2-UP From Her Point Of View -- BMW 1250 & 1300

[@NothingToProve]

I've had a few questions asking about the position of the 1300 passenger seat, as it has 2 positions: I have always kept it in the back position, furthest away from the rider and it is in this video too.

[@OriginalRocketUp]

I'm on the shorter side, I move the passenger seat forward as a slight back/buttstop. When I have a pillion, I put it in the back position, giving the passenger more room from me.

[@raycollington4310]

Chief of Staff is very professional on camera, she’s a natural. Pillion carriers will find this content useful. Well done and thank you to you both.

[@keweenawbee]

Great idea Scott! 😊. When I bought this new RS my wife says “BTW, IM NOT RIDING WITH YOU ANYMORE ITS TOO DANGEROUS, DRIVER DISTRACTIONS”. I bought her a new helmet but I don’t dare tell her!

[@lucafmsv]

she's so precise and articulated, love it

[@zh4418]

Of course she’s precise she’s German and they make the GS!

[@stanleylawson9015]

Always great to hear a passenger’s view and so detailed sounds like you had fun along the way

[@NothingToProve]

Yes, we had fun that day...and that is the point, fun!

[@garylewis3780]

Great review of the pillion experience from your wife and very interesting the comparison of the two bikes. I guess in conclusion, if you do a lot of two-up riding, get an RT. Your wife will thank you for it.

[@NothingToProve]

Yea, that is what she said after riding both GSs, "keep the RT, I don't want to ride these 2 bikes". Really. Scott

[@GM_YYC]

​@NothingToProve And that's exactly what I did. I sold my 2014 GS for a 2024 RT 719 for that reason. But God do I miss my GS !

[@philipchard7596]

Congratulations on your pillion blog , very overlooked subject, which is very useful for serious tourers, or two up riders.you achieved making what could be a boring subject into a very entertaining blog.Let’s see more of your wife’s content as she is a great speaker, and excellent English spoken.Two thumbs up😂👍👍🇸🇪🏍

[@marcusgeorge1825]

You couldn’t ask for a better sized pillion! Short and light. In 46 years of riding (34 years on the street with over 10 years of racing experience). The only rider I’d feel like I could go to sleep on the back and also have complete confidence in when going fast, was my old racing team manager who is an Australian Superbike Championship winner from the 80’s. I think the quickest we ever went was on a 90’s Ninga 750 at about 270 kph until I tapped his helmet as I was close to sliding off the extremity higher rear seat and I’m 189 centimetres (or in between 6’2”-3”). Thanks for the review, a couple more with your wife involved would be great as I was laughing just like you for her complete honesty! 👍👍 Boom, boom!

[@williambiggart7406]

Excellent review. I had thought of buying the 1300gs but following your superb two up review I will hold on to my 1250rt for the foreseeable future. Thanks folks.

[@larryvanputten4048]

I perfectly understand your move from the US to Germany because of this good/better half!👍😉

[@WDM54]

Great review! Would like to see a pillion review on your RT.

[@gorantosev1782]

Fantastic video!!! All your videos are very useful, but pillion addition is priceless. You should make more two up reviews at least for touring bikes.

[@SmittyAZ]

Also, the big cruisers.

[@HeadhunterUK007]

Nice to meet Mrs Nothing to Prove! Thanks to you both for the insight. Very helpful

[@brucebrown6597]

Awesome! She should be in more of your videos. Very commendable…. Thanks!

[@stevesanelli90]

Well done Mrs Nothing to Prove⭐️ What an absolute star! You’re a natural, intelligent, determined & beautiful! Scott is such a great man! Thank you for sharing your thoughts, words of wisdom & enjoyment.

[@davidruggles996]

Thanks for the work to make this video. I come from a background on baggers and am looking to BMW for my next bike. Looks to me like the RT is the best choice for 2-up!

[@curseofthetraveller8317]

Thank you for the excellent review and wish you have too many good memories together

[@gerrydoherty1288]

Hi Scott, great to hear the pillions perspective, loved the comment about the RT 👍👍

[@gto1874]

A German women's perspective = truth! Thank you for including your better half finally. It's helpful to hear her opinion, my pillions don't speak English and would lie to be nice.

