New Member saying Hello, and looking for a bike

[Rocket]

Thats reassuring, thanks Doug.

You'll see from above that it may not be too long before I am in the market for an airhawk.

Did you buy the medium sized premium version?

Ron

[Mort]

It’s definitely a hard bike to find in the UK – there don’t seem to be many about. It would be interesting to know how many UK owners are registered with this site!

I managed to get mine off Ebay last October (glad you weren’t looking then as there probably would have been a bidding war!) Managed to get it for £6300 - only 295 miles on the clock with ABS, heated grips, center stand, chrome standard exhaust plus a Remus Powercone exhaust & BMW touring screen) however it was a 56 reg with only 2 months warranty remaining, so I decided to take out the extended BMW warranty (for just over £300).

Since then I’ve only seen 3 more appear on Ebay (compared to 100s of GSs - the GS is amazingly popular in the UK) The R first hit my radar when it got a really good review in BIKE magazine when they road-tested it saying it’s a better all-round bike than the GS – lighter, faster and better handling.

I would also recommend the Airhawk, the “budget cruiser small” is the perfect fit (it’s the plastic rather than neoprene version which is a lot cheaper) – another Ebay find for £45.

I’ve also added GS handguards, BMW Adventure head protectors, Touratech spoiler and full Givi luggage (don’t forget you’ll have to budget for all the ‘farkles’ as well!)

Good luck with the search!

[ka5ysy]

[. Does that small screen REALLY give good protection?

No.

I am 5'11 and that screen puts the wind blast into my face with terrible buffeting. My take is that, for me, the Sport screen is too tall, and the Touring screen is too short. Both put buffeting on my helmet. Result is that I bought a Cal-Sci tall screen and spaced it out at the bottom about one inch, and it works great.

[famousperson]

I am 6' with a 31" inseam and with the touring shield the wind hits me chest high with no head buffeting.

[Rocket]

It’s definitely a hard bike to find in the UK – there don’t seem to be many about. It would be interesting to know how many UK owners are registered with this site!

I managed to get mine off Ebay last October (glad you weren’t looking then as there probably would have been a bidding war!) Managed to get it for £6300 - only 295 miles on the clock with ABS, heated grips, center stand, chrome standard exhaust plus a Remus Powercone exhaust & BMW touring screen) however it was a 56 reg with only 2 months warranty remaining, so I decided to take out the extended BMW warranty (for just over £300).

Since then I’ve only seen 3 more appear on Ebay (compared to 100s of GSs - the GS is amazingly popular in the UK) The R first hit my radar when it got a really good review in BIKE magazine when they road-tested it saying it’s a better all-round bike than the GS – lighter, faster and better handling.

I would also recommend the Airhawk, the “budget cruiser small” is the perfect fit (it’s the plastic rather than neoprene version which is a lot cheaper) – another Ebay find for £45.

I’ve also added GS handguards, BMW Adventure head protectors, Touratech spoiler and full Givi luggage (don’t forget you’ll have to budget for all the ‘farkles’ as well!)

Good luck with the search!

Nice pics Mort. And you picked up a bargain on ebay. I just missed one but chickened out - can't bring myself to bid £7k for a bike I haven't seen.

[Rocket]

I am 6' with a 31" inseam and with the touring shield the wind hits me chest high with no head buffeting.

I 'm a 5'8 only so not sure which screen will do. Will start with smallest and see how I get on. Expect I will need a larger screen for the longer distance tours.

[deilenberger]

I am 6' with a 31" inseam and with the touring shield the wind hits me chest high with no head buffeting.

I 'm a 5'8 only so not sure which screen will do. Will start with smallest and see how I get on. Expect I will need a larger screen for the longer distance tours.

We often have windscreen threads here.. Some of us have quite a collection of them (I think I have 6 now.. I resisted buying a few on FleaBay last week..)

