Test Ride: 2006 BMW R1200GS Adventure Review - Adventure

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Last updated 29 mai 2024

Test Ride: 2006 BMW R1200GS Adventure Review - Adventure

Motorcycle companies like to introduce new models to the press with a maximum of flair. It might be in Las Vegas, with a sound and light show highlighting the latest chromed cruiser on stage. Or it mi
Page 1 of 3Motorcycle companies like to introduce new models to the press with a maximum of flair. It might be in Las Vegas, with a sound and light show highlighting the latest chromed cruiser on stage. Or it might be a race track, where the scribblers can go as fast as they are capable of, and write learnedly about suspension fiddles and tire adhesion. But what about a dual-purpose machine, where gnarly roads are the appropriate venue, with loose rocks and soft sand and deep water providing appropriate challenges? Photo Credit: TotalMotorcycle.comTry an intro in South Africa, specifically the Baviaanskloof Wilderness Area down in Cape Province, traversed by just one deliciously long stretch of poor to bad road, going from flattish valley to multiple water-crossings to a rocky mountain. That last was a prize, as this old road had been carved into the mountainside many, many years ago, and the annual rains had washed all the dirt away, leaving nothing but the sloping surfaces of rounded rock to navigate. Ideal GS country, requiring a good grip on the handlebars and bottom gear to negotiate. This was all part of an extended new-model BMW intro, with the R1200 GS Adventure portion being the best bit by far. The GS stint began one fine, beautiful morning in a ten-star resort hotel on the shore of the Indian Ocean in a town called Knysna. Nine of us Americans woke to a sumptuous breakfast, and then went outside to greet our Adventures. These were lovely beasts, with panniers and top boxes and gas tanks that could take us over 300 miles. Big machines, which fuelled with almost eight gallons of gas and ready to go, probably weighed close to the 600-pound passenger, and the half ton GVWR has been reached. Fortunately, we did not have pillons on board.  Sponsor Ad How to resolve AdBlock issue? Action 2: Please disable your adblocker to continue browsing this site! Refresh this page Cutting to the chase, let me say if I were to choose a motorcycle for an extended trip around the world-say a year or more-the R1200GS Adventure would be the one. And before all you advocates of lightweight dual-purpose singles join the fray, let me explain what a trip like that consists of having done it myself. You load the bike with camping gear and all the rest, start in Europe, head east to India, catch a boat in Bombay which will take you and the bike to Kenya, ride down to South Africa, catch a flight to West Australia, ride a loop around that continent, hop over to New Zealand, then catch a plane to Panama. In all, 20,000 land miles, of which 90% will be on paved roads, the rest on reasonable dirt. Such a trip does not qualify as a boony-basher, but covers relatively civilized byways. Granted, if you take the road through Kenya’s Northern Territories in the rainy season, with mud two feet deep, you will find this Adventure bike a handful and a half. Another good reason for my choice is that BMW has one of the best dealer networks in the world, and you should be able to get motorcycle parts via any car dealer. A third factor is I like the shaft drive; chains are pretty darned good these days, but they need to be adjusted, wear out, and break. I’ll take that enclosed shaft, thank you very much. Back to Knysna: leaving the cost we began our trip with a little shakedown run on a dirt road over the Prince Alfred Pass in the Otienekwa Mountains, just to check us out, as our hosts said. We all performed adequately. Our half dozen. • Different Model Offerings BMW now offers two GS models; both have very similar specifications, except the Adventure offers a bit more for the long-distance enthusiast. Running gear is essentially the same, with a claimed 100 crankshaft horsepower at 7000 rpm. More important are the 85 lb/ft of torque at 5500 rpm. Power goes through the six-speed gearbox and the Paralever final drive. The only internal modification appears to be a more powerful alternator, putting out 720 watts as opposed to the 600 watts on the standard GS. The most noticeable addition to the Adventure is the bigger gas tank, protected by a hefty tubular crash guard; the cylinder heads are also well-protected, preventing accidental holing when negotiating lots of rocks. It also sports a big skid plate and a larger windshield, which can be angled to please the rider and does a good job at keeping the wind away. As standard boxer frame design goes, the engine serves as a stressed member of the chassis, along with two minimalist steel tubular frame sections, the seat section, and the single-sided swingarm. The Adventure’s Telelever front and Paralever rear suspensions are subtly changed from the standard, with longer spring travel at both ends, giving 8.3 inches instead of GS’s 7.5 inches. The Telelever has the same 27.1 degrees of rake, but the trail on the Adventure is extended half an inch, from 4.25 to 4.75. The cross-spoked wheels carried the optional knobby Continental TKC 80 tires, which are rated to 90 mph, and work quite well in sand and mud. Wheelbase is 59.4 inches. The adjustable seat has two positions, high and higher, at 35.2 and 36 inches. With an inseam of 34 inches, I had no problem, and even the short-legged one in our group had no real problem. The seat narrows at the front, making it easy to slide off to one side and get a toe down. Next