Testing the K1200R for a full week: Wow! (images)

[SHIVA]

I have a K1200R in my hands for a full week. It's an 06, with ESA and ABS, in Graphite. I haven't really ridden the R that much before today. Yes I did ride it several times, but all for short 15-20 mile jaunts. Today I took it for a 130 miles real world test on highways, two lane parkways, country roads and some NY grade A quality twisties as well.

I am very impressed!!!!

What a machine! It feels completely independent from the K12S and K12GT, both of which I have ridden for longer rides. The K12R is a beast in disguise. It can be ferociously fast, or be very enjoyable at mundane highway speeds. Also, without any fairing to misdirect or re-direct the wind, it is the quietest bike I have ridden in the longest time. Frankly the ride is so quiet I didn't need my otherwise mandatory Hearos ear plugs.

The K1200R proves my theory that a ride quiet of wind noise can only be achieved in two ways:
1- When the re-directed wind is hitting you on your chest, or lower.
2- When the re-directed wind is hitting you well over your head, as in when you're looking through a tall windshield.

And since the K12R has no fairing, the re-directed wind hits you below your chest, leaving your shoulders and head in a clean, unobstructed flow of wind, hence an extremely quiet ride (assuming you are wearing a quality full face helmet).

The K1200R can also keep you out of trouble, since you don't need to be going 30-40-50 over the limit to actually have some fun, this bike as stated above is incredibly fun at only 70 MPH. The other very surprising factor is its incredible cornering ability and flickability and also long-distance comfort. Yikes, I was blown away.

On the way back I red-lined in 3rd gear a few times and this baby showed its real colors. No naked bike needs this much power. Actually the huge surge of torque seems somewhat out of place on the R, but I'm not complaining.

The K1200R can save your license. You don't have to be going fast all the time to enjoy it. It doesn't look like a sport bike so you wouldn't be getting as much attention from the LEOs. It corners like heaven!!! By the way, when did this happen and how come I missed the memo, at what point did the K12R become one of the best cornering machines out there Although the KS and KGT are both incredibly impressive, I don't remember them cornering this well.

Well, sorry that I am 1 year late test riding the K12R, but now that I have, I am very impressed. I just paid 1 month garage fee, so I can use the bike freely for the next week. There is no weekly fee, and daily fees for a week would cost about the same as a monthly (that's NY for you).

Needless to say, I'll be riding this bad boy pretty much everyday.

S

[TRAINER]

Nice write up man. Can't wait to see what that biOtch can do! I see photo's in our future tomorrow..

[SHIVA]

photos and a swap!!! Like your feedback on the "R." S

[tHeEXILE]

I love the write up on the K-R Shiva. As a novice rider I look for all the input I can get.

My first bike ( 05-CBR600 F4i) was a blast but had me in pain after long days rideing to and from HWY1 - Stinson and north. Also In my area there is alot for nice twisted roads that are so much fun but...took it toll on my body.

Given that background, I picked up am K-R on 5/9/06 and in 3 months I have 3k miles on my bike. The older gentalman at the dealer to me,"don't baby it..."

Now most of my riding is limited when compared to most of you guys but the K-R is so easy to ride and handle it rides better than my 600 ever felt...to me that is. Maybe i never really gave that bike a chance but I have no regrets. The K-R wants to be in all the places you put it except for bumper-to-bumper traffic. I look forward to my practice rides aswell as my day trips with the same lust.

the thing that suprised me the most was how far I could lean the bike AND power thru turn. It freaked me out at first. I had made a mistake on my entry into a turn. I simply leaned harder and gave it the gas and the bike settled into the turn and I came out like a bat out of hell. I never worried after that.

Thanks again for the review and I will look for futher notes on you K-R.

[Gomura]

Thanks Shiva.... I'll look forward to additional reports
I test rode the K12R and the R12S and I'm torn, though I am leaning toward the KR.

[teerex]

SHIVA: Did the KR have twin air filters and a slip-on ? It is a completely different bike to ride compared to stock. My bike wheelies at the slightest flick of the trottle in 1.st gear and power wheelies are no problem. When my bike was in stock condition, nothing of this behaviour was normal

Did I mention the sound.. both front and rear, nice and frightening at the same time

[SHIVA]

hi guys, this is a stock bike, a BMW of Manhattan demo bike to be exact and demo bikes don't normally have aftermarket parts. so, it's stock with ABS, ESA. S

[teerex]

hi guys, this is a stock bike, a BMW of Manhattan demo bike to be exact and demo bikes don't normally have aftermarket parts. so, it's stock with ABS, ESA. S

So now you just have to find one of those non-stock bikes, and have more fun
The only problem I have now is that 1.st gear is not so useful anymore, I have to throw in 2.nd gear at 7-8000 rpm because then the front wheel is a bit in the air at that point....

[SHIVA]

Day 2, 150 Miles... Total 280 miles

Today I took the bike to the Lookout at Bear Mountain State Park and also to Hariman State Park, Seven Lakes Circle (where riders hang out on Sundays in my area). I got to chat with a few people about this bike. Some guys on sport bikes had knowledge of it and were already impressed by the stats they had read in magazines. They were specially impressed when they heard this the K12R can be demoed at their local BMW dealer. Guys on Japanese sport bikes, aren't used to demoing anything....