One important variable is where your head ends up - not your height. Someone with a much longer inseam than I have (think of mine as minimal..) could have the same head position due to their being taller and having a short trunk. Seat also makes a difference.. So reports back on what works need these three variables:

Height
Inseam
Seat used (tall, normal, abbynormal-low)

I can report that 6 different screens, or mebbe 7 - didn't work for me. I'm 5'8", 27" inseam, and use a low seat. Problems were primarily buffeting. Closest to working for me have been the Cee-Bailey screens (I have all three heights, and change them in response to seasons of the year - bigger in the winter, smallest in the summer.)

[Rocket]

Useful information, thanks Don.

Will have to see how I get on since the bike I have just bought has the touring screen.

To those who have followed the thread, I am delighted to announce that I am, from today, the proud owner of a 2007 R1200R

Being delivered to my door on Wednesday.

It's a one-owner July 07 bike in crystal silver, done 2300 miles and comes with ABS, OBC, heated grips, C/stand, white lenses, BMW panniers and 12 month warranty... and in immaculate condition.

Had a bit of luck with this. Having agreed a part-exchange deal with the selling dealer in Scotland (not the best , as usual with trade-ins), I was literally about to leave the house and ride my Triumph Sprint the 230 miles north (in the wind and rain) when the phone rang. A guy had seen the advert for my Sprint and ended up buying it over the phone.

So, I phone the dealer, agreed a cash deal (much better for me) , and put the water-proofs away!

Made a valuable saving, avoided an 8 hour ride in crap conditions, and the new bike will still be "dry-miles" only.

Happy days!

Thanks for the encouragement to those who replied to the thread. Feels good to be a proper member of the club now.

A couple of pics of the new machine ...





Roll on summer.........

[Caol]

Woohoo!

Looking good!

Did a 600km loop yesterday, but rain today (time to do laundry ;-> ). You're going to have fun with this machine!

Kyle

[famousperson]

Good job! The spitting image of my bike. Crystal grey is the fastest color. Enjoy.

[Rocket]

soooo happy today.

[bobw]

Good job! The spitting image of my bike. Crystal grey is the fastest color. Enjoy.

After black

Time will be in slow motion while waiting. Need to take time off from work and take her for a proper ride.

Cheers

Bob

[Rocket]

Taking time off work the week after next. If the sun shine's, I shall be one happy bunny. A few days riding around Peak District National Park (near my home) and Snowdonia National Park, Wales will do nicely for starters.

Will take the camera to capture a few nice views and will post them on the forum. I 'll be "like a kid with a new toy"

[Rocket]

Woohoo!

Looking good!

Did a 600km loop yesterday, but rain today (time to do laundry ;-> ). You're going to have fun with this machine!

Kyle

Kyle, that is a long loop! So , how does the R feel on such a ride-out?
Would be interested to know a few details of the ride. Presume you have a full touring bits and pieces for long-haul comfort.

Ron

[Caol]

Woohoo!

Looking good!

Did a 600km loop yesterday, but rain today (time to do laundry ;-> ). You're going to have fun with this machine!

Kyle

Kyle, that is a long loop! So , how does the R feel on such a ride-out?
Would be interested to know a few details of the ride. Presume you have a full touring bits and pieces for long-haul comfort.

Ron

We were actually in motion/in-the-saddle for about 7 hrs 43 min out of about 12 hrs (smoke breaks, lunch, etc). My riding buddy still smokes so we're 40-60 min in the saddle before taking at least a short break. He's riding a '07 Honda ST1300.

The picture doesn't include the neoprene grip wraps I'm using this year. I wear a size 14 glove and find the hand grips a little on the skinny side.



Considering we've only put up about 2300km this year, I was surprised at how good I felt at the end of the ride. The riding was all two lane black-top varying from straight/boring to some really good twisties. The "fun" gear on this beast is 4th. Good for 60kph to 140kph with enough torque to haul you out of the corners anywhere in the band. Where I grew up, in the mountains of British Columbia, having to use brakes going into a corner meant you over-cooked it and I still tend to ride that way. The R12R responds to the throttle so well, and flips from side to side so easily that you can zing corners all day! I've got the ESA system and use it all the time to set up for humming down the road, or blasting through the corners. It does make a significant difference.




