm now a little put off by your comment that this version is really not for novices but is best for experienced fast off-road riders. If that's the case, why do you use the Rallye for training fairly novice riders, or do you think it's the right version for me if I survived these courses? A great review anyway! Regards, David
How does it fair against the Multistrada Enduro i wonder. Great looking beast though.
that slip though 0:57
mayur kulkarni skill/pushing it baby! love it
great review...please do the KTM 1090 adventure R when you can
good job!
The previous models for the last few years have had dynamic ESA too, and the QS, just not the "auto-pre-load/levelling" AFAIR?.
The QS Pro (up and down) was certainly there last year. I think the Dynamic ESA was only on the GS Adventure though, and not on the regular GS, so that is new for this year. By the way, glad to see I'm not the only one spending time on RUclips and ADVRider while waiting for a new bike to arrive ;)
Std. GS definitely has D ESA (semi-active suspension) for while now. I've seen the Sachs iunits on them in person. :)
Or is the idea that "dynamic" is supposed to figure out if it should be in comfort or sport automatically? BMW are terrible about adding "buzzwords" that overlap or are ill-explained - or indeed trhrowing pro or dynamic on the end .... like Ducati with "evo". I thought "Dynamic" was a S-A mode that was a bit like "sport" on other bikes.
So if Dynamic ESA is an improved semi-active, what did they call the semi-active that has been around for a few years? "ESA" on its own was "manual electronic" (fixed positions)l and before the S-A version.
Good to see another advrider floating around here, yes the wait is painful!
Very confusing naming, but I think it just gets down to the semi-active system reacting fairly slowly while the dynamic system is quick enough to react to each bump and jump individually, instead of just sensing the general road conditions and going for a best guess. Not easy to find out through google though!
Edit: The GS I rode last year had the Sachs black box near the rear shock too, but I guess that is needed for any type of active/semi-active setup :)
A proper S-A system is suppsoed to react quickly (within 10ms). So I suspect this is just a newer/faster system or updated software, like the Ducati DSS evo versus the older DSS. ;)
Or tying it in with the auto-preload which is actually a good thing, Aprilia had it first, then Triumph and now BMW, KTM need to get this done now too.
Sports dirt bike? Am i right? Im kinda new at this motorcycle thing
Which year is the gs rallye?
Good review. I just wish I were over 6' tall and had a fat-ass checking account. Way to keep evolving the species BMW. Now apply this Rallye logic to the 800, drop some pounds, smooth the vibes and we'll talk cash, Homie.
Lol did you see what they did to the GS? It's now almost as heavy as this baby.
there is also the low suspension option! Someone with 5.4, can easily ride it!
how tall are you ?
bmw has had some serious mechanical issues, the front suspension stanchons failed (IE: tubes ruptured causing critical rider injuries) on mild terrain. I hope they address them because these issues span 2013 to 2017 so far.
Wats your height?
Great review but the old Gs has semi active suspension . Not much change in the electronic department really.
Snarky sorry I meant as in the water cooled model which I've had a few he said about this bike as if it was a new thing
So, for off road: GS < GS Rallye < GSA?
I'd say GS < GSA < Rallye. The Rallye is essentially a regular GS with the GSA's suspension, so it should have all the ground clearance of the GSA without the added weight and size :)
It's an amazing bike, but at 1,65 meters tall, I'm too small to ride one of those
GhostCarbon0911 - I just finished the level 1 Off Road Skills course in wales, we had some ladies and gents at 5’ 5” work the bikes without issue, consider a test ride as it is truly a phenomenal bike....
It would be great if you subtitled your videos to Spanish, they are very good, 500 million Spanish speakers would appreciate it indeed. The vast majority of motorcycle tests in Spanish are terrible. Cheers!
How big are you??? :o
How tall are u? Ihope u answer this 😃
I wish bmw made dirt bikes
they would probably be plush and comfy but weigh 5x more than they should.
I loved my 450x.
Does BMW make a V twin?
7:14 LOL at 144p that rock looks like a tortoise!
Okay. Do I keep the wife or buy this motorbike?
The bike. Always the bike.
Fire Blade890 can the bike wash your socks or keep you warm at night? might need a compromise
Fire Blade890 Depends what she looks like...
yawn.... you have neither, that much is clear.
Fire Blade890 hahaha! hmmm...
Rallye is always written with an "e" at the end
Great review. I just love BMW, but please stop with the graphic stickers. Less is more
LOve this bike, Hate the graphics and color. BMW is a master in all things but paint and graphics, oh and gauge clusters. It's so hard to find a REAL price on this in the US
I need to make more money
Albert Tran I need to make some money.
No mention of BMW's reliability / quality issues ?? ...........................Mmmmm.
tall and heavy,..nope not for me. but nice looking bike.
did you see the full carbon fiber spec version ruclips.net/video/-wSC4LKWyVA/видео.html
Own the 2015 R1200GSA ...but I haven`t the balls or the wallet to really see what it`s capable of. In hindsight I should have gotten a Ducati Scrambler, and a proper enduro bike ...something along the lines of a KTM 300XC. The resale value is rubbish here in Florida, as I paid twenty-six and change for it and I`ll be lucky to get eighteen if I sell it on my own. Trade-in value is around 15K!!! My fault completely though ...damned tunnel vision!
Andrew9900 I bought the same bike October 2015. Absolutely love it. It will do much more than u think, on and off road. After lots of free shop rides and a handful of adv on n off road classes, I can handle most terrains and have a blast, w the exception of mud. tough stuff. just means more to learn so I can have fun there too! this thing handles air off water bars beautifully too. And, it's a tank/ can handle falls n drops no prob. Don't be afraid of using it! Get your hard earned money's worth! play!
Andrew9900 and yet I understand about what u think u should have gotten. I'd like a smaller lighter dual sport bike for my second one. for more technical riding. maybe even a trials bike.
The GS is an excellent running bike for about 3 years, then the warranty expires, and the bike begins to fall apart; at this point, the GS becomes a very expensive bike to own!
Jesus can change yr life ❤
JUST RIDDEN THIS BIKE FOR 2 HOURS IN RAINY UK!
ruclips.net/video/l8RlUPp5hCE/видео.html
just picked up delivery of mine! loving it! ruclips.net/video/a5Zv7pmS6So/видео.html
Great review!