Such information may well exist, but I see nothing in you post saying it backs your points. I'd also be intereted to see what sort of mileage these bikes get. Cetainly the majority of BM riders I have known over the years as a courier, as a traveller and a general biker has been that of above average miles and brand loyalty. Now why is that, if they are so bad?


That is the reason they gave, but I think you'll find that KTM reliability, being a marque based on engines that are rebuilt before the next race, have a pretty bad record by modern standards, and they are only just starting to get to grips with this and that is why they backed out. With significant engine issues within 6 months of ownership being a regular would you have offered your bikes up for the slaughter? I think this is far more likely an explanation.

They had plenty of backing from other companies, too and if they had never finished the odds are the programme would never had been aired anyway, so not so much to loose after all.

Same old story.
I, certainly, have never said that a GS would perform like a CRF450 in the dirt. That does NOT make the GS a bad bike. And for all E & C's newbie overland mistakes about packing there is no way a "Jap dirt bike" on the market at the time of that programme would have stayed in one piece with all the crap they carried. Basically there was NO viable Japanese alternative at the time. As for the KTM option, I have far more doubts about a KTM surviving out there on 85 octane than the GS.

Bottom line, even if it was not as easy as gliding over the mud on a svelte 250 2-stroke, THEY STILL FINISHED on schedule, on GSs.

The same way that I, a complete novice at off-roading had a trouble free trip on my "PIG", two-up with a fully loaded weight of about 450kgs in Argentina, including about 450 miles of off-road. Considering its robust build, I'd say the GS is an astoudnig bike to take what it does, in its stride.

Some of it was hard work, but I can say it was hardest because of my inexperience: the bike just shrugged it all off.

By all means dislike BMs, but I find you attitude so rigid, I can well believe BMW winning every championship, and you'd still claim they are crap.

I dislike some brands compared to others, but its never absolute, so please, restore may faith and help me believe you points of view are at least a bit objective:
Tell me something you like about BMW bikes...

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Adventure: it's an experience, not a style!
(so ride what you like, but ride it somewhere new!)