DigitalBob
Reviewed: 11 February 2012
Very different the sterile soul-less experience of modern sports bikes/sports tourers. I love it!
The British designed Hossack suspension has been engineered by BMW to give a hugely unique & satisfying riding experience. Packaging this as a sports bike with a boxer engine has resulted in an absolute gem. Not in the same league as a top sports bike on a track, (not far behind though) & still rapid enough to keep with most on the road. So different and fun to ride you probably won't care.
The best of these have the ohlins shocks, wider rear wheel & laser exhusts.
Slippery seat feels like it is made from pure teflon, Passenger seat is utterly un-usable so would have been better if BMW just designed it as a solo bike. Engine has a harsh vibration at high revs which is not apparent on the R1200GS or R1200R classic. Riding position is too sporty and needs higher bars to be more usable. Easily sorted with after market riser bars. Even with the baffles out of the Laser cans, the exhaust note is innocuous.
The Telelever forks almost completely prevent fork dive, when you brake, the bike stops and you squash your family jewels on the tank. Knee grippers or re-worked seat cover is essential. The forks also seperate road imperfections from steering, consequently the bike holds its line perfectly on the roughest of roads and I feel like I am carrying much greater corner speed than I ever could on a conventional bike. On a rideout with a friend on a fireblade, he kept dropping back because the roads were so bad he couldn't hang on. The same roads felt billiard table smooth on the R1200S. I also didn't have to drop down two to three gears for an overtake like he did, mine mostly stayed in top gear due to the massive extra torque. The higher bars and wunderlich bubble screen make motorway speeds comfortable. I am 6Ft 4 inches and this screen gives great aerodynamics, not still air but it takes enough wind pressure off to make long distances acceptable. Oh and non of the awful buffeting you get on R1200GS's. I should mention the engine, I have come to realise Massive Torque is way more fun than excess power for road riding. This bike has it in buckets. From 4000 to 6000 rpm goes from brisk to pretty rapid and on the road you seldom need to go much higher. If you do spin it up above about 6500 rpm, the bike accelerates like a crazed ferocious animal and you hear a clunk as your eye balls hit the back of your eye sockets. Don't believe me? Take a test ride, you owe it to yourself.
