BEWARE: Ownership Costs of BMW R1200/1250 GS/A 

It was brought to my attention the valve adjustment can be completed without any special tools. There are is a good tutorial on how to do it a R1200RT. Unfortunately, when I did my research I missed this and found several places that referred to a BMW specific tool.

I have 112,000 miles on my GSA. I've ridden in any environment you can imagine. And I absolutely smash it off road. I've crashed it hard once, and got hit by a car another time. The bike is parked outside in the weather, I don't have a garage. I do all my own maintenance in the driveway. I'm still on original shocks, water pump and clutch. My maintenance costs have been minimal. I run Anake 3s for tires, you'd be surprised how far they'll get you off road. I run Rotella T6 for oil, you can get a gallon of it at Wallmart for $25. I haven't adjusted my valves in over 75,000 miles. Don't care, runs fine. The only part that failed was a drive shaft at 76,000 miles. If I crashed this bike, I would immediately get another one without even thinking.

I have a 2010 GS with 80,000 miles and it’s been very inexpensive to maintain. The valves are easy to adjust and everything thing else is a snap. This bike has been rock solid although I did upgrade to Ohlins suspension and I replaced a leaking fuel fitting. The only time it’s been in the shop was for the tank recalls. My bike was a demo and I paid $14,000 for it. The biggest expense is the accessories but that’s true with any bike. I have a RU-vid channel also, I’ll do a full review next month.

I have a lot of respect for you Matt for being able to speak openly about the issues about 1250GS....a lot of owners get possessed once they buy one and say only (best in the world...best in the world...best in the world...)...you are providing an authentic perspective of a true adventurer who is going out to explore instead of sitting in a starbucks bragging about how shinny is the bike

Thank you for this candid review of ownership cost. I have ridden this and many similar bikes. My V-strom650 cost me less than $5k with 1,349 miles on it . $1500 in farkles/armor and 25,000 miles on/off road later, no issues. Home oil change is less than $20, I've done all fluid changes and brakes myself without issue. I ride with a friend on a 1200GSA who is understandably concerned about devaluing it by riding offroad. I believe he's had 3 warranty repairs in about a year of ownership. I wouldn't trade straight across if I had to keep it. BMW is a better bike, but less reliable, 100 pounds heavier, more complicated and waaay more expensive. Not enough better to justify the the cost imo. I can truly afford either, but I'm pragmatic and seek value over status.

Hey Matt. Awesome Vid. Super helpful and informative. Well done for taking the time to explain your (cost) journey. I literally bought a 2nd hand identical bike to yours only 2wks ago! I too was completely and utterly sold on the BMW R1200GS and finally took the plunge after weeks of RU-vid’ing. I can honestly say, I don’t recall one negative review... and I’ve watched 100’s!! Regardless, this is going to be my next hobby/adventure and I’m going in to it with (cost) eyes wide open. What your review has done for me is steer me to a more touring and forest roads bias, so thank you for that. Stay safe and keep up the great work!

Very informative and lots of stuff to think about. I'm glad I saw this and very glad you made it.

Mechanics that ride should do more reviews like these, its been 4 days researching for realistic and informative reviews. Thanks Matt, one of the best reviews Ive seen.

As they say, if you can’t buy it twice, you can’t afford it... and yes always buy second hand and do ALL the maintenance yourself, no dealer will work on your bike the way you would! Oh, and don’t get your parts from the BMW dealer... go straight to the supplier (SKF, Maher etc...)

