BMW R1200R rocks!

[Stef.]

Just thought I share my experiences with you:

I have my brand new bike now for two days and love it! Have been more or less riding non-stop since yesterday morning when I took possession over my "Herta". Today I did over 200kms up to Squamish by Vancouver including some fantastic back roads.

Why am I writing this you wonder? You all know that the bike rocks anyhow.

I write this, because until this Monday I was riding cruisers. I had three different cruiser motorcycles over the last 5 years and thought they were bees' knees. I certainly don't want to say anything bad about them but I do think that I made a huge mistake- in afterthought...I have been on and off riding motorcycles for over twenty years but had a long brake inbetween. When I bought my first cruiser after many years of not riding a motorcycle I thought the cruiser would be the bike for me. I love(d) the looks of them and the "easy rider" culture. I never went for the Harleys as a) I considered them as too expensive and b) I lived for 18 years in London UK and the most stolen bike there is the Harley. Instead I owned some Hondas 750 Shadows.

Anyhow coming back to the point I want to make: so..I started with a cruiser and while it is fun to ride to some extent, it is also quite a difficult bike to start off with IMHO. Cornering and u-turns are a real issue - at least for me. I loved the looks of my bikes and even the cleaning and I thought for a long time that well...I even enjoyed the riding of them- until yesterday...I can only say: when I picked up my new blue R1200R I did NOT really like the look of it but hey- once I took it out for a spin I was converted. I LOVE it. The riding is soooo different and to some extent so much easier than with my cruiser. Cruisers are sold as "comfortable" bikes- even touring bikes but at least I can say that the crouching position you are adapting when sitting on them means that every pothole goes directly on your spine- at least it did with me.

What I have learned over the last two days is: cruisers are not that easy to ride. I would even dare to say for a beginner this is not the right bike at all IMHO. Cruisers are really not meant for touring- now that I can "feel" the difference- I must say there is a hell of a difference. Cruisers are beautiful bikes to look at - but that is where it ends for me...since yesterday.

Stef.

P.S. Tomorrow I am off to another trip from Vancouver- over to Harrison Hotsprings- if somebody wants to join me

[Bheckel169]

Stef,

Congratulations and welcome to the "Club". I too had a cruiser, a Vulcan 1500 about 10 years ago and liked it until I took an extended tour for several days and when I got home immediately went to bed. The sport tourer you're now on will become part of you, not just a machine you sit on. Enjoy!
Bruce

[tinytrains]

Welcome to the R1200R world.

It is an amazingly easy bike to ride. I went on a BMW demo ride and was hooked. There was almost no transition time to learning the bike. In the past, it took me a while to adjust to a new bike, and I usually dropped it once during the first month. This one rides like an overpowered 250. The hardest part was learning to get my leg over the tall and wide saddle bags (I now use the side stand to mount and dismount).

Enjoy and have a safe trip,
Scott

[snag]

Stef,

Welcome, you live in a great part of our country to ride in! Living in Edmonton leaves me a little more twisty challanged so I'm envious.

I'm also curious, how did you come to buying one of these things without ever riding one? Especially coming from the cruiser world. I too did not test ride first, but I came from a Hayabusa where my continued existance, my licence and my knees were all at risk. You've made a great choice on a leap of faith, tell us your story.

Doug

[Mollygrubber]

P.S. Tomorrow I am off to another trip from Vancouver- over to Harrison Hotsprings- if somebody wants to join me

Argh. You suck.

Seriously though, I totally agree about the cruisers. I had to ride one last summer as part of a training course, and I was absolutely miserable. Those things should be fixed!

Glad you're doing well, maybe we'll cross paths sometime soon.

ps. the ride to Harrison will be nice, I'll be thinking about you while I work.

Peter

[deilenberger]

The big appeal to cruisers for beginning riders is the low seat. It makes people feel safe on it - in the showroom. The riding position (IMHO) is ALL wrong. Feet forward? Why? Then you can't use your leg muscles or even your butt to help load the bike for a corner. C-shaped curve in your back? Can't ask for a much worse sort of posture for the spine and disks. High bars? Make the wind catch your chest and have no real way to push down on the bars for a corner that tightens up on you.

They look nice (stationary without anyone on them.) They are OK if you like to duck-walk the bike. I've only ridden them twice I can think of, and each time I couldn't wait to get off (both times it was because someone thought there was something wrong with their bike - they were right - they were cruisers.)

Congrat's Stef - I suspect you'll start joining the lotsa miles per year club that the R12R seems to make people get into. Hardest thing on the R12R is tearing my butt off the thing, it just makes me want to keep riding and riding and..

