BMW R1200R R1150R/T F800 K1200R R1100R/T R1250R RnineT Message Board

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.

Have to agree with you bill!
It's a nice bike but what are you getting over and beyond our bikes?
I've only put 8,000km on mine hardly enough to trade it in!
My bikes white could go the reverse paint job and have a black strip!

I still think it looks like a skunk.

BUT BILL -- 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.

Harry, I'm 99% positive that they are tubed tires. Not 100% because I haven't personally seen one, just from what I've read on the net. Telltale sign is the center of the rim placement of the spokes, as opposed to the edge of the rim placement as on the GS.

I'm sure that someone has an epoxy that would seal them so that you could run tubeless. That would be a little bit of a leap for me but I know that they do it on automobile rims.

mogu83,

Are the mirrors any better (coverage? looks?) on the Classic than on the '09 R12?

FYI, my guy at Max's says the tires on the Classic have tubes.

Liam

mogu83 wrote:BUT BILL -- 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.

Heya, Harry, they're tubed tires, according to the dealer and BMW — old school through and through.

Liam wrote:Are the mirrors any better (coverage? looks?) on the Classic than on the '09 R12?

The 2011 Classic mirrors are wider than stock, but don't look as good to my eye as the Aprilia Tuonos, which are also wide.

websterize wrote:

mogu83 wrote:BUT BILL -- 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.

Heya, Harry, they're tubed tires, according to the dealer and BMW — old school through and through.

Dumb, dumb, dumb. Will keep a lot of fanatics from buying the thing.. sorta pre-destined to failure that way. BMW frequently is their own worst enemy.

websterize wrote:

.............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..

IMO.....The use of three (THREE !) individual switches to operate the turn signals on a BMW is just plain nonsense. I'm a little feller and have no problem operating the so called universal gear. But fiddling and searching for the flat faced non-tactical feel of the BMW stuff is far more dangerous IMO. I don't like coming through a yield sign with a car about to pull out on me because my turn signal is still on and I'm having to operate a throttle with the same hand I'm having to use to find a flat button to turn off the signals.

Change is always tough.....

Ric wrote: Change is always tough.....

Don't worry about it - after 10-12 years of riding them you'll find it totally natural, and only rarely will you left-blink furiously at the car you intended to honk at..

I rode a 2011 R1200R (red one) here in switzerland about 10 days ago (30 miles, not 2 ). Nasty bit about posting about my experiences here on this forum is that I haven't owned a BMW before and cannot compare it to the old boxers. (it was better than my dads R27 though )

I became a tipical testride victim though. During the ride this thought popped in my head: "man this is the best bike I've ever ridden in all my 21 yrs of motorcycling". All was history after that, I placed an order and will take delivery hopefully somewhere mid-end of april. I talked to the dealer here in Zurich, they sold about 10 already (before me) with me being the first person to take a testride. Apparently later that afternoon another person also made a testride and also placed an order.... I've the feeling they're going like hotcakes here

I ordered mine with the ABS/ASC (which is standard here in CH), the touring pack (ESA, heated grips, computer etc), RDC and the alarm...

Ric wrote:

websterize wrote:

.............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..

IMO.....The use of three (THREE !) individual switches to operate the turn signals on a BMW is just plain nonsense. I'm a little feller and have no problem operating the so called universal gear. But fiddling and searching for the flat faced non-tactical feel of the BMW stuff is far more dangerous IMO. I don't like coming through a yield sign with a car about to pull out on me because my turn signal is still on and I'm having to operate a throttle with the same hand I'm having to use to find a flat button to turn off the signals.

Change is always tough.....

Hay if you don't like it buy another bike!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's what makes a beemer!

If we're gonna have this argument, I'd like to say that the best turn signal arrangement is on a Harley. Wanna turn right? Push switch on right handle bar. Done with the turn? Push same switch again. But the Beemer system is almost as good (except that the cancel switch is a stretch to reach). That stupid multi switch on the left bar ala Asian import is a poor design IMHO.

Kieran R1200R wrote:

Ric wrote:

websterize wrote:

.............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..

IMO.....The use of three (THREE !) individual switches to operate the turn signals on a BMW is just plain nonsense. I'm a little feller and have no problem operating the so called universal gear. But fiddling and searching for the flat faced non-tactical feel of the BMW stuff is far more dangerous IMO. I don't like coming through a yield sign with a car about to pull out on me because my turn signal is still on and I'm having to operate a throttle with the same hand I'm having to use to find a flat button to turn off the signals.

Change is always tough.....

Hay if you don't like it buy another bike!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's what makes a beemer!

Wow....I didn't kow you were gonna cry.

On my 2010 R1200R the signals will self-cancel after about 1/4 of a mile or about 5 seconds at freeway speed

Ric wrote: IMO.....The use of three (THREE !) individual switches to operate the turn signals on a BMW is just plain nonsense. I'm a little feller and have no problem operating the so called universal gear. But fiddling and searching for the flat faced non-tactical feel of the BMW stuff is far more dangerous IMO. I don't like coming through a yield sign with a car about to pull out on me because my turn signal is still on and I'm having to operate a throttle with the same hand I'm having to use to find a flat button to turn off the signals.
Change is always tough.....

Actually it's only a very minor inconvenience and if you have any manual dexterity at all it's easily mastered. I see you list a few bikes as riders, so moving from one system to another shouldn't be a problem, at least it's not for me. Actually I like the /7 controls that I have on my /5 the best (that's why their there)

RadRider wrote:On my 2010 R1200R the signals will self-cancel after about 1/4 of a mile or about 5 seconds at freeway speed

As will any Hexhead bike..

RadRider wrote:On my 2010 R1200R the signals will self-cancel after about 1/4 of a mile or about 5 seconds at freeway speed

Right! A feature I use religiously

Bob Ain't Stoppin' wrote:If we're gonna have this argument, I'd like to say that the best turn signal arrangement is on a Harley. Wanna turn right? Push switch on right handle bar. Done with the turn? Push same switch again. But the Beemer system is almost as good (except that the cancel switch is a stretch to reach). That stupid multi switch on the left bar ala Asian import is a poor design IMHO.

Harley-style with "push on" and "push off" directionals would be great if they came with auto-cancel on an R21R.