El Capitan!  2010 GS and GS Adventure: Reviews of  the big dogs in adventure touring.

Thirty years is a long time to be the leader in a prime market segment. While the urban legends about BMW inventing adventure riding are not true, the company was the first to design this type of bike. Riders ranging from Danny Liska to John Penton may beg to differ.

            Adventure touring has risen to become one of the most popular forms of motorcycling, and 2010 is the 30th anniversary of BMW's Gelände/Strasse model line. The GS offers a balance between off-road and street riding capabilities, a concept that defined a new category of motorcycle.

            Over the years, the balance has skewed more toward street, with progressive gains in weight, complexity and of course, refinement. While weight did start moving in the right direction with the introduction of the lighter and more powerful Hexhead R1200GS, it's safe to say that BMW is serving its customers who very rarely, if ever, take their GS's off road.

            Except for a limited edition 30th Anniversary model featuring a paint and upholstery scheme reminiscent of the original GS, it's hard to see the difference between the 2009 and 2010 models. Subtle refinements in instrument panel graphics, windscreen adjustment, fluid reservoirs and LED auxiliary lights all provide visual clues, but it takes a sharp eye to tell the big difference: a new dual overhead cam cylinder head that only reveals its presence through redesigned valve covers.

            When riding, however, the difference is dramatic. As one would think, the DOHC speaks well to higher-revving performance. Redline is now 8,500, some 500 rpm higher than the previous model. There is a 5% increase in horsepower, now 110 at 7,750 rpm, and maximum torque is up, too: 88 lb-ft at 6,000 rpm. The real news is the engine's delivery of rich and meaty torque. It's very smooth, nice and linear, right from the bottom, more so than any Beemer in the past. The new engine is complemented by a clutch that modulates perfectly, making it much easier to maintain traction when riding off-pavement.

            This last feature proved exceptionally valuable during our test ride through the Sierra Nevada and Yosemite National Parks, where we encountered mud, slick off-cambers, large rocks and yes, over a foot of snow.

 

Meet the Camhead

BMW shows its heritage as a motor company with this one. Meet the Camhead. It is nice, very nice, and if you're into mechanical engineering, the chain-driven DOHC valve actuation system is pure minimalist artwork. Originally featured on the HP2 Sport and proven in countless miles of endurance racing, the engine's primary features have been well documented. Highlights include a new cam follower approach and adjustment technology. The good news is that reasonably capable owners can still adjust their own valves.

            The compact, radial valve head also features two spark plugs versus the HP2's one. The fuel/air mixture passes through a larger throttle body and enters the combustion chamber through two sodium-filled, 3 mm intake valves, 8.4% larger than the previous engine to provide additional cooling. Exhaust valves measure 2 mm, 6.6% larger. Compression is rated at 12.0:1.

            In addition to the increased power, the new motor also makes note of itself through the exhaust pipe. Featuring an electronically controlled valve in the coupling between the cat converter and silencer, the sound is remarkably throaty, dare I say approaching bad boy? I am willing to bet you that some Beemerphiles will think it too loud. (I thought it rocked and sounded like a Ducati in tone.)

 

Suspension!

ESA (Electronic Suspension Adjustment) has made it to the off road. And, if you read Dirt Rider you know Jimmy Lewis thinks it's the next big thing in real off road bikes. Called Enduro ESA, it features modes for on-and off-pavement riding. There are spring preload setting choices for Solo, Solo + Luggage, and Pillion (on road), Moderate and Strong Bumps (off road), and rebound settings for Sport, Normal and Comfort (on road), and Soft, Normal and Hard (off road) for a total of fifteen different combinations.

            This seems rather technical for me, but the test bikes were all provided with this option and it did work. The effect wasn't all that much off-road. Personally, I would rather limit all this complexity with a set of Ohlins that I can adjust and get rebuilt myself. Yet, these new shocks are the best ever from the factory. The most useful setting was "Strong Bumps" which increased preload to raise the shocks up higher in their stroke. It was fun bashing the daylights out of a bike I didn't have to pay for over massive rocks and ruts. If it were my bike I'd be wincing, stoking its tank and telling it that I'm sorry. The 2010s took it all in stride. Of course, I didn't check how true the wheels were at the end of the day.

            I was by no means the hardest rider. Plenty of the riding press went harder, way harder. More than a few bikes were dropped, more than a little severely. The bikes held up pretty well. There was a broken headlight, a cracked head with a tiny bit of oil leaking out of the spark plug hole, many-a-trashed driving light and valve cover guard. Thank the heavens above that BMW chose to leave the luggage off the bikes. I maintained my record of no crashes.

 

Shivering in the Sierras

I had forgotten just how lucky Californians are! It had been 14 years since my last ride in the Sierra Mountains, and the GS just may be the perfect motorcycle for it. The site of BMW's U.S. Press Launch was Tenaya Lodge, just outside the southern entrance to Yosemite National Park. Our route included gravel and dirt forest service trails, jeep trails, stream crossings, roots, rocks, mud puddles and an excellent selection of paved twisty roads. We clocked just under 200 miles for the day, punctuated by lunch at the Coulter Cafe.

