BMW R1250GS vs R1200GS Review | How much better is the new bike?

[@jseaschippychorley]

I rode my 1200 then the 1250 back to back and I like the power difference but I prefer the feel and sound of the 1200 , both are superb riding machines and Im keeping the 1200 !

[@MarkDrummond]

Lots of small things to criticize on the R1200GS (I have a 2016): Lack of back-lit controls on a bike at this price point is a pretty serious oversight, the switch gear in general has little feel, especially with gloves on, the instrument display is very hard to read in sun glare (TFT screen fixes that), no factory heated seat option, only one power point... all minor points but minor points are major points at this price level. I had no idea the 1250 wasn't using Brembos. After riding the 1250 for 4-5 hours on and off road, IMO the extra power was noticeable but not a selling point. One thing I have never done is lamented the "lack of power" on my 1200. Fix the small things!

[@hueyvan2007]

It is interesting how the poorer or inferior brakes on the 1250 are glossed over and the rest where the 1200 is worse off is significant. 3 meters into the vehicle in front of you can mean death but 1 second slower acceleration is neither here nor there.

[@petertakov]

I like how we are told that the 1200 is a bit "breathless" and the fuelling is rather jerky only AFTER the 1250 appears and is claimed to have fixed that. Until now the 1200 was perfect :-))

[@petertakov]

@will M Noooo, the "journos" are probably not. Not sure about those two, though. That said, they don't have much of a choice, really. In order to stand out in this flood of information they need to be amongst the first to publish and the only way to do that is to be given access by the manufacturer himself. Obviously, the manufacturer will only give access to a selected few - selected by him.

[@poulan9]

Journos know if they say a bike is shit then the manufacturer won't give them an exclusive next year or pay for the launch weekend flights and hotel to the Algarve in Portugal. So yeah, they're corrupt.

[@poulan9]

Another reason why the journos aren't pitting this machine against any other marque...as if the only choices for bikes in the world are BMW or BMW.

[@kuhndj67]

I like journalists being enthusiastic for new bikes... I tend to attribute it to the 'new bike smell' and keep it in mind when I shop. ;-) The boxer is a stout motor but it does run out of steam right around the rpm when the higher HP bikes are starting to scream. I find myself bouncing off the rev limiter quite a bit on the R1200's... so it's not like power goes flat, but bikes like the Multi and XR have this feeling of THRUST as they range above 7500rpm that the 1200 lacks.

[@poulan9]

@@kuhndj67 So you like to see manufacturers claim improved fuel economy over the outgoing model, journos see the opposite, brush it off. Manufacturers change the brakes which perform worse than the outgoing model, and journos brush that off.

[@auscurrymaster]

First proper back-to-back review I've seen: really excellent. Simon Hargreaves is a class act journo as well. Miss his wonderful writing in "BIKE" magazine.

[@DirtyTaxman]

finally someone who actually does a proper testing and comparison. Good job

[@curtisbarker5657]

These bikes are far to heavy and gaining (cc's) weight. When all an adventure bike rider is a twin cylinder 50 hp bike for nimble off roading. And an easy lift when ya drop the bike. The art of Overselling the customer starts at the factory and keeps going to the dealers

[@matto.1074]

Eye of the beholder... paint on the 1250 is gorgeous!!!!

[@loris199]

awesome review, answers to pretty much all the questions a potential 1250 client wanted to know thanks from Italy

[@fiveowaf454]

As a 1200GS Rallye owner, I really enjoyed the comparison. I only got mine new in May of this year, so was interested to see what I missed out on by not waiting for a 2019. The new engine is more evolution than anything too radical, so I'm still more than happy with my purchase.

[@Oldfogey2014]

The difference between the 1200 and 1250 is too marginal for me. Good time to buy a second hand 1200, while the rich set are salivating at the 1250.

