Since no-one else has responded, the thread is ours!
Dave’s rave about his 2002 K1200RS
First impression is size, this thing is vast even compared to other litre plus bikes I've ridden (FJ1200, Honda Blackbird, ZZR1100). Size translates into weight of course, though only when pushing it about or trickling along at very low speed, once moving the weight translates into stability, and coupled with the telelever front suspension, the KRS is unphazed by bumps in the road, whether upright or cornering.
The size also means room to sit like a normal human, not contorted into a race monkey crouch. When you take into account the adjustable seat, handlebars, foot pegs and controls it'd be hard not to find a setup which allows you to be perfectly comfortable for hours in the saddle.
The next thing you realise is the speed, this thing is fast! Loads of torque fast, so a twist of the wrist in whatever gear you find yourself translates into a surge of acceleration - there's no need to cog down and chase revs to flick past traffic. Luckily, the servo brakes are awesome, to the point of overcooking it the first few times I used them. Now I've adjusted my brain, they're fab, and the added bonus of ABS gives you the confidence to press on when the road surface isn't perfect. I've yet to trigger the system wet or dry, so don't know how it feels when the pulsing starts.
The picture isn't perfect of course, I have yet to think of BMW's indicator switches as better than the traditional setup, and I'm left wondering why they do it that way? On several occasions when in traffic, I have struggled to operate the throttle and right indicator or cancel them, since that hand is pretty tied up with just throttle and brake. Sure they self cancel, which is nice, but in town I don't want to leave an indicator flashing for three hundred yards as I pass several side roads. Seems much less safe to have an extra thing for my right hand to do, when the left has spare capacity.
It doesn't help that the throttle is heavy either. I have a rocker on there to make it bearable, but the strong return spring makes fine control a bit hard. Thankfully there's cruise control for the long motorway stretches or it'd be enough for me to sell the bike! I found the engine a little snatchy going form closed to open throttle at first, but after a little time getting used to it I don’t even notice now.
My bike has no switch for the headlights, so as soon as the key is turned they're on. I have no problem riding with my headlight on, but when I'm at home tinkering (setting up intercom, sat nav etc) I can't leave the ignition on without starting the bike or the battery drains.
On the plus side, that light switch has been replaced with one for heated grips, which are fantastic! Two heat settings and kept me warm in the depths of winter, despite my crap Frank Thomas “waterproof” gloves being no such thing.
On to the shaft drive. The paralever has all but eliminated the weird lifting action shaft drives can give when accelerating, and the bonus of not oiling a chain is fab. No, the negative is the sound of the thing on the over-run: when I shut the throttle it sounds like the bearings are lubricated with sand! Fine when speeding up or cruising, but closing the throttle quickly makes a horrid sound! Again, something I’ve got used to over the last 6000 miles and don’t really notice it at all these days.
Whilst we're on the sound theme, the bike is quite noisy in a mechanical jangling kinda way. The dry clutch is loud, the engine itself a whirling crashing thing. It's not intrusive when riding, but when compared to the Jap inline fours it's very agricultural. I expect that from the flat twin, but not from a K...
Back to the plusses, the instruments are superb. Old school compared to the LCD offerings now common, but no bad thing for that. Huge tacho and speedometer, with loads of warning lights and a clock. The inclusion of a gear indicator is great, as I have found myself cruising along in fifth without realising as the engine is so smooth - despite the noises!
The footpegs are wide and rubber coated, so no vibes reach your feet, and for me at 5'8" the riding position is great. Just the right amount of weight on my bum, though I do find the seat a little slippery when in waterproofs, which see you slowly slide down towards the fuel tank. It's not a major thing, and I only noticed when I thought about it.
The bike has a touring screen, which is vast compared to the standard one, and I find it superb in the higher position, allowing riding with my visor up even at motorway speeds. When down it causes a lot of rumble, so I guess I'm just the wrong height for it. The standard screen is really short – you feel like you’re actually on a sports bike after the huge GT screen! It's far better for summer riding and trips to warmer places though, as the touring one really does leave a pocket of still air behind it with very little airflow to keep you cool. Great for winter riding though!
The mirrors stay perfectly clear throughout the rev range, but I find them too widely spaced, being on the handlebars. Not sure why they aren't fairing mounted, and I find I can't just flick my eyes to check behind me, I need to turn my head slightly each time. Again, I’m used to them now, but still think they would be better on the fairing.
A huge plus for safety is the handling. The front end was a little odd at first, but very quickly you realise they're a major improvement over normal telescopic forks. There is very little dive on the brakes, so squeezing them mid corner doesn't have the bike lunging for the hedge. Bumps too don't seem to unsettle things when leant over. You're aware they're there, but they have no impact on your line. I've tweaked the rear spring and damping as the previous owner had it setup for two, and now find it a much more civilised ride. You don't get intense feedback like a sports bike gives you, more a sense of wafting along being isolated from the road, but with a confidence that the suspension is doing its job so why bother you with information you don't really need? It isn't a track bike, so I don't expect or want to know about every last pebble on the road.
Lastly the luggage. The tank is plastic so you can't use a magnetic tank bag. I was lucky and had the proper one thrown in, which clips snugly to the bike fore and aft. Comes with zip in sections so you can tailor it to your needs, and a very useful flip over map pocket on top. I also got a soft bag which fits on the rear seat and genuine top box thrown in. Not sure who designed the attachment device, or what they were smoking, but what were they thinking when they decided to have a huge grab permanently attached to the base of the box? Haven't they seen anything from Givi? All the luggage feels well made, but having the attaching parts come with the box / rear bag when off the bike is ludicrous.
I ditched the crazy BMW top box and didn’t even consider the BMW side cases, as the left has a ridiculous cut-out for the exhaust. Instead I fabricated some brackets myself and fitted my trusty Givi stuff. Personal opinions of course, but with the addition of a BMW Navigator, Autocom unit and a waterproof Ipod housing, I’ve finally turned it into a perfect sports tourer!
Think I better sum up:
Great: speed, brakes, comfort, instruments, suspension.
Bad: switchgear, mirrors, noise, throttle action, luggage.
A few numbers: Average 55mpg, tyre life 6000+ front and rear. Money spent... nothing!
A slightly flawed diamond which has grown on me over the past year, to the point I consider it the best bike I have ever owned. Lets see how the new 800GS fares against it!
Some bits, have yet to convince me it is an improvement over the Japanese offerings. Swap the switches for conventional items, mirrors for fairing mounted, change that throttle spring for a softer one and it'd be superb. Oh, and if you go touring, fit a decent luggage system.
Dave.
