5 days into Europe - how a Great Rides 1200 GS easily outgunned two Fireblades and an R1
Fancy a few days away with your mates? A quick blast around Germany, Belgium and Holland visiting the most famous wartime sites? That’s exactly what Lee Townsend wanted to do when the opportunity suddenly presented itself during the middle of September.
But where to get a bike, and at short notice? More importantly, where to get the RIGHT bike?
“My pals were on a pair of Fireblades and an R1” says Lee Townsend, MD of Kirkham based WRT Group “but to me that wasn’t the right way to go. Yes I wanted performance, but also real comfort and proper luggage capacity too. To cover a lot of miles in just a few days, hiring a Great Rides 1200 GS was simply the best possible way to travel.
”Having taken the Hull - Rotterdam overnight ferry, spectacular and speed camera free roads ensued, with the sportsbikes trying to show the new kid on his ‘Behemoth’ a thing or two about long distance mile munching! “The fact was that the big BMW more than answered the challenge from the sportsbikes” says Lee. “The GS is not only a superlative 80mph long distance tourer, but it’s also much better in 20mph hairpins too - the sportsbikes struggled to get round many such bends without crossing the white line. And when we hit some rain around the Ardennes, the BMW also really scored with its proper windshield, heated grips, traction control and ABS. For comfort, safety and security, the big GS is really in a league of its own.
”After a long ride through the Rhine Valley and a 250 mile circular route through the German forests, Lee’s group then headed off towards Bastogne, site of the epic Battle of the Bulge, fought in the freezing cold winter of 1944/5.
“The roads just got better and better with the GS really in its element” says Lee, noting that “the sportsbikes might zip off faster first thing in the morning, but after a couple of hours it was obvious who was riding the best horse for the course. It was funny how they called it ‘the monster’ at the outset, but as the trip progressed showed more and more respect for the BM’s capabilities - not to mention its superbly spacious luggage capacity! After 1,100 miles and not a single aching muscle or mechanical / performance or handling issue, I can honestly say these BMs are absolutely the ONLY tool for the job!
”Now offering fully comprehensive insurance cover for riders wanting to visit any country in the EU, Great Rides also delivered the GS to Lee’s home and collected it on his return.
As Lee says “Great Rides provides a terrific service for riders who just want the right bike for the right trip at the right time. For example, I could have gone down to Italy or Spain quite easily on the GS, whereas on a sportsbike that would have been pretty hard work. Great Rides bikes also have all the extra specification items too, so whatever bike you choose, you really do want for nothing!”
