R1200R plusses and minuses

No, no, no to the XR! Far too mental.

The R would be great.

Although............. the torque of the R could just as easily catch you out......

The XR is only bonkers-mental in the upper rev-range, mid and low - it's really much like a lot of bikes out there...........
 
Kettle738 gives a honest view on the r1200r. I am slightly biased mind you as I have one.

I had an R1200R LC which I used for a two up trip to Switzerland and Italy last summer....I bought it with hardly any miles on the clock, kitted it out with Givi luggage because I prefer it to the BMW offerings and we set off. At the end of the trip I only had one realistic complaint and that was, for two up riding I found it a little cramped....on the other hand, the ride, handling, performance, brakes, all of it were as much as I could have asked for, I thought it a brilliant bike... In particular, I rated the cruise control and the operation of the Sat Nav very highly.......before I bought it I thought the cruise control would be a pointless gimick, having used it though....it's brilliant.

I sold that (perfect) bike to Bones, simply because my use of a modern bike is very sporadic and I wasn't sure how the LC motor would react to being left idle for long periods....so I bought another hexhead GS....found it just as uncomfortable as the previous GS and moved that one on in favour of a 2,000m from new DOHC Hexhead R1200R, which for my use seems to be the best compromise (kitted out with Givi luggage again). I like this one so much I use it far more than I anticipated, it's vastly more comfortable (for me) than the GS and a real pleasure to ride....I find myself inventing reasons to take it out, and I haven't done that for a while. The 1200R is a seriously underrated bike in this country....aparrently it was a much better seller on the continent....as long as your mate finds a decent well looked after bike, he can't really go wrong.
 
Both bikes are inappropriate for a beginner rider and the power of the boxer engine is deceptive let alone the weight of the bike. His age and length of time driving is irrelevant

The rain mode suggestion is complete nonsense too. If a rider needs to do that to ride the bike then it's clearly not the right bike for the skill level.
 
Both bikes are inappropriate for a beginner rider and the power of the boxer engine is deceptive let alone the weight of the bike. His age and length of time driving is irrelevant

The rain mode suggestion is complete nonsense too. If a rider needs to do that to ride the bike then it's clearly not the right bike for the skill level.
I think the XR is, not so sure about the 1200R. I thought the weight may be an issue until I got one. They are very well balanced.
 
r1200r sport

having just test rode the gs and a sport ,i have just px,d my rocket 3 for the sport,what a great motor.
i pick it up this saturday,cant wait.:thumb
 
Buy them both, I have! The R1200R is the GS most GS buyers should really by but it’s not macho enough for them ! I’ve bought it as I have a 34 mile plus round trip to work and it’s just a little lower to the ground than the S1000xr and I like the power delivery.
S1000xr will go very fast if you make it buts it’s not compulsory. A throttle is not an on/ off switch. My wife passed her test just over a year ago, is north of 50, a below knee amputee and she can manage an S1000xr! We toured France and Cornwall this year on the s1000xr’s, I wouldn’t hesitate to do it on either Bike.
 
Quick question, I assume the mileage he is doing isnt on a bike?
 
surely to god he knows how to use the throttle ,
go to a dealer and get a couple of test rides, simple.
 
I passed my test at 43 and was warned about getting a big bike. I was recommended a 600 and ended up with a Fazer. I kept if for 6 months, rode it daily and found it far too much like hardwork. Bought a 2004 GS and found it much easier. I would say buying a bigger bike is not a problem. You control the throttle :)
 
myself i would defiantly recommend the r1200 all day,
its light powerful i would say one of the easiest bikes i have ever had,the xr is also good but tall,and i think the saddle is uncomfortable .
don,t be one of the sheep gs,go for the better r model.
just my thoughts.
good luck.
 
I am a 5' 5'' lady rider. I passed my test 5 years ago and started riding a HD Sportster. I then went from that to a HD Street Bob and then a HD Softail Deluxe. I toured miles on the Deluxe and did route66 from start to finish on it. Due to arthritis, I started to find the bike unmanageable so reluctantly sold it and ordered the BMW F750GS. After months of waiting I got fed up as the new riding season was approaching, so visited BMW Motorrad and sat on the R1200R. Boy am I glad the bike I ordered wasn't available. I instantly felt this was the right bike for me, so I bought it. I have ridden approximately 4000 miles this season, including 10 European countries. Wilma, as I have aptly named her 9due to her reg no.) hasn't missed a beat. You don't feel like you're siting ON a bike, you feel part of it. The handling is perfect, very precise, not like trying to wrestle a sack of spuds around corners like the Harley. The bigger back tyre gives that extra grip when cornering, the revs are instant. I'm not a slow rider by any means, but I don't think I've ever had the need to reached 5000 revs as the bike flies the minute the clutch is let out. The seating position is perfect for me. I can put both feet flat on the floor, something I feel more comfortable doing, and I have no need to reach or lean to use the controls. The heated grips are awesome. I don't think I've used the highest setting ad your gloves just start to steam.......! and as for the get shift assist. It takes a bit of getting used to, but now I use it all the time. For me, less clutch work makes riding so much more comfortable. The R1200R is a roadster and at first I felt like I was on a sports bike with the way it performed but when I went touring abroad on it, with the top box and panniers it was perfect. It handled just the same and was comfortable enough for me to ride approx 250 miles a day. Fuel economy is very good, averaging 63 miles to the gallon. This was riding through major cities to riding up the Stelvio and San Boldo pass. It flies up motorways at high speed with no problem and handles very well at low speeds through narrow lanes. The dashboard is easy to read and understand and with the various different modes for rain, passengers and luggage helps the bike perform brilliantly. I don't think it would suit a tall person but for me it is perfect. I have the white bike with the red frame, as more feminine than the black or yellow one, and I think it is a right looker. My husband, who's account this is, rides a 1200 GSA which I wanted initially but was too tall, is my riding partner and used to have to move or park my Harley as it was too heavy, but this bike is so much lighter and easier to move I can now do it. Always a pleasure to ride.
 
well said,
63 mpg ?
oh i see its the red framed lower powered model you have,i ride the full powered blue framed model.
 
no,the blue frame has a lighter density in its race proven colour scheme ?
 


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