UK - Bike mag road test

[PhilSB]

The July edition of the UK magazine Bike has a road test of the R1200R Classic. It gives it a good write up. Some quotes from the article -
"This is the best road motorcycle in BMW's range" - "it's a better package -say it in hushed tones - than the august, accomplished R1200GS" "-forget the GS. You want an R1200R, you do" "blah, blah - the R's perch (seat) seems faultless" "Engine, handling,ride, a comfortable cruising speed of 90mph, styling, character and sheer usability all appeal in cluttered, camera-riddled bumpy Blighty." "Throw in a sea of Beemer accessories - and the R's charm is even greater."
"Last year BMW sold 1254 examples of the GS in the UK, 1166Adventure versions, against just 85 R1200Rs, and while the revisions won't change the bike's main problem: people think it's dull. The mags deputy editor declared the last one he rode "the most boring motorcycle I've ever ridden". It's undeserved, but while the Clasic gives a welcome shake-up there's every chance the R1200R could be the most overlooked bike of the year. Again. Ignore it at your loss." £9,750 on the road.

We all know what he means, it's such a pity more riders don't appreciate its finer points.

"camera-riddled bumpy Blighty." I got a speeding ticket a couple of weeks ago and now I have just booked a "Speed Awareness course" @£86 to save me having 3 points on my licence. A 4 hour theory course! My first ticket in 48 years, it can't all have been down to luck.

Phil

[websterize]

I got a speeding ticket a couple of weeks ago and now I have just booked a "Speed Awareness course" @£86 to save me having 3 points on my licence. A 4 hour theory course! My first ticket in 48 years, it can't all have been down to luck.

I feel your pain.

[Matt]

I have just returned home from a "Speed Awareness course" @£97.

Someone is getting rich

[dav]

"Last year BMW sold 1254 examples of the GS in the UK, 1166Adventure versions, against just 85 R1200Rs, and while the revisions won't change the bike's main problem: people think it's dull. The mags deputy editor declared the last one he rode "the most boring motorcycle I've ever ridden".

If the UK sold just 85 R12R i hate to think how many were sold Downunder, 20,30? We all know the R12R are't big sellers but how many units does BMW need to sell before the beancounters say 'well this is't worth it' & discontinue the model.

[dokotela]

There is also a write up in RiDE magazine this month of the Classic. Again, it gets a good write up.
I have to say I am not surprised at BIKE's editors comments. We all know how BIKE magazine is just obsessed with knee-down sports bikes and everything else is considered "boring"

What is interesting is that the article in RiDE is the first time ever that I have read a review of the R12R. In fact, until I went into a BMW dealer looking for a GS, I didn't even know it existed. Part of the problem is that its not promoted well. BMW need to take a leaf out of Triumph's book, and start wining and dining the journalists, so that they start writing nice articles about the R12R, just as they have about the latest few bikes to come out of the Hinkley stables.

Once people start to swing a leg over this bike and take a test ride, then they will sell them, as we all know to our cost!!

[bmwk100]

BIKE magazine did a couple of write ups on the R in the past few years. When the bike first came out in 07', they basically said it was boring and questioned where the bike fit in BMW's lineup. A couple of years later they did a nice writeup of the bike and said it was the best bike in the BMW lineup. Coming from BIKE, that was good to hear and helped in my decision to get a R.

[Shakey]

If I see a review in Motorcycle Sport & Leisure I might read it but I've never been a fan of either Bike or RiDE (or any other monosylabic title). It's taken a long time for me to become a convert and I managed to form my own opinions of the bike thanks very much.

Even MSL is showing an alarming tendency towards the 600cc SQUID rocket these days although thier reviews are at least written by grown-ups.

[NakedRider]

Finally got a copy of this mag in our bookstores. I would consider it a very good write up.

[rockbottom]

"camera-riddled bumpy Blighty."

Can you translate that?

[PhilSB]

Re:"camera riddled bumpy Blighty"

Camera riddled - England has a tremendous number of speed cameras of various types, including average speed, hand held, mobile van,post fixed, (some have been hidden in horse transit boxes). there has been much public outcry that these are really a moneymaking exercise. Many people feel that if a police officer stopped you they would take into account the circumstances of the offence and would possibly just give you a slap on the wrist if it was only a minor infraction.
Recently Oxfordshire turned off their cameras as the government wouldn't cover the running costs of them. These were turned on again when the speeds of cars passing these sites increased considerably.
"riddled"- shoot a shotgun at a board, the frequency of holes is like the frequency of cameras on our roads.
bumpy - British roads following an extremely harsh winter the road surfaces are in a very poor condition. Local councils complain of a lack of funding to make repairs though the central government has provided a small amount of money towards these repairs. Only a small portion of car Road Tax (it used to be called Road Fund Licence but they couldn't for shame keep calling it that) fees are actually spent on the roads, the rest goes into the government coffers.
Blighty - "…an informal term for Britain or England, used by soldiers of the First and Second World Wars…"

Last Wednesday I attended a Speed Awareness Course to save me having 3 points on my licence, 12 points and you lose it. It covered -Excuses for speeding, What causes you to speed, personal consequences, managing your speed in the future, recognising speed limits, hazard recognition. It wasn't too bad a course and was useful in parts.
Hopefully I can manage another 48 years before my next speeding ticket.
Recently a motorist was convicted of flashing headlights to warn of speed cameras, which has reduced the number of drivers giving you some warning.

These are a couple of websites giving info about UK speed cameras.
http://www.ukspeedtraps.co.uk/
http://www.speed-trap.co.uk/Home/Menu1.htm

Phil

[2wheels]

Like most countries we have good and bad roads. Our recent harsh winter wreaked quite alot of havock and we do not have the money to fix it....

However, one of the worst roads I have ever driven was that leading thru Brooklyn into Manhattan(from the airport)!

[rockbottom]

I know what you mean. Particularly in spring, we have roads that are worse than ones I've driven in Mali or Iraq. When they do fix them, they often just re-pave the outside half of a lane. There's always a big of unevenness which makes it terrible for a motorcycle.

[fastdogs2]

Please translate:

"hidden in horse transit boxes."

Is that a trailer used for transporting horses from place to place? How do they do that? Are these trailers parked beside the road with cameras in them?
Wouldn't that occupy a lot of roadside space on roads that are small to begin with?

Bill

[PhilSB]

"hidden in horse transit boxes."
I was riding in Derbyshire near Ladybower Reservoir and there was a camera peering out of the back of a horsebox, a trailer towed behind a car to carry one or two horses. It was parked at the side of the road, not on the carriageway. This is generally regarded as a bit sneaky (unfair, underhand, not cricket old boy, not the done thing, ).
I have searched for a photo of a similar situation but haven't found it. This site has photos of a variety of camera setups thought to be "unfair".
http://www.speedcameras.org/photos-of-speed-cameras.htm

Edit: I've just found it!! http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7322582.stm