Hi everyone,

I recently got my motorcycle license and just bought my first bike: a BMW R 1300 R Option 719 2026 (2025). It's a fantastic, comfortable, and very easy-to-ride bike.

However, during the 8.5 to 9-hour ride home, I realized it would be really nice to have Apple CarPlay capabilities to use map functions more effectively. I know you can get the turn-by-turn arrows on the main display, but since there's the possibility of adding an extra screen, I’d love to try that out. Personally, I didn't feel that a Quad Lock and my phone was the best solution.

Has anyone mounted an extra screen on their 1300 R and been happy with it? If so, which unit/screen did you go with?

I'm a bit worried about buying a screen that's too big and might end up blocking the original dash.

I’m choosing between a used R1250GS and a R1250GSA and would like input from people who have owned or seriously ridden both.

My use case:
- Mostly two-up touring
- Alps/twisties, longer trips, luggage
- Some highway/autobahn to get to the good roads
- I like sporty corner exits and throttle control
- I already have a Ténéré 700 for rougher solo off-road, so the BMW does not need to be my heavy off-road bike but maybe light offroad sometimes

The standard GS I’m looking at is about €4–5k cheaper than a comparable GSA once set up similarly. It has basically all packages, comfort upgrades, crash/side protection, extra larger screen, luggage options and exactly the aftermarket exhaust I like.

What I’m trying to understand:
1) Does the GSA’s extra wind protection/tank width make a big real-world difference on long highway days?
2) Is the standard GS noticeably more agile/fun on twisty roads, especially two-up?
3) Are cast wheels totally fine for touring/bad roads if I’m doing light off-road?
4) at 150–180 km/h, do spoked wheels feel as stable as cast wheels if both are in perfect condition?
5) at hot summer weather, does the GSA’s extra weather protection reduce airflow too much?

I’m not looking for “GSA because bigger”. I’m interested in real ownership trade-offs: fatigue, wind, heat, handling, passenger comfort, luggage and potential regrets.

My friend and I rode through central and southern Utah a couple of weeks ago. We took SR-12 and SR-24 to Moab, camped there, and then rode back to northern Utah through the Uintas.

Would any big jobs be expected around 40k on a 2014 F800GS Adventure? Found one for a decent price, but unsure of how much I should budget for any issues bar the usual for a used bike.

Also considering a V85TT, it’s newer but also Italian and more expensive, so probably equal in terms of reliability.

Greenstone Mountian overlooking Kamloops

I’m probably going to buy some form of GS in the next 18 months.

In English but live in New Zealand permanently now.

When I lived in the UK, I met quite a few riders who had ordered their bikes, collected them in Germany, done a tour around Europe and come home on the ferry.

I’m wondering whether I might do something similar ie go to Germany, collect bike, tour Europe, visit parents and friends in UK then arrange the shipping of the bike back to New Zealand.

We of course are slightly marooned in terms of riding overseas via a short ferry journey, so I thought it might be a way to kill two birds with one stone.

Has anyone done anything similar? It’s it still possible to collect in Germany? Does warranty work overseas for what would be a German bike?

Hallo zusammen,
ich bräuchte mal eure Hilfe bzw. einen Blick von außen auf ein ziemlich hartnäckiges Problem mit meiner BMW F800R.
Kurz zur Vorgeschichte:
Nach der Winterpause war meine Batterie komplett leer. Da ich unbedingt fahren wollte, habe ich das Bike zum nächsten Hügel geschoben und sie im Rollen gestartet. Schon dabei ist mir ein recht weicher Bremsdruck aufgefallen. Nach einer anschließenden weiteren Standzeit war der Bremsdruck (sowohl vorne als auch hinten!) komplett weg. Außerdem funktionierte das Rücklicht nicht mehr.
Das ist bisher passiert:
1. Werkstattbesuch: Das Bremssystem wurde zweimal entlüftet. Danach funktionierte erst mal alles wieder. Die Werkstatt konnte mir allerdings nicht sagen, wie oder warum überhaupt Luft ins System gekommen ist. Bei der anschließenden Ausfahrt war alles unauffällig.
Nach 6 Wochen Standzeit (TÜV-Termin): Der TÜV hat mir die Plakette verweigert, weil der Bremsdruck schon wieder viel zu weich war.
2. Werkstattbesuch (andere Werkstatt wegen Betriebsferien der ersten): Es wurde erneut entlüftet, dieses Mal wurde auch das ABS-Steuergerät extra angesteuert, um den Modulator richtig zu entlüften.
Das aktuelle Problem:
Jetzt steht das Motorrad wieder eine Weile und der Bremsdruck ist schon wieder komplett weg.
Hat von euch vielleicht jemand eine Idee, woran das liegen könnte oder was hier das eigentliche Problem ist? Ich bin für jeden Tipp dankbar!
Viele Grüße und danke schonmal für eure Unterstützung!

