I'm a short OAP too and have just "downsized" from a 1250GS after having 2 1200GS' before that. The RS is so much easier to handle at low speed and if you're not carrying a pillion the RS is IMO a better option for the road, plus it's quite a bit cheaper than a GS and a lot lighter than an RT. The only downside so far has been the OE screen which is awful but I've just put a Puig replacement on it and that's much better. A nice change and it was good to hear about other riders and their biking history. I started at 17 and have had bikes for most of my life and want to keep going for as long as I can providing I still enjoy it.
Must admit I think the GS is only more expensive because BMW know they can charge the premium…it certainly doesn’t have anything to justify that much price difference except cache.
@@whojamaflip1 I put some of it down to the post covid effect. With all the supply problems used bikes (and cars) were going for silly money and I remember going into my dealer and they'd put the price of a new GS up to just under 20k as that was what you had to pay for a "premium" bike after seeing what Ducati were getting away with. PCPS make up the majority of BMW bike sales now and that doesn't help either as potential buyers are only interested in the deposit and monthly payments and if the wife/partner is going to ride pillion that's a green light. I certainly won't be paying £20k plus for a GS in the future that's for sure. They are brilliant bikes but are just too expensive.
That’s the sweetest and most romantic video of all that I have watched about this bike. All the best, safe riding and you should know that your words made me decide to go for it full on.
Really enjoyed watching this video. My first ride on a motorcycle was a 125 when I was 18 which planted the biking bug and since then I’ve had a few bikes. I had to ‘gave up biking’ due to having children from 1991 until 1999 when I purchased my first BIG bike which I kept until 2015 then sold that due to health issues and I also thought I was ‘too old’ Lol! The ‘biking bug’ wouldn’t leave me so 2 years later I bought a second hand bike, then in 2018 I purchased yet another new one but felt something was missing. In 2019 I sat on a BMW at a motorcycle show and was smitten. I couldn’t actually test ride until September 2020 due to having foot surgery and lockdown!!! Once I had been out on the test ride for a few hours I was totally hooked. Returned back to the dealers and promptly put a deposit down. The BMW R1250RS in Austin Yellow……Best bike ever!!
Great to hear like minded bikers history, I guess we all have a story to tell. At 63 years young, I have a similar history, started like many around my age with a Fizzy. I’ve pretty much always had some sort of bike in my garage, currently I have a BMW R1200RS Iconic and a Triumph Bobber which seems to fit my needs perfectly. A new addition may be added to the stable soon… Royal Enfield 350 Classic
Nice garage, though I did manage to burn my leg on the exhaust of a bobber, sat on it in shorts to try it out without thinking about where and how hot the exhaust was!!
I’ve had my RS 18 months now and agree with everything said. Best all round bike I’ve ever had. Does it all. Fast, decent handling, tours brilliantly, and it has a genuine jeckyll and hyde character. It can be visceral and exciting or steady and relaxed depending on your mood and road conditions. Simply a brilliant and much under rated bike and of all the boxer range, that torquey lump seems to be ideally suited to the RS. Beautifully made and finished too. There is a fly in the ointment though and that’s the 1250 RT. Yes, it has an old man image but ride one and you’d be amazed. Even easier to flat foot, way more comfortable and surprisingly handles as well as the RS and has genuine go. It does it all too, just with better weather protection and comfort. Way better slow speed stability and turns on a sixpence. How they’ve managed to make a big tourer this capable, I’ll never know but it’s genuinely that good. I’m in two minds about parting with my RS for one but a test ride soon confirmed that for comfort alone and all day touring, nothing comes close but minus panniers I’ve also hooned it around b roads with total confidence. Think of it as an rs on steroids. More refined, better equipped and way more comfortable yet it also has the same split personality with genuine pace. Much prefer either to the GS which simply doesn’t feel as refined or as stable for high speed road work. I sold my GSA when I discovered the RS and never looked back. Now, annoyingly, I can’t ignore the RT’s talents😂
Really interesting comment, thank you. As the owner of a R1200RT I agree with much of what you say, but also think the new r1300 GS is a very interesting bike. I think anyone who buys an Rs, RT or GS is buying a very good bike!
