So tell me all about why this bike is great...

[Zinger]

New guy here, nice to meet you all.

I currently ride a 1994 Suzuki Intruder vs800 (cruiser). I'm looking for a new ride, and I my search for bikes that offer ABS has led me here.

The R1200R looks like it would suit me. It looks relatively sporty, nice power, good looks, and ABS and the tire pressure sensors sound fantastic.

I was wondering if you guys can tell me why this bike is great. It costs a bundle, certainly, so there must be something that is really fantastic about it. Is the engine exceptionally smooth? Is the suspension better than most? I understand it has lots of gadgets and a very expensive nameplate, but do they justify the price?

[websterize]

New guy here, nice to meet you all.

I was wondering if you guys can tell me why this bike is great. It costs a bundle, certainly, so there must be something that is really fantastic about it. Is the engine exceptionally smooth? Is the suspension better than most? I understand it has lots of gadgets and a very expensive nameplate, but do they justify the price?

A test ride will answer your questions.

[Motorcycle_Girl]

You may want to read the following thread titled Why the R1200R?:
viewtopic.php?f=20&t=17603

I asked the same question a couple of weeks ago...by the way I ended up buying one...but I am not picking it up until June 6th...so I can't offer too much direct info other than it just made me smile...

kidding aside I could not find any other bike that met my needs as closely as the R1200R...

[lowflying]

A test ride will tell you all.

I test rode one while trying to bargain for a new F800St about 18 months ago. They were newish then, the economy was good and they weren't interested in bargaining.

I took a 1400km example of an R12R for a ride as a break from the haggling, knowing full well (!) that I would never seriously own one as I considered them to be old man's bikes. I mean who would ride something with cylinders sticking out like that?

I came back from the ride smitten. Bought it immediately (for less than what I would've payed for the 800!)...and I love it more everyday. I think one of the best things about it is the combination of old-school configuration with right up-to-date technology. Oh, and the grunt off the line!!

P.S. My buddy is looking for a bike now - the F800ST is a candidate. We took one (and a Trumpet Sprint ST - nice motor!) for a demo the other day. I was reminded how good the F800 is in it's own way. So many bikes so little time - and money!

[Ashveratu]

The test ride tells it all.

If you have never riden one, the boxer engine has a very distinct feel to it. I think of it as comforting. It does vibrate alot around 4k rpm, but mine smoothed out dramatically once I had put over 2.5k miles on her and is only getting better as the miles roll on.

The way a R1200R handles is simply amazing. I though the Speed Triple I had before handled great, then I went for a test ride on the R and I had re-evalute my opinion. The triple handles good, the R is great.

I have yet to experience anything negative at all yet my R12R, but I have owned mine for only 3 months now and rode her 6k miles. My experience is limited but I am in no way worried or paranoid (as are a few on this forum) about the future of my ride. I plan to keep her for many years to come.

[hjsbmw]

I was wondering if you guys can tell me why this bike is great. It costs a bundle, certainly, so there must be something that is really fantastic about it. Is the engine exceptionally smooth? Is the suspension better than most? I understand it has lots of gadgets and a very expensive nameplate, but do they justify the price?

In essence I believe the motorcycle business is highly subjective. What makes my heart beat faster may be another person's boredom. I doubt I would have considered the R1200R 20 years ago.
IMHO, no twin is going to be as smooth as an inline four. A 1200 boxer is a unique experience. It puts the power where it is usable and where it matters. At cruising speed the R1200 is smooth as a baby's butt. It bangs around a bit at idle, and it vibrates a bit at higher revs. Call the latter growl and it already assumes a whole new perspective. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
The suspension is leaning towards comfortable softness. The brakes are excellent and instill a feeling of safety. All in all the bike is made in a way that makes me feel the engineers had room to get off on features and details, and that distinguishes it decidedly from the mainstream.
In average I don't see a dramatic difference in price compared to other modern, high end Asian, European, or US machines. Comparing the R1200R to, say, a 650 Ninja is comparing apples and oranges. BMWs also tend to retain their values better than most other brands. The price of maintenance may be higher with BMWs, especially if you have services performed by a dealer.

[Dale_K]

A new R1200R is overpriced IMO but the depreciate pretty fast and you might find a used one could fit your needs. I got a 2008 with ABS and a lot of remaining warranty for $10k.

The ABS brakes work excellently and the bike is versatile in the sense it can play many roles. Sort of a half-way sports bike and decent touring bike rolled into one.

[Zinger]

Thanks for all the responses. I read the other thread and it really clued me in.

I read a bit last night about the suspension system that is on this bike. I didn't quite understand the advantages just by looking at it but now I do. Really neat stuff.

When I get serious about upgrading (probably Fall-ish) I'll hit the dealer up for a test ride.

Here is another related inquiry regarding the boxer engine - my Dad just bought a used Ural and it has a BMW 750 boxer on it. Does anybody know how this engine compares in characteristics to the 1200? I understand it obviously does not have the umph of the 1200, but I'm curious if I can get a sense of what that engine is like by taking the Ural out for a spin.

