In a nut, the DOHC felt smoother during low-speed, second-gear turns in a parking lot, but in fourth it feels about the same as my ’09 R12R. The fit and finish of the revised components is impeccable. BMW calls the Classic's striping "Rock'n'Roll for the eyes." "Baby Boomer for the eyes" is more apt.
Hopefully, your dealer will allow you a more extensive test ride. Because my dealer, Bob's BMW in Jessup, Md., will get a only few R12Rs in 2011, they didn't have a new demonstrator available. Ride a GS or RT to get a sense of the DOHC, they say, or ride their fleet of older R12R loaners to measure up to the bike's geometry. Doesn't seem like a customer-first approach to selling bikes in a flat market. Ride it to your heart's content as long as you buy it is off-putting, but maybe those are the cards the dealers are dealt from corporate. The salesman said I was the first non-employee to ride their Classic, which had 13 miles on it. He said I could ride it for two more. "Watch out for puddles." They get a red, non-classic in about a week, and I might ride it, too.
The redesign of the instrument cluster will please the symmetry obsessives. The instrumentation on my ’09 never bothered me, but compared to the ’11's it does look obtuse. I like the beefier forks. The muffler is shorter — and, therefore, probably lighter — and the exhaust note has more gravitas. (I forgot to rev the throttle in the video.)
After the 2011 R1200R, I rode the 2011 F800R, with its "universal switchgear," as the salesman called it. Maybe the toggle turn-signal switch makes sense in the S1000RR rider position, where you're crouched in rocket mode, but on the upright bikes, the discrete switch gear of the R12Rs is much easier, and safer, to use. I have fairly large hands and could not reach the turn signal switch on the 800R while pulling in the clutch. I'm glad BMW stayed with discrete turn-signal paddles for the 2011 R1200R.
If I didn't own an ’09, I'd definitely buy the ’11, but the new engine and visual polish aren't compelling me to sell. BMW's refinement of the R1200R is to be commended, but, as I think we'd all agree, they got it right the first time.
And there is still no cover cap on the throttle-side swing arm.
-- You only get an 80% on the reporting job buddy. You didn't answer the big question - are the tires set up tube or tubeless?? 
Inquiring minds want to know.
)
