Thursday I took delivery of my new GS. When I first started riding at the age of 30 (a bit of a late bloomer) I bought a Kawasaki KLR 650 a great all around starter bike, also easily could be used for long distance touring, I put about 20000 miles on the KLR. Eight years ago I bought a Kawasaki ZZR 1200 after my first ride on that I didn't touch the KLR for a year until I decided to sell it. The ZZR I have put just under 60000 miles on.
Long before I started riding, one bike has always had my interest the BMW GS. 
First impressions: 
The bike full of fuel ready to go weighs as much as my ZZR's dry weight. It is extremely well engineered. If you want something to be perfect make sure a German designs, tests and builds it,... unless it's a watch let the Swiss do that. This is the first bike I have ever put up on the center stand with one hand on the handle bar and my right foot with ease, you do not have to use your right hand at all. 
 First riding impressions:
I use to go by the belief that ABS was your right hand and right foot, and traction control was how much to twist the right wrist. I thought electronic intervention took away from the true feel of the bike. ABS, ESA, 5 riding modes, cruise control the acronyms go on and on. That I have learned today was a very ignorant way of thinking. In Maine we have a lot of frost heaves and sand in intersections, hitting sand unexpectedly is just the same as hitting black ice. If someone had told me that in rain mode you could purposely go through a sand filled intersection, leaned over and open the throttle without disaster I would say you were crazy. I do not advise trying this, that is how great this traction control system is. The bike is very "flickable", wet weight is 520 pounds and it feels like it weighs half that. With a tall seat height leaning the bike over in a curve feels like you are falling sideways off a building. The suspension is very adjustable with the ESA system. I rode 50 miles on frost heaved back roads in the soft setting and never once hit a bump that was not completely absorbed. At 60 mph when the front wheel hits a bump the computer adjusts the rear suspension to properly absorb the same bump. I am very impressed with the bike, So far So good.
More to come after a few rides.

Thanks for the report!