2001 BMW R1150GS

I am probably the world’s worst bike buyer because I simply can’t make up my mind of what bike to have. In the past I have owned several bikes from R1s to Harleys but still haven’t found the Holy Grail.

The problem is whilst I am in the fortunate position of being able to buy any bike up to the value of around £10k, due to marital constraints, I am only allowed to have one bike in the garage. So, I needed to purchase a bike that could satisfy the majority, if not the whole, of my biking needs.

In my search I came across the R1150GS, which is the third generation of the BMW GS (Gelande Strasse). When you first take one for a spin on the complimentary test ride that all BMW Dealers offer, you feel as though you are riding the motorcycle equivalent of a 4×4 because of the commanding riding position and long travel suspension.

The engine doesn’t feel anything special but gives a good turn of speed and a tremendous amount of grunt out of the turns. This you start to notice more and more as you ride and enjoy the beautiful drive and pull out of the corners that only a big twin can offer.

It also inspires confidence because you feel as though the tyre will always dig in and grip and not spin out from under you like a more powerful inline four does.

One big shock to the system is the suspension. As soon as you approach your first proper braking area, such as a roundabout or a tight corner, you suddenly realise that the bike doesn’t really dive under breaking.

The whole bike tends to sit down a little and gives you a superb feeling of balance under braking. I have yet to experience this on any conventionally suspended bike and is down to BMW’s patented telelever suspension where in simple terms you have a swinging arm on the front of the bike.

As you continue on your test ride you are aware of how easy the bike is to lean and how accurate the steering is. If like me you take the bike through a town you realise that the bike is so well balanced as you travel slowly through the traffic, and when you approach junctions you rarely put your feet down.

After riding the bike for more than an hour you also start to notice that you do not ache anywhere and that the ergonomics of the bike fall easily to hand.

The only gripe I have is that it would be better if you could push to cancel each indicator, like Harley do on their bikes, instead of having a separate switch. The wide handlebars enable the mirrors to be in an excellent location and they provide a superb view of what is behind you.

After returning back to the dealer you discuss price and availability only to find that there is a waiting list and because of this there are no discounts available. This is not such a bad thing, because it keeps the residual values high and also gives you a chance to save for the little extras that are available like pannier rails, heated grips, ABS, hand guards and a different colour scheme.

I purchased one and can honestly say that after the initial excitement of buying a new bike is over, the more you ride the GS the more you like it.

You will also realise that this is without doubt the best all-round bike money can buy and will never have you disappointed with your purchase. Even when you go for a run with all your sports-bike pals you are easily able to keep up in supreme comfort and enjoy the ride more because they will struggle to match your pace in the twists and turns.