Hey mate,

Are you still interested in the ride to Salalah? I am in Muscat now and will leave Monday morning. Have sent you a private message with ph etc:


Cheers mate, hope to meet you.

Cheers
Ivan

Here is a partial list of good accessories.

1) Remove charcoal canister (Standard on US models).
2) Add lights (PIAA's a good choice)
3) Change footpegs (Fastways a good choice)
4) Crash bars (both engine and tank, tank bars aslo serve a light bar for the PIAA's)
5) Pannier (Tourtech, better than BMW stock)
6) Airhawk seat cushion (for $125, you can't beat it)
7) Flashing LCD taillight (a good safety feature)
8) Handlebar risers.

Good luck.

Remember - ride it like you stole it!

... Echoing thoughts of others, it also depends if you will have storage locations en route.

... Add extra lights the stock ones are crap, but I reckon rely on normal filament bulbs 'cos you can get 'em anywhere (pair Hella FF50 Main, pair Hella Micor DE on dip, light bar under beak but with the ADV you've got plenty of mounting)
... Autocom (or similar) sound, phone, GPS, pillion intercom system.

... You've got spoked wheels and engine bars on the GSA already, sort your luggage (BWM or who-ever) to your needs

... Service spares depending on duration and location of travel (filters, plugs, pads etc), not that you can't get them on the road, you just don't always know when you can get them. Plan ahead and start replacing them before you need them. Take tyres if you've got a place to leave 'em or are prepared to haul 'em (pain in the ass!), your chosen brand and size may not be available when you need them (eg no 150/70-17 rear Tourrances in BsAs at the moment).

... Puncture kit, bulbs, tools (Torx bits, 22mm axle removal 'stub', BWM plug wrench are bits you may not find easily on the road).

... Then get on it and ride!

no matter what anyone says, all you have to do with the 1200 GS is ... Drive it. Just drove mine from cape town to Cairo..... would part with the wife first

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Life is for Living - so Live

Hi
So, if I haven't replaced the header/y-pipe and got rid of the catalytic converter, what problems can I expect runnining my '07 GSA on leaded fuel?
I've just come across this thread and it wasn't something that I even considered before setting off on our RTW. Currently in Spain due to head into Morocco on 21st Jan so is it something that needs attention before leaving Spain or not?
Thanks for the help

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RTW Jan 2009 - Aug 2012. Currently in Europe waiting for the next ride
www.takingthelongwayhome.co.uk

Buy a Kompakttester to run diagnostics. The R 1200 GSA has a canbus system, have to have this tool to read-out the many computers onboard and reset them when failure. The are expensive but is a must have when you are not near a dealer.

I am myself trying to prep a RTW trip and one of the best thing is to look for some rider which have done similar trip on the same bike or at least long trip and ask them directly for advice.Sometime general posting is great but sometime is not precise enough.Maybe we should have a section for bike specific mod per model ,that will mke things a bit easier to research.

Anyone given any thought to water entering the airbox? On the 12, it drains into the oil, not a good thing if your bike likes baths. The regular 12 is easier to extend the snorkel, but it's almost impossible on the GSA.

There doesn't appear to be a commercially available solution that I am aware of.

I did a trip from the UK to Nepal via the Arctic Circle last year on my '07 GSA. A few of the mods I did were:

Ohlins front shock - the bike handled better . The stock rear WP shock was great.

Fitted a set of Jesse panniers after ditching the BMW ones. I kept the original top box, and had a cordura bag made for it. They provided better storage and the mounting system works better if you have a minor spill like I did in the desert sands in Pakistan. The pannier just pops off instead of bending the mounting gear(and the pannier).

Fitted an aftermarket air filter, so was able to clean and re-oil it on the road.

I fitted a set of the new Michelin Anakee2 tyres whilst in Germany. They currently have 23 500 km on them with a fair bit of tread still left - especially on the front.

Fitted a lightweight exhaust to lessen the impact of the weight of all the crap I had in my panniers. I didn't do anything about the catalytic converter and it hasn't made any difference to the performance of the bike, although I suspect it probably doesn't work as well as it should after using all that dirty water they call petrol in Iran and Pakistan!

