What's the BMW R1300 GS like to tour on? - A trip to Wales!
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- čas přidán 19. 02. 2024
- Many of us BMW GS fans use our bikes primarily to go places - the big GS makes a great touring bike, but how does the new R1300GS do on a long trip? I took the Tramuntana to Wales for a couple of days to find out....
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Can use the button on the key to open my top box with ignition off and other button to lock it again.
As it happens you can - but I hadn't realised that when I made this video! My bad. That said the boxes are still a bit of a pain - I have a whole video on the new central locking etc coming up soon....stay tuned!
@@TheMissendenFlyer I would agree, the top box manual button sticks a bit (maybe because bike dirty) and it does not have a nice click to let you know when closed properly.
Agreed…..I’ve noticed on a few vids you stay in very low gear given the speed you are doing…imho😮
If you decide to buy a 1300 GS will get the Adaptive ride height so you can have the standard height seat
@@TheMissendenFlyer I can't quite believe we are discussing ' central locking ' luggage on motorcycles...🙈...they will have a special pannier for ones golf clubs next..🤣🤣
So glad you mentioned the 20mph a lot of people think the whole of wales is 20 lol (yes i am welsh)
Keis heated gloves and jacket - same here- absolute game changer
Aaah...Wales. Such a lovely place indeed. I strongly recommend a trip to Wales.
Cheers!
As l don't ride during the winter months ue to health reasons l look forward every week to watching your or Bruce's (Teapot One) travels and its the next best thing to actually riding myself. So thank you for keeping me sane until the weather improves Andy and stay safe.
Thank you Chris!
Great video showing us some lovely scenery yet again, right on our doorstep. Looks like the new GS just loves those roads. Once you get used to the Adaptive Cruise Control, especially on long motorway rides, it really is a wonderful piece of technology and makes them almost bearable. Your AirBnB looks great too.
Yes agreed 👍
Great video. And great tour, the location looks fantastic.
Mrs Flyer on board? Ah i see Mrs Flyer at destination. Low flying fast jets and low flying fast 1300GS😅. Excellent B&B
Great vid so far. As regards the Active Cruise i dont have it on a bike but I have had 4 cars with it fitted too, it takes a little while to appreciate how it works and learn how to get the best from it. You can adjust the distance to the vehicle in front of you that it operates from, this is speed sensitive, you also power through/override the the control on the throttle, then it should return to the setting you set it too. it take a while to get use to, be brave !
Nice, enjoyed that, love the air b'n'b and the sheep 🐑 noise was very amusing 👍🏻
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great vid thanks and big yes to luggage review and vario comparison. 👍🏼
Coming soon! (it's in the can!)
Another great ride out Andy, love Wales I need to visit it more on the bike. Its a wonderful riding destination. Love the Air B&B 😊
Glad you enjoyed it
Great. Hopefully the weather will get better soon. It is still quite cold in the mornings, otherwise it is cool during the day. I agree about the location and the Air B and B. :) Drop by bro, you may like my content. Cheers and thanks.
Nice too see you riding my old haunt, stopping in Beddgelert where I grew up, in Somerset now.
What a pleasant trip; beautiful countryside and towns and a great bike. With a fully loaded GS one hardly notices the wait difference. In 3 weeks I will be taking my 1250 out of winter storage..can’t wait! Greetings from Berlin,Jim
Enjoy Jim.....roll on the sunshine!
Thoroughly enjoying your review of this bike as I'm expecting delivery of mine in April & being new to the GS family will be able to just enjoy the bike without comparing it to previous models. Looking forward to the next installment!
Congratulations on the new bike Alun - you won't be dissappointed, it's an incredible riding machine. Loads more videos to come on it between now and when you get yours.....
Great video. Good choice of location. Adaptive cruise can be overridden by a touch of accelerator or by performing earlier motorway Lane changes, to avoid the middle lane hogger. Hope that helps! 😊
Thanks for the tips!
The place you stayed in looked amazing.....the same sort of place in Cornwall would have been considerably more expensive
Definitely a great bike for touring and munching those miles , lovely place to stay and share with friends
Couldn't agree more!
Dont forget adaptive cruise control works on distance from vehicle in front. So when you pull into middle lane behind another vehicle adaptive cruise will react and reduce your speed to increase distance between you and vehicle infront. The cruise control is working perfectly.
