New to me R1200S, a few Qs

[ediowa]

Hi. Ed from Iowa here. I used to frequent this board several years ago when I had a 99 R1100S. Loved the bike but got tired of fixing the final drive so went to a Hayabusa for a few years. I just scored a yellow low mileage 2007 R1200S, have been lusting after them since they first came out. It's got 10K miles, Sargent seat, Akra (BMW?) slipon, Venutura rack system. I swapped the Buell lowering pegs from my Hayabusa (surprise, direct fit) and installed a new set of Helibars. I'm really liking this R12S, way more comfortable now. A few questions:

1. It's not very loud. If memory serves, it doesn't sound as good as my old R1100S with Remus. Would removing the cat (hard job I've read) or even better installing a aftermarket header, make it a bit ouder and sound better? Will any aftermarket header work with my Akra slipon?

2. There is a controller of some sort under the seat. Black rectangular box with a blue knob and 5 white dots for settings. Maybe a potentiometer. PO didn't know much about it but said leave it on the "big dot". I haven't played with it but assume it is a fuel controller of some sort. Any advice?

I don't really like the Sargent seat, had Corbins on my 11S and Hayabusa so I'll be on the lookout for a Corbin and an aftermarket exhaust header. Will post in the classifieds. Thanks!

[ckcarr]

Looks like it has the optional $517 "Pillion Hump" (as the catalog calls it also). Did you also get the original passenger hump that came with the bike?

I don't know for sure, but am guessing that adding aftermarket headers (like Remus) probably won't change the sound or volume that much, if you can find any.

I see that BSA 441 Victor, that was the first bike that really go me into motorcycles. Never owned one, but had the BSA catalog when I was 13 and would dream of it. Something about a fall road, covered in leaves and the rider was taking the bike up into the woods... Post a picture of it!

[Square Kopf]

Originally Posted by ediowa

1. Would removing the cat (hard job I've read) or even better installing a aftermarket header, make it a bit ouder and sound better? Will any aftermarket header work with my Akra slipon?

2. There is a controller of some sort under the seat. Black rectangular box with a blue knob and 5 white dots for settings. Maybe a potentiometer. PO didn't know much about it but said leave it on the "big dot". I haven't played with it but assume it is a fuel controller of some sort. Any advice?

Good score and well bought R12S - they don't make them like they used to...

1.1 Yes, removing the headers with cat and replacing them with cat-less headers will make it sound louder. How much, that's hard to say as everyone has different perception of what "loud" is. I have full Ti Remus racing exhaust and it sounds much more like deeper growling which I kinda like...
1.2 There were handful of aftermarket companies who were selling stainless or Ti headers alone (like Remus, HPE etc). Few were selling the entire system only so their headers alone will not work w your BMW branded Akrapovic slip-on alone, if you can find headers separately. You may be able to find entire system, stainless or Ti from Akrapovic and then sell your BMW accessory slip-on made by Akrapovic. There was a fella in UK selling custom made headers, sandbarcomposites.co.uk who may still have some... It's been awhile since 2007 when production of R12S stopped so finding accessories for it in 2020, isn't going to be that easy for obvious reasons...

2. That black box under the seat should have brand name like PowerCommander or Wunderlich or similar and then you can see if you can find their manual as to what does what. Some have complained about surging of R12S and have tried to remedy that with fuel enricher of sort so that's most likely what that doohickey does...

Sargent seat isn't bad if/when done properly, yours may not fit you... I did have off-the-shelf Corbin on my R12S and it has made huge difference (for me) - ymmv...

[ediowa]

Thanks for the advice guys, much appreciated. I understand these aftermarket parts will probably be difficult to find!

Here's my BSA 441 Victor, I haven't ridden it for a couple years but I should get it out. Fun bike, has some period mods (Bultaco forks/wheels, Hodaka seat/fr fender), is licensed and starts/runs pretty good.

[ediowa]

Here's my old R1100S, no longer have, but I still have the Airhead. I need to update my sig.

[sgoodwin]

Pretty cool I owned a'78 100S same color & still have the black '99 1000S. You have great taste in bikes.

[hellfishtat]

great choice of color!

I can't believe you said you didn't like the Sargent seat on your R1100S, I've had 3x and 2x Corbins. IMHO, Sargent make a much better product. The Corbin I have on my R1200S is hard as a rock.

Does the Akapovic still have the road silencers installed? I put a Remus header and a Akapovic slip-on my Shine Yellow R1200s and thought it was too loud with the road silencers removed. I put them back in and I think it has a nice growl above 6.5K and doesn't drone too loud at highway speed. They are super easy to uninstall if you want more bark.