[@maxflight777]

Oldfogey Oldfogey I couldn’t disagree more. In my opinion there is a massive difference. The better gearbox/quickshifter alone is worth the cost to change. I’m so glad I sold my 1200 and utterly loved the 1250GS.

[@roadglide]

And you don’t need to be rich either. Just put your priorities in order.

[@samsara3694]

@@maxflight777 no change in the gearbox/quickshifter between the outgoing version of the 1200 - the 2017.5 - and the 1250.

[@maxflight777]

@@samsara3694 I’m sorry , that’s an idiotic claim. It’s like night and day.

[@samsara3694]

@@maxflight777Yes, it's night and day difference, for bikes pre the 2017.5 1200 and the 1250. The major change in the gsp was introduced in the 2017.5 models. But no real offense taken.

[@tubejorrit]

Pretending shiftcam is some new technology while Honda has been using it since the 90's called VTEC.

[@1glopz]

new in motorcycles?

[@tubejorrit]

@@1glopz No Honda has the VFR 800 with v-tec that was made around 2000

[@Incountry]

tubejorrit And in cars it was 10 years before that..! Even Yamaha/toyota did it in late 80s

[@incognito8219]

Since the 80's*

[@BillyLndn]

@@1glopz desmovalves?

[@pechorin1975]

If you want a GS, just wait until early spring when all the low-mile, rarely-seen-dirt 2013-2018 examples start showing up on Craigslist for massive discounts off original MSRP, tossed aside by those who have to have the latest and greatest. It may not be new, but it'll do exactly the same thing as the new ones.

[@xizel]

Get an urban GS and install propper suspension on it and you are good to go :)

[@tommyfogarty]

I just picked up a 2000mile, just factory-serviced 2018 GS with Touratech Paniers and crash bars for $20,000 out the door. Case in point.

[@aidanpysher2764]

I bought a 9k mile 2015 GS with the premium and touring package for only 16k back in February of 2019. It's the best bike I've ever ridden. I think the 1200 is a much better bike than the 1250, when looking at it from a simplicity and complexity balance, as well as a fit and finish standard.

[@phil2443]

Great review. Just ordered my new 1250 Exclusive TE from Lovett's of Bristol, UK. Gave me a great deal. Thanks guys!

[@thesage1621]

Short , precise, and to the point. Thank you gentlemen!

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Glad it was helpful!

[@i.c.y.]

I love it how it eventually ended up in a cafe drinking coffee with a laptop and coffee pot and all the gear on with the ADV bikes in the background 🤣👊 It was a very informative video gents, we really appreciate it.

[@alan36753]

Hilarious, every microscopic improvement was called "notably better" but the extra ten feet+ braking distance of the new bike (which in the real world is a stop or crash into something factor) was dismissed with "the new brakes possibly felt better". All the people praising this report need to remove your BMW blinkers and bear this in mind, if these hacks slate a model then we won’t buy it and they won’t be invited to the next free holiday, sorry I meant unbiased press review. (In a nutshell just about as reliable as BBC news)

[@HumbertoYi0878]

Alan Hopkins did you even bother to listen to them? They flat out stated the test was only performed once, which is why they dismissed it. If it’s repeatable, I get it. I’m more curious why they only did it once, instead of proclaiming this as a fact.

[@conradangel8602]

I agree the brake test is not make me feel comfortable. Its hard for those guys to be objective since they are dependent on BMW

[@mikesimpson6757]

Not a BMW guy....just a interesting comparison. Now you sound like a BMW hater. What do you ride, a Vespa?

[@gkm3838]

FYI: I've owned both these models now. I have had the 1250 for 12 months and the Brembo brakes on the older model (2015) were better than the newer ones. Not a great deal better but you can notice it.

[@hemansx]

*puts on tinfoil hat* Bennets is an insurance company, so they'd rather you bought the more expensive and newer bike which will cost more to insure and make them more money

[@thomaseberhart7304]

Sharp and smart....At last, I despaired lately, so much fudge and wishy washy videos. Will remember this one...Thanks guys!