[@IanTed]

Great review, great to hear the pillion view, your lovely wife is a natural…so few videos regarding the pillion perspective. She definitely needs ear plugs on the autobahn and a Puig touring screen, I found it made things so much smoother on my GSA for my wife and myself.

[@gnmurray5955]

One of your most informative videos :) I have a 2021 R1250GS Rallye with standard windscreen. My wife, like your wife, is petite at 150cms and 42kgs. She wears an AGV K6 helmet (which I suspect is a quieter helmet than my Shoei GT Air II). We don't have autobahns here but at 110-120 kph she has never complained about buffeting or wind noise (she doesn't wear earplugs, I do). I am 185cms and 91kgs so I block a fair bit of wind for her. I also have a small windscreen extension on which may be helping. Re quickshift, I normally clutch for 1-2 and 2-3 but above that it's quickshift. The other day my wife asked me what the pops were from the exhaust as I changed gear. She wasn't feeling the gearchanges, just hearing the pop. I think there is a lot of variation in quickshift setup from bike to bike. Thanks to you both for a good video.

[@timparish172]

Excellent video Scott (& Bettina)! Very insightful analysis.

[@ericaworthington2675]

Thank you for the pillion input! Very informative. Good job asking her questions and getting her impressions. I'm surprised that she mounted the bike with you already on it, as my wife always gets on first to the driver's seat and then scoots back

[@tsh7090]

Really great input! thorough, and objective. With some great personal subjective comments. Thanks for making this! 👍

[@protacticus630]

Very nice collaboration, thanks

[@ravivemuri892]

Thanks for the review. Very informative and thorough. She's a natural.

[@skystafe]

Thank you so much for this review. It really taught myself and my wife a lot of things about riding long distance comfort.

[@billfish5913]

I appreciate your wife’s feedback. My wife rides with me on my Harley Electraglide which for her is like riding on a BarcaLounger chair. But I’m looking for an Adventure Bike and it will be a big transition for her to be on a smaller bike. I will have a top box for her to lean back on, but as you may know, If Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy! So I want her to feel safe and comfortable. Thanks to your wife for her review.😎👍

[@Immaculate_Perception]

New seat and a new helmet👍

[@CarlosMartinsPT]

Hey, kudos to your girl! Really nice objective to-the-point opinion. A lot better than many other vlogers passionate (biased) opinions.

[@ksheehan330]

Just want to say Thank You, to your wife for the excellent review.

[@Alexander_1492]

Well that was a good insight review of an bike comparison.

[@creedm3040]

Awesome video! great to hear Bettina's perspective. I enjoyed that very much. Best!

[@David-th2ug]

Very interesting to hear a passengers verdict. How typical of life that we often wish to retain features of the older machinery but can't! I'm looking forward to reviews of the R1300 RT now.

[@paragsj]

Thanks for making this video. Great comparison and feedback from Bettina definitely helped my wife... We are keeping the RT 😆

[@Elysian_Angel_]

Ah it’s a very good idea to make this video. Good information too, so thanks for sharing!

[@verdonrocksphotography3510]

You guys what a great idea, now is totally clear who is behind your wonderful reviews, I am amazed how journalist like she has educated comments, wish you doing more often rides on your own machines, many people are out there who rides bikes with wife like I do, excellent job, cheers V!

[@DanielSilva-vx2cq]

Thank you so much for this great review!! I have a Harley Ultra Limited 2018 which my wife can ride on a back seat confortable for 3 house plus straigth on without asking to stop and she is 62. I was thinking to trade It on a GS 1300 but now thanks for this video I changed my mind. I' m thinking now to keep my Harley and buy a F 850 GS to do short trips and off roads. I can not thank your wife enougth for this review!! 🎉👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Cheers from Brazil! 👊🏻

[@billwaterhouse5894]

I can only speak to the 1250 GSA…my wife had a very similar experience at 110lb. 5’4” in terms of buffeting. I added the Puig windscreen extension (large I believe), made 100% better for her. It also completely remove the small amount I felt of top of my helmet. Wind noice also reduced by 60% ish I’d say. Excellent informative video. I bet this will be helpful to many.

