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bmadson
MCUSA Scribbler

Date Joined Jul 2005
Total Posts : 1038

Posted 6/18/2007 8:53 AM (GMT -8)

We take BMW's latest K-series design, the half-faired K1200R Sport, for a 1000-mile test ride on the freeway, backroads, and track. Check out MotorcycleUSA's test of the 2007 BMW K1200R Sport.

jimmihaffa
Registered Member

Date Joined Dec 2004
Total Posts : 217

Posted 6/18/2007 9:49 AM (GMT -8)

The torque curve on this thing is just this side of GS1150 ridiculous (yeah I'm going back aways, but that was the original torquester in my books). I'm not sure BMW has done enough with the engine performance to saddle away some of the ZX14 and Hayabusa poseurs on its incarnation of the ulitmate Hypersports ride. Surely the shaft final drive must rob the Beemer of a few or more ponies. At 16 large, this thing has got to be the King of horsepower Kings, and I think anything less than 150-160 rwhp isn't going to cut it. That said, it's good to see BMW come out swinging with the heavy hitters in this all out bike category.

Post Edited (jimmihaffa) : 6/19/2007 12:59:16 AM GMT

louemc
Registered Member

Date Joined Mar 2003
Total Posts : 15451

Posted 6/18/2007 9:54 AM (GMT -8)

When the ZX14 Connie arrives, I'm very eager to see a ZX Connie and BMW K1200R shoot out. Shafties dual to the death, Last shaft standing Rules.

Focus the forces, Be The Force

636ADAM
Registered Member

Date Joined Mar 2005
Total Posts : 1946

Posted 6/18/2007 10:18 AM (GMT -8)

I am thinking that there will plenty of folks jumping on this b/c of how god awful ugly it is. You know those people that have to stand out from the crowd. I don't like the look of it. Seems like they could put a little more style in the fairing. Looks like a mid 90s gixxer head light. I guess all the BMW gadgetry is the payoff here. The price make me want a to buy a zx-10 & $3000 in aftermarket acessories.

Yup, I call her the Honda Red Ninja.

Adam

Moto-Pat
Registered Member

Date Joined May 2005
Total Posts : 1167

Posted 6/18/2007 10:47 AM (GMT -8)

Nice bike but the ergos aren't that much different than the S model. Actually I prefer the position on the S more and you get about 10 more horses.

jon
Registered Member

Date Joined Aug 2004
Total Posts : 4569

Posted 6/18/2007 12:45 PM (GMT -8)

thanks for the write up,

'the biggest black-eye is the msrp'...so true. i've seen one at bike show when it first came out and i don't even want to pay more than 10 grand for it. for the money, bmw could've done a much better job but i guess they felt the name alone is enough...and some do buy products just based on brand names.

Smax
Registered Member

Date Joined Jun 2003
Total Posts : 2865

Posted 6/18/2007 5:19 PM (GMT -8)

That torque curve flat-line's a thing of beauty!

I like the looks. The cuts in the fairing could use work, though...

Scoot-jockey. gsx-r 1100

louemc
Registered Member

Date Joined Mar 2003
Total Posts : 15451

Posted 6/18/2007 5:23 PM (GMT -8)

Yeah Smax, I like where the torque curve meets the HP curve.

Focus the forces, Be The Force

gagster
Registered Member

Date Joined Jan 2006
Total Posts : 62

Posted 6/18/2007 5:39 PM (GMT -8)

This bike has more horsepower than my old 2000 model ZX9 Ninja and still has shaft drive as well as excellent comfort. Although nothing was said about it, the passenger pillion looks like it would be decent too. Nice. No one wanted to ride with me on the Ninja for very long.

Alas, at 17 large, it's just out of my league, and then, to keep the warranty you would need to spend about $4000 more for maintenance in the first 36,000 miles. I read somewhere that the average BMW motocyclist was about 47 years old and made about $100,000 per year. I'm there on the first part but fall short about 60% on income. This machine's not particularly pretty, but hey, the old ones looked like Soviet agricultural equipment.

I don't imagine I'll own one anytime soon.

Smitty
Registered Member

Date Joined Mar 2003
Total Posts : 18448

Posted 6/18/2007 7:08 PM (GMT -8)

Fortunately or unfortunately I am to old to even think about one. Even if I was younger I would look at BMW has I always have to & that is being OVERCOSTLY for what one gets. They have run up against the Big Four in Japan along with Ducati & if the decal with the propeller is that important then I guess it is a good buy.

Impressive, but out of my pocket book range especially when the Duke & big Four from Jpn offer me more then I need for less money.

