In my opinion, comparison tests are awesome on many levels. On our end, as writers, they’re a blast to organize and they allow us to get out of the office and ride with colleagues. They’re also a bit of a headache to write when too many people with opinions are involved. For the readers, they (hopefully) help solve a dilemma. Most of these tests compare bikes from a same family, like the one we did pitting the new Kawasaki Z400 against its brother the Ninja 400, or from a same segment. It makes sense right? Or so I thought.
GS Versus Monkey:
The guys at DriveMag Riders went about the whole “comparison” concept a bit differently. Why not compare one of the biggest motorcycles on the market with one of the smallest? The resulting video is the ultimate comparison between the Honda Monkey and the BMW R 1250 GS.
The hilarious premise is one of the two guys making fun of the other for being too big for the Monkey only for the Honda aficionado to poke fun at how big, and heavy, and expensive the R 1250 GS is. So of course, the only reasonable resolution to this argument is to see how the two bikes measure up on paper and on the road. Hilarity ensues.
Their rivalry and how they tease each other, combined with their adorable Romanian accent makes this video extra entertaining. They analyze and discuss all of the bikes’ pros and cons, from long-distance commute to technology to off-road capability—including the part where GS gets stuck on an uphill gravel road and having to turn back because the tires don’t provide enough grip to get him up the inclination. Note that at that point, the Monkey is way ahead.
Ultimately, their conclusion about the Monkey is pretty spot on. The tiny retro-looking Honda is one of the most exciting bikes out there if you don’t take yourself too seriously. It also proved to be a nimble city commuter to knit through traffic and surprisingly capable in the gravel. Go Monkey, go!
As for the BMW, it won points thanks to its range and comfort but was it enough to defeat the Monkey? You’ll have to watch the video to find out.