bmwk100 wrote:Rocket- Interesting that I have an 06' Sprint and love the look of the R1200R. (I had BMW K bikes for 15 years before the Sprint.)
I test rode the R12R and found it to seem "small" and just not as good as the Sprint IMHO. (I have never owned a boxer which may explain the fact that I preferred the Triumph triple. It was a very short test ride though.) The constant threads regarding windshields and lack of protection also scare me as I take 1 or 2 long trips a year. I'm still considering the R12R and may have to take another longer test ride.
Please detail the differences between the bikes that made YOU switch bikes. I would be very appreciative and interested in hearing your views.
OK , a long reply off the top , hope it helps...
Sometimes , a bike has great reviews and looks great, but that doesn't mean it will be right for you. Some bikes seem to fit right while others don't. I bought the Sprint last year intending to do some touring (nothing too serious) , plus a few shorter rides solo on nice days. I bought based on reviews and pictures and didn't have a test ride but ,to be honest, a 1 hour ride would not have been long enough to get to know the bike properly.
Whilst it is a fantastic bike, I found , after a few months of ownership, that the Sprint was not quite right for me.
Things I didn't like about the Sprint:
It's heavy (engine is a powerful but weighty lump) and carries its weight higher up than the BM . You notice this when wheeling it around eg in /out of garage, parking manouvers etc
It's more sports than tourer. It actually does both pretty well but sports "prone " riding position means your head is tilting up. This creates slight ache in back of neck eventually, but not always. Better on faster journeys where torso gets some support from wind. More noticeable on slow journeys, eg heavy traffic.
Also found riding positon placed more weight on wrists since torso is leaning forward (this is good for "feeling engaged" but it also provides a level of discomfort if doing a lot of slow tight twisty roads. Again , on faster journeys, it's less of a problem.
At 5'8" the Sprint is a little tall in the saddle for me but only a problem on slow speed manouvres and 2 up.
Gravel car parks, driveways etc or doing U turns on tarmac roads with adverse camber were a real worry and, note, this is where the sports riding position makes matters worse. No fun tip toe-ing in these circumstances.
Also found , riding positon meant it was more difficult to look back properly without wavering the bike. This was noticeable when over-taking or coming to angled junctions. With a more upright riding positon it is possible turn your head more and get a better view whilst maintaining better control of the bikes direction. This was a big difference on th R1200R. The wider bars also helped maintain directional control of the bike whilst looking behind. Doesn't sound much, but this was a key difference for me.
In summary, I reckon my body size is just a little small for the Sprint. If you look at all the things I struggled with, a taller person would cope better. The smaller dimensions of the R1200R meant that it felt a better fit. The upright riding positon and wider bars also helped comfort and control.
The other benefit of the BM over the Sprint is that the BM is more "flickable " though the bends. The Triumph has a very planted feel, not so flickable , but sure-footed. You therefore feel you need to pick your line more on the Sprint because it takes more effort to do last minute change of line.
The Triumph power unit is noticeably more powerful (and smooth on tick-over whereas the BM is a bit of a tractor ). The Triumph engine noise is truly fantastic, whereas the BM is just OK, ... boring in comparison.
The anti-dive brakes on the BM are just brilliant - not so much the stopping power (which is good) but the lack of dive. Feels strange at first, but soon appreciated the benefit of not having the front end dive (and the body weight transfer to your wrists on sharp braking) which makes it much safer in my view, especially when you've approached a bend too quick)
Fairing is good on the Sprint, no problem with wind blast but lots of helmet noise at high speed. Screen is a bit low still despite 2008 mod to raise it.
Some earlier bikes suffer from hot engine air onto your knees. Later version has some foam inside he fairing to stop this but it still happens a bit when the fan kicks in.
Minor gripes, pillion seat gets warm (from underseat exhaust) and rear grabrail gets hot with top box (when stood in traffic metal carrier is heated by rising heat from exhaust. Carrier is bolted to grab rail. )
No storage space under seat at all, but there is a small storage compartment built into fairing.
Panniers are big on the outside (filtering in traffic jams limited) and small on the inside, due to lock mechanism, and not waterproof so liners needed.
Triumph looks are to die for. It is an exceptionally good looking bike with or without luggage.
Triumph has a lovely engine with lots of torque. Easy overtaking. It is also remarkably economical on a run - after 2 days touring Wales, on board computer read av mpg was 49.7 which I thought was pretty impressive given I was 2 up and fully loaded. Engine obviously very efficient on longer runs. I got around 42mpg on the quick local blasts, but I 'm not a fast rider.
I 'm swapping for a R1200R becuase it felt more "fun" to ride overall. Test ride was a real surprise, I can tell you. But you need a couple of hours, and preferably use one of your favourite roads. Great handling, very flickable, great low down torque for powering out of bends, lovely feeling. Prefer the upright riding position , and overall "fit" of the bike. Ample power from the 1200 unit. Not as quick as the Sprint, but quick enough, and love the feel of the telelever front suspension. Feels very safe and handles the bumpy roads really well.
Above comments are from my perspective only, and with all these things, one man's food is another's poison
You need to have a decent ride on both to find out which is right for you. I suggest you arrange a test ride of both bikes in quick succession. Do the same route on both on the same day , and ride BM second! You'll know which is the right bike for after that.
Good luck
Ron
