BMW R1200GS Rallye vs GS Adventure
 

Hi,

I currently own a 2017 Triumph Tiger Sport, which I love, apart from the damn screen. I cannot seem to fix the wind noise on this bike and it's driven me so mad lately that I have started looking at other bikes.

As I want to do longer tours both on and off-road I'm eyeballing the new 2017/2018 GS Rallye right now. It's gorgeous and will obviously go both on and off-road.

I also have plans to drive from Amsterdam to Cape Town in 2019 or 2020 and want to do it on this bike. Yes, I know it's a heavy beast but it has been done before and others are currently driving through Africa on a GS as well.

What I am torn about is wether I should get the GSA instead of the Rallye. AFAIK the only big difference is the size of the tank. Should I get the GSA for it's increased fuel capacity (10L extra) over the Rallye? It's heavier and more expensive and I could always carry a fuel bladder with me on the Rallye I figured.

Any insights from you guys? :-)

Cheers,

Bento

very good looking bike indeed, standard changes are small like
a one-piece seat fitted as standard, a smaller sports windshield, plastic radiator and frame guards, wider enduro-style footpegs, and cross-spoke wheels.
Anything else is extra like sport suspension etc. which are available for both version of GS.

Both GS's are very expensive bikes. Both will take quite a beating doing long tours that involve OFF ROAD riding, value will drop fast!

Granted, BMW's GS bikes are better off road than your Tiger (17" front wheel) BMW's 19" far easier to handle off road on such a heavy bike ... but you will still struggle in deep sand and mud.

Tiger
Noisy Wind Screen? YES! I had a '07 1050 Tiger, which I believe has same screen as your Tiger Sport? I tried 3 different wind shields, (GIVI tall touring, Triumph Touring ... even one from UK that was totally adjustable)

NONE worked to stop or reduce wind noise! Terrible!!!

My solution? I cut the stock screen down all the way to faring level. DONE!
No more wind noise. Nice quiet ride after that. The Tiger is a great bike on road, IMO, not good at all off road.

If you like the Triumph character, sound and feel, I would buy the less expensive Tiger 800 XC (or other variation of that model). If for travel, I would buy a nice used example ... and save your self 10,000 Euro.:smiliex:

here is mx track test of this bike :) again, people watch something like that and think R1200GS really can do it LOL



look how nose heavy it is.

I am getting the GS as stated, just torn between the Rallye and GSA. I am not taking my GS over a Motocross track nor will I be trying to do the Paris-Dakar rally.

Hello Bento
Just my suggest. I have been living in Dubai UAE and have BMW R1200GS adventure 2012.
This bike is heavy for sand and mud.
Many times I was in Oman where you can find many thousand km of gravel roads. No any problems, just fun.
I got the training in Hechlingen endure park for two times , and can recommend this for safely ride.
And if you have the plan make the long trip by bike, I sure, every day you will be have very comfortable and stability motorbike.

About your question GS vs GSA - I like both new models, for Europe a size of a tank does not matter, but for Africa/Mongolia where do not available a petrol station every 50 km, I still like big tank.


Cheers, Stas

if you aim for on and off-road I would take personally rally version.
They both weigh the same BTW 244 kg so a lot for soft terrain so good luck with that if you're riding alone. Most big GSes you see in Africa ride either in bug group or have land rover assist :)

Totally forgot about this post. I got the Rallye 2 months ago :-)

I think maybe heavier with full tank, racks, loaded panniers, top box, doh

Some riders with a lot of talent can actually manage the big GS in Sand and other tough off road situations ... but a bit rare in my experience. With enough practice though they aren't horrible but deep sand and mud ... IMO are pretty much a NO GO zone for a fully loaded GS. As always ... YMMV. :D

Bento, congratulation!!!