1996 BMW R 1100 GS review from United States of America
"Truly excellent sport tourer"
What things have gone wrong with the motorcycle?
Routine maintenance only.
General comments?
Bought as a 2 up sport tourer when the hog started acting up.
Needed to replace the seat with a Corbin, and handle bars from a K75 standard, in order to be comfortable.
The bike would be a complete flop as a dirt machine due to its weight, but that is not why I bought it. As a sport tourer it was excellent. I could hang with the best as long as speeds were kept to "grand touring" and not flat out racing.
Put on 52K miles in 2 years, and that was mostly sport touring. Some commuting in San Francisco traffic.
The bike is reliable as a hammer.
Seat a bit high for me (28" inseam), but doable.
This is my third Beemer. They are what they are, and do well at it. You won't knock off any GSXR's or KTM Dukes at their games, but for sport touring, I can't imagine anything better, and I have owned other sport tourers.
| Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model Year | 1996 |
| First year of ownership | 1996 |
| Acceleration marks | 8/10 |
| Roll-on Performance marks | 8/10 |
| Handling marks | 9/10 |
| Braking marks | 9/10 |
| Reliability marks | 10/10 |
| Comfort marks | 9/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 9/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 2 miles |
| Most recent distance | 52000 miles |
| Previous motorcycle | Harley-Davidson FXRS-SP Low Rider Sport |
| Date of Entry | 12th July, 2007 |