Icon: BMW R1200GS
#41 BMW R1200GS
Where did it come from?
In a roundabout way, from Africa. The original early 80s R80G/S was inspired by the Paris-dakar Rally and was actually pretty good off-road. As the years went by it gradually morphed into an off-road-styled road bike, gaining weight and height with every incarnation, culminating in the 2003 R1150GS Adventure – a knobblie-tyred behemoth with a 900mm seat height, weighing in at over 275kg. Clearly, completely impractical off-road — though that didn’t stop Ewan Mcgregor and Charley Boorman using them for their influential Long Way Round in 2004 (but only when their plan to use lighter KTMS fell through.) Even as they were setting off, though, the 1150’s days were numbered and its replacement was already on the street — the R1200GS. 30kg lighter than the base 1150, 20% more powerful and a lot more refined, it made the outgoing model — especially the Adventure — seem cumbersome, underpowered and plodding. Adventure bikes had never been big news in Britain but with the R1200GS, they were suddenly the only game in town.
What changed?
An update in 2008 brought more power and improved (non-servo) brakes, electronic suspension adjustment and traction control. 2010 brought another few horses (now up to a claimed 110bhp) courtesy of a new dohc head design. 2013 brought water cooling (and more weight) and 2017 saw a cosmetic restyle and tweaks for Euro4 compliance.
Why do people like it?
Because it’s undeniably a great bike. Beautifully balanced, super-stable on the brakes thanks to the Telelever front end, and it copes well with being two-up and fully loaded as well.
Cult rating 2/5
Hardly registers, really, because of...
The problem is...
... its ubiquity. They’re everywhere you go – common as muck. Though ironically, unlikely to get mucky, in most instances. That does mean, of course, that you’ve got a huge choice of aftermarket parts and accessories and that used spares aren’t a problem for older versions.
Without the R1200GS...
BMW might not be the motorcycling powerhouse we see today. In 2016, it sold 145,000 bikes worldwide and 47,000 were R1200GS and Adventure models. That’s not just impressive sales, it’s a global phenomenon.
“They were the only game in town”