ADV Matt, this is a wonderful review, very informative, and I learned a lot. Kudos to you for admitting your mistakes (been there!) and sharing your repair & maintenance costs. I own two BMW GSs, both used (with low mileage) and got the cheaper, lighter one before making the financial plunge into the 1200GS. Also took motorcycle mechanics classes so I can repair my bike when I am far from a mechanic shop, so for minor repairs/maintenance, I do those myself at the mechanics shop that offers classes. For major work, the bike goes to the BMW dealer. Have owned several BMW cars (M5 and 3-series), so I was familiar with the costs of BMW ownership. Ironically, my Prius is the best car I've ever owned and have no desire to ever own a BMW car again--except "maybe" their electric cars. Recently retired and gifted myself these "adventure" bikes and took off on long-distance travels! More than 10,000 miles in 12 months, mostly along twisty SCENIC roads (avoiding major highways) and do very few off-road riding. I considered other motorcycles (Honda 500x, VStrom 650 & Triumph), but after doing cost-benefit analysis, the BMW GSs won. The 700GS came out, actually, as the better deal in comparison. In sum, very few folks give detailed info as you did. Very few also are willing to admit their mistakes! It always raised my eyebrows when other reviewers note that BMW GSs have 1) high maintenance costs and 2) (gasp!) are not too reliable. Your video provided support for that view. Thanks for info on the COSTS of your forks and shocks--WOW. Many thanks again.

Beautiful review , and awesome bike. It's nice to see a breakdown on the cost of ownership of the bmw GS.

Thanks for your honesty in this review!!!

Great review I have enquired on other reviews about maintenance up cost. Sometimes things can like service reminder is a joke. Keep up the good reviews.

Thanks for your honesty, and being candid ! Most BMW owners will not talk ! I bought an R1150RT in 2004. Man, that was piece of spending that I regret. The bike is doing 68,000kms, and I have had ABS failure, installed a Chinese starter(better than the original whose magnets crumbled), muffler bracket breaking twice, fuel pump failure, Taillight dropping off and being crushed by the rear wheel, condensation in the headlight for the first 3 years until I discovered the problem, rear brake cotter-pin dropping out, ad infinitum, ad nauseum. Never will I buy any European bike again. The Japanese have taught the world about motor vehicles.............................................and I did learn !! Trinidad & Tobago.

Matt, you touched on it later in the video but I wanted to highlight a few things. After reading the comments to the post I think many people are taking the R1200GS off their list when they shouldn't. My advice is: Know your use profile for any vehicle. The use profile of the vehicle is very important to selecting and maintaining a vehicle properly. For serious off-road use ANY heavyweight motorcycle will go through tires and other parts such as shocks, bearings, etc. It is simply the amount of weight you are carrying around that causes more tire wear as well as general wear and tear. The joy of the R1200GS is that it is extremely capable on the road and the dirt, but it is not a 500-800cc class motorcycle built more for off-roading. In fact, I think the R1200GS is the best all-around motorcycle likely ever made. Yes, I own one.... I have owned my latest R1200GS for 3 years (purchased new), and my costs for service are far less because I do all my own work. Yes, the BMW oil is ridiculously expensive (and I do use it reluctantly), but there are so many other brands that are much more cost effective and come with the same ratings. I am planning on changing over to one of them the next oil change. I change my own rear-end oil, do my own spline grease, and everything else. I do own the GS911 and love it and can re-sell it for almost what I paid for it if I ever wanted to. I do not do any serious off-roading with the R1200GS motorcycle and my maintenance has been down to oil, filter and I did change the plugs. After owning many other motorcycle brands, I cannot complain about the cost of ownership other than the silly expensive oil. Everything is a consumable on a motorcycle especially off-roading.... My suggestion to anyone reading this is that if you are planning to do serious off-roading, especially if its 30-60% of your riding, get a lighter more nimble bike that is "good enough" to get to where you will be riding. You will not be as happy on the motorways as on a big ADV but off-road you will be far more happy. If you want to load the motorcycle down like Ewan and Charlie and go motoring across the continent at 80+ MPH and be able to handle off roading and maybe even some bad off-road stuff for short periods then a 500-800cc class motorcycle is not your use profile. It is always a trade off. By the way, I am huge fan of the BMW F800GS for a lighter weight off-road capable motorcycle that is still good on the highways. Go try it out. My R1200GS fits my use profile perfectly and it will be in my stable for a long time. Way past its warranty date (which just passed).

Ok man no off reading for me! Awesome review bro. Ride safe!

Thx mate! Just sold my Tiger 800 XCa and was planning to get Tiger 900 RP. But there is a waiting list for them... So I find 2018 R1200GS Rally, for fair price, and was already considered to get it. But your video helped me to stick to original plan, waiting for 900RP. Thanks 👍

Great review. I’m glad I can do my own maintenance and I did buy the GS-911 wifi tool 😀. Fair call on limiting the rough stuff. It will take its toll eventually.

