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V strom 1000 vs BMW r1200gs LC

89K views 200 replies 77 participants last post by  2thDr 
#1 ·
Has anyone here ridden both the new V2 and water cooled r1200gs that can share an objective comparison/experience?

Anyone come off of a r1200gs to a newer V2?

I know there is a large disparity in price, but I am considering both of these bikes.

Thanks.
 
#2 ·
For what the Vee2 is selling for, you could buy two Vees for the price of one GS.

Is the BMW a better bike? I have no doubt that it wins in the bells and whistles department, but is is worth twice the money?

If I had the disposable income, I'd look hard at a GS, Multistrada, or Super Adventure. I bought the Vee2 on price alone, but I have to say, I'm absolutely thrilled with it. I can't find any fault in it other than the lousy stock windscreen which is an easy fix.

I have no first hand experience with the new GS, but can vouch for how good the Vee2 is.
 
#3 ·
I have had beemers in the past and have always been tempted to pull the trigger on a gs but every time i rode a bmw the thought of how much money it cost to purchase and especially to maintain or repair changed the way i rode. I continue to ride v- stroms because the performance you get for the price you pay gives me a lot of fredom and pure joy when I ride! If you can ride the gs and not think about the 22,000 they want for them and you want ultimate comfort with off road capability you might love it. If you want to feel like its play time on a 1,000cc dirt bike all day every day buy the V!
 
#4 ·
I've rode both. For me the gs is better in every way. Its faster yet smoother at low revs, suspension is better, more comfortable, nicer seat, pegs further back so no sore tail bone, brakes better, finish better to. But in the uk the gs is 12 grand for base model and the strom is 8 and a half, I've not got the extra so I own a strom!
 
#6 ·
The GS is a better motorcycle in many ways. Better components, more refined, slightly more comfortable, faster, better off-road… Is it worth the extra money? Judging by the numbers sold worldwide I'd say most people would think it is. I personally don't... but then again I haven't spent too much time on it.

For the price, my Strom is a pretty amazing bike! And for long-term reliability and cost of maintenance, I'll put my money on a Suzuki over BMW any day.

With that said, if both bikes cost the same… I'd probably have gone for the GS.
 
#152 ·
This.
My brother-in-law has a 2016 R1200GS with every option and I have a 2014 V-Strom, so I've spent time on both. As a bike, the GS is better in every way. The motor has 25hp more than the V-Strom, it's smooth all the way to the redline and it has a ton of torque. It's a blast to ride. It has features that the V-strom could only dream of ...electronic suspension, cornering ABS, different riding modes, cruise control, integrated GPS, anti-dive suspension, etc.

I can't say how the bikes will fair down the road as far as cost of ownership, but from a pure bike comparison point of view the GS does everything that V-Strom does and much more. Is it worth the extra cash? That's a personal decision. I used to own a 2013 F800GS and felt that it was overpriced, that you didn't get enough bike and features for what it cost. I don't feel that way about the 2016 GS. If I had the money to spend, I would put one in my garage.

The V-Strom is still a fantastic bike for the price, but it doesn't compare to the GS in my opinion.
 
#7 ·
The GS is the better bike in every single way except price. If you can buy a GS outright without any concern for the cost then it's the bike to get.
 
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#21 ·
We've got a few GS's in our bike club and as nice as they are one guy has been chasing electronic gremlins ( faulty coils ) or something for months. Servicing is a major cost and whatever you do don't drop it cause you'll have to sell your kidneys to replace broken bits. But having heard all the moaning I'd buy one if I could afford it. Think when I'm ready to upgrade it'll be to the V.
 
