Why you switched?

[daveyator]

I switched because of my perceived reputation of BMW's precision and quality. My 1st '99 1100R had the best ride and handling of any japanese bike I'd had up to that point. Then I went through a "I'm done with riding phase and sold it 8yrs later. That lasted 6 months and then I got to looking at a Harley Superglide and wound up buying it. I'd never had a true harley and wanted to see what the deal was. I had thought they were expensive yet terrible motocycles. They aren't. I have new respect for them and enjoyed that bike for what it was. But the BMW "thing" for lack of a better term was just more me so I sold the HD and got a '02 K1200RS. Wow that bike was fast and a thrill to ride. But the whole time I had it I was missing the R I used to have. So I went back to the dealer and as many a member on here has said I was hooked after the dam test ride. I thought my old R was almost perfect for me. The newer R simply is perfect for me. Believe it or not they fixed the only two issues I had with old one....the seat and ride position(yea I actually like the stock seat) and that little extra zip you get with 100+ horsepower.

[mogu83]

Harry, How do you like that fairing? Can you give us some more photos of it?
Mark

Mark,
I have a little over 20,000 miles behind it and I like it a lot. Good protection in the rain and I rode across Kansas in the 105 degree heat and it wasn't a problem (most likely helped because I didn't have that hot air blasting on me). I think (IMHO) that the fairing balances off the bulbous read of the R12 (with bags on). The hardware, fit and finish were first class and took less than an hour to put on, nothing had to be moved or modified. I have a problem with seeing another bike like mine on the road (big reason for going for the R1200R) and so far I haven't run into another R1200R with a Parabellum on the road. here's a link to their site: http://www.parabellum.com/stores/showde ... 59&CATID=1
I'm sure there are pictures some where on this list, if you want a specific area PM me.

[celticus]

Harry, I have seen that site before but I always forget how danged expensive those fairings are! A short memory makes for lots of thrills over the same subject matter. Have you tried the fairing with the short windshield?

Mark

[snag]

I might be in the minority, I bought mine before the test ride. And, in fact, was left kind of nonplussed after the test ride (demo day half-hour loop). On a snowy February Saturday, after buying the bride a new CBR125R, we stopped at the BMW shop. The 12R looked like an honest motorcycle; one that was meant to get on and go places. She said "why don't you buy it", so being no fool, I did. I was a crotch rocket and classic guy, neither of which are conducive to getting out and seeing the country. My '99 Hayabusa was pretty punishing over any kind of distance (my knees are in their 6th decade) and around town it was like driving an automatic; 155K in first gear makes for few shifts in town, though it was tough to beat that motor. My '74 CB750 and '79 CBX are great ego boosters at show and shines, but don't deserve to be ridden day after day in all kinds of weather. I wanted a bike that was long distance transportation in addition to being fun. After reading two of Neil Peart's books, I really had the itch to hit the road, but figured that the GS was just too big (having rented one a couple of years ago). As soon as I saw the 12R, I knew it was the one. It's an honest motorcycle that hasn't been stylized to appeal to the transformer crowd and naked or loaded, it pretty much looked like it was designed to do the job it was intended to do. The posts above pretty well cover all the reasons/rationalizations, but the most important reason is that now the bride is asking where and when the next trip will be; she's one peroxide pussycat once she settles in behind with her tunes on. She hates trips in the car, but loves long days on the 12R. Who could ask for anything more?

Doug

[celticus]

Snag, It sounds as though you are doin pretty well to me.

Mark

[mogu83]

Harry, I have seen that site before but I always forget how danged expensive those fairings are! A short memory makes for lots of thrills over the same subject matter. Have you tried the fairing with the short windshield? Mark

I was going to buy the short screen but passed on it. Too much trouble to swap screens (I know four small bolts) and I have a few other bikes with little or no shields so if I want to be in the breeze I have others to ride. Personally on a road bike I'll take the big fairing, even on a nice day, five or six hundred miles on a naked bike in the pouring rain isn't my idea of fun. IMHO it's better to be a little uncomfortable on a hot day than to suffer (and be at risk) when the weather turns not so nice and you have to get somewhere.
The Price: I had the money for the fairing put aside when I bought the Bike. I guess you could say instead of buying a bunch of little farkles I bought one big one. BTW: I hope the SO never finds out what I paid for that fairing (thank God for money orders).

[AmostThere]

I chose the R12R because of the light weight, good low speed & high speed handling, excellent power, upright riding position, great brakes (ABS), and last but not least the complete lack of engine heat roasting me while I ride (ala ST1300). I was headed in the direction of a GS but with 100% onroad miles it didn't make sense.

[thepeacebullgrunt]

Pretty much the same for me... plus low maintenance

[xprof]

"Snag" (Doug) gets it just right when he uses the word "honest", twice, to describe our ride, I think. And I too bought one without even asking for a test ride; I just knew it would be the right bike for me.

[Caroanbill]

I was a test ride victim. Well, the test ride convinced me after the specs put it on my list. I wanted to grow up my F650CS into an open road tourer but was nervous about the ~ 270kgs of the RT - having man-handled a 292kg K1100LT for a few years. I wanted to get back to a touring 'lope' of my R1150RS but with a bars-seat-peg relationship I found less intimidating, and I wanted just a few more kgs to smooth the ride (the F650 is great but it sure does bounce about)

The F800 series looked great on paper and at 209kgs, split the wight difference between the 650 and the 1200 (193 to 223kgs). But with no roadster in sight and crap luggage ..

So I tested the R12R

Bingo ... no surprise there! After 18,000 touring kilometres, I'm just as happy as on the first trip. I've spent as much as on an R1200RT (OBC+ABS+ASC, BMW luggage, aftermarket suspension, screen +footshields, ergonomics, paint - and for that outlay I have a bike that just fits me, and just suits me. I don't think I've looked forward to long trips this much since I first got my K100RT in 1985 ....

and - dare I say it - my biggest revelation in riding pleasure of recent years is high-end riding gear ... goretex, kevlar, good design and ample protection. Until this stuff came along, a bare bike like the R12R could get pretty miserable after a couple hours' rain. Now, I barely notice it.

[bobw]

A few SPAMers this week. At least they make oil threads look good