R1200S - Knockout or bloody nose ?!

[winger]

Hi Harry

Dummy and pram may have come into it!!! along with a lot more beside's,for some to ask and others to know!.

Le-Mans??is the Pope catholic!!!,as Lloyd has already said four of us and my VFR man,who has stolen a march on me this year,he was at Philip Island last weekend for the WSB!!!!

North West 200 in NI and then German GP and then following weekend Brno WSB,and as many BSB's as pos with my mates lad a one of the favourites for the Supersport Championship.

[boxerpan]

.......... but who called for solo only and no optional bags?!...

ME!!!!!

sandbar

Says someone whos' bike spends more time on the road in the back of a van than under its own steam Are you going to upgrade (?) this year then Nigel ??

[BMW-Fahrer]

Who knows?BMW doesn't seem too!
Excactly!!!;-)
The ST doesn't do it for the R-RS guys and the expected more/better after 12 years and the R1100S is still a great bike after 7 years so maybe in the next 5 years they make the bigger tank,two up seat,ST-bags/rack,adjustabe bars and centerstand available...
I just don't get it;they got the RT,GS and GT pretty much better in every way and screwed up on their sport-tourers.But then the more things change the more they stay the same as they still make excellent tourers...

[gus]

Err hello.
Nobody has actually ridden one yet.So i would keep stum until someone or yourself does.Could be great,could be crap.Depends in what your looking for in a bike.Not all bike owners are bikers if you know what i mean.Got a M5 coupe in the garage,would sir like the bike version?Whats 10 grand?Disposable income to some people thats what.
Just my take on the matter.
gus

[Ade B]

thats why there's no luggage option, the his'n'hers Hermes travel set are in the X5 being driven to the yacht by the nanny...

BMW is a luxury brand don't you know..


(X5, crocodile skin luggage and nanny will be an BMW option along with ABS and platinum torx head bolts)

Ade.

[BMW-Fahrer]

You might be right;but if they turn the new S into yuppie-food they can count me out on future purchases.
What they probably don't now yet that some of the glitzy,shiny Ducati-Boutiques I mean stores are closing...There is no alternative for the R11S for me right now unless they are coming with some touring options since the ST is a slow seller...R1200S/T
But you are right we need to ride it.But even if the handling and engine is top with the small tank,no pillon to speak of and no bags I would not buy it or would have bought a Mille already years ago if I wanted a track-only bike...And if they think I should buy the new S for sunday mornings and the occasional trackday and a R1200RT for the rest of the week and the yearly holiday trip they need to look at economical realities for most of the bike buying public...

[sandbar]

........... for most of the bike buying public...

Do you really think that that is their target market with the new S??

RT,GS and GT pretty much better

Oh really??

The RT looks like a Varadero and - IMHO - the Varadero is UGLY!!

The GS is synonymous with 'plasticky' and the new Adventure takes that description to new heights.

GT better - better than what exactly?

I agree totally with Gus

sandbar

[sandbar]

........... spends more time on the road in the back of a van than under its own steam

Actually it very rarely even makes it into the van!!!

Are you going to upgrade (?) this year then Nigel ??

I might. It depends when (if?) the new parts become available.

sandbar

[Gromit]

But guys, what you're totally missing here is the fact that the sportsbike cognescenti (ie most of whom don't know their arse from their elbow) wouldn't touch a BMW sportsbike with a shitty stick. For them, image and racing heritage is everything - which is why Ducatis sold by the (relative) truckload. Ducati, now they're not winning very much and didn't follow up the seminal 916 with an equally beautiful bike, are beginning to feel the pinch.

The new 12S may end up being totally stunning to ride - won't make it sell though.

The RT sells, not because of its looks, but because a. It's a BMW and BMW make tourers (and are well known for making rather good ones) and b. It does do that job very well. The new 12S might do b, but they're not for known for doing the sportsbike equivalent of a.

[bigblackfalco]

thats why there's no luggage option, the his'n'hers Hermes travel set are in the X5 being driven to the yacht by the nanny...

BMW is a luxury brand don't you know..