Interesting video. I do some of the work on my BMW, sort of like you I can check the valves, but not sure if I feel up to doing the work if they need adjustment. I'm not as hard off road as you, so my tire costs are less. As for the suspension, there are plenty of places that do BMW rebuilds out there, with OEM parts. So I do what I can to keep my costs down. Also my nearest dealer is 250km away. So that alone helps motivate me to do what I can. That being said, I have been happy with the work my dealer has done for me, and at a fair price. I always knew it would be more that say a Honda, but like you it was my dream bike. Keep up the good work.

You are right, everyone tells good things into reviews, but they never say about the sides expenses. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you for your analysis on the costs! Very helpful on my decision making process for a new adventure touring.

To maintain a premium product, requires maintenance. I feel your pain! Life is expensive if you want quality products!

Nice heads up for my GSA I bought last year. Having owned numerous German cars, I'm not surprised about maintenance costs for the bike.

The points you make is why I purchased a Yamaha Super Tenete in 2014...great bike very reliable. I do oil and tyre changes myself. Got close to 10k miles out of a set of Mitas E07 Dakars...just changed them to E09's. But, while it's a very capable BDR bike, it's too big for my ability.... so I'm looking forward to getting a Tenere t700 and eventually using that for long term RTW travel

I’m very glad that I watched your video. I was going to get this bike. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much for that elaborate explanation. What I have liked about you is that you speak the truth, you are not like these other guys who only mention the advantages and fail to talk about the disadvantages. I wanted to order one in January 2022 for my trip to Kenya. Your explanation has changed my thinking and perception about R1200GS. Please give me some light on a cost-effective bike can buy for my trip.Thank you and be blessed

Nice video ! Cracking weather ! Dappled light 👍

Best advice I was told: buy what you can afford. Know that any toy will cost you money. All motorcycles will cost $$$. Don't buy new. Let the first owner or two do all the upgrades because there plenty of people who spend the bucks upfront only to lose out when they think they need the next new thing.

Thank you for this video. I was thinking about getting this bike. Currently I own Yamaha Super Tenere 1200 ES and I have decided to stick with it since it has little to no maintenance.

Great video. I love the GSA and was just about to pull the trigger on one after about 3 years of shopping. Then I found a 2016 KTM1290SAT. I fell in love!!! The power is absolutely insane. Fairly easy to wrench on yourself. Oil change @ 6k intervals. DIY with Amsoil about $60. 18k mi valve check/adjustment. Service reminders are easiy reset using handlebar controls. Comes standard with side panniers, crash bars, cruise, heated grips and seats. I am running K60 Scouts and getting around 12 to 15k on the front and 10k on the rear. I do 80/20, on/off road. It is chain drive and I am not a big fan of the maintenance associated with that, but I'm used to it now. Also chains are fairly inexpensive. I have heard the fuel pumps are problematic in these bikes. I carry a spare aftermarket in the pannier just in case. Can be easily replaced road/trailside with some basic tools. I do love the GS and think they look so much better than KTM but I am really impressed with this 1290SA.

Thanks Matt for your advice as a prospective owner

Best review for any big bore adventure

That's why it's a good idea to buy a NC750X.

Great review Matt. I too have found the cost of owning my 2009 gs a bit off putting when having to take it to a dealer. But they do a good job of keeping it up to spec.(69,000km) So they just had a recall of the fuel pump, which i arranged to have them pick up the bike (added cost).Its winter here in Canada, and i am 90km out of town for the dealer. Then they called saying the front fork was leaking and needed a new seal. And a rear tire ( more cost) so it will be a costly month. I have started to do my own oil changes, but things like this is out of my hands. I love the bike and have had many adventures with it and it has been a sturdy horse. I am looking too upgrade to the 1250 in the future and i can truly believe it will be more of a cost than my current gs. I will beware of course but... love the bike and brand.