Kyle

[Rocket]

Excellent reply, thankyou.

My new bike has the same screen. Looks big enough to give ample wind protection, although reading the various threads, opinions vary as to how effective it is. Seems to depend on size of rider.

Also notice you have the full engine crash bars. Not the most discrete but proper protection. Some smaller ones about which look real neat but only cover bottom half of the pots, so probably only useful when doing some serious scratching.
Did you fit your crash bars?

Unfotunately, I don't have ESA so can't "play" the settings like you can . Must be fun. However, I tend to be a set and forget merchant unless going 2 up fully loaded.

Finally, do you have the stock seat / use airhawk?

Ron
PS Bike arrives today

[bobw]

Great ride report!

Bike is two days early!!! Christmas in May My crystal ball shows someone using sick leave for a "Mental Health Ride the New R" day. It's a valid use of sick leave; I think I read it on the Internet somewhere.

[Rocket]

Great ride report!

Bike is two days early!!! Christmas in May My crystal ball shows someone using sick leave for a "Mental Health Ride the New R" day. It's a valid use of sick leave; I think I read it on the Internet somewhere.

You're close. Meetings this morning attended, but booked this afternoon off (to tend to genuinely sick daughter at home....some of the time!, but only until 4.00pm delivery!)

Interesting illness you found on the Internet. Presume the sick note from sufferers reads "Dear Boss, too well to come into work today"

Ron

[Caol]

Excellent reply, thankyou.

My new bike has the same screen. Looks big enough to give ample wind protection, although reading the various threads, opinions vary as to how effective it is. Seems to depend on size of rider.

Also notice you have the full engine crash bars. Not the most discrete but proper protection. Some smaller ones about which look real neat but only cover bottom half of the pots, so probably only useful when doing some serious scratching.
Did you fit your crash bars?

Unfotunately, I don't have ESA so can't "play" the settings like you can . Must be fun. However, I tend to be a set and forget merchant unless going 2 up fully loaded.

Finally, do you have the stock seat / use airhawk?

Ron
PS Bike arrives today

I've got the "Standard" seat and am 6'1" with a 32" inseam. The air flow hits me at the shoulders and leaves the helmet in clean air. I did buy an Alaskan Leather sheepskin buttpad (gel) and had riser/barbacks (1" x 1") but didn't find it made things any more comfortable so they all came off. I did rotate the bars back a little, so now they just, barely, clear the tank and my butt is forming to the seat (or vice versa ) and I'm finding that one hour stretches in the saddle are not a problem. I've never been a "sit-in-the-saddle-and-go" type as I tend to play tourist and stop and go "oooo!" at the Ooooo spots (tourist lookouts, viewpoints etc etc - easily distracted! )

I've got access to a real fine tech, here in Ottawa, and he's the one that installed the crash bars, fog lights, Stebel Nautilus airhorn and the P3 LED lights on the rear. He used an AP-1, auxiliary fuse panel, w/relay so that everything turns on/off with the key, to hook the lights/horn up to the bike, and that gives me a couple of extra circuits if I want to add more electrical farkles later. I live in an apartment building and working on your vehicle on the property is a NO-NO, not that I'm overly mechanically inclined anyway!

Hopefully you've been out riding by the time this catches you!

Kyle

[Rocket]

mmm, interesting stuff, thanks.

Well, it's Monday, 16.22 in the afternoon here and I 'm still waiting for the delivery van from Scotland with my new bike. Been waiting since mid-day and it's an agonising wait, since I don't have any contact number of the courier firm.

I don't even know if he managed to pick the bike up on Saturday, and the shop is closed on Mondays so there is nothing I can do but wait....

..time has virtually stopped