Newbie - yes, with questions ...

[MrChicken]

Hi everyone,

I’ve been lurking for a while, and with my R1200R test ride coming up on Monday, I thought I’d come out of the shadows. I was curious to know if anyone commutes regularly on the big “R” and how you go in traffic and the usual stop-start that goes with it. Although I like to get out of town fairly regularly, a good deal of my riding consists of a daily commute to the Sydney CBD. I don’t aggressively filter, but when the traffic is heavy and space allows, I do like to move through the queues at traffic lights. I manage this okay now on a Suzuki M50 (a none-too-dainty mid-sized cruiser), but I’m conscious that the BMW carries it’s weight higher, and of course, there’s those cylinder heads to watch. I'm also looking at the F800ST and Triumph Sprint ST (blasphemy, I know), but they're quite a change from the cruiser and the R1200R seems more like my cuppa tea.

Great forum, by the way.

Cheers
Geoff

[mickyt]

Mr Chook
While I have no experience with your other bike choices and don't have to do city traffic I will say it took me a little more than a test ride to get smooth with riding this bike. I don't know your height but select a seat (low med or high) if having both feet on the ground at stand still is an issue.
I would say lane spitting is not a problem and with a low centre of gravity the r12 is very stable and well balanced at low and high speed. The brakes are fantastic, low and easy maintenance and it gets good economy. Hey I should be selling these bikes!
Regards Mick

[tobes]

I usually take my bike to work on Fridays and lane splitting is fairly routine here in the crazy Los Angeles traffic. I think you'll be surprised at how light the bike feels and how well and easily it handles. I have no problems getting between the cars.

[AllanCook]

I commute regularly on mine. No worries. Handles beautifully in small spaces.

[eisen]

Although I like to get out of town fairly regularly, a good deal of my riding consists of a daily commute to the Sydney CBD. I don’t aggressively filter, but when the traffic is heavy and space allows, I do like to move through the queues at traffic lights.

I slither through busy Tel Aviv traffic and highways with no problem. I ALWAYS have my side luggage on as well

Great bike & i'm really happy with my choice.

[deilenberger]

I commute on mine whenever weather permits (above freezing and not dark on the way home..) The bike makes my commute a pleasure. Admittedly, a lot of the ride is backroads if I get up early enough. If not - it's highway, roundabouts, traffic - and the R1200R does just fine in it. If you're filtering - one thing to be aware of - the bags are the widest part of the bike if you have them mounted.

And the bike doesn't feel top-heavy at ALL.. look where the majority of the engine weight resides and I think you'll understand why.

[Bill Stevenson]

The best vehicle on the planet for urban commuting is a Vespa. The new models with 200 cc and 250 cc engines have enough poop for 75 mph, and are nimble enough for ballroom dancing. BMW tried to make a scooter for a couple of years but it was way too elaborate and heavy. A modern Vespa will get upwards of 70 mpg, and beats the strictest emission standards that have been set for many years to come. They are bullet proof too. The downside to them is that they require a steady ration of tires (about every 5,000 miles) and should be serviced every 2,000 miles. The Vespa is a classic design, are very easy to ride and handle, and they are waaay too much fun.

Bill

[eisen]

Is it a bird? Is it a plane?



NOOOOOOOOOOOOO, it s a VESPA



I would rather walk than have to ride one of these.
I owned a 250cc scooter for 15 hours....Then i sold it and vowed never to own one again.

[MrChicken]

Thanks guys. I'm really looking forward to taking the Beema for a spin, and it sounds like the daily commute is still going to be fine. Bill, as for the Vespa ... as exciting as they sound, I suspect not. I guess it could be handy to have a couple of them in the panniers though.

[ka5ysy]

WARNING: TEST RIDING THE R1200R IS HAZARDOUS TO YOUR CHECKBOOK !!


That being said, I commute a 40 mile round trip most days and the bike always makes me smile. Especially at 50+mpg


Bring your checkbook; you're going to need it

[ShinySideUp]

I commute into San Francisco daily and use the R12R on the job all around the city. All with the BMW luggage in place. I find splitting lanes on the freeway to be usually easy (except for clueless SUV's sitting on the lane stripe), but notice that smaller bikes split lanes inside the city that I don't want to attempt. I'm not in that much of a hurry that it bothers me! Sometimes I wish I had an exhaust cut-out valve so I could loudly rev my engine like the Harley riders do when splitting lanes.

The side bags stick out about 2" beyond the mirrors. So I figure if my mirrors clear the adjacent vehicle mirrors, I'm OK. I've never touched another vehicle yet, even though sometimes I'm pretty sure I came close!

I get about 38 mpg in the SF city hills where almost every intersection is controlled. I get 45+ on freeway only, but CA gas is part alcohol.