Looking for a used 2019-2021 GS/GSA and found your vid. I have owned enough bikes to understand the cost of ownership and how some bikes are more expensive than others to service and maintain. I have avoided BMW for that and other reasons. Things change and am now considering a used one. I can see you took some undeserved heat from the cultists. That part of motorcycle culture lives in all brands. And perhaps even more so in the brands that are expensive since owners have a higher financial commitment. Thank you for sharing and being honest and I will look at your more recent vids.

Very nice owners perspective of the bike

Given the reputation of BMW cars and their expensive maintenance I wondered if their moto division suffered the same fate. Thanks for your honesty and confirming that

Great video, very eye opening but appreciated

Enjoyed the video. I am in similar situation. Rallye just going to be for touring and looking for something else for trails.look forward to seeing your plans. Nick

Very informative video...thank you for your insights...i'm in the market for a motorcycle and like the, Yamaha Super Tenere 1200. Your video help me realize a few things I did not consider.

Glad I watched this. Thanks for the video

Great review! I've dreamed about owning a GSA for years, and recently (2 years) those dreams include a ktm 1290 super adventure. And the reality of ownership costs Id consider the African twin, but feel I would cry internally at the lack of power. I currently ride a Ninja 1000. I like the torque. Some day I'll make up my mind on a adventure bike, but your video definitely has left me with a lot to think about moving forward.

Respect for telling it how it is... impressive bikes that’s for sure. I ride a lot of off pavement stuff, don’t need or want the weight of a 1250 let alone the GSA... I chose the F850GS for less weight, cost and maintenance. It is more capable off road than the 1250 and fits my needs perfectly at less than 1/2 the cost of the big dog. I regularly ride with guys on the 1250s who struggle with them in off road situations. They really are just big tourers. Cheers from Canada

Matt, thanx buddy....fantastic video!!

I think my add-on mods cost more than my adventure bike 😏 ... Top vid with some financial factual truths. 👍

Thanks for your review, it's made me think more about my next bike. I was confused but now I'm just not sure.

Right on Matt! I loved my GS 1200 but the costs were driving me nuts and I was very concerned about breakage and what parts cost. I had a KLR 650 and my GS. Sold them both and bought a Yamaha T700. Not as comfortable as a touring bike but gets the job done. Still tweaking for comfort on long road trips. Great off road. Valve adjust is at 24,000 miles and most the other stuff I can do myself so should be much less to maintain.

Very honest review..now I know other people just doing marketing for bmw...that's it this hidden stuff they don't tell.

I so appreciate your candor. I want to get one of these, but I’m probably just wanting the experience and make some friends; but in the end nobody likes broke friends!

This is why I never got one and why I sold my Ducati

Congratulation for your video. I live in Brazil, and own a GS/A 1200 with more than 100.000 miles. You may add also to your list a complete clutch overhaul every 30.000 miles.

Hello. Great channel. Really can feel honest opinion, not sales man. Thanks. I own Honda x adv 750, I had big smile on my face when you said costs of ownership..... One day I will own big gs... when I'm loaded! Hahaha for now xadv does it all even Offroad. For me best bike for now!

Thank you for sharing your information.

I purchased a ‘20 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro. I’ve put 26k miles on it in 14 months of adventure riding at the cost of $6,000+ in maintenance. I’ve had no repair costs. What you’ve estimated in costs is actually a savings to me. I have a T7 that I am loving for my type of riding. But, I am looking for a used GSA for my primarily pavement pounding travel. Thanks for sharing!

I'm glad I stumbled across your video you opened my eyes wide open because I'm definitely or I was thinking about buying a GS. I think you're right I think I'm going to look at the Japanese bikes thanks for the video very informative. 🤔👍👀

Great review. Thank you for the rest of the story. Eye opening. Ride safe.

This is why we buy Honda 300’s. Forget top of the line high tech dang it.

The thing people really have to keep in mind is bikes may be the most subjective thing you can buy. You can find 100’s of videos of people saying how smooth the pan America gear box is and then I found a few that say it was the worst they ever owned. Bikes are like clothing. We all like totally different feels and what we use them for.

Everything you said is true in my experience. Good info and perspective.

