Here at last! Timidster meets Roadster

[Caroanbill]

My wait is finally over - picked up my Crystal Grey R1200R on Saturday morning, and managed to get 600km done before its first service today (it's Monday already here at GMT +10).

Farkles mostly installed by the dealer: shocks, hugger, screen, bar risers, lower pegs, swapped tyres for Z6s, and even the headlight protector. Rick, my sales guy, really went the extra mile - though sadly that was his last day.

The SIT is vastly improved by the Verholen bar-backs (risers, whatever) and the Suburban Machinery footpeg kit. The low seat is surprisingly comfy - though it doesn't look so - even if it does have its limits (300km in a sitting is stretching it, so the Airhawk is gouing with me tomorrow). The 16" Cee Bailey screen is too short, even for me (sigh) - and my BMW System 5 helmet argues vociferously with the airflow coming off it. Initially it'll be earplus (I have the ones moulded to my ear canals), subsequently a Parabellum for winter - I'll probably need to cut it down, but I've done that successfully in the past (cut the edge, trim and sand around, then polish off). I'll use the 16" around town with my Systems 4 helmets, swap to Parabellum plus foot shields to for touring.

.. and I will need adjustable levers. The span reach on the brake is too long for safety and comfort. Clutch is OK, but would benefit as well. Bummer, cheapskate BMW - you useta fit them as standard.

The RIDE is vastly improved by the Wilbers - the choppy / harsh front is now supple as can be achieved on lousy Sydney roads. Out on open country roads the ride is relaxed - this is an all-day bike (soon as I get an all-day seat). I hadn't noticed the OE rear much on test - still, the Wilbers rear is very well planted. And thanks to Peter Lucas at Procycle for a suspension tutorial and free set-up.

The MOTOR and DRIVE is everything it should be - noticably freer in the last 100km obver the first, and of course that'll get better still. At first I had to take slow bends in second or even first because motor didn't want to pull in a higher gear (and I didn't want to stress it) - that was better this mornng, so that roundabouts were second instead of first and general 60km/h running was 3rd instead of 2nd. I'd have to say the 1150 motor is more tractable low down - the 1200's fuelling as snatchy by comparison, as was the drivetrain (but that's already better and will get more so). The 1200 is still very tracatable (I was a bit worried, given the peak torque is at higher rpm) and in the right gear has a lovely smooth urge about it (especially compared to the peppy li'l 650!). Look, it's a shaft drive and that's how it is - they get a little snappy if the dummy in the seat isn't smooth.

ACS does seem to work. Not that I gave it a nudge given the low mileage, but the one or two sharper accelerations I did do showed no sgn of the front goping light or ready to lift - the test bike lifted its front wheel slightly under the sharp acceleration. The forecast for tomorrow's ride out of Sydney is wet, wet wet - so that might test the system.

HANDLING is as good as I've experienced, even with the limitations of timid rider, new bike and new tyres. No, it doesn't do city like my F650CS - I had to take the CS for a quick run after doing 400km on the R12R on Saturday and it's markedly more flickable in city conditions. The R12R is a true open road bike - at the legal limit (well ever so slightly over) it simply purrs in 6th, saoking up whatever bumps in corners or straights ... the open road feel is actually like a slow steering bike (like my R1150RS or my R80 mono) - which the R12R ain't, as you discover once you hit tight bends.

And I have on-board computer fuel fault already - "empty", even after I fill it.

I'm still getting used to managing it in the city - coming back tired in the dark on Saturday was a chore, so I confined my Sunday run to the city (still plenty of bends here in Sydney if you know where to look), and by this morning's 20km run to the dealer I could stop it exactly wher I wanted to (instead of two car lengths beforehand). I can see I'll get city-confident.

Got it home and make up an oil cooler screen - using balck silicon to stick expanded mesh to the cooler shroud. Messy inside (I'm no mechanic) but clean outside, and the silicon will stick well and still peel off clean if needed.

Decals went on Sunday morning. Bike looks so much better without 'em.

YES - I WILL POST PICS .. have already taken a few, but it'll be next week befroe I downlaod the camera and find a web location (cuurently don't have one)

[Caroanbill]

I stopped for lunch at 50km from the dealer - Peats Ridge. Nice bikers cafe (the Corrugated Cafe - for corrugated iron, though it also describes some local road surfaces!).

Nice chat with riders of a Buell, new Guzzi Sport 1200, and a 900SS Duke. They ogled the R12R (so gratifying) and picked over the farkles. They left before me.

When I saddled up - no keys. I'm VERY careful with keys, but I was jugging a lot of new stuff. Looked everywhere. No sign of 'em. No problem, calm down, take everything out of bags, empty all pockets, check everywhere I'd been from every angle. Nothing. The Cafe staff went the extra mile - even emptied the garbage in case they'd swept them up went clearing my lunch. Nada. Go over EVERYTHING again, slowly and calmly. Even strip pants and boots in case it fell inside. Nup, not a thing.

It looks like those guys took 'em. It's really the only explanation, but it's not a comfortable one. The chap on the Duke had fuelled up - so I went over to the petrol station to see if he used a card .. they did have him on CCTV.

I had the flimsy plastic key in the topcase - thankfully not locked. It works the ignition and the panniers, but it's too flimsy to release the topcase (and I don't force it). No matter. I have a second metal key coming anyway, but I don't want to think about the cost of re-keying - nor does the salesman when I call him. So I decide to take my chances - the bike isn't kept at home anyway.