[@superchargedpetrolhead]

at 10:34 why is there a royal enfield on the work table in a BMW showroom

[@bennettsbikesocial]

supercharged petrolhead the dealership also sells Royal Enfields

[@superchargedpetrolhead]

@@bennettsbikesocial Oh!!! cool

[@MrPaulo1400]

Nice comparison. Please do the same with the Multistrada 1200 enduro and the 1260 enduro. There are some ergonomics differences but it could be interesting to compare the engines as well.

[@BryanM63]

Your fuel consumption experience is similar to what I've seen with my 2020 R1250rs, which replaced my 2018 R1200rs. The 1200 was slightly better using on average 4.7L/100 to the 1250's 4.9L/100 The RS is also still fitted with brembos which maybe a reflection on the leaking issues BMW have had with the Hayes units.

[@robb8773]

Great vid! Just the way I like them, short but very informative giving us all the numbers! Nice guys!

[@mikesimpson6757]

You guys do a great job getting down to the nuts and bolts of these two bikes and get the information out in a entertaining way. Good Job!

[@oknevals]

I don't understand some review points and comments below either. This is touring adventure bike. It is not race bike. The purpose of touring bike is to cover huge number of miles daily in relative comfort, with relative economy (meaning lower revs at higher speeds). Adventure part means ability to carry significant luggage and have decent suspension to go off road or just more comfort on dirt road. It needs to be heavy to fight wind and to have big tank for range. If somebody is looking for a dirt bike or race bike, well, go look for bikes in those categories. This change is mostly for marketing purposes to create some buzz as there is barely, if any competition in this category.

[@tomf3969]

I like the presentation of the data.

[@1947roswell]

I've just come across this channel and is awesome. What an incredible well done video. Congrats

[@sk2283]

liking your videos more & more, great content and presentation. good work guys keep them coming !

[@TheBenupton]

Nice review; I really enjoyed watching it and I second that the folks at Balderston's are solid chaps, as they're just up the way from me. I do have to wonder though, why no mention of the KTMs when you talk about direct competition to the GS? I saw where the new Ducati came up, as did the Triumph, but not the Super Adventures.

[@bsmukler]

This was a good round of testing. I was impressed with both bikes on the dyno test regarding how close the power at the back wheel came to the claimed torque and horsepower at the crank. That suggests a really efficient drivetrain design. There was certainly nothing wrong with the old engine, but I have ridden both and it is true that you can clearly feel the increase of power and the consistency of power delivery across the rev and load range. Also, I think the new front calipers are fine, and you need to keep in mind that the tires are different as well. Again, great video!

[@mattcoyne3923]

How about the same straight line shoot out with the R1200 GS actually warmed up...? The red line on the the TFT dash on the R1200GS was at 7000 RPM... at 2.36 mins in the video. I have ridden both bikes, they are both awesome but I am afraid to say I would not buy a R1250 if you already have a 2016 onwards R1200. It simply isn't worth the extra money just yet to change. Also, like others have said the Brembos fitted to the R1200 are MUCH better. Performance isn't all about power and cc's...

[@whittywych0073]

So it accelerates marginally better at illegal speeds, brakes marginally worse at legal speeds, does the same mpg and no longer uses the best brakes on the market for a spurious brand from the USA. Um...........

[@dmail00]

Sounds a great fit for an insurance company doesn't it?

[@johnnyblaze1372]

Best Brakes???Only Good Brand is Bremo wich are used eaven for GP.

[@markjurczyk]

BMW is saving money on breaks ? WTF

[@whittywych0073]

@@markjurczyk I totally agree with you, this is supposed to be a premium product and is priced accordingly. I guess the marketing men at BMW dont think their sales will be affected enough to warrant them fitting Brembos. Not impressed.

