R1200 Water Cooled

[Antoine31]

I see that the Telelever is gone. Why would that be? Younger folk want a conventional fork?

[SF_Hooligan]

The idiocy of the way the tank and seat come together makes me think that's a rendering, not a real bike. I also think the air scoops look a little more "enduro" than I'd expect from BMW on an R.

I hope the Telelever doesn't go away, but honestly, while I love, love, LOVE my R, I'm almost certain I won't replace it with another R—so it's a moot point for me. My next bike will hopefully be as versatile, but with a touch better management of wind and a few more ponies. I get to ride a lot of the latest and greatest stuff, and right now the only bike that meets that criteria, works for all-round day-to-day commuting to touring use and excites me is the KTM 1190 Adventure.

[scooterme]

I hope it is a rendering, I'm not a fan of the look. I don't like how the silver side radiator covers. I didn't like them on the GS, and they look worse on the R.

[Catchina]

Nice perspective in this article I came across comparing RnineT and r1200r
http://www.bikerglory.com/2014/05/bmw-r ... ne-t-pt-2/

The r12r is still BMWs best kept secret :-)

[Anyname]

That's a seriously ugly muffler.

[lcarlson]

If that is the new bike, I am disappointed. Don't care for the radiator shrouds at all. I was also betting that BMW would retain the signature telelever on this model. Guess we'll see.

[websterize]

I'm not sure if this is the real 2015 R1200R Water Boxer or just another artists impression...

It's not. It's a photo illustration of existing R Series bikes, including the LC GSA, the LC GS, the nineT and the cam head 12R. It's decent work by an Italian teenager.

Motorrad showed the world earlier this year how the 2015 Roadster would look with the Concept Roadster. Here is a spy shot by @bmhimages:



Compare the lines in the fuel tanks, the oil cooler location, the fork diameter, the fender shape, the thinner instrumentation, the flatter headlight.



I expect some new creature comforts on the 2015 Roadster: LED headlight; cruise control; keyless start; shift assist and no more paddle turn signal controls; we'll get one hat switch. Motorrad has shifted the demographic trajectory of the Roadster away from Baby Boomers and toward Millennials. Telelever is kaput. Function follows form.

Better buy the hex heads and cam heads while you can.

[peels]

Good or bad, Ive come to associate the front end of a BMW with telelever. THat's Something that distinguishes them from everyone else. The pictures Ive seen of the regular R look like any old Japanese bike. (minus the motor sticking out the sides of course) Sorta watering down the image... UNLESS it looks alot like that white and blue concept bike <drool>

Its just....when I think of the "R" model of BMW, I think of air cooled Simplicity....Change is essential, I get it, but the changes make it "not BMW" to me.... I'm sure Ill get over it in time, or when I see one at the dealer... its just a personal feeling.

I hope it works out for them, though, and it is WILDLY reliable.

[GBag]

unfortunately they couldn't figure out how to fit the telelever arms and the radiator in there together. I love the telelever as I find it to be very stable and predictable. I guess a serious test ride (2hrs minimum) will be in order to see if this new version is as stable.

[Boxer]

The article says the telelever is replaced by the front fork, like other bikes. That pretty much nixes it for me. The telelever is what makes this bike so nice and confortable...and stable. AFAIC.

[lcarlson]

I'm not sure why BMW couldn't just use dual radiators on the sides of the tank, as they do on the water- cooled GS, to retain the telelever. I certainly wouldn't want the same shrouds as the GS, but something like the oil cooler covers on the R1150R would be fine with me.

[Don C]

Here's another artists impression:
Both of these photoshop jobs that we have seen look better than the factory concept bike to my eyes. I especially like the orange one.

http://www.autoevolution.com/news/2014- ... 68858.html

[angellr]

Here's another artists impression:
Both of these photoshop jobs that we have seen look better than the factory concept bike to my eyes. I especially like the orange one.

http://www.autoevolution.com/news/2014- ... 68858.html

I sort of like the all black one. Also like the seat redesign.

