Well, wow what a bike, not too many surprises, a few omissions.
I see from the outset a few have commented how the front fairing looks very big, but it may look different in the skin.
If you are sad enough like me and have put pictures of the previous and new side by side, you can see that actually is is not so much bigger, just trying to incorporate the headlight and radiators, and also duct the heat away from the rider.
And by doing this they may have lost a bit of the flowing lines, by the way these seem to have deminished by every model since the R1100RT-R1150RT-R1200RT, more so through design for the angular R1200RT, probably through function for the new bike.
Uploaded with
ImageShack.us
Uploaded with
ImageShack.us
A bit miffed we did not get the full works Xenon adaptive headlight like the K1600, man I was looking forward to that. (Maybe we will see when the prices are launched, if the option was just too expensive) We just get the one dipped and two main beams, totally opposed to the current bike??? and we have lost the dash mounted adjuster, it is under the light somewhere. OK we do get the LED angle eyes Factory option.
I do admit the lovely new GS LED running light is quiet eye catching, but I am a biker, I am looking out for bikes, so I notice them, not too sure if I would rely on just the angle eyes to get me noticed, rather have a pair of badly set up headlights like the current bike (LOL)
I do like some of the design detail. The standoff roundel on the side panel and the floating trim on the rear pannier, the ally footrest hangers, I love the cockpit and integrated GPS, yes I know it is a Badged BMW Garmin ££££. I see they do two dashboards, one with and one with out the integrated GPS.
I have always loved the K1600 cockpit, and it looks great on the new RT, it looks like you can do everything from there
The fairings seem a bit lost around the new motor, but I suppose with the inlets at 12 o'clock and the exhaust at 6 o'clock, they have done their best to try and mould around it.
With the lack of protection from a short front mudguard, I bet that chrome on the exhaust balance pipe will soon be shot blasted. Also the screws on that chrome exhaust trim behind the riders right foot, I bet they would be a bitch to get out after a few salty years. I see the Akraprovic exhaust uses a carbon guard
There are lots of nooks and crannies around the swing arm pivot, but that was all under plastic on the current bike, the tube running through the air box is a bit ugly though, maybe another panel to cover this triangle of Urgh?
Anyone else think it does ring of the R1200ST? Faintly?
Front mudguard, as short as normal, front of motor does look easier to clean, I hope the paint is not gonna drop off.
And then we find out it is heavier than the current bike, yes all these advances in Can bus and composites, and it is heavier.
Ok yes I know it has some water and rads, but are they really 20 kilos more than the R1200RT?
I bet once you are up and running you will not notice it, but now we are only 5 kilograms off the R1150RT.
Mind you I can't believe the 1200GSA is 260 kilograms.
Will I buy one? Yes
When? Maybe this time next year, but I am suppose to be riding to Turkey, and around the Black Sea, so do I take a 60K well proven 2005 RT or a fairly new and unproven bike.
Really though, I will not be able to afford to do both, so maybe I will get one in 2015