Another Proud Owner

[Carol]

Well, I also have fallen to the R12R sickness. I do mean this in the nicest way. I thought I wanted a 1200 GS but was concerned with the size. My ever helpful service writer sent me over to look at the R12R. Looks.....no big deal. Kinda of whimpy. Then I sat on it. Wow....fits nice! But it is naked! No thanks, I don't want to ride it.

So I went home and jumped on the internet. Your forum came up in my travels and I have been lurking ever since. I am really impressed with the way everyone who responds to questions or thoughts shows so much respect even when they might not agree. I think you all have developed a really great forum. So I lurked and read and looked at pictures and read and read. I learned the drill....u ride it, u buy it.

Last Friday I did the test ride. The things I learned on your forum prepared me for some of the unique features of this SWEET bike. I am coming off of a 89 R100RT. Sort of covered wagon to hyperspace speed. Oh look, the bike really does stop when you apply the brakes! My ride lasted about 30 minutes because I did not want to give the bike back.

I knew all the options I wanted on the bike and had been told it would be 8-10 weeks for the bike to show up. Well, guess what! The bike will not go into a production run until mid May which means the bike will show up mid July.....maybe. I have a 2 week vacation planned around the national rally. After the test ride does anyone really think that I would be doing this trip on the airhead?

Do I really need all those options? After market shock would be better down the road of course. I can still bend over and use a tire pressure guage. That ASC thing, I bet it leaves me stranded on the road with no power to my rear wheel.......How soon can I take this bike home!!!

So, thanks to all of you, I have done my part to stimulate the economy. I arrived at the dealer at 9:45am and left at 5:14pm. So, ok.....I am not a very fast shopper, just determined.

My only question at this point is the very important break in. I am 50 miles from the dealer and have considered trailering her home so I can find a proper road for her break in experience. Your thoughts on this would be welcome. And thanks so much for the great insight into this very special machine. Yes, black is the fastest color and the white stripes create drag.

Thanks again,
Carol

[TAG-Caver]

Congrats on your new purchase, I think you'll be happy with your decision! I had the same problem, a 55 mile highway drive from the dealer. What I did on the highway was keep it under 4000 rpm and vary the speed until I could get to a road that roughly paralleled the highway with curves, hills and stop signs(good break in road). I've only got a little over 1000 miles on mine but it runs great and I expect like most bikes it will run even better with a few more thousand miles. When I voiced my concern about running the bike on a highway for the 1st 55 miles the dealer said not to worry, just ride it and try to keep it under 4000 revs.

[Lost Rider]

Welcome to the good life Carol!
I'd be interested to see some sales #'s, judging form the amount of new member's with new bikes I'd say the 1200R is selling rather well...

Options? ABS, centerstand, and heated grips is the only must have IMHO....



As TAG-Caver and the dealer said, don't stress over the break-in period.
Just ride it and enjoy, without twisting the throttle too hard...
I did the break-in in one and a half days riding back roads and a small amount of interstate. Immediately after the break-in service, there was no holding back any longer. Just ride it mellow, as hard as that might be.




BTW, it's common knowledge that the black 1200R is fast, but the white stripes help reduce the coefficient drag, therefore making it the faster, most efficient bike...





The overall drag of an object is characterized by a dimensionless number called the drag coefficient, and is calculated using the drag equation. Assuming a constant drag coefficient, and white pinstripes the drag will vary as the square of velocity. Thus, the resultant power needed to overcome this drag will vary as the cube of velocity. The standard equation for drag is one half the coefficient of drag multiplied by the fluid density, the cross sectional area of the specified item, and the square of the velocity.

[Carol]

In response to Chi'town:

ABS, onboard computer, center stand, heated grips and the rest of the normal stuff that the dealers have ordered their stock of bikes to have.

In addition the BMW bags and topcase (which I was not that wild about until the saleman unlocked it and took it off--Sweet! , I don't have to drag it around on the bike all the time), Ulmberger rear hugger, Cee Bailey windshield, engine guard, Wunderlich lifting handle (wimpy girl),Centech fuse panel to provide power for the electrified tank bag, GS hand guards (what a fight that was..."they won't fit"..."yes they will!" "no they won't" "Let me draw you a picture!" )

I think there will be more to come later. I had more on the list but gave up on the dealer finding them. Somethings are easier done yourself.

