BMW R1200R R1150R/T F800 K1200R R1100R/T R1250R RnineT Message Board

I have been sorely tempted by the fact that I can get a R1200R Classic for very reasonable money.
Thing is I like my 1150R and it's running beautifully.
So my questions are:
Will I be swapping the known issues of the R1150R for a whole new set of bugs with the R1200R?
Do they still suffer from many of the poor design problems like poorly aligned final drive splines
which fail on a few bikes? Do they have any brand new inherent problems that I should know about?
The obvious advantages are the increased power and the more modern overhead cam motor.
I do adhere to the old adage that newer is not necessarily better.

Ol' Jeffers wrote: I have been sorely tempted by the fact that I can get a R1200R Classic for very reasonable money.
Thing is I like my 1150R and it' running beautifully.
So my questions are:
Will I be swapping the known issues of the R1150R for a whole new set of bugs with the R1200R?
Do they still suffer from many of the poor design problems like poorly aligned final drive splines
which fail on a few bikes? Do they have any brand new inherent problems that I should know about?
The obvious advantages are the increased power and the more modern overhead cam motor.
I do adhere to the old adage that newer is not necessarily better.

This "which bike" question really asks for an emotional reaction, not an intellectual analysis. And of course there will be different issues with an R12. So I'd ask in return: does the R12 move you? Go ride it and see what your inner biker says.

I still think my late R1100RSL looked better than the R12, but the R12 is an improvement is almost every other way. And with occasional electrical gremlins which I struggled to contain, it was time to let the old boy go.

There's always new issues with a different bike. The most common on R12Rs are the fuel strips and the ignition sensor ring, both relatively minor. Other failures have been reported, but I think they're not common.

I went from a R1150R to the R1200R and have to say the difference in engine and braking performance and overall handling is quite substantial. The R1200R is much more nimble, pulls harder, stops faster, runs smoother, and just feels more refined in every aspect to me. The upgraded ABS with linked brakes is excellent, the headlight is better for night riding, better fuel milage, etc, etc.
The R1200R is 75 pounds lighter with 30 more HP.... that was a big step up and the main reason I think the 1150 felt old, underpowered and very heavy when compared to the R1200R. Flickable is not a word I could use in good faith when describing my 1150R, while that's exactly how I could describe the R1200R.
Having ridden over 80,000 miles with almost no issues on my R1200R it's also easy for me to say that BMW's made a very reliable machine and mine is the first model year to boot.
While the difference between the Hexhead 07'-11' like mine and the new Camhead 2012's isn't quite as huge like the bump from the 1150 to the 1200, I'd imagine there's further refinements that I'm not aware of having never ridden one and the Classic's can only be improved compared to how I describe mine. ( Not enough for me to trade mine in quite yet though)

Like dbrick mentioned it's up to you to figure out how one bike makes you feel over another, one thing for sure, not one time have I had any regrets for trading up to the R1200R. It's everything I wished the R1150R was but could never be.

OJ, just take one for a ride. It will become obvious to you. (And take your checkbook..)

Classic has tube tires? Ever leave cell phone coverage area? Classic has Canbus. Run lots of electrical add ons? DOHC will perform everything else better than 1150. Is 1150 paid off? $$$ Test Ride!!!

Clem wrote:Classic has tube tires? Ever leave cell phone coverage area? Classic has Canbus. Run lots of electrical add ons? DOHC will perform everything else better than 1150. Is 1150 paid off? $$$ Test Ride!!!

I still don't see the disadvantage of tube tires people speak of and I don't even own Classic to defend. I've ridden many miles on both tubed and tubeless tires with plenty of flats on both, the only time I've been stranded was with tubeless tire on my 12R after I got a puncture that could not be plugged or even patched after I removed the tire from the wheel. With tubes you can either patch the puncture or carry a spare tube, I've never been stranded with a tube tire on my GS. I see tubed tires as an advantage personally, though you will need to actually put forth the effort learn how to change a tube while on the road. The spoked wheels is one of the most attractive things about the new 12R's IMO , both for looks and for fixability on the road.
I do understand though tubes being a little intimidating for those that haven't changed them or are not so mechanically inclined. It's not really that hard once you do it a few times and shouldn't be a major reason not to get a 1200R Classic IMHO.

A simple fuse block solves any shortcomings of the CANBUS when it comes to adding electronics, though I do miss the Kissan Signalminder that made the turn signals into running lights on my 1150, something not possible with the R1200R.


Speaking of CANBUS, here's an article I found useful when trying to understand what's it's all about.

http://www.bmwra.org/otl/canbus/

Thanks for the repliues so far guys!!
Tubed tyres are no problem they suffer punctures no more often than tubeless
tyres do. I may have to check on that piece of information though as certain spoked
wheels are known to have tubeless tyres fitted.
The most attractive feature is the lighter weight although the 1150 doesn't really faze me
it would be nice to have a lighter machine in my dotage!

