BMW R1200RS Experiences and owners?
Discussion
Sadly a 1250 will likely be out of my price range and I'd likely be looking for a SE model, ideally with official panniers.
I'll be a first time rider as advised in my F800GT post further down, 50 years old so not looking for a screaming speed machine. I know a few people chimed in on that post and I'll be looking at any owner reviews on MCN while it's completely dead at work.
Any owners or those that have ridden them, and benefits of the SE with it's additional options would be appreciated.
I'll be a first time rider as advised in my F800GT post further down, 50 years old so not looking for a screaming speed machine. I know a few people chimed in on that post and I'll be looking at any owner reviews on MCN while it's completely dead at work.
Any owners or those that have ridden them, and benefits of the SE with it's additional options would be appreciated.
SE spec adds quick shifter & electronic suspension (Gear shift Pro & ESA in BMW speak) QS is ok above 3rd gear as long as you are accelerating & works mostly fine coming down the box, not as slick as other systems by all accounts. ESA means you can up the pre-load for luggage & pillion which is handy. There are also riding modes for rain road & dynamic which affects power, TC & throttle response.
I wouldn't worry too much about original panniers. You can get the shad 3P system & 2 x 36l panniers for about £430-440 brand new which are decent, Ive used them in torrential rain without inner bags & they've been fine.
The "head down" position is all relative, it is next to an RT or GS, but compared to my Ducati 900SS this is a sofa. I'm north of 50 (just!) but still find it pretty comfy for a long day - had a few 7-8 hour days on in this summer 2 up in Spain & Portugal. Longest day was 380miles a few years ago in Spain (solo ride). I use a comfortair seat cushion for 2 hour + rides which works well.
It's not the best looking or maybe most exciting thing out there, but it's been head & shoulders the best bike I've ever had purely because of the trips I've done on it, if I could afford an RT for two up touring & GSX R 750 or something like it for the odd track day then I'd get them, but I can't & in the meantime the old RS does me just fine. Hopefully Voges mountains & Normandy next year on a couple of trips.
I wouldn't worry too much about original panniers. You can get the shad 3P system & 2 x 36l panniers for about £430-440 brand new which are decent, Ive used them in torrential rain without inner bags & they've been fine.
The "head down" position is all relative, it is next to an RT or GS, but compared to my Ducati 900SS this is a sofa. I'm north of 50 (just!) but still find it pretty comfy for a long day - had a few 7-8 hour days on in this summer 2 up in Spain & Portugal. Longest day was 380miles a few years ago in Spain (solo ride). I use a comfortair seat cushion for 2 hour + rides which works well.
It's not the best looking or maybe most exciting thing out there, but it's been head & shoulders the best bike I've ever had purely because of the trips I've done on it, if I could afford an RT for two up touring & GSX R 750 or something like it for the odd track day then I'd get them, but I can't & in the meantime the old RS does me just fine. Hopefully Voges mountains & Normandy next year on a couple of trips.
Putting all the comments made and yet to come, the model variation specs of the bike are of little impact on the assessment to the bike.
I had mine (1200 SE) for 6 six years and bitterly regret selling it. The most comfortable of bikes, with the possible exception of the GS, but that had an issue in that sitting upright put load on my spine after riding for hours; nothing major.
The RS is a bit of an unsung hero in whatever guise, I actually thought it quite handsome, but hey beauty etc.
Dynamically they are very reassuring and quite neutral, with perhaps a tendency to understeer when erm pushed. Performance wise the RS is as quick as you really need, but perhaps a little lacking when laden with luggage and passenger.
The quick shifter was adequate and definitely worked better under WOT or near. Coming into a bend, shifting down from about 8k and exiting said bend flat never ceased to amuse. True, if one attempts to change from 1 to 2 on a light throttle one will be disappointed. A simple mantra; upshift - throttle open, downshift - throttle ALWAYS closed.
All the usual applies - build quality, reliability, dealers etc. Talking of dealers, the one in Northampton was especially worthy of note.