[@leighchapman935]

baggerly boy its weird because they have Brembo on the back and BMW on the front🤔

[@adityaprakashdevdogra8657]

By far the best comparison review on the net uptil now. For those questioning the journalistic independence & rightly so; I think, as usual, one needs to read between the lines. For those among us who are truly interested in the real story: Make a note of the observations made in this review and then take a test ride on the 1250. Informative review thanks. Based on your review I did take a brand new GS 1250 HP out for a test ride. In fact rode it the whole day! The New Delhi Lutyens dealership was amazingly kind to give me the bike with no instructions except to have fun. I ride a 2018 GSA 1200 rallye (Low) with 13000 km on the odo. Having previously owned the Triumph Tiger 800 xrx & 1200 xc (explorer), I miss the triple. But the GSA is a far better bike to ride. As mentioned in the review I too think lack of back-lit switches is a shortfall. TOTALLY REQUIRED. Driving on indian highways/off road, at night with high beam oncoming traffic, rain splashed visors, pothole roads; finding the button/switch is probably like foraging n fumbling through a ladies handbag for something with gloves on. And I ain't a Lady n don't fancy such activity :-). My opinion post test ride: Would I like to change to the 1250..? Yes. Is the difference so much that the 2018 R1200 feels dated? Inferior..?? NO..NO..NO. So that's 1 YES vs 3 NOs. The 1200 is powerful and fun enough I think. To clarify further here's an example: I sold my brand new Tiger 1200 Explorer barely 8 months later for 60 % of the price. It hurt. But the GSA R1200 replacing it was/is far far superior. Improving my motorcycling enjoyment level significantly. This is not & will not be the case with the 1200/1250. Even though I could afford it. Period. So don't fret & waste your money. For the present anyway. Cheers

[@UhYeahWhateverDude]

Not sure why these guys are so surprised about the caliper change. Brembo owns Hayes’ Brake Components Division; they have for over ten years. And since Brembo just pumped 32 million pounds into a production facility in Mexico that is pumping out their calipers for this market, I’m sure the financial upside is good for them.

[@jchapman1351]

Had to be a kick in the pants, you sounded like a little kid having the time of his life. Good for you man, great video!

[@Enonymouse_]

70 MPH is average road speed in parts of the US so I am glad you used a higher speed for a baseline. The R1250's use brakes sourced by a company called Hayes, rebranded as BMW. Beemer seems to be distancing itself from Brembro.

[@neildward]

Guys, great review. Helped me make the decision to buy the recent GSA 1200 and not a brand new GSA 1250... Also agree that its not a significant set of upgrades to justify a new 1250 bike with all the taxes !!!

[@Dirtpoorhomesteader]

yeah I went with 2018 even on the eve of press launch for 2019 model. I have no regrets.

[@Titan500J]

Thanks for the video! I learned this hard lesson in the early 2000s. If you want a Cadillac, first make sure that you are earning a Cadillac income! How much does it cost for maintenance on a 1250? I do my own maintenance on my GS 1200 OC which makes it doable for me as a retiree.

[@morningbetterlast]

My only issue with R1200GS LC is the suspension which is incredible harsh on potholes at times, never had any issues with the engine and power delivery. Sure KTM 1290S & R are way faster, yet they are also chain drive and are completely different beast. No suspension improvements, no weight reduction, no comfort add-ons. I'd love to see that heated seat, Triumph Tiger has one. And then you get the Hayes brakes. Those were crap even on the mountain bikes and people would replace those quite often. I hated mine and bought a Magura as a replacement. Fail to see how did they manage to fit them on one of the most expensive touring motorcycles in the world.

[@Rompless]

Sensational review. Covers all the technical stuff brilliantly A credit to you boys.

[@MrPeterDWatson]

Absolutely a cracking review. Well done!

[@Barchenhund]

Great review. Enjoyed listening to your Texas accents.

[@stizzygrayson5541]

Incredible review. Great balance of data and real life user interest. Lovely bike also helps.

