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

I am posting this here instead of the 1150 forum in hopes many will not see it

How do I put this...?

The STARK differences between the K-R and the 1150 are now fully emblazoned in my mind. I let the 1150 sit for two weeks or so (combination of being sick as a dog and getting the K-R). Yesterday I washed the 1150 up, feeling badly for neglecting her and fired her up. She didnt want to start. It took about 5 tries but I finally got it going. I'll chalk that up to not putting the tender on. Anyway, I took off and going into the first turn I swear it felt like the bike was actually fighting my efforts to lean it over. It almost felt like I was on stilts. I stopped and whipped out the tire guage... all ok. I double checked for excessive cupping. The tires have 5k on them but not seriously cupped.

I took off down the road and let it rev up past 5k. It felt like a swarm of angry bees settled on the bars.. the vibration was palpable. I went through a stretch recently ridden on the K-R and continued to feel like she was fighting me in the turns. I let a buddy ride it and he said it was fine.

Conclusion:

I have totally ruined myself by getting the K-R. It is much smoother, runs like a Gazelle, and leans over with just a thought.

If it annoys you to read this then I apologize. The 1150 goes in for 6k service at the end of the month. If that doesn't change my point of view then I will sadly be a seller by spring

COH (Rich)

Rich, buy her flowers and chocolates and take her out for a weekend getaway. She'll forgive you and return to her sultry self.

mac
'04 R1150R-GT

P.S. I've been waiting for MikeCam to ask me about the "GT". When he does, I'll tell you about it too. I now know that you'll understand.

Cheer up the roadster and bring her to the Hungry Mother ride! I guess you'll be welcome on the K-R also.

They're different bikes with different front suspension systems.... I"m really confused as to why you think they'd be similar to ride...

Ah, Riceburner I think you misundertand me. We all know the bikes are different. What I am stressing here is how much more I notice things that before I took for granted. In essence, the K-R has almost ruined my former esteem and great appreciation for the 1150.

Anyone else not get that?

COH (Rich)

CupOHemlock wrote:Ah, Riceburner I think you misundertand me. We all know the bikes are different. What I am stressing here is how much more I notice things that before I took for granted. In essence, the K-R has almost ruined my former esteem and great appreciation for the 1150.

Anyone else not get that?

COH (Rich)

Still don't really understand you - you're saying that the R has shown up the Roadster to be ill-handling?? Again - I"d say that's more to do with the differences between them showing up - neither is "better" or "worse" than the other, unless you can specify how one is worse than the other???

I was recently told this by a friend and member on this board...

It's ridiculously powerful but handles like a dream and makes the boxer feel like a tractor.

Just stop it guys....I'm happy with my RR....for now.. ..(well my finances forces me to be happy too)..

DJ

Whoa... I didn't mean to start any contest here.

Anyone who has spent a few hundred miles on both bikes will understand.

There is no better or worse. I was trying to let others know what it felt like to switch between them. Each bike has strong points in particular areas. One area of particular strength in the K-R is cornering. Comparatively speaking, it is vastly superior to the 1150. Granted, this is my opinion, but it is a first-hand opinion.

"I love both bikes for different reasons, but I have been spoiled by the K-R."

That is my official statement

Oh I hate when I forget to login.. the above comment is mine

COH (Rich)

COH,

Your description of getting back on the RR is truly uncanny in its similarity to mine. I felt like I was moving in molasses and ran for the tire gauge as well. I also never realized just how much I was buzzing. I also shared your reticence to post those observations for fear of offending anyone.

BUT! I just road 750 miles on the RR from Bethesda MD to Nags Head on the outer banks of NC and back with my wife. Despite the 95 degrees on each leg, we had a really good time and the bike acquitted itself perfectly. After I was away from the KR for awhile, the RR felt like her old stable, nimble and very respectfully fast self. I still don't have a bad word to say about it, until you start a one on one comparison. In fairness, it would be asking too much to expect a four year old bike using older technology that cost nearly %50 less with 30,000 miles to compete head up against the brand new prima donna of German engineering. Except to note some of the clear advantages and disadvantages of each, I'm going to try to refrain from direct comparisons because they fall into really different niches. The best thing is that I have different, but equally valid reasons to smile very wide whenever I get on either one.