#22 ·
good information to know

After reading the good about Vstroms and the bad about BMWs my mind is now now clear.
My 2007 DL1000 has lots of mileage but still works great. It's fun and reliable. Although I know that it can't last forever. Can it ? So a few weeks ago I sat on a new red R1200GS in a show room and loved it. Not the adventure model that is 2 inches higher and doesn't fit my short legs. I brought home a brochure and a week later returned with my wife just to climb abard and sit with me. I'm sure the young salesman thought he had a deal.
But I've just decided to toss the BMW brochure, because having bike porn like this in the house can be very dangerous. When the time comes, a new Suzuki 1000 will be my replacement.
What was I thinking? Riding all over the US and Canada has changed my life and my Vstrom has been awesome. Why would I switch brands?
 
#25 ·
murdock2002, all things considered, in my opinion the answer to your question depends on how important the final price is to you. I own a '14 tan Vee2 and a '15 R1200GSW. I consider both to be excellent motorcycles. The GSW is more highly refined. What stands out most about it to me is the superbly comfortable ride. It does all things well. The Vee2 by comparison is lighter and quicker handling. It too does all things well, but not quite as well as the GSW. I use the GSW for longer rides and the Vee2 for sporty rides working the curvy roads. I am in the process of doing stage 1 mods to the Vee2 to further its abilities in this regard. I have a Power Commander installed and the Arrow full system on order from Rick. Either bike can be used for both purposes. If I had to choose only one of the two, I would choose the GSW. It is simply the standard by which all others are judged. The Vee2 is close to it and a real bargain for the price. The Vee2 is great fun and I love riding it.
 
#28 ·
^ I felt that way at first but got used to it, especially after getting it aired down enough. It is designed to use very little air. Just enough so you barely touch through to the seat thereby distributing the seat pressure more equally around your butt. At least that's how I'm using it. It does strap down (I just didn't strap it on for the pics last night). I'm not using it for daily commuting, but I did use it for the long 2600-mile trip. In the tight twisties and aggressive riding, I tend to move forward on the seat, closer to the tank, for better control. In that position only sitting on about 3/4 to 1/2 of the hawk, it flattened out under my butt and I felt absolutely secure in the seat with no unexpected sliding or shifting. Out of the twisties, I'd sit right on it.
 
#31 ·
I gnashed my teeth over a used R1200 or a new ('14) Vee 2. As for many others it came down to price in 3 different aspects:

Price of bike-Getting a new Vee2 with no down and no interest on the loan was very compelling
Price of parts-I did the comparison...prices for Vee parts are just way lower and also for aftermarket
Cost of service-German vs Japanese, need I say more?

I do get mine in the dirt some...fire trails. This means swapping Battlewings for Heidies, getting the bash plate, etc. I'll never be Ewan McGregor though and the Vee is perfectly capable of hitting the kind of dirt I'm in to.

I love my Vee 2.
 
#32 · (Edited)
I have the recent CR stats on the BMWs vs Yamaha/Suzuki/Hondas in reliability and major problems. You won't like them and the sample size is a very large number.
 
#33 ·
I gnashed my teeth over a used R1200 or a new ('14) 650 in my case. I know thats not the typical comparison.
But i decided i could get the wee and if in the future i need more of everything (especially two-up), i would look for a used FJR. And still be dollars ahead!
 
#37 ·
I know all about the resale value of a strom. My v2 is a 14 model registered march 15. Here in uk the bike was 10grand now cut to 9 by suzuki, I paid 9 and was offered 6grand last week as a trade in! 3 thousand pounds lose in 6months! My last bike a tiger800 lost 2 and a half grand in 3 years!!!!
 
#41 ·
Again, I know there are BMW bashers here. I respect that. But I'll stick to facts and present my case that way. Reputation is hard to fix, and I agree that BMW's reputation has been tarnished and it will take time to earn improvements to it.

The Shock recall buyback: ONE and only one bike had a failure. BMW stopped sales and made an outstanding effort to take care of owners till satisfied the shocks were up to par. What would Suzuki have done?

