Should I change my Bulldog for a BMW 1150GS? not sure.

[Tik]

A friend of mine has about 5 bikes: Yamaha R1, MT 01, Ducati, an impressive shiny Triumph Rocket III and, among them, a BMW R1150GS, that he bought in December 2004. Now he wants to sell the BMW as it does not fit him, he is saying. The price he asks is about 7400€ + VAT, to close to what I could get on my Bulldog not to think at a bike change. The problem is I like the Bulldog and in the same time I'm not to happy about the enduro look of the BMW; I know technology is superior on BMW but that is not all about what we drive isn't it? Tell me to stay with the Bulldog and I'll stay, a bit also for this nice site from wich I do not understand to much of it's German language part.
All the best from T

[MARS 22]

I once drove BMW GS last year for a fast turn, and i must say, it really is an astonishingly good an easy-to-drive Bike - much better than Bulldog for driving rather fast or far. If you don't do so, or are small, you don't need a GS.

Bulldog no longer fitted my needs after some 40thousand kilometers. I changed from Bulldog to MT01 and not to GS, because GS is a bit to smooth for me and to "normal" although beeing a perfekt bike. I prefer the look and feel of the V-Twin of MT01.

[John w]

Two things to consider before making a change;
- If you stick with the Bulldog you have a fairly exclusive bike - not many of these around, which is good if you like to be diifferent from 'the crowd'.
- If you change to the BMW, it may well be superior technically and have more power. But there are so many of them out there so you have a less exclusive bike.
This may not be important to you but I think it is worth thinking about.
I have looked at the GS range of BMW's and had similar thoughts to you. I like my Bulldog as you do and I also have concerns about the BMW's style. It's not pretty! For me it is just the look of the Bulldog that keeps me happy. So the choice on looks alone would be Dog or Pig?
Perhaps the solution is to have 2 bikes? Or maybe more like your friend!

Cheers ~ John w

[Tik]

I'm tall, 194cm, the height of the saddle is a plus for GS; the only thing I don't like at my Bulldog is that it's missing the 6-th gear, I feel that the bike has to many RPM at 140km/h, a speed that I'm normally using on straight roads.
It could be that in UK there are many GS's but here is RO, I didn't see one except this one, belonging to my friend.
I decided to buy the BMW (is like new, 4800km) but not to sell my Bulldog. This spring two old friends of mine shall be here, the one from D in March and the one from Ch in April, it will be nice to fool around with both bikes. Then I'll decide in mid summer wich one is the keeper.
John, are you going to attend the Bulldog meeting this spring? I'm leaning to do so but I'm not going to drive 1900km by bike one way just to be there, that for sure. The question would be, can someone rent a Bulldog around that place?

[JörgG]

The question would be, can someone rent a Bulldog around that place?

Hi Tik,

i can inform me!
You will drive the to gemany with the car or with a other
public transport. Or from wich city you will drive with the buldog???

[Tik]

I do not know if I'll land in Dusseldorf or Frankfurt. Ideal would be to rent the bike right in the town I'm landing. I'll check Frankfurt with Google to see what can be done there, as I remember the rent fee is sky-high, something like 150€ per day and I have to rent at least 4 days. It's more expensive than the plane ticket and everything in Willingen taken together
I'll ask tomorrow at Matheis&Klose (http://www.yamaha-frankfurt.de/) to see what can be done with the rent price.

[JoJo]

Hi Tik,

regarding your doubts wheter to change the bike or not, I agree with John w.
I also thought about a GS last year. It might be a perfect bike, very reliable, that's why it is so popular here. But the point is that I don't like the look of it.
For me the Bulldog is a timeless beauty with unique appearence. So, whatever you do .... Keep it!

I am from Frankfurt, close to Matheis&Klose (my NewDogDealer) and if you need help, just let me know. I'm in contact with Mladen Tomic.
If you come to Frankfurt and need a place to sleep, no problem, you're wellcome.

Cheers
Jürgen

[Tik]

Thanks alot Jürgen, I bought the R1150GS just to see how it works but I'm keeping the Bulldog. Because I have two bikes now, I somekind of invited Franz, my brewmaster friend from Peissenberg for an almost week long weekend bike tour around Brasov - he worked here as a brewery manager for 4 years and I know he's heart is longing for such a trip - Somekind of invited beacause in fact he does not really know that yet, everything is planned in secret with his wife, Andreea, as a birthday present. Now my concern is that his one week holiday could superpose with the Bulldog meeting, I shall find out in a few days. Anyway, if it will be possible for me to be in Willingen, I shall be there. You're very nice with your offer; if I'll come I would be interested only for renting the bike, I have very good old friends in Frankfurt also and they would be angry on me to sleep somewhere else if I'm passing by. It's only that they have absolutely no connections with the moto world. I tried to call some bike dealers in Frankfurt, ones I found on the Net including Matheis&Klose, but all of them are only selling, not renting.
All the best, Titus

[JoJo]

Hi Titus,

try www.motorradvermietung.de
Bike rental, located in Frankfurt and you can choose between different bikes (but NO Bulldog )

Cheers
Jürgen

[Tik]

because Franz shall arrive in Bucharest on 17th of May, for a whole week. I cannot afford to be most of May out of my office. Maybe next year. Sorry.