Bike test - BMW goes bad , the 2006 BMW K1200R motorcycle

[totalmotorcycle]

Bike test - BMW goes bad , the 2006 BMW K1200R motorcycle
Tuesday, December 19, 2006 - By Patrick van Sleight - iAfrica - motoring.iafrica.com



Now who would have thought that a BMW — any BMW — motorcycle can make me feel so naughty. I keep watching my mirrors for flashing blue lights. Not since my first bike, a screaming little 400, have I had this kind of fun. I am rediscovering my hooligan teenager side.

BMW motorcycles are sensible machines right? They are for the older generation keen on touring the country-side.

Or rather they were.

I find myself stunned by the power, handling and speed of this particular BMW.

What made my test bike even more spectacular is the extra presence lend to it by the bright, sun-yellow colour, and the aftermarket Remus exhaust. The Remus suits the extrovert nature of the bike much, much more than the subdued original exhaust.

The Terminator's bike

I remember the first time I saw one. I couldn't believe it was a BMW. I couldn't believe any bike can look like this — period. It looked like The Terminator’s personal ride. Man, it looked mean, painted in dark metallic graphite. And I desired it, with all my heart.

If there ever was a BMW to attract newcomers to the brand, this has to be it.

BMW’s are boring right? So why do I find myself sweeping through the traffic on the highway at an irresponsible speed, blipping the throttle, irritating the car drivers.

Excitement and attitude

In recent years BMW has made inroads into the high-performance end of the market with the handling and power of its bikes. However, excitement was rarely part of the mix. Not only has that changed with the K1200R, but the bike has that most un-BMW-like quality off all: attitude.

That’s right; this bike makes me feel bad, as in gangsta-rapper bad. As in baggy jeans, baseball cap, expensive sneakers, some heavy bling and an ominous bulge down my lower back.

So I go look for the run-down, graffiti-splattered parts of the city; where expensive cars with dark windows and oversized mag-wheels squat down pumping some angry Snoop Dogg from big woofers with not a cop in sight. I know I look the part on this machine. I know I will not find another bike like this on the road. I can stare anyone down. I am the man.

BMW riders don’t bother with wheelies, stoppies and burn-outs, but this bike changes all that. The long wheelbase means it's not a natural wheelie machine, but makes achieving a wheelie all that more rewarding. In public of course, at a traffic light, at high noon. With everybody watching.

Urban dweller

I stick to the inner-city and highway by-passes instead of heading for the usual mountain passes. There are other BMW’s for that. No, this is an urban dweller, but not of the Street Café poseurs-type either. It begs to be trashed. Red-lined at every opportunity. It feels caged in the heavy traffic, which is all the more excuse to filter fast and loudly through the cars, something I thought I’d outgrown.

Throwing it around tight street corners and weaving between cars is easier than expected, considering how big and heavy the bike is. It carries its weight low, which helps matters, but the bike is really only happy on long, fast bends, as the sweeping coastal road to Llundudno proves.

The brakes don’t feel superbike sharp and powerful, but are strong and progressive, decelerating the bike at the merest touch of the brake-lever. Stoppies anyone?

Power delivery is civilised. I was initially intimidated by the thought of so much horsepower between my legs, but it did not threaten to snap my neck of at the slightest twist of the wrist as I feared. Smooth and progressive is the game, and pretty soon I was red-lining the tacho with confidence.

This is the most powerful series production naked bike ever, BMW proclaims. Imagine a naked Hayabusa, and you get close to what the K1200R is about. But instead of just taking the fairing panels off, the guys with the crayons gave the R a very distinct look and personality from the K1200S. And being a BMW, it has a few quirky habits, like the three-button indicator system.

What's the matter?

So why do I feel I won’t buy the bike? (Let’s pretend I can afford to because my rap video made platinum.)

For a BMW, the bike feels disappointingly rough and unfinished. Considering the price (R118 000) and the values of the brand, I expected more refinement. There is a harshness through the bars and footpegs that is unlike BMW. But the biggest problem is the heavy gear-change action, perhaps as a result of the shaft-drive. The 'box is never happy being rushed, every cog is selected with a huge clunk and false neutrals are at the order of the day. With practice it becomes less, but it remains annoying. The earliest models suffered from jerky fuel-injection too. Has the usually meticulous BMW rushed this one through the quality checks?

