Which BMW Motorcycle Should I Buy?

[Chocaholic]

Rode for years, but gave it up about 10 years ago. Tired of the poser Harley scene, but getting the itch again. BMW has captured my interest.

Here's how I plan to use it:

-I live in a rural lake area. Great country roads not far from the Smokey Mountains. Most use will be solo, escape-from-the-house kind of rides. 2 or 3 hours at a shot cruising back-roads. I'm not a speed demon, but enjoy rolling on the throttle a bit.

-On occasion, my wife will join, so a reasonable back seat arrangement would be nice. Potential for longer rides, etc.

-On rarer occasion I'll ride with a few buddies that have Harleys. Good guys and good riders. I wouldn't mind having a bike that is noticeably faster then than their Harleys . I know a BMW will out handle them, but straight line acceleration is important too.

I'm leaning toward a K series 4 banger (K 1200 RS). I have yet to ride one, but intend to. In the mean time, if anyone has experience and can offer suggestions, I'd be much obliged.

[Joeaksa]

Try the R1100RS as well. Its the four valve two cylinder version but will kick assets with its power. The R1200RS is more of a rice rocket style of bike, very nice, smooth and an excellent gearbox. The two are very different bikes.

Do you ever ride off road? If so you might want to try the GS version of the bike. Believe that Richard Lee has one of these and rides it all over the East Coast.

I had a R1100RS for over 10 years and loved it. Then started working too much and rode the bike 3000 miles in 5 years so sold it. Now wish I had it back but love my antique version as well.

[scottmandue]

I nearly dropped the hammer on one of the BMW boxer twins for many of the reasons you mention. I'm an adult driver and don't really need a crotch rocket just something comfortable, reliable (I looked at a few bikes with +100K miles), and with a reasonable cool factor. I also like the simplicity and sound of the big twin.

Ultimatly the only reason I didn't buy one was because I decided against getting a motorcycle all together. Truth be told I bought the Porsche to keep me off bikes.

[fingpilot]

I have both a boxer twin and a Flying Brick. The sound and aesthetics of the twin are just waaaay too cool. It's not a barn burner off the line, but then again, it's only 650cc's. Keep it in the power band, and it will stay with any of the Harleys. The road heritage is evident, can do anything once going that any other bike can do. Parts and labor are pricey, and is tough keeping the leaks to a minimum. The only bike I get as many thumbs-ups from people as the '70's Honda 750-Fours.

The K100RT is the basic Autobahn Kruzer. Will stay with pretty much anything. Compared to some of my other bikes, the word I come up with is 'busy'. After 30 minutes on it, I don't notice it. What that means is that at 80MPH, it is turning 5k, as opposed to 3200k on the GoldWing. The up side is that it is right in the power band, so no downshift, just roll it on. Leak-free, water cooled, shaft drive, triple disc, full wind-tunnel designed fairing. Is as comfortable at 100 as it is at 45.

Don't be afraid of high miles. If the maint has been done 100K is not scary.

[motion]

I'd go with a GS. These are the swiss army knives of bikes. Plus, you'll get to explore some of the gravel in your area.

[Anton]

R1200R, best all around bike they make.

[Rick Lee]

Here's my 1200GS.

[1967 R50/2]

Ridden a lot of those mentioned above. Couple of comments:

-R1100RS- No such bike anymore. Can pick one up used of course. Let some one else take the depreciation hit.

-Flying Brick- The brick currently resides only in the K1200LT, so unless you are looking for a full up tourer and laying out over 20 grand, this may not be for you.

-K1200R- Suspension is second to none. So is the engine...160HP+. Too much engine to use it all on extremely curvy roads such as you describe in your area. More top end then a Harley, assuredly, but by your smily, I am guessing that this is not the pivotal point of your decision. Down low torque however is where H-Ds excel.

-You should examine the F800S or F800St. Lightweight with the same power to weight profile as the previous generation R1100S.

- R1200GS , as recommended above, is a bike with very few flaws and you will be very happy with it unless you are on the short side. Enduro style saddle height can make it difficult to get a foot down.

- R1200R is also an excellent all arounder and a bit more comfortable for most, and certainly one of the most comfortable rides for a pillion passenger. Can be customized with bags, screens and all kinds of amenities, so in case you want to our rather than just ride leisurely, it's a possibility.

All of the above can be had with ABS. This is really indispensible in my opinion. Some can also be had with traction control.

[strupgolf]

I had a K1200 for about a year. Much to much for my taste. It was big and heavy, not for the curvey roads. I love my Porsche and feel a lot safer on four wheels. For interstate riding, you cant beat the 1200, very much above the rest on comfort.

[MMARSH]

Originally Posted by 1967 R50/2

Ridden a lot of those mentioned above. Couple of comments:

-R1100RS- No such bike anymore. Can pick one up used of course. Let some one else take the depreciation hit.

-Flying Brick- The brick currently resides only in the K1200LT, so unless you are looking for a full up tourer and laying out over 20 grand, this may not be for you.

-K1200R- Suspension is second to none. So is the engine...160HP+. Too much engine to use it all on extremely curvy roads such as you describe in your area. More top end then a Harley, assuredly, but by your smily, I am guessing that this is not the pivotal point of your decision. Down low torque however is where H-Ds excel.

-You should examine the F800S or F800St. Lightweight with the same power to weight profile as the previous generation R1100S.

- R1200GS , as recommended above, is a bike with very few flaws and you will be very happy with it unless you are on the short side. Enduro style saddle height can make it difficult to get a foot down.

