BMW R1200R R1150R/T F800 K1200R R1100R/T R1250R RnineT Message Board

I CANT BELIEVE C.W. DIDNT HAVE THE R1200R LISTED IN THE GROUP---- UNREAL. 40+ YRS OF RIDING MANY DIFFFERENT BIKES TELLS ME THE R12 IS NEAR THE TOP O THE LIST AN IN TERMS OF SORTA KINDA BEING ABLE TO DO IT ALL--- WELL THE R12 IS VER HARD TO BEAT IN THAT CATOGORY.................. MAYBE FACTORY EQUIPPED NITROUS OUGHTA BE STANDARD ISSUE........... ARE U LISTENIN BERLIN? OR AT LEAST GIMME NOTHER 200 CC'S..................

I couldn't agree more. I started riding in the mid 1960s myself and must say these R1200R bikes are the nicest ones in my experience. With that said there are a whole lot of nice bikes out there and not everyone has the same requirements.

Bill

I love reading motorbike magazines - especially on the tiolet.
To be honest, i don't really care what they write about the bikes.
Everyone has different tastes, requirements and riding skills.

For example, most magazines rate the R1200RT as the class leader in semi-sport touring bikes or whatever you call them.
Personally, i've never suffered so much on a bike (& i have ridden and owned many bikes).
I disliked it, my S/O disliked it. I think you get the idea
I was so happy to see it go. So why the heck is everyone in awe of it??

The R12R, on the other hand, received the following review: "....BMW's target rider is the elder statesman of the naked bike world who wants naked looks with real world practicality. Which is a bit dull"

Sorry, but i TOTALLY disagree with that.
The bike only feels that way for the first few thousand KM's. Then slowly you get to learn what she can do.
I've even had my R on a tight, dusty, bumpy go-cart track......it was an absolute blast.

So i'll end up saying again: WHO CARES THAT OUR BIKE IS NOT ON THE TOP 10 LIST?? Not me, thats for sure.

I wonder if the reviewer actually rode an R12R?

Who cares what those knuckleheads think, anyway?

Let's face it: the R1200R is a sleeper and pretty much ignored by most people. It is better than any bike I've ever owned and this includes a Ducati 999 and R12GS.

There really isn't catchy marketing for the R12R. The RT ('"across the country), GS ("around the world"), and K series ("power") all have little niches. The R12R is a fun, nimble, all purpose naked bike and is an amazing package but it falls into so many niches that it doesn't win top ratings in any one of them.

And do we really want everyone riding one? I don't..

deilenberger wrote:And do we really want everyone riding one? I don't..

Egg-zackly!

Who cares that they have not worked it out. Perhaps we should contend that the last R1200R = Renegade.

Most mags have advertisements from the so called "best" bikes (still photo's) that show them doing wheelies, or hitting a big sweeping bend, or being ridden next to the Pacific Ocean on a sunny day, you've all seen it. BMW Motorrad parks the R1200R in front of the town library or in front of the Guggenheim. O.K., I'm stretching the truth a bit, but they're not exactly revealing the bike's real personality. Sort of like a barber advertising by photographing a bag over a guys head and asking people to trust him.

Why don't they just use the caption "Our Little Secret". It's like they don't want people to know how much fun the bike is. They have the K1200S racing airplanes and the R1200R parked next to the library - it is what it is. Doesn't bother me though, I can keep a secret as good as the next guy!

I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. How many bikes are on the market? Several hundred maybe? The top 10 is a very small sampling.

The R1200R is expensive in its class, not the fastest or flashiest in the group, not really a hooligan, so it does not pander to the magazine's criteria.

I (we) know how good it is, and that is good enough for me.

"....BMW's target rider is the elder statesman of the naked bike world who wants naked looks with real world practicality. Which is a bit dull"

I'll take one!

deilenberger wrote:And do we really want everyone riding one? I don't..

I do. That means more aftermarket manufacturers will make farkles specifically for the R12R.