I took longer stages to avoid stress turning the plastic key, and still ran the bike in to 400km. Hopefully the new spare key would arrive Monday in time for my trip. If not, the topcase could stay on the bike and I'd use the plastic key as little as possible.

Midday Sunday, I lock the bike up and take my car to get some spring plants - when my mobile (cell) phone rings. It's Lee from the Corrugated Cafe. The guys had inadvertently taken my key (he has the same BMW keycase), and one of them rode two hours (each way) to return it: didn't ask for my address (I only gave a post box anyway) because they thought I'd be nervous about that. I gave up on plants and drove an hour each way to get it.

I don't know the guys names or numbers (they didn't leave any) to thank them for making up for their mistake. I do appreciate it! And the Corrugated Cafe - thank you too. They were prepared to post the keys or wait after work for me to get there. Good food, good coffee and a lovely sunny attitude!! Thanks all 'round.

[TWI]

Life is always exciting on a R12R.

Congrats on the bike.

[ka5ysy]

Congratulations and welcome to the fraternity! You are going to find that the bike gets better and better as you ride it. You will also discover the fun of messing with the crotch rocket crowd

Stay safe !

[DJ Downunder]

Aren't Aussies great....I was expecting it to be in the seat release or helmet lock.....That's where it usually is.

Glad it worked out ok in the end for you....btw..I love those new Guzzi 1200 sports.

DJ

[motorradguy]

Congrats on the new R12R. WOW, great mods right out of the dealer. Wish I'd have thought of that....

One question please... The Suburban Machinery peg kit states that one side is a bit lower than the other. Is it noticable that one leg is slightly lower than the other? That is my only reservation on the kit.

[Dan-A]

Congrats on the bike. I think there may be a set of Wilburs in my future.

I left my key in the ignition on a wed nite dinner ride to a gaming casino. When I came back a couple of hours later it was still there, thankfully, but I too am woefully absent minded about pocketing my keys.

[Phillo]

Congrats on the new bike - be careful with the keys - Ive got into a habit - every time I stop irrespective of how near of far I am going to be from my bike - left foot=sidestand out - right hand=key out and in pocket.

[ShinySideUp]

One question please... The Suburban Machinery peg kit states that one side is a bit lower than the other. Is it noticable that one leg is slightly lower than the other? That is my only reservation on the kit.

I've got the SM peg kit and can't feel the height difference at all. Maybe if I were walking or cycling with that bit of difference, I would feel it, but sitting on the saddle, everything is sweet.

(Hey, maybe that IS why I always go in circles... )

[Caroanbill]

One question please... The Suburban Machinery peg kit states that one side is a bit lower than the other. Is it noticable that one leg is slightly lower than the other? That is my only reservation on the kit.

It isn't lower, it's slightly further out to clear the side stand.

The answer is still no. You simply can't tell.

[Caroanbill]

And after a week of 400 to 800 km days, mostly in open country ...

This bike - with the Wilbers front end - is a superb country road tourer. It sits solidly around high-speed sweepers, staying right on line even with the Telelever / Wilbers absorbing some serious lumps. I'd say the Wilbers gives the R12R telelever back some the poise of the older telelevers - it simply does all the suspension work without affecting steering at all (unlike my wee Scarver). Yet it still steers quickly in tight bends.

The touring experience is a lot like my K1100LT, which was my high-water mark so far (the R1150RS had its own character, not quite as relaxed as the LT) - but the R12R gets there by suspension competence while the LT got there by slow steering and great weight. The result is that on open roads I can just sit at my preferred speed, lock up the Kaoko mechanical cruise and motor along - swinging around open corners with a small counter steer to initiate, then just sit back and drive through.

The motor is even more of a gem now it's freeing up. It has flat-twin character, without the downsides. Perhaps I'd prefer the GS tune to the RT tune - more urge at real-world speed - but I don't really notice the loss. It pulled to 200km/h a few times all too easily, and from 120 - 150 as fast as I could twist my wrist against the Kaoko. At legal speed, it purrs along ...

The driveline / transmission is the best R series I've had, but this only means it gets to about the standard of my 1984 Suzuki GS850G. I've lived with BMW drivelines for 22 years, so this is not a deal-breaker. The tranny does clutchless 5-6 and 6-5 easily at the right revs, which is great in open country (think-snick-click). It 'drives' beautifully up through the torque curve exiting corners - transmits the motor seamlessly to the road in a way that just feels good.

Sadly, the transmission has some bad habits too. It finds neutral too easily on the road when you want that least, partly a consequence of the light shift elsewhere - on earlier beemers you got so used to kicking the shifter hard through gears that you'd never inadvertently 'snick' into N .. so mebbe I'll get over that. And the whole drivetrain is far too snatchy at low speed, probably exacerbated by the bike's light weight and me getting used to the throttle spring again each time I take the Kaoko cruise off ... no doubt I'll get used to all this.

I have to say the seat isn't nearly so bad as I'd thought. It'd me unbearable for any real distance without the Airhawk, but otherwise it functions as well as seats that look and feel much more comfortable.

Ride position - with barbacks and lower pegs - works very well. It was a good long-distance position to start with and only needed those small adjustments to perfect it. I got used to the 16" Cee Bailey, but I do think I'll get the 22" Parabellum and the Wunderlich 'clear protect' lower shields before I next try 4200km in 7 days in end of winter weather (cool with some light rain).

All up - this is easily the best light tourer I've ridden. It's as competent as an RT (weather protection aside) without the weight, and as sporty in bends as I can manage. I've been quicker on this bike than any other, felt more confident and had more fun.