[@nizamubin6352]

Excellent video, guys. Very informative.

[@dantton1987]

Wow, that is QUALITY journalism. Subscribed!

[@OARotifa]

Many thanks for this guys… However, I would love to the new 1300,1250 and 1200 all together for a review like this.

[@craigurquhart7622]

Great comparison guys! The prices are not quite as you describe. 1200GS TE is £750 ish cheaper than 1250GS TE - not sure how close they are on spec for spec

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Thanks Craig, we got the prices from BMW Motorrad UK who supplied both bikes. I guess the 1200's accessories pushed the price up a little. The PCP deal will mean the 1250 is slightly more expensive per month but only by about £5.

[@fiveowaf454]

They confused the pricing by comparing a base model to a higher spec model. Because they are adding lots of extras the TE price ends up being higher than if they'd gone with a different model where many of the extras are included in the package and don't increase the price accordingly compared to buying extras separately. They should have compared a 1200 Rallye to a 1250 Rallye.

[@maximusmiles8435]

In the 20-25 years you've known mark, He never told you the difference between BHP and RWHP? The minimal drivetrain loss is impressive.

[@Brad-RB]

I would love to see BMW make a 1000cc boxer GS with everything scaled down a bit including the weight. I own a 2016 R1200GS and the weight is my only complaint. It certainly doesn't need more power or torque. I just don't understand the push for bigger is better.

[@chrisg4rr377]

There's the new 850 and 750

[@Brad-RB]

@@chrisg4rr377 I know but I really like the boxer and shaft drive.

[@MateusMN0501]

It would be, probably, next to the same weight. Look at the F850GS, much simpler front and rear suspension, smaller engine, smaller bike at all, and almost as heavy as the 1200. Something wrong is going on with BMW.

[@NULUSIOS]

They won't re-release a small boxer they claim. And they are right actually. The 850 fills the gap nicely, although there should be a shaft version too possibly.

[@Big1_]

If you try full open gas the ktm 1290 super adventure, you will understand why i prefer ktm instead of BMW.... 1290 super adventure is 160hp, pure adrenaline, and gs is.... well... from point A to B... So yes, bigger and more is better for sure!!

[@pablo-8401]

Please blend in metrical units next time

[@ProtomanBlues]

No I don’t think I will

[@SaferSleep]

Good over all review, Ive just brought the 1250 GSA HP and was on a 2016 1200 GSA. Biggest thing I have noticed is the increase in power and torque. The breaking test that was done was only done once and as is with these types of test you would need to do that several times to find the result, I find the new breaks just as good if not marginally better but thats more from the feel they provide. One thing I dont like is you can't change the level of the tire pressure warning its fixed, small issue but thats all Ive found after the first week

[@DennisH22A]

so the 1250 is an improvement overall vs the 1200? and the 1200 was an improvement over an 1150? i ride all types of bikes and can appreciate most of what they offer. I am actually surprised by the 1/4 times, seemed a little slow compared to seat of the pants performance. who knows

[@AndrewBoundy]

Wonder if the much lower miles on the 1250 had an effect on the breaking - due to bedding-in.

[@michaelagnew7825]

excellent review guys, good work

[@PAULMATHEWhome]

Clean Simple and on point comparison... Good Job

[@TonVerkleijT3]

Statistically the 1250 is a better bike, in real life there is not much difference, especially when riding on small back roads. The 1200 still is no slough and personally I am very happy with my triple black LC adventure.

[@robdove4105]

Interesting to me is the big increase in power and over a broader range. Take away the 1200 was not a bad bike and the 1250 is an improvement in evolution. Many makers are not able to make improvements like this to an already good bike. I just bought a 1250 RT if they were still making the 1200 and not the 1250 I would have likely have bought a 1200. Looks like a great bike to own either way you go.

[@JohnMFlores]

Yes we need backlit buttons!

