R1200C - R850C - Your opinions?

[jonothan]

I've been offered a BMW R850C for silly money.

One of my patients has decided to sell his BMW R850C Cruiser and offered me first refusal - he wants £3,500 for it (about US$ 6,000) and it's a mint machine with only 3,000 miles on it. It's in cream.

He's an old boy who has looked after it lovingly. It's five years old and never been ridden on a damp road even.

I'd never really considered one before and wondered what your views on this were. It would be a second bike. I wouldn't sell my beloved R.

I'll be test riding it later this week. My riding buddy, Ian (who has an F650GS) has ridden one, the R1200C. When I asked him, he said he'd rather walk.

Jonothan

[Pat]

I'd venture to say that a brand new Vespa for less, could be just as (NOT) fast, about as funky, but MUCH more cool.

And in MY opinion, he's NOT offering a killer deal..... just silly.

If he would part with it for considerably less, it'd be a GREAT bike for a short person or someone who has the time and patience to eventually reach the posted speed limit.

Just an opinion..... I could be wrong.

[DJ Downunder]

I like them...and I like that classic ivory color.

I know they're not powerful...but hey...it's a cruiser...I'm sure it dose that well.

If it was good enough for James Bond...it would be good enough for me.

I look forward to hearing about your test ride...they have stopped making them..so one in good nik might be good to collect.

David

[Airman1]

I had an R1200C for a loaner from the dealer for a couple of days. Here's my take on it.
It wasn't a bike that was comfortable going fast. I had it on the interstate running about 75mph and the power seemed to flatten out. If I whacked the throttle on my RR at 75 it would be to 100 in a hurry. The 1200C is reluctant to do that. On the other hand it's happy to piddle along at 45-50.
I guess that's what cruisers are about. I liked the seating position, but not the forward controls, the right one put my boot right up under the cylinder.
The rear suspension seemed harsh, but that might be set wrong for me. I like the looks of the bike. I know a guy with one in that dark green and it's really nice.
Feeling like I did on the 1200, I would guess the 850 would leave me wishing for a bike with more power. At the time I wondered why BMW didn't just put the RR motor and the 6 speed in it. At least in the US you could buy a really decent `02 or `03 1150R for $6k. I think it's too much for a 5 year old 850.

[boxermania]

jonothan.......it is dificult to compare on the basis of exchange rates, as you well know 2004 was the last year for that model, nothing to worry about since most parts are interchangeable.

I have two friends with R1200C's and had ample opportunity to ride them......there are two things I don't like about the model.

1) The front end is not as planted as the R1150 series......of course it's a cruiser.
2) Irregardless of the weight of the rider and shock consideration it will beat your back to death on bad pavement. You see, the pivot point for the rear suspension is just about right under the seat.

I do have to qualify the above statement by telling you that the roads in Louisiana are probably the worst in the US, if not, then they are the second worst.

The bike looks very nice and it does get about 50 mpg, now if your roads are good...........good luck, let us know the outcome.

[Capt. Blackadder]

If you like the laid-back seating position and you see yourself using this bike for what it was intended, then yes, just go for it. Who cares if it's five years old... if it really is in pristine condition, you're essentially getting a brand-new motorcycle for $6,000. My coworker Tony used to have an R1200C, a '99 model. We swapped bikes a few times, and here are my impressions of it:

It handles fairly well, especially for a cruiser, and brakes very well. The five-speed transmission is easier to shift than my R1150R's six-speed, and it has shorter throws between gears. There was always a peculiar little "clunk" sound from the Telelever when the bike hit any bumps in the road, but it never amounted to anything... it was just odd.

The saddle is a bit hard, but it's nicely shaped, and I like the backrest you can pop up. The seating position is bolt upright, the handlebar is fairly wide, so you catch a fair bit of wind. The power is adequate for cruising speeds up to about 70mph, when it starts to taper off, and that's also when serious vibration starts to set in. Chances are, though, that the 850 motor is a bit smoother. So while this is no motorway bike, it's an immensely pleasant mount around town or out in backroads country cruising at, say, 55-65mph.

The looks of the bike have always been a topic of discussion. I've never quite been a fan of how it looks as a whole, but many bits and pieces are veritable works of art, such as the instrument panel and the ignition key. You can spend hours just marvelling at all the little detail work, and you're always tempted to run your fingers over something and fiddle with it. A very engaging and tactile bike, as it were.

Overall, I like this bike very much, and I always enjoyed swapping bikes with Tony. As for the Ivory color, I think it's one of the best colors for it. There's also a good number of accessories available, such as saddles, bags, and windscreens.

