BMW R 1150 GSA GS Adventure - I bought my dream adventure Motorcycle :)

hi everyone! in todays video a dream come true yep thats right I bought my BMW R1150GSA the mighty 1150 GS Adventure the Model Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman used in the Iconic Long Way Round :)
After selling my Honda CRF 300 Rally at the weekend I decided to purchase another BMW GS Adventure in todays video I explore on an amazing adventure you guessed it to Starbucks! because what is life but a Cliche lol and Adventure is what you make of it now matter how small or large what bike or what trip if you are having fun that's all that matters!
No one is in a position to judge anyone else's Adventure and that's what the aim of the lil joke is in this video while discussing my BMW 1150GSA :)
please feel free to like and subscribe my channel is really tiny so it does help an it's cool to film stuff you all enjoy!
00:01 introducing my new BMW R 1150 GS Adventure
01:29 the inspiration for an 1150gsa Long Way Round previous BMW History thoughts on Adventure for me
03:46 What are your BMW 1150 GS Adventure Stories
04:34 Long Way Starbucks BMW 1150 GS Adventure Motorcycle goes to Starbucks
06:14 video Conclusion and more riding on my BMW 1150GSA
#bmwgsa #bmwgsadventure #adventuremotorcycling #longwayround #adventuremotorcycle #r1150gsa

[@jonford6119]

Just like my bike. I don't think I'll ever sell it. I bought mine with 10,000 miles on the clock, it's now on 111,000. I used it for a long distance commute into London for years. For the last few years this included going through the Blackwall Tunnel to get to Canary Wharf. Some people would say it's too big for that, but it managed just fine, and it is fantastic on the motorway. Handles amazingly well for such a heavy bike. I've never had any problems with it, and it passed its MoT with no advisories a couple of months ago. A classic bike.

[@adaptableadventurerider]

That's awesome to hear Jon mine took 3k of parts to get it right. She's a long term keeper now though :) as you say a fab bike once underway. Great bit of kit thanks for sharing your story its always good to read others.

[@richardnowels]

I owned one of these for 200,000 miles. Sold it in 2013 and got a KTM 990 Adventure R. The seat on the BMW was great for all day in the saddle. I wore out three of them. The 4th was getting ready for a new cover and I figured I'd go custom, then just decided to sell and try something different. I'm now close to 100,000 miles on the KTM. Probably my last motorcycle at 70 years old. Shorter and lighter, and simpler are the thoughts that populate my old brain. Cheers.

[@adaptableadventurerider]

Thanks for sharing your story Richard always fascinating to hear others adventures and journeys I'm sure many will appreciate you sharing it. I'm gonna really miss this unfortunately my dad's been diagnosed with stage 3 prostate cancer so we are downsizing our house an some of my bikes have gotta go life's a journey that's for sure :) gotta make the most of the experiences so I'm glad I got to experience the 1150 while I could. Can totally understand that a friend of mine is in his late 80s an rides a bantam :) doesn't matter the bike just the experiences we make I always think so choosing something that keeps us Riding super makes sense happy bike choosing:)

[@markrobinson9659]

The older gs bikes look so cool sounds good too with that can on happy days look forward to seeing more road trips

[@adaptableadventurerider]

Thanks Mark will be plenty more mini adventures coming :) just working on the 1150 at the moment had a few parts delays which has been an absolute pain, as I wanted to go through the bike myself, just refitted a stock system and am dealing with some mapping bits that I've gotta undo and some other service stuff + some other bits an peices hopefully next week I can be out and film a bit of an update :)

[@TheBezaleel]

ENJOY !!! Have just purchased 2002 1150r, 16,000 miles, factory condition. Lovely machine !!

[@adaptableadventurerider]

Thanks! An you to that sounds epic!! :)

[@markt5426]

Congratulations mate on your new purchase and welcome back to the BMW family.👍👍

[@adaptableadventurerider]

Thanks mate over the moon with her 👍

[@bikeserv]

Love these bikes.They have a few tricks to keep them in top condition,and if you take care of them they will never fail.Previous BMW tech and owner of my own shop now.One of the few bikes i would buy to keep

[@adaptableadventurerider]

Thanks for taking the time to comment :) it took a while to get her right after this video but she's now singing the way she should be cost me half her value in parts an some time fettling :) still keep pinching myself that I'm on an 1150GSA though! As with any older bike an I know I'm preaching to the converted glad I've got ontop of the condition she was in mechanically an hopefully some happy motorcycling to be had now :)

[@bikeserv]

@@adaptableadventurerider I could help if I can in the future

[@peterdahlheimer]

i have owned the first r1150gsa adventure manufactured for north america since 2002. it is a part of me at this point. longest trail ride: 2000 miles from colorado to pennsylvania, participated in an AMA off-road rally event and rode 2000 miles back home after visiting family around the ny/nj/pa area. sure is scary watching you ride on the wrong side of those narrow streets like that. greetings from the other side of the pond.

[@adaptableadventurerider]

Thanks for taking the time to comment :) an Greetings from across the pond

[@RigsvilleBikers]

Loving the new bike, I've always had a soft spot for those 1150's. Enjoy your new bike.

[@adaptableadventurerider]

Thanks Rigs :) she's such a pleasure to ride and work on just sorting a few lil jobs at the moment but hopefully I can do a video update next week.

[@raygregoryride]

Nice bike and a great ride my friend thanks for sharing it with us

[@adaptableadventurerider]

Thanks Ray really appreciate you taking the time to comment and glad you enjoyed :) really over the moon with her.

[@christianluff]

Nice example, I’m jealous of your full factory aluminium luggage! I’ve got an 05 twin spark GSA which I love. Such a welcome change in style from my old GSXR750.

