Xt660 vs gs1200

[team tractor]

Evening boys and girls . It looks like I’m getting another bike next year and I’ll have a 5000 budget . 
I’d got my heart set on an xt660tenere  but my mrs has thrown a spanner in the works and like the look of a bmw GS1200 . Looking into it I’m noticing they fetch the same money . 
The XT will have 10-20,000 miles but tge GS will be 40,000 .ish .

give me your opinions please guys 

[team tractor]

[eggy74]

Huge weight difference between those bikes, what is your intended purpose? for 2 up touring the bmw every time

[team tractor]

2 hours ago, eggy74 said:

Huge weight difference between those bikes, what is your intended purpose? for 2 up touring the bmw every time

Well it was a toy I could ride to the coast on but now the mrs has stated she wants to tour with me 🤦🏻‍♂️. I’d like to tour the uk a lot more with her on the back with panniers and a tent . 
im worried about repair bills on an old bmw but also the space in my garage . Having 4 kids bikes I’m struggling for room 

[RCB56]

To save you having to choose, get both and a bigger garage.

[team tractor]

5 hours ago, RCB56 said:

To save you having to choose, get both and a bigger garage.

I wish 😂. Can I borrow 5k 

[ratchers]

I few of my mates have GS's and swear by them, I had a test ride on one and they are a big bike but very easy to ride.

I think it depends on your useage, who's going to use it more, yourself solo or going two up, if its 90% you then the xt if its 50 50 the gs.

[billytheghillie]

buy a car, much safer, oh and a caravan.👍

[London Best]

17 hours ago, team tractor said:

I wish 😂. Can I borrow 5k 

If that means that when you have bought one bike you then do not have 5k left in my eyes you cannot afford the first bike.

[Pops_Hants]

There's pro's and con's to both, I like that the GS has a drive shaft and therefore no chain maintenance, however the Yamaha will be far simpler to work on should it need it.

I'd consider a GS, vs a GS Adventure, the Adventure model having a larger tank is useful but the rest isn't needed unless truly off roading. If touring though I'd look for a bike with cruise control, it's a wonderful gadget that really does make a difference.

 

You've lots of time to decide, so joint the respective forums on facebook an spend some time researching reliability etc.

[team tractor]

4 hours ago, London Best said:

If that means that when you have bought one bike you then do not have 5k left in my eyes you cannot afford the first bike.

I have 5k so how can I not afford it   I’m lost on this comment. 
a bikes a play thing I’m saving up for 

[team tractor]

3 hours ago, Pops_Hants said:

There's pro's and con's to both, I like that the GS has a drive shaft and therefore no chain maintenance, however the Yamaha will be far simpler to work on should it need it.

I'd consider a GS, vs a GS Adventure, the Adventure model having a larger tank is useful but the rest isn't needed unless truly off roading. If touring though I'd look for a bike with cruise control, it's a wonderful gadget that really does make a difference.

 

You've lots of time to decide, so joint the respective forums on facebook an spend some time researching reliability etc.

My mate got down 2 drive shafts on his r model . The road version in 40,000 and thinks they could be heavier on them due to the angle of a higher bike . I just want simplicity 😎. 
I use cruise control all the time in my van to keep my license 😂. It’s really handy and I hadn’t thought about it 😎👍

10 hours ago, ratchers said:

I few of my mates have GS's and swear by them, I had a test ride on one and they are a big bike but very easy to ride.

I think it depends on your useage, who's going to use it more, yourself solo or going two up, if its 90% you then the xt if its 50 50 the gs.

I’m just concerned in garage space 

6 hours ago, billytheghillie said:

buy a car, much safer, oh and a caravan.👍

A good caravan is £10-15k 😞 . I have my Vw T6.1 for the family /work and a terios 4x4 for shooting but miss the bikes .

I won’t start racing again tho as I’m getting too old for falling off 

[Gordon R]

Yamaha is easier to chuck about and I would suggest more fun. Having ridden both, albeit some years ago - the BMW was smooth, but heavy and boring.

[BlaserF3]

Honda Pan American is the one to buy, if you don't mind going a little slower the Deauville is a good bike.

 

[team tractor]

9 hours ago, BlaserF3 said:

Honda Pan American is the one to buy, if you don't mind going a little slower the Deauville is a good bike.

 

I’m 100% set on adventure sport 👍. I have an enduro background 

9 hours ago, Gordon R said:

Yamaha is easier to chuck about and I would suggest more fun. Having ridden both, albeit some years ago - the BMW was smooth, but heavy and boring.

This is what I’m thinking until the mrs asked to go on it 

[Pops_Hants]

Is there a reason you're limiting the field to a GS and Tenere? There's loads out there, tiger, multistrada, super duke etc. 

I've owned a Tiger and ridden the GS, the GS is a better bike but it also has no character, I grew up on bikes and love things like the ducati rattle, the yamaha tick etc etc, so to me, the GS was clinically good, but it didn't excite me. The tiger was a twirp to handle low speed but was wicked fun in the twisties, and £7k cheaper for an equivalent used model compared to a GS.

