All Duels – Moto Guzzi 1200 Stelvio 8V Vs BMW R 1200 GS: The Throne Wobbles! – Comfort and sobriety

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Moto Guzzi 1200 Stelvio 8V Vs BMW R 1200 GS: the throne wavers !

All Duels - Moto Guzzi 1200 Stelvio 8V Vs BMW R 1200 GS: The Throne Wobbles! - Comfort and sobriety

Unbeatable since its release in 2004, the BMW R 1200 GS reigns with an iron fist in the big trail category. But the Moto Guzzi Stelvio 8V has dressed up its weapons and could well create a surprise … Comparison test between sea and countryside.

Comfort and sobriety

The Stelvio is therefore inevitably beaten in arsouille mode … but it’s not just that in life! The two big trails are also suitable for long trips, alone or in pairs. And there, the Moto Guzzi has some weighty arguments to make !

First of all, it is undeniably more comfortable. Its suspensions are softer than those of the GS and its saddle is also more pleasant over time. In addition, it better protects the pilot, both on the chest and legs. We just regret the absence of hand guards that do not appear in the options catalog – we find them on the NTX version -, while they are offered in the one – very supplied – of the GS.

The other big novelty of this Stelvio 2011 is its 32-liter tank. The average consumption of 6.8 l / 100 km therefore gives hope for a theoretical range of nearly 470 km! With "only" 20 liters, the Behème will still have allowed us to do 300.7 km, at the cost of a few cold sweats….

MNC was trapped by the A16 and its famous section of more than 80 km without a station, forced to do the last ten kilometers with the trip indicating the remaining range blocked at zero! The bike was supposed to be completely dry at the time, but we only put 18.54 liters out of the theoretical 20 … It’s always good to know !

The transalpine camel

Always with a view to long-distance travel, the Stelvio and the GS are pre-equipped to take side cases. They also offer large luggage racks that are all the more effective as the anchor points are numerous..

Special mention to the BMW: the passenger seat is removed to double the surface of the luggage rack! But this is done to the detriment of the trunk under the saddle, which is only found on the Guzzi. It is not very big but you can still accommodate the tool kit and a disc lock or a small U.

And madam in all this ?

These big trails are among the most enjoyable motorcycles to travel with two people, except for the difficulty that the smallest passengers will encounter in hoisting themselves on the high saddle..

Once installed, however, they will savor their soft saddles, their large passenger handles and the position of the legs not at all folded. The large rear suspension travel further optimizes comfort. The shock preload knob is easily accessible on the Stelvio. On the GS, the adjustment is done on the handlebars through the ESA piloted suspension.

Finally, for frequent travelers in a duo, we recommend that you equip yourself with a top-case, a guarantee of peace for both men and women during the strong acceleration of which these two motorcycles are capable..

By successfully bridging much of the gap between the BMW R 1200 GS and its competitors, the 2011 Moto Guzzi 1200 Stelvio surprised us very pleasantly. Of course, the German remains a benchmark in pure efficiency, but it charges a high price for its services. !

With options ?

With its standard traction control and ABS (this option costs € 800), the Stelvio is priced at € 14,290, or the base price of the GS: € 14,250. However, as long as you let yourself be tempted by the catalog of more or less essential options such as ABS, ASC traction control, ESA and the RDC tire pressure indicator, the rating can quickly fly away. wing on the BMW !

The BMW R1200 GS of our test thus peaks at € 17,415, i.e. more € 3,000 more than the Moto Guzzi Stelvio 1200 8V … Enough to equip the Italian at the top or to pay for a nice vacation in her company. !

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