[@adaptableadventurerider]

Hi Christian unfortunately the bike wasnt as advertised mechanically an I've been left having to spend what's approaching 2,500 pounds over the past week there's a new video on the chanel. Unfortunately the cosmetic condition didn't match up with the mechanicals she will be good when I've done her

[@badsport2008]

That's lovely mate.

[@adaptableadventurerider]

Thanks mate she turned out be my worst ever purchase but she's a nice bike now, theres a new video after spending 2,700 quid on her.

[@johnhawden4118]

i bought a GSA last week too :-)

[@adaptableadventurerider]

Awesome John happy riding and adventures :)

[@mac22011964]

I think I heard you say you had the servo ABS brakes. IF this is the case I would strongly suggest you have this professionally removed. Many of us who had these had them fail…and when they do you have no brakes at all. Lost mine on the M4 slowing for a junction….fortunately engine braking did the job but scared the bejesus out of me.

[@adaptableadventurerider]

Hi mate you Miss Heard mines a factory none abs :) I was saying at least I havnt gotta worry about the servos, if you look at the rear fd you will see there's no sensor cut out, also got the build sheet from BMW now as well she's factory none abs with the enduro gearbox. Unfortunately my dad recently got diagnosed with stage 3+ advanced prostate cancer so we have to downsize the house an the 1150s now gotta go, gutted after spending £2,500 quid into her in parts. Just got a Tenere 700 for my dad an I to share after selling my fireblade I'd owned since new hope you enjoy the rest of the videos an the new T7 one :) thanks for taking the time to share your experience with everyone that watches in sure itl help lots of others that arnt aware of the issues with the ones that came with servo abs. Glad to hear you were OK the same thing happened to my friend when he had one which was why I hunted out a factory none abs :)

[@mac22011964]

Aaah, must listen more carefully. To be fair had tucked into a bottle of red so non too sharp. Anyway, a great bike and one I very much regretted selling. Enjoy!

[@adaptableadventurerider]

Thanks mate yep I'm really gonna regret selling mine to I'm regretting it already an I've not advertised it yet 🙃 such is life always change :)

[@bmano7850]

Fantastic. Does your bike have cruise control on it?

[@adaptableadventurerider]

She doesn't cable operated throttle there's ways to add a manual cruise, but personally I've been enjoying the lack of complexity when things go wrong with the bike which they did rather spectacularly after this video.

[@bmano7850]

Thanks for the reply

[@martyn_g]

Whatever the year, the GS is the best bike in the world. Fight me on this😝

[@adaptableadventurerider]

Haha I love mine so no argument from me :)

[@TheThejpmshow]

I’m hoping to be doing the same in a few weeks!

[@adaptableadventurerider]

Awesome:) I'm really enjoying it. Few things to watch out on them play in the FD and Paralever bearings lots of info on UKgser. An ideally factory none abs is the way to go as the servo abs can be a major issue. Some good info online an if you have any questions give me a shout on a pm on my instagram at Norton.rider if I can be off any help :)

[@TheThejpmshow]

@@adaptableadventurerider thank you The one I’m going to look at has 42k so hopefully it’ll be ok It has switchable ABS

[@adaptableadventurerider]

@@TheThejpmshow if its a twin spark look into abs removal to pull the servo brakes off, the servo units are a major issue an when they fail it leaves you with pretty much no brakes. A few insurance companies can be funny over it so worth having a word when I was enquiring a few of the main bike ones I spoke to were ok about it but others were funny about it worth a read up 👍 most have had the ABS removed if you Google servo brakes itl tell you about the issues. It's also worth being aware if you look at any bikes that claim factory none abs to double check they actually are you can phone a BMW dealer with the bike owners permission and they can give you the spec, even though I knew mine was factory None ABS after looking at it I still checked to be sure:) I've seen one advertised recently that claims none abs but it's clearly an abs bike that's had it removed as the sensor is on the rear hub, the factory none abs ones don't have the hub tapped out for it on the fd. Best of luck for your search :) awesome bikes to ride.

[@TheThejpmshow]

@@adaptableadventurerider thanks again The current owner had it since new as far as I can tell, said 20 years, serviced by BMW up to 2016 then by him It’s a 2002, don’t think it’s twin spark

[@TheThejpmshow]

Looks like it’s got those cast ABS rings on it rather than the pressed steel plates of the later servo ABS I’ve been reading up on UK GSer 🤣

[@hankgs]

looks like the front telelever was painted black...(?)

[@adaptableadventurerider]

Some came black or silver with silver or black engines 👍 forks have got the right purple anodised finish still luckily.

[@OARotifa]

What’s the difference between this and the 1200 u rode before?

[@adaptableadventurerider]

Hi I'd say these are more raw and visceral easier to work on, bit more robust with less electronics, the 1200s have a much much greater turn of speed and a far better gearbox. All brilliant in there own way, if I was to go for another water-cooled I'd be tempted by a low chassis GSA as I dont go off road. :) the 1150 has its own mojo compared to the water cooled bikes. And the other difference is the clutches dry on the 1150 wet on the water-cooled GS and GSA. The biggest problem I had with the water cooled bikes was expensive nature of one of the TFTs or esa parts failing. Not all do but some do it's the same for any Motorcyle though all about preventative matinence if you wanna know anything in particular feel free to ask. There's a video on my channel from the 1200gs te Rallye I had when I first got that unfortunately I didn't have any cameras when I had my 2014 gsa that was a great bike an I did alot of miles on it until a BMW dealer screwed it up that had the display fail first day off ownership and esa issues but was the first year of the water cooled gsa. I'm doing the work on my 1150 myself currently just ordering the bits to do all the FD and Pivot bearings and corresponding tools. Preventative maintenance is always the best course of action.