Need your advice-Please.

[mkmd555]

Hi:
I have been off the board for some time because I made the mistake of selling my R1150R and started flirting with Guzzi and a Yamaha Roadstar. I still have the Guzzi and the Roadie.

I am in the market for a BMW touring bike, but I am confused with the Phoenix, Mountak, R1200cl and R1150Rt.

What has your experience been with the above models?

I want a bike that I can ride in comfort for say 600 miles per day.

Thanks,

M Khan

[deilenberger]

You may be asking in the wrong forum. This forum is all about the R1200R - which is a newer bike then any of those you mentioned, and not a cruiser (which most of the ones you mentioned are..) If you're an MOA member - the MOA forum has an "OILHEAD" forum where you'll get lots better answers. The R1200R is considered a "hexhead" (named for the shape of the valve cover) - it's a different engine (sorta) then the ones you're considering, and quite a bit different in function.

Good luck!

[tl440]

I owned a 1200C briefly. Very briefly.

Dave

[fastdogs2]

I owned both a R1200C Montana (cruiser with a large windshield and large pillion seat) and a R1200RT. The R1200C was a cruiser style bike that BMW produced from 1998-2004. They generated 61 horsepower. Visit the site dedicated to the "C," which is http://www.Chromeheads.org (named for the chromed headed engine on the R1200C). There are variants of the "C," that you have mentioned:

Phoenix - This is a special edition of the R1200C cruiser that was produced in a yellow or black paint scheme. The black version is called a "Stiletto."
Montauk - A R1200C with a fat front tire, produced only in 2004, the year that the R1200C was discontinued.
R1200cl - A R1200C with a large front fairing, with an integrated radio.

R1150Rt - The fully-faired touring bike that was produced between 1999-2004. I may be wrong, but I think the 1150RT engine generates 85 horsepower. I believe it has the same engine that powered the R1150R. The 1150 engine preceeded the "Hexhead" engine R1200RT. The single overhead cam hexhead RT was produced from 2005-2009. The SOHC hexhead generates 110 horsepower. The 2010 RT is now powered by a double overhead cam engine. The single overhead cam hexhead is the same engine that powers the R1200R.

The cruisers are fun to ride around town, but they can also be used as tourers. The R1150RT is a touring bike, but the engine is not as robust as the hexheads or the DOHC version. If you want a bike specifically for touring, the RT or the high powered, four cylinder K1200GT is what you want. Both of these bikes are fully faired with windshields that keep the wind/weather away from you. The RT and GT are especially good for two-up travel, whereas the R1200C is more of a solo bike.

Bill

[celticus]

I owned a 1200C briefly. Very briefly.

Dave

No one is without sin Dave. I don’t know if I’d go around telling too many people about this particularly heinous sin however.

Mark

[fastdogs2]

I don’t know if I’d go around telling too many people about this particularly heinous sin however.

Mark[/quote]

I never considered owning/riding a R1200C to be a sin, but I did hear some unusual remarks. My friend had a "C" and we rode together to the Blue Ridge Parkway. While we were parked in the town of Blowing Rock, an old guy was eyeing the bikes. He came over and asked, "I've never seen Harleys like those before. What kind of Harleys are they?"

Bill

[gezerbike]

You can't go wrong with a well kept 1150 RT. They are mileage eaters in pure comfort, and will probably travel as fast as you want to go. Other than alot of plastic to remove when time comes to work on them, I can't think of anything they do poorly. And what's nice about them is that they were so popular, there are tons of used farkles floating around for them.

[ka5ysy]

I don’t know if I’d go around telling too many people about this particularly heinous sin however.

Mark

I never considered owning/riding a R1200C to be a sin, but I did hear some unusual remarks. My friend had a "C" and we rode together to the Blue Ridge Parkway. While we were parked in the town of Blowing Rock, an old guy was eyeing the bikes. He came over and asked, "I've never seen Harleys like those before. What kind of Harleys are they?"

Bill[/quote]


It always amazes me that someone walks up to a Beemer and totally ignores the rather obvious roundel sitting out in plain view

[rokinrider]

Owning a Harley as well as my new R12 I find that very amusing!!! some folks you run into out on the road are motorcycle challenged. I talk to everyone that rides and do not care what brand they are on. My old neighbor rode an r12c and her husband rode a harley. It made for some interesting conversation regarding who was faster, "I never got involved" .
rokin

[jess]

some folks you run into out on the road are motorcycle challenged.

Heh. And they're even more scooter challenged. Try riding a Vespa any distance outside of a metropolitan area, and you get a regular, consistent string of questions, even from the motorcycle folk:

Q: What kind of moped is that?
A: It's not a moped. It's a scooter, and it's a Vespa.

Q: Did you ride all the way out here on that thing?
A: Well, yeah... how else would I have gotten here?

Q: Can you go on the freeway with that thing?
A: Yeah, it'll do about 80mph.

Q: How much does it cost?
A: (sometimes I actually fib here, just because it amuses me... I'll either say $1,000 or $10,000, depending on my mood, but neither are correct).

Occasionally, I'll get an old guy who served in the military during and after WWII. From them, I'll usually get something like this:
Q: Is that a Vespa? I remember those! We used to ride them in Italy during the war!
A: (I want to answer "Well, sir, actually the Vespa wasn't created until 1946, so you couldn't possibly have ridden one during WWII. Were you thinking of a different war"? However, I usually just smile and nod, as it seems mean to try to pick apart their recollections)

[ka5ysy]

Well, here is a new one for me at the gas pump yesterday afternoon:

Guy walks over from his F150 pickup and looks at the RR. Usual small talk happens: "Nice looking bike. I used to ride awhile back but crashed and broke a couple of bones". A puzzled look appeared on his face, and then:

Says him: "Why did you put them BMW stickers on your Harley?"

Says me: " It's a BMW, not a Harley"

Says him: "Really ?? When did BMW start making motorcycles? I didn't know they did that! Wow ! Bet they are expensive !!"

Says me: "Not necessarily. I could buy two of these for the cost of one Ultra Classic".

Says him: "Really?"

Says me: "Yep"

Says him: "Wow!. Well, good to meet you. Have a great day now. Bye!"

[fastdogs2]

That's similar to my story.

There are two miscnceptions I encounter about BMW motorcycles, when compared to Harleys. These are not meant to bash Harleys. I am just relaying what I have experienced.

Misconception # 1 - BMW motorcycles are very expensive compared to Harleys. I purchased my first BMW, the R1200C, because the local Harley dealership wanted to sell me a Softail for $3,000 above the MSRP. When I asked the reason for that price, the salesman told me, "The law of supply and demand." Harley developed the myth that they did not have enough product to meet demand, so they could maintain abnormally high prices for those who wished to purchase one. I told him, "At that price, I will take my demand elsewhere" and bought the BMW instead.

Misconception #2 - Harleys have more horsepower, can accelerated faster and achieve higher speeds than BMW motorcycles. Many Harley riders, seeing my R1200RT, would tell me, "My Harley has dyno'ed at 100 horsepower. How much horsepower does that bike make?" I told them it has 110 horsepower and they would shake their heads in disbelief. After hearing my reply, one Harley rider said, "I don't know why you need that much horsepower, anyway."

I like the looks of some Harleys (the Sportster, Softail Deuce and the V-Rod) and I wouldn't mind owning one. I don't like the ape hanger bars, the forward pegs that produce an on-your-back riding position and I don't like the noise produced by aftermarket pipes.

If you ride a Harley like that, fine. Enjoy!

[Caroanbill]

I'm often tempted to suggest that the R1200C was an X6 before its time ...