What is the perfect bike to you?

[TCBronson_imp]

I know, there is no such thing as a perfect bike! But we all have ideas of what would be the perfect bike if someone would just build it.

For me at the ripe old age of 60 I want light weight and low maintenance. An Air cooled engine, no radiator to mess with and risk leaks, fuel injected for altitude riding in the mountains, shaft drive no chain adjusting and lubing, hydraulic valves no valve adjustment. It has to have at least two cylinders up to four cylinders. Comfortable ergonomics for long distance riding and a windshield for wind protection.

Anybody know of any new or used bikes that fit my description? Maybe a BMW 1200?

The CB1100 comes close.

 

[tonyzale_imp]

I know, there is no such thing as a perfect bike! But we all have ideas of what would be the perfect bike if someone would just build it.

For me at the ripe old age of 60 I want light weight and low maintenance. An Air cooled engine, no radiator to mess with and risk leaks, fuel injected for altitude riding in the mountains, shaft drive no chain adjusting and lubing, hydraulic valves no valve adjustment. It has to have at least two cylinders up to four cylinders. Comfortable ergonomics for long distance riding and a windshield for wind protection.

Anybody know of any new or used bikes that fit my description? Maybe a BMW 1200?

The CB1100 comes close.

Sounds like you are describing a BMW R nineT. I have had one for 2 years and it is wonderful. 1200 cc, classic look, air cooled tons of torque. Wonderful at all speeds. I recommend getting one.

 

[TCBronson_imp]

I just looked at the BMW website and noticed a new R nineT Scrambler that looks pretty cool!

 

[Wisedrum]

As it was mentioned earlier,
no one builds
a perfect motorcycle,
because the description of
what perfect means
differs too much, if you ask
more than one person.

In my opinion it is you, who
makes a bike perfect by the
way you get used
to it after a while. The ride
on it feels perfect, maybe the
look too. The bike is perfect in its
imperfection and this
is often not such a boring thing
as a perfect bike can be.

Wisedrum

 

[curlyjoe]

I know, there is no such thing as a perfect bike! But we all have ideas of what would be the perfect bike if someone would just build it.

For me at the ripe old age of 60 I want light weight and low maintenance. An Air cooled engine, no radiator to mess with and risk leaks, fuel injected for altitude riding in the mountains, shaft drive no chain adjusting and lubing, hydraulic valves no valve adjustment. It has to have at least two cylinders up to four cylinders. Comfortable ergonomics for long distance riding and a windshield for wind protection.

Anybody know of any new or used bikes that fit my description? Maybe a BMW 1200?

The CB1100 comes close.

The R9T riding ergonomics is too cramped for me for long distance touring and the valves need to be checked/adjusted every 6K miles according to the service manual.

Maybe an older 1200RT (pre-water cooled) comes closer to your criteria but I suspect it will be heavier than the R9T.

I've read that the scrambler is a bit taller and less cramped than the R9T but IMO it is not a good choice for long distance touring.

I'm afraid you'll need 2 bikes!

 

[ss2wheels_imp]

Right now the two in the garage!

 

[ClassicVW_imp]

Sounds like the BMW R1150 or 1200 models. You mentioned long distance but you didn't mention saddlebags. The RT is heavier, and the R1200R is the one without bags and weighs a good bit less. A windshield is no problem to add. If you could give up the shaft drive requirement, the BMW F 800 series is lighter still.

Even with the R1150/1200 RTs, don't be too concerned over the weight because they are so well balanced and agile, they feel like a much lighter ride. A test ride will show you what I mean. I own a 2003 R1150 RT-P.

w/r/t the R NineT, have you seen that the U.S. and Canada have issued a recall for the rear turn signals?
I guess they designed the tail light so that if viewed from the rear quarter and not straight on, the tail light assembly partially blocks the turn signal on the far side from the viewer's position.

The remedy is BMW will install rear turn signals on wider stalks.