            The Weather Channel foretold of rain in the morning, and the potential for snow in the afternoon. Having been caught in the Sierras before and forced to learn snow camping, I came prepared with a Gerbing electric jacket, throat collar, sweatpants, turtleneck microfiber layer and a selection of gloves. I had no fleece liner for the Darien, and the CANbus system wouldn't run my heated vest. Why BMW doesn't provide a simple fused outlet wired directly to the battery is beyond me. I was able to manage.

            A left turn from the hotel, and we were on the dirt after just a few miles. Mushy mud and deep gravel and, oh joy, I was on the Adventure with a full tank of fuel. Nothing the ESA could do made it better than airing down the tires just a tad more, and standing the whole way instead of my usual sitting. A few exuberant riders zoomed past, but I had nothing to prove on a two-way public road. I was not going to throw BMW's nice shiny motorcycle over the side of the hill.

            With more than 300,000 miles on various GS and G/S bikes, I have to say my preference tends away from the GS Adventure. Between saddle height and 60 pounds of gas up high, it is cumbersome off-road. Oh sure, there are pictures of people jumping them through the woods and deserts, but if one does that enough the bike's weight will destroy it in short order. That's not really what it's about anyway. The Adventure would be my choice for a long way 'round the world ride. The lower first gear and longer-travel suspension are plusses. Nothing touches it for two-up adventure touring or taller riders.

            The GS, in contrast with the Adventure, is a far more agile and flexible bike. It gives up very little to your everyday sport bike in tight twisties, can be loaded to the sky with camping gear and still get along at a good clip. It never breaks a sweat whether it's urban crawl or the trail to a primitive campsite in a wildlife management area or anywhere in between. One of my favorite things about the GS, and the 2010 has it in spades, is how supremely smooth and competent it feels after returning to the pavement from an off-road bash. There is no other bike that does this.

            Both bikes can be accessorized to the nines with a rich array of carbon fiber, aluminum, stainless steel and electronic accessories. I can see a carbon fiber front fender, but really, chrome-plated cylinder head covers? Gack! One very practical feature is that the saddle bag mounts protect the exhaust silencer, saving you a chunk of change when you have a get-off.

            This level of personalization went together well with our lunch, a fete that included amazing mixed field greens and vegetables, kim chi, Cuban sandwiches, and half a dozen other entrees and desserts that I dared not gorge myself on if I didn't want it all bouncing around in my stomach during the afternoon's ride.

            As we ate, rain came through and the temperature dropped. I could feel it coming on...one gets a real sense of the weather moving in the Sierra, and my radar was going off. Thankfully, the afternoon ride was on the GS, and even with a full tank of gas I rode with the fastest group over Bull Creek Road, a rocky mountainside ledge of a track full of steep switchbacks and large loose rocks. It brought back memories of why I love the Sierra Mountains so much.

            With the opportunity to ride both bikes, I also was able to compare Metzeler Karoo and Continental TKC80 enduro tires. The Continentals win, hands down. They handled both dry and wet better, and imparted a greater sense of confidence when conditions got dicey.

            As we pulled into Yosemite Valley, the rain turned to sleet, then to slush, then snow. As we snacked on power bars and put chemical warming packets in our gloves, I got to thinking about my introduction to snow camping in these very mountains some years ago on my G/SPD. I got stuck in the woods in July just north of the park, and set up camp at the point where I could make no more forward progress.

            We were supposed to shoot pictures in front of Half Dome, Bridal Veil Falls and El Capitan, but unfortunately the clouds were so low you couldn't even see these scenic views. A quick conversation with one of the ride leaders, and a small group of us (forever now known as the Surviving Seven) decided to split. The road back to the hotel included a 6,000-foot pass and snow was steadily building on the roads.

            A few miles up the hill we encountered a slip-n-slide accident, and after the CHP let us around, they closed the road. I took it easy on the throttle and the clutch, and kept my feet on the pegs. Thank God for heated grips. There was a little blinking snowflake in the LED display to let me know it was below freezing.

            We eventually made it back to Tenaya, unstuck ourselves from the ice-covered bikes and basked in the glory of Adventure. Todd Anderson, BMW Motorrad's marketing guy, said "We put the 'A' in Adventure." I added, "Only BMW riders are dumb enough to be out riding in weather like this!"

            As the ice melted off my Aerostich by the fire, with scotch in hand and munching on crab cake appetizers, I thought we were pretty hardy souls. My bubble burst as Jimmy Lewis entered the lobby with buddy Jess McKinley in tow, both covered with way more ice than we were. Those two took the lower elevation, but longer, route back to the hotel, riding mountainous dirt roads in the dark, in a foot of snow. I'd say they put the "a" in awesome.

 

No Other Bike

A good friend from long ago, Turkey Tom, founder of the GS International club in the 1980s once said, "If I can only have one bike, it'd have to be the GS." Yes, other bikes could have made this ride today, but no other bike could have done it in such style. Especially with a good set of tires, you can do what's needed with these motorcycles. No other bike handles a wider range of what's needed.

