Found one "in the wild"

er-minio

Well-known member
UKGSer Subscriber
Joined
Mar 10, 2008
Messages
10,493
Reaction score
3,487
Location
London/Rome
Maybe of little interest by now, but stumbled upon a 1300 yesterday evening while meeting a friend for a beer after work at the Bike Shed.
Should be on of Battersea's bike (I think I recognised the guy riding it).

HP for size comparison :D

01.jpg


02.jpg


03.jpg


04.jpg


05.jpg


06.jpg


It is very silent. At least at slow speed.
 
Maybe of little interest by now, but stumbled upon a 1300 yesterday evening while meeting a friend for a beer after work at the Bike Shed.
Should be on of Battersea's bike (I think I recognised the guy riding it).

HP for size comparison :D


06.jpg


It is very silent. At least at slow speed.
What (sh)it like, now that you have see one in person, Would you?
Great motor, according to those who have done the ride on one, Looks however are very subjective, especially that front end. Now All KTM (look) haters, have something new to hate :pullface
 
The Triple black is actually a good looking bike , even better with the black wheels forged or cast...But no 155 hp and small 19 liter tank no sale ! The HP-2S is gorgeous ! Hopefully there is something new with a 1400 cc boxer like the R1100S coming before we are getting too old because the youth thinks motorcycles are too dangerous and playing video games in the basement while mama is paying the rent is way more fun...LOL
 
EVskij: I really hate the front light/radar plate combo. No idea what they where thinking. Looks like crap to be to be fair.

Rest of it: I’m not really fussed as I have no interest in it to be fair.
Initially I thought it was fairly low (common on a lot of new bikes) but when we put my mate’s GS next to it it was about the same height (my GS would be a bit taller).

I was surprised how quiet it was, mostly because people always lamented that 1150 bikes sounded like coffe machines and BMW listened and made the later models a bit more “growly”. This seem to have inverted that trend.

But, apart from those observations, I don't care that much.
 
Last edited:
THe new head light looks like a sphincter to me which makes sense since BMW definitely head their heads up their arses developing the new GS...LOL But still not as ugly as the stuff KTM puts on their bikes and the beak Ducati puts on the Multilala makes it look like a fat goose...Which makes sense as it is a Duc...LOL But looks aside the new X-rated BMW headlight is still better than the one that came on the 2021/22 1250GS because it does not have a electric cornering light motor that can and will burn out eventually...So the looks are the price of progress and in that regard I can live with it and get used to it...THe triple black is actually not a bad looking bike compared what is out there nowadays !
 
The HP2-S I remember back in the days sitting on a brand new one I was thinking about buyin a new one after they were dropping the price 5 grand because nobody wanted to buy one because of the small 16 liter tank and lack og luggage...While the race bike had a 24 liter tank...Gorgeous machine but too impractical...15 years later even a GS runs circles around it but it is a truly special machine like nothing else...Highest hp aircooled twin and truly unique in every way !
 
dropping the price 5 grand because nobody wanted to buy one because of the small 16 liter tank and lack og luggage...

It's essentially made for the track despite the engine it is wrapped around of. Why would you need luggage is beyond my comprehension. You'd also encounter pretty soon way worse problems than the lack of luggage on longer distances on the road :)
 
er-minio...I dont know how old you were when the R1200S and HP2-S where BMWs SPORT (touring) bikes before they killed Japaninc with the S1000RR...The R1200S and HP2-S where basically sports-tourers..."Fast" for a boxer but even a japanese 600 could leave you on the straights on any given trackday ! Fast for a aircooled boxer and fun to ride on backroads thanks to no dive & soak up all the bumps while on the brakes Telelever these bikes where unfortunately total sales desasters unlike the R1100S before ! Buyers of japanese sportbikes did not take notice but BMW riders noticed the lack of hard bags,centerstand,small tank and useless rear pads...UNfortunately BMW still has not learned the lesson...!
 
er-minio...I dont know how old you were when the R1200S and HP2-S where BMWs SPORT (touring) bikes before they killed Japaninc with the S1000RR...The R1200S and HP2-S where basically sports-tourers...

I was old enough to ride them extensively.

The R1100S has ben, historically, the "misunderstood" BMW bike, because it needed way more 'body involvement' in riding it compared to what the usual BMW owner of that time was used to (GS, RT). They had a way more rigorous ride because of the frame, but were still slow. (I had a Boxercup Replika for a few years – I know the bike very well).

1200S followed suit. BMW trying to move more into the sport market (along with the K1200R). But the 1200R had less appeal (it didn't look as good) of its predecessor. Yes, limited cargo with the small panniers.

The HP2 Sport is, yes, based on the R1200S but rides fairly (incredibly, I'd say) different.
It is not, and it has never been introduced or marketed or promoted as a sport touring bike. If you rode one, you'd know after just a few miles as well.
It's almost an halo product. BMW wanted to show off that they were able to make something that could compete in an actual race despite having an agricultural engine (and telelever) in it before they then introduced the new line 4 SS bikes. It's not super fast (I don't think that would ever be the point with a boxer engine), rides incredibly well, it is a lot (strange) of things but certainly not for a second anything that anyone could have considered a Sport Touring bike.
 
Last edited:
I loved the R1100S as a bike that was really fun to ride on road & track...Handling was perfect as totally stable no matter how bad the road and still quick in handling...Of course it had no power and a Hionda CBR600 of its time could fly by it on a straight...
The R1200S actually steered quicker than the HP2-S and the power was almost equal but the HP had a few hp more on top that was all...These bikes could have been great sport tourers if BMW had not decided to make them less practical than the R1100S and thus killed the sales...The R1200/1250RS never succeded to the R1100S because of the missing Telelever and not enough ground clearance...Maybe 3rd time is a charm as I would love to see a modern successor to the R1100S and Boxercup 2.0 ! THe HP2-2 is garage art though ! A nice conversation piece as it is neither a real sportbike nor a tourer while the R1100S was Both in its day !
 
Hope it was nothing serious Stick??
Not 100 % yet but so far the inlet cam on the left side shows signs of wear on the lobes , they now will check the end float on the cam as well , will know more soon , so I would expect new cam / cams thanks for the interest.
 


Back
Top Bottom