I like to attribute some of the good handling of my K12R tester to Metzeler's SPORTEC M-1 that were fitted standard on this bike. That's one sweet set of sport tires. I have no clue how long they might last on a bike like this, but they are responsible for some of the good feel that I am getting from this bike.

So, in my yesterday's report I stated all the positive attributes, and let me add that I still feel the same way about this bike after nearly 300 miles. However, I think it's time to talk about some of the shortcomings. 110MPH feels very fast on the KR. If you live in a part of the world where you're privileged enough to be able to ride in triple digits all the time, a naked bike will get boring too fast.

There's just too much wind to deal with at above 90 mph. But the sweet thing about this shortcoming (by design) is that, you don't have to go fast to have fun. I was riding mostly with the flow of traffic today and it was cool. Being exposed to the wind at normal highway speeds can be very fun on a naked or cruiser bike.

Also, the seat although it is well made and IMO feels better than the K12S, kills me wearing denim. Of course in a perfect world, we should all be wearing leather pants, because they are so comfortable and well.... make every OEM seat feel like aftermarket leather seats. But stock BMW seats, just kill me when I wear denim, which I wear almost all the time. Give me Sargent or Corbin any day.

Red lining 3rd gear on the K12R puts a big grin on my face every time.

Lastly, I heard that some dealers, including our forum sponsor BMW of Manhattan are offering $700 cash back on all 2006 K1200Rs. Yikes!!!! Very tempting indeed. I know BMW of Manhattan is actually offering additional special incentives. They want to move these bikes. Look for a post under Vendor's Area for more info.

Back to the report, Trainer couldn't make it today, but him and I planning to ride tomorrow and take some pics, so hopefully if he doesn't change his mind due to his domestic life, it should be cool!!!

S

PS: Needed to refuel at 160 miles. It took 4.5 gallons.

[SHIVA]

teerex, can't wait to ride a supped-up version! S

[TRAINER]

Dude, dude, cut me some slack,, I'm in for tomorrow as long as the sky is dry. Call me when you wake up.. Now, should I take the gixxer or V-Rod.. hhmmmm... And, my Canon XT is all ready to go.

[SHIVA]

Since I haven't ridden with you on your V-ROD, and since both the R and Rod are naked bikes, I think it should be the Rod! ... S

[TRAINER]

DONE, now it's even easier to bring the XT with lenses!

[SHIVA]

Trainer and I went for a spirited ride and a photo shoot this afternoon. Below are some of the images. I'll post a report about today a little later... S

Trainer brought his Harley V-ROD!




Shot of Trainer ringing the K12R's neck. This was after being on the bike for only 5 minutes.

[TRAINER]

WOW, you can see my mug with the 1/2 Arai! I never saw my face while riding before, I always wear a full face for any serious riding/photo shoots.. It's nice to know my face is relaxed at least..

Today was fun, thanks or the demo ride buddy. That K12R is one fun bike. With some more time on the seat I would be more at home for sure. I still like the "S"

Here's one I dug up from last year, same location, almost to the day!

[Eka]

Fantastic pics - thanks!

[SHIVA]

Day 3, 125 Miles... Total 405 miles

Fueled again today: 3.6 gallons after 110 miles.

Today, I met up with Trainer and we went for a fast-paced ride and photo shoot. There is a spot that we like to go for pictures. If you look at the Global Bike Culture section, we have shots from last year on an MV Senna, Gixxer 1K and my K12RS.

Today Trainer brought his Harley V-Rod. He has a real trick Gixxer 1K as well, but that's being picked up by its new owner next week. Along the way we swapped bikes. I hadn't been on a V-Rod before and he got to try the KR on a 4 lane parkway. More on the ROD later.

I am getting acclimated with the new KR. I am getting used to the riding position, which initially was not my favorite set up. The KR basically has a ST riding position. It's between an upright and sport, I prefer sport, unless I'm riding the GS of course. So, at first for me the ergos weren't ideal. But they seem fine now.

The ESA is an essential option in my area. I kept the preload at rider+luggage, since I'm about 190lbs and the average rider is about 165lbs. So the single rider option should be most ideal for lighter guys. I switched between comfort/normal/sport several times today. When in the city, or on bad roads "comfort" was the setting, when on good roads "normal," for fast riding and corners "sport" was selected. It works very well. We have very bad roads in NYC area, so setting a manual shock to "sport" position all the time makes for a very bumpy ride on local roads. So, a big plus for ESA.

Today was about 85 deg f. (You guys in metric countries need to do your own conversions, I'm sorry.) And it feels good to be riding a bike with no fairing and no shield. You cool down pretty quickly. On the down side, for those who like to ride year round, it can be problematic in bad weather. However, general riding happens during summer time and close to home. So, no worries there on the KR for the typical rider.

