[gs_rider]

I bought a BMW R1150GS and I consider it good value for the following reasons:



ABSII, Heated grips, Telelever, Paralever, comfort, torquey engine, fuel injection, integral luggage and hey - nothing else on the market look like it (some might say that's a good thing, but I digress).



Is it the best value? probably not. Is it the best at anything? hell no, it's just damn good at pretty much everything. I've done 700 miles days on it, had a ball riding it in the Vermont/MA twisties with the only limitation being my skill, not the bike's ground clearance, and on occassion I commute and shop for groceries. Once I get more comfy, I'll probably take it on gravel and fire roads.







Difference between BMW selling for $18,000 and HD selling for $18,000 is you get more for your money with a BMW than a HD. You get better techology, safer bikes, comfort and performance. What you do not get with a BMW is "The Harley Mystique", whatever the f*** that is. Also, a HD out the showroom door always gets a few more thousand spent on it for cosmetic purpose whereas most BMW owners spend bucks on stuff like Ohlins shocks, more lighting etc.,.



I hope that BMW will keep improving the technology and price it accordingly. Their market is not the same one targetted by the Japanese or HD and I'm quite happy for them to keep it that way.



If that makes me a sucker according to you, I can live with it.



...Jay

 

[gs_rider]

BMW sells R850C, R850R, R850GS in certain European markets. Their primary reason is to satisfy the displacement limits prevalent in those markets for licensing.



In North America, where displacement is king, there is little or no reason to bear the costs of marketing to sell these smaller bikes when their bigger brethern do quite nicely.



Any comparison between a Nighthawk and a R1150R is invalid - their only similarity being them being naked bikes. Everything else is worlds apart.



...Jay