I had a ktm lad from Aus comment on the video an I actually made that point about price my last R1200 GSA TE was close to 17k all said n done had it for 3 years tons of issues with it. Sold it for 11k No way it could have been kept without the extended warranty it lunched a few engines thanks to a dealer screw up a gearbox an a FD + on the first day I had it a set of clocks fail then endless fueling and esa issues.
In comparison I picked the V-Strom 650XT up 9 months old for £6,250 from a main dealers with next to no miles on so really if I hadn't bought the 1200 back in in the day just the depreciation would have covered the cost of buying the V-Strom n i would have had 11,000 quid to play with.
Had 5 Suzuki's now an even the 80s gsx750et was bulletproof the lad who had it off me uses it all the time to as he always sends me piccies.
Just the cost difference of self servicing the Strom + not having an extended warranty to pay for over the next few years will considerably lighten the cost of buying the V-Strom with the miles I was doing it was a couple of services a year on the BM an the cost of the extended warranty which all added up. I know some self service the big Beemers an some have no issues but mine was a nightmare but all brands have sunday bikes
was a fabulous bit of kit when it actually worked.Not to mention the MPG Difference even Vstrom to Vstrom weight ease off handling etc.
Here's the question though I just specc'd the new 1250 GSA to the same spec as my old 1200 GSA TE and it came out at 20k that wasn't even fully loaded an the V-Strom new is about £7,500 ish at some dealers usually or 7k pre reg
So is the GSA £13,000 quid more motorbike + all the servicing costs + The need really for a extended warranty if something goes wrong that's the question and that was part of the reason behind me going for the Strom other than what I mention in the video. When i sold my rd350lcs my bonnie n all my rd spares I was able to pick up a 1927 Norton an the Vstrom for the price of a GSA with a couple more options pretty crazy to think about.
If you were to compare to the old 1150 GSA the 650 XT is 45KG or so lighter an only 14hp difference in favour of the 1150 certainly makes you think.
I'm not criticising the Beemers in any stretch I think they are great bikes for certain circumstances and when money is no object they are a good solution I just wish they would ditch the endless tech and chasing HP I read on ADV Rider that there might even be a 1400GS coming out they are moving past the realms of ADV for my liking bring back a basic r80 g/s thats reliable in my book.
I reckon once I've managed to move house to Scotland or Devon I'm deffo going to look at a lightweight single cylinder 701, 300 rally or 300l and the 500 exc f keep catching my attention for my Norway n Iceland trip and for doing the Tet in addition to keeping the Vstrom the saving over if I bought another Gs justifies that I reckon or at least that's what I'm telling myself haha!
At some point I really need to try a Himalayan just to get it out of my system once I'm back in a job I'll have to get down to Nathan's place. Want to look at some one on one off road training at some point to as I hate riding in groups after a friend of mine passed away. Usually just tend to ride with my dad now or on my own