[CycleRob]

The WaterHead Boxer motor is going to advance BMW's reputation and performance image, like the S1000RR already has. More power and a wet multiplate clutch in the front of the motor(!!). MotorCyclist and CycleWord magazine absolutely raved about the engine and the bike's advanced electronics in the RT and GS road tests. Even named the R1200GS the MotorCycle of the Year!! If I was a little younger than my 1947 birthday I would be planning on a new WaterHead Boxer . . . one with a TeleLever of course.

By going to a USD (UpSideDown) fork on the new R1200R, BMW appears to be trying to add-on Japanese bike riders. That will NOT make up for the BMW riders like me, Boxer and many others that will NOT buy a BMW that not only does not have the TeleLever suspension . . . it comes with a USD fork. For their own sake I hope they do not select USD forks over the TeleLever.

After working on several dozens of USD forks in our service dept for seal replacements and/or cartridge valving mods on street and racer only sportbikes I have come to despise them for their short service life, vulnerability to gritty rain road spray and difficulty in keeping the forktubes clean. They are a messy PITA to work on. The worst part is the very high parts cost to replace one forktube when it becomes scratched/leaky because the owner was discouraged from cleaning them by the tightly cramped access allowed by fender shields and brake rotors. They are also not such a great performance advantage over PROPERLY designed, large diameter conventional forks which can share the same high performance cartridges. They claim better ridigity, but they are comparing them to low cost conventional designs that were not selected for the high performance market. The ancient, very first high performance SportBike, the 1994 CBR-900RR, had very large diameter thin wall Aluminum tubing sliders bonded to very short cast Aluminum lowers with an internal cartridge fork. THAT weight/strength design phoenix should have been adopted and developed instead of changing over to USD forks. USD forks were a totally new clean sheet design that originated on mega dollar factory racebikes. Then OEMs decided it would be (and they are) a great sales gimmick that would give them racer credibility. It did.

Enter the BMW TeleLever. Simplicity of design. No front end diving on hard braking. Confidence inspiring stability in bumpy corners. The upper and lower fork pivot bearings are double sealed premium grade ball bearings that are about 21 inches apart, over TWICE the distance of USD or conventional forks cheaper bearings on the triple tree steering shaft. That lower bearing on the end of the TeleLever arm provides amazing rigidity that is not only very close to the front wheel OD, it travels with it over bumps. Strength, Durabilty, low stiction and a very long service life that conventional and USD forks can only dream of. That longer service life is because of where the fork seals are . . way up high and away from kicked up road dirt and filthy road spray. You alone can do a fork seal replacement, bike on the centerstand, with common hand tools and a heat gun or a propane torch (makes old seal easier to remove).

Need an Ohlins suspension Front AND Rear for your Beemer? Just buy 2 (somewhat pricey) shocks for your bike and install them yourself!! When you trade in your bike, take off the Ohlins shocks and put the still good OEMs back on . . . then sell the Ohlins on the net for Half Price! it's a win-win situation for seller and buyer. BTDT.

[peels]

great post CycleRob.

the "USD" as you call it, I can attest to your comments. leaky bastards. all the time.

the more I ride this bike, the more I like the telelever.

[lcarlson]

I'm still not convinced that they'll drop the the telelever on the next R1200R. On a niche retro-appeal model like the R Nine T, it makes sense, but on the main line models, not so much. The new GS and RT models retain the telelever. Why not the the R?

[Catchina]

I'm still not convinced that they'll drop the the telelever on the next R1200R. On a niche retro-appeal model like the R Nine T, it makes sense, but on the main line models, not so much. The new GS and RT models retain the telelever. Why not the the R?

Yes, good question. I hope the telelever remains but if not the new R will still be good.

[scooterme]

Looks like we're gonna know all the answers for sure soon, if this article is right.

[Catchina]

Thanks for the update scooter. Looks like it is now certain that the telever is gone.

[Woland]

I like that BMW doesn't sit on their laurels, not that I'm a fan of usd forks, but its not like I'm gonna have to get a new R anytime soon. My '07 only got 100000km on it and I figure it will last quit a while yet either way, if I'm gonna change bikes I wanna change bikes, not just get a slightly newer and slightly better version of what I already got.