I got a grin out of dusting a "racer boy" driving a supped up Honda Civic, with ground effects, big ass wing and a carbon fiber hood. The poor kid didn't have a chance. What are they thinking going against big bikes. Almost any good bike today can smoke that car.

The KR is very welll mannered in hot summer traffic. I am not sure how this was achieved, but very little engine heat reaches the rider. The older K bikes, K11 and older, used to bake your legs. K12RS totally fixed this issue and the K12S keeps the heat in check as well and now I am happy to say the K12R is following K12S' direction.

This bike truly is a great cornering machine. Trainer should also share his thoughts on this subject, although he likes race-replica bikes with short wheelbase. K12R is a very long bike, but Duolever IMO works and the Metz Sportec M1s are magical.

I think the K12R's looks should be improved post purchase. The bike IMO is too bland in its stock form. It blends in a little too much, and a bike of this caliber needs to stand out more. I think the belly pan maybe a must on this bike. Unless you really prefer an understated bike.

The K12R under 8K RPM is very well-behaved. This is a highly civilized machine. But once you crank that throttle all hell breaks loose. It has a lot of potential.

The K12R is not a hooligan bike, as the ads suggest. Leave that to Harley-Davidson. Trainer's V-Rod is a hooligan bike. You lean back, you sit close to the ground, you let your private parts hang freely in the wind, you stretch your legs, rest your hands on the bars. Also, you don't get too close to cars since you are dealing with sub-par breaks and should be careful going around corners. But when you are on a straight line, this is one "bad" bike. It makes you feel badass. And that's the biggest selling point for H-D. That and their huge community. You get on the H-D and you're instantly transformed to a renegade bad boy, you get on a Beemer and your IQ jumps up 20 points. That's H-D and BMW bike cultures in a nutshell.

Day 3, over and out!!!!

Tomorrow, a visit to a Squid central at HOOTERS no less. Will bring camreas. Ken if you read this bring your tiny Canon. I'll bring mine too..

S

[K12]

They want to move these bikes

Which is understandable. Model 07 (production after factory holidays) will have the new Conti/Teves ABS without servo brakes.

Manfred

[delirious]

Both bikes look stunning and very very clean. How do you keep 'em so clean.

Looking forward to reading the next installment with pics from Hooters

[SHIVA]

Model 07 (production after factory holidays) will have the new Conti/Teves ABS without servo brakes.

Manfred, That's very interesting news. Is that on the S and the R. S

[K12]

Is that on the S and the R. S

All K (new) K models. Plus all R models execpt the R1200S. Has been announced to the press during the BMW Biker Meeting in Garmsich last weekend.
-> http://www.gizmag.com/go/5840/

Manfred

[k12oos]

Traction Control will also be an option on the 07 spec bikes.....whats next 4 wheels and a roof!...

[SHIVA]

Day 4, 65 Miles... Total 470 miles

Fueled again today: 3.95 gallons after 170 miles.


I think only California Hooters can have beauties like this one. The ones in Jersey were not worth shooting. So I made my own composite image...

So, today Trainer and two more of our buddies met me at a Hooters location in Jersey. The ride was about 32 miles each way. It was very hot and humid here and again I can see the advantage of riding a naked bike in summer time. It does make a lot of sense. You get hit with so much air, that riding in real hot weather can be do able and rather comfortable.

So, the place was a bike night, in Wayne, New Jersey, and the reason you see the made-up picture of Hooters girl and a K12R is because it turned out they wanted money to pose with the bike. So I gave them the finger and made up my own picture. By the way, the Hooters girls weren't anything too exciting. I like my Photoshop version better...

So, I was parked right next a bunch of squids and a few of them came up and asked questions about the bike and I gave them a freaking tour. You know about the stats, ESA, brakes and the Duolever. Some were impressed, others appeared like they had seen a UFO. BMW bikes are in many ways completely different from a Japanese machine. When some of these kids hear about the options available, they seem not to really get it.

After New Jersey I went to Manhattan's own famous Tuesday night biker hang out EAR Inn. To my surprise only a few bikes where there, but even in such a small crowd, a few wanted to know about the KR. It is a rare bike, you know. People see a lot more KSes than KRs. By the way, I would recommend the K12R to anyone. It is a great machine, as long as the nakedness of it is understood.

I noticed that the mirrors vibrate at high speeds. Otherwise not really that many new information to share. It's been running really nicely and actually everywhere I go, people wanna know about it. It has a certain quiet charm. Again I think a belly pan, is a must on this bike...

More later... S

[SHIVA]

Day 5... Rained out!

Will update tomorrow night. Also on Friday, Trainer and I have something very special planned. Stay tuned! S

[deadbird]

I stopped by there about 7:30.
Looks like you were there after dark.
There was only about 50 bikes there, so I just past through.
That parking area use to get filled and the bikes would have
to park in the car lot. Haven't seen it like that since last year.
They also have "Bike Night" at the Chatter box" rts 15 and 206
in Newton, NJ on Thursday night. There's a nice bunch of people
from Skylands BMW Club that go there once in awhile. Maybe
you could hook up with some of them. Don't know how many
bikes show up there. Haven't been there since last year. But
there are some nice roads getting there.