Hey everyone so I've been made redundant at 29 which means can do a few decent trips while I think of what to do next career wise

Mainly thinking Scotland and a few euro trips once I get more confident at tent life on the bike

Previously had a GSA 1200 lc an a vstrom 1000xt which were good bikes but let down by dealership experience
Would have rather been self servicing

Which leads me to my current conundrum
Got about 4-5k to spend

Always had a soft spot for the 1150 GSA as I guess most of us have

Do I a get back on a beemer
An try hunt down a silver none abs single or twin sparker?

Or go for something different to the big bikes an get a Himalayan.

I don't speed on the roads but like swift cornering and decent acceleration currently riding a rd250lc which has made me re think my big bike theories again. With stunning handling etc

I know Nathan has been cranking the miles on his but just wondering has anyone else gone from a GSA to a Himalayan if so what did you regret or what did you love?


Anyone else done decent miles on one?


edit also considering an 800 GS around a 2008 if anyone has any opinions on them

Huge thanks in advance

Tom
Norton.rider on Instagram

Go talk to a dealer and get a feeling for parts availability on the Enfield. I was lucky with my now sold Bullet ABS. The only parts I broke were common to non-ABS bikes or I was able to fabricate. I broke the chain adjuster when repairing my snapped chain. This was July 17. I tried to buy both in the UK and India and you simply cannot get rear disc brake items, a year after the launch they were too new. The dealers didn't even have a parts fiche. Before I sold in April 18 I tried again and still no joy. My bike went to the Honda dealers still fitted with the ones I made (better IMHO, I used metal not cast cheese),but not an option everyone has.

The Bavarian Much Weight set-up has Motorworks for support when the Suited Lizards in the grey tiled coffee palace fail you.

Neither are my thing, but a year of Enfield riding (6200 miles) convinced me they are hobby machines in the UK, they expect you take up golf while its broken and probably only do 200 miles a year and not actually break it.

Andy

Cheers Andy,

That's exactly the sort of info I'm after had a nightmare with my 1200 GSA LC before so a bit wary of the coffee palace haha

the availability of stuff from Motorworks has my attention on the 1150 did hunt for one last year but struggled to find one in the right condition

The 800 looks pretty cool to although something I've not got any experience off

Never rode a hymalayan & don't have any intentions of splashing out big(ish) money for a 1940's designed bike.
The only advise l can give you is to get the best bike you can afford & look at the mileage & service history, luggage is a must, (prices for with & without panniers/topbox aren't that far apart) & if you insist on an Adv style bike, take a look at the Triumph Tiger range, even the older 988 (l think) Tiger is still a consideration.
Failing that & speaking from personal experience my pre-Triumph bike was a Kawa 650 Versys, & it is a much underrated bike that has plenty of oooomph & is totally reliable!

Also, look for another job you lazy fecker!!!!.......

haha cheers mate

an yeah Im gonna have to me dad an his bro all lost our jobs at the same time sucks to be honest but such is life

those tiger 800's do look pretty cool thats for sure,

know I've not mentioned it but even though Im 29 have restored 4 x 350 lc's 2 Nortons a 650ss and a 68 commando so know my way round a set of spanners which is why im thinking something I can work on myself : )

Think im going to have a close look at the 800 GS and the 1150 GSA between those two was just looking at the 0-60 times on Himalayan

so if anyone has any 800 opinions all welcome would have the budget for around a 2008 one

Cheers,

Tom

Sounds to me like you've got more mech experience than most here on the HUBB.

You must have had a really high paying job to afford a R1200GS LC ... here in US they go for $25,000 on average. They come with a 3 year warranty and GS riders I know all buy extended service contracts to extend the warranty another 3 or 4 years.

So did BMW not honor your warranty? Or what?

Newer BMW's are now very dealer dependent due to all the computers, sensors and the like. You can buy devices to hack in and do stuff yourself now. Many do this.

Himalayan:
Read a couple ride reviews, both by Indian riders, and one guy I know. He really hated that Himalayan coming off a DL650 Vstrom. He felt earlier Enfield's were better. To me they are a joke bike and possibly dangerous.

Speaking of Vstrom, I also owned a DL1000, did 90K miles. Not one issue. I only went to Triumph for a change of pace. The Vstrom was the better ADV travel bike.

If you saved any money (hope so) from working, then chances are good you still have decent credit. So, you could buy any new bike on payments.

BMW's will always be costly if you let dealers do the work.

Triumphs are very good, quite expensive but reliable and fun to ride. Not cheap to maintain, but less than BMW. I've owned 3 Tigers. (1995, 1999, 2007)

Most Triumph dealers allow test rides. Try one out.

In USA one of the best "low budget" bikes going is the Kawasaki Versys 650LT. Simply a great all round light touring bike. I tested one, loved it. But I'll be buying the Versys 1000LT for longer trips, also a great bike.

Those Kawasaki's need very little to keep running, simple, cheap to run.
Great performers ... and they never break down!

If traveling Scotland and EU countries then really, you could ride any bike you like: Sports bike, ADV bike, Tour bike. All good.

The BMW R1150GS was my least favorite of all GS's (long term tested them all for magazine) When the R1200GS came out all our staff were STUNNED just how much better the R12 was over previous 1100 and 1150 models.

Your LC even better (not ridden that model) from reports I've read and talking to friends that own them. IMO, the 1150 is Farm equipment compared to R1200GS LC.

I'd get a few test rides.

Gotta say I'd be firing up the Yamaha. Spend some of the money on soft luggage and take the back roads.