In standard trim, the bike is a touch impractical, but then this is not intended to be like most BMW’s. It is a streetfighter after all. And streetfighters are difficult to live with as a matter of course. Especially as your only vehicle. BMW’s clientele are bound to have more than just this bike in the garage, however.

Excessive windblast

The taller, optional screen is a must. All that power and speed becomes a liability if used often, because the windblast is excessive. Apart from the gearbox, this is my other big gripe, and the best way to ease living with the bike. Having said that, the seating is roomy and comfortable, making long hours in the saddle a doddle. And, being a BMW, it comes with a wide range of options and accessories, including panniers and heated grips. But then it almost becomes a different kind of bike. BMW riders just can’t seem to resist the urge to pack up and head for the horizon…

However, I fail to see traditional BMW riders finding this kind of bike appealing (no offense…) It is a new kind of BMW for riders who wouldn’t normally consider the brand. Trouble is, when it comes to perception, does that blue-and-white badge have the street-cred for this image-conscious class? Are its angry looks and bulging muscle enough to bully its way to the top of the class? I have my doubts. Its classmates are too streetwise, and arguably make for better naked sportsbikes, being lighter and more nimble.

The Triumph Speed Triple is simply more fun and handles easier. The Buell XB12S matches the BMW for attitude, while the range of Ducati Monsters have an exclusive, upmarket air. These bikes are all cheaper than the BMW, apart from the S4RS Monster. Is the K1200R really worth the premium over these machines? The Aprilia Tuono is another option, while the MV Augusta Brutale is the only other more expensive choice.

Flawed execution

I can’t get away from the feeling that as a concept, the bike is brilliant, but in execution, it is flawed. There is nothing horribly wrong with the BMW K1200R. It just feels underdeveloped in some crucial areas; highlighted particularly because of the comparatively high pricing level. In addition, shaft-drive with a long wheelbase and considerable more weight than the other bikes, doesn't work well in streetfighter guise. But being a BMW, it should get away with this. It just won’t be Carmichael’s choice for a stunt-bike, that’s all.

As a weekend toy, this bike makes sense. Better still, get your mate to buy one and borrow it for the occasional mad Friday evening or Sunday morning breakfast blast. It is not a bike you ride; it is a bike you trash. You might fall out of love with it if you have to live with it every day.

If the price was lower and the bike was more refined, the K1200R would have been spot on. The Hayabusa and ZX-14R show that a powerful engine can be refined and not cost a premium. To be fair to BMW, the technology that is built into the bike must cost a lot, but that technology does not result in a significantly better bike than the competition. At least not in its current state. Perhaps with the mid-term facelift, BMW?

Still, it is a very tempting buy for what I know this machine will say about me. And any bike that can turn me into an involuntary hooligan is special. I love the way it makes me snarl manically inside my helmet. But over a period of time its gangsta image and the excitement of its performance are overcome by its flaws.

» Test bike courtesy Donford BMW Motorrad (021 888 4200)


2006 BMW K1200R

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 4-stroke 1157cc inline-4, liquid-cooled, dohc, 4 valves per cylinder
Claimed power: 123kW/10250rpm
Claimed torgue: 130Nm/8250rpm
Claimed 0 – 100km/h: 3,5sec
Claimed top speed: 200+ km/h
Fuel consumption: 5,5 litres per 100km at 120km/h
Fuel capacity: 19 litres
Gears: Six speed
Claimed dry weight: 211kg
Seat height: 820mm
Frame: Aluminium
Front suspension: Duolever
Rear suspension: Paralever
Front brakes: Dual 320mm EVO brake system with floating disks, four-piston calipers
Rear brakes: Single 265mm disk, twin-piston caliper
Front tyre: 120/70 ZR17
Rear tyre: 180/55-ZR17
Available colours: Sun Yellow, Dark graphite metallic, White aluminium metallic

COST OF OWNERSHIP

Price: R118 000
Warranty period: two years, unlimited km
Factory-fitted options available: ABS, heated grips, electronic suspension adjustment, luggage rack, sports windshield, 790mm lower seat
Dealer accessories available: Sport panniers, tank rucksack, tank bag, sports bag, centre stand
Service intervals: 10 000km

SEE ALSO

Aprilia Tuono (R85 526)
Triumph Speed Triple 1050 (R89 995)
Buell XB12S (R95 000)
KTM 990 SuperDuke (R99 999)
Ducati Monster S4RS (R144 000)
MV Agusta Brutale 910 (149 000)