Enjoy the ride!

[ckcarr]

Don't be shy about showing pictures of things like the black box. It may refresh some senile memories here from the past, or get someone to do research...

[ediowa]

RE: Sargent seats. Yes I've read where some guys think they are better than Corbins. I suppose people are built differently? I've never had a Sargent seat before but not impressed with this one. I told my wife it feels like the seat on a Walmart Huffy 10 speed bike. Kind of like sitting on an upside down V whereas every Corbin I've had is contoured to my shape. Yes Corbins are hard but over the long haul comfortable imho.

Here's a pic of the "fuel controller" on my R1200S.

[BikerMiker]

I have catless headers with the stock muffler. It's louder than stock headers but not like an
aftermarket muffler sound. It's the perfect level for me as I thought is was a little too quiet with the
stock headers and I'm not into loud exhaust for long rides.

["A"]

Originally Posted by ediowa

RE: Sargent seats. Yes I've read where some guys think they are better than Corbins. I suppose people are built differently? I've never had a Sargent seat before but not impressed with this one. I told my wife it feels like the seat on a Walmart Huffy 10 speed bike. Kind of like sitting on an upside down V whereas every Corbin I've had is contoured to my shape. Yes Corbins are hard but over the long haul comfortable imho.

No one else has the same butt as you, what's comfortable for you or anyone else may not apply vice versa.

I've found that gel bicycle shorts are the best solution for long hours in the saddle.
Conforms to your anatomy, breathable and offer extra support to your muscles.
The expensive bike shorts last longer through more washes.
Less expensive, less weight than Corbin or Sargent seat.

Never seen a fuel controller like that one..

[hellfishtat]

You're right. It took my backside to get use to the corbin. Now I can ride for hours and I only have pain in my knees/neck.

From what I've seen, Sargent never made a sheet for our bikes. I bet they sent a stock seat in and had them put their foam and cover on. I thought about doing that, but now that I hear you don't care for it, I'll keep riding the Corbin.

[BikerMiker]

Originally Posted by hellfishtat

You're right. It took my backside to get use to the corbin. Now I can ride for hours and I only have pain in my knees/neck.

From what I've seen, Sargent never made a sheet for our bikes. I bet they sent a stock seat in and had them put their foam and cover on. I thought about doing that, but now that I hear you don't care for it, I'll keep riding the Corbin.

I've sent my seat into Sargent twice and I'm still not happy with it. Not pinning the blame
on them either since garbage-in garbage-out. I could ride my airhead all day with no
issues.

Thinking I need to try a Corbin.....

[ediowa]

Originally Posted by hellfishtat

You're right. It took my backside to get use to the corbin. Now I can ride for hours and I only have pain in my knees/neck.

From what I've seen, Sargent never made a sheet for our bikes. I bet they sent a stock seat in and had them put their foam and cover on. I thought about doing that, but now that I hear you don't care for it, I'll keep riding the Corbin.

Dang it, I shoulda told you I LOVE the Sargent seat, then maybe you'd trade me

[ediowa]

Originally Posted by sgoodwin

Pretty cool I owned a'78 100S same color & still have the black '99 1000S. You have great taste in bikes.

That means you have great taste in bikes too! I need to take the same pic but with the 12S.

I always thought it would be cool to have an S boxer collection: R69S, R90S, R100S, R1100S and R1200S. Suppose anyone has that set?

[sgoodwin]

If anybody, Jay does.

[ckcarr]

Leno?
I can't recall him ever having any of these BMW models?
Post a YouTube link if he has.

[sgoodwin]

If he doesn't, he should.

[Skibum69]

Which one of you is going to start that collection?

I know a guy in Maine that almost certainly has the first 3 but then again he has almost every model from #1 through at least the mid 80's.

Just a glimpse of that collection

[tm1100s]

Originally Posted by ediowa

RE: Sargent seats. Yes I've read where some guys think they are better than Corbins. I suppose people are built differently? I've never had a Sargent seat before but not impressed with this one. I told my wife it feels like the seat on a Walmart Huffy 10 speed bike. Kind of like sitting on an upside down V whereas every Corbin I've had is contoured to my shape. Yes Corbins are hard but over the long haul comfortable imho.

Here's a pic of the "fuel controller" on my R1200S.

I would be interesting to find out what's inside that 'controller'. Absent some brand name, my best guess is it's tied to a temp sensor and adjusts the resistance to provide a corresponding change in mixture. There was a lot of discussion about this method when user 'boxercup' introduced his mixture controller, the Power FRK.