Anonymous wrote:Whoa... I didn't mean to start any contest here.

Anyone who has spent a few hundred miles on both bikes will understand.

There is no better or worse. I was trying to let others know what it felt like to switch between them. Each bike has strong points in particular areas. One area of particular strength in the K-R is cornering. Comparatively speaking, it is vastly superior to the 1150. Granted, this is my opinion, but it is a first-hand opinion.

"I love both bikes for different reasons, but I have been spoiled by the K-R."

That is my official statement

Interesting.

Im asking because I have one on order and highly enjoyed my test ride but didn't feel the K-R was any more "Competent" than the Rockster - in fact I thought the Rockster was the more enjoyable ride - less "perfect" (if that makes sense?)

Kevin Markwell wrote:COH,

Your description of getting back on the RR is truly uncanny in its similarity to mine. I felt like I was moving in molasses and ran for the tire gauge as well. I also never realized just how much I was buzzing. I also shared your reticence to post those observations for fear of offending anyone.

I don't understand why you'd be offending anyone....

Are BM owners really that sensitive???

(If you were talking about Ducati owners I'd agree with you... )

Kevin and Rice,

Thanks for your replies and the spirited dialogue.

Kevin, I am glad you enjoyed the long ride to Nags Head. I have been meaning to do that too. The reason I am waiting at least until Spring to decide on my 1150 is that I want to ride it more and get that 6k service out of the way.

Mostly I posted because of how quickly my mind and body adjusted to the new ride. I am sure that a nice long run, like that one to Bartow in April would allow me to settle back into the 1150. Honestly I think my 1150 needs some technical attention too and that is coloring my opinion.

Riceburner, I never got to ride a Rockster, so I am way out of my league in comparisons there. I know the Rock has wider bars and I think a different front suspension (could be wrong on that). I am *very* interested in your own thoughts on both bikes after you put 500 on the K-R too.

Also, I hasten to add that all of you likely have a lot more total riding experience than I do. My thoughts are those of a self-styled quick study novice. So feel free to take with a grain of salt anything I say.

The bottom line for me is that I love riding and that is something I am certain we all share.

COH (Rich)

Realizing that I have only an ST and not a K-R, switching back and forth between the ST and my RR is very apparent. The refinement of the ST is very noticeable over the R1150R, smoothness, power, tranny, handling, rideability, air control, etc,etc sad but true.

I read the posts and couldn't resist......all the observations are correct.

People, The RR is, specially in the engine, an old design that has been refined as the technology advanced, somewhat the same with the suspension. So the comment that it feels like a tractor, although taken by some as gemeaning is merely a description of a design that has been evolutionary at best.

On the other hand the KR is a total new sheet of paper. As a matter of fact it is a major philosophy change for BMW Motorrad. The design is revolutionary, new engine, new chassis, suspension et al. As such, and also being a new bike (I mean not worn in) is going to feel like a million bucks.......yes, they will feel vastly diferent. As they are diferent bikes, the earlier is a mild sport tourer, the latter a sportbike.

I think the Boxer engines are a breed unto themselves, and as they've evolutionized themselves through the years from the old airheads to the current hexheads, they've carried with them a distinct personality/character trait that we've all grown accustomed to and have come to love in our RRs and the other Boxer twins, old and new. When I got the R12GS, (yes, me baaddd!!!) the hexhead felt similar but 'different', a little racier, a little more powerful, a nicer tranny, a better boxer twin maybe?. But it wasn't the engine that drew me over, it was the handling of the GS that I was hooked by. Here was a bike that was 'bigger' in every sense but handled corners like a sportsbike. Unlike the RR which needed to be ridden with firm persuasion and purposefully around the curves, I felt I could 'think' my way around them on the GS. When I test rode the ST, the same thoughts ran through my head again - similar but 'different', smoother, more powerful...an even better boxer twin. Here were bikes that were so similar at the core but so very different everywhere else, and supremely capable for what they were built for. Though I had initially planned on selling the RR, I couldn't give it up for the GS, well, not until...