            However, Ducati, Triumph, Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki are barking up BMW's adventure riding tree. Having ridden BMWs off road for more than 30 years, and having experienced the simply effective, the supremely capable GS, and the heart pounding HP2e, I'd like to share a few ideas for what a next generation GS should feature in order to keep BMW at the front of an aggressive pack.

            The first is two-wheel drive, preferably a hydrostatic system or perhaps really radical, an electric servo drive. Ohlins has demonstrated this technology on its parent company's Yamaha dirt bikes. Ideally you could modulate the amount of front wheel engagement for added control. This system is perfect for the heavy GS and its powerful engine, which really can't loft a wheel very easily but can hammer over or through almost anything, given enough momentum and traction.

            Next, and almost equally important, a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission). Given the flat twin's massive and flat torque curve, this technology would be extremely advantageous when riding off-pavement with a heavy load, especially in combination with 2WD. Does anyone remember the Rokon dirt bikes of the 1970s? They could climb trees.

            Active suspension would automate the ESA concept and apply it in real time. Imagine smacking a rock and have the suspension automatically stiffen so as to not bottom out. The system could be powered by the same hydrostatic pump that ran the 2WD.

            It's time for a carbon graphite chassis. Not only would it look cool, be stiff and weigh far less, but it would also function well when skidding over obstacles that exceed the bike's ground clearance. Last, and a bit out there, convertible tires. There has got to be a way to push a button and switch from street tires to knobs. Wouldn't that be great? Hey, we're talking the next 30 years here! I can't wait to see what's coming. See the complete listing of specifications and options at http://www.bmwmoa.org.

THE SPECS:

 

                                                                  BMW R 1200 GS                        BMW R 1200 GSA

Power Unit

Capacity                                   cc                             1,170                                        1,170

Bore/stroke                                mm                           101/73                                       101/73

Max output                                 hp                             110                                           110

at                                             rpm                           7,750                                        7,750

Max torque                                 lb-ft                          88                                             88

at                                             rpm                           6000                                         6000

Configuration                                                             Flat-twin                                    Flat-twin

No of cyls                                                                                 2                                              2

Compression ratio/fuel grade                                        12.0:1/Premium unleaded             12.0:1/Premium unleaded

Valve layout                                                              DOHC                                       DOHC

Valves per cylinder                                                     4                                              4

Intake/exhaust valve dia             mm                           39/33                                        39/33

Throttle butterfly dia                    mm                           50                                             50

Engine management                                                    BMS-K+                                     BMS-K+

 

Electrical System

Alternator                                   W                             720                                           720

Battery                                      V/Ah                         12/14, maintenance-free              12/14, maintenance-free

Headlight                                                                   H7                                            H7

Starter                                       hp                             1.5                                            1.5

 

Power Transmission/Gearbox

Primary ratio                                                              1.737                                        1.737

Gear ratios I                                                               2.375                                        2.600

II                                                                              1.696                                        1.696

III                                                                             1.296                                        1.296

IV                                                                             1.065                                        1.065

V                                                                              0.939                                        0.939

VI                                                                             0.848                                        0.848

Rear-wheel drive                                                         Drive shaft                                 Drive shaft

Final drive ratio                                                          2.91                                          2.91

 

 

Running Gear

Front wheel guidance                                                   BMW Telelever                           BMW Telelever

Rear wheel guidance                                                   BMW Paralever                          BMW Paralever

Overall spring travel, front/rear     in                              7.5/7.9                                      8.3/8.7

Castor                                       in                              4.0                                            3.8

Wheelbase                                 in                              59.3                                          59.5

Steering head angle                     °                               64.3                                          63.8

Brakes                                      front                         Dual disc brake, dia 12.0 in          Dual disc brake, dia 12.0 in

                                               rear                           Single disc brake, dia 10.4 in        Single disc brake, dia 10.4 in

 

Wheels                                                                      Cast                                         Cross-spoke

front                                                                          2.5 x 19                                     2.5 x 19

rear                                                                            4.0 x 17                                     4.0 x 17

Tires                                          front                         110/80 R 19                               110/80 R 19

rear                                                                            150/70 R 17                               150/70 R 17

 

 

Dimensions and Weight

Length, overall                           in                              87.0                                          88.6

Width, overall, with mirrors           in                              36.6                                          37.6

Handlebar width, without mirrors    in                              36.6                                          37.4

Seat height                                in                              33.5                                          35.0

Dry weight                                                 lb                              448                                           492

Wet weight                                lb                              504                                           564

Max permissible weight                lb                              968                                           1045

Tank capacity                            gal                            5.3                                            8.7

 

 

Performance Data

Fuel consumption                       90 km/h ltr/100 km      4.3                                            4.6

120 km/h ltr/100 km    5.5                                            6.1

Acceleration                               0-62 mph, sec           3.7                                            3.95

Top speed                                  mph                          125 plus                                    125 plus