Remember all the others on the road are crazy & out to kill you.

luiggispeed
My other bike is a Les Paul!!!

Date Joined Apr 2005
Total Posts : 1575

Posted 6/18/2007 9:17 PM (GMT -8)

why all the beemers are called the same?

this one shall be called the Beemabusa

Desmolicious
Registered Member

Date Joined Aug 2004
Total Posts : 4618

Posted 6/19/2007 10:44 AM (GMT -8)

louemc said...
Last shaft standing Rules.

Kindly remember that this is a family website...

Børk! Børk! Børk!

Desmolicious
Registered Member

Date Joined Aug 2004
Total Posts : 4618

Posted 6/19/2007 11:02 AM (GMT -8)

Nice to see that with two fewer cylinders the Duc 1098 matches the BMW's power output.
All kidding aside, I can see the value in a $16K beemer over a $12K F800. With the K1200 you can see their definition of a kick-a$$ bike for a premium (that can be somewhat justified as being the only sporty bike currently available with a shaft drive), but the F800 is just a premium priced snooze fest .
Personally I dig the K12R the most, it's funky far out design just really sets it apart. If yer gonna be weird, be weird!

Børk! Børk! Børk!

louemc
Registered Member

Date Joined Mar 2003
Total Posts : 15451

Posted 6/19/2007 4:34 PM (GMT -8)

Desmolicious said...

louemc said...

Last shaft standing Rules.
Kindly remember that this is a family website...

Glad to see the family is complete again, I started to think you had bailed

Focus the forces, Be The Force

Desmolicious
Registered Member

Date Joined Aug 2004
Total Posts : 4618

Posted 6/19/2007 8:04 PM (GMT -8)

Nah, I was on vacation! Visited my Austrian homeland. Funny thing, for all the blab about how much better riders bikers are over there, so just as much dumb squidly behaviour. One weird thing is that while most riders wore proper gear, for some reason a lot of them don't wear gloves. Full leathers, no gloves. Weird.

Børk! Børk! Børk!

ferrix
Registered Member

Date Joined Sep 2006
Total Posts : 11

Posted 6/20/2007 10:28 PM (GMT -8)

When Bike UK mag reviewed K1200R Sport (April issue), they liked much about it but they slammed its fuelling, complaining about the response from shut throttle, and surging on neutral throttle. They went as far as calling it "Fazer with even more engine quirks", which is a damning statement indeed... On the other hand, in your review this issue didn't even rate a mention. It makes me really curious because this is something I notice reading various opinions about K-bikes in general: some people seem to think they are great machines spoiled by poor fuelling, while others seem to have to problem at all.

I thought some differences of opinions might be due to varying versions of software, but in this case, K1200R Sport is new enough I wouldn't expect any differences between the version reviewed by Bike and yours... unless ... could it be that American bikes use different mapping, since they don't actually have to conform with Euro III?

Very curious.

Desmolicious
Registered Member

Date Joined Aug 2004
Total Posts : 4618

Posted 6/21/2007 7:19 AM (GMT -8)

There HAS to be fueling issues on these new BMWs, seeing that they are already on map version 7 that is downloadable from the dealership in the US. Think about it, since the new K was released they have already tried 7 new fueling maps... Does that sound like a properly developed FI system?

Børk! Børk! Børk!

Smitty
Registered Member

Date Joined Mar 2003
Total Posts : 18448

Posted 6/21/2007 5:39 PM (GMT -8)

The BMW people are not fools & they want to haul in the BIG money. They had a top rate BMW dealer in Kelowna that moved to Vancouver, B.C., & he could NOT meet the demands of plush BMW showroom space & such. So BMW went to someone else.

So Vancouver is exploding in population (what is only a few miles is like 45 minute trip if you plan in right) along with hookers, drugs, killings, crimes & such ONLY the city of Kelowa is the greatest expanding city out of Vancouver. Like we have the drugs, the hookers, the robberies to other crimes PLUS so many going for homes at prices beyond human belief, in Kelowna SO obviously the next best place to open a BMW shop is Kelowna & not Kamloops.

Does sort of tell you that big money is the reason that BMW opened a shop in Kelowna. Oh yes the HellsAngles have opened up a gang house in Kelowna--------being some 45 miles south of Kelowna THAT is one of the last places I would want to visit ESPECIALLY now as their antique bridge (built way back in the past of 1950) is being replace by a larger/wider bridge only the bottle-neck approaches are a nightmare & in another few yrs things might be better, well regarding the bridge & the approaches to the bridge from south & north sides.

Remember all the others on the road are crazy & out to kill you.