Sounds like you'e got a few routes to consider going forwards, but either way you'll have loads of fun, adventure bikes are brilliant! I ended up selling my Tiger when I bought my first home, but I soon bought a Pan European, it's a great bike, just wish it had cruise control (hence my comment earlier on! 🤣)

 

[team tractor]

2 hours ago, Pops_Hants said:

Is there a reason you're limiting the field to a GS and Tenere? There's loads out there, tiger, multistrada, super duke etc. 

I've owned a Tiger and ridden the GS, the GS is a better bike but it also has no character, I grew up on bikes and love things like the ducati rattle, the yamaha tick etc etc, so to me, the GS was clinically good, but it didn't excite me. The tiger was a twirp to handle low speed but was wicked fun in the twisties, and £7k cheaper for an equivalent used model compared to a GS.

Sounds like you'e got a few routes to consider going forwards, but either way you'll have loads of fun, adventure bikes are brilliant! I ended up selling my Tiger when I bought my first home, but I soon bought a Pan European, it's a great bike, just wish it had cruise control (hence my comment earlier on! 🤣)

 

I think it’s the passion for enduro bikes . I looked at a new tenere 700 today 🙈. It’s beautiful 😂😂.  
I’m  going to have a look around at other bikes  before I purchase tho . 
 

[Pops_Hants]

6 hours ago, team tractor said:

I think it’s the passion for enduro bikes . I looked at a new tenere 700 today 🙈. It’s beautiful 😂😂.  
I’m  going to have a look around at other bikes  before I purchase tho . 
 

Fair mate, 

I love em too, loved my tiger, I think it's still for sale actually.. Just checked, and yes it is 🤣 https://www.cubomoto.co.uk/used-triumph-explorer-huddersfield-west-yorkshire-5224373

 

All I would say, is that they are overkill for touring, but then we always buy bikes more capable than what we use them for, a bit like most of our gun collection as well I assume 🤣

[team tractor]

28 minutes ago, Pops_Hants said:

Fair mate, 

I love em too, loved my tiger, I think it's still for sale actually.. Just checked, and yes it is 🤣 https://www.cubomoto.co.uk/used-triumph-explorer-huddersfield-west-yorkshire-5224373

 

All I would say, is that they are overkill for touring, but then we always buy bikes more capable than what we use them for, a bit like most of our gun collection as well I assume 🤣

That is a sexy looking bike tbf . I haven’t rode in 12 years so I’m nervous tbh on a 1200 . So easy to get in trouble riding . 
im thinking a 600 should hopefully keep my license and life . 

[millrace]

Africa twin,,,discussion over!.

[Madhatter2132]

Personally I'd go for the xtz, but I love big singles, there's nothing like them.

I've ridden a couple of gs's and didn't get on with them because they were too heavy, tall and wide for me but it was normally off road and getting someone else's bike out of a ditch or river or somewhere equally silly, that said I'm not that tall and I'm not that heavy, I know people that love them and some that hate them.

Touring and 2 up wise I've done a fair few camping trips with my Mrs on an nx650, back roads and a sedate pace is fine with 50hp imho

[London Best]

52 minutes ago, team tractor said:

I haven’t rode in 12 years so I’m nervous tbh on a 1200 . So easy to get in trouble

Nervous!
I bought a bike 6 months ago. 
I hadn’t had a bike for 52 years and just wanted something for local(ish) running about. 
I thought in my case the 125 Honda Monkey was plenty big enough.

[team tractor]

11 minutes ago, London Best said:

Nervous!
I bought a bike 6 months ago. 
I hadn’t had a bike for 52 years and just wanted something for local(ish) running about. 
I thought in my case the 125 Honda Monkey was plenty big enough.

I’m only 41 now 😂. I’ve always had 400 enduro bikes that I raced so love the big single . I did John o groats to landsend on a Honda c90 17 years ago 

30 minutes ago, Madhatter2132 said:

Personally I'd go for the xtz, but I love big singles, there's nothing like them.

I've ridden a couple of gs's and didn't get on with them because they were too heavy, tall and wide for me but it was normally off road and getting someone else's bike out of a ditch or river or somewhere equally silly, that said I'm not that tall and I'm not that heavy, I know people that love them and some that hate them.

Touring and 2 up wise I've done a fair few camping trips with my Mrs on an nx650, back roads and a sedate pace is fine with 50hp imho

I looked at a brand new one today . £10k . I think I might just have to do it next spring 

35 minutes ago, millrace said:

Africa twin,,,discussion over!.

Thought about it 

[BlaserF3]

The bike I used to have the most fun riding on the road was Husqvarna SM610 but the downside was the seat, 30 mins was quite long enough.

Incredible cornering and braking capabilities though 😁

[Pops_Hants]

12 hours ago, millrace said:

Africa twin,,,discussion over!.

It's really not though is it.... 😂
Great bike, but I'd argue there are far better bikes for road touring, not many can compete with it's capability off road though