BMW 1200RS

[gossman_imp]

Rode the CB to church this evening, usually the only motorcycle there besides a cherry '79 Yamaha 750 Virago (original owner).

After service I went out to make the trip home , low and behold, a brand new R1200rs parked right next to me. Sweet bike and lots of goodies on it. Didn't stay to see the owner but did look up the specs when I got home. Hard to believe that it's 50lbs lighter than my CB, and at 125hp it certainly is faster. Pretty high tech and a beautiful bike. It was pretty clean and zero marks in the tank paint so guessing he hasn't had it long. Hopefully I'll bump into him at church again and we can talk all things motorad.

 

[metallyguitarded_imp]

That BMW is a nice looking bike. I would love to ride one.

 

[Cormanus]

Try not to bump into him. You might scratch his paint.

Boom, boom, ching!

 

[the Ferret]

Pretty nice bike. I rented an R1200R ( the S's air cooled predecessor) when I went to Europe. Really like the bike except for the ridiculously tall gearing which being shaft driven cannot be altered.

 

[HikerToo_imp]

I like 4 cylinders NEW METAL 2015: BMW S1000XR

 

[ClassicVW_imp]

I like 4 cylinders NEW METAL 2015: BMW S1000XR

I've owned many BMW boxer twins. Don't sell them short, they are capable of serious HP, and the R1200RT-P police bike is unequalled in its field.

Their love affair with and reliance on all that technology is why I left. They're great motorcycles but I wouldn't want to own a very recent one that wasn't under warranty due to that very same technology and cost to repair.

 

[Django]

Pretty nice bike. I rented an R1200R ( the S's air cooled predecessor) when I went to Europe. Really like the bike except for the ridiculously tall gearing which being shaft driven cannot be altered.

Well, the gearing can be changed by different available final drives (the one at the rear wheel). However, it's not as cheap as changing a sprocket.

 

[JustPassinThru_imp]

I like 4 cylinders NEW METAL 2015: BMW S1000XR

I've owned many BMW boxer twins. Don't sell them short, they are capable of serious HP, and the R1200RT-P police bike is unequalled in its field.

Their love affair with and reliance on all that technology is why I left. They're great motorcycles but I wouldn't want to own a very recent one that wasn't under warranty due to that very same technology and cost to repair.

I've owned many BMW boxer twins. Don't sell them short, they are capable of serious HP, and the R1200RT-P police bike is unequalled in its field.

Their love affair with and reliance on all that technology is why I left. They're great motorcycles but I wouldn't want to own a very recent one that wasn't under warranty due to that very same technology and cost to repair.
Exactly. Unlike the BMW Rs of old, which were trouble-free and could be maintained out of the tool kit (I'm told) the new ones are computer controlled nightmares that have to be set up by $95/hour shop technicians -who may or may not know what they are doing.

I had a 2009 R1200GS. I gave it up, in the end, because the tall climb was getting too much for arthritic hips. But...from the day I bought it it vibrated like a thumper. Pulled strong, but just BUZZED.

On a road trip to Dallas (from Michigan) I needed warranty service. Which included adjusting the throttle body injectors, whatever they are. I got it back...and it was like the engine was replaced. Where before it chugged and shook, it had started to just purr.

I find out that SCHOOL for those guys to DO that, is a couple of months and mucho dinero. And not everyone who attends truly gets it. And, Dallas was a bit out of my way for regular service.

Given that it was valuable used; that I was an ordeal getting on; and that proper service was hit-and-miss and pure luck...I sold. Thought I was ripping the buyer off, until I saw that the NEW GSs had risen in price from about $15k to $20k. No matter...I rode that thing 12,000 miles and it cost me about $2000.

Since then, I lapsed, with an older oilhead, R1200RT. Same thing: Pulls but shakes and chugs. And I'm not in situation for another road trip to Dallas; or to find out that the last time was a lucky shot.

It's too bad. BMW should have kept the entry-level K75 three, instead of those Rotax F bikes with chain and belt drives.

 

[Elipten_imp]

Yea the Rotax are junk IMHO. As I say not you father'so BMW company or the one of my 30's. Best to rebuild on old one. Buy one with low miles for $3k, learn to wrench, and rebuild it. You will save $10K to $15K, and get a better bike that will go hundreds of thousands of miles. My CB is a perfect match to my K75


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[ClassicVW_imp]

I hear ya, JPT, but not everyone has the desire, the talent, or the tools to do a rebuild.
BTW, What scared me off from BMW was the $2,000 final drive repairs and $4,000 clutch jobs. (Not joking)

 

[HikerToo_imp]

sounds like their cars, I bought a CPO BMW 2011 328i, warranty til 2017, but some people on their forums won't own a BMW( or any German car) without a warranty, they are great and feel nice, but take more and pricier maintenance than other brands....

 

[furious_blue_imp]

I hear ya, JPT, but not everyone has the desire, the talent, or the tools to do a rebuild.
BTW, What scared me off from BMW was the $2,000 final drive repairs and $4,000 clutch jobs. (Not joking)

I saved these photos that I encountered:

1. What it takes to get to the clutch of a Boxer so that a leaking oil seal can be replaced


2. catastrophic failure of an F model swingarm


3. catastrophic failure of an F model fork


I bought a BMW car in 2000, within a few months the paint was getting chips all over the front, I don't live in a gravel-ly area.. the paint on my old beater 1982 Nissan Sentra was far more durable than that...
I don't get it. BMW had (?) such a reputation for quality and durability ? (or am I seriously mistaken)...

 

[gossman_imp]

They enjoy creating technological marvels. Just as most high end vehicles end up, the Toyotas of the world just outlast them. What's the most reliable Lotus? The one with the Toyota engine.