Somec
Registered Member

Date Joined Jun 2005
Total Posts : 18

Posted 6/22/2007 11:13 AM (GMT -8)

I really like the BMW K bikes and at one point was serously considering setting about owning one. I'm the kind of fellow that doesn't see himself swapping out bikes at every new model intro and like the idea of a modest stable of bikes with quite distict traits and features, the BMW K's sounded like it would work for me but the fueling issues that became the cause of many internet forum conversations and the transmission (gear dogs as I understand) failures and very lengthy time periods between resolutions/fixes and sparce and somewhat elitist manner of dealership staff (in my area at least) really crushed that idea. I personally would love to own a shaft driven bike, I love the size of the bike as it is just perfect for a guy my size (6'4") but alas I ended up getting a Kawasaki zx-14. It has proven to be a very nice bike and I'm happy with it, honestly the modifications and extra put on the bike brough it somewhat close price to the K1200s anyhow ($1700 less) but it has been absolutely solid as a rock so far with zero issues. Only drawback obviously is that it is just another sheep in the herd of bikes that look just like it on the street and so simply offers nothing unique that a thousand other 'big ninja' owners havent already done to theirs. All the same it's comfy, runs reliably, runs like hell but dammit I've still gotta oil and adjust the darn chain.

Hopefully on my next bike shopping trip, I can give the BMW's another hard look and who knows, I really do like them but must have reliability and customer oriented friendliness and service.

On the plus side, the issues I've heard of regarding the earlier K-bikes I did not see any mention of here, especially the fueling problems. Maybe the kinks are being worked out as we speak.

louemc
Registered Member

Date Joined Mar 2003
Total Posts : 15451

Posted 6/22/2007 12:00 PM (GMT -8)

Next shopping trip might include the ZX14 Connie, then no chain lubing.

Focus the forces, Be The Force

Desmolicious
Registered Member

Date Joined Aug 2004
Total Posts : 4618

Posted 6/22/2007 9:32 PM (GMT -8)

Taken from a BMW website:
"Abrupt low-rpm throttle response was addressed (initially) by ver 6.0, and then by 7.1. The fix included sequential injector shutdown on closing throttle and sequential injector ramp up when opening throttle. This softened the jerky on/off/on throttle transitions. Most owners report much better results on ver. 7 or later. Don't think any fueling/throttle fixes were in ver 8. Ver 9.1 (most recent) has some fixes for unstable idle, sometimes also requires replacement of airbox.

If you're on ver 7 or later and have low rpm problems, ver 9.1 software + airbox replacement is one possibility. There's a technical bulletin about this, sorry don't know the number.

If the poor behavior persists on ver 7 or later, and is isolated to the lower region of throttle range (say bottom 1/8th or 1/16th), it's possible the throttle position sensor could be intermittent. The dealer service dept. can run a diagnostic to check throttle potentiometer linearity."

Are you freakin kidding me? $16K and they're on version 9?!!!!! un-be-freakin-lievable.

Børk! Børk! Børk!

louemc
Registered Member

Date Joined Mar 2003
Total Posts : 15451

Posted 6/23/2007 7:56 AM (GMT -8)

This should be off the chart disturbing to BMW-ites, no matter what BMW they ride. The company they adore, put something out on the market, and somehow, didn't do the inhouse development to know what they were putting out to their customers. Then when the problem surfaced that should of never gotten out, they make a fix that doesn't fix, not once, not twice, but all the way up to nine. And apparently, it still surfaces, and a dealership service dept is supposed to run a diagnostic check of throttle potentiometer linearity??? (I'd better stop before have to sue BMW for causing my blood pressure spiking a stroke)

Focus the forces, Be The Force

HogWild
Registered Member

Date Joined Oct 2006
Total Posts : 5123

Posted 6/23/2007 5:56 PM (GMT -8)

louemc said...
Yeah Smax, I like where the torque curve meets the HP curve.

Huh???? They will always meet in the same place, like 5,200 rpm regardless of the engine or displacement.........

louemc
Registered Member

Date Joined Mar 2003
Total Posts : 15451

Posted 6/23/2007 6:17 PM (GMT -8)

Really? And you built race engines and played with all the things that that change engine performance?

Focus the forces, Be The Force

HogWild
Registered Member

Date Joined Oct 2006
Total Posts : 5123

Posted 6/23/2007 6:32 PM (GMT -8)

louemc said...
Really? And you built race engines and played with all the things that that change engine performance?

Change it all you want Lou 1 Hp will always equal 1 FT LB of torque at 5,252rpm and it wouldn't matter if it was a 1200 Sporty twin or a 1000cc Honda I4 RR..........

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