Got to Try One Today!

[Boxer]

I got up early today to head down to the BMW of Atlanta open house that they put on each year this time. It includes demo rides all day and brats for lunch in the back.


I got the paperwork set up to ride and tried this baby first.
That's not me. That's the guy before me.


Then I was able to ride this little beauty for the first time.
Again that could be me, but it isn't.


The GS rode better in my opinion, so if I ever do decide to trade up I'll get the GS. The little RR was nimble as a feather and quick...very quick, but it just felt too light for touring the way I like to do it. And I reemphasize, it may be worth it to some (obviously it is) but $15,000+ price tag is just too much for what you get...IMHO

After riding I sneaked around back and found fellow club members, where else but near the food.


I had a nice brat with trimmings and an ice cold lemonade while we talked about the bikes. Nice day! Tomorrow is the toy run from the same dealership. I'm guessing we'll meet for lunch somewhere. Dang, it's hard getting thin among these folks!

[DJ Downunder]

Nice..did you get to ride a K1200R....and what's a brat..is that a sausage or snag..as we say down under.

btw...there's nothing like a good test ride..check out this great vid.. .. http://moto.cled17.com/stephane-chambon-suzuki-drz-sm

DJ

[Skippy]

Nice report Boxer. I do agree the price is a bit high for a R1200R compared to the competition(if there realy is any ) but what makes you feel that the R1200GS is more value for money then the R? As I see it apart from different cosmetics and other tires the GS only has a better(as in more adjustability) front shock then the R does but cost a fair bit more then the R. If you are realy planning on going off road the GS is off course the best bike but if you are going to use it for road use the R to me looks like the beter bike(I also thought long and hard about the two). I like the fact that the R has mutch better tires for use on the road(and will fit anything from touring to supersoft race tires) witch to me means better safety thrue better grip under all conditions on road. Also find the ergo's of the R very good and as you said your self it's pretty fast(faster the you would expect from sutch a bike).

[Deans BMW]

Every time I read where the R1200R is too expensive, immediately I think of all the Harleys sold.

[Skippy]

Or Ducati's...

Seriously though I don't understnad why lot's of people are hung up about the R's price tag. Compared to the S and GS I think the price is reasonable and you can't realy compare them to to many other bikes. Some Guzzi's come close and they have similar expensive motor and drivetrain lay out and similar spec parts but there's not too mutch between Guzzi's prices and BMW so I don't think BMW stands out to mutch. And who else has the telelever system(for me a big plus) and for now the greatest ABS sytem that can be bought. Don't know how things are in the us though.

[AllanCook]

The entry-level HD big twin, the FXD, goes for $12,395, with a single seat, no ABS, inferior transmission, motor and suspension. The next step up is $14,695. I think I paid just over $15,000 for my R1200R. Sure, it's a lot of money, but having had both a Harley and a BMW, I think I got plenty of value for the $2,600. And a vastly superior motorcycle.

There is an argument to be made that Harleys hold their value better. But I didn't buy my bike as an investment, I bought it to ride. If I take care of it, I will be riding my R long, long after that new FXD is rusting away or gathering dust somewhere.

Anyway, Harleys are so common.

[JCsman]

If price to performance were the only criteria I used, I'd be on a Japanese bike right now. If it were the universal criteria, H-D would never have survived.

I'm an engineer by education/profession and I try to weigh every decision in quantifiable ways. When my wife told me she was buying me a motorcycle for Christmas (and no back talk from me allowed!) I set out to develop a short list. Touring was a plus. The R1150R was not on the list. The R1150RT was. But it came in second (I'm not saying what led the pack). I decided to talk a closer look at both #1 and #2.

I happened to be near the Birmingham BMW dealer one day with Judy and we just dropped in. The salesman let me ride the RT. Nice bike. Then he suggested the R1150R.

It was the first time I'd seen one in person. I'll admit the thing looked (and still looks) beautiful to me - purposeful and muscular. I rode it. WOW. I was sold.

The point is, my "head" picked another bike. My heart picked the Roadster. Price did not matter (within reason, of course). A grand or too more would not have put me off.

My neighbor, and good friend, Mike rides a Heritage Softail Classic. So does our oldest boy. Pretty. But I've ridden one. I would not buy one for $10k (and SURE would not swap for my Roadster). I'll bet Mike would have paid $25,000 for his.

Love is a funny thing.

[yjleesvrr]

I'm like Phil in that I like the weight of my R1150R for touring purposes. My understanding is that the R1150R splits the difference between the weight of the R1200GS and the R1200RT.

Now Dean tells me that the R1200R makes for a good tourer, and I'm used to trusting his opinion. So what this means is that I'm going to have to take one for a test spin myself to make a personal judgment.

I also want to test ride a RT and GT as well. I read that the KGT will do the quarter mile in 10.77 seconds That's in the 600cc sportbike territory.