 

[Capo]

They enjoy creating technological marvels. Just as most high end vehicles end up, the Toyotas of the world just outlast them. What's the most reliable Lotus? The one with the Toyota engine.

Yes, I know!: [/img]

 

[NightRider_imp]

I hear ya, JPT, but not everyone has the desire, the talent, or the tools to do a rebuild.
BTW, What scared me off from BMW was the $2,000 final drive repairs and $4,000 clutch jobs. (Not joking)

I saved these photos that I encountered:

1. What it takes to get to the clutch of a Boxer so that a leaking oil seal can be replaced


2. catastrophic failure of an F model swingarm


3. catastrophic failure of an F model fork


I bought a BMW car in 2000, within a few months the paint was getting chips all over the front, I don't live in a gravel-ly area.. the paint on my old beater 1982 Nissan Sentra was far more durable than that...
I don't get it. BMW had (?) such a reputation for quality and durability ? (or am I seriously mistaken)...

I saved these photos that I encountered:

1. What it takes to get to the clutch of a Boxer so that a leaking oil seal can be replaced


2. catastrophic failure of an F model swingarm


3. catastrophic failure of an F model fork


I bought a BMW car in 2000, within a few months the paint was getting chips all over the front, I don't live in a gravel-ly area.. the paint on my old beater 1982 Nissan Sentra was far more durable than that...
I don't get it. BMW had (?) such a reputation for quality and durability ? (or am I seriously mistaken)...

Wow. I suppose the box engine has some advantages and disadvantages and one has to decide what is more important. The advantage is the straight shot from the crank to the transmission and driveshaft which has power delivery and efficiency advantages inherent to that design. The disadvantage is you must pull the engine to get to something on the back end that would be on the sides of our engine.

The busted members could be from some abuse rather than simply breaking so I would not be scared to buy a BMW if I wanted the advantages of having one over the problems the designs might have especially in the fix-it cost area. I like the boxer engine and it does have some fans and plenty of them.

 

[the Ferret]

When I was a kid, my father rode Indians and then Harleys. I am not kidding when I tell you this, top ends on his bikes had to be overhauld every 10,000 miles. Bottom ends every 20,000 miles. BMWs from that era would reportedly go 100,000 miles. So I grew up wanting a BMW (you could also get a 10 gallon gas tank as an option which I thought was cool).

I've always thought the BMW R100/7 was one of the most beautiful bikes ever made. 4 times since 1976 I have tried to buy BMW motorcycles. First time was an R 90S. Last time was an 1150 Rockster.Each time a test ride convinced me not to buy. Love looking at them. Hate riding them.

 

[ClassicVW_imp]

Oh, I AM a fan of the boxer engine, just no longer a fan of a new model BMW motorcycle. I even won a new BMW motorcycle a couple of years back, but sold it just prior to the warranty expiring and bought a new Honda. I just couldn't stop worrying if I was going to be handed a repair bill for $4,000 one day. ( A used BMW I owned was previously a California police bike and I have the receipt where the city was charged, and paid, $4,100 for a clutch) Oh, and buying the Honda not only saved me from worrying but I also pocketed 10 grand after switching.

 

[furious_blue_imp]

I hear ya, JPT, but not everyone has the desire, the talent, or the tools to do a rebuild.
BTW, What scared me off from BMW was the $2,000 final drive repairs and $4,000 clutch jobs. (Not joking)

I saved these photos that I encountered:

1. What it takes to get to the clutch of a Boxer so that a leaking oil seal can be replaced


2. catastrophic failure of an F model swingarm


3. catastrophic failure of an F model fork


I bought a BMW car in 2000, within a few months the paint was getting chips all over the front, I don't live in a gravel-ly area.. the paint on my old beater 1982 Nissan Sentra was far more durable than that...
I don't get it. BMW had (?) such a reputation for quality and durability ? (or am I seriously mistaken)...

I saved these photos that I encountered:

1. What it takes to get to the clutch of a Boxer so that a leaking oil seal can be replaced


2. catastrophic failure of an F model swingarm


3. catastrophic failure of an F model fork


I bought a BMW car in 2000, within a few months the paint was getting chips all over the front, I don't live in a gravel-ly area.. the paint on my old beater 1982 Nissan Sentra was far more durable than that...
I don't get it. BMW had (?) such a reputation for quality and durability ? (or am I seriously mistaken)...

Wow. I suppose the box engine has some advantages and disadvantages and one has to decide what is more important. The advantage is the straight shot from the crank to the transmission and driveshaft which has power delivery and efficiency advantages inherent to that design. The disadvantage is you must pull the engine to get to something on the back end that would be on the sides of our engine.

The busted members could be from some abuse rather than simply breaking so I would not be scared to buy a BMW if I wanted the advantages of having one over the problems the designs might have especially in the fix-it cost area. I like the boxer engine and it does have some fans and plenty of them.

I guess that's actually one advantage.. on that generation of boxer, there is no 'frame'..
to get to the rear, the entire back end was removed, but the front end could stay attached





The newer GS model now has a real tubular steel frame (as I understand it from a picture anyway)...

 

[the Ferret]

All mfgs have warranty depts for a reason, and none that I know of are perfect. My ST has not been without it's issues with secondary master cylinders and thermostats and Goldwings had an issue breaking frames. So lets not turn this into a BMW bashing thread.

BMWs reputation has suffered of late, but just like Hondas or Yamahas or Harleys guys can get good ones or bad ones. Luck of the draw

 

[redbirds_imp]

New Boxers also have a wet clutch located up front for easy access.

My '73 R/75 was the finest bike I ever owned until the CB took that honor. The old boxers were easy to maintain and, given proper maintenance, reliable as a claw hammer. Too bad the new ones are technological nightmares when something goes amiss.