He knows that, obviously…
If only there was a manual way of controlling your speed that could override the cruise control. 🤔
Another great vid. I finally get my 1300 this week after a four month recall delay and will be riding these roads later in the year so really looking forward to it!
Congrats and enjoy!
My Honda Jazz did the same in Adaptive Cruise you just have to anticipate early and move before it sees the car in the middle lane
Great Place, hoping to do Wales this year on my Honda 750 with my grandson on back. Hopefully great memories to be made. Thanks for the video.
Have fun!
Awesome - lovely B&B too!
Nice one, can't beat a bit of Wales, and as you have just shown can even be done in January, Hoping there is more to come from this trip .
Yes I filmed my R1300 v R1250 comparo video during this trip - stay tuned....
Smashing vid Andy, goes without saying really, Been to Wales many times recently, I work part time (68 yrs old ) and as i dont work Fridays I utilise the time to get to wales for a breakfast, normally the ponderosa, have 2 bikes to choose from, either a S 1000 RR M Sport or my 750 GSXR Suzuki so either way the ride is fantastic !!
Nice one
Another great ride and video. You are very lucky to ride all year round. As I watch this we have 5 feet of snow on the ground!!…
Crikey!
Wales looks a beautiful spot. A bit like some of the areas in your Japanese tour. Be safe and look forward to more trips and tests.
What a great trip! Very good accommodation choice👌🏻👌🏻
Cheers Fred….and yes lovely down at Barmouth isn’t it…..
All day comfort all round 😂
Was riding on these roads a couple of week's ago, gotta love North Wales
Thanks for another video maximising the rider's perspective. Had a great holiday in mid-Wales last spring and the beautiful scenery and roads are a must visit. Looks to me like John has a problem with his rear light cluster as it flickers on when he is accelerating.
I think it’s more likely a shutter speed/frame rate anomaly…?
Know Barmouth well. Use to live in Welshpool many years ago. Great roads all round. Nice vlog as always. For a mo I thought you were meeting teapotone in the beginning lol
With regard to the central locking
,navigate to vehicle settings and de activate the automatic locking which will allow you to lock and unlock using the key fob without the ignition on.
You're right about radar cruise control. My Vstrom doesn't have it (or any CC) but my Ford Focus does, and I love it! 😊
A very fun trip to Wales on an awesome bike! With good friends and wife...even better!
Yes it was!
Great video!
Thanks!
I am fortunate to live just outside Betws y Coed and live just off what Is nicknamed locally as the "qualifying lap"
Real world experience is great with your review
Thank you….
8:40 instead of accelerating from 40 to 60 mph, I would have been slowing down as I approached that layby. There was a good chance of a driver not seeing you and coming out. That red Audi made me take a sharp breath on your behalf. Love your vids, stay safe.
Thanks for the tips....
Yes, we want you safe & sound Mr TMF !
Well you have me planning a trip! Thanks pal
Any time!
Good timing with that trip. I remember that week as it was my birthday on the 12th and took a punt on a few days away in the UK as well and it stayed dry. It rained most of January though and it is still raining now. I have 4 bikes and have yet to go out for a ride on any of them this year so far. 😢
Tell me about it - it's why when we saw a settled forecast for 5 days solid we were off!!!
Beautiful country-side !!
Nice gaff you booked! I must get into Wales again on the bike this year once the wx gets better; it's not too far from here (East Cheshire). I'll actually be there for a few days in June but not on the bike, and staying at the hotel where your vid ended - the Royal Goat Hotel in Beddgelert!
Vince
Nice - enjoy.....
Thank you.
You're welcome!
Thank you for replying to my comment questions in your previous R 1300 GS preview video. (I’d asked about seat height and ergonomics.) I am an inch taller than you, but my inseam is the same, 32”. I think, when I rent this bike in a few months in Germany, my thick-heel Daytona touring boots should mean no problem with footing. Another fun video, thanks!
Yes those Daytonas are great aren’t they (Mrs Flyer has the same!)
God's own country, they say. Yet another cracking vid - informative re the 1300 and beautiful scenery! That AirB'n'B, though - amazing (other than the access of course). I particularly loved the additional woolly backing vocals in the jingles - extremely effective ;). Wonderful stuff, as ever.
I'm learning from your jingle expertise!
@@TheMissendenFlyerThat's sonic recontextualization, Andy!
What a wonderful ride you had! I would love to ride through the Mach Loop one day, and stop for look. I think if I rode the distance I imagine you did, I would be in Thailand (from Singapore). That's a ride I will do in the near future, Singapore to Phuket and back. Enjoy your Welsh journey! (PS: confess...you miss the Japanese toilets with the washy-up squirt nozzles! LOL!)