I think that if you go for it, and ride this bike within its performance envelope, you won't be disappointed.

[fnfalman]

I think that these cruisers are the most beautiful modern BMWs yet. They're cruisers so take them for what they are.

[Biff's R]

Jonothan,
You can check out http://www.chromeheads.org for some more info. My father had an '01 r1200c Phoenix, and liked it enough to ride it 15,000 miles. He had trouble at high speeds (80 mph+) due to power/transmission setup, and wind protection, but he liked it for riding on hte backroads, and cruising around town. He always had a bunch of compliments wherever he stopped.

[PearlyWhite]

As an outsider looking in.. I've not ridden one of these.

It's a "crusier" but there are one or three comments here from people that have ridden it and they say that the seat is uncomfortable and that it doesn't perform well on the highway????

If I were to buy a cruiser type bike, I would want it to be comfy and be able to handle the straight and narrows well.

Also, there are a couple of comments about power issues and these references seem to be about the 1200 motor, not the 850 that you referenced.

I have also thought these to be fabulous looking. Looking at the rear fender - and especially the cream one pictured with the pinstripe, it seems there is a great juxtaposition of the old and the new with this bike.

If I were to buy another bike to sit next to Pearly, it would be something very different that our R and it seems that while the styling is different, other than that, the experience will not be tremendously different.

Remember the last time the mrs. came home with a new...whatever....and her reasoning was that it was "good deal."?????

[jamming]

Here's my take on the C..the very first picture I saw of it. I thought it was so ugly, only a bulldozer could cure it. I saw one in a dealer the day it was delivered, it was even uglier in person. I don't adapt well to some changes, like my motorcycles. However, the looks of it have grown on me like a wart and I do think now its ok.
I knew the owner well, so he throws me the keys and tells me to put a couple of hours on it as it was his demo. I refused at first, but what the heck, it was a new bike. To make a short story long......I loved it, not enough to buy one, I thought it was slow, but it braked fine, handled ok for a crusier, wasent real good on the freeway due to the bolt upright postion, but for around town and an occassinal blast on the open road it fit me like a glove. I'm 5"7' with a 30 inch inseam, long legs short arms, and it got people looking at it. in short ( pun intended) the list of shortcomings was too long.
I am considering it for my son who is almost 15 now, after some time on a 400 or 500 CC bike and the MSF course, which means I'll get to play with it.
If ya like it, go for it, lifes short, only you can make you happy.
Roger

[jonothan]

So, I test rode the R850C yesterday afternoon.

It really wasn't my thing. After the R, it felt hard. The seating postion was uncomfortable. Rear suspension jittery and unforgiving.

I actually love the looks (it's one of those love it/hate it bikes) - in fact I absolutely adore the looks, if I'm honest - but do I want one? Hmm, no thanks. I'd rather keep my R and buy the R1200GS Adventure when it comes out next year.

Jonothan

[Bry]

Like I said before,

"Last time I had handlebars like that... I was raping a water buffalo!"

Made my back sore.... never could find the comfort zone... wonder if you can fit the flatter bars from the later series on it?


BRy

[dragonmojo]

Don't know about the R850C, but I have owned the R1200C since '99 new. It's my first cruiser and has become my favorite bike if I were to decide on one to take out at a moment's notice. So far I have only averaged 8500 miles per year on it. I also have an '04 Rockster which is almost getting 2000 miles per year (almost 3500 on the odometer today).

Must be everyone else's butt-shape. The Cruiser's saddle is hard leather and I easily did a 14 hour ride from Montana (near the Canadian border) to Klamath Falls, OR. Very comfy saddle, more so than the stock Rockster's. I enjoy doing the really LONG rides... state lines and 600+ mile days.

How much power does one need? On the open road I cruise along easily at around 70-75 mph (depends on speed limits and patrol). My trip earlier this summer through the Nevada and Arizona deserts reached a steady 85 mph. A few years ago I took a friend through the Sierra foothills above Hwy49. He was returning to street riding after a few years' hiatus and had a new R1150R. Due to the twisties, attaining top highway speeds was not possible, so we ended up relying on our skills and familiarity with our bikes. Left my friend in the dust (see, it wasn't about the power); I will say however, that with my Rockster I would have done even better. Corners better and does feel more planted than the Cruiser.

Both my Beemers are keepers (I also have a Yamaha VStar & Honda Hawk that see a lot less miles).

It really boils down to what we expect to derive from motorcycling.

[dragonmojo]

Like I said before,

... wonder if you can fit the flatter bars from the later series on it?


BRy

Yes, like on mine. Improves the looks and the handling. And it is a very comfortable bike (maybe because of my physique).