[@jurgentraude4365]

Great job together. Thanks for the comparison !👍👍👍

[@franklinschneider1273]

Awesome video. Thank you. She is a real pro. Articulate and funny.

[@michaelcochran9437]

Great insight. And, great job by Mrs. NTP! She is very articulate, which is super helpful! My wife and I ride two up all over north Brazil, where the roads are not always perfect. I’m thinking about upgrading to the new 1300 GS or the 2024 F 800GS. I identify with a lot of the comments and now, I have more to think about. Thank you so much.

[@MCGMB]

Great concept for a video. Nicely done 👍

[@bigdogridgeback4392]

Excellent content & very well spoken !👍

[@hagen-oo2cm]

Thanks to both of you for this- it's great to get the perspective of the pillion rider. My partner and I do a lot of touring on my RT and this sort of information on two-up riding is as valuable as it's rare to come across.

[@GM_YYC]

Completely agree with you. Would be nice to have reviews on many bikes from a passenger perspective. R18 for example, is the first one that comes to mind

[@hagen-oo2cm]

@@GM_YYC I would love to read your opinions on two-up riding on the R18; it's such an outrageously beautiful machine I'd love to have one even though they aren't exactly practical.

[@GM_YYC]

​@hagen-oo2cm I don't own an R18TC but I've tested it with my wife. I agree with you again that it's a gorgeous bike. I had the opportunity to try it, among the K1600GTL when I was debating which one to chose (and took me a while to make my decision). First and foremost, the R18TC is a very heavy bike. Although you won't feel the weight while moving (which BMW excels at), you will feel like you're riding an elephant at lower speeds, and with a passenger.... My wife enjoyed the R18 but she prefers the RT. She feels more "connected" to me and the bike as opposed to the R18TC. On the latter, she didn't feel as "safe" or "snug" given the size of the seat, and being so far back, "away" from me. The sound of the exhaust was also too loud for her as she was directly above it. The R18 is not a quiet bike. The R18TC is called Transcontinental for a reason: it's a highway machine, nothing else. It's directly comparable to a HD Ultra Classic (which I also tested extensively). For reference, my wife is 157cm and 52Kg and I'm 180cm for 90Kg. Let me know if you have more questions. I will try to convey as much info as I can.

[@hagen-oo2cm]

@@GM_YYC Thanks for your reply: great information from you both- really appreciate it. I can see us having a brief flirtation with a R18 before returning to the fold and updating my RT. And it would be brief- we don't excel at good highways in Australia; crap roads are more the norm but, as long as they're sealed, an RT can handle anything when two-up. I may look at one of the "lighter" R18s such as the Roctane.

[@GM_YYC]

@@hagen-oo2cm Once again, I agree with you. Although I'm not living in Australia, I've many videos and I'm following a few content creators from there (Adam Riemann being the first one to come to mind). But living in Australia, I would have either kept my GS and tell my wife to suck it up because that's the designated bike for that continent (don't tell her I wrote that lol), or get the RT like you and I did, for the 2-up...and get myself another GS anyways, for the offroad excitement (or a Tenere700 for that matter).

[@Alex-hr2df]

hmm... finally you're doing a duo :)

[@flexywing]

There should be more reviews for pillion accommodation Let's see what would be said about a naked bike say a R1250r and perhaps a full tourer, a Goldwing 1800 Now there's a pillion review

[@drnho9232]

God bless u both.. 🥰 greetings from Malaysia..

[@Fernando90054]

Nice test Scott, on the pillion impressions in the two GS generation bikes! But it’s a bit unfair for the pillion not to give her a top case , because it makes the ride very different for the passenger with or without it😅 My wife said the same as yours. Overall she said that the 1300 was a more comfortable ride for her. I have to say, that as a rider, I like both bikes, but the 1300 is much more rewarding to ride and generally much more versatile than the 1250 GSA. After all, for the pillion, the winner is the 1250 RT! 😂 Excellent video man, it confirms my own experience with those three bikes. 👌🏻

[@brentmatheson4729]

This gave me the data I needed. I have ridden a KLR650 for nearly 20 years. My wife and i want to get a bike to tour with and so I gravitate to an adventure style bike because it feels familiar. My wife also likes the adventure style and the 1300 in particular. I have also been looking at a Goldwing since I had concerns that it could be tiring or too cramped for her as a passenger on the adventure bikes. I hadn't thought about the noise, really.