Good review mate. Must admit you got me a little bit worried about buying one of these. Costs may be less expensive for mostly toad riding but still making me consider holding onto my vstrom 1000 for a few more years since I don’t do any proper off roading and strom is fine for dirt “roads” lol

Interesting video. Initial cost is high but all bikes are expensive. And then the costs add up the protection plates and bars are needed on every bike so this shouldn't be a big surprise. I think that everyone should take time to learn how to do maintenance to save some money. And remember that if you need a tool, just buy it. Then you have it forever. Service reminders can just be ignored. Watch your mileage like we used to.. sometimes you gotta pay to play.

Awesome video--thank you.

i still do absolutely love my gsa1250..!! i do ride less miles per year than you do, good review though!

Great info on especially the tires...smh. This explains why the dealer doesn't have the meaty tires are not stock on the floor. The 3k mile replacement can be an annoying factor.

Very informative thank you for sharing

Thanks, as I was looking for an old used GS 1200.

I had a 2016 1200GS and loved riding it. But it is a money pit. Now on a Suzuki DR650 and loving it for so many reasons. I service it it for $40 every 10,000 klms ..Happy days now and not concerned about a scratch or dropping it. Cheap to own with valuable fun. Oh..and 70kgs lighter than the GS.

Great video. Thanks!

Matt, Totally agree with the points you have made. I bought a replacement rear shock on eBay. £200 for the shock and £150 to have it fitted at a back street service shop. Huge risk but it worked out and took me from 65,000 to 88,000 miles before I replaced it, the bike that is. The one thing you did not mention was the fog lights. Theses were costing me £200 a year after warranty as on average I found they each failed once a year. For reference I was doing 18:000 miles a year with some off road. For tyres I found continental TKC 70’s a good compromise. Alan

I found the costs of service very good especially compared to the Ducati Multistrada that I sold to buy a 1200GSA. I do the services myself because it’s so simple, only have to take it into a specialist BM mechanic for valve clearance and brake flush which cost $200 Aus. No chains and sprockets also a bonus.

I've always bought used but plan to buy a new 1250GS so I can at least have one new bike in my lifetime...as this will be my last bike I'm sure. Not sure why you didn't mention an extended warranty, since that seems like a good option in this case. Sterling Noren did a video recently and in it mentioned that he had purchased a 5-year unlimited mileage extended warranty through a company called RPM One, which he thought cost him $1200. A lot of money for sure, but easily worth it in Sterling's shaft drive issue, and the suspension issues you mention. Great breakdown of all the ownership costs, so thanks for doing a video on that!!!

Aprilia v4 valve adjustment $900ish. About $75 for do it yourself oil change with the best Motul oil.

Hi Matt! Very nive video, thanks. Your bike is splendid, in fact I used to ride GS's, I've had a few. But since the new LC they are now too heavy, too expensive. Buy an Africa Twin :)

Service price for me: around 280 for the small service and 400 for the bigger service. I do have to say the price for service on my 2019 was around 40% higher than my 2013. For comparison, the service cost I've experienced is between half and a quarter of what my collegues and friends pay to have their ducati Multistrada serviced or for a Harley. Since I mainly use mine for professional use (highway and city) I do between 16000 and 18000 km on a set of tires on my GSA. I use streettires. Brakepads on the front last me 40000 km and on the rear 30000 km. I've not had aditional costs. If I had they were covered on waranty/revision. Oh, and my bike is tax deductible, so the expenses aren't that bad. And offroad: my GSA is to heavy for me to really take it offroad. I prefer to call it an allroad. But it is ideal for a 1000km trip in a day. A visit different sites for work while avoiding traffic (splitting lanes is legal here).

The rate I go through tyres was the big shock for me! My car and bike have similar mileage, still on the first set of car tyres but have given up counting how many tyres I have gone through on the GS.....

Good sincere review thumbs 👍

I was thinking of selling my K1600 for a GSA because I like doing dirt and exploring. If I was only staying on rod, I’d go with the K1600. It’s a beast and a surprisingly quick peg-scraper.

Thank you for a very honest review. Highly appreciate it!

Great video. I was thinking about this bike, leaning more towards Yamaha Tenere.