I do indeed!
Good to see your back out after the shoulder operation
The small print was different
And the b&b looked really nice especially for the money
Sadly, my shoulder got worse during that trip and I had to cancel one days riding. It’s got worse since then and another operation is on the cards! 😕
@@TheMissendenFlyer sorry to hear that hopefully you get it resolved as soon as possible
Incredible air bnb, thanks for sharing that one. May hunt it out.
Disappointed that you didn’t practice your best Klingon TMF - Machh-Dachh as I recall 😂
Well remembered!
The air bnb was absolutely lovely and the view😮😮😮.
What was the area you stayed in called?
Onto the bike, I didn't expect anything less of a GS to be honest and glad to see you took it on a proper tour. Keep up the good work and God bless.
We stayed in Barmouth....on the coast mid/North Wales
Croeso Cymru. The 20 mph limit is a pain in ar.. if you live here!!!
looking forward to the GSA
Loving the Wales Trip Sir Flyer. BTW, I've a good friend who had hid shoulder re-built and he did stem cell injections which really seemed to help. Not sure the if Stem Cells are available in the UK, but thought I would mention it. Love your channel and your great trips!
Cheers!
Always a cracking ride into Wales. I am lucky to live 2 miles from the border! It's a nice road to Beddgelert. The road you did just before it was the place where 4 young lads unfortunately lost their lives late last year.
Oh dear….sorry to hear that…
Great vid. Inspired me to take the Gold Star for a run this weekend to Mach Loop 😄
Have fun! Weather forecast a bit iffy though?
Had Barmouth as a regular destination from our base in Cheshire. Sometimes got as far as Bala then heading off ffestiniog route. Great days somewhat marred now by all the new 20mph zones.
nice bike and video ...wish I had the $$$$ enjoy my man....
Great vid👍👍
Thanks for the visit
Glad to hear it’s comfortable as the seat looks less sumptuous than the previous model. I think if i buy this I’ll seriously consider the Lone Rider semi rigid panniers and top box over the new varios if not for looks alone. Great further insight into this intriguing bike 🤔👍
Andy, we shall be in Wales come August and would appreciate you advising the route of your last ride. It looked superb. Thanks
All routes in Wales are superb (I don’t have a copy of our route - sorry!)
There’s about 50 of us meeting up for a ktm weekend in wales in April all on 1290 adventures! Can’t wait for it as you say Wales always delivers 😁👍🏼
Have fun!
Nice one Flyer. Loving Wales in January.
I’ve decided on the soft pannier option and ordered the SWMotech SysBag panniers for mine, £776 which includes the stealthy looking mounting brackets. No pillion riding so I’m swerving a top box. Up to 40litres per bag. No locking system so I bought a pair of Kriega steel core straps. I’m hoping these will work out for me.
Nice one!
I recall climbing the highest tower on Harlech castle when I was about 10. I peered over the top and wondered what all the tiny white dots on the grass were. I then quickly realized they were full grown sheep. Wow that was high up
Radar cruise control is great, in fact cc without it a waste of time in my book as our roads to busy to make use of non radar cc. Enjoyable vid so many thanks Mr Flyer
My pleasure!
Interesting observations. More to come, I’m certain. 👍
🍻🍻🍻
There certainly are - many more.....
Be interesting to see how touring goes Andy and what it’s like with carol on the back ? looking forward to the rest of the tour 👍
This is only a one parter (as tours don't usually do very well from a views standpoint) - video on riding with Carole on the back coming soon!
Fantastic you are telling us what it is really like for you with at 32” inseam, I am taller than you but a 30” in seam. If you had just said you were short I would assume you had a 27-29 “ in seam and I would be ok when I fact I wouldn’t. Thank you so much for giving a n accurate experience on feeling comfortable with the seat height.
Great content as usual, laughed out loud at the ‘baaa’…. Fill up those panniers for a euro / global trip and the weight off stand will become a real chore for most people! (& nothing like a bit of fuel roulette to concentrate the mind 😂)
Yes I have to say I do find the new GS a heavy old beast (compared to my 1200).....
That’s a nice part of world been there may times. Bike seems to be shaping up nicely. Now what was I doing while you were doing that…oh yes working!
Get back to it!!!