I don't know why anyone would have to spend several hundred dollars per year on a fuel strip, I really doubt that failure rate. But at any rate if it was done at a BMW shop the owner can be reimbursed for all costs, it will be on record. The fuel strips don't leave you stranded but sure are an example of past generation machines that were not as good as they should be. How would Suzuki handle that?

Wheel Flange: yes they are being replaced. None left owners stranded or caused accidents. Again, if you have reciepts or had a BMW shop do a replacement costs will be reimbursed.

Who is paying $20 for a BMW oil filter? Retail cost is $18.95. I just bought a pack of 4 for $38.95.

The Consumer Reports list that seems to be going around is actually quite dated in the data it displays. But any report can be interpreted to lean in any direction you wish.

I am seeing year old DL 1000's offered for $7500. Probably looking at a $4500-5000 loss. I just looked for some used 2014 GS BMW's. Looks like the Suzuki is going to cost a LOT more to own in the first year at least! Percentage or dollars, take your pick.

But, I do get it. Been up against this before. Done with my points! :grin2:
 
#44 · (Edited)
Again, I know there are BMW bashers here. I respect that. But I'll stick to facts and present my case that way. Reputation is hard to fix, and I agree that BMW's reputation has been tarnished and it will take time to earn improvements to it.



The Shock recall buyback: ONE and only one bike had a failure. BMW stopped sales and made an outstanding effort to take care of owners till satisfied the shocks were up to par. What would Suzuki have done?



I don't know why anyone would have to spend several hundred dollars per year on a fuel strip, I really doubt that failure rate. But at any rate if it was done at a BMW shop the owner can be reimbursed for all costs, it will be on record. The fuel strips don't leave you stranded but sure are an example of past generation machines that were not as good as they should be. How would Suzuki handle that?



Wheel Flange: yes they are being replaced. None left owners stranded or caused accidents. Again, if you have reciepts or had a BMW shop do a replacement costs will be reimbursed.



Who is paying $20 for a BMW oil filter? Retail cost is $18.95. I just bought a pack of 4 for $38.95.



The Consumer Reports list that seems to be going around is actually quite dated in the data it displays. But any report can be interpreted to lean in any direction you wish.



I am seeing year old DL 1000's offered for $7500. Probably looking at a $4500-5000 loss. I just looked for some used 2014 GS BMW's. Looks like the Suzuki is going to cost a LOT more to own in the first year at least! Percentage or dollars, take your pick.



But, I do get it. Been up against this before. Done with my points! :grin2:
You ask " how would Suzuki handle that"? PREVENTION --- focus your engineering on reliability rather than bleeding edge, complex technology. One could argue Suzuki has superior engineering on that basis.

The fuel strips are simply extremely expensive to replace. Lots of labor. BMW did pay for his first one. Each required my friend to burn a day off work to get to the dealer and wait all day. Eventually BMW declined to pay. The dealer told him they have no real fix. Shouldn't you be able to expect a fuel gage on a $20,000 bike? I would.
Sent from Motorcycle.com Free App
 
#47 ·
Well, I wasn't going to reply to this thread again. One thing is all the third party stuff. "My brother in laws dad said his final drive went out." I have found the real truth lies in a different path from many of the posts on subjects like this.

The truth is that BMW has an improved fuel strip that seems to be fine. For those with bikes having the older ones still in place BMW has extended the warranty. For those that spent their own money for replacement parts, they will reimburse you. Apparently you don't need receipts if done at a BMW facility, you may need a reciept if done outside of the BMW network.

BMW letter on fuel strip. Here is an example of a "fact" like I mentioned above.

BMW Letter
 
#48 ·
Therein lies the rub....BMW could not get the "strip" to work, that's why they moved away from it in mid MY 2011. You have a traditional float now. Much like when BMW thought power assisted brakes would be a good idea...that lasted 3-4 years then back to traditional.

BMW spends more money for "answers to questions that were never asked", than they do on QC of what is being produced. For the premium price they charge, they should make a more reliable product. BMW seems to follow the idea that their consumers have very short memories.
 
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