BMW K1200S: test drive from Motodrive
BMW K1200S The challenge has been thrown - we will talk about the BMW K1200S, a revolutionary model for the German manufacturer in many respects.
The Kyiv-Zhitomir-Kyiv route is a good testing ground for testing a sportbike in conditions “close to combat”. It contains tempting sections of fresh and almost smooth asphalt that provoke “all the money” to ride, which are replaced by influxes of old road surface, often sending two motorcycle wheels off the ground at once. Combining business with pleasure, I went to a motorcycle rally and tested this BMW.
The motorcycle is equipped with an electronic ESA suspension adjustment system, which has three main adjustments, plus six auxiliary ones, for a total of nine. By pressing the button you can program the suspension in three modes: “sport”, “comfort” and “normal”. Which mode to choose, as a rule, depends on the conditions: at what speed to drive, on what surface, only with luggage or also with a passenger.) On paving stones, for example, it is useful to turn on the “comfort” mode - it shakes an order of magnitude less. I decided to “fire it up” - turn on “sport”. Now you don’t need to turn the screw with a screwdriver, counting the clicks - the rebound and compression of the rear suspension are already set, and the rebound of the front suspension is also set.
When driving with a passenger, I switch the suspension to the appropriate mode - and two helmets are displayed on the display. My friend’s words after the trip: “Listen, he’s a transformer!” It looks like I was riding a sportbike, but I switched to “comfort” - there’s already an endurik underneath me!” Well, of course, it is far from the “couchism” of enduro, but the fact is clear: the suspension adapts instantly! The pilot's task is simply to make the right choice, if, of course, you know what you and the motorcycle need in order to achieve a certain goal.
The cylinders are tilted forward by 55 degrees, the tank is also shifted downwards, it seems to envelop the engine. The explanation for this is simple: the designers were guided by the motto: “ALL MASSES DOWN”!
There is no nervousness in the dynamics of acceleration, acceleration is smooth, but very fast (up to hundreds - in 2.8 seconds). The main thing is to completely “merge” with it (“lie down”), because closer to the “maximum speed” in the “sitting” position, the body strives to stay behind, but when lying down, the aerodynamics are quite at the level, except for a driver with a height of about 2 meters will not be able to “lie down”.
A test of the correspondence of the speed recorded by the speedometer to the crankshaft revolutions in the 3 highest gears showed the following. 4th gear: 11000 rpm - 235 km/h, 5th gear: 11000 rpm - 260 km/h, 6th gear: 10500 rpm - 290 km/h (to redline 6- I couldn’t unscrew it - there wasn’t enough distance).
The ergonomics of the landing are universal for this class of machines. It provides the maximum comfort possible on such a fast motorcycle. This comfort was deliberately created by the designers. For example, a few points:
1st. The pilot's knees rest against the side fairings, thereby relieving tension on the upper body and hips.
2nd. The steering wheel is located quite high, allowing you to vary the seating position from “more sporty” to “almost road-ready”.
3rd. The seat is adjustable in 2 positions (with a trim of 20 mm). There is no steering damper on the motorcycle, but when at a speed of over 200 I happened to hit a couple of swells and the motorcycle was momentarily torn off the road, then after landing I realized that it was not needed here, the reaction of the revolutionary Duolever suspension turned out to be completely adequate, I didn’t I felt no resonant vibrations on the steering wheel.
The final impression of the motorcycle: the designers managed to create a device - a hybrid of a sportbike and a tourist, in which both forms do not harm each other at all, but, on the contrary, enhance their best sides, providing its pilot with the dynamics and controllability of a sportbike, and the comfort of a tourist, and the latter quality is in variety. It can be considered that, trying not to deviate from the BMW slogan “Pleasure behind the wheel,” the creators of the K1200S, sweating hard, still coped with the task, creating a motorcycle with serious speed capabilities, but... for a comfortable and safe ride.
Source : Motodrive magazine
Model review : BMW K1200S
K1200GT
Due to the lack of content in this thread, I’ll add a couple of lines about my BeMeV.
This is a 2007 K1200GT. A bright representative of a wonderful family that originates from the legendary “brick”.
This is an unscrupulous extortionist, a provocateur and a rare boor! And he oh... ..new!
The only decent thing he has is a suit. It looks so solid, with an abundance of plastic it even looks like a scooter.
Although it still bears echoes of warmer times, it seems to me that this is where marketers have already begun to prepare the public for the fact that a motorcycle with a mileage of 30 thousand kilometers will be expensive to maintain. sooo expensive. Very recent examples that outraged my frugality: a clutch clutch package from 45 tr. Clutch slave cylinder from 36 liters. The last one was changed because of the cuff, a small rubber ring, it only comes together with the left remote control. The Internet scares me with a weak gearbox and cardan transmission, I don’t even want to look at the prices for these items and it’s so sad.
How many times, when leaving home, did I tell myself: I’m driving calmly, smoothly and proudly, carrying myself above the road and arrogantly and coldly looking at the stream. This is a solid Bavarian motorcycle. I am a respectable adult. But this same comrade, he doesn’t know how to drive smoothly!!! It only has smooth suspension settings in comfort mode. The engine jerks below two thousand, it needs to be added, well, once again added, the suspension is tightened, it leans in a turn, it feels faster... and now you’re already kicking some mustacheless sportsman’s ass, hitting him on the highway under 200 or beyond, knocking him out of turn after turn and doing other unpleasant things.