 

[redbirds_imp]

The CB1100 fills that niche for me. Comfortable, reliable and super easy to maintain. The valve adjustment interval is a non-issue for me. After personal experience with shim under bucket systems on different bikes, it's simply not a problem as none I've owned have ever been in need of adjustment. A simple add on wind screen and some strap on luggage turns the CB into a fine tour bike.

 

[Capo]

You won't find a bike with all of your particular criteria met, but plenty come close. A few tweaks to a Guzzi V7 might fit the bill. Open up to liquid cooling ( other than style, any prejudices to WC are outdated and leave many bikes out of consideration) and you have the new Bonnie and any number of Japanese and European machines. The New R1200R is a fantastic all-rounder, but it does now have partial liquid cooling. And it's no bargain. If you aren't going for the retro look, I recently rode a new Kawasaki Versys 650, and was impressed...just a great go- anywhere bike. The mind spins!

 

[aschem_imp]

A Buell XB12Xt might work for you. No chain, no valve adjustment. Plenty of luggage space, windshield (including aftermarket tall ones) air-cooled and fuel injected.

 

[the Ferret]

On paper the 2012 BMW R1200R is the perfect bike for me. Light weight, powerful,, shaft drive, available low seat, available hard bags and trunk, avilable heated grips, available fly screen. I even rented one for 2 weeks to ride around Europe. ..and liked it. Only problem... It's not a Honda ( or Japanese even) so sketchy dealer network, complicated electronics packages, reputed reliability problems, expensive parts and service. It might be worth the risk to me used, but not at full price. Still I'd hate to lose a final drive someplace in N Dakota or Idaho or something.

 

[ClassicVW_imp]

IMO if you're going to add bags, trunk, and windshield to a R1220r you might as well just get the RT and have better wind and weather protection from a bigger fairing area.

 

[LongRanger_imp]

On paper the 2012 BMW R1200R is the perfect bike for me. Light weight, powerful,, shaft drive, available low seat, available hard bags and trunk, avilable heated grips, available fly screen. I even rented one for 2 weeks to ride around Europe. ..and liked it. Only problem... It's not a Honda ( or Japanese even) so sketchy dealer network, complicated electronics packages, reputed reliability problems, expensive parts and service. It might be worth the risk to me used, but not at full price. Still I'd hate to lose a final drive someplace in N Dakota or Idaho or something.

I've never heard the BMW dealer network characterized as "sketchy", but I live in a different part of the country and my experience has been anything but that. But "reputed reliability problems" and "losing a final drive?" Internet horror stories can bias us against certain bikes, but I'd suggest they can be one-sided. Lots of BMW owners are able to ride these bikes serious miles for a reason, just like your ST. They're definitely not perfect, and they're not always easy or inexpensive to maintain, but they're impressively engineered and very nicely assembled.

I think the publicized issues of late have stemmed from BMW's decision to increasingly outsource major part assemblies, rather than manufacture them in-house. My F800GT is largely an assembly of purchased components and absolutely doesn't have the same sense of "BMW" as my previous R-bikes, K-bikes, or current K1200RS. Still, it's a lot of fun to ride and checks off the items I want for a mid-weight sports-tourer. Happy to let anyone take it for a go if they're in the area.

 

[aschem_imp]

On paper the 2012 BMW R1200R is the perfect bike for me. Light weight, powerful,, shaft drive, available low seat, available hard bags and trunk, avilable heated grips, available fly screen. I even rented one for 2 weeks to ride around Europe. ..and liked it. Only problem... It's not a Honda ( or Japanese even) so sketchy dealer network, complicated electronics packages, reputed reliability problems, expensive parts and service. It might be worth the risk to me used, but not at full price. Still I'd hate to lose a final drive someplace in N Dakota or Idaho or something.

I concur, don't want to break down here in Bigfoot country

 

[Pete Erickson_imp]

On paper the 2012 BMW R1200R is the perfect bike for me. Light weight, powerful,, shaft drive, available low seat, available hard bags and trunk, avilable heated grips, available fly screen. I even rented one for 2 weeks to ride around Europe. ..and liked it. Only problem... It's not a Honda ( or Japanese even) so sketchy dealer network, complicated electronics packages, reputed reliability problems, expensive parts and service. It might be worth the risk to me used, but not at full price. Still I'd hate to lose a final drive someplace in N Dakota or Idaho or something.