[@steve-wu7jp]

Keep the content coming 👍👍😎

[@ianbutler1971]

I love the way he says it has new calipers as if it is a good thing. They are new because they are cheap. And they leak.

[@alexanderprince398]

Has this improved on the 2020 models?

[@TucsonDude]

...and under recall if I understand correctly.

[@SigfredoZamorano]

Informative review ty +Bennetts Bike, 10 years still left to see how well those powerful young ladies get older -reliability/cost-wise-, air-cooled GS's seem to do well as in my experience after tens of thousands of km. Thinking about KTM for its extraordinary off-road performance though these beauties still seem to reign overall.

[@jamiecox2506]

Splendid video chaps!

[@bobbybackmarker9665]

The high point of the last generation was the absolutely sterling Brembo brakes. Now they put on budget stoppers and pretend it's an upgrade? This bike is beginning to resemble an Apple product..

[@upup209]

The brakes could be a deal breaker 6% less performance on the new bike

[@bobbybackmarker9665]

@Citizenthirteen I've toured on these extensively but have always hired the bikes in the country of destination. I was speaking of performance but it's interesting to know how they perform long term. Cheers.

[@CubanRider]

The 15+ 1200GS has the same brakes as the S1000XR which I can't fault, even after riding spiritedly two up

[@bobbybackmarker9665]

@@CubanRider I haven't tried the XR as yet. Good to know.

[@tommyfogarty]

@@upup209 Going to Hayes is a "Red Flag" to me. Great products in the MTB arena, but what is wrong with Brembo?? This smells like a "Cost of Goods" move by the Bavarians. I'll wait til Hayes has been in the game a while...

[@Sukhim73]

Excellent review..!! Great work guys..your riding gears looks amazing. Kindly share the links for such amazing gears too.

[@pistolpete6321]

Great comparison video!!!

[@stillbreathing9146]

Excellent and realistic comparison review of the R1200GS and R1250Gs. Enjoyed it immensely. Thank you ✌🏻

[@roadglide]

Either one, it don’t matter. Once you ride a GS you will love it. These are beasts, a do-all bike for all seasons. Life’s short, just buy the damn bike. Whatever the bike.

[@triedproven9908]

1250gs is worth the extra 50 cc's for sure. Love the analysis of the shift cam vvt.

[@TucsonDude]

Could be another point of failure.

[@gregorymccoy6797]

Yes, make it less expensive. I SO want that bike...

[@Angry-Lynx]

i didnt know acceletion and engine power was all to testing which bike is "better" .😂😂

[@1001013]

Really professional review, thanks, well done. Great content, well presented, right pace and length. Please do more

[@TucsonDude]

As a happy 2014 GS owner, I'll keep what I have for a while longer. I don't care for electronics inside the engine casing (shift cam), nor do I like the Hayes brakes (which are under recall). If I want more performance, I'll ride my equally old (2014) BMW S1000R.

[@garycrumrine9538]

Hayes has a major presence in the market and I am 67, they have always been there all my life. Don't forget, the 1300 should be available this year as well. And God forbid, a new 1400 is on the way as well.

[@frankdamelio1351]

Brembo Please....Great review....

[@samrit123in]

Great video, guys!! I wonder why BMW went with Hayes calipers instead of Brembo's, is it some kind of cost cutting? I hope not. Interesting, because you mention the new bikes costs less than the old model. Also the GS' of the recent years seem more road biased. Eager to see how this compares with the new XCA, Multi Enduro & 1290 SAR.

[@samsara3694]

Doubt that it's cost cutting. Could be due to the addition of the dynamic brake control.

[@samsara3694]

@Simon Hargreaves simon, fair enough!

[@IanTed]

Hayes are part of Brembo, I think the new brakes are better on the 1250 than my 2015 Brembos...much better feel.

[@Neketre]

50-100 test is a little misleading, the top end of the 1250 is going to have more of an effect when you’re going all the way to 100, which, how often do you need 100 to overtake? I would be curious about 40-70.

