Review 2016 Bmw R 1200 Rs Missenden Flyer
Our department director Brett Walling slid two keys beyond the desk. "Which one would y'all like?" he asked.
Without hesitation I picked upward the key for the BMW R 1200 RS. He looked surprised.
Every now and then a motorcycle comes along that stops united states of america in our tracks. Not considering it's the fastest or prettiest, simply considering something nearly it starts gnawing away deep down within. Information technology'south like that old Jerry Jeff Walker song, when the kid brings dwelling a cocktail waitress every bit his date for the senior prom. He can't help it, mom, that's the kind he digs.
That's why I chose to test-ride the 2016 BMW R 1200 RS.
The bike
It's all but incommunicable to address the new RS without considering the historical significance of this model. BMW all just invented the sport-touring class with the release of the original R100RS in 1976. Its success proved that riders wanted to traverse long distances without having to sacrifice performance. Other manufacturers shortly followed BMW's lead.
In 1993, when some thought the boxer twin was in jeopardy of existence phased out for the more powerful 4-cylinder Thousand bikes, the R 1100 RS was the first model to get the new boxer with oil-cooled heads. The future of the boxer in BMW'southward lineup was secured.
The RS moniker was terminal seen in BMW's lineup in 2004, after which the R 1200 ST replaced it. The ST just lasted ii years. At the time, brands similar Triumph, Ducati, Kawasaki, and Honda either completely eliminated the sport-touring category or shifted the calibration of their bikes toward touring.
Unlike bikes congenital with a atypical purpose, sport-touring bikes are a compromise of two different worlds. Enter the naysayers. A globe of critics arguing that the effect is too sporty for comfy travel or as well heavy to let for fun in the twisties. BMW makes no qualms near the fact that this cycle leans toward the "sport" side of sport-touring. Don't similar information technology? Buy an R 1200 RT and get out of the style.
With precipitous angular lines, large Brembo brakes, a sporty riding position, a real sport bike suspension, and an available advanced electronics bundle, this is not my father's RS.
The new RS utilizes the same boxer engine found in the GS and RT line. With liquid-cooled heads, it cranks out 125 horsepower at 7,750 rpm and 92 foot-pounds of peak torque at half-dozen,500 rpm. I know 125 horsepower sounds a flake lackluster in this solar day and age of big horsepower bikes, but the RS wears it well.
The engine redlines at 9,000 rpm, only loses steam rather quickly around 8,000 rpm. The boxer in the RS has been slightly retuned to give you 74 foot-pounds of torque across a broad swath of the rpm range, which translates into thick depression-stop and mid-range power. If you like to spin your power out of the superlative stop of an engine's rpm range, this is not the bike for you.
Ability flows through a vi-speed gearbox with the aid of a slipper clutch and available Gear Shift Assistance Pro. Gear Shift Assist Pro allows for seamless up and downshifts once yous are clear of third gear. The idea of not having to utilise the clutch took a second to go used to, but damned if I wasn't flying through the gears under aggressive acceleration.
BMW slows the RS using two 320 mm discs upward forepart with radial-mounted, four-piston Brembo calipers and a floating two-piston caliper with single 276 mm disc out back. ABS is standard on the R 1200 RS with varying levels of interference, depending on the selected Rider Fashion, and you can as well turn it off. The brakes are linked, so the front lever actuates both the front and rear brakes while the pedal only activates the rear.
The biggest change with the suspension from previous versions of the RS is the absence of the Telelever front end stop, replaced with a more sport-oriented inverted telescopic fork. A BMW EVO Paralever stupor keeps the rear in check. Our test bike was equipped with the latest version of BMW's Dynamic ESA (Electronic Suspension Adjustment). Those riders who prefer a manual interruption setup can forgo the electronic option, merely I would encourage you to at least test ride a D-ESA-equipped cycle before making upward your heed.
The D-ESA is just the tip of the iceberg for electronic goodies that BMW has packed into this wheel. The RS comes standard with ii rider modes, Rain and Road. In addition to controlling the sensitivity of the throttle response, these modes likewise regulate the level of interference from the ABS and the Automatic Stability Control systems.
ASC monitors rotation of the tires to regulate bike sideslip. Because of the way the system works, it also functions equally a manageably smooth "anti-wheelie" control. At one point, I gave the bike to our managing director and told him to take off and wide-open up the throttle in commencement gear. Later a hesitant starting time endeavor, his second try had him launching the bike with the front cycle lifting a few inches off the footing before comfortably setting back to the asphalt.
The next stride up in electronic rider aids from BMW is Ride Modes Pro, but our test bike did not have that choice. In addition to the Rain and Road presets, Ride Modes Pro adds an boosted "Dynamic" way, with minimal interference from ABS and ASC and throttle response maximized for aggressive sport riding. It besides adds a programmable "User" map and DTC, Dynamic Traction Control. DTC piggybacks on the ASC system to accept lean angle into business relationship for maximum stability while cornering.