- R1200R is also an excellent all arounder and a bit more comfortable for most, and certainly one of the most comfortable rides for a pillion passenger. Can be customized with bags, screens and all kinds of amenities, so in case you want to our rather than just ride leisurely, it's a possibility.

All of the above can be had with ABS. This is really indispensible in my opinion. Some can also be had with traction control.

I ride a R1150RT everyday. For the kind of abuse it gets, it's still a very solid bike at 96K. THe new R1200RT is even better. Both are very comfortable and handle very good for big bikes. From the descriptions of your needs, I think the K- bikes are more then you need. That being said, Maintance costs are high on the beemers.

Oh the R1200R is probably on of the ugliest bikes I've ever seen

Oh, I just realized, it's the R1200ST, that is the ugly bike. The R1200R is a cool little naked.

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by MMARSH

Oh the R1200R is probably on of the ugliest bikes I've ever seen

Oh, I just realized, it's the R1200ST, that is the ugly bike. The R1200R is a cool little naked.

Second that about the R1100R being ugly. The RS or RT versions are nice but cannot stand some of the versions that they make. GS would be a lot of fun for a multipurpose bike.

The R1200 models are nice but guess I just like air cooled bikes more...

[Overpaid Slacker]

Get an R90S and be the coolest guy on the road. Though made in the mid-70's it's still technologically superior to the Harleys made today.

If you want a modern bike that will run with just about anything short of a sportbike, is well balanced and tonsa fun... Buy a couple of year old Triumph Rocket III. Badderazz than any Harley (and better built, like that needed to be mentioned), 2.3 liter engine, 140 hp, 147 lbft torque... Check it out.

Best,

JP

EDIT: Check out how the Rocket III is made: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKEuzxC4eGc

[Steve Carlton]

I used to have a 2000 K1200RS, and can highly recommend it. Smooth as glass, very fast, and handles way better than you'd think. At 628 lbs wet, it's a big barrel-chested beast. A little cumbersome in parking lots and tight twisties, but not bad. It has rock-solid stability in spades; it's like an electric freight train. Great on long trips and with a passenger. I switched to a 2002 R1100S and found it had more soul. I have its successor, the R1200S now. The boxer twin has a very endearing personality that goes along with the very tolerable vibe. The K1200RS is extremely capable, but comparatively sterile.

The only one who's going to know what works for you is you. You'll be lucky if you find what you really want on the first purchase, so if you get a good deal on something used, you can switch around. There's a lot of choices, and you should test ride some boxers as well. What's your budget?

[Rick Lee]

I went shopping for a bike the day I got my license. I had wanted the 1200GS. But when I got on one at a dealer, I thought it felt like I was mounting a horse. It was waaaayyy too much bike for such a novice. They had a 1200R there too, which seemed a much better fit. I found a cherry R1150R online that night and bought it the following weekend, as it was much more in line with my budget. A few mos. later I had a chance to rent a 1200GS in Vegas and put about 220 miles on it in the desert that day. I found it to be far more manageable than I had the first time I had gotten on one. So that was my new quest. I was lucky enough to find a Craigslist buyer (obviously not On-Ramp) who bought my R1150R for $1000 more than I had paid for it. Then I snatched up a killer deal on a super clean and well-farkled 1200GS and rode it 500 miles home. I got VERY lucky in both deals and can't think of anything I'd want more now.

[Drdogface]

I have ridded both the K model and the boxer twins. Stick with the boxer engine...whatever model.

[on2wheels52]

Am happy with my S and little GS. Can see the possibility of a big block GS in the future. Get something and ride though. I get grins off a $600 Honda also.
Jim

[thomas682]

Find a 1150GS Adventure. On the road it's like a big BMW touring bike with the soul of a race bike. Off-road it's a tank. I've ridden mine through places where most would be reluctant to hike. You can carry lots of fuel, large bags and still have creature comforts like heated grips and hand guards. If I were ever to be hit by a car while on a motorcycle I could only pray to be riding the big GS. I've ridden 17 trips between DC and Atlanta only stopping for fuel. Add a heated jacket and you can almost ride year round. Jesse bags are bomb proof!

[on-ramp]

[QUOTE=thomas682;3425133]Find a 1150GS Adventure. On the road it's like a big BMW touring bike with the soul of a race bike. Off-road it's a tank. I've ridden mine through places where most would be reluctant to hike. You can carry lots of fuel, large bags and still have creature comforts like heated grips and hand guards. If I were ever to be hit by a car while on a motorcycle I could only pray to be riding the big GS. I've ridden 17 trips between DC and Atlanta only stopping for fuel. Add a heated jacket and you can almost ride year round. Jesse bags are bomb proof!

Do they make this model anymore? http://www.bmwmotorcycles.com/bikes/bike.jsp?b=f650gs
here's the bmw motorcycle site.

The closest I could find was the R1200 GS.

[911boost]

The R1200GS is the replacement for the R1150GS, so no, they don't make the Adventure anymore.

Choc, how tall are you?

I also reccomend the R120GS, great all around bike. I really liked my R1150GS, but for a couple of reasons I sold it.

Bill

[Chocaholic]

Thanks for all the insight guys. I'm still doing a bit of soul searching on the topic. I sold my last bike (a 72 Triumph Tiger 650) when my oldest kid was still in diapers. Have had a few Harleys and Hondas in the past too. Got out of cycling over that whole pesky mortality thing, what with 3 kids on the payroll now. They're still dependant (8,10 & 12), but I really miss riding. No doubt a BMW will be my next bike. If I were to pull the trigger now, budget would be $7 - $10k. I'm in S. Cal this week on business and may stop by a dealership to have a closer look (dangerous). Not many dealers where I live.