BMW R850GS > Reviews > R850GS long distance review

Author's product rating:   

Comfort	Good
Handling	Excellent
Looks	Good
Features	Excellent
Fuel consumption	Good

Advantages:	Superb Handling and build quality
Disadvantages:	Expensive service costs

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

For any of you contemplating the purchase of a s/h R850GS, I owned one for 12 months last year and would endorse it as the "best" bike I have ever owned.
For two and a half months I traveled Europe from the battle fields of Ypres through Normandy, Brittany , to the Dordoine. Then accross the French Alps into Italy. Right accross Italy to Austria via the Brenner Pass, then down to Vienna. Back to Bavaria, then along lake constance accross into France again and via Champagne, Poitiers and central France to Calais and Home.
throughout this journey, the GS performed impeccably, no breakdowns,glitches or any problem, even one stretch where I was in the saddle from 9am to 9am travelling right accross France, she didn't miss a beat.
Overall the GS gave good economy (45 ish MPG) superb handling (fitted with Metzler tyres) and superb reliability.
If you are looking for a bike to "eat the miles", you should look no further, whilst service costs are slightly higher than other bikes, I liken my GS to a tin of Ronseal! and as the add says "It does what it says on the tin"!!
If looking to purchase any GS, look for a good main dealer service record, buy if possible from a dealer and get the BMW insurance, which after needing a hospital visit in Bavaria, I can vouch for as superb.
The only major drawback with buying a GS, is that you dont want to do "small" journeys on it, its the sort of bike that you jump on to "pop to the shops" and "end up in Cardiff"!! Because a short ride seems to insult its capabilities.