[geothepencil]

For whatever use, the R/R is still the classic Roadster. I recall worrying that the new model would have a pentagonal headlight or some such nonsense prior to the new model release. No, it looks right. Hard to see how it is almost 5K more expensive than my 02, but it now is merely in the same range as the low end R/S and R/GS models. No more best deal in the line for the Roadster. Too bad.

geo

[yjleesvrr]

I've been contemplating this bike a great deal lately. For street strafing purposes, three competitors that are better endowed come to mind - the Aprilia Tuono R and the Ducati S2R for similar price, and the Yamaha FZ1 for 3 grand less. None of these bikes have shaft drive, optional ABS, nor the built-in interfaces for hard cases. But they have more power. For touring, the RT is definitely a better mileage eater but loses out on the lightness needed for really tackling the twisties. Compared to the R1150R, it's more of a naked curve eater. Is it as good or better as a tourer?

At $13k, BMW does not price itself out of competition, but it doesn't entice the way a $10k R1150R did back in 2002. I got mine outfitted for touring for under $11k without ABS.

I guess BMW has found an acceptable zone for the market. To my ears, it's not as tempting of a siren song as the 50R on paper.

Better get down to Morton's or Hammersley and find out first hand...

[davevagts]

I got up early today to head down to the BMW of Atlanta

Boxer!! I was there that day!!! I was prolly there around 4'oclock. I looked for me in your pics. I didn't see myself;)

So cool we were at the same place.

See you soon!
Dave Vagts

[runeo]

I've been contemplating this bike a great deal lately. For street strafing purposes, three competitors that are better endowed come to mind - the Aprilia Tuono R and the Ducati S2R for similar price, and the Yamaha FZ1 for 3 grand less. None of these bikes have shaft drive, optional ABS, nor the built-in interfaces for hard cases. But they have more power. For touring, the RT is definitely a better mileage eater but loses out on the lightness needed for really tackling the twisties. Compared to the R1150R, it's more of a naked curve eater. Is it as good or better as a tourer?

At $13k, BMW does not price itself out of competition, but it doesn't entice the way a $10k R1150R did back in 2002. I got mine outfitted for touring for under $11k without ABS.

I guess BMW has found an acceptable zone for the market. To my ears, it's not as tempting of a siren song as the 50R on paper.

Better get down to Morton's or Hammersley and find out first hand...

Que? S2R More power in reality?? More useable power? No way! /Rune

[socalrob]

Actually,

For very similar $$ to an RR you would be looking at the Ducati S4R ($13,000) or the S4Rs ($15,000). Both have the deep sump motor, water cooled, 4 valves per cyl., & make about 120 some hp at the crank. Dry weight is 390 lbs or so.

The downside is no luggage as they have high pipes on one side.

[yjleesvrr]

I stand corrected. And I appreciate socalrob's more accurate posting.

[Boxer]

Dave, I got there early-about 10:30-and stayed until almost 2:30, eating and yapping. Did you ride any of the other bikes?

That R1200R is a really sweet bike. I have no complaints with it at all. I took it out on I-75 for a few miles and then returned on some back streets. In the twisties and around town, it is hands down a nicer ride than my pig 1150. It had only the tiny flyscreen to keep the air off but that wasn't a problem where I went. I like the air. It felt extremely lighter. And the power was cool...Got to the maximum ride rpm of 5K much quicker than on my Roadster. I did not go higher to really test the oomph. I was obedient.

My only problem with the price is that it is not really an "upgrade" for me on my 1150. I'm happy with my bike and the multiple personalities it can assume. The new Roadster just didn't feel like it could be that type of bike for me, even as sweet as it was. I'm probably wrong, but that's just my feeling after riding it for 30 minutes.

[danstl]

I now have one of each. I traded an RT for the R12R in September but couldn't get the bike until Friday. I rode it for three days in the mountains around Greenville, SC over through Cashiers, NC. The RT was the 4th I've owned over the years, but I just don't do any serious touring any more.

To equip my R12R the sames as the R1150R I have would spend well over $20k....more than the price of an RT especially with the discounts that are showing up on RT's.

The R12R is lighter (some due to the smaller fuel tank), handles a little better and is quicker, but none of which are substantial enough to make you dump your R1150R unless it is just time to change bikes. To me the R1150R feels more planted, particularly at higher speeds. Also, until some aftermarket shields become available, I wouldn't want to spend a long time at highway speeds on the R12R. I have the "taller" of the BMW screens, but it serves only to keep the bugs off your chest, which is a good thing.

Both are good bikes, each with strenghts and weaknesses. The R12R is a great day-ride with just a tank bag. I had the small topcase left over from my RT on it, and with any weight in it, I think it makes the bike a little light in the front. For my money, the R1150R is a better all-around bike....but that's just my opinion, and I could be wrong!