K 1200

poulsen · 04-25-2006, 11:13 PM

Hey, any K 1200 riders out there? I'll be heading back home to Houston in early May and I heard there's a new BMW bike dealer near my house, so I'll be going to check that out. I'm trying to get my Dad to convert from cruisers to sportbikes and I can see him on a K 1200. He's a big and tall guy and he doesn't like his bikes too sporty, for example he hates my Gixxer with the ergo and everything like that. But I think the K 1200 would be more his style and more comfortable for him. Any thoughts or reviews? By the way, I think the R and S models are the best.

Moon · 04-26-2006, 04:34 PM

If he is a cruiser rider better have his heart checked out first as the K1200S is "sneaky fast". Comfy and quick, he will be wide eyed!

Torzwo · 04-26-2006, 04:42 PM

http://www.bmwk1200s.com/ridefast.htm

R.Brosnan · 04-26-2006, 10:22 PM

Don't own either, but I've demo'd both the new K1200s. Coming from a cruiser, he's going to think both of them have a very sporty riding position; they're only relaxed when compared to the latest track tools. When he first rides one, the brakes will catch him out; BMW overdid the servo assist on those and they're very abrupt. They are also very, very fast. What's really amazing about them is how planted they are. Whether I was cruising a bumpy NJ highway in top gear at 70+ or ripping around an onramp way faster than I should have on a 40 degree day while riding a bike I couldn't afford, the K1200s always felt stable and confidence inspiring. I was highly impressed with how much wind protection the wind deflector on the R gave; it's not as good as a fairing, but it's a lot better than a more classic naked bike. I think they're fantastic machines, and they happen to be amazingly practical as well, with features like heated handgrips and 12v power plugs. Given his dislike of sporty ergos, I doubt he'd like it, but one of the the good things about BMW is their demo days and test ride policy. If money's not an issue, he could wait for the new K1200GT coming out this summer which uses the new platform with more touring oriented ergos and fairings, or he could try the older K bikes or the R1200s.

cherrypicker · 04-28-2006, 04:09 PM

Coming from a crusier, he might like the feel of the oilhead motor better. I haven't ridden a K series to compare, but the grunt in the bottom and a midrange of the flat boxer motor is a great feeling. Look for a used R1150R or wait until the Fall when the possibly a new R1200R comes out.

Repeater · 04-29-2006, 10:01 AM

I'm going to agree with Cherrypicker. The K1200R has tons of power, but an ex-cruiser rider might want more poke and maybe more vibration (some of them are weird like that) than the K motor can produce. An R-series bike might be a better choice.

An old R1100S is a tried and true pseudo-sportbike that's quite relaxed and massively reliable.

The R1150R and Rockster are cool naked roadsters that are very versatile and very comfortable. I wouldn't hesitate to do a 14 hour day on one, even with the lack of wind protection.

The new R1200S will be a great all-around, real-world sportbike with far more power than any flat-twin should be allowed to make.

And if he wants even more comfort, I was blown away at this year's motorcycle show by the new R1200ST. It's goofy-looking, but man, is it comfortable!!!

cherrypicker · 04-29-2006, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Repeater

And if he wants even more comfort, I was blown away at this year's motorcycle show by the new R1200ST. It's goofy-looking, but man, is it comfortable!!!

If it wasn't for the 19,000 sticker price and the fact that I'm still under 30 and want something more sporty looking, that's the way I would have gone. It's super comfy, has tons of cool features and in the reviews it handles extremely well and won the sport touring shoot out.

It's really amazing how on paper the BMW flat twin doesn't look impressive, but combined with that chassis, the right gearing, and excellent fuel injection it feels plenty powerful but is incredibly smooth.