BMW 1250 GS, first 10k kilometers (updated)

Last Updated on: September 12, 2024

The BMW 1250 GS, bought used early June this year (a 2022 model) has done its first 10k (10 000) kilometers in my ownership. 

Mentioned in an earlier post the change from the former bike happened because of need for something more practical while on distance touring. This about practicality is of course highly individual. Be that as it may, around 6000 kilometers is a fair bit for a fortnight’s worth of riding.

BMW 1250 GS (2022) in Switzerland

July 2024: riding the (2022) 1250 GS in Switzerland

BMW 1250 GS, a practical motorcycle

The 1250 GS is a very practical motorcycle.  You don’t need sales figures to back that claim up. Just look around. On long distance touring whole fleets of GS’s might show up. Whatever you think of it, the platform is among the most popular on the market. That is an undeniable fact. And the GS (Gelände, Strasse) motorcycle has undergone constant changes. Some minor or incremental, some more major.

Bikes from the 90s or early 2000s are still on the road. In high numbers. Still being used, some with ultra-high mileage. Old GS’s have their followers.

So yes, it is a long lasting, practical motorcycle. Regardless of luggage systems or types. It’s super comfy, agile (especially the 1250), and feels surprisingly light despite being (relatively) heavy. Mine is a 2022 Triple Black model, with all bells and whistles, plus the Vario luggage system. I’ve already said what I think about these from an aesthetical point of view. They’re ugly as hell, but practical.

Despite being way too heavy, under normal conditions you hardly notice they’re there. Well that is, until you ride without them after two weeks of riding with them!

BMW 1250 GS: detouring in Harz, Germany

A detour led me onto a gravel & dirt track/road in Harz, Germany

Another advantage is that you don’t need additional “scaffolding”. The panniers are easy to remove, same goes for the top box. And it is possible to use the rails and fasteners, plus the top box rack, for soft luggage. Which is an interesting prospect, should one want or need a lighter luggage system.

BMW 1250 GS, on/off pavement

Even in a street biased incarnation the BMW 1250 GS will quickly prove that it’s good for a lot more than just pavement. And as for pavement, well I hardly need to say much about that. On road it has excellent manners, easy to flick or steer. The previous model (1200 GS) was said to, in some cases, pull slightly to one side if you let go of the handlebars.

Can’t say I’ve noticed any of that on mine.

As for off-pavement, having done in excess of 25.000 kilometers on a KTM 890 Adventure I had expectations. At least that it wouldn’t be terrible compared to it the KTM. Didn’t take long before I was off-pavement. Which it handles excellently. On the Euro tour I ended up riding on gravel, dirt, rocks, mud, on single tracks, with ruts and around in woods on various surfaces a couple of times.

BMW 1250 GS in German woods

Didn’t mean to. but ended up in German woods as well!

None of this was much of an issue. Even with road biased dual sport tires. They worked a lot better than I remembered from the time I had a 1200 GS Adventure. Then again, I’ve probably also become a better rider. Hopefully.

Michelin Anakee Adventure is a very good allround tire. It may help to have the weight on top, provided you don’t pretend you have knobbies. That could quickly prove to be a big mistake!

Issues

Not had any big issues, but there has been a software glitch. Hiccups when firing it up, followed by errors. Always worked on second start. Wonder if those issues can be attributed to the battery and/or voltage. Had similar experiences with my KTM 1290 Super Adventure S a few times.

But there is one thing that has stuck. And it manifested itself after the aforementioned start-up issues. I wonder if there is a correlation. The message shows up every time the motorcycle has been parked for more than 15 minutes.

Emergency call system restricted warning

The error that shows up (if shut down >15 minutes)

From what I can gather the reason is that the software doesn’t check the connection unless the bike has been shut off for more than the mentioned time. It will only appear then. And it looks like it doesn’t check until next time you turn it off for > 15 minutes. I know the system did work. Dropped it once and it did call. >

I’ve also read that some of these bikes are shipped with no good batteries. The bike is under warranty so I’ll take it in for a check.

Edit/update: check done, problem fixed! See here.

Some extras added

I’ve put on 25mm handlebar risers from Voigt. Since over 190cm/6’3 a change was needed, at least for me and my body. The Voigt risers are certified for the motorcycle. Don’t put on anything that’s not certified, or else you can risk your insurance is void. Especially in EU.

25mm seems to be sufficient for me. You can get both shorter and taller risers from Voigt. For many types of motorcycles. The quality of their products is top notch. Check out the website!

Puig spoiler on BMW 1250 GS

Puig spoiler on the BMW 1250 GS

Windscreen

The stock wind screen isn’t optimal. A Puig spoiler helped quite a bit, not the least with adjustment possibilities. The spoiler is also very useful to direct airflow over the screen when riding in hot weather. Does this mean it solved all challenges vs turbulence or wind noise? Heck no!

I’d originally ordered a Puig sports screen earlier. It arrived long after I’d left for Europe. Now it’s on and it is a superior solution for summer riding. What you immediately notice is that the concept of “dirty air”, or disturbed airflow, is gone. For me it works best all the way down. But turned up it still is better than stock.

1250 GS with Puig sports screen

The 1250 GS with Puig sports screen

The Puig spoiler bought for the larger screen (of course) does not fit the sport screen. Not even sure it’s a good idea to put one on. I’ve bought something from Aliexpress for next to nothing. The idea is that the spoiler will make the sport screen more usable in colder and poorer weather. And work as an extension.

Time will tell if this is more than a theory. Well, this post ended up being a lot longer than planned. All in all I am very satisfied with the change. It’s hard to go wrong with a BMW 1250 GS!

August 7th update

My dealer fixed the emergency call system error with a software update. Possibly an update that did more than that. So now, onto the next 10k kilometers! I’ve also decided to go for another set of Michelin Anakee Adventure. It’s a tire I trust and have a lot of experience with.

The current set have done around 12.500 kilometers now. They probably could have lasted longer, for pavement only use.

It’s not a real offroad tire but it does fire roads, gravel and dirt remarkably well for its design. Performance on wet surfaces, especially wet pavement is surprisingly good. That is one of the most important things for me. and one reason why I’ve had many sets. Safety is key.

The only downside with Anakee Adventure is that the front tire howls, especially when you break into corners. That’s a small price to pay, especially with regards to all the upsides I think. Good earplugs (I use custom ones) makes the noise a negligible thing. Well for me that is, others have ditched Anakee Adventure for the precisely same reason.

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