Pump up your tyres and ride cautiously. That’s the advice to riders of the new water-cooled BMW R 1200 GS. There is no doubt that the new BMW R 1200 GS  is a much-improved machine, especially its on-road performance. However, there has been some criticism of off-road performance because of the wider tyres. It has now emerged that some owners have been buckling the spoked rims more frequently than on previous models. Rims were damaged to the point of deflation on the Australian press launch leading writers to question the rim strength and one owner is on his third set after 12,500km. A combination of both? We asked BMW if the spoked rims are as strong as the previous model and they are adamant they are and dismiss claims that a new designed rim is on its way. However, they do agree the rims may be more vulnerable to impact because of the lower profile and softer construction of the tyres. The previous BMW R 1200 GS had a 110mm wide front tyre and 150mm rear. These have been widened to 120mm and 170mm.

At the same time, the profile, which is the height of the tyre, has been lowered from 80% (front) and 70% to 70-60. What this means is the wider tyre presents more opportunity to strike a sharp object and the approximately 4mm lower profile means there is less cushioning protection for the rim. BMW Group Australia motorcycle marketing manager Miles Davis defends the bike’s performance, but adds a cautionary note about riding off-road. In a written reply to my inquiries he adds some salient advice that he says is not only relevant to the new water-cooled BMW R 1200 GS, but also any bike with any rim and tyre combination. “The lower-profile tyre provides significant improvements in performance on road as well as some off road situations. However, if riding over larger sharp-edge-type rocks or other obstacles the following three points are very important: He also believes the Continental TKC 80 has a lighter construction than the previous tyre. “For riders who are looking for improved performance in rocky terrain another tyre choice may give a better result, but may not provide the same on-road performance.”

Miles says they have so far sold only six replacement front wheels to dealers from 462 water-cooled models sold. “So you can see that this is not a significant issue for BMW. Some of these could have been for accident insurance repairs etc, not necessarily off-road related,” he says.motorcycle shop amherst ma It may not be a significant issue for BMW, but it certainly is for owners at about $2334.25 per spoked rim. cafe racer for sale el pasoI also know that replacement rims have been purchased from overseas by owners seeking cheaper prices, rather than through BMW Australia, so there may be more than the reported six that have been damaged.motorcycle sales okinawa

The problem could be exacerbated because consumer expectations of off-roading ability are very high on the BMW R 1200 GS. This is a result of several factors. Not least is all the hype around Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor who took the Adventure models around the world. dayton craigslist motorcycle parts for saleThe bike’s off-road expectation has been further backed by the proven off-road ability of the previous-model GS. lazer revolution motorcycle helmet reviewThe manual also advises to use the spoked rims for “severe off-roading”. yamaha motorcycle wichita ksMeanwhile, BMW continues to advertise the bike as “Unstoppable” with images of the GS in mainly off-road scenarios.

However, consumers will clearly need to adjust their expectations of off-road ability for this bike as well as many of the other heavy adventure bikes on the market. They may look like indestructible tanks, but you also need to exercise some caution. Check out our latest motor bike news and motorcycle reviews. Michelin Anakee Wild ticks all the boxes ( 1 2 3) FS: 2 sets of Continental TKC80 Tires Scorpion Trail 2 or Trail Attack II Pirelli Scorpion Trail 2 First Impression First impression new Conti TKC70's after 1500 miles Anakee III Tire Life and Wear Patterns Michelin Pilot Road Trail 4 Heidenau K60 Scout issues Continental TKC 70 Rebate Tyre sizes pre/post watercooled GS. My Experience with Michelin Anakee Wilds ( 1 2 3 ... Rolling commentary on my experience with Heidenau K-60 Scouts Going Offroad with Heidenau K76's (90/10) SOLD: Metzeler karoo 3, 200 miles on them, like new Showing threads 1 to 20 of 165

Hot thread with new posts Hot thread with no new posts BB code is On [IMG] code is On For the best viewing experience please update your browser to Google Chrome Best road tyres for a BMW R1200GS I have recently purchased a 2010 R1200GS which was fitted with Conti Trail Attacks from new. They are very grippy and confidence inspiring but the rear seems to be wearing out at an alarming rate after a 3500-mile tour around Scotland. I am based in Jersey, so the total mileage so far includes the running–in miles, trip up and through England on motorways and the tour around Scotland. I admit to giving the bike a good blast on the Isle of Skye, but other than that the majority of miles have been what I regard as normal every day road riding.Could you recommend a tyre that would be grippy, both in dry and wet conditions but would also give decent wear. I only do road riding, no off road at all. Dunlop have sold loads of their RoadSmart sports-touring tyre for GS BMWs with 110/80 x 19 and 150/70 x 17 sizes.