RS vs GS review

[Grumpy Goat]

I had a 2013 GS, the RS did not exists yet, and then I bought a 2016 RS as soon as they came out.  After about a year of owning both, I clearly liked the RS better and I got rid of the GS.

I liked the appearance of the RS better, I liked the ergonomics of the RS better.  I didn't notice any difference in the feel of the front suspension so no advantage to the paralever (mono lever?) of the GS.  I only rode the GS on paved roads so the 19" front tire was a disadvantage for finding tires.

I also had a Tracer GT which was ok but the engine was not strong enough for my liking so I traded it in on a S1000XR.

Ron, you and I are very similar when it comes to bike as you know, and your points above mirror my feelings.

I have ridden GSs now a couple of times and in both cases I was slightly underwhelmed regarding handling. Mind you, I only experienced riding them on the road. I did like the spaciousness compared to the RS but otherwise, I could not care less for the handling ... it was OK but not as rewarding as the RS and certainly nowhere close to the Tracer or the S1000XR. That said, to me, the GS makes the most sense if you have to have one bike and you like to go offroad occasionally.

I find the Tracer to actually be a great bike ... good power and torque for me, great long-distance traveler and good fuel economy from an excellent powertrain. Handles very nicely too. But it does not really have any off-road capabilities. It has grown on me and when the 2024 model hits the showrooms here I would have some hard decisions to make, since the powertrain is improved over the model I have.