Other Bikes » test ride 1200 GS CAM head (2011)

So I'm out here in the Denver area and there is a strong, vibrant used bike market. And I have been looking at older GS's a little for a definite second bike. I decided to take a look at one and the fellow was very nice to let me test ride it. It was my first time on a GS and I was surprised. It did feel like a big dirt bike, very comfortable but wallowy and imprecise compared to an RS. I was most surprised by the power which was quite adequate. It had strong low end power and even sounded like a thumper, but in the higher gears the exceleration was very strong IMO. And this bike is the last of the oil cooled or nearly so, water cooled 1200's would have a little more power than that ... But I checked the drive shaft and it had metal to metal sound when you move the rear wheel back and forth so no grease in the spline it seems ....
So I ended up backing out of the deal after talking to BMW and finding out that they don't include the the cam heads or older in the drive shaft replacement deal. Not a deal breaker but probably very expensive to do your self I'm thinking. The guy didn't have any maintenance records either. Too much of a project for me I think. I dug a little deeper in the adds and found a nice 2015 1200 GS that has had all BMW maintenance records and the cardan shaft replaced already for only 1000 more USD. But after taking the RS out a few days later I find myself less likely to get a GS. The RS is truly a splendid machine.
So I also noticed a 2021 RS for sale with panniers 15000 miles or so and only 15000 usd. WOW that prolly won't last long. It has a lot of the high end options with at least one of the 719 billet kits. I guy could save a bundle on that bike ....