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This forum houses topics related to other BMW bikes that dont have their own forum (s1000r, r9t, K1200R, F800, r1250r, GS, HP2, HP4, F, K bikes, etc), or upcoming machines

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sword181
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New to the site

Post by sword181 »

I am new and am wondering if anyone here has a R1200ST? I am thinking about buying one and would like to know if they have any special problems. I know that they weren't produced very long and you seldom see one for sale. Thanks in advance and I will do a better job of introducing myself soon. Dave
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mogu83
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Post by mogu83 »

Their not as comfortable as a R1200R. And that headlight!!!
Harry Costello -- Jersey Shore
2007 R1200R
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deilenberger
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Post by deilenberger »

Plus they either have no ABS, or the GEN-1 whizzy brake ABS, which is expensive to service and repair.
Don Eilenberger - NJ Shore
2012 R1200R - I love this bike!
Caroanbill
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Re: New to the site

Post by Caroanbill »

Leaving aside the front end design treatment ...

The R1200ST is a bike that never found a market - it was the 2004 replacement for the R11XXRS and the R1100S when the R1200S became a more pure sportbike and lost the R1100S' ability to tour. So it had a semi-sports ride position that is sportier than the R-RS but not quite as crotch-rocket-crouch as the R1200S. The sporty side of the R-RS crowd adopted it, even given it's (ahem) unconventional front treatment, but the touring side of the R-RS crowd went elsewhere (and a few of us are here).

It barely sold at all here (Australia) - but then, neither did the R-RS by 2003. The R1100S was still available, as was the R1150R ... the R-RT was still the R1150RT - BMW's market offering was confused and overlapping (IMHO). In the end, it was special-order only until about 2008 when BMW finally gave up: by then the R1200 R, S, RT and GS were on sale and the F800ST was doing sport touring duty along with the new K1200 series. I don't know what final Aussie sales were, but given what I've seen about and the clubs I know, I'd say only a handful ever sold here.

A great sports-tourer (for those who ride a little more bent over), to read owners' reviews - lots of negative comment that was about at the time was more R-RS owners lamenting the end of the lineb tha criticism of the R12ST (and lots of gratuitous asides about the front design). Given it was and early R12, it may have suffere some of the final drive and other issues the first R1200GSes did ... but since there were so few of them on the road, they didn't seem to garner much forum time or attention.

If you want reviews, go to the RS board - a few there some years ago, IIRC
http://www.bikersoracle.com/rs/forum/
#584 Crystal Grey tour-farkelled Vespa GTS250 PX150
xF650CS R1150RS R80 K1100LT R65LS K100RT
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r12gecko
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Post by r12gecko »

You'll have more fun and get more pep & better fuel efficiency from a 2008 or later F800ST - great bike. And you can dress it for touring or track. I remain convinced the F800 is faster than the R1200R notwithstanding the stats and now having spent a full year on the R1200R (I did three years on the F8ST).
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Re: New to the site

Post by deilenberger »

Caroanbill wrote:Leaving aside the front end design treatment ...

The R1200ST is a bike that never found a market - it was the 2004 replacement for the R11XXRS and the R1100S when the R1200S became a more pure sportbike and lost the R1100S' ability to tour. So it had a semi-sports ride position that is sportier than the R-RS but not quite as crotch-rocket-crouch as the R1200S. The sporty side of the R-RS crowd adopted it, even given it's (ahem) unconventional front treatment, but the touring side of the R-RS crowd went elsewhere (and a few of us are here).

It barely sold at all here (Australia) - but then, neither did the R-RS by 2003.
It sold so poorly in the US - that in 2007-2008, BMW-Motorrad-US had a warehouse full of them they couldn't pawn off on dealers, so they offered them at silly cheap prices to employees (and dealer employees..) The price I heard tossed around was less then $10k for a brand new one. Dunno how accurate that was - since no one I know ever bought one. Most of the warehouse ones were non-ABS which probably was another marketing mistake by BMW.

The R1150RS was a fine bike - except for a few examples like mine (an '04) that buzzed me right onto the R12R.. no matter what I did, I couldn't solve the buzz problem, and became convinced it was a basic engine imbalance problem. Too bad because the rest of the bike was actually quite nice (and handsome IMHO..) If they had come out with an RS model of the 1200 - it might have actually sold a few bikes.

That said - I still think the R12R is a better all-round bike, offering whatever you want in a motorcycle with the addition of a few farkles. Touring/sport/whatever - it can do it.
Don Eilenberger - NJ Shore
2012 R1200R - I love this bike!
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Woland
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Re: New to the site

Post by Woland »

The R1200ST is just as good a bike as the S, R or GS in its niche, but I personally find the headlight hard to appreciate aesthetically from any angle except directly behind (although it reportedly gives very good light). Apart from that its just another variant of a very solid R series concept that may suit some better than the S, R or GS.
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dbrick
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Post by dbrick »

When my 11RS reached middle age, I thought really hard about an ST as a replacement. My friend has one and really likes it.

The problem for me is that a bike is significantly an emotional experience. I like and appreciate and require technical competence, but if it doesn't make me smile when I walk into the garage, I'm not interested.

The ST didn't make me smile.
David Brick
Santa Cruz CA
2007 R1200R
priors: R50, R50, R69, R69S, R65, FJ1200, K75S, R1100RSL
diethornig
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Re: New to the site

Post by diethornig »

R1200R is a classical Roadster motorcycle or rahter Nakedbike with 109 HP. It is best chosen as Tour Motorcycle. Bet you should search more about it.
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