The R 1200 RS tips the scales at 520 pounds, making the BMW lighter than most of the competition. By utilizing the boxer engine as a stressed member of the frame, engineers were able to cut weight and keep the center of gravity low. What you end up with is an extremely balanced automobile (a 51/49 split of weight over the front and rear wheels) that handles quite nicely in a diverseness of situations.
Testing the R 1200 RS
From the moment I picked upwards the RS from BMW'south headquarters in northern New Jersey, I began pouring on the miles. That first weekend was spent hitting up backcountry roads exterior of Philly. That included 250 miles two-upwards with a friend, who said the rider seat was more comfy than that of whatsoever of the other bikes she has ridden with me. Sunday was spent riding with my dad. Stopping for coffee, he commented that while our tastes in motorcycles are usually a scrap different, this might be 1 of the few bikes we could agree on.
On Mon morning I put the BMW to apply as my regular commuter. Faced with Philly traffic, the R 1200 RS felt like a caged bird that refused to sing. This cycle craves long sweeping curves, non the low speeds of city streets, where it was a bit cumbersome.
Later a week in the physical jungle, nosotros broke out and headed south to the scenic overlooks and snake-like curves of Virginia's Skyline Drive. During the week, we faced rain, fog, and wet leaves, all of which made the 35 mph speed limit set by Shenandoah National Park seem a bit more realistic. As it goes with any rainy trip, our last day was absolutely beautiful, so I decided to take the long mode dwelling house. Temperatures ranged from the 60s to the mid-30s, then I was thankful for the optional heated grips and cranked them to full power. The 35 mph speed limit was laughable in dry weather condition, as the RS pulled through the corners like a tank and I traversed nearly all 109 miles of the drive with one eye on the road and the other on the lookout for park rangers.
By the time I dropped off the wheel, I had tackled virtually 2,300 miles in just over two weeks.
BMW R 1200 RS highlights
For me, the boxer twin stole the show. This engine doesn't requite a shit nearly trying to impress you with some unrealistic height horsepower number. Rather, it provides the rider with large fat torque and useable power throughout the rev range. Power commitment feels incredibly smooth and balanced across the power band and fueling was spot on. While the boxer twin sets the RS apart from the large triples and inline-fours of the competition, it is the brakes and suspension that volition have you lot going fast.
The Brembos slow this bike down like a frying pan to the face. While I did find that the overly progressive feel to the lever took some getting used to, once I was comfortable, I had as much fun stopping equally I did going. Y'all volition be able to ride harder into a corner and brake later on, while the suspension works flawlessly to keep the bike completely balanced while accelerating through the twisties.
This intermission is one of the best I accept ever used. I was able to punch in the perfect corporeality of preload and damping with the button of a push button. Only it doesn't stop there. A jump travel sensor on the rear shock works in conjunction with a separate banking concern-angle sensor to permit the system to continually adjust damping in a matter of milliseconds, all while taking lean angles into account. If you're not a fan of manually adjusting your suspension, D-ESA is for you lot. The machines are learning and damned if they are not better than we are.
The engineers over at BMW designed the chassis of the RS to assist span the gap between the worlds of sport and touring. By giving the RS 27.7 degrees of rake, 4.5 inches of trail, and a threescore.2-inch wheelbase, they created a bike that is extremely stable at highway speed. Then, they used weight distribution to maintain a sporting feel. The RS handled two jobs meliorate than could exist expected, only with the relatively lazy geometry of the chassis, don't wait the full-fledged nimbleness of a sport bike. Riders coming from the sport realm volition notice it requires a good for you amount of rider input to wrestle it through tighter corners.
Would I have liked the take chances to play with the "Dynamic" way offered past the "Ride Modes Pro" option? Sure. Did I feel like I was missing anything with only the "Road" way at my disposal? Absolutely not.
R 1200 RS lowlights
Our test bicycle priced out at $18,245. For that toll, it included a lot of bully extras that I wouldn't want to skip, like heated grips, electronic cruise control, Dynamic ESA, and Gear Shift Assistance Pro, but it didn't include hardbags. BMW, how are you going to sell a sport-touring motorcycle and not include the principal item needed to actually tour with this cycle? While others might discover these of import, I would gladly cede the chromed exhaust, tire force per unit area monitor, tank cover, and GPS preparation kit (that doesn't actually include the GPS unit) in favor of difficult baggage.
The gearbox in our RS was a bit temperamental at lower speeds. The bulk of the fourth dimension, the bike shifted like a hot knife through butter, but every now and and then it would get caught up in neutral or shift extremely heavy. Delight annotation that this occurred while actuating the clutch to shift gears. Gear Shift Assist Pro is designed to work best once the bike is articulate of second gear and you are shifting from third through sixth.
