2008 BMW R1200GS Adventure and R1200GS - Mossy Rides

Words/pics by: Chris Moss/Double Red

You could argue

BMW

didn’t need to update its best selling R1200GS models. They’re pretty much flying out of the showrooms as fast as the Germans can make them. And if the globe-trotting exploits of McGregor and Boorman are anything to go by, then the big adventure sportsbikes can only be judged as perfect all-terrain mile-eaters.

But time stands still for no manufacturer, and in an effort to maintain the superiority of the bikes, BMW has made some subtle changes to them.

On paper they don’t sound too radical. In reality they add up to give an appreciable improvement – especially to the broadness of bikes’ capability.

In fairness, you need to fit a few of the large range of available extras to the GSs to feel the full benefit. Do that, and you’re talking about bikes that are even more proficient and safer than they are already.

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R1200GS ADVENTURE
The full capability of the Adventure model became apparent during the launch of the GSs in Wales at BMW off-road skills school where, even with a novice like me on board, it dealt with all the challenges of the off-road terrain in a manner it has no right to. Make no mistake this bike is nothing short of amazing on the dirt. And that’s whether your name is McGregor or Moss.

I can’t say I was too keen on putting the 1200 to the test in the mud and gravel of the Welsh hills mind you. My own off-roading talents are about as impressive as my ball-room dancing skills, and the idea of trying to pilot what can only be seen as a behemoth of bikes seemed marginally short of suicidal. To my mind this wasn’t going to be a bike test, it was going to a muscle-busting survival test.

Thankfully the GS isn’t as big and unwieldy as it looks, and with its seat on the lowest setting even a short-arse like me can touch the floor. That fact alone makes the bike feel less intimidating and after a ten mile road trip out into the countryside I felt a lot more confident with it.

The journey had reminded me of the comfort and civility of the bike. The big screen keeps the elements at bay superbly and the heated grips (+£195) also made the chills of winter more distant. Allied to the really comfortable riding position and seat, together with a huge tank range and it’s easy to see that the BMW could clock up a massive daily mileage without presenting any sort of physical challenge. If you’ve loads of ground to cover, then this is your sort of bike.

Styling of the ’08 model isn’t too different to last year’s,’ and noticing the effect of some of the upgrades was a little tricky. There’s a bit more mid-range punch and an extra five bhp to play with, which makes the engine seem that bit keener. Though I really think you’d have to try the new and old versions of the bike back to back to tell if the difference was worth it to you or not. It’s the same story with the closer ratio gearbox which is also claimed to be slightly slicker.