Ordering New R1200R

[MrPMS]

I'm getting ready to order a new R1200R, my first new bike since buying my R90S in 1975! I've ridden many of the oilheads and this is the first one I've liked almost as well as the old bike but I have some questions:
Can the handlebars be narrowed by about 1" per side without disturbing the cables, etc? I feel the stock ergos could be much improved with this change.
Can the deflectors on the forks be removed without significantly changing air flow to the oil cooler? To me they are ugly and detract from the otherwise clean lines of the machine.
Is the ESA option worth the expense? I ride mostly solo and weigh 150, but will add 40-50lbs. of bags and gear for touring. I'll do a lot of Slab to get to the twisties, and like the idea of soft vs. sport.
Thanks for this and any other ordering advice.

[MJB]

Might be able to answer a couple of your questions:

1. Not sure on the Handlebars

2. The deflectors can Not be removed, as per the manual. The deflectors assist in the
cooling of the engine.

3. I have ESA, and I like it. If you’re thinking of upgrading your shocks in the future,
then ESA will not work, or at least it will be a lot of work to refit the ESA onto you
new shocks.

The one item I should have purchased is the hard bags. At the time it was additional monies, but now would have, them and I'm sure the monthly costs would not have been that much more...

[ka5ysy]

I'm getting ready to order a new R1200R, my first new bike since buying my R90S in 1975! I've ridden many of the oilheads and this is the first one I've liked almost as well as the old bike but I have some questions:
Can the handlebars be narrowed by about 1" per side without disturbing the cables, etc? I feel the stock ergos could be much improved with this change.
Can the deflectors on the forks be removed without significantly changing air flow to the oil cooler? To me they are ugly and detract from the otherwise clean lines of the machine.
Is the ESA option worth the expense? I ride mostly solo and weigh 150, but will add 40-50lbs. of bags and gear for touring. I'll do a lot of Slab to get to the twisties, and like the idea of soft vs. sport.
Thanks for this and any other ordering advice.

Welcome to the fun! You are going to love this bike!

There is slack in the cables if you are reducing the handlebar lengths. You might also try some risers. That solved my ergonomics problem (pain in the lower back).

You probably do not want to fool with the airfoils on the forks as they turn the air into the cooler behind the front tire. When Harley-Davidson was setting up the first V-Rod, they had a huge problem with the front tire blocking the airflow into the radiator intakes and had to do some fancy design to make it work properly (vortex generators, etc). I have been actually toying with the idea of putting a 12 volt pancake fan in front of the cooler to help with slow speed/idle time in heavy traffic during hot weather. The bike does not like to sit too long with no airflow.

ESA: Dont know, as the release day bike I bought did not come with ESA... it was still a couple of months away from availability at the time. I have my suspension setting dialed in, and other than upping the preload when carrying a passenger I basically leave it alone. The bike just works

What you really need to order is a set of these:

http://www.dualsportridersoflouisiana.c ... stcount=87

More photos and detail of the guards:

http://www.dualsportridersoflouisiana.c ... stcount=89

[Bill Stevenson]

My advice to you is to order the bike and then ride if for a minimum of 5,000 miles before making any non-factory changes to it such as you suggest. You might find that you will adapt to it and like it very much if you give it a chance. From your comment about not preferring any newer BMW motorcycles since you last bought a new one in 1975, I deduce that you are very set in your ways and that it might take you a while to really warm up to your new bike. Give yourself plenty of time with the new machine. My first new BMW was bought in 1970, but unlike you, I have always found new models improve because of constant R&D and advances in technology. With that said your R90S is truly a classic and I believe you will agree these new R1200R machines are worthy successors and the best yet from BMW. Have fun and keep us posted.

Bill

[celticus]

I agree with Bill. Give the bars a chance. I came from RSs an R100RS and a K1200RS and I love the wide bars with all of my heart. I have become a much better ( improved in the curves) rider and I think the wide bars and all of the leverage that they impart are much of the reason.
Mark

[Skippy]

Don't go for the ESA is my opinion, just save the money to buy some real good quality shocks or at least have the rear reasprung(cause the rear shock is quite good as it is) and have a front fitted suited to your driving and weight with bound and rebound adjusters. Lot's of people over here have good experience with Óhlins, Wilbers etc.

ESA is way to complicated with the electrics and bound to break down where good quality shocks like öhlins can always be rebuild and probably have good service points, to have them properly set up to your riding style and weight, depending on where you live.

Do get ABS as it may save your life one day. It is the best $ you can spend on a new R1200R.

[mechanic savant]

No
No
Yes

[daveyator]

Coming off of a K1200RS and a R1100R I was worried about the bars too. Now I don't even know they're there.

[gibbo111]

I was going to get a Rockster to replace my 1150gsa but rode one and found the bars uncomfortably wide. So I decided to look elsewhere and came across my new 12r and find the bars to be comfortable as they are . Give them a good try out before doing anything with them

[wyeknott]

....
Is the ESA option worth the expense? ....

I weigh the same as you and after owining three bikes with ESA (K1200S, R1200RT and K1200GT) I would stick with stock or Ohilins suspension parts. We don't weigh enough to compress the springs for the proper static sag when riding solo or with minimal travel gear. I believe the ESA is calibrated for a rider weight of approximately 185 pounds. Carrying a passenger or lots of stuff is another story.

[Paul-from-VA]

For bars, a few of us have changed the bars to F800ST with a 1" riser underneath. This is a bit lower and narrower than stock. I like it.

[DrD]

For bars, a few of us have changed the bars to F800ST with a 1" riser underneath. This is a bit lower and narrower than stock. I like it.

I did the same and I like it. No changes required in the cables. However, the turn signal levers will touch the tank on nearly full deflection.

[fixinbones]

For bars, a few of us have changed the bars to F800ST with a 1" riser underneath. This is a bit lower and narrower than stock. I like it.

Any pictures of this setup. what kind of riser did you use?

[romanr]

Since you're talking about ordering, I have learned that my new R1200R is on the ship, heading this way as of last week. Does anyone know how long the trip takes across the Atlantic to NJ, and then how longs it stays there before getting shipped to the dealer? Thanks
roman

[snag]

Re: Narrower bars, I second Mark's comments about the leverage afforded by the wider bars. I went out on my CBX tonight after spending all summer on the 12R. It's got Euro spec narrow bars and the steering felt really heavy compared to the 12R. Those big bars make the 12R feel like it's half the weight of the CBX, I love them.

Re: ESA, I'm the target 185lbs and I spend a lot of time with all three bags or all three bags and the bride on the back, so I use the ESA a fair bit. I pout a bit about not being able to upgrade the rear shock, but the bride says that I'm always right even when I'm wrong so I must have made the right choice.

You'll love the bike, but like Bill says, give it some time before you pay for the boob job.

Doug

[Dauntless]

Does anyone know how long the trip takes across the Atlantic to NJ, and then how longs it stays there before getting shipped to the dealer? Thanks
roman

Too long! My bike is on the ship too.

[romanr]

just got word that my bike is being unloaded from the ship today....does anyone have info on how long it takes from the ship to the truck?.

[Dauntless]

You should be getting it by next week. Mine will be ready to ride on 10-16. I am in Maryland so mine might be a day or two ahead of yours.

[romanr]

[Dauntless]

romanr, Are you financing your bike? If so, you can get a $1000 rebate from BMW finance or the equivalent in accessories.