[deilenberger]

Here is another related inquiry regarding the boxer engine - my Dad just bought a used Ural and it has a BMW 750 boxer on it. Does anybody know how this engine compares in characteristics to the 1200? I understand it obviously does not have the umph of the 1200, but I'm curious if I can get a sense of what that engine is like by taking the Ural out for a spin.

You'd get a feel for what a 1970's badly built BMW felt like. Ural is based on the pre-war BMWs with some modern updates. Build quality is really sketchy - although they claim they now have a grasp on it (no longer fitting parts with a big hammer..)

R12R is a completely different beast.

Wait until you're ready to spend the money, then go for the R12R test ride. You'll probably come home with it like most of us have.

[thepeacebullgrunt]

Own an 08 R1200R since now 2 1/2 or so... 7400 miles on it and love it

Iam also a test ride "victim"...the same day I tried the 1200RT, then the 1200GT, then the 1150 previous version of R1200R.

1200RT---> Too Bulky, too wide for city, annoying windshield and not enough juice...pretty much felt like on a scooter.
1200GT---> Liked the power and anything on this bike but too racing for me.
1150R---> Liked it except power & design, but already made my mind on the R1200R anyway.

BMW website advertise the R1200R as "The bike without pretension for those who have nothing to prove" this is already the kind of sale speech that I am willing to know more about for any type of products.

Voila !

[lewellen]

New guy here, nice to meet you all.

Likewise!

I was wondering if you guys can tell me why this bike is great. It costs a bundle, certainly, so there must be something that is really fantastic about it. Is the engine exceptionally smooth? Is the suspension better than most? I understand it has lots of gadgets and a very expensive nameplate, but do they justify the price?

For me, it was pretty straightforward, actually. I wanted a bike with the following characteristics:
- Shaft drive (had enough of chains for a while)
- Big hard bags available (grocery shopping)
- not a lot of plastic
- standard-style

Put it all together, and the R1200R was about the only bike that met the criteria.

That being said ... I've always loved standard-style motorcycles. The R1200R is pretty much the best standard I've ever ridden - with the exception of the saddle. (But you can find more about that by browsing the boards, and there are several options for dealing with that issue.)

Good roads,

- Lewellen

[celticus]

Zinger, If you have the right stuff you can pass the rice rockets ( most anyway ) in the twisties. You can do do this while hauling camping gear and beer. In predatory comfort. ( If you have an aftermarket seat )
It is a wonderful bike with a large well informed knowledge base on the internet.
When you show up at whatever event you are likely to be the only one of your kind there.
You stand out.
I love my bike more so than any other I have owned. It has made me a better rider.
See you at the MOA in Tn.

Mark

[Rocket]

The R1200R is great because it is better than you expect when you ride it for the first time, and you come off it thinking "I want one!"
You absolutely must have a test ride on this bike to understand what owners are going on about.

I did, and I have one arriving tomorrow! I 've sold a 2008 Triumph Sprint for the priviledge, which is in itself a superb bike,...but the BM is simply more fun to ride.

Proof of the pudding is in the eating. Forget the forums , bike reviews and You Tube clips, book a test ride.....you'll see!

[bmwk100]

Rocket- Interesting that I have an 06' Sprint and love the look of the R1200R. (I had BMW K bikes for 15 years before the Sprint.)

I test rode the R12R and found it to seem "small" and just not as good as the Sprint IMHO. (I have never owned a boxer which may explain the fact that I preferred the Triumph triple. It was a very short test ride though.) The constant threads regarding windshields and lack of protection also scare me as I take 1 or 2 long trips a year. I'm still considering the R12R and may have to take another longer test ride.

Please detail the differences between the bikes that made YOU switch bikes. I would be very appreciative and interested in hearing your views.

[Rocket]

Rocket- Interesting that I have an 06' Sprint and love the look of the R1200R. (I had BMW K bikes for 15 years before the Sprint.)

I test rode the R12R and found it to seem "small" and just not as good as the Sprint IMHO. (I have never owned a boxer which may explain the fact that I preferred the Triumph triple. It was a very short test ride though.) The constant threads regarding windshields and lack of protection also scare me as I take 1 or 2 long trips a year. I'm still considering the R12R and may have to take another longer test ride.

Please detail the differences between the bikes that made YOU switch bikes. I would be very appreciative and interested in hearing your views.

OK , a long reply off the top , hope it helps...

Sometimes , a bike has great reviews and looks great, but that doesn't mean it will be right for you. Some bikes seem to fit right while others don't. I bought the Sprint last year intending to do some touring (nothing too serious) , plus a few shorter rides solo on nice days. I bought based on reviews and pictures and didn't have a test ride but ,to be honest, a 1 hour ride would not have been long enough to get to know the bike properly.

Whilst it is a fantastic bike, I found , after a few months of ownership, that the Sprint was not quite right for me.

Things I didn't like about the Sprint:

It's heavy (engine is a powerful but weighty lump) and carries its weight higher up than the BM . You notice this when wheeling it around eg in /out of garage, parking manouvers etc

It's more sports than tourer. It actually does both pretty well but sports "prone " riding position means your head is tilting up. This creates slight ache in back of neck eventually, but not always. Better on faster journeys where torso gets some support from wind. More noticeable on slow journeys, eg heavy traffic.