As a bit of a sop to black k1, my all-time tourer favourite was the K1300GT, Jeez that thing was bloody quick, oh and VERY comfortable. Apropos that, I tried a K1600 thinking of trading the 1300, I did not. Instead, I bought a VFR1200 and that dear friends is another story!
I had mine (1200 SE) for 6 six years and bitterly regret selling it. The most comfortable of bikes, with the possible exception of the GS, but that had an issue in that sitting upright put load on my spine after riding for hours; nothing major.
The RS is a bit of an unsung hero in whatever guise, I actually thought it quite handsome, but hey beauty etc.
Dynamically they are very reassuring and quite neutral, with perhaps a tendency to understeer when erm pushed. Performance wise the RS is as quick as you really need, but perhaps a little lacking when laden with luggage and passenger.
The quick shifter was adequate and definitely worked better under WOT or near. Coming into a bend, shifting down from about 8k and exiting said bend flat never ceased to amuse. True, if one attempts to change from 1 to 2 on a light throttle one will be disappointed. A simple mantra; upshift - throttle open, downshift - throttle ALWAYS closed.
All the usual applies - build quality, reliability, dealers etc. Talking of dealers, the one in Northampton was especially worthy of note.
As a bit of a sop to black k1, my all-time tourer favourite was the K1300GT, Jeez that thing was bloody quick, oh and VERY comfortable. Apropos that, I tried a K1600 thinking of trading the 1300, I did not. Instead, I bought a VFR1200 and that dear friends is another story!
P675 said:
Been looking at these as they'd be better for long trips I like doing, but would I want to take it out every night during the summer for b road blasts like I do my S1000R?
I don't see why not - it peaks at about 90ft/lbs of torque & is making over 70ft/lbs pretty much the whole rev range. It pulls incredibly well from 4k - 8.5k & footpegs will touch down before cylinder heads if pre load is in pillion setting. It's not going to have anything like the top end rush of the 4cyl but it's still can still get a decent hustle on. And a way better bike for the long trips, depends what you want to compromise on the most I guess.
Had mine since July and covered very few miles but here’s my thoughts.
Quick shifter is ok but crap 1st to 2nd. Utter crap on anything but a completely closed throttle for downshifts.
Plenty of power and very capable but very dull. I also put Grip Puppies on to try and reduce the buzz through the bars,not a lot but noticeable on a longer stint.
I plan on doing many more miles next year as this summer was very hectic in our house and time was precious.
Quick shifter is ok but crap 1st to 2nd. Utter crap on anything but a completely closed throttle for downshifts.
Plenty of power and very capable but very dull. I also put Grip Puppies on to try and reduce the buzz through the bars,not a lot but noticeable on a longer stint.
I plan on doing many more miles next year as this summer was very hectic in our house and time was precious.
smifffymoto said:
Had mine since July and covered very few miles but here’s my thoughts.
Quick shifter is ok but crap 1st to 2nd. Utter crap on anything but a completely closed throttle for downshifts.
Plenty of power and very capable but very dull. I also put Grip Puppies on to try and reduce the buzz through the bars,not a lot but noticeable on a longer stint.
I plan on doing many more miles next year as this summer was very hectic in our house and time was precious.
Heavier bar ends will do a lot more to dampen the vibrations through the bars. I put them on my R1250R and they made a massive difference.Quick shifter is ok but crap 1st to 2nd. Utter crap on anything but a completely closed throttle for downshifts.
Plenty of power and very capable but very dull. I also put Grip Puppies on to try and reduce the buzz through the bars,not a lot but noticeable on a longer stint.
I plan on doing many more miles next year as this summer was very hectic in our house and time was precious.
These are the best:
https://www.hvmp.com/BMW-p/bmw-bar-ends.htm
I think I might have a spare set tucked away in my garage.
I'd check you can get insured before you go too far down this rabbit hole, traditionally insurers load litre+ insurance for people without experience of that size of bike.
I enjoyed my R1200RS right up until I was forced to change in a hurry. "Unsung hero" is a good description I think, I found it a great tool for long distance journeys but noticed that I didn't take it out around the local roads often.
Good bits:
Fuel economy: mid-50's is normal on a run, so 180 miles between fill ups is easy.