@@whojamaflip1 the 1300 doesn’t appeal to me at all and is grossly over-priced imho. Having seen one, I dislike the looks too. The 1250 RT is genuinely a step up from the 1200. Smoother, torquier and even more refined. I’ve ridden both many miles as a volunteer blood biker. Only the RS and 1250 RT do it for me😉
The looks of the 1300GS are definitely marmite! Having ridden a 1200rt, 1250rs&gs and a 1300gs, engine wise I completely agree with you about the 1250 being a step up from the 1200, but the 1300 is another jump forward…..I’m really looking forward to trying the 1300rt when that comes out!
Very nice ! Really like to ear about other bikers opinion: this the real deal. I also enjoyed the experience with the sv650 and thought is way better than an old cb500 that everybody loved (not me). The suzuki really fit to my body . Also am flirting the RS1200 in the used market because i to am short (5,4ft) and do not want a heavier RT, although can see the advantages in riding position. Still, would love to get a rs1200 with lower seat, tubular steering from the r1200 and quickshift. Lets see. Keep up the good work. 👍
Looking forward to more episodes. As the saying goes. If you have to ask why, you wouldn’t understand. Don’t agree with the not ready for the RT bit. You say you don’t ride fast.? I’m in my forth RT and same age as you. I don’t hang about, I won’t say anymore and at 6’ 2” the RT is a much better fit. But too each their own
I'm a short OAP too and have just "downsized" from a 1250GS after having 2 1200GS' before that. The RS is so much easier to handle at low speed and if you're not carrying a pillion the RS is IMO a better option for the road, plus it's quite a bit cheaper than a GS and a lot lighter than an RT. The only downside so far has been the OE screen which is awful but I've just put a Puig replacement on it and that's much better. A nice change and it was good to hear about other riders and their biking history. I started at 17 and have had bikes for most of my life and want to keep going for as long as I can providing I still enjoy it.
Must admit I think the GS is only more expensive because BMW know they can charge the premium…it certainly doesn’t have anything to justify that much price difference except cache.
@@whojamaflip1 I put some of it down to the post covid effect. With all the supply problems used bikes (and cars) were going for silly money and I remember going into my dealer and they'd put the price of a new GS up to just under 20k as that was what you had to pay for a "premium" bike after seeing what Ducati were getting away with. PCPS make up the majority of BMW bike sales now and that doesn't help either as potential buyers are only interested in the deposit and monthly payments and if the wife/partner is going to ride pillion that's a green light. I certainly won't be paying £20k plus for a GS in the future that's for sure. They are brilliant bikes but are just too expensive.
Couldn’t agree more 👍
That’s the sweetest and most romantic video of all that I have watched about this bike. All the best, safe riding and you should know that your words made me decide to go for it full on.
What a great comment, thank you!
Really enjoyed watching this video. My first ride on a motorcycle was a 125 when I was 18 which planted the biking bug and since then I’ve had a few bikes. I had to ‘gave up biking’ due to having children from 1991 until 1999 when I purchased my first BIG bike which I kept until 2015 then sold that due to health issues and I also thought I was ‘too old’ Lol! The ‘biking bug’ wouldn’t leave me so 2 years later I bought a second hand bike, then in 2018 I purchased yet another new one but felt something was missing. In 2019 I sat on a BMW at a motorcycle show and was smitten. I couldn’t actually test ride until September 2020 due to having foot surgery and lockdown!!! Once I had been out on the test ride for a few hours I was totally hooked. Returned back to the dealers and promptly put a deposit down. The BMW R1250RS in Austin Yellow……Best bike ever!!
