BMW R1200S at Road America vid

SLO-BOB · 02-06-2009, 07:17 PM

If you're into Beemers, or racing, this is a cool vid. Seven + minutes into it there is some excellent wheel to wheel trade off between 1&2. Highlights - practically laying down on the carousel. Weird to see the added curve before the kink. The end is a killer.

varmint · 02-07-2009, 09:00 AM

the stretch after the snap-on ad is balls out.

Jim Garfield · 02-07-2009, 09:26 AM

Wow, great video. That thing's got some grunt out of the corners, just not enough to break the draft out of the last turn. He had an amazing first lap though!

I was wondering how he was going to handle that last lap.

What series/event was that?

jorian · 02-07-2009, 10:50 AM

The guy on the 1200S is the better rider. Just didn't have the top end to dust off the others off.

SLO-BOB · 02-07-2009, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Garfield

What series/event was that?

That event was the CCS Expert Heavyweight Superbike race at Road America, July 2007. The bike is basically a tuned crate R1200S. Pretty damned impressive. The guys name is Brian Parriott. I know nothing about him other than he races (ed?) for San Jose BMW and did a superb job in the vid. I figured the other guy was going to win. He was on the BMW's wheel the whole time (when not in 1st) and #2 is a great place to be in moto racing when you have that much of a power advantage, especially at Road America. Many races are lost at turn 14. It always favors the more powerful vehicle as it's a fast turn into a long uphill straight to the finish.

I did a Google search on BMW R1200S because I am considering the R1200S or the HP2 sport. The R1200S would be about 1/3rd the cost so it's getting the edge, but the HP2 is sooooo nice. I'll really have to ride to decide. I was pleased to see a video of the bike I want at my home track.

Anyone know what the other bike was? Sounded like an F1 car.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Just came back from our local dealership and they just got a 1200S painted up as a Boxer Cup Replica. So cool. They have two of the new K1300's too, both with "sold" tags on them.

holtjv · 02-07-2009, 04:44 PM

thanks for the post. Great vid. The winner's form is so noticeably better than the others'. Weird and disorienting to go through the corners at the bike's angle, wasn't it?

SLO-BOB · 02-07-2009, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by varmint

the stretch after the snap-on ad is balls out.

That's the carousel. At the end of the carousel they coned off the real balls out section known as the kink. I'm not sure why they do that but it's a full-throttle corner that's probably the most infamous part of the track. Many a driver stuck the wall in spectacular fashion there. I suppose the consequences are too severe on a bike. Admittedly, I've almost lost it there myself and it's plenty scary holding the peddle down. Every fiber of your being tells you to lift, which in a 911 of course, would spell certain disaster.

Steve Carlton · 02-07-2009, 06:00 PM

Brian's an outstanding rider who has accomplished a lot on the R1200S and the HP2 Sport. http://www.bp46.com/

I was able to photograph him a couple of times at Infineon:

ruf-porsche · ruf-porsche's Garage

Sign of the time, I remember when the Bridge was called CORVETTE Bridge, now it's the TOYOTA Bridge, what next replacing brats with hot dogs and beer with wine cooler?

My hats off to you SLO-BOB for taking the Carousel in a 911 and not lifting. Maybe you're not so slow after all.

SLO-BOB · 02-07-2009, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ruf-porsche

My hats off to you SLO-BOB for taking the Carousel in a 911 and not lifting. Maybe you're not so slow after all.

Actually it's "the kink" that I was referring to. I can't say I have never lifted in the kink either.

I was off line once (yes - only once

) and blew the apex at about a buck ten. I knew I wasn't going to make it so I lifted. The car did not like it. The Evo driver behind me later said my right rear tire came up off the ground very abruptly. What most people hate about 911s, I love. The tail came around and I nailed it. Back tire came back down and off we went on a new line, albeit, a little sweaty.

The carousel is a big merry-go-round and no one does that flat out although lifting there would be bad too. Nice and steady, avoiding marbles. Made me pucker watching the bikes go through there.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

This is the one I saw today.

SLO-BOB · 02-08-2009, 07:07 AM

That is a very nice bike. I really like it. The K bikes not so much mainly due to the weight, but I hear they are crazy fast. The R12 is about 100lbs lighter than the K13. BMW seems to be going with the bigger (heavier) is better theme on both cars and bikes. I would like to see some weight reduction personally. Yeah, I could look at something like the 1198s Duc (weighs less than the R12 and has the power of the K13

), but they don't fit me so well, and frankly, too fast. I love to look and dream, but the reality is the more sedate, sporting BMWs are right up my aging alley.

Steve Carlton · 02-08-2009, 08:02 AM

Have you seen the S1000RR? BMW's answer to the literbikes, should be out late this year. And it will be competing in World Superbike. But, not my style either. The R1200S gives you everything you could want from a street sport bike (minus the 3rd gear wheelstands), and you can spend all day on it with factory hardbags, ABS, and heated grips. I just added some Heli-bars to mine, a noticeable improvement. If you get one, be sure to get one with the Ohlins. A steal for $10-12K used.

porsche4life · porsche4life's Garage

I wanna know how he sits on that seat with these.

pavulon · 02-08-2009, 11:52 AM

I'm no racer but drove RA last year at the Kohler International Challenge noon-hour touring. Four guys in someone else's Audi A8 provided the kink with my undivided attention. As I recall, the kink is down-hill and begs you to leave it mashed but the concrete wall gets closer and closer...it's tough.