[@oso1165]

great review guys

[@dr.mtastic]

The manufacturer claimed hp is at the crank, and you are measuring the rear wheel output. The fact the bmw is only losing about 5% through the shaft is really impressive.

[@jorobson1]

Ok can you please do the same test on the R1250 & R1300 ! We are waiting 😀 I have a R1250GS & a R1250 RT and love them both but the RT is our 2 up tourer and with the extra hp & torque of the 1300 engine it will be awesome. I have ridden the R1300GS and it's definitely got more snott.

[@bennettsbikesocial]

It's got plenty of extra poke - we have one as a long-term loan bike for 2024 and certainly have a plan to pitch it against a similarly-specced 1250GS within the next 2-3 weeks. Is there any particular elemet of the head-to-head that you'd like to see? Cheers, Michael

[@jorobson1]

@@bennettsbikesocial just roll ons side by side on the airstrip with different speed bands etc. to show where the power and torque differences are.

[@steve5825]

It appeared to me like they didn’t want to criticise the 1250. A 3 metre difference in stopping distance can be the difference between managing to pull up in the available space or allowing whatever caused the requirement for an emergency stop to get rid of the energy still being carried for those 3 metres - which is not going to be pleasant!

[@TheFozzy222]

Good on ya lads a great info vid and Balderston are ace....

[@serious_in_seattle6917]

I wish that they were available in even lower seat heights. Power and performance aren’t an obstacle to me, but I wish that they could be a bit lower since they are big, heavy bikes.

[@EscapePlan97]

12:11, "it absolutely powered away!" lmfao. As if the new gs 1250 turned into a ninja H2R or something. Rediculous statement really.

[@M27-f4f]

Haha! Ya, powered away on the one with the small windscreen and rider tucked in like a GP pilot! Maybe the guy on the 1200 wasn't as flexible....

[@Enonymouse_]

@@M27-f4f Tucking in like that on a GS sounds uncomfortable.

[@veegerman6135]

One thing they could do to improve the 1200 is to revert to the old school large indicator switches and the right side cancel switch. Ok, tricky to figure out at first but you quickly become adept and they re so much easier to use with gloves. The tiny indicator switch on the 1200 and more modern BMW s is harder to find and successfully operate than a clitoris. Modern is nt necessarily better.

[@scottieray]

Simon!!! Wow, memories of 90's Performance Bikes and waiting that new Oasis album to drop.

[@theskylab4623]

absolutely with you there.

[@hectorcontreras5272]

Great review, I'm concerned about the change in brakes, Brembo brakes are top notch, I would've loved it if BMW didn't change that, faster bike, with lesser braking power... doesn't sound like the German way of doing things

[@Wollestar]

Hayes is owned by Brembo, so basically nothing changed

[@SadaEKE]

3 metres can mean the difference between being in perfect shape and being in a coffin. You guys shrugged it off like nothing but this is quite a back step, especially when you consider 1250 is faster.

[@35goaltender]

Change the fueling on the 1200 to match the 1250 and the gap closes on the power. The 1250 may be a ringer, richer fueling and still meeting Euro 4?

[@tedcrum]

Thanks for a very complete and rigorous review! England is the home of serious motorcycle journalism (how I miss Performance Bikes, even at $12 in the USA.) No drag strip for me until my 1250 Exclusive is broken in. Coming from a 2008 model, and with old eyes, I wanted to go all the way to the LCD instruments. With few 2018 models on the market, I stretched the budget.

[@hueyvan2007]

Ted you praise them for serious journalism.... when they gloss over a serious braking short comming by the newer bike and they talk up an acceleration difference. When I ride with my mates there is no where that the 1250 makes a real difference. Not in comfort, ride, handling, acceleration. No where do I ever feel that my 1200 is lacking in performance. However 3 meter difference in braking can mean death and thankfully we have not met the situation where this has been put to test.