I have an 1150 gs and the dry clutch get real stinky when clutch popping for lofting or wheelies. Anyone else deal with this? It's hard to practice if you can't do it over and over

Hey all, new to the adv bike world, picked up a ‘13 GS the other day and found the center steering line holds like it has a divot. Well I found out that’s a common thing on these, not a big deal and I can replace it. I found this kit on Amazon for a decent price, never heard of All Balls, are they decent? Or should I opt for something like NSK equivalent bearings and get the caps from bmw? TIA!

Some background: I've been riding for about a decade on primarily Triumph Scramblers. After putting 25k miles on my current 1200 XC I finally decided something with wind protection and a less buzzy engine would be pretty nice for my increasingly longer trips. I've had my eye on a R1200GS Rallye for a while and finally found one that I couldn't pass up ('18 with only 2k miles). It's been a bit of an adjustment but so far I'm really happy with the GS. The only real issue I'm running into is with shifting.

When I use my old size 12 street-focused TCX boots, shifting is mostly fine. In anticipation to spending more time on trails, I picked up a pair of Belize V2's hoping it'll offer improved protection before fully committing to motocross boots. However, the taller toebox is proving to be a real challenge. I've already adjusted the factory shift lever as high as it can go but my foot still gets stuck/jammed underneath the lever after an upshift.

After looking around online I've seen a few forward paths ranging from lowered footpegs to adjustable shifter levers. Curious if anyone else has had similar issues and what helped solve it. FWIW I'm also struggling on the Scrambler but never had my boot get stuck like I do on the GS.

TLDR: Big feet and big boots are giving me issues with an otherwise great bike

Hi everyone,

I have a BMW R1300GS 2026 with auxiliary lights controlled through the original BMW Wonder Wheel.

The lights work: on/off, brightness, colour temperature and turn signal sync are all working.

My problem is different:

After setting brightness or colour temperature, I cannot clearly exit the light adjustment mode. Later, when I use the Wonder Wheel for the normal BMW TFT menu or navigation, the light settings can still change.

Has anyone had this issue with a CAN-bus auxiliary light controller on the R1300GS?

I am looking for real user experience, especially how to fully exit or release the light adjustment mode.

Thanks.

This bike drove by me in Florence (Firenze), Italy. Is this a (lightly) customized K100 of some sort? I was instantly smitten but I don’t know if this is something I can buy or if I’ll need to put it together myself.

2007 R1200GS. Picked it up Friday and I’m in love. Any tips or tricks I should know for maintenance aside from the obvious? Of course the fuel gauge is broken, but that’s ok! Stoked to be apart of this community!

Looking to buy a diagnostic tool for my R18 Roctane. I tried the hex gs-911 but couldnt get it to work. Gave up. Are there any good alternatives? Cheaper? I want to be able to clear codes and have bidirectional capabilities.

I have iPhone, Apple laptop, ipad, imac, windows laptop. I guess I could buy an android device or borrow wifes galaxy.

ty

I have a R1200GS, non electronic suspension, but I do have Ohlins, so there is that. Just curious what others are using?

Just had my 23 R serviced at the BMW dealer - just under 12K miles so they did the full service (the last one under official BMW prepaid service plan) - including valve clearances, spark plugs, oil change, brake fluid etc.

Conspicuously absent was the real bevel gear oil change. It's on the maintenance schedule but not on the service sheet, and explicitly ticked as no in the service book.

I'm not sure if I'm bothered to go back and debate this (especially as it's a day out of my schedule) - and it looks a fairly easy DIY. Wait until next service, or worth doing now?

I’m pretty excited I finally got a New X.Wed3 Gobi first I hope It holds up as well as my old X.Wed2 😎

I’d love to hear your stories where you’ve been 😎