RE: BMW K1200S

Thursday 20th May 2004

BMW K1200S

BMW launch lightweight superbike


BMW K1200S BMW Motorrad have unveiled the K1200S, a concept bike designed to showcase their skills in building lightweight, agile, powerful bikes.

It's one of the most powerful bikes ever produced by BMW with the 4 cylinder 1157cc motor pumping out over 160bhp.

The K1200 S will be launched to the international press in July, in Germany. The bike will make its first public appearance at the INTERMOT show in Munich from 15-19 September, and the UK launch will be soon afterwards. The price of the new K1200 S has yet to be finalised.

For the latest information on the K1200 S, interested customers can visit a special website and register to receive further information. Current sports bike riders can also apply for selection to a special K1200 S test ride event that will take place at the  Nürburgring in September!

Link : www.face-the-power.com

Author
Discussion

ultimasimon

Original Poster:

9,646 posts

273 months

Thursday 20th May 2004
quotequote all
Excellent and about time. Although it isn't the prettiest incarnation on two wheels, it is about time the German engineers produced a viable alternative to the Japanese dominated motorcycle market.

With 160hp and the fact that it is described as a lightweight, I think BMW are going straight for the jugular with the most fierce competition in market placement, with the likes of the Kawasaki ZX12R, Yamaha YZF-R1 and the Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa, all of which will need to be in the same price range, or they won't stand a chance.

This bike also looks typically suitable for those old bikers returning to the fold, and also the same ones which will cause are insurance rates to rise, as these new motorcycles are nothing to be compared with the bikes of yesteryear. It will automatically appeal to ex BMW riders who have nothing to date that is remotely capable of keeping up with Japs.

Bikers won't take it seriously unless it makes good on a racetrack, and BMW will still have a long way to go then, but I think its a good attempt at gaining entrance to the superbike market.

Bring it on BMW you have got your work cut out, and at least it resembles a motorcycle, which cannot be said for some of the previous styling exercises.

gRsf12

224 posts

255 months

Thursday 20th May 2004
quotequote all
Chunky front end and solid fairing appear at odds with minimalist back end. Big horses and shaft-drive sounds good to me. Surprised they didn't go for underseat cans like the R1100S though.

Priced to be competitive qith the likes of R1s etc.? I don't think so. This is a premium brand so will follow the trend of the rest of the range and be about £1000 more expensive.

Shows what BM can come up with once they get over their self-induced 100bhp limits, so obviously a design intent to allow easy Europe-wide conformity for their products. Does this allow a German citizen (or dealer) to import an unrestricted UK (for example) bike and run it there as full power or do they have to conform to Construction & Use/Type Approval/Whatever regulations and restrict it back down to 100bhp?

ultimasimon

Original Poster:

9,646 posts

273 months

Thursday 20th May 2004
quotequote all
gRsf12 said:
Does this allow a German citizen (or dealer) to import an unrestricted UK (for example) bike and run it there as full power or do they have to conform to Construction & Use/Type Approval/Whatever regulations and restrict it back down to 100bhp?


Interesting question; either way its ludicrous that the same country that stifles output to a 100hp also has autobahns and the fastest roads in the world.

gRsf12

224 posts

255 months

Thursday 20th May 2004
quotequote all
ultimasimon said:
its ludicrous that the same country that stifles output to a 100hp also has autobahns and the fastest roads in the world.


And all its own manufacturers electronically limit their cars to 155mph, don't forget. Though they don't limit their horsepower on cars.....

jvaughan

6,025 posts

298 months

Tuesday 25th May 2004
quotequote all
gRsf12 said:

ultimasimon said:
its ludicrous that the same country that stifles output to a 100hp also has autobahns and the fastest roads in the world.



And all its own manufacturers electronically limit their cars to 155mph, don't forget. Though they don't limit their horsepower on cars.....


yes, but that is an agreement, and not legeslation

gRsf12

224 posts

255 months

Wednesday 26th May 2004
quotequote all
jvaughan said:

yes, but that is an agreement, and not legeslation


155mph might be an agreement, but 100bhp is legislation. Perhaps you need to reread the thread in a different frame of mind, as it was only pointing out how ironic it was that the same country has such opposite views/legislation on power/speed capabilities/potential for high speed.

I would also like to say that Germany as a whole is not the speeder's Utopia it is made out to be in the UK. In three months around Stuttgart I never once found an 'unlimited' stretch of autobahn, mostly just 120kmh limits, so little different to here. Maybe that's just a bad area?

jvaughan

6,025 posts

298 months

Wednesday 26th May 2004
quotequote all
Chill.....