[@Ventonotturno]

Nice report!

[@josephgoias2945]

Happy spouse happy house 😊. I too will keep my RT. So when will you be doing a 2-Up road test on a Gold Wing?

[@seanholland9576]

That’s a very unique and interesting film, I have a 1250 Rallye with the small screen, I had an 1150adv with an Aeroflow screen that was incredibly good for rider and pillion, the 1250 doesn’t have the same quality as a touring bike. It seems that BMW are chasing the wrong ideas. Brilliant insight into the pillion perspective.

[@mirozarkovic5767]

Thanks a lt for this perspective !!

[@dpinedoblog]

This is fantastic. Would love to hear her comparison between the RT and a Goldwing! Please!

[@Dan-56]

This was fantastic 👍👍! I know often insurance “two up” on a loaner bike is an issue, but it would be great to include your wife’s opinion on many of the bikes you test that are designed for a passenger.

[@kididaho92]

This was very helpful, considering one of the biggest selling points of getting a new bike for the wife is how comfortable she'll be...No way I'm getting something that causes major car butt and her finding out how much I spent. 🙂

[@GerryPowell-r6s]

Interesting perspective from a pillion view.

[@RaAlby]

This is a great idea! I am looking for next bike, and I am very interested in pillion opinion, since I want to include my wife more in the rides. And happy wife - happy life 😁

[@tiernangorduin7975]

You ugye are awesome. My favourite reviewer (both of you )

[@paullee6663]

More videos with Mrs NtP please. The part of the video where she said you were a smooth rider made me chuckle...

[@jajakub03]

Skoda Yeti ❤️ 😉

[@shegocrazy]

I would have liked the comparo with a topbox as I reckon most GS 2-up would have one. Well done with this though. Do you have a mount/dismount sequence with a passenger and a topbox? It's a bit tough on the poor wife when she has to swing the leg over.

[@Mac_okee]

The pushing on the helmet depends heavily upon what helmet both are wearing. I had situations where my helmet as a driver was moving from side to side whereas with different helmets it was all okay

[@bobwampler3387]

Interesting perspective to hear from a passenger point of view. Your wife has excellent English.

[@dimitrisproutsalis2241]

And that was a great idea for your next reviews. Very interesting for our wives too. Greetings from Greece

[@gillianbrodie6807]

Thanks for the video. 😃👍 Was the pillion seat in the 'moved back' position, I wonder? 🤗

[@NothingToProve]

yep

[@NeuroticLobster]

For better or worse, BMW has managed to engineer the soul out of the GS.

[@paullee6663]

"It really doesn't matter anymore which bike you are on, they are both awful" 😂😂 Proof right there the RT is probably a better bet for most couples doing long distances on a tour. The pillion seat on the 1300 looks like it belongs on a sports bike in comparison to the 1250. For all that you could probably fix the seat and the screen quite easily and cheaply. Always wear hearing protection on a motorcycle, it's no fun being 'hearing impaired' trust me.

[@pituchahayabusa200]

Abraços de portugal parabéns aos dois 🤗🤗

[@jamesthompson6723]

Just curious if you remembered to move the passenger seat back to the reward position? It does have two positions . Just have to give the seat a little lift upwards and them move backwards.

[@NothingToProve]

Yep, it was in the back position

[@malcolmhansen8276]

Sounds like even a Versys 1000 SE may be a much better pillion / touring bike than the GS given its very high level of smoothness and comfort.

[@SmittyAZ]

Please sneak the spousal unit into more videos. She's also sport-bike pillion sized.

[@iPankBMW]

Nice video - can you make similar video for coming 1300GSA? good to know how the passanger feels

[@NothingToProve]

I don't know yet, I showed my wife your comment and she just giggled. I need her to do it, not me, well I'm part of it but it's totally up to her. BUT my answer is YES, I'd love to do it when I get my hands on it.

