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

John,
You get the bike that is right for YOU! Everyone has their own preferences and reasons for the bike they have now. I bought a bike in '05 and after 6 months I wanted something different.-Thought the wife was gonna kill me!!--I have the bike that I want now.



At least for now.

Obvious answer to this is to buy one and keep the R as well...

I have a friend who is the same age as me - 57. I talked with him a couple of months ago and he said that he was going to sell his house and move to one which was closer to a bus route, so that when he was not able to drive, he could still get to places!!! Wherever he drive he always drives within the stipulated speed limits. Unfortunately, he is also the most unsafe driver I have ever been with. He only sees the road immediately in front of the car bonnet and doesn't see what is going on 20/30/40/100/200 yards in front of him. He is completely oblivious of everything going on around him and is an accident waiting to happen. (he thinks he is a very safe driver).

The opposite case is the 21 year old who thinks he is Valentino Rossi and prides himself on the perception that he is also a very safe rider. He can tick all the boxes in the various magazines which tell us how to ride within our limits, and he is a superb rider. He takes all the correct lines through bends (from a safety point of view) and knows the limits of his tyres. Unfortunately, one day he rounds a bend and there's cow clap on the road and there is a tractor on the other side of the road. Typical case of one rider exiting this world.

The middle ground is the average rider. I count myself as one of these. Being specific to this forum, we ride BMW motorcyles because we like the overall ability of the motorcycle to do what we want. The bottom line, though, is that even the 1150R is a powerful bike. I get a kick out of using 85hp and if the road is clear and the surface is good, then, yes I will hold my hands up and say that I will knock it up to 125 IF IT IS SAFE TO DO SO.

I haven't ridden the K1200R, but would quite like to do so. I'm afraid that if it were a clear road, then I simply could not resist the temptation to 'see what it will do'. When I reach a point in my life where I do not want to do that, then I will buy a house on a bus route........

Safe riding to you all,

Rog

John I. Stephen wrote:Sorry guys I'm going to be controversial again

I hear so many of you talking about the awesome performance and the fact that the K1200S is SO FAST that you found yourself doing 130 when you thought you were doing 80 ...... I say "rubbish" to that ! I have just had a lovely detour home on the K1200S and I never once blew the speed limits by and unreasonable margin. This bike is 100% controllable. Yes it may be tempting to "bring it on" but she is just as happy staying in 6th from 40 mph and cruising along. The huge torque of the motor makes the experience very pleasurable. And when you do want to overtake, it's a much more relaxed affair than on the R1150R; almost "think" overtake, and she'd done it, no fuss no huge acceleration, just a quiet smooth "wooosh" (not exactly onomatopoeia but almost !).

But then, when it's safe, wind it on to 7000rpm+ in the lower gears and feel the adrenalin rush !

Yes, I am truly smitten

I fully agree that you can ride the Ks as gentle as you like. But there's no getting away from the fact that with such good aerodynamics, 130+ feels like around 95/100 if you're not used to such good fairings.

And the way it accelerates in top when it hits the proper power at 8 grand is just scary.... ie, 140.......145.......150..160..170!!!

John I. Stephen wrote:OK thanks to all. I think I get the idea. Buying a K1200 is only for the insane....

Still pondering though ....

Must be why my wife has a K1200R. :D

Rog(UK) - Yorkshire Dales wrote:I have a friend who is the same age as me - 57. I talked with him a couple of months ago and he said that he was going to sell his house and move to one which was closer to a bus route, so that when he was not able to drive, he could still get to places!!! Wherever he drive he always drives within the stipulated speed limits. Unfortunately, he is also the most unsafe driver I have ever been with. He only sees the road immediately in front of the car bonnet and doesn't see what is going on 20/30/40/100/200 yards in front of him. He is completely oblivious of everything going on around him and is an accident waiting to happen. (he thinks he is a very safe driver).

You just described probably 85% of the drivers on the UK or US roads.

Remember, they're not out to get you, they're just not looking, and if they're not looking, they won't see you. Ride as if you're invisible.

make it 99%

Rog

In fact, forget the percentage, just take it that they are ALL out to get you, so ride accordingly.

Rog

when picking up my bike for some service, i took out the K1200R for a test spin.

linear acceleration and I really couldn't sense the torque. it was very smooth and quick to 85 or so.

but i must say, i felt as if i were on for the ride. I didn't feel that sense of 'oneness' that makes you feel comfortable with a bike. maybe it was just that it is so different from my R, but I felt perched on the bike and didn't quite like that feeling.

chris wrote:Obvious answer to this is to buy one and keep the R as well...

+1

I took both my FZ and RR up as fast as I could go....... not as fast as THEY could go. I can't hold on past 115 mph.

I can't hold on past 115 mph

You need some of those Velcro gloves.

Test drove a K1200GT with 15k miles; it was gorgeous. as I rode th R1150R home I just knew that it couldn't last. I spoke to my wife and now, some 6 hours later, the K12GT is in the garage, alongside the R1150R.

Thanks to all who have so enthusiastically responded to my many queries over the past 4 months.

John

Nice one, not many miles on that. Fancied one of those for a 4000 mile hike round Europe I'm thinking of. You do realise you bought the wrong bike tho? 1200 S not GT is what we were on about...
Must be cosy warm and quiet behind that screen! Where's the pics!!!

Nice bike...I bet you will be happier with the GT rather than the S.
Have fun and lots of luck with the new wheels!

I believe that someone was looking for a rider who had done a 500 mile day on a K1200S. I am guilty of that. Actually, I'm a repeat offender. For example, I rode my KS 6,118 miles in the first two weeks of July, 2006. My 55 year old body loved every mile -- as did my 30 year old psyche.

mac

Hello ! Yes I adore my K1200GT and as I approach my 51st birthday I have to say that the return to biking has made me so much younger !

All the best

PS Anyone want a 15K miles; pristine condition R1150R; brand new tyres; new MOT; just services and FSH (BMW); couldn't be a better way to start the summer IMHO