I have the multi V4s. Re the cruise control, if you apply the two second rule to distance you don’t get the slowing down as you cross the lanes. Took me a moment to work this out but makes for all round safer riding
Great tip - I’ll try that
Dodgy shoulder ‘use case’ 😅 you can take the boy out of IT … great content again Andy 👏Too many gadgets for me, I’ll look for a 1200 👍
Thank you! Is that an IT term?? You got my point though….
Great stuff.
Thanks!
Still very excited about this bike, nice little video. Kind regards.
Cheers mate! Will you be getting one do you think?
@@TheMissendenFlyer i ordered one way back last October. It’s the same as the one you riding and it’s just reached UK at last.
Should be new bike day very soon.
Thanks mate.
Cool!
Another entertaining and informative video. Now tell the truth, when that Jet was coming up on you, just for a moment you thought it was a 1290 Super Adventure 🤭😉
To tell you the truth, I didn’t know what the heck it was, I thought I was being attacked from behind!
Hi, I find that ACC or DCC on the bike, that as you intend to overtake vehicles you need to add throttle to eliminate the chance of it reacting to something slower ahead, same as when you’re clearly approaching a vehicle but there’s a vehicle in your overtaking lane, positive throttle, just a little, eliminates the slow down feature. Once you learn it, fantastic technology.
Yes good tip!
Glad you enjoyed your trip through my back garden, and roads to die for on a bmw?
Absolutely....
My RT has the older version of the adaptive cruise (I believe the new GS gets rear collision radar too). I do a 3 day week for a total weekly commute of 390 miles, probably 70% on the M1. I have found the ACC to be excellent as an extra pair of eyes. The dashes of a modern bike can be a distraction, and twice over the last year someone has decided that my nice braking space is where they want to be. The ACC has activated and prevented a collision and “woken me up”. It is really useful for taking a drink from a camelback or similar too! On the newer shift cam engines, the engine braking is stronger on dynamic…it states it in manual!
Yes I must admit to being a huge fan of the ACC
Hi Andy great informative vid as usual.
Mrs Flyer’s thoughts especially versus the previous model?
Coming soon! (16th of march to be exact)
Great video ... is it me seem's noise and that satnav seems very bright
I'm lucky enough to have Wales right on my door step, I'm just over the border in Shropshire, and there are some amazing roads but you do need a little local knowledge to find the very best of them as they are sometimes a little off the beaten track. Even after 35 years riding there I'm still finding new hidden gems from time to time.
That's the joy of it isn't it Mark - I've been many times and always find new roads to ride....
@@TheMissendenFlyer you ever want a tour of the real gems you let me know.
I do love wales. Either on my bike or on a hiking trip
Good innit.....
I have the radar controlled cruise control in my car and it can be a right pain, you can find yourself constantly slowing without realising what’s going on like you have noticed, not 💯 with it versus non radar cruise control
Hope you had some good chats with the locals about the six nations rugby.
Great vid, I'm really excited about the R1400GSA as I loved my R1200GSA. Got a question about the adaptive cruise control if you can answer it - If you are resting your right hand and the car in front suddenly brakes hard the bike is going to brake hard too which might be a bit much to control with just one hand on the bars. Do you think that'd be a problem or am I overthinking it? Anyway, great to see the bike on a tour of Wales, I used to live near the house you stayed at but am now up in the North Pennines of Northumberland which is (in my opinion) even better as there is far less traffic😜
Wow I must visit up there in that case! I think you're maybe over thinking it - I think you'd pretty quickly grab the handlebar if something like that occurred - I don't want to test the theory though!
Dry nice real world review thank you - time to start saving up! Ps you said you’d revisit the comfort of the lowered seat - did I miss that - as a fellow shortie I may need to know! 😂
Err yes I forgot! The comfort was fine, if it hadn't have been I'd have remembered to mention it!! I have a review coming soon of the adaptive ride height version of the bike - spoiler alert: it's very good!
I had to watch it twice as I laughed so much every time the sheep sound came on, Lovely AirBnb. Some very interesting insights into the GS, Your long term reviews always give potential owners useful information over and above the norm.
Thank you David!
Nice one Andy. Thank you. 5 degrees Celsius? For me living in Melbourne, Australia it needs to be a few degrees higher before I take out any bike as I just don’t feel comfortable looking like the Michelin man whilst riding. That being said I have done some winter rides up to our ski resorts when it’s been considerably colder as they are between 2 and 4 hours away. Luckily at the time of posting this Melbourne will be in its 4th consecutive day around 35 degrees. 😂
Scorchio!
