Shiny :-)

[Grip Fast]

Well, the R12S is back with shiny newly powder coated wheels and new tyres.

I went for the Bridgestone T30s, and maybe it's because the old PR2s were past their best, but I LOVE the feel of the bike now. I'll need to find out if he (Ian Joyce at Bike Motor Works in Northants) changed the suspension setup. It feels much more compliant and less firm but without any sense of wallowing - almost as if the tyre walls have a little give in them. I need a day pass signed...

Trouble is the rest of the bike, particularly the engine, looks scruffy now.

Couldn't upload photos from my phone - ah well, used my wife's lo-fi camera...

PICT0068.JPG (958.92 KiB) Viewed 4787 times

[daves]

Nice.
It's probably the tyres making the handling feel so different. I'd be pretty disappointed if my suspension was changed without me asking, or without me being informed afterwards. Can't imagine any professional tech doing that.

Dave

[fontana]

Honestly, you guys are lucky to have these great bikes.
I heard that when new they weren't a good seller.
I cannot understand why.
I mean look at it

[Grip Fast]

Nice.
It's probably the tyres making the handling feel so different. I'd be pretty disappointed if my suspension was changed without me asking, or without me being informed afterwards. Can't imagine any professional tech doing that.

Dave

Yes, I think you're right. I only wondered about the suspension because I discussed handling issues (wallowing into bends) with him and asked if he'd look at the setup / condition of the shocks. But he did say he thought they were fine, and that it was down to the tyres.

Fontana, I've no doubt I'm lucky to have found that bike when I was looking to buy a Triumph at the time. They didn't appeal to me when I saw the 12S in bike mags, but when I saw it in the flesh and had a test ride, I was sold on it. Still am 6 years later, especially now the handling is back as it should be.

[Herb]

Honestly, you guys are lucky to have these great bikes.
I heard that when new they weren't a good seller.
I cannot understand why.
I mean look at it

For the most part they were rated well by the press. My opinion is that they lacked practicality that most BMW riders seek, but were not powerful enough to be considered a proper sports bike, so did not draw customers from Ducati or the Japanese.

Expensive too. The original buyer of mine paid £9500. At the same time 2 of my mates bought triumph 1050 Sprints, a similar class of bike, for £7000 otr with full hard luggage.

[Boxered]

For the most part they were rated well by the press. My opinion is that they lacked practicality that most BMW riders seek, but were not powerful enough to be considered a proper sports bike, so did not draw customers from Ducati or the Japanese.

I think that the biggest issue with regard to the R1200S and also the R1200ST was that although they were not selling in big numbers, the BIG issue was that Ewan and Charlie had just completed the "wrong way home", or whatever it was called, and BMW were inundated with orders for 1200GS's, and therefore they cancelled any further production runs and cleared the lines in order to concentrate on the sudden massive demand for the GS.

I read this at the time, but buggered if I can find a link to back this up now!

Steve