[Michael Hart]

Hi Stef
I too got back into riding 9 years ago, after a 14 year break. I thought I wanted a cruiser to so I bought a vulcan nomad
then I went to the bmw dealer and test road an RT 1 year later and was hooked. But couldn't do anything about it. stuck with it for 7 more unhappy years. then 2 months ago I finally did it, got a r1200r and love it, you are right on the money
with your observations. so far I ridden 1200 miles, so much more fun to ride.

Mike

[Stef.]

I'm also curious, how did you come to buying one of these things without ever riding one? Especially coming from the cruiser world.

Doug- I did actually test ride a BMW R1200R (2007) before buying it. I would not buy a bike without having had the chance of riding it. Originally I wanted to get a bigger cruiser- expecting it to be more comfortable. I first went to look for a Yamaha V-Star 1300. I went to the Yamaha shop and sat on one. Somehow I wasn't hooked and the sales person was kind of...well not exactly friendly when I asked him what he'd give me for my 2007 Honda Shadow Spirit. My husband who rides a BMW 1200GSA then took me to the BMW dealer (all his fault!) who also sells Yamahas. I told the guy that I was there for the V-Star and I also told him that I wanted to get a bigger cruiser for touring and to be more comfortable. Anyhow- the first thing he told me was that cruisers are NOT for touring. (What a dream killer!) He then sat me on the V-Star and asked me to stand up (!). Obviously this was not really possible. He then asked me to concentrate and tell him on what I was actually sitting on- my butt or my spine. He then told me to choose any other non-cruiser in his shop and sit on it. Here again he asked me to stand up and to tell him on what I was sitting. At that moment- the idea of a future cruiser died instantly. I have to admit I was shocked how easy it was to convince me- the die hard cruiser rider- to give up on the dream of being part of the "easy rider group". (In my mind I had already traversed the whole of the USA with my new crusier...)

In 2009, I went to the same dealership because my husband got his GSA. I made fun of all the bikes there. In my eyes- they were all plain ugly- but one...take a wild guess which one...yes the R1200R. I told my husband then and there that the only bike I would ever consider owning from BMW without feeling ashamed - would be the R1200R. I could not imagine to ever ride a BMW- leave alone something such as the GSA. That would have sincerely hurt my feelings- I WAS a real cruiser rider and nothing else could hold up to a cruiser...

So when the guy enlightened me regarding the comfortness -or less of cruisers, my eyes wandered once again towards the R1200R. Nevertheless, I did not say a word but went home (sulking...to be honest...) Next day, I suggested to my husband (well begging is the more truthful word for it) to go to the other BMW dealer in Vancouver- to "just" have a look around. Well- they had a 2007 second hand R1200R and the dealer immediately suggested to take it out for a ride- for as long as I wanted to. (I nearly did not come back....) The bike unfortunately was overpriced and the difference to a new one not that great- particularly after he offered to trade in my old Honda for a very good price...and give me the first service free...and give me the touring screen for free. Took me exactly a nano second to decide- but being a "strong" lady I left the shop and told him I had to think about it. (Phoned him 5 min later and told him that I was SERIOUSLY thinking about it. Phoned him another four times the same day to ask him some stupid questions and to enforce the fact that I was still VERY seriously thinking...)

Well the next day- the deal was done and I had to leave for Europe....what a bummer. My beloved "Herta" had to stay in the shop and wait for 10 long days to get picked up...and that was yesterday...and since then I have clocked up over 300kms.

As said... I love that bike and if I could...I would probably take it to bed with me at night...
Stef.

[snag]

Stef,

Thanks for the background, you confirm yet again that test rides are fatal to current rides. I wish that some of my many Harley buds would be open minded like you and try a modern bike that's built for go rather than show. One of the boys rides a Vision, but has rented Harleys (which he hates) on our southern winter trips. This year on a SoCal trip, I swapped my rented GS for his Electraglide for the morning. He converted instantly and I suffered through 2 hours of twisty old Route 66. He frolicked while I wrestled 800lbs of vintage iron around (not through) the curves.

You'll love your new ride, it's a great bike. Just don't convince your husband to let you ride his GSA, your eyes may start to wander.

Doug

[ShinySideUp]

Welcome to the club!

I got mine in 2008 when there were very few used on the market. A Craigs list search found one in Portland. Turns out a petite wife with a 250 dirt bike wanted to join her husband for road trips on his Yammyha. He figured, since she was a mechanical engineer, she'd really appreciate the little Ducati Monster and went into the local BMW/Ducati dealer to buy it.