Then the K12R came around. This Beast literally blew my socks off. All the hype you hear about this bike, well, it's all true! It's everything and more than what I could have ever imagined. And I also completely understand how COH(Rich) feels going from the KR back to the RR. My GS really did feel like a tractor getting on it right after a ride on the KR, but a damn fine one - we were like old friends again after a few minutes and all was good, vibes, clanging, banging and all! Sorta like coming home to your favorite Barca lounger, it's old but it sure feels goooood, Aahhhhhhh. Unfortunately, with the new addition to the stable, it meant that the RR had to go. There's not a day that goes by that I don't wish I still had her.

You just cannot compare the Boxers to the new K bikes. They're so different they may just as well be from another planet. On one hand you've got a bike that'll go the distance with you in comfort, fast or slow. On the other, you've got a leashed but wild beast that you know just wants to take flight given half the chance. The KR will go slow'er' with some poise but it'll keep whining away at you "can you stop farting around and let's GOOOOOOO...puhleeese??!!"

Just my 2 cents. (forgive the rambling)

Deans BMW wrote:Realizing that I have only an ST and not a K-R, switching back and forth between the ST and my RR is very apparent. The refinement of the ST is very noticeable over the R1150R, smoothness, power, tranny, handling, rideability, air control, etc,etc sad but true.

To counter that - I just got off an ST (loaner with 4K) onto my Rockster and GOD WAS IT GREAT!!!!! :D:D:D

The ST never felt happy to ride - it "chugged" at anything below 4K revs - and for example it wouldn't pull away from a 30mph corner in 4th where the Rockster can do so easily in 5th.

My Rockster (with 37000 miles on it) felt FAR smoother - right from the forecourt of the dealership, and getting out on the dual-carriageway (freeway) it rocketed up to 80-90 in the blink of an eye.

I took some bumpy back roads to the dealership on the ST and I can only assume it's been setup really badly - it was really over-stiff and jumped around far more than the Rockster does (the Rockster is setup one half-turn stiffer than standard at both ends, with preload normally at about 3/4).

Overall the Rockster felt a far superior bike to the ST and I'm really happy to have it back. :D:D:D:


In comparison to the K12R my Rockster is a bit rougher, a bit stiffer and less quick to accelerate - but this comes over as "character" rather than "issues" or "problems". The K12R is a superb machine - but it's a bit too much like the superb pieces of Japanes machinery - it's so good it's "too good" (if you see what I mean).

I agree with LesKoh as well - they're all very different bikes and it's difficult to draw objective comparisons - the only vaild comparisons are totally subjective so we're all going to think differently.

So the RR is from Venus...and the KR is from Mars.....Cool..

LesKoh said

When I got the R12GS, (yes, me baaddd!!!)

And now has a new Beast as well....yes you're bad alright...VERY BAD.

I wish I could be that bad too.

DJ

Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do....

DJ, the plan when I got the K12R actually meant parting with the R12GS too soon after. But I've gone two-up with SWMBO on both bikes and 'nuff said, the GS stays!! (2-up riding on the K12R was a topic of much discussion but I won't go there, suffice it to say there were enough pros vs. cons to justify keeping the GS for a little longer).

Cheers.

SWMBO?
soft white meat buying oranges?
silly woman must back off?
straight woman must bow omnipotently?
sexy woman making bad odors?
sad woman mulling bad oration?
stupid white man biting orally?


obviously, this is a new one on me.