Also found riding positon placed more weight on wrists since torso is leaning forward (this is good for "feeling engaged" but it also provides a level of discomfort if doing a lot of slow tight twisty roads. Again , on faster journeys, it's less of a problem.

At 5'8" the Sprint is a little tall in the saddle for me but only a problem on slow speed manouvres and 2 up.

Gravel car parks, driveways etc or doing U turns on tarmac roads with adverse camber were a real worry and, note, this is where the sports riding position makes matters worse. No fun tip toe-ing in these circumstances.

Also found , riding positon meant it was more difficult to look back properly without wavering the bike. This was noticeable when over-taking or coming to angled junctions. With a more upright riding positon it is possible turn your head more and get a better view whilst maintaining better control of the bikes direction. This was a big difference on th R1200R. The wider bars also helped maintain directional control of the bike whilst looking behind. Doesn't sound much, but this was a key difference for me.

In summary, I reckon my body size is just a little small for the Sprint. If you look at all the things I struggled with, a taller person would cope better. The smaller dimensions of the R1200R meant that it felt a better fit. The upright riding positon and wider bars also helped comfort and control.

The other benefit of the BM over the Sprint is that the BM is more "flickable " though the bends. The Triumph has a very planted feel, not so flickable , but sure-footed. You therefore feel you need to pick your line more on the Sprint because it takes more effort to do last minute change of line.

The Triumph power unit is noticeably more powerful (and smooth on tick-over whereas the BM is a bit of a tractor ). The Triumph engine noise is truly fantastic, whereas the BM is just OK, ... boring in comparison.

The anti-dive brakes on the BM are just brilliant - not so much the stopping power (which is good) but the lack of dive. Feels strange at first, but soon appreciated the benefit of not having the front end dive (and the body weight transfer to your wrists on sharp braking) which makes it much safer in my view, especially when you've approached a bend too quick)

Fairing is good on the Sprint, no problem with wind blast but lots of helmet noise at high speed. Screen is a bit low still despite 2008 mod to raise it.

Some earlier bikes suffer from hot engine air onto your knees. Later version has some foam inside he fairing to stop this but it still happens a bit when the fan kicks in.

Minor gripes, pillion seat gets warm (from underseat exhaust) and rear grabrail gets hot with top box (when stood in traffic metal carrier is heated by rising heat from exhaust. Carrier is bolted to grab rail. )

No storage space under seat at all, but there is a small storage compartment built into fairing.

Panniers are big on the outside (filtering in traffic jams limited) and small on the inside, due to lock mechanism, and not waterproof so liners needed.

Triumph looks are to die for. It is an exceptionally good looking bike with or without luggage.

Triumph has a lovely engine with lots of torque. Easy overtaking. It is also remarkably economical on a run - after 2 days touring Wales, on board computer read av mpg was 49.7 which I thought was pretty impressive given I was 2 up and fully loaded. Engine obviously very efficient on longer runs. I got around 42mpg on the quick local blasts, but I 'm not a fast rider.

I 'm swapping for a R1200R becuase it felt more "fun" to ride overall. Test ride was a real surprise, I can tell you. But you need a couple of hours, and preferably use one of your favourite roads. Great handling, very flickable, great low down torque for powering out of bends, lovely feeling. Prefer the upright riding position , and overall "fit" of the bike. Ample power from the 1200 unit. Not as quick as the Sprint, but quick enough, and love the feel of the telelever front suspension. Feels very safe and handles the bumpy roads really well.

Above comments are from my perspective only, and with all these things, one man's food is another's poison

You need to have a decent ride on both to find out which is right for you. I suggest you arrange a test ride of both bikes in quick succession. Do the same route on both on the same day , and ride BM second! You'll know which is the right bike for after that.


Good luck

Ron

[bmwk100]

Ron- Thanks for the great response.

I'm 5'11", 200 lbs. so throwing the Sprint around is not difficult. I have 30K on my Sprint and your analysis is excellent. (The bags are water proof though.)

I'm going to take a longer test ride next time with the R12R. With the depreciation on my Sprint and the high mileage, I may keep it and add a baby brother to my stable.

Enjoy your bike and thanks again!

[ka5ysy]

Swiss Army Knife of Motorcycles and King of the Alps !

[Zinger]

Thanks again for the continued input.

Here is another question - how is the heat coming off the engine? It looks as though the design of the boxer would lend itself to really good cooling since the cylinders are subject to lots of air. Does the engine produce a lot of heat when you're sitting in traffic?

One of the other bikes I was originally looking at is the Buell Lightning, but reports of excessive engine heat (the fan apparently is always running on them as well) made me look elsewhere.

[TT RDHS]

I live in Phoenix...
I have only had my RR for a month, but I've been in 102-104 F temps in traffic. (not looking forward to those 115 days)
This is one of the coolest bikes (temp. wise) I've ever owned.

[celticus]

I have never had any engine heat issues. I never notice it. Must not be a problem.

Mark