Fitted the loudest horn I could find - was invaluable for India. A German guy I met had fitted the horns from his earlier model VW Golf to his Transalp- They were awesome!

I also replaced the stock plastics for carbon fibre jobs - but that was mainly because I liked the looks. They did save a bit of weight but not much. Getting rid of that heavy rear "mudguard" and fitting a carbon hugger did make a difference.

Other than that, I had the bike serviced in Estonia, Germany and Turkey(Istanbul). It's one of the benefits of 10 000km service intervals. I did carry a spare set of brake pads but only had to replace the rear pads. The bike ran like a dream and will be a part of my life for many years to come.


I hope this helps.

Kenny

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Just Ride!
www.rocktravels.blogspot.com

2 known showstopping weaknesses with the electronics of 1200s (GS and GSA). Cover those weaknesses by bringing spares. Local mechanics will NOT be able to fix these BMW electric bits. Lose either of these on the road without spares and you are immobilised.

(1) ring antenna
(2) fuel pump controller

You may want to bring more than one ... I know people on their 3rd and 4th fuel pump controllers. I am lucky ... only on my 2nd. Rumour has it that covering the fuel pump controller with half an inch of axel grease on all sides will help prolong its life ... but that assumes the problem is water related. I dont know if thats genuinely a preventative measure or an old wives tale.

The good news is neither the fuel pump controller nor the ring antenna are massively heavy or bulky ... so can be carried as spares.

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Pardon the ignorance of a simple Triumph rider but what's the ring antenna and how does it stop the bike?

Is it like Sky TV? Can Munich turn you off if you don't pay your subscription?

Andy

its an occasionally malfuntioning anti theft device. How is works (i believe) is roughly as follows ....

The ignition can not be hotwired on the 1200s. There is an antenna / transmitter in the ring around the keyhole ... and it is specifically paired with the key or keys you were given by the bmw dealer. There is a reflector in the plastic handle of each key.

So even an exact cut copy of the key will not start the bike, because the ring antenna will not detect the particular key or keys reflector tag programmed into it by the BMW dealer when he sold the bike. The correct key has to be within inches of the ring antenna for the whole bike to work. Without it, nothing works.

Its all great in theory and statistics seem to indicate 1200 GSs almost never get stolen, despite being the most popular bike in the UK.

But ... they are know to be an electronic weak link and fail more often than they should. As you can imagine, when they do fail, its a showstopper. You aint going no-where until you get a replacement ring antenna, and have it electronically "keyed" by BMW to match your key. There is no workaround.

Best to start off with one already prepared by your BMW dealer.

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Very good point, but i must correct you. The key has a chip which is matched to the ECU, not the antenna. The antenna is only a device used for reading the key. Therefor, any antenna will work, it does not need to be programed. To prepare for this, the the safety bolts (which can only be tightened) must be removed from the key shroud and replaced with allen bolts. This is hard to do in the field without a trill and the right bits. If and when your antenna does fail, you only need to remove the old one and plug in a new one. Alternatively. you can buy an extension wire from BMW and simply un-plug the old antenna and plug in the new one and keep it near the key during start-up. The antenna will read the key and deliver the message to the ECU, which will then decide if the key is correct and allow you to start the bike.
The fuel pump controller had an issue with the gasket on older models and a re-call was issued.
The new gaskets are pretty good, but the position of the controlled is in a very vulnerable place with minimal protection from water. You can silicone the seal, but packing an extra is a pretty good idea! In a pinch, it is possible to hot wire the fuel pump to get you home, it will run at 100% until you replace the controller.
I had a 1200 GS which i sold last year. Although it was one of the best riding bikes i have ever owned, i must admit it would be my last choice for an ATW trip due to its complexity and fragility.

Oh come on...sorry, I have a hard time with the GS being called fragile. I rode mine through China, Russia, Ukraine, etc. and it was a tank...no significant problems, although yes I did carry a spare ring antenna and fuel pump. The R1200GS is a great bike, but not perfect.

I'm glad you did not have any significant problems. My experience with the 1200 GS was quite the opposite. Kudo's to BMW warranty service, thumbs down to the bike in general