He steers in a very unique way. At low speeds, it’s better not to move the steering wheel; it will turn exactly as much as you tilt it. Rolling it in place is another strength exercise. I don’t even want to remember about picking him up when he fell (and without even thinking about the upcoming painting of the plastic after the fall). The center of gravity, although quite low due to the forward-leaning engine and the traditional lack of a frame, is still far from the Goose in this regard. But I still don’t understand where his 320 and my 90 kilograms are spread if he drives. He will not forgive a single mistake, and if you do everything academically correctly, he allows you to follow mopeds in Moscow traffic jams, with panniers, and push them in the back.
It has 160 horsepower, it has some immodest amount of torque, it has a maximum speed of 260 and that’s due to the limiter, but my own limiter still works earlier.
It has a consumption of 6.5 liters/100 km in “war” mode and 4.5 liters in “Finland has the largest fines in the world” mode.
It has heating for everything and everything, an adjustable windshield, an adjustable seat, an adjustable suspension, for loading and preloading, and from a button on the steering wheel, and right on the go. He has a bunch of other useful and very pleasant things, but you don’t use it all at all, because you simply don’t have time for it and generally forget about it on the go.
But to note such a wonderful thing as intelligent abs, combined brakes (when you press the front lever, the rear one is activated) and the force is distributed according to needs, the traction control system in the same complex is extremely useful.
Well, we need to say something about wind protection: the aerodynamics are excellent. With the windshield fully raised, you can drive, although not wearing a cap with the GoldWing logo, but with the visor open for sure, up to 140 km/h, then the visor closes itself. In the rain, only a small part of your shoulders get wet, the main thing is not to slow down below one hundred. Even the legs remain dry, although the left one has to be slightly tucked with the toe towards the engine. But if it’s dry and warm, the most appropriate position for the windshield is below and the body above the tank. Then the air flow tightly clasps the shoulders, holds the head, while the turbulence is distributed so that the neck is not pulled back, and... this is a unique feeling, it’s like flying or dancing.
Yeah... This is the best motorcycle, and there is absolutely no alternative to it. I tested both a dumbbell and a GT 1600 (by the way, I found very few differences between them), this is absolutely not the same. They are soft, absolutely measured, non-aggressive and very environmentally friendly. at the same time they weigh a good 40 kg more. It’s true that the F800GT still exists, but here I have a classic attitude - I haven’t driven it, but I condemn it! The K1300S, of course, remained in service for a long time and is a wonderful motorcycle, but its wind protection and landing position are somewhat more radical, as a result of which the touring potential is significantly lower. RT-ha, of course, she’s also good, but comparing her with mine... well, it’s like an excellent student in combat and politics with a chess class. I’m silent about the geese, because even though I’m driving my own into chips, I’m sorry.
True, there are rumors that somewhere in the world there are motorcycles from other manufacturers, but it seems to me that they are lying.
And also mine, the last of the family with separate turn signal switches, but for this alone you can forgive everything...
Well, a few photos:
Review
Journalists from the American Motorcycle Association were given 24 hours to test the new BMW K1200S. Judging by the results of the test drives and the impressions of the testers, the motorcycle fully met all the expectations placed on it since 2004.
The driver's seating position is surprisingly free, which is very uncharacteristic for a sportbike. The placement of the footpegs allows you to sit comfortably on the motorcycle without bending your legs, and the handlebars reduce stress on your wrists, even when the machine is stationary. The characteristics of the BMW K1200S are strikingly different from the previous motorcycles of the Bavarian company, which is noticeable from the first seconds of starting the engine: the 1157 cubic centimeter unit quickly picks up speed and maintains torque throughout its entire range.
Refining the injection system was not in vain: the motorcycle confidently picks up speed even with minimal throttle opening.
The lower powerband is soft and more typical of a touring model. The full potential of the engine is revealed at 4-6 thousand revolutions: the full traction and power of the car is manifested, and with a greater increase in speed it is virtually impossible to keep up with the BMW K1200S.
History of appearance
The BMW K1200S motorcycle has become the most long-awaited and original model released by the German company BMW over the last ten years. Back in 2004, the world community was shocked by the concern’s announcement that it was going to directly compete with Japanese manufacturers of sport bikes. The reason for this reaction lay in the unique and distinctive image of the Bavarian manufacturer: the transverse installation of a four-cylinder engine with a volume of 1200 cubic centimeters, characteristic of the Suzuki Hayabusa, Honda CBR1100XX and Kawasaki ZX-12R, would be an out-of-the-ordinary and unconventional step for BMW.
After the first presentation, invited journalists, in their reviews of the BMW K1200S, noted uneven fuel injection - until recently, a similar problem was typical for two-cylinder engines installed on the R series. The produced motorcycles had to be returned back to the factories, and production was temporarily stopped, and not the least reason for This was caused by the defect of the entire batch of incoming camshafts.
The next demonstration was held in California, and a group of American motorcycle journalists invited to the event and test drive expected a lot from the BMW K1200S.
Reviews from BMW K1200S owners
The changes made to the design of the motorcycle provide an excellent opportunity even for novice drivers to feel like professional sportbike pilots, flying straight sections of tracks at high speed and taking turns without pressing the brake. The characteristics of the motorcycle were tested during a 400-kilometer test drive: the route passed along the roads of Northern California. The pilots who tested the BMW K1200S were satisfied with the car: the Bavarian company managed to create a unique and stunning sports bike that could outshine its Japanese competitors.
Price
An undoubted advantage noted in reviews of the BMW K1200S is a fairly extensive package of additional options, including the BMW ESA electronic suspension adjustment system, an anti-lock braking system and two-tone body colors. In the basic modification, the motorcycle was offered for 900 thousand rubles from American dealers. A luggage transport kit consisting of side cases and a fuel tank bag is available as accessories.
