Kevin,
Thanks for a great comparison report......a little biased, but how can you
be a GTS owner and not be biased?
When I test rode the K1200 a couple of years ago around the inner Daytona
track, I also found the drive shaft play to be very irritating when
shifting. Like you commented, you can reduce by keeping the rev�s up and
slipping the clutch, but you always needed to be thinking about doing it.
For a very expensive bike the sloppy drive shaft was out of character.
Curious about your Ohlin comments......I know I myself have commented that
as I understood, stock GTS shocks are Ohlins. Has anyone put new Ohlins on
their GTS? The Ohlins that come from Ohlin for the GTS are supplied with
remote adjustable reservoirs. I wonder if they are any better than stock,
especially since I ordered a set a couple of weeks ago from Holland.
Delivery is not tooo good. I may not get them until after the Iron Butt,
unless I luck out.
Like Roger, I can�t say enough good things about the Ralph Weiss Super Bike
handlebar kit. Combined with my modified Sargent seat, it puts me deep into
the bike with a great sense of control, even at low parking lot speeds.
Again...great writeup. All we need to do now is get Barry�s ass on one for
a few hours so we can have another active knowledgeable member on the list.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Not even close really.......GTS1000!
Long analysis follows!!
As you all know I've been thinking about replacing my beloved GTS1000 with
a K1200RS lately. We've had a new BMW dealership open right down the road
from where I work, so I've been kicking tires and bench racing with their
folks for a few weeks. I've always admired the looks of the K1200RS and
thought it might be the bike for me. This past weekend I had the
opportunity to ride a K12 and my GTS on a 3 day trip to Snow Shoe, WV. Here
are my conclusions:
Engine: The K1200RS's inline four is awesome! Fabulous torque and good top
end too! A little more vibration than the GTS, but not a problem. The
GTS1000 is smoother and really doesn't give up much to the larger 1200. The
GTS has always had impressive 60-80 MPH roll-on numbers and it STILL
impresses me! Give the nod to the BMW, but both are fabulous engines!
Drivetrain: It takes some time to get used to the single plate dry clutch
of the BMW. There also seems to be some driveline lash. Is that possible
with a shafty? All I can tell you is that going from engine braking, back
to throttle caused some lash. It wasn't too bad and could probably be
elliminated with more practice, but it was there. The Getrag 6 speed is
much better than the magazines give it credit. The GTS drivetrain is simply
better, smoother. Shifting requires less effort and the wet clutch
engagement is spot-on.
Brakes: Forget about it! The GTS1000 is king! Not that the BMW's are bad.
In fact, they are excellent. But the front brake on the GTS is just
incredible! Both bikes offer ABS and both systems work well.
Suspension: My friend's K12 was equipped with Ohlins front and rear and you
could tell. Very well sorted and VERY comfortable with the comfort seat!
The GTS felt harsh after riding the BMW. My bad! I had the rear set to MAX
preload and the front only one click from max. You see, I've gone from 193
lbs. to 160 lbs. in the past 4 months and I've simply never readjusted the
suspension after my weight loss. After moving the preload down a few clicks
and softening the compression dampening, the GTS was MUCH better than
before. Personally, I prefer the RADD front suspension over the telelever.
It's hard to explain, but after 8 years on the GTS it just seems superior
in handling road imperfections. It's a magic carpet ride.
Comfort: The GTS offers better protection from the elements. I had the
Yamaha Euro-only sport screen on the bike, so it wasn't like I was riding
behind a barn door, but the GTS does offer better wind protection. Setting
the windscreen on the K12 to it's higher position doesn't help things and
only creates buffeting. The comfort seat on the K12 is raised up a couple
inches from stock in order to give more leg room. This places the rider
higher on the bike than on the GTS. On the K12, I felt like a camel jockey.
With my Corbin seat and Heli bars I felt like I was ONE with the GTS! I was
seated into the bike and not on top! On both bikes though, I could ride all
day and come back for more! The heated hand grips on the K12 are "To Die
for"!! On a slightly cold day, they are a wonderful addition! Nod to the
GTS.
Luggage: The K12 is superior! BMW simply offers the best and most
integrated hard bags in the industry. The GTS's are nice, don't get me
wrong! But the 47 L bags make it look like I'm being chased by an
elephant! My buddy Garrett was on this trip with his GTS and 34 L bags,
which are MUCH more attractive. Anyone want to trade?!?!?? Oh, please!
Appearance: Let's face it, this plays a big part in our motorcycling
passion! I intentionally parked my GTS1000 next to the K12 every chance I
got to see which bike spoke to my heart! I've been goo-gooing over the K12
for the past 4 weeks in pictures and on the showroom. Side by side, it's
amazing! The GTS, after 8 years, still looks more modern than any other
sport tourer on the market. It's beautiful, but that's a subjective
judgement isn't it? You may feel differently! Again, the nod goes to the
GTS! One reason for this is the incredible cosmetic and mechanical
condition that I keep my GTS. Remember the GTS that was displayed at the
Guggenheim museum? IT WAS DIRTY, compared to my GTS!! :^)
Value: My GTS is worth about $6K right now, while a new K12 goes for
$16,800. The Mandarin/Grey K12 I was looking at retails at $17,300......but
I did get an incredible price of just $14,200 at a dealership 1 hr. away!
I'm not sure I could justify the ANY difference in price, much less $8K +
!!
Intangibles: The K12 is a BMW. That, in itself offers a lot! It is an
excellently engineered motorcycle that offers wonderful performance and
immediate membership into a fanatical bunch of motorcyclist! If I were
buying today and the GTS was not available, the K12 would be MY BIKE!! I'm
sure I could customize it to eliminate some of the dislikes listed above
and my riding style would soon adapt to what it offers. The GTS is ageless
and unique! It is STILL the main draw in ANY parking lot where a bunch of
motorcycles have gathered. I guess that's what happens when Yamaha built a
bike that was years ahead of it's time.
Conclusion: There are many aspects of sport touring and each of us places
different emphasis on those areas. For me, and I repeat "FOR ME", the GTS
offers the perfect blend. The ST1100 offers more tour. The K12 offers more
sport. The GTS offers a perfect blend that matches my personal riding style
and it better executes more aspects of sport touring than the other bikes
I've ridden. That being said, I'm still a motoslut! I simply like to ride
and experience different motorcycles! Hell, I always enjoyed riding my
wife's old '80 CM400T!! A K12 might still be in my future, but probably not
soon. 2002 should be an exciting year for sport touring if Kawasaki
produces it's new 1200 based sport tourer and Yamaha brings in the FJR1300!
Be still my heart........
Kevin Hawkins // Greensboro, NC
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.livin4.com/raddboy/
Y2K Kawasaki ZRX1100 //'93 Yamaha GTS1000 //'85 FZ750