I knew going it that it is very hard for some dealers to step out of their box.

[deilenberger]

Last Friday I did the test ride. The things I learned on your forum prepared me for some of the unique features of this SWEET bike. I am coming off of a 89 R100RT. Sort of covered wagon to hyperspace speed. Oh look, the bike really does stop when you apply the brakes! My ride lasted about 30 minutes because I did not want to give the bike back.

Yup.. the test ride sickness strikes again. If I could have when I did my test ride I would have ridden it home.. as it was one week later I did..

My only question at this point is the very important break in. I am 50 miles from the dealer and have considered trailering her home so I can find a proper road for her break in experience. Your thoughts on this would be welcome. And thanks so much for the great insight into this very special machine. Yes, black is the fastest color and the white stripes create drag.

Thanks again,
Carol

I'd suggest doing the break in pretty much by the book. I did - and the results have been great.. an engine that uses no oil and has given me no problems at all. The 50 miles aren't bad - you can do 65MPH in 6th and be right around 4,000 RPM.. I think the important thing is don't used sustained RPMs a lot over the 4k, and vary the speed as much as you can for the first few hundred miles. I scheduled my 600 mile service for 2 weeks after I brought the bike home.. had about 450 miles on it by then and that's acceptable to BMW.

Congrats! You didn't mention where you're located.. not to be a busy-body but most of us do eventually tell people somehow.. and my hope is we can sooner or later have an R12R get-together of some type.

Meanwhile - I'm off to the garage to do my 12k oil service. Probably do the rest of the 12K service some night this week... if anyone wants to kibitz - I'm in central NJ at the shore... ping me.

[TonyT607]

Carol. congrats, you'll love the R. Now go ride the snot out of it ....after the initial break in you need to really put the spurs to her.

And post pics !

[Nippess]

Hello Carol, nice to have another lady owner who isn't afraid to spend her hard-earned cash on such a cool bike
You can see mine complete with Givi G46 topcase on the Givi Topcase Question thread earlier on this forum. I would not have saved loads of money if it wasn't for the helpful guys on here with sorting out what would fit! I was about to pay £200 for the case until someone here offered me a mint one for £80 if I drove a short distance to meet him & a deal was struck Great place, this forum, as you have already commented
Hoping now to get riding a bit more now that the weather is improving here. It didn't help my plans at Easter as we had the coldest one on record since time began, and didn't want to get my bike salted up.
I think you will love the R12- have you taken the low seat option, btw? Take care with that evil power, doesn't half shift even if you're running in...oh, mine doesn't have the white stripes. Still a great bike either way

[Carol]

Nippes,

I do love this bike!!! and it has only been 40 miles. I couldn't stand not having it while the wait is going on for the parts so I went and retrived it from the dealer. I did not consider that they would remove the sport windshield since I am getting a taller one. Driving home in a windstorm naked (bike, not me...ATGATT) was a new experience for me. I think it was worth it. What a great bike!

No low seat for me. I have very long legs. I did realize that I want nothing in the pockets of my riding pants because this new position has me a little cramped. But the bike feels so very good! Did I mention what a great bike this is?

I think I love the evil power! (Control, I must learn self control. ) This bike can bring on a need for speed really fast. Maybe tomorrow the wind will be gone and I can start practicing with the ABS. I am so glad I waited for this bike to come along so I could get it.

OK now. ENUF! Think I'll go put another coat of wax on her.

Carol

[boxermania]

Carol.....welcome aboard and congrats on your new ride. It is with great sadness that you have broken one of the silent rules of this forum.....WHERE ARE THE PICS.....

[BackNBlack]

Welcome Carol!

Yes it is a fine machine - the best. I agonized long over parting with the $$ for this new ride, in fact, avoided the test ride because of that. But once ridden, must be owned. I've had my '07 almost a year now and appreciate it even more now than when I 1st got it. Enjoy! And yes, pure black R12R is the fastest!

Bill