Here we go ; the new 'wasserboxer' R/GS

[RoLoo]

link 1

link 2 (125 PS ; 1170 cc)

[signit98]

...and just when you think that the exhaust can't possibly get any more hideous...

[RoLoo]

...high res. photo's : clicker-the-click...









...and much, and much more...

[hellfishtat]

sure would like to see a S version

[throttlemeister]

Am I the only one finding this motor a huge disappointment? Same bore x stroke as the old one? 125hp? WTF?

Is this the typical BMW engineering arrogance with which they say the GS is their own class and top of the world, while the competition is flying by left and right? There is nothing new here. Just a redesign. BMW is clearly thinking they can rest on their laurels while the rest is playing catch up, when reality is the rest has already caught up and are busy passing.

At least now we know for sure there won't be an S anymore.

[smddanny]

yeah, only 20 pounds more.. no problem there...

[shreddr]

well, I won't need to lay awake at night wishing I had one of those. seems like an S version would be doable as it looks very modular in construction. but it won't be an ass-kicking S like the HP2S or even R12S, more than likely any S version of this platform will be more like the R11S, with 2 up seating, and more upright ergos.

The sport end of the BMW market is well covered with the S1000RR. In fact I think you will see a more sedate version of the S1000 (naked) suitable for 2 up riding before you will see a sportier version of the Water Buffalo.

my $0.02

[boxercup]

Originally Posted by shreddr

Water Buffalo.

my $0.02

Greetings Shreddr,

Water Buffalo = hilarious & simply accurate.

[GotRoad?]

I too wished for an S version coming to market, but I gave up on that idea some time ago. Looking at this new GS makes me happier than ever that I bought my Ducati MTS. Ride on.

[roger albert]

I´d have to ride one to form a better opinion, but it does seem underwhelming.

+1 on the immediately available choice of the MTS. Tuned two more the weekend before last, and they continue to do quite well on the track. Darn nice bikes.

[bradzdotcom]

water buffalo is what we used to call the big-bore suzuki two-stroke when it went liquid cooled.

honda popped this one out this morning.
it's the crf450 "Rallye" bike, which will compete in the Works (motorcycle) class at Dakar 2013 next january.
honda hasn't been on the Dakar quest for 24 years, so my guess is that this is more important to long-range plans than just one bike and a race.
they have a habit of building credentials racing before launching a new family of bikes.

it's not a gs, but you rarely see the big H jump into racing without the trickle down to production machinery.

it's just a 450 single, but if you blend this toy with the new bike/powerplant that chewie recently adopted...you can see where they're heading.

[josephvman]

If those numbers are correct, BMW just helped Ducati sell a bunch of Multistradas. There were a lot of riders on the fence with the Multi and waiting to see what the new boxer would be. I probably would have gone back to a GS if they were in the same hp ballpark, but they didn't even get close.

In the meantime Ducati made some very real evolutionary updates to the Multi, and the Audi influence can only mean good things with regard to quality for the brand.

[Guyf]

Agreed, 160HP would have been nice. 125? No thanks, I'll look to get a nice second hand air-cooled GS.

[Dr. Curve]

I am sorry, but I think a 140 HP WCR1200S is in the works. Lighter, narrower, stiffer, traction controls, feather weight ABS, possible CR Transmission, and a thin wall stainless exhaust system. The last of the BMW boxer twin "S" units is still behind the future's horizon, but the sun will come up soon.

(PS: It is possible they may produce a WCR1250S if they decide to push more torque and HP thru cubic displacement gains)

[CarolinaBoxer]

LMAO, damn that comment on the water buffalo brought back some not so found memories of my misspent youth.

[rckendall]

"No thanks, I'll look to get a nice second hand air-cooled GS."

That's about my position too.

Richard

[BoxerFanatic]

This is even more "underwhelmed" response that I thought I would see here.

Does anyone think this engine might be conservatively tuned to start with... and that more is possible from it?

I too would much rather see an R1200S.

With all the tech this has, semi-active suspension, and all that... couldn't they set the two modes to sport and touring... and have a very nice R1200S that in sport mode would nearly approach the HP2-S on the road (not likely on the track), and in touring mode, possibly negate the need for a separate sport touring successor to the R1150RS or R1200ST...

I don't get the point of a big, heavy, hulking R1200GS other than image and tradition at this point. the F700GS makes more sense in an actual dual-sport on road and off road role.

[bradzdotcom]

Originally Posted by BoxerFanatic

I don't get the point of a big, heavy, hulking R1200GS other than image and tradition at this point.

ah ha! caught you!
the secret is out and now we all know: you work for the bmw factory, in the marketing department, don't you!

nobody else could have hit the nail more precisely than an insider!

bet you make a mean pie graph too.

i too am underwhelmed and borderline depressed, as i was flirting with the idea of a GS and was hoping that most of the wanna-bees would rapidly dump and deflate the current models in favor of the latest flavor.

hopefully the ignorant will still jump on it. after all, they bought the hum-vee didn't they?

[signit98]

Originally Posted by Dr. Curve

I am sorry, but I think a 140 HP WCR1200S is in the works. Lighter, narrower, stiffer, traction controls, feather weight ABS, possible CR Transmission, and a thin wall stainless exhaust system. The last of the BMW boxer twin "S" units is still behind the future's horizon, but the sun will come up soon.

(PS: It is possible they may produce a WCR1250S if they decide to push more torque and HP thru cubic displacement gains)

Keep dreaming...

[signit98]

...the reason they have put some money into the development of the WC Boxer engine is simple:

The boxer has tradition and a large following... the GS is their best seller and equipped with a Boxer engine. Following environmental pressure, they HAD to either let it die or develop a boxer engine that could meet specs. Letting your cash cow die is hard to do, so they went the minimalistic route you can see here.

If you look at the sales numbers of the 12S and the HP2S and compare them to the GS numbers, even the densest of believers will have to realize what's going on.

Now take a look at the S1000RR/HP and you know where their sport bike market is. At this point, I would put any kind of "S" model WB rumor into the category of storytelling in phantasialand...

A nice thought, but nary a realistic one, at this point.