The GS has been a huge money maker for BMW, and it really took off in with the 1150. Many riders were inspired by Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman’s Long Way Round, which ended up being quite an advertisement for BMW (and a decent-sized debacle for KTM).
MCN sums it up well: the GS is “heavy, pricey and relatively slow. It’s also an expensive, imperfectly finished motorcycle and the engine design is something Noah would recognise. On the flip-side the BMW R1150GS handles brilliantly, will run forever and will cheerfully see over 200 miles from the motorcycle’s tank.” They later add that “in the wet there’s probably no better bike than the BMW R1150GS to be on, such is the motorcycle’s balance.”
This example is equipped with the full OEM luggage set, knobby tires, engine guards, and a front fender extender. It has 59,327 miles and it’s presumably ready for plenty more. Find this R1150GS for sale here on Craigslist in Boulder, Colorado for $3,333.