BMW R 1150 GS Adventure versus Kawasaki Z 900 RS

Make
Model
Make
Model
Make
Model
BMW

BMW R 1150 GS Adventure

Adventure
Kawasaki

Kawasaki Z 900 RS

Retro

Year of construction / RRP / Test report

Built von 2005 bis 2005
Built von 2018 bis 2024~
RRP
RRP 13.195 €
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Pros:
  • Comfort
  • Processing
  • Off-road capability
Pros:
  • Successful design
  • Precise handling
  • Fragrant sound
Cons:
  • High weight
Cons:
  • Handles for the pillion passenger are missing

Dimensions & Weight

Wheelbase: 1.501 mm
Length :
2.180 mm
Seat :
900 mm
Weight :
287 (max: 460 ) kg
Wheelbase: 1.470 mm
Length :
2.100 mm Height : 1.150 mm
Seat :
835 mm
Weight :
215 kg

Engine

Motor design: Boxer 4-stroke 2 Cylinder
Displacement: 1.130 ccm
Hub: 71 mm
Hole: 101 mm
Cooling: Öl-Luft
Drive: Kardan
Aisles: 6
Motor design: Four-stroke in-line cylinder 4 Cylinder
Displacement: 948 ccm
Hub: 56 mm
Hole: 73 mm
Cooling: flüssigkeitsgekühlt
Drive: Kette
Aisles: 6

Performance

Maximum speed: 192 km/h
Performance: 85 HP at 6.750 U/Min
Torque: 98 NM bei 5.250 U/Min
Tank contents: 22 Litre
Consumption:
5 l
Maximum speed: 200 km/h
Performance: 111 HP at 8.500 U/Min
Torque: 99 NM bei 6.500 U/Min
Tank contents: 17 Litre
Consumption:
5 l
Reach:
320 km

Chassis

Frame type:
Tubular space frame (steel)
Front suspension:
Telelever (travel 210 mm)
Rear suspension:
Central strut (travel 220 mm)
Rear suspension:
Paralever single-arm swingarm
Tyres at the front: 110/80 B 19 TL
Rear tyres: 150/70 H 17 TL
Frame type:
Tubular space frame (high-strength steel)
Front suspension:
41 mm upside-down fork (travel 120 mm)
Rear suspension:
Horizontal back-link strut (travel 140 mm)
Tyres at the front: 120/70ZR17 M/C (58W)
Rear tyres: 180/55ZR17 M/C (73W)

Brakes

Front brake
Double disc brakes ( 305 mm) Rear brake
Single disc ( 276 mm)
Front brake
Double disc brake ( 300 mm) Rear brake
Single brake disc ( 250 mm)

Cheap never, well mostly

MW driving has never been a particularly cheap pleasure. Although many specimens are around 20 years old and have collected correspondingly many kilometers, these GS are still not a bargain. It must be at least 5,000 euros, top-maintained specimens like our test bike like to scratch at the five-digit. You can understand this: The BMW R 1150 GS, if you don't catch a rocked-out model, is an almost ideal companion for the very big tour.

If you can do without cornering and agility, the GS is the ideal travel moped, where the road can be three steps below perfect.
As I said, a buddy for the good and the bad days.

Price / Availability / Colours / Years of Construction

  • Price: used from 5.000€
  • Years built: 1999-2003
  • Availability: good
  • Colors: Adventure in white-blue

Conclusion - what gets stuck

A really successful bike which is really fun but above all looks really good. Now, of course, you can still find something to complain about. For example, among the more extreme retro fans, there may be those who miss the two-sided struts compared to the legendary Z1. Or find the LCD between the round instruments superfluous. The Most strikingly missing is the Z9000 RS compared to the Z1 but certainly the exhaust system with 4 silencers. But who ever wants this can fulfill this wish for about 3000€ at the company Hattech https://www.hattech.de/380-kawasaki/z900-rs-z900-rs-cafe. Otherwise, the motorcycle test crew agreed that the Z900 RS in Candytone Brown makes an even better figure than our test model in Sparkle Black which would be worth us the 300€ surcharge in any case. But that's a matter of taste, of course.

The test machine was kindly provided by Heller & Soltau.

Price/Availability/Colours/Years of Construction

  • Price: from €11,695
  • Years built: 2018
  • Availability: from 2018
  • Colors: Candytone Brown / Candytone Orange, Metallic Matte Covert Khaki / Flat Ebony, Metallic Spark Black