Hi Matt, I did a lot of research before purchasing my Super Tenere. I priced routine parts and service and found the GS way out of my price range. I am in no way bagging on your bike. The GS's are fantastic machines. Just very expensive to maintain and parts are high priced as well. I recommend getting a small tire stand and static balancing stand. It's not that hard to mount and balance them. Good on you for using knobby tires at the expense of tire life. FWIW, all these big bikes are expensive to maintain in hard core off road conditions. I am in the same boat as you when it comes to off roading these "Beasts". I am laughing my ass off with your rethinking. I did the same thing after taking my Super Tenere to Toroweap overlook. I have already taken off the Michelin Wild knobby tires and mounted on street tires. I'll be back to using my Beta for hard core adventure rides. Thank you for your honesty Matt!!

Good candid review.. beautiful bike, sort of like being responsible for a Bavarian princess. One shock equals half the price of my low tech REH.. I'll have the blue plate special thanks, pass the beans and hold the caviar..

Awesome video man, I really was thinking of buying a GS but now I going to look another option beautiful bike bike but a endless money pit.

Fair play to sir. You are using that bike in a way it was designed for. That has to put you in the 1% of owners. You do a lot miles over challenging terrain. No way would I do that. I'd use a cheap dirt bike. Id say if you do more of your maintenance then the bike is cheap to run when you factor in the enjoyment and time on the bike you're getting. Im looking to buy a GS myself. I appreciate the advice you give. I hope I use mine half as much as you. All the best my friend.

Thanks you for the break down of the costs. I've been riding GSA's since 2007 and have owned quite a few of them, currently I own a 1250 with 12000 miles on it. I have looking at other bikes too, but I found that most adventure bikes need upgrading to make it more suitable for off-road riding. I looked at the Yamaha T700 and that also needed €2000 of protection before it was right for me and that's also without luggage. Oil changes on most bike are about the same intervals, so that's not going to save you much and the same goes for tires, same weight same wear. That's why I have the Heidenau Scouts or the Motoz Tractionator GPS on them, they simply last longer. Not well for mud, but certainly good enough on most tracks. I did have to gent new shocks on one of my former GSA's outside of warranty, but with the water cooled bikes it hasn't happened yet (I change bikes about every three years or 100.000 k km) One thing you didn't mention is, that in order to use the Motoscan app, you need to get an Android phone, there is no iPhone app for that. Btw I decided to get me a K1600GT once a couple of years back, now that's a money pit.... And you know my wife rides a R1200GS too, so I've to pay twice :)

Sounds like the bike is so capable, reliable and comfortable for the long distance adventure riding and take you everywhere you like. Glad to know you had a lot of good time riding and the bike wasn’t sitting in the garage or repair shop most of the time. 3 years 60,000 kms off road adventure riding with only front suspension repaired…that sounds pretty decent to me. We change fork oil and seals more frequently than that. All those consumable items oil, tyre, brake pads would apply to all other loaded bikes too, and luckily you don’t have to clean and replace chain and sprockets. Smaller bikes are cheaper but there will be compromises too. Affordable and fit the purpose...way to go

Both shock absorbers are rebuildable, for 200 EUR/shock + shipping. Most users think they're non rebuildable, but they are. Just that there are maybe 2 shops in Europe which can do that, your average suspension shop does not have what's needed for a rebuild on these. I however, do not plan on keeping mine out of the warranty period, which I extended to 5 years.

liked the video!... I am just starting out ...just a couple of shake down camping trips in the last year... You forgot to add in Insurance.... for me it's $350/year (full coverage) ... other normal costs (Shinko 705 tires, brake pads, chain, sprockets oil, coolant and filters) this year so far $750... next year (12 months and projected 5000+/_ miles) another $350 insurance and $750+misc ...say $1200/year or $100/month. (ballpark)... I ride a (paid for) took a while to find the one I wanted a 1st Gen 650 Vstrom...I set it up for touring (normal stuff...soft roll-top panniers and tubular racks, tank bag, roll-top duffel, engine guards, bash plate and barkbusters).... I will also do graded dirt fire roads ... not too much single track...(just to get to some camping spots).... initial cost of the bike and to get it set up was about $2500-$2600 over the last year.... some came with the bike... some used and some stuff new

There are many rules in universe but two rules are most important. Light speed is constant and you never go to dealerships unless under warranty claim. For me BMW GS is no different maintaining than any other adventure heavy bike I owned.