Light steering and low CoG makes it a nice hustle through corners.
Comfy all day saddle.
Low feedback until you start to push on, seems a nice balance for a long distance bike.
You get used to the SE toys, keyless fuel cap is good. Adjusting preload by button is useful.
Engine might be a bit flat up top but you get used to using the midrange where there's enough go.
Exhaust note and engine character seemed to suit what you were doing without encouraging anything else: want to commute, it's boring commuter. Open it up and there's a nice rip from the exhaust.
It's a 1200cc bike so it's not slow.
Material quality is pretty good, smothered in XCP Rustblocker it shrugged off three winters.
Screen adjustment is simple. Screen is effective.
In grey like baxb's they fly under the radar, people rarely commented on it, and I kinda liked that.
Headlights are decent enough.
Not so good:
Rear shock is ultimately under damped.
Centrestand touches down before pegs when two up with luggage.
I'm 5'11 and found my back arched slightly awkwardly, only really an issue on long days with few stops. I'm 53, my knees started grumbling on long journeys too; the 1250 fixed the former and improved the latter.
The speedo isn't easy to read as the writing is a bit small. The LCD display isn't great but can show tyre pressure and trip info (which the 1250 can't).
I ended up with the suspension set in its firmest setting all the time which isn't that smooth.
Common to all R12xx:
According to the dealer and a thirdparty mechanic, throttle sensors "fail all the time". The resulting Limp mode is very limiting on the 1200, borderline dangerous if it cuts in at the wrong time. The 1250 is worse (although it wasn't the sensor but the cable).
Drive shaft needs inspected regularly and possibly replaced every 28k miles. This is a BMW recall so is periodically performed free by your main dealer alongside normal maintenance. My nearest dealer charges for this if the bike hasn't been serviced with them. My nearest dealer also gave up the inspection of my 1200 as they had a problem getting a reading from one of the oil sensors. Not good.
I enjoyed my R1200RS right up until I was forced to change in a hurry. "Unsung hero" is a good description I think, I found it a great tool for long distance journeys but noticed that I didn't take it out around the local roads often.
Good bits:
Fuel economy: mid-50's is normal on a run, so 180 miles between fill ups is easy.
Light steering and low CoG makes it a nice hustle through corners.
Comfy all day saddle.
Low feedback until you start to push on, seems a nice balance for a long distance bike.
You get used to the SE toys, keyless fuel cap is good. Adjusting preload by button is useful.
Engine might be a bit flat up top but you get used to using the midrange where there's enough go.
Exhaust note and engine character seemed to suit what you were doing without encouraging anything else: want to commute, it's boring commuter. Open it up and there's a nice rip from the exhaust.
It's a 1200cc bike so it's not slow.
Material quality is pretty good, smothered in XCP Rustblocker it shrugged off three winters.
Screen adjustment is simple. Screen is effective.
In grey like baxb's they fly under the radar, people rarely commented on it, and I kinda liked that.
Headlights are decent enough.
Not so good:
Rear shock is ultimately under damped.
Centrestand touches down before pegs when two up with luggage.
I'm 5'11 and found my back arched slightly awkwardly, only really an issue on long days with few stops. I'm 53, my knees started grumbling on long journeys too; the 1250 fixed the former and improved the latter.
The speedo isn't easy to read as the writing is a bit small. The LCD display isn't great but can show tyre pressure and trip info (which the 1250 can't).
I ended up with the suspension set in its firmest setting all the time which isn't that smooth.
Common to all R12xx:
According to the dealer and a thirdparty mechanic, throttle sensors "fail all the time". The resulting Limp mode is very limiting on the 1200, borderline dangerous if it cuts in at the wrong time. The 1250 is worse (although it wasn't the sensor but the cable).
Drive shaft needs inspected regularly and possibly replaced every 28k miles. This is a BMW recall so is periodically performed free by your main dealer alongside normal maintenance. My nearest dealer charges for this if the bike hasn't been serviced with them. My nearest dealer also gave up the inspection of my 1200 as they had a problem getting a reading from one of the oil sensors. Not good.