Glad you enjoyed the video, and agree that the R1250RS is a brilliant bike.
Great to hear like minded bikers history, I guess we all have a story to tell. At 63 years young, I have a similar history, started like many around my age with a Fizzy. I’ve pretty much always had some sort of bike in my garage, currently I have a BMW R1200RS Iconic and a Triumph Bobber which seems to fit my needs perfectly. A new addition may be added to the stable soon… Royal Enfield 350 Classic
Nice garage, though I did manage to burn my leg on the exhaust of a bobber, sat on it in shorts to try it out without thinking about where and how hot the exhaust was!!
I’ve had my RS 18 months now and agree with everything said. Best all round bike I’ve ever had. Does it all. Fast, decent handling, tours brilliantly, and it has a genuine jeckyll and hyde character. It can be visceral and exciting or steady and relaxed depending on your mood and road conditions. Simply a brilliant and much under rated bike and of all the boxer range, that torquey lump seems to be ideally suited to the RS. Beautifully made and finished too.
There is a fly in the ointment though and that’s the 1250 RT. Yes, it has an old man image but ride one and you’d be amazed. Even easier to flat foot, way more comfortable and surprisingly handles as well as the RS and has genuine go. It does it all too, just with better weather protection and comfort. Way better slow speed stability and turns on a sixpence.
How they’ve managed to make a big tourer this capable, I’ll never know but it’s genuinely that good. I’m in two minds about parting with my RS for one but a test ride soon confirmed that for comfort alone and all day touring, nothing comes close but minus panniers I’ve also hooned it around b roads with total confidence. Think of it as an rs on steroids. More refined, better equipped and way more comfortable yet it also has the same split personality with genuine pace. Much prefer either to the GS which simply doesn’t feel as refined or as stable for high speed road work. I sold my GSA when I discovered the RS and never looked back. Now, annoyingly, I can’t ignore the RT’s talents😂
Really interesting comment, thank you. As the owner of a R1200RT I agree with much of what you say, but also think the new r1300 GS is a very interesting bike. I think anyone who buys an Rs, RT or GS is buying a very good bike!
@@whojamaflip1 the 1300 doesn’t appeal to me at all and is grossly over-priced imho. Having seen one, I dislike the looks too. The 1250 RT is genuinely a step up from the 1200. Smoother, torquier and even more refined. I’ve ridden both many miles as a volunteer blood biker. Only the RS and 1250 RT do it for me😉
The looks of the 1300GS are definitely marmite! Having ridden a 1200rt, 1250rs&gs and a 1300gs, engine wise I completely agree with you about the 1250 being a step up from the 1200, but the 1300 is another jump forward…..I’m really looking forward to trying the 1300rt when that comes out!
Really entertaining for another late-to-the-game biker. 2017 Harley Low Rider S. 2015 BMW R1200RT. :)
Thanks for the feedback, glad you enjoyed the episode.
I’m hoping to interview someone with a Harley, and snap on the RT, I have a 2016 and love it 😀
Very nice ! Really like to ear about other bikers opinion: this the real deal. I also enjoyed the experience with the sv650 and thought is way better than an old cb500 that everybody loved (not me). The suzuki really fit to my body . Also am flirting the RS1200 in the used market because i to am short (5,4ft) and do not want a heavier RT, although can see the advantages in riding position. Still, would love to get a rs1200 with lower seat, tubular steering from the r1200 and quickshift. Lets see. Keep up the good work. 👍
Thanks for the feedback
Looking forward to more episodes. As the saying goes. If you have to ask why, you wouldn’t understand. Don’t agree with the not ready for the RT bit. You say you don’t ride fast.? I’m in my forth RT and same age as you. I don’t hang about, I won’t say anymore and at 6’ 2” the RT is a much better fit. But too each their own
The RT comment was a gentle joke at my expense as I have a R1200RT
Best bike ever, though I am biased 😂
😁