I had considered the F800ST for the commuting job, but, after riding on one in the Alps, decided I liked the low end power of the R12R and actually find it more steady to handle at lower speeds. I never have to fight the bike and it just eagerly goes where I'm looking. I also decidedly did NOT like the F800 luggage, both in capacity and futzyness of use.

If I were riding ONLY in the city, I would (and did) consider a scooter, but I found the R12R is hard to beat as an all-around machine: commuting, twisty carving, as well as 2-up touring (with the right farkles!).

So if the R12R fits your other requirements, I'd vote to go for it ,if commuting is your only unresolved question.

[mogu83]

Mr Chicken,
My other bike (one of them) is a Honda Valkyrie so I also have a fondness for big cruisers. The first time in high speed traffic on the R1200R, it felt light , uncomfortably light, to the point where I thought I made a mistake buying it. It took a while getting used to it but not too long. So on your test ride don't be surprised if the machine doesn't feel as planted as your big bike.

[bmwk100]

Mogu,

That was my concern after my test ride. The bike feels very "small". Did you get over this feeling?

[Phillo]

I do around 100 to 140 km daily on my R in small town traffic and on the freeway. In town it's breeze and it's got so much torque to get you through the gaps quickly & safely, its almost as nimble as my Yamaha XT660R used to be but not quite - also it is not nearly as wide across the cylinder heads as one thinks 845 mm which is only around 5 cm per side wider than a Yamaha R1 so if that is going to worry you then imho you are getting to dammed close to the cage's anyway. Keep the rubber side down and enjoy riding.

[mogu83]

Mogu,

That was my concern after my test ride. The bike feels very "small". Did you get over this feeling?

That's a good way to put it The bike feels very "small". , The too light and too small feeling goes away after a few hundred miles. I've made a few trips up the Garden State Parkway during rush hour (think demolition derby but all going in the same direction) and now feel completely comfortable on it in traffic.
If I have a lot of slab miles to do I'll still drag out the Valk, but if I'm doing mostly secondary roads I'm on the R1200, IMHO that's where it was designed to be and I've never ridden a bike that is more suited for those back roads. And this from an old Guzzi rider.

[bmwk100]

We have a lot of slab here in South Florida. That is a major factor in my decision making regarding the possible purchase of this bike. Enjoy your ride!

[ShinySideUp]

Well, while I've drooled at the sheer excess wonder of one, I've never ridden a Valkyrie, but I came to BMW from a ST1100 which is about the same horsepower but 200 lbs. heavier than the R12R.

The ST had a sweet smooth V4 and I used to think it was wonderful on the slab and it WAS darned good. But I've come to really appreciate the "light" feel of the R12R in that lane changes, corrections when filtering, and emergency maneuvers(including the demand for acceleration right NOW) are much easier to execute.

Also a big advantage is, surprisingly to me, much better handling of crosswinds. Turns out that the plastic all over the ST was a pretty good sail, it seems, for, even with the extra weight, I had some scary unplanned lane changes in abrupt crosswinds as when coming out of the wind shadow of a hill into a canyon crossing. Not so with the BMW. Steady as she goes, in the blast of semi's, all the time, every time.

Yes the R12R felt light at first, but now it feels nimble and the ST feels like a truck. However, if I had to face all-day slab rides, it's hard to beat a heavy 4 cylinder. I chose to go to the R12R as the best all-rounder, and sold the ST. YMMV, etc.

[MrChicken]

Well, you guys warned me. I took the R1200R for a ride along the coast with the nice folk from Procycles here in Sydney, and somehow I ended up buying one. I was sure my wallet was tucked away, but noooo, there it was, open and ready for action. Somehow it just knew!!! I am sooo weak. What a great bike. I have pinched an order that was destined to be a demo bike and has abolutely everything on it. It should arrive within a week. Black, of course.

Mmmm, now I only have to figure out how to explain this to my wife ...

[deilenberger]

Mmmm, now I only have to figure out how to explain this to my wife ...

At least you did it in the correct order.. asking forgiveness instead of permission. This way you only get one ROS (Raft-O-poo).. if you ask permission you get two.. one when you ask permission and one when you do it anyway. This way you only get the "after it's a done deal" one.

Black.. if it has white pinstripes it would be the fastest color..

[deilenberger]

Bill sez:

Also a big advantage is, surprisingly to me, much better handling of crosswinds. Turns out that the plastic all over the ST was a pretty good sail, it seems, for, even with the extra weight, I had some scary unplanned lane changes in abrupt crosswinds as when coming out of the wind shadow of a hill into a canyon crossing. Not so with the BMW. Steady as she goes, in the blast of semi's, all the time, every time.

Yup. MUCH better than the K75S I had (which could be scary when about 200' behind a semi at 80mph) much better than the RS that got traded in, and immensely better than my old K100RT was. It pretty much makes wind gusts a non-issue. They are a tiny bit more noticeable with the 20" Cee-Bailey screen, but still never reach the pucker factor that I used to get on the K75S..