[@clb_iv6421]

You can move that passenger seat on the 1300 about an inch to the rear. Just pull it up and it moved back. If it was not already in the back position. Think that would give her the room she wanted.

[@NothingToProve]

It already was in the rear position!

[@mediomatrice57]

what will be nice is to compare GS and RT in the same process.

[@rafaelcordoba13]

What’s her opinion about the RT? 😅

[@SouthWest-jj8yu]

A good comparison Scott but the adventure is a bit different from the standard in overall size, weight, wheelbase and rake of front end as well as a different screen. As a long term owner of several gs I’d say the quick shifter can be clunky but they’re all different my current 1250 is super smooth and some previous bikes loosened up after about 3000 miles. Maybe have been better to have tested against the GS rather than the adventure they are a very different experience.

[@shegocrazy]

I doesn't matter how much better the quick shifter or engine is over the 1250 if the pillion in a million's seat is not as comfortable.

[@edwardsenesac]

You have a very smart and nice wife😀!

[@shegocrazy]

Re suspension. I assume the settings were the same between bikes?

[@NothingToProve]

yep

[@geoffsmith1616]

Take her on the rt man for a comparable .. very interesting from a passengers perspective.. I'm.taking the rt to Germany at the end of June .. luxury

[@bigdavecoxy]

Your commentary on any change to the handling of the bike with the pillion would have been interesting. I have heard some bikes become too light at the front end and lose stability.

[@NothingToProve]

1300 is by far better than the 1250, one up or two up. The EVO ESA is a physical change and a software/electronic change and longer swingarm/shaft drive, oh, and also the constantly electronic adjusting spring rate, or "tension", based on compression and rebound is what makes a difference. take care, Scott

[@rdlalf]

Thanks for this great video. Would have been interesting to include the RT impressions.

[@tibork3845]

Scott, suggestion for your wife: when getting on the bike, she should reach over and grab your opposite shoulder (right shoulder) instead of the left, makes it easier to get on. Give it a try, we found it an easier way.

[@artstar5994]

What jacket are you wearing?

[@NothingToProve]

AlpinStars Stella, but older, like 10 years ago.

[@davidcoleman4941]

You married well she's lovely, i respect people who speak their mind

[@robato28]

Great video, but please, do wear ear plugs, always! If you do not you will definitely have loss of hearing.

[@ottomondo1368]

A good director gets out of the frame. 😂

[@NothingToProve]

Yea, I suck!

[@dimekoza]

Do this with a Goldwing and some other bike.

[@johnwelbers4248]

Think keep hog for two up 🤓😎🏍💨💨💨💨👍🏻🇨🇦🍻

[@gillianbrodie6807]

I guess ear plugs would help a lot. 🤗

[@guljar1243]

🙋‍♂🙋‍♂👍👍

[@marcusgeorge1825]

Your wife’s height and weight would be helpful as most of us have larger pillions.

[@Kudosfromamsterdam]

No offense, but with your size and posture, it is more 1,5 up than 2,0 up 🎉😂

[@dungbeetle.]

Hmm, not sure why you shadow banned my perfectly innocent comment confirming that others agree with you. Hopefully you can tell me why. Thanks.

[@NothingToProve]

No clue as to what you are talking about? KZbin has filers that I have no control over...so i probably didn't see your comment.

[@dungbeetle.]

@@NothingToProve Well, that's weird! Anyway, thanks for the video and please pass on my thanks to your better half for her valuable contribution. 👍

[@ramelbuenaflor7946]

1300 GS' seat is more of a GF' seat than a wife' seat,. 😉

[@chewitt3654]

Scott. Your wife is a better reviewer than you 😅😉🤣

[@NothingToProve]

Yea, I know, just don't tell any one else!

[@Kudosfromamsterdam]

Get a Versys 1000SE or a Ducari Multistrada V4S instead

[@pawisangtulisan1248]

First!

[@pawisangtulisan1248]

@@IanOwens-s8w Who are you, the comment police?I don’t see you commenting on the video. In the meantime, I’ve been a loyal and long time subscriber of this channel and was proud to be one of the first to see this video and comment! I was hoping he’d also ask his kid’s opinion. He was cute on the RT video.

[@expmaster6662]

2nd!