BMW R1200gs or Triumph Tiger Explorer 1200

Big-Mac

BMW R1200gs or Triumph Tiger Explorer 1200 which would be the best option new or second hand?

Reliability would be important, are GS as bad as people keep telling me?

colm_c

Can't comment on the tiger, but I've had my 2007 GS since 2008, and put 35k miles on it during that time.

To date it hasn't cost me anything bar tyres and regular servicing.

Del2005

BMW do/did have issues with quality/reliability for a while but as with most issues you only hear the people with problems and not the many more who don't. Triumph have a good quality reputation. But every company make the odd lemon and you could be unlucky. I'd be more inclined to see what type of support you can get from the dealer if things go wrong

Cienciano

Big-Mac wrote: »

BMW R1200gs or Triumph Tiger Explorer 1200 which would be the best option new or second hand?

Reliability would be important, are GS as bad as people keep telling me?

Forget about reliability imho. Take a test drive on each one if you can and decide.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Only thing I can add (from experience) is owning a BMW will cost you an outrageous fortune if things go wrong, as they're difficult to work on you'll likely have to return the bike to a dealer for the work.

Three examples on my own R1100S.

Crown bearing in the drive shaft failed ~ €250
Choke cable (yes its a BMW fit) ~ €237 (I was disgusted)
Clutch (mine failed three weeks ago at 53,000 miles0, cheapest quote ~ €900!!.

Avoid Joe Duffys in Finglas at all costs, they're a shower of dipsh*ts.

TBi

I get all the work on my rt done by a specialist in cork. Much cheaper than dealer. I'd drive both and see. Only thing to remember is of something does go wrong then you are more likely to find a BMW garage than a triumph garage.

Also beware a gs with servo assisted brakes. Mine failed while I was driving and you lose almost all braking power.

Wonda-Boy

Never rode a BMW, but I took the 1200 Explorer out in McCallans twice and it is a very very good bike. Its a beautiful commanding sitting position with extremely comfortable saddle, all the bells and whistle(ABS. Traction Control Etc) Very smooth shaft drive and excellent brakes. Most impressive thing is the torque and that triple engine not as fast as my Sprint top end but my god getting to 100mph is just jet engine torque scenario. Lovely weight to the bike for a tall machine and nice wide bars that dip in lovely.....

Excellent bike all round, would love it to be my next bike but expensive.

I would also take a spin on the new Kwacker Versys 1000 and the Yammy Super Tenere 1200, both very good bikes. Not to mention the KTM 1190...

P.C.

The BMW has a three cylinder engine?

Which one?

I thought that the GS had a boxer engine.


I am pprobably wrong.

Wonda-Boy

P.C. wrote: »

The BMW has a three cylinder engine?

Which one?

I thought that the GS had a boxer engine.


I am pprobably wrong.

Carlsberg don't do replies on forums but if they did it would look like this......LMFAO.

Where did I say BMW had a triple.....

Re-read in the morning with a clear head, I said 1200 explorer which is a TRIUMPH.

fatbast

1150 bmws suffer from abs failure along with 04 to 07 1200s, most people disconnect it as its usually big money to sort. older bm's are fine as are 07 on...fair few niggly faults with 04/06 gs models too mostly sorted by now. dealer or specialist service history is desirable on these as rear bearings and clutches can go and are large dollars to fix!...triumph 800s seem to be pretty reliable according to tests and personal reports.. cant comment on the explorer though. good luck with your search !

Wonda-Boy

fatbast wrote: »

1150 bmws suffer from abs failure along with 04 to 07 1200s, most people disconnect it as its usually big money to sort. older bm's are fine as are 07 on...fair few niggly faults with 04/06 gs models too mostly sorted by now. dealer or specialist service history is desirable on these as rear bearings and clutches can go and are large dollars to fix!...triumph 800s seem to be pretty reliable according to tests and personal reports.. cant comment on the explorer though. good luck with your search !

A lot of positive reviews of the 800 as well, if coming from a litre bike you might find it a little under powered. Couple of lads I go out on spins with test drove it and said it was a great bike but a smidge under powered but they had larger cc bikes.

