I've got an 02ST1100 ABS, and love it. There is nothing this bike does poorly. I prolly rode the ST 30,000 miles last year, and may 15,000 on other members of my modest fleet. I also have MBS, and live by the motto that the correct number of bikes to own is n+1, n being equal to what you currently have...
So I've been eying the newish R1200R, but they are a bit pricey new, without many used available. So I've got a friend selling a low mileage 2002 R1150R (previous engine model). Absolutely unmolested, nothing added since it was new. Borrowed it a few days ago, and have put about 100 miles on it so far. I have use of it this coming week, and I ride about 100 miles a day on my commute, so I'll have the opportunity to ... get used to it. Maybe. I've owned various bikes of every other major brand, but only looked at Beemers. Nothing really drew me in, and I never drank the Kool-Aid. The burnt orange R90S was the last Beemer I admired, but it was way out of my price range at the time... But I know of lots of folks who love their Beemers, won't ride/purchase anything else, and ride tens and even scores of tens of thousands of miles, happily all the way, Best Motorcycle in the World, etc, etc.
But... as much as I wanted to like, I was frankly underwhelmed. When compared to the ST1100, and even to my nakedized 84 GL1200, it felt like a farm implement. That may be a bit harsh, and my intent is not to bash the bike after so little seat time. But, but... the seatpeg/seat/bar relationship was uncomfortable, the stock "high" windshield was almost no different from NO windshield (I know, as I was sticking my head out to the side to compare...), pretty buzzy, odd gearing, useless mirrors at speed, and when you twisted the throttle, it was sort of like the captain of a ship communicating "more speed" to his first officer, who radioed to the engine room supervisor, who yelled to the firebox stoker crew chief, who yelled to the stokers, who started shoveling in more coal. Eventually things would speed up; but not before the hole in traffic you were trying to scoot into closed. Handling at low speeds/tight corners was definitely better; lower center of gravity and all that. But on my 3 mile dirt road driveway, I felt... disconnected from the front wheel. Less feedback with the tele-lever I guess. While I had read this in the past, it was hard to visualize it without being there first-hand. It may be that I'd get used to it, in the "what you don't know can't hurt you" frame of mind... but I dunno.
Anybody else tried one of these? I'd love to hear some feedback, especially from anyone who currently owns both these bikes. Interestingly enough, I attended the Cycle World/Progressive bike show in Phoenix yesterday. Was talking to a Beemer guy who seemed pretty knowledgeable. When relating my tale, a couple things came out. 1) You need some seat time to... appreciate the qualities of the Boxer. They will never be an ST1100/1300, but they have other attributes. His words, not mine. I also sat on the 2014 R1200R. Seems more comfortable than the R1150R; I think the pegs moved down and forward. 2) Then he said that I REALLY need to test an R1200R; an "improved in every aspect" motorcycle.
This am I looked at specs for the bikes, and added my now classic GL1200 (30 years old!) and the ST1300. The numbers tell most of the story:
Bike HP Torque
ST1100 100 81
R1150R 85 71
R1200R 109 85
GL1200 94 77
ST1300 117 86
These numbers are ( I think) accurate, but they came from different sources. But the relationship seems right, based upon my butt dyno. And yep, the R1150R is indeed the dog of the group. And I guess the R1200R has been upgraded a bit: it actually surpasses the ST1100 in both HP and torque. It is also right alongside the ST1300 in torque, which I find a more useful comparator than ultimate HP. Good trick, for a twin; wonder if they sacrificed any of that "renowned" reliability? Only time will tell.
Educating comments appreciated...
So I've been eying the newish R1200R, but they are a bit pricey new, without many used available. So I've got a friend selling a low mileage 2002 R1150R (previous engine model). Absolutely unmolested, nothing added since it was new. Borrowed it a few days ago, and have put about 100 miles on it so far. I have use of it this coming week, and I ride about 100 miles a day on my commute, so I'll have the opportunity to ... get used to it. Maybe. I've owned various bikes of every other major brand, but only looked at Beemers. Nothing really drew me in, and I never drank the Kool-Aid. The burnt orange R90S was the last Beemer I admired, but it was way out of my price range at the time... But I know of lots of folks who love their Beemers, won't ride/purchase anything else, and ride tens and even scores of tens of thousands of miles, happily all the way, Best Motorcycle in the World, etc, etc.
But... as much as I wanted to like, I was frankly underwhelmed. When compared to the ST1100, and even to my nakedized 84 GL1200, it felt like a farm implement
. That may be a bit harsh, and my intent is not to bash the bike after so little seat time. But, but... the seatpeg/seat/bar relationship was uncomfortable, the stock "high" windshield was almost no different from NO windshield (I know, as I was sticking my head out to the side to compare...), pretty buzzy, odd gearing, useless mirrors at speed, and when you twisted the throttle, it was sort of like the captain of a ship communicating "more speed" to his first officer, who radioed to the engine room supervisor, who yelled to the firebox stoker crew chief, who yelled to the stokers, who started shoveling in more coal. Eventually things would speed up; but not before the hole in traffic you were trying to scoot into closed. Handling at low speeds/tight corners was definitely better; lower center of gravity and all that. But on my 3 mile dirt road driveway, I felt... disconnected from the front wheel. Less feedback with the tele-lever I guess. While I had read this in the past, it was hard to visualize it without being there first-hand. It may be that I'd get used to it, in the "what you don't know can't hurt you" frame of mind... but I dunno.Anybody else tried one of these? I'd love to hear some feedback, especially from anyone who currently owns both these bikes. Interestingly enough, I attended the Cycle World/Progressive bike show in Phoenix yesterday. Was talking to a Beemer guy who seemed pretty knowledgeable. When relating my tale, a couple things came out. 1) You need some seat time to... appreciate the qualities of the Boxer. They will never be an ST1100/1300, but they have other attributes. His words, not mine.
I also sat on the 2014 R1200R. Seems more comfortable than the R1150R; I think the pegs moved down and forward. 2) Then he said that I REALLY need to test an R1200R; an "improved in every aspect" motorcycle.This am I looked at specs for the bikes, and added my now classic GL1200 (30 years old!) and the ST1300. The numbers tell most of the story:
Bike HP Torque
ST1100 100 81
R1150R 85 71
R1200R 109 85
GL1200 94 77
ST1300 117 86
These numbers are ( I think) accurate, but they came from different sources. But the relationship seems right, based upon my butt dyno. And yep, the R1150R is indeed the dog of the group. And I guess the R1200R has been upgraded a bit: it actually surpasses the ST1100 in both HP and torque
. It is also right alongside the ST1300 in torque, which I find a more useful comparator than ultimate HP. Good trick, for a twin; wonder if they sacrificed any of that "renowned" reliability? Only time will tell. Educating comments appreciated...
