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Or maybe its just me getting older. Anyway here is my slightly tongue in cheek post.

Back in 2004 I bought my first 1200GS. I did it after a couple of hours test run because I thought it a really good , comfortable and practical all rounder. Then along came the Borman film and all of a sudden the bikes became fashionable.

Just now I have been on the 1200GS forum now to read posters indulging in all the stupidities that used to affect sports bikes. Stick on imitation carbon fibre for heavens sake. "Loud pipes" aka a noisy exhaust. One chap fitting a steering damper. Others spending a fortune on fancy suspension. All pointless because the bike doesnt need a steering damper, has got excellent suspension, doesnt need fake carbon fibre and whats the point of noise?

I always regarded BMW as a haven of sensible motorcycling away from the posing of both the Harley lot and the Jap sports bike crowd. Where now can the motorcyclist take refuge from the biker? Guzzi?

Aprilia owners are quite nice.
Guzzi owners are a bit odd...
The GS owners I've met seemed fairly normal. Apart from not going out unless the weather or the roads were trying to kill them.
I even know a fairly normal HD owner.

Borman et al may have a lot to answer for....
bringing a good bike to the attention of those with a bike license,healthy bank balance and no bloody imagination whatsoever.
Many urbanites thinking they need all of the aluminium 'overlanding' luggage plus carbon fibre stick ons ect just to ride to the shop when the sun shines

My new Boss has one. Kitted out quite heavily but a distinct lack of chav.. A bit like a battletank, but more nails.
He uses his in all weathers and rides it like it should be.

I'd call him far from normal. Put him on a Dullville or similar and it just wouldn't work.. like putting mad max on a C90

I confess that I groan audibly inside my helmet when I encounter, as I oftern do when venturing north, squadrons of GS riders fully kitted out with the aluminium boxes and the pukka BMW riding gear. I know I shouldn't feel any antipathy because we're all indulging our passion in our own way but I don't like that prescribed look; a bit like boxed shirt and tie sets or pre-decorated Christmas trees from Argos. Perhaps the bling that you're describing is their attempt to regain some individuality. However, is that any worse than trying to make a Falco into a Mille as many on here do?
I test rode the new, upgraded GS in 2010 and it really was a very good bike but, for me, lacked soul or wahtever that intangible element is that makes you want one bike more than all the others, so I bought the K12 instead. I'm not sure that it really has soul either but it's a good all rounder and no slouch. To be honest, I should never have sold the Falco.

Dusty wrote:However, is that any worse than trying to make a Falco into a Mille as many on here do?

Oi, I resemble that remark...

To be honest I think that most people on here want a Falco with all the good bits (suspension, wheels, brakes) that Milles were kitted out with, but never made it onto the Falco. I like the Milles but prefer the look of the Falco and wouldn't thank you for the Mille ergonomics at all. Falco wins every time there.

Those sad souls that bolt a Mille swingarm to their Falco are of course a legitimate target for your gibe...

Dusty wrote:To be honest, I should never have sold the Falco.

Aye - there's the rub... still some good ones about, but getting fewer every year, unfortunately.

And to be honest, my experience of BMW owners has mainly been of the 'superior being' mentality, especially those who run the newer-generation bikes. The guys who run the older stuff are generally sound as a pound.

I feel that I must apologise if I, in any way, gave the impression that I considered myself to be a superior being. I shall trade my K12 for an old airhead forthwith! Indeed, I had an R100S in the late '70s and I'd love to have it in the garage now.

I prefer the look of the mille swing arm

Mille shocks are better - though initially I had a mille white spring unit - I then changed to a WP unit

Other stuff has just happened - as above I prefer the falco's looks :)

As for those BMW riders - they are rapidly becoming as cliched as the hardly moving son brigade....

Lets face it, in the main it's not Mille stuff we tend to add but Mille-R stuff - the OZ and Ohlins stuff.

TBH I don't much like the look of the Mille (beauty in the eye of the bee-holder and all that)

The swingarm being a bit of an exception as that's just aesthetic (again, beauty in the eye of the bee-holder and all that)

Dusty wrote:I confess that I groan audibly inside my helmet when I encounter, as I oftern do when venturing north, squadrons of GS riders fully kitted out with the aluminium boxes and the pukka BMW riding gear.

I feel exactly the same. Its become a fashion icon. A sort of biking equivalent of the Scooby Impreza WRC.

Dusty wrote:I feel that I must apologise if I, in any way, gave the impression that I considered myself to be a superior being. I shall trade my K12 for an old airhead forthwith! Indeed, I had an R100S in the late '70s and I'd love to have it in the garage now.

Present company most definitely excepted, I hasten to add...

D-Rider wrote:Lets face it, in the main it's not Mille stuff we tend to add but Mille-R stuff - the OZ and Ohlins stuff.

TBH I don't much like the look of the Mille (beauty in the eye of the bee-holder and all that)

The swingarm being a bit of an exception as that's just aesthetic (again, beauty in the eye of the bee-holder and all that)

I like the gen 1 mille. I think it is quite a nice looking bike. The superior looking frame has to be the falco's.

If it helps in any way I'd quite like a tuono ... With stabilisers of course :)

I've got an all most genetic association with BM's. My dad being Baverian and proud of it etc.

Also got influenced when going over the Alps on the MZ got over taken by a Rocket 3 and then later very neatly an R75/5. Thought I'd like one of those. I ended up trading in the MZ for a low mileage R50/5 and just about lived on that for 5 years or so. Back then BMW ownership in the UK was pretty rare and then definitely an 'ol mans bike. Definitely no cred as a cafe racer. I was about 20, turned the handle bars upside down and set about wearing holes in my cylinder heads.......

Based upon the usability of my bike Dad bought an R80, my brother and R60/6 another friend a R60/5, so we had ourselves a little convoy at times. Both I and my brother got R90s 'es , he still has his very nice example. I sold mine for a Lemans but still have a shed load of R90's and assorted other bits of my BOT racer.

Now to complement the Falco I have a 1989 R100Rs., My brother now has R1200s as well.

Quality of BMW finish has gone down hill over those years, also with all the complications on the newer models so has the reliability. Still many BMW's are ridden by people who want a good all round usable bike. I often join up with a GS on my daily commute and though he's a fair bit slower on the open road he knows how to get through traffic. Met another guy last summer who wasn't hanging around on one.

HisNibbs wrote: Quality of BMW finish has gone down hill over those years, also with all the complications on the newer models so has the reliability. .

You can say that again. I reckon the finish is better on modern Triumphs and Harleys. Corrosion resistance is poor on painted parts thanks to the EU rule on using water based paints. Reliability isnt Honda standard for sure but then few other makes are. Mind you everything is relative - a Suzuki will still corrode faster.

It was Ok for Borman doing the RTW with a truck full of mechanics and parts following him but I would not chose my GS for that journey. Far too technically complicated for 3rd world maintenance and a bit too unreliable to boot. Reckon you would want some sort of Yamaha air cooled single cylinder thumper preferably with carbs not FI and a lot less weight.