MCN Fleet: BMW R1200GS Rallye's first 1000 miles

Published: 02 June 2017

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With 1100+ miles already racked up over the last three weeks, I know I was right to be excited by this latest addition to the GS family. In daily duties I love the commandingly dominant road presence, the versatility of panniers, and the inherent promise that you can go anywhere with the minimum of fuss.

The new Dynamic ESA is hugely impressive, the drivetrain mods have added smoothness and refinement, and when the Rallye’s beak sniffs dirt, you can let it follow its nose, selecting the absurdly flattering Enduro Pro mode, and relying on the bike to get you into – and out of – scenarios that are only limited by your bravery (or tyres).

Highlights

1170cc liquid-cooled boxer twin
Claimed power 125bhp @ 7750rpm
Claimed torque 92.2ftlb @ 6500rpm
Next generation Dynamic ESA
Fully-loaded ‘Sport’ edition
Updated drivetrain for 2017

Talking of rubber, my bike came fitted with Michelin’s Anakee IIIs, and I can’t wait to take them off. They’re a perfectly adequate option, offering acceptable grip in most situations, but I don’t like them on the GS. They feel vague in the wet (and skittish on white lines and overbanding) and numb at aggressive pace in the dry, and having back-to-back tested many dual-purpose options the Anakees are close to the bottom of my preference list – with the Tourance Next being by current favourite. I’ll be testing other options as soon as I can.

Plans for adventures this year include a visit to Wales to take part in the GS Trophy qualifiers, a lap of Scotland’s North Coast 500 route, and my most ambitious plan is to do an entire lap of the UK coastline in a week, covering a 5000-mile route.

See more updates on our R1200GS Rallye longtermer.

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By Richard Newland

Group Editor - With over 40 years of riding experience and 21 years as a bike journalist, Rich has ridden nearly every new bike of the past two decades and many historical models dating back to the 1930s. He is particularly passionate about sportsbikes from the 1990s and early 2000s, and he loves big bikes that handle well and are suited for long-distance travel. Rich enjoys challenging rides, such as a non-stop 1703.5-mile trip from Land’s End to John O’Groats and back. In his personal collection, Rich owns a 2007 Honda VTR1000 SP-2, a 1998 Ducati 996, a 1986 Suzuki GSX-R750 ‘Slabby’, a 1998 VFR800FiW, and a 1975 Honda CB750 SOHC Dunstall.