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R1200 Engine Info

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2018 1:36 pm
by todehnal
I Need some help understanding. First, I don't have a lot of experience on this site as I am an R1150R rider. It is probably the nicest handling bike I've ever owned. I also have a 2000 model Honda GL1500 Gold Wing which was the last year for it. All bikes are fun, but my choice ride is my Beemer. Momma on the other hand prefers the pillion passenger seating on the Wing. As I age, I do find it harder to get my legs tucked up into a riding position on my R1150R, so I thought about swapping for an R1200C, which may make us both a bit more comfortable. That is until I started reading about engine concerns. I thought that the cruise riding style might be a little easier on me, offer Momma a little more relaxed riding style and comfort with the large pillion seat available for the C, and still be a light and agile ride. We do a fair amount of 2 up riding. I have had zero issues with my 1150, and don't care to make a swap that comes with design issues. My guess is that the 1200 engine on the C is way de-tuned from the R1200R engine, but I haven't heard of issues on these newer 1200s. Whtat with these older R1200C bikes?? There must be a good reason for BMW dropping the C line!

I'm looking for suggestions here. I love my R1150R but I can't see any way of getting a little more relaxed riding style with it, and I am not about to give up riding. So, what are my options??

Thanks.....Tom

Re: R1200 Engine Info

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2018 11:21 pm
by dbrick
Hi Tom,

The R1200C is a single throttle-body derivative of the twin-throttle body Oilhead (R1100-R1150) machines. The C is mechanically wholly different from the R1200 Hexheads.

The C wasn't a great commercial success for BMW. There is an active webboard at http://chromeheads.org/index.php. You'd probably have more luck asking about the C over there.

-David

Re: R1200 Engine Info

Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2018 2:05 pm
by todehnal
Thanks David. I'll take a look at your link address.........Tom

Re: R1200 Engine Info

Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 10:16 pm
by deilenberger
Hey David! Surprisingly - the C's are now considered collectable - I think all except the 3 headlight giant-bug-head-fairing one. What wasn't cool is now cool. Go figure!

Hope all is well! Perhaps see you this summer - I might wander out that way again, and hopefully CA1 is open all the way..

Re: R1200 Engine Info

Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 11:14 pm
by dbrick
Hiya Don,

Who'da thunk it?

Be nice to see you. We're doing fine, Highway 1's closure probably won't be opened until fall. A lot of dirt slid down and took the whole road with it. But you can still get out to the coast via Nacimiento-Fergusson Road, runs from the Hunter Liggett military reservation over the mountains and down to 1 just south of Lucia. Be in touch and let me know your schedule.

-D

Re: R1200 Engine Info

Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2018 3:56 am
by sykospain
BMW dropped the James Bond cruiser because it didn't sell. Especially in non-US markets. They're as rare as hens' teeth over here, and justifiably so. My impression during a 2-hour test ride on a showroom brand-new "C" over mountainous territory 7 years ago was that of riding an absolute bag of shee-ite.
IMHO, a Chinese copy of a Japanese copy of a Hardley Doesanything is a slightly better bike than that "C" !
Great to see the honourable Eilenberger making a rare appearance on these pages.

Re: R1200 Engine Info

Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2018 10:39 am
by sweatmark
todehnal wrote:I Need some help understanding. First, I don't have a lot of experience on this site as I am an R1150R rider. It is probably the nicest handling bike I've ever owned. I also have a 2000 model Honda GL1500 Gold Wing which was the last year for it. All bikes are fun, but my choice ride is my Beemer. Momma on the other hand prefers the pillion passenger seating on the Wing. As I age, I do find it harder to get my legs tucked up into a riding position on my R1150R, so I thought about swapping for an R1200C, which may make us both a bit more comfortable. That is until I started reading about engine concerns. I thought that the cruise riding style might be a little easier on me, offer Momma a little more relaxed riding style and comfort with the large pillion seat available for the C, and still be a light and agile ride. We do a fair amount of 2 up riding. I have had zero issues with my 1150, and don't care to make a swap that comes with design issues. My guess is that the 1200 engine on the C is way de-tuned from the R1200R engine, but I haven't heard of issues on these newer 1200s. Whtat with these older R1200C bikes?? There must be a good reason for BMW dropping the C line!

I'm looking for suggestions here. I love my R1150R but I can't see any way of getting a little more relaxed riding style with it, and I am not about to give up riding. So, what are my options??
As mentioned, the R1200C chromehead is just an oilhead (R850/1100/1150 Type 259 motor) with longer stroke for extra CCs, plus long intake manifold, tuned for low RPM torque. As in cruiser market low RPM torque - where the bike didn't exactly dethrone H-D. It has two throttle valves combined into centrally-located module. Red line is lower than the oil heads because of high piston speed. Otherwise, it's just another oilhead - which means a very reliable motor. The later R1200 hexheads have little in common with the R1200C.

The R1200C also shares a few weaknesses common to '90s-'00s oilheads, but this message board is testament to the longevity and usefulness of the BMW oilheads bike family.

My R1200C was a work of art, fun to run around town, absolutely reliable. But for any longer ride I chose the R1150R back then.

Re: R1200 Engine Info

Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2018 12:42 pm
by todehnal
Thanks Sweatmark, your comments helped a lot. I was really hot on looking for an R1200C, but I think I will keep my 04 R1150R and spend a few bucks on it, maybe with an exhaust lowering kit, system bags, and rider and passenger foot peg lowering kits. I love the bike, but just need a little help with leg comfort..........Tom

Re: R1200 Engine Info

Posted: Thu Oct 03, 2019 6:43 pm
by dbrick
A-80? A-65?

"Illegal to use?" There's lots of non-approved stuff out there, principally mufflers/exhausts and carb kits and FI modifications. But there is essentially zero enforcement against riders of these state and federal requirements.

Re: R1200 Engine Info

Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2019 9:47 am
by sweatmark
basayNuh wrote:I havent heard much good said about the A-80, but like so many things, thats all it is; hear-say. The compression ratio is 7.55:1 , so its higher than an A-65, but its still low in comparison to more modern engines and the RPM goes up to 2700; again nothing drastic. The pistons are supposedly fairly heavy, but if everything is balanced, it cant be that bad an engine. If I found one at that price, Id buy it.

Does anyone have any real info about where this illegal to use business comes from?? I mean real info , not more hear-say?
Spambot. Delete or block this user.

Re: R1200 Engine Info

Posted: Sun Oct 06, 2019 8:19 am
by lpnb12
sweatmark wrote:
Spambot. Delete or block this user.
very interesting spam-bot. almost like an AI that is being tested or being trained.
I think its pulling keywords from the subject and then grabbing posts from other forums that have similar subjects but I couldn't find post with that exact wording. interesting but damn worrying. they are getting smarter...its a brave new world. I don't think I like it and I am a tech head/ex-IT guy.