Just got back from a fantastic two days in the Brecons riding BMW 1200 GS's around the country side. Just the best fun.  Great instructors, the same guys that taought Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman before their round the world adventure.  The Aussie that runs the course has done the Paris Dakar 6 times so he knows a thing or two about off roading.   The GS is a hugely capable machine, and for something so large is suprisingly agile - until that is you have to get the bugger upright after dropping it down a hill - see below - glad it's wasn't my bike.  The GS will go through, up, down pretty much anything.  Amazing torque means it will pull out of anything in second gear.  Loved it and would live to own one someday if I ever move to the country side or get my shit together to go round the world.  Deeply satisfying storming thrugh the country side, through muddy tracks, standing on the pegs, and doing power slides around gravel corners - had a grin on my face for two solid days and want to go back and do more

er, not quite.  It's me at a recent Ron Haslam track day.