I concur, don't want to break down here in Bigfoot country

I concur, don't want to break down here in Bigfoot country
BMW has pretty much solved the rear drive problem. In 2007 (I think) they punched a hole through the rear drive for better cooling.

I have a 2012 R12R. It has taken me from Vancouver, WA to Yellowstone, Sturgis, and Glacier. Last year I rode it to Abilene, TX. Did not have a single problem. It averages over 50 mpg at 70 rpm. I have seen close to 70 mpg on ethanol free gas.

That said it does have some issues. Low speed throttle response is really twitchy. If you don't want to look like newbie, you have to modulate the clutch with the throttle or put it in a gear higher than normal. The fuel strip sensor not very well designed or built. It fails a lot. BMW took so much heat that in 2014 (I think) they removed the fuel gauge from dash display. They also extended the warranty on the fuel strip for 12 years from date of purchase. Mine has not failed yet. To change the oil in the rear drive, you have to remove the rear wheel to get to the filler hole. Parts can be expensive, but the aftermarket has a lot of the normal wear and tear items. I had to replace the rear shock at 25k. The OEM shock was about $1,200. I found an aftermarket shock for less than half that price.

The BMW is my go to long distance touring bike.

 

[LongRanger_imp]

Good point about the fuel strip. I had two '07 F800ST's and each had a fuel gauge, miles-to-empty computer, and instantaneous mpg readout. It all seemed to work fine. My '13 F800GT, which is arguably the same bike as those two ST's, only displays the fuel level when the tank reaches 50% full or less. It no longer has the miles-to-empty feature or the instantaneous mpg readout. I think the fuel strip sensor issue you mentioned is the reason why, though I've read elsewhere that the organic shape of the tank makes it difficult to read.

 

[paul kellam_imp]

my old cb900c

 

[the Ferret]

Lol I dont mean to besmirch the BMW brand lol, but I live outside of Cincinnati. Not exactly a back woods town. We have pro football and baseball teams, world class zoo, world class symphony, and no BMW dealer ( or Ducati or Aprilia and I would have to drive 90 miles to nearest KTM dealer) I would have to drive 150 miles for anything BMW. This is the midwest where 80% of the motorcyclists in the US are living. Imagine being out in the boonies where 20% of the motorcyclists live..how many Euro dealers are out there? You can almost always find a Honda or Harley dealer, but the rest, to me, are by my definition " sketchy" in their dealership networks.

Just as there are CB1100 forums there are also BMW forums. I have been to the R1200R forum. Lots of complaints of bad fuel strips of course, but also many complaints of "I expected better quality", "my this broke," "my that broke," things I would never expect to break, and I personally know a guy with a Rockster whose final drive lunched on him leaving him stranded. Reading stories of guys carrying spare final drives on tour does not promote confidence, and either does reading of BMWs not finishing the Iron Man. Even on this forum guys complain about how unreliable and expensive to repair their BMWs have been. One of my best riding buds just got rid of his 1200GS and bought a Kawasaki Versys because he just didnt trust the Beemer andymore and was afraid of a huge future repair bill.

If you have a BMW and it's been reliable you don't know how happy I am for you, honestly...... like I said on paper the R1200R is everything I want. However I just can't bring myself to take the leap of faith knowing what I know and from reading what I have read written by BMW owners themselves.

 

[LongRanger_imp]

Yikes. If my closest dealer was 150 miles away, I'd avoid BMW's too! That's why there are no Moto Guzzi's in my garage anymore!

 

[the Ferret]

We JUST got a Guzzi dealer in town again. The last one went out of business in the 70's. We also just got a Triumph dealer in town but he is so weak as a dealer. 1 mechanic that comes in on weekends. The Guzzi dealer told me they do a lot of the service work for the Triumph dealer.