I'm probably going to start a "weight and power war" but...here goes. My Rockster is 248Kg wet. Remove the useless CatCon and heavy stock muffler and drop another 9Kg. My Rockster is now 239Kg wet. The R1200R is 229Kg wet. You could maybe lose 3Kg if you ditch the stock muffler = 226Kg wet. Not such a big difference and, for me at least, would not be part of a decision to upgrade. My Rockster puts out about 78hp at the rear wheel, the R1200R about 96hp. The Rockster develops 68ft/Ib of torque, the R1200R 74ft/Ib. In normal, everyday use, especially on a twisty road, is that going to matter? Again for me, I say "No". I rented a R1200R last year for 3 days and rode around SoCal (Julian area). A great bike, but I did not notice the lower weight and I didn't really need the extra "Go". So, for me at least, I will stick with my Rockster. Everyone has their own reasons for changing, no-one can argue with them, I'm just setting the weight/power record straight.

shards wrote:I'm probably going to start a "weight and power war" but...here goes. My Rockster is 248Kg wet. Remove the useless CatCon and heavy stock muffler and drop another 9Kg. My Rockster is now 239Kg wet. The R1200R is 229Kg wet. You could maybe lose 3Kg if you ditch the stock muffler = 226Kg wet. Not such a big difference and, for me at least, would not be part of a decision to upgrade. My Rockster puts out about 78hp at the rear wheel, the R1200R about 96hp. The Rockster develops 68ft/Ib of torque, the R1200R 74ft/Ib. In normal, everyday use, especially on a twisty road, is that going to matter? Again for me, I say "No". I rented a R1200R last year for 3 days and rode around SoCal (Julian area). A great bike, but I did not notice the lower weight and I didn't really need the extra "Go". So, for me at least, I will stick with my Rockster. Everyone has their own reasons for changing, no-one can argue with them, I'm just setting the weight/power record straight.

Howdy,
Just to address the HP/TQ issues...
Base on my stock '08 RR was 98.66 hp and 74.94ft-lbs, to the rear wheel.
With a Staintune full system (w/o the db-killer), PCIII (w/ re-map) and using the stock airbox and filter, we now have 106.81hp and 81.71ft-lbs to the rear wheel.
With some good weight loss, too.
Cheers,
Brad (TT RDHS)

The 1200 models are by far superior over the previous generation. Sure there are design flaws but I have not yet been hampered by any (but in reality also my previous R1100R never let me down).

If you have a chance to get hold of the R1200 I would strongly suggest to go for it. You won't regret!

Brgds
Oliver

Yes, definitely

Ol' Jeffers wrote:Tubed tyres are no problem they suffer punctures no more often than tubeless
tyres do. I may have to check on that piece of information though as certain spoked
wheels are known to have tubeless tyres fitted.

This has been discussed over and over. The Classic has tubeless tires, yes, but it also has tubes inside them. The wheels are traditional center spoke rims without sealed spokes, NOT the GS style rims.

SF_Hooligan wrote: The Classic has tubeless tires, yes, but it also has tubes inside them. The wheels are traditional center spoke rims without sealed spokes, NOT the GS style rims.

There's more than one kind of GS wheels, my 800GS sure did have traditional center spoked rims.






Woody's Wheel Works can make standard spoked wheels into tubeless for a nominal fee if it was a major concern for anyone. Since I don't believe any tire manufacturer makes a tube type tire in 180/17 size, I'd imagine that's why BMW runs tubeless tires with a tubed wheel.

Should you or shouldn't you?

Of course you should!

I concur. Of course you should. Without hesitation.

3468

Lost Rider wrote:

SF_Hooligan wrote: The Classic has tubeless tires, yes, but it also has tubes inside them. The wheels are traditional center spoke rims without sealed spokes, NOT the GS style rims.

There's more than one kind of GS wheels, my 800GS sure did have traditional center spoked rims.

FINE. It doesn't have the outside spoke GS rims. Happy?

NO, I'm just envious of your wheels....

this thread is starting to look like the threads from 2006 with all the different views on the pro's and cons of the 1150 vs the 1200.
One big happy Roadster family with many riders very happy with their bikes.
It's a no brainer for me, but I like to push the envelope now and then and indeed utilize the what I feel as significant performance difference.
never did like my beak either. lol

This is an opinion thread.

Tubes suck.

For the newer bike? Go for it if you can.

Think about it. All those silly electronic gadgets on our bike.
Now think about fuel injection. Its on the 1100 and 1200. I love it. I think it lends to longer engine life because you will
never get fuel in the motor oil from not turning the gas off. You can't flood your engine unless something like a fuel pressure
regulator goes to heck or an injector sticks open. Now that they have IAC or stepper motors, no choke or even high idle lever.
Just push the starter button, give it a minute and away you go.

SO we moved forward when fuel injection first came out. We could NOT repair it along side the road. BUT look at the mileage we get
and minimal maintenance. In the late 70s my job was rebuilding auto carburetors. All day every day.

Lets keep going forward. Yep we stumbled on a few things. Now we know fuel strips don't work like they thought.

Its the same for electronic ignition, We could ALWAYS fix points enough to get home. Electronic ignition goes south, we are screwed.

SO do we drive on bias ply tires with tubes or tubeless radials on lighter cast wheels? Points or electronic ignition?

whaddya have? ABS?

I went from an RT oil head to an R! cam head. Big difference. Weight, power , brakes, and smooth.

Absolutely spot on thread. I'm in the market to purchase a new (to me) scoot during the holidays this year, this exact question has been waffling thru my brain a bunch. I'm not hindered by enough budget to purchase new so my options are naked 1150r and 1200r and a few 12st and 1150rs. Looks wise the 1150 both naked R and RS win hands down to my eye but the performance difference between the two is huge and I've test driven half a dozen so far. Now factor in the availability of the 1150GS's out there and I'm like a deer in the headlights. I'm aware it's totally a subjective opinion, just enjoying the input from this thread. Time and whatever is on the market when I purchase will decide. I'm sure I'll end up slinging a leg over a private party used unit and feel a certain tingle that "yep, this is the one, age, mileage etc be damned".