Edited by hiccy18 on Tuesday 24th December 07:39
I was just about to put my old Rode magazines in the recycling when I noticed they did a review of the R1200RS SE as a used buy, in their August 2024 edition. It came out well.
I was in the same position as you, but decided to stretch myself to an early 1250RS from a main dealer with 2-year warranty. I found the price differential wasn’t unmanageable and I decided the extra was worth it for the peace of mind of the warranty.
Enjoy your bike search
I was in the same position as you, but decided to stretch myself to an early 1250RS from a main dealer with 2-year warranty. I found the price differential wasn’t unmanageable and I decided the extra was worth it for the peace of mind of the warranty.
Enjoy your bike search
I own a 2018 R1200R Exclusive, it has just passed 71k miles. It's pretty much identical to the RS but the fully naked/roadster version. The finish has held up very well and mechanically it is absolutely perfect. I do all my own work on it and it's dead easy to work on. BMW use high quality stainless fasteners etc so no problems there. It had a new drive shaft under recall this year.
I can't find any other bike that can commute, scratch, tour all in one package. The combination of mod cons, shaft drive and great usable engine is too good to beat. Maybe I'll change it for a 1250 if it ever dies but in the mean time I'm going to ride it until the wheels fall off.
If you could stretch to the 1250 I'm sure that's even better but there's nothing wrong with the 1200. Also you can get the 1200RS in the best colour scheme which is the blue and white one, lovely.
I can't find any other bike that can commute, scratch, tour all in one package. The combination of mod cons, shaft drive and great usable engine is too good to beat. Maybe I'll change it for a 1250 if it ever dies but in the mean time I'm going to ride it until the wheels fall off.
If you could stretch to the 1250 I'm sure that's even better but there's nothing wrong with the 1200. Also you can get the 1200RS in the best colour scheme which is the blue and white one, lovely.
hiccy18 said:
I'd check you can get insured before you go too far down this rabbit hole, traditionally insurers load litre+ insurance for people without experience of that size of bike.
Fagan and BvG said Boothy struggled to get insurance on the BBB Gixxer thou. They also opined motorcycles sales that are down <3% may have something to do with insurance on motorcycles and cited BvG's BMW salesmen mate who said orders have been cancelled due to difficulty of getting insurance.
MissChief said:
What happened?
Throttle sensor cable failure. SOS button faults. (I'd had the bike eleven days by this point).Transport damage during repatriation.
Three months off the road (mostly waiting on the original fault being fixed!).
More SOS button faults. Gearbox problems. Random fault codes.
I fancy a different type of bike so I'd be changing it in the spring anyway, and if these issues were just me then I'd write it off as a lemon and consider another BMW, but looking at the guys I ride with sometimes, of the eight other BMW owners, only two haven't had problems in the past 18 months, and I was the second left without a bike for three months (at least I didn't have to contact BMW GmbH for resolution).
Test rode one we had at work. For reference 6ft 4 and a bit. 140kg.
Very cramped, small compared to my own bike (GSA) and the work bikes (RT). I turned back after five miles and spent the rest of the shift on the RT.
Too crunched over for my liking. I'm not built for those bikes.
Colleagues said good things about it though.
Very cramped, small compared to my own bike (GSA) and the work bikes (RT). I turned back after five miles and spent the rest of the shift on the RT.
Too crunched over for my liking. I'm not built for those bikes.
Colleagues said good things about it though.
LosingGrip said:
Test rode one we had at work. For reference 6ft 4 and a bit. 140kg.
Very cramped, small compared to my own bike (GSA) and the work bikes (RT). I turned back after five miles and spent the rest of the shift on the RT.
Too crunched over for my liking. I'm not built for those bikes.
Colleagues said good things about it though.
The Special Escort Group managed VFR1200s at one time so the R1200RS might actually be an improvement.Very cramped, small compared to my own bike (GSA) and the work bikes (RT). I turned back after five miles and spent the rest of the shift on the RT.
Too crunched over for my liking. I'm not built for those bikes.
Colleagues said good things about it though.
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