I totally agree with your position on limited off road. Good information 👍

Great video.

Crash bars and skid plate upgrade is 101 with any brand new adventure bike. I opted to buy a T700 due to my off-road desire. I feel like I got best of both worlds for getting there and riding. Super nimble, good usable power, reliable , and for the price I was able to do many upgrades including suspension which is amazing! And I’m still way under the prices of these other bikes. Didn’t really need all the bells and whistle‘s Yet I can still add them. All comes down to what you’re committed to ....a lot of the BMW guys I see are more road oriented. And like most all European bikes they always come with their quirks.

Hi Matt, congrats for the video! Few years ago I buy R1200GS oil/air cooled bike. Personally I alone change in garage all consumables of the bike. Cost was ridiculously smaller then your. Almost all original from dealer. Imagine that you now achieve one level of fun, capability and possibilities of bike. If you change the bike with cheaper even new from dealer, do you will have same torque, luggage capacity, comfort, suspension, range and overall feelings for fun with another cheaper, lighter bike? I ting defenetly not. But you decide...

Well all the dollars you save buying GS instead of GSA goes to protection pannier racks and higher windscreen, And in the end the weight is almost equivalent of the GSA when you are finish. But you will miss Alu panniers Had both models and the latest R1200GSA LC It’s simply amazing.

I have a 2008 R1200GS with 40k miles, i never bought into all of the BMW ridiculous maintenance with this bike, any modern machine that needs that much maintenance is a piece of junk. Its been on a lot of jeep roads, and has been down several times, I simply change the oil every couple years, rear drive oil and the shaft U joint, put on some new tires and air filter. Dont want the Electronic suspension as that has to be too complex and over priced. Only problems have been recall on the fuel pump, rear shock leak which was about $400 for a new replacement, new ignition switch was $140. That is absolutely it, have never checked the valves, runs great. Once again, if anything really needs that much care, it must be a very poor design. Good luck with whatever bike you ride, the GS works fine for me, Thanks!!

That's why I love my 1971 R60/5 🤪👍 Hi-Tech=Hi-Expenses.

Bought my GSW used. Had 2200 miles. Got it with Motech guards all around, cases on the back, and a tank bag. $16k. I buy my tires online, same for brake pads. Change my own oil, filters, etc. use dealer only for valve checks. Only failed part in 27k miles was a fork seal. It happens...

This is an excellent vid, and hugely helpful. Thank you! I was considering the f 750 gs, and I assume the overpriced maintenance applies to all the BMW motorcycle models to varying degrees. Therefore I’m thinking of getting a different brand.

That’s the major sticking point thats kept me from owning one.💰💰💰💰💰💰

Thanks Matt for this thoughtful video! I don't own a BMW but am considering one so I appreciate this point of view. Honestly, from what you describe I don't think your costs are that far out of line with other bikes IF you have the dealer do all the maintenance use only OEM parts - that is just plain expensive regardless of the make of bike. I normally do all my own maintenance on my 2012 Tiger 1050, but life's circumstances cause me to bring it to a dealer for valve clearance check & adjustment. While it was there I asked them to flush the brake fluid, service the front forks, and replace the rear tire - all routine maintenance. The bill? $1,400 - about $600 of that is tire and parts, the rest is labor. This is about 25% of what the bike is worth, but I knew going in that it would not be cheap.

I’ve owned 7 BMW’s including 3 Gs’s and besides all the required maintenance, I did not find them to be as reliable or robust as advertised. All the things you mentioned plus the weight combined with my height(5’11”) made for some Pretty spectacular falls and damages that looked like a mechanical prehistoric raptor had chewed it.($$$)My old air/oil 1000cc 1997 bumblebee GS with its lightweight low CG was the pinnacle of BMW’s evolution. I’m quite happy with my KLR. And I take some really gnarly off road trails with the wife on the pillion. Like the trail from Lake City up over engineer’s pass (12,500’) into Silverton-stock. Same fun(actually more) with completely acceptable costs. Took me 7 BMW’s to get the message. You’re figuring it out early.