The salesman talked her into the R1200R and a week later she told her husband to get rid of it. He was crushed, cuz he thought it was the easiest bike he'd ever ridden and didn't want to let it go.

I flew up, sight unseen, bought the bike with a 1000 miles on it and drove 700 beautiful miles back to San Francisco.

I'll always love that wife! (Very nice folks, BTW).

I'd take my RR to bed too, but my wife says she won't have tire marks on the sheets.

[Stef.]

You are very lucky ShinySideUp! What a bargain!
Stef.

[Rocket]

You often read a similar story about the R1200R. Its not the looks that wins the heart initially, but the initial ride.
The "fun to ride" feeling starts immediately you're out on the road.

A couple of years ago I was riding a Triumph sprint ST1000 but was looking to change. A riding pal had an R1150R and it wasn't long before I was persuaded to have a test ride on the R12.

I have to admit, that initial ride was the most surprising, enjoyable, test ride I can ever remember having, and with family in the bike trade over the last 30 years, I have ridden a few.

The rest is history.

Enjoy your new bike Stef. It's a dream of a ride.

[Stef.]

Cant' believe it... put another 196.5km on the clock today. This makes exactly 500kms in just three days...love it!
Stef.

[xprof]

Me, I put in 500 miles (833 km?) today, checking out the Sierras up to the snowline and the California Poppy Reserve. An outstanding ride!
(And one 20-30 mile stretch at above 100mph...)

Stef, if you get nostalgic for the cruiser, just put your legs up on the cylinders for a while. Can't do that with an RT!

[gezerbike]

Hey, they're all bikes that get you in to the wind. I got into bikes about 20 years ago and always wanted a cruiser, but bought BMW's, and have never regretted it one bit. But the cruiser bug was always there. I never felt comfortable riding her on the RT I bought for that purpose. I stopped into a local Yamaha dealer looking for a new weed eater ( they sold that kinda stuff too ) and saw the Stratoliner. Took it out for a spin and really lliked it. 2 days later it moved into my garage. It's great for what it is...a good 2 up bike that works great as a weekend tourer. We go out to Iowa or Wisconsin and just enjoy the pace. Corner like my GS or RR ? No. Long distance comfort......so so. I could easily do a week trip on it. I, or we , just appreciate it for what it is. It gets her on a bike with me, stone cold reliable, great to look and fun to ride. I'll take it into town on a Friday night just to cruise a little, which is what it does best. So the GS is my tourer, my RR is for weekend trips and long day rides ( did 400 miles last Sunday into Wisconsin and back ) and the Stratolinerlounger is for a day or weekend ride with my wife, or a solo layed back cruise. They all have their individual purpose, but more importantly, they get you in the wind.,

[LumpyCam]

Hi Stef -

Welcome to another Vancouver R12R owner. I saw your discussion on the Meetup board about 'needing another cruiser' and couldn't help but think the R1200R would be better... but that is a die-hard cruiser group and i didn't want to open up a flame war. (I'm sure there is a Harley guy reading this thinking the same thing about us.) Glad you found your way to a ride that makes you enjoy what riding is really about - riding!

[Stef.]

Hehe- Lumpycam...you could have send me a secret pm...Mike I fully understand what you mean and I would love to be able to have more than one bike but here in Canada the insurance is horrendiously high for one bike - leave alone two or more and I have already the highest number of discount years! In the UK the insurance was much better in a sense that the driver was insured and not the bike. This means that the insurance for a second or third bike is minimal as you can not ride more than one bike at the same time. On the other hand the downside is that nobody else can ride your bike. In the UK I paid a couple of hundred pounds for my insurance while here in Canada is a couple of thousand dollars and this is with all the extra stuff insured by a cheaper thirs party insurer and even some of the stuff being covered via the house insurance. I would love to have a cruiser AND the BMW but that's out of question and yes I would love to have a little 125cc Vespa as well.

Anyhow- am happy with the R1200R and will take her out for a spin in about 15min
Stef.
P.S. Last night...I quietly went outside and gave "Herta" her first little wash (left-over behaviour from my cruiser days...)

[Motorcycle_Girl]

Stef,

Welcome to the R1200R world...I can see that you have been won over like the rest of us...

Happy riding!

Celeste

[gezerbike]

Anyhow- am happy with the R1200R and will take her out for a spin in about 15min
Stef.
P.S. Last night...I quietly went outside and gave "Herta" her first little wash (left-over behaviour from my cruiser days...)

d


Hey none of mine ever get put away dirty.................

[Mollygrubber]

Hey none of mine ever get put away dirty.................

I think I washed mine twice since September, and I ride every day. Looks real purty when you scrape the crap off!

Peter