(X5, crocodile skin luggage and nanny will be an BMW option along with ABS and platinum torx head bolts)

Ade.

Miao....pussy cat!!
Bailey.

[julian]

BMW is a luxury brand don't you know..
(X5, crocodile skin luggage and nanny will be an BMW option along with ABS and platinum torx head bolts) Ade.

Sadly, it seems there will be no decent perch on the S to accomodate a fit uber-nanny* with abrasion resistant crocodile skin thong/boy pants and titanium body pierecings.

*showing in the BMW apparel catalogue.

[julian]

Err hello.
Nobody has actually ridden one yet.So i would keep stum until someone or yourself does.Could be great,could be crap.Depends in what your looking for in a bike.Not all bike owners are bikers if you know what i mean.Got a M5 coupe in the garage,would sir like the bike version?Whats 10 grand?Disposable income to some people thats what.
Just my take on the matter.
gus

I'm with Gus on this. I saw the picture in the Scottish Show Guide i the comic (quick look in Tesco cos I don't read that rubbish) and thought 'WOW, aint she goreous' although it was a flattering angle. For my type of riding (daily commute) long distances and passengers are'nt usually a concern. For me anythoing over 100 miles is a struggle on the current S cos of the lankiness so a bit more discomfort is no big deal.

[Me-109]

And if they think I should buy the new S for sunday mornings and the occasional trackday and a R1200RT for the rest of the week and the yearly holiday trip they need to look at economical realities for most of the bike buying public...

I would reckon these days that most of the bike buying public in the developed world have a bike as a toy, certainly not essential everyday transport. So it is more of a 'lifestyle' thing.

Brand awareness, image and loyalty play quite a large part in the buying process and, as the 'bored rider' poll shows we are generally the wrong side of middle aged, so have had time to form opinions on these things - the fabled 'more discerning' buyer.

So BMW has a boxer following it can (needs to?) maintain, who want something that looks sporty, has reasonable power, a boxer motor and good build quality. The boxer motor is BMW (bike)brand-association in the same way that Subarus use flat fours, Saabs use turbochargers and good Porsches have flat-sixes.

The potential owners are also older with, probably, more sheckles to burn. About the only difference between these riders and R1 pilots is the choice of power(plant). Even a sports-600 is not cheap these days. It is far easier - if not cheaper - for young lads (& lasses) to get a 'nice' hatchback on 0% from a car showroom than it is to go through the training/licensing rigmarole and pay questionnably over the odds for a bike that they also have to get all the safety/wet/cold weather gear for.

Economy is no longer a consideration for the bike industry and hasn't been for twenty years. How many bikes do you see in the listings at under 600cc? How many new bikes are quoted at over 40mpg in the specs? Not many, I've looked.

[BMW-Fahrer]

ME-109,you describe the situation pretty accurately but I still don't understand the BMW marketing empty-suits why they made the new S less attractive for a much bigger group since the sport-touring ST doesn't sell.I don't say a proper sportbike needs GSXR1000RR1 160 hp and 120hp will me more than enough for the abilities of 99% of the bike buying public except for at the pub... But as the only difference to differ fro the rest offering a boxer motor probably won't be enough since Honda,Ducati,Yamaha,Suzuki offer the race-cred to the image crowd while the old S had all the other sportstersbagged by beeing fun on trackdays as also useful for a nice holiday trip with bags and the missus on the back...
The new RT,GSAdventure,K12GT beeing better than their predecessors?!
They all offer better power to weight ratios and bigger tanks but are more plasticy I agree...
I'll keep the "old" R11S since the R90S still BMW's best and maybe in another 17 years in 2023 at their 100th anniversary we can expect another great-S since they seem to come every twenty-five years;1973 R90S,1998 R1100S but by then we will be too old and ready for an R12RT and flip up helmet...

[cc mac]

They could have made solo or pillion seats options. This would have opened up the market somewhat. Don't they actually consult with potential user groups for feedback? Looking at the 1200s and the new ST I would think not. I hope someone from BMW actually scans these owner sites like ours, they could do with some insight.