As a group we should be proud...

[Derry Walsh]

Guys,
How cool is it that we, collectively as a group, shaped the design of the R12S ?
I say very cool!
Yeah, I know, this bike is not for all of us and fell short of many, but it is clear that as a group, this forum helped shape the design of this motorcycle!
Technology continues to mKe our world more connected and our voices matter!
Very cool!

[acidburn]

yah way cool.

[jclark]

Uhh... well.

I musta worked on it on a Friday, after a few biers, and maybe a schnitzel or two... and a few more biers...

"If BMW can bildt a Sportzen bike that iss lighter and faster and uglier than an 1100S, well then, you may call me Meyer..."

jeff "Hermann" clark

[roger albert]

Good points Derry,

It would only make sense. You can't buy market research like lurking here, I'd think (not that that's my expertise, but it stands to reason)

I wonder if they missed it on the luggae, because no one ever talked luggage (with 3 options, 4 counting none, there was never anything to whine or talk about there)
Maybe have been misconstrued as hard luggage being unimportant. Maybe it can still be fixed if the subframe is up to it. ???

No given styling direction or amount was ever going to make everyone happy, so I can't fault them for it.

Only real niggle to me is the softbags. But given the many other faster and cheaper choices when you remove hard bags as a criteria, I don't know that that's not a deal breaker for me personally.

Point still well taken Derry.
take care
roger

[Eron Flory]

Good points Roger, but are the wheels light enough? We will have to wait and see...

It does look more sporting than the current model and I am eager to try take one for a ride and see how it compares to mine. It should be pretty similar if the press is accurate at all, which would make it a pretty nice bike for a less money than I have into mine, but I have already been riding it for several years which is worth something to me. If it is as good as it seems I may have to get one when I an done with grad. school and maybe make a track only bike out of my 99. It would be a decent track bike if I stripped off another 20-30 pound of excess street gear and put some cams back in it.

[roger albert]

Good point on the wheels. I'd meant to post and see if I'd missed info on that. I bet they have to be least improved. You can't whack 50ish pounds out of something and not expect something to have come from the wheels. I DO wonder about the hoops.

[be_are_why]

Are we flattering ourselves? I do not intend to be a party pooper, but I personally cannot imagne the engineers & designers in der-fatherland care what we think, Do I think the marketing dept. cares what we think? I think very much so. But the BMW-NA marketing dept. has very little say in what get's built on the other side of the pond. I think the marketing dept. in Euro is the real decsion makers in the organization. With all that said I am only basing my opinions on my limited dealings with BMW-NA.

I could be totally off-base and am very open to hearing others reasoning or actual facts that what we talk about actually affects rolling product. I would love it that we meant that much to BMW.

my .02

[markjenn]

Notwithstanding some hard info, I agree with be_. While I'm sure BMWNA pays some attention to stuff like this forum, it's noise level comopared to the detailed focus groups and other research they do.

Many companies follow the strategy of using some volunteer enthusiasts to track and monitor activity on forums, blogs, web, etc. and provide weekly (or so) reports back to mgmt. In fact, I do this for a company. But it is only one minor aspect of their product direction strategy.

- Mark

[gigantic]

I've mentioned this before, but a very good friend of mine is a media analyst for a pr firm that services the auto industry, toyota is his biggest client. So what does a media analyst actually do? he surfs the internet, lurking in bbs' mining info about customer preferences, complaints etc. it's much more effective than focus groups, because you're getting feedback from people that actually use the things and are more likely to buy another because of their familiarity. keep in mind, this forum is the biggest anywhere, dedicated to the R1100S. So is BMW Motorrad AG reading this? You Bet Your Bippy!
Lance

[be_are_why]

My infrequent and humble dealings with BMW AG on the media side {photos & artwork} is all but fun. {please read between the lines}

Us savages over here in the colonies, have very little credibility in there word. Yes this is the largest most respected BB on the subject of our fave bike, but in the land of corporate decion making we have very little currency. I am open-minded and can be converted, but have not seen a reason to be yet. I hope and wish I am wrong.