Great vid. Beautiful area. I have a few friends and follow several channels that travel and camp on top of those snow covered peaks. Tough as nails place. Some old mines and plenty of pasture lands there. Heavy foot traffic. Expensive to park. Killer views. The bike, as expected. Like others, adaptive ride height. Centerstand and automatic lowering at parking like the Harley Pan America. Hard seat won't cut it for long. Heated seat a must. Man what a bargain place to stay. Now, how accurate was the fill up/mileage reading on the fuel gauge and tank? When the jet flew over, how steep is that grade? All good. Glad you are out and about in the middle of winter.
Yes those were the very few good days we've had this winter - it's been raininbg ever since!
@@TheMissendenFlyer My camp budfues have been blow off the mountains and washed over the edge
Crikey!
If you ever come to South Wales, it would be my pleasure to give you a tour, some lovely roads here.
Thank you!
Given the low temperatures that you ride in, have you completed any video reviews on heated gear performance? Thanks for the excellent continued content!
I dont honestly remember!
Good timing, Andy. I'm heading to Wales in June (from Ireland)
On my trusted 2010 GS.
Looking for good routes and places to stay etc
Have fun!
Looks like decent winter weather for a road trip. The Air B&B looked stunning for the money. I take it Mrs Flyer didn't fancy the pillion seat for the journey there?
GS looks a great bit of kit, central locking panniers not for me.
Not that so much - Mrs F stayed longer than me as she was on walking trip with a pal so we needed seperate transport. And yes the GS is a great bike to ride, this was its perfect mission!
Sorry Andy, just a bit of Aussie humour..My wife and I loved the Japan series, so we're looking forward to this one.cheers.
No worries!
Short notice for the trip..based on Wx forecast. That’s the best way.
Yes worked a treat on this one....
Well done in finding some good weather in amongst all the torrential rain of late. You cannot beat Wales for biking. Never liked adaptive cruise on my car, so am probably unlikely to like it on a bike. How was the new nav unit?
Actually pretty good - video coming up just on that soon - stay tuned!
You probably want to get a tune if you modified the air box and now have a high flow exhaust because you could be running lean.
Ride safe!
Great vid. It is indeed a beautiful country & an amazing place to go on a bike if you get the weather right. IF. Out of interest has the new GS wormed it's way in to your heart yet? ; )
It has in so far that it is an excellent riding machine, still struggle with the looks of it though....
@@TheMissendenFlyer Yes, unserstandably difficult to love a bike if you're not sure about the looks.
Hello boss
A review on the new trk 702 would be good.
I have watched a lot of your content re this new BMW GS, and whilst I can tell you appreciate all of the good things the bike offers and clearly really like it, it doesn't sound like you love the bike/have connected fully with the bike.
Would that be fair comment, and if so what is it that the bike is missing?
Alternatively, tell me to shut up if you do love the bike! 😂😂
I love how it rides, not so keen on the looks (I get that is subjective) - think I've been quite consistent about that! No doubt it is a VERY good motorbike, and I have loads more videos to come on it yet....
@@TheMissendenFlyer no doubt you've been consistent. Interested to see if it ends up eventually winning you over in capability to forego the looks, or if the looks finally break you down over the outgoing models
Hi Andy, I am the same height and inseam as you and I too have the 830mm seat. While relatively hard, I find it very comfortable . Don't forget the angle adjustment lever, under the seat. That can make a difference. While people keep saying that the bike is smaller than the 1250, it is not lower. The low seat on the 1200 and 1250 was 820mm, so the new bike is actually 10mm higher. Another point is that when the bike is in Dynamic mode it not only stiffens the suspension, but the bike goes up about another 10mm in height. So, when you stop, the bike is about 840mm in height. I am afraid you are not quite correct on the central locking. The toipcase opens and closes with the key, even when the bike is off. The lock on the topcase should be in the "central" position and not the "lock" position. Also the topcase is not smaller than the old one, it's actually bigger, but a different shape.
Great vlog again, well done and thanks!
Thanks for the info - my bad on the central locking - see the pinned comment from earlier....and yes I find the new bike both quite tall and quite heavy compared to my old 1200 with the low seat.....
Hi Andy, another useful video. Thanks. If you could only have either the Goldwing or the 1300 GS, which would it be? ( and that includes your own GS.)
Probably the GS if it was my only bike….