[@freddy7700]

Good job boys, thanx a bunch...

[@vladak8289]

Great review, great riding. Love It!!!

[@Grahamvfr]

Yea great comparison guys, especially for a numbers geek like me.

[@rocketrollsvlogs7625]

I had to rewind a few times and then pause at 4:59 to see both bikes catch air together. WhooHooooo!!!!

[@michaeldobson8859]

Yes more power but that increase does still fall short, doesn’t it? And it is not stopping as good as the Brembo 1200GS is it? It does cost more doesn’t it?

[@hagarthehorrible1391]

The UK prices seem to be darn cheaper compared the the prices here in India. The 1250 GS costs about 27k GBP in India. Damn.

[@bassmandudge]

1250 could be a good upgrade engine on the 1200 in the long term but in all honesty I believe these power figures for a real world rider are irrelevant here...for me though (20k plus miles per year) the one massively important figure that they swept quickly under the carpet was the stopping distance...3 metres is huge...."the Hayes felt more instant" "the Brembos had more of a build up" I'll take the less snatchy brakes that stop me 2.5m away from my mate on his 1250 who is half a meter embedded in the car in front thanks.... Also I dont like the way they have subtly tweaked the panels and the new colour jobs which look awful IMO which is why I just bought a triple black 1200 and couldn't be happier. Sorry to say this came across as more of a paid promo than a review to me.

[@gohjohan]

I know. I like the previous instrument panels where all I have to do is a quick glance at the gauges.

[@br6489]

Thanks for the awesome video but I wish your tests were a little more scientific. Why do a braking test if you're only going to do it once and then say the results don't matter? Would it have broken your budget to do the test five times?

With a more complicated engine, it would have been interesting to know if the service cost have raised and if the service intervals changed as well. Nice review but I guess I stick with my R1100S -99 :)

[@jseaschippychorley]

The 1200 exclusive has to be the classy looker and 99% of the time now the better value if I want more power and thrills ill get a second sports bike

[@mattcarlson5734]

Why cant bmw put back lit buttons on the gs? Every car has had them for 25 years. In a car you have a dome light to see. And make electric screen a option. Why they put the knob for the wind shield on the right who knows. The 1200 makes good power but 3rd gear willies should be standard on a 1200cc bike that cost $ 23,000.

[@revs1550]

I totally agree with Matt that BMW missed the mark by not back lighting the control buttons. I am constantly wondering where the buttons are at night if I haven't done any night riding in a while. I don't mind the knob for the windshield being on the right, but it would be nice to be able to adjust the windshield higher at highway speeds without fearing that you have to slow down to get the pressure off the windshield. The bottom line is you have to adjust the windshield before you get going too fast or you can't move it. As far as pulling 3rd gear wheelies, I test drove a KTM 1190 and like you say, when I cracked open the throttle in 3rd gear, the front wheel came 3 feet off the ground. I decided right then that the KTM was too fast for me and I would probably kill myself on it so I bought the R1200GSA instead and I have the best bike for me in the garage. Mine is a 2016 with a 7 year warranty so when the warranty expires I will buy another one. Mine has 43,000 kilometers and it is a great bike.

[@rkhairajani1]

Just loved the review. On the braking test....it's surprising that the 1250 takes 3 additional mtrs to stop. I am from India and braking for obstacles (unexpected mostly) happens very frequently on our interstates as well. Would have liked if you did that test a couple of times and taken an average of the stopping distances. The delta of 3 mtrs is a lot in my humble opinion.

[@poulan9]

Why do you even need brakes? You believe in the reincarnation/the afterlife don't you?

[@rkhairajani1]

poulan9 that’s funny! I don’t by the way.

[@fiveowaf454]

@@poulan9 But if he came back as a beetle, he wouldn't be able to ride GS

[@ChristosBassCovers]

And now it doesn’t cut out randomly below 3k like my 2018