While I personally enjoyed the RS's slightly more sporting tuck, it is important to note that I am 32 years old. BMW's target audience for this cycle likely ranges from guys my age to folks my dad's age. Considering the beginning words out of my dad's mouth after sitting on the RS were "I would desire risers," my estimate is that this sentiment is going to be echoed by a portion of potential RS customers. A possible solution would exist for BMW to offer riser options the style it offers high and low seat options.
I was almost disappointed with the dash display. BMW is very proud of the TFT (Thin-film Transistor) display with three dissimilar styles riders can choose from and more information than you lot could perhaps demand. My primary two issues are with the digital tachometer (it lags behind engine speed) and the analog speedometer (with numbers besides tiny too see). I have xx/20 vision and at a glance I had no thought whether I was going 40 mph or sixty mph (sorry, officeholder). While there is a setting to offer up a digital readout for the speedometer, it eliminates the tachometer. Information technology would accept been prissy to see an analog tach and a digital speedo. Continue it simple.
For all the money and blueprint that went into the R 1200 RS, at that place was no electrically adaptable windshield. This is a nicety that certain touring riders take come to await. I recognize that there is already plenty electronic wizardry on this bike to go wrong, and I would hate to have to foot the bill to fix it once the bike is out of warranty.
Lemmy already ranted quite finer in his S 1000 XR review about BMW'south confusing pricing, and so I am non going downwardly that road. To BMW's credit, they did say that if I wanted to order a base R 1200 RS, with no extras or add-ons, for the MSRP of $fourteen,995 it was possible to do and then. This would put the new RS closer to its Japanese competitors.
The competition
I was excited to ride the R 1200 RS because I miss the glory days of sport-touring motorcycles, when manufacturers essentially mounted bags and added bar risers to slightly larger sport bikes. One of my personal favorites was my one-time 1999 Honda VFR800, and I have been waiting to encounter the shift back toward the sporting side of sport-touring.
Honda took a stab at this by reintroducing the VFR800 Interceptor to the American market place in 2014. I was disappointed to see the VTEC engine hadn't gone the fashion of the Dodo, but the Deluxe version comes in at $13,499 offers ABS, 2-stage traction control, and a fully adaptable interruption. Pretending for a 2nd that yous were to opt for the bare-bones R 1200 RS, the Honda is still near $i,500 cheaper. And to be honest, I can't imagine many of you are considering the RS without at least some of those bells and whistles.
Like I mentioned earlier, our cycle, as tested, came in but over $18 grand and the merely thing missing was Ride Modes Pro with DTC. At that toll, the BMW has to be compared to some larger bikes like Yamaha's FJR1300, Kawasaki's Concours 14, and Triumph'south Trophy.
Yamaha but announced a huge facelift for the FJR1300 for 2016. The manual gets a 6th gear, rider modes, traction control, and ABS are at present bachelor, and the ES version features an advanced electronic suspension fix. Pricing for the new version is currently unavailable, but the MSRP on the 2015 ES version was $xvi,890, roughly $1,000 cheaper than our heavily equipped RS. The existent question for most riders is how Yamaha'south electronics, including their pause, will measure up against BMW's.
The Kawasaki Concours 14 is a knuckle-dragging brute with a ane,352cc inline-4 engine putting out 160 horsepower. For 2015 Kawasaki actually lowered the price to $15,499. Y'all're not going to find the advanced rider aids you have on the BMW and the "Connie" tips the scales at about 700 pounds.
The Triumph Bays SE is the only bike of these three that sports a higher price tag than the R 1200 RS. With an MSRP of $nineteen,499, it could exist argued that the Bays is approaching R 1200 RT territory. And we're back to the eternal argue of the sport-touring car.
In BMW'south lineup alone you could expect at bikes like the F 800 GT or the R 1200 RT as possible competition for the RS. With a base MSRP of $12,095, the GT appeals to riders looking for a smaller, lighter, more affordable machine, while the $18,125 RT is designed for riders looking for boxer ability with a focus on touring and comfort.
Finally, many riders accept seen bikes like BMW's S m XR, with street-oriented parts and a dash of risk-bike style, every bit the newest incarnation of the sport-tourer.
Determination
In instance you were wondering, the other key Brett offered me was for the BMW Due south m XR that Lemmy reviewed. I don't regret my conclusion for a second.
In BMW's lineup, the R 1200 RS gets lumped into their sport category, a designation I don't agree with. This is the closest matter to a classic sport-touring motorcycle that BMW has released in years. And with that it bears a cross of dual functionality. Similar the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, it is part backroad burner and part refined touring motorcar, and it works hard to split that difference well.
The R 1200 RS is an odd duck boxer twin in the world of big-triple and inline-four power. Information technology's too touring to be a sport cycle and too sporting to exist a touring wheel. Lord knows its price will make some riders belittle and dismiss it as luxury particular. Personally, I similar to remember of it as something to aspire to.
From the outset fourth dimension I threw my leg over the R 1200 RS, I was grinning like an idiot. This is my kind of machine. Then again, I also am an odd duck.
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Source: https://www.revzilla.com/common-tread/bmw-r-1200-rs-review
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