Cienciano

Wonda-Boy wrote: »

A lot of positive reviews of the 800 as well, if coming from a litre bike you might find it a little under powered. Couple of lads I go out on spins with test drove it and said it was a great bike but a smidge under powered but they had larger cc bikes.

Pretty much every big dual sport machine is underpowered unless you get a ktm or ducati. Not a big problem imho

AgileMyth

I've a 03 1150 GS with 40k miles on it. Never a single issue in the time I've had it despite the servo assisted brakes that everyone tells me are going to kill me.

Never had a more reliable vehicle of any sort.

TBi

AgileMyth wrote: »

I've a 03 1150 GS with 40k miles on it. Never a single issue in the time I've had it despite the servo assisted brakes that everyone tells me are going to kill me.

Never had a more reliable vehicle of any sort.

My servo assisted brakes failed on me going downhill. Thankfully it was only the rear cylinder so i still had front brakes. I could slam down as hard as i wanted on the back brake and it wouldn't stop me, even on the flat, after it went. You don't know it's failed until you try to brake.

Good to know yours is still working. I could have replaced mine but for safety i converted to regular brakes.

Wonda-Boy

TBi wrote: »

My servo assisted brakes failed on me going downhill. Thankfully it was only the rear cylinder so i still had front brakes. I could slam down as hard as i wanted on the back brake and it wouldn't stop me, even on the flat, after it went. You don't know it's failed until you try to brake.

Good to know yours is still working. I could have replaced mine but for safety i converted to regular brakes.

Jaysus that is mental, cant imagine the panic if the front went and you only finding out when you need to drop the anchors!!!!

Wonda-Boy

Cienciano wrote: »

Pretty much every big dual sport machine is underpowered unless you get a ktm or ducati. Not a big problem imho

True, but I would say after riding around on it for a while it would seem totally fine and you would forget about the bigger bikes.

Especially it being a cracker of a bike.

Rosahane

I've had four BMWs since 2002, an RT and three GS's.

The only issues were minor, heated grips went on one and fixed for free a year after the warranty ran out, rubber boot on driveshaft tore on the latest one - not expensive to repair. Lots of recalls all done under warranty and none that impacted me before they were fixed. Until I retired I did over 20K a year.

Dealt with Joe Duffy for all the GS's and never had an issue. Loader bike always provided which often gave me the chance to drive something radically different to the boxer such as the GS800, K1300 and K1600, a hell of a lot different to when I had a Honda which necessitated two trips on the Luas to drop off and pick up for service.

Servicing is relatively expensive - you are paying main dealer labour charges charges after all, but there are a few very good independents and JD seem to be keeping prices down to compete. Main dealer Honda servicing was relative more expensive in real terms!

I know that main dealer servicing costs for my car (another German make) are a lot more expensive!

People that own BMWs seem to be prone to highlighting and publicising any issues, I don't think they are any more prone to issues than other makes - I would think less so!

My friend had a Triumph, sweet engine but I felt it didn't handle as well as the GS.

Coyote

I know you did not ask but would you not think about a KTM 1190
gets better review than the other two from what i have read and you get Bosch's new MSC (Motorcycle Stability Control) have a look at the videos of it. you can brake when the bike leans over.

http://www.ktm.com/travel/1190-adventure-eu/highlights.html#.VRBdquGtEkA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1WSAESCf2Y

Wonda-Boy

Coyote wrote: »

I know you did not ask but would you not think about a KTM 1190
gets better review than the other two from what i have read and you get Bosch's new MSC (Motorcycle Stability Control) have a look at the videos of it. you can brake when the bike leans over.

http://www.ktm.com/travel/1190-adventure-eu/highlights.html#.VRBdquGtEkA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1WSAESCf2Y

I did suggest that from the start....looks are not to my taste but a very good bike but really expensive even more so then the Tirumph 1200

Cienciano

Well, if we're buying new I'd get the Ducati Multistrada! Obviously depends on how you're using it

Wonda-Boy

Cienciano wrote: »

Well, if we're buying new I'd get the Ducati Multistrada! Obviously depends on how you're using it

What about the Aprilla Caponard, looks like a savage bike.