Greetings and an introduction.

[Wraithwrider]

Hiya all, I'm Peter, been riding coming up to 40 yrs and presently have quite an aged steed to tide me over going back to university, a 94 R1100RS.

I'm from the NW of England, Kendal in the Lake District to be precise.

I'm looking for a nearly new or new bike later in the year and have gone round and round in circles before coming back to Bee Emm and the R1200R. It seems to fit the bill nicely with small screen, hard panniers and heated grips/low seat. My previous bike to the RS was a 04 R1200GS that was heavily modified and I also owned a R100RS for a few years so I'm pretty okay with Bee Emms, my lady rides a R650GS twin too..

I've just been through the Maths in relation to the R vs the RT. By the time I add ABS, screen, panniers, low seat, stand, heated grips and a rack to the R it's only £500 less than a DOHC RT

It makes no sense and is putting me off the R to be honest. I've ridden an RT and they are truly great bikes but I don't want one. I just have to question the value for money of the R though.

Any thoughts on this situation worth sharing? Is it worth the money over say a 1200 Sport Guzzi?

Peter

[mogu83]

Any thoughts on this situation worth sharing? Is it worth the money over say a 1200 Sport Guzzi?
Peter

Can't help on the first part of your problem (R vs RT) but do have some insight on the second. I'm still active in the Guzzi community and have long time friends with the Guzzi Sport and Norge. To my eye the Guzzi is much more eye appealing than the Beemer but that's where it ends. Performance,reliability,parts availability and a competent dealer network put me on my R1200R. I keep my bikes a long time, and it seems like Guzzi is always on the verge of going out of business. I didn't want to spend 16K on a highly technical motorcycle ( Norge) that became a lawn ornament because the company went belly up and parts and service were no longer available.

Naturally IMHO

[deilenberger]

You said: "I've ridden an RT and they are truly great bikes but I don't want one."

Think about what you said. That applies to the majority of R12R owners. We ride the R12R because we want to, and we don't want an RT. Price wasn't a deciding factor at all for me - it's first brand new bike I'd bought in close to 30 years.. so I wasn't letting price decide what I was going to ride.

You buy an R12R because you want one. It's really that simple.

[Michael Hart]

Hi Pete
I went thru the same scenario, But with the incentives BMW are offering now I don't think the price is even close to the RT.
I just bought my new 09 R1200R for 14,200.00 with heated grips, tail rack, side bags, center stand and a after market screen.
I even got the dealer to thro in a tank bag (BMW). I use my bike almost everyday and didn't want to carry all of the plastic all the time. 700 miles and so for couldn't be happier.
Mike

[Seamus]

'Ow do' from another Northerner Peter and welcome to the forum. You live in a nice part of the world I see.

The RR is a great bike that is easy to love. Sometimes on my daily commute I forget its qualities and think I'm getting bored of it, but once I go on a proper ride I realise just how good it is, especially on British A and B roads. One thing though- if you do a lot of motorway riding, and knowing our NW of England climate, the RT might be the better option IMO. If you don't use the motorway all that often however, and your riding is more varied (like mine), go for the R1200R.

I bought mine Approved Used and it had only done 1500 miles with a years full warranty/breakdown cover etc. This helps to make the bike more cost effective against the RT I think, although as Don (deilenberger) has already pretty much said, buy what makes you happy.

Sean

[celticus]

If I had wanted an RT I would have bought an RT. I just liked the R better. I never thought of the R as a down grade to an RT. Heaven forbid!!
Actually I never considered an RT. Looked too big. Too much tuperware.
Taste is taste but the new R1200RTs don't do it for me. I liked the R1150RT better but not well enough to buy it.
I test drove a K1200S but one ride on the R1200R was all it took.
The R was small and manoverable , nimble compared to the K1200RS I was coming from.
I didn't want a long heavy bike and have been since Dec. 2006 very happy with my R1200R.

Mark

[Tarmac]

You should look into the used market.

[Peter Baker]

I would highly recommend the R- it's a really "handy" bike for its engine capacity, but in my experience it doesn't have to be all that costly, particularly if you can live without all the expensive BMW extras. I bought mine new (pre-registered with 0 miles on the clock) in May '09 for £7,450- a plain vanilla bike with heated grips but no other additions. I have since added the essential accessories- touring screen, centre stand, handguards, rear hugger, front fender extender and Givi Luggage, and for me this is an excellent package. Ask yourself if you really need computer, ABS, BMW luggage etc. and you can get a bike, which to me represents quite good value by comparison with the RT (or the Japanese competition for that matter).

All the best

Peter

[Wraithwrider]

Thanks for the replies above. I'm just about certain that the RR (I like that moniker) will fit the bill for me pretty well. I dislike motorways but enjoy fast A road riding, smooth progressive stuff really. I've ridden a lot of Beemers and love the boxer engine and no dive front end.

I would probably go for ABS but don't see the need for the other packages (other than heated grips of course) and they are all things to go wrong further down the line if the bike becomes a real 'keeper'.

I'd be looking at fitting a small fairing to take away some of the wind blast. I like the look of the Wunderlich offering, the trophy, has anyone tried one?

There seem to be so many threads re screens and I may create one that brings em all together.

Panniers likewise.

Thanks again, hope to be looking seriously when studenthood comes to an end and I get a job, August/September. The DOHC RR might be a reality by then?

Edited to say that I've found a thread on the Wunderlich trophy, any feedback on fitting and function?

Peter