BMW R 1200 S

BMW has fired its most serious shot ever in a bid to capture a slice of the hyper sports market by launching to the world's press the R 1200 S. Following on from the successful R 1100 S (which sold in excess of 30,000 units worldwide) the bike features the most powerful production Boxer powerplant ever offered out of the Berlin-based plant.

The bike complements BMW's seriously capable range and offers it the opportunity to play in markets it has previously only touched on - the hyper sports category. And make no mistake. This thing is quick and quick where it matters. It gets out of corners with the spring of a hunting puma and that's where the time is gained in spirited road going. Forget all that guff about screaming redlines and 45grams shaved off last year's model. 'Fast' is to be found in midrange torque numbers. At least on the road. And that's where we ride isn't it?

THE HEART OF THE MATTER
The bike claims 122hp at 8800rpm (the tallest redline of any Boxer offering ever), and 12.4kg-m of torque at 6800rpm. The R 12 weighs in at a competitive 190kg which adds up to an impressive 1.7 kg per horsepower. Those are serious sports numbers right there.

The compression ratio is now up to 12.5:1 which is a record high for an oil and air-cooled unit. The manifestation of all that squish is buckets of torque at low and midrange engine speeds, and after a day's riding out of Cape Town and on the Killarney race circuit, I can attest to the improvement over the R 1100 S. The bike fairly leaps out of corners and with the majority of the bike's weight held low and forward, sports riders will be well pleased with the agility offered by the R 12.

The improved performance can also be sheeted home to five millimetre larger throttle bodies that deliver the fuel/air mixture via a variable transmission system. In simple terms, the delivery is not linear, rather constantly electronically updated to provide optimum fuelling across the rev range.

The bike now features more aggressive steering geometry, with a 24 degree steering rake and 87 millimetres of trail, which sets off the increased wheelbase of 1487mm (up from 1478 on the R 1100 S).

High lean angle ability of 52 degrees is achievable and clearance will not be an issue therefore.

 Regular readers will probably be sick of hearing this, but here goes... BMW builds the most rider-friendly motorcycles on the planet. When it comes to ergonomics, competitors should grab this bike, measure the various relationships (seat to pegs, seat width, screen height to helmet position, knee-bend, forward cant, arm height, reach to bars... That will do for now), and replicate them. They are just about as good as it's going to get and certainly put a lie to the theory that you need your clacker to have an unfettered view of the road above to provide sports competence. That's a total crock and we, as consumers, deserve better. Last time I looked, I used my eyes to see the road ahead. Chances are, so will you.

On that front there seems to be a slow awakening among BMW's peers that this is the case and sports offerings are becoming more comfortable as a result, but it has been a long time coming. BMW is to be congratulated on this one. The 1200 S is sporting, no doubt, but you could ride it to the moon and get off it without heading to the nearest apothecary and ordering a gross of hospital grade Deep Heat. Big marks.

 The bike was tested with the optional Ohlins suspension set-up, and, while this is a little unfair when it comes to attempting to represent the bike in standard trim, the fact is the chassis works delightfully.

In light of testing the bike's suspension capabilities, it has to be said that the route out from Cape Town utilised very well-surfaced tarmac (the roads in South Africa are amazingly well-constructed), but motorway running was like riding a magic carpet and tighter mountain passes, highlighted how well-suited the Ohlins arrangement is when matched to BMW's fab Telever/Paralever set-up.

Handling is a high point. The bike drops neatly into corners and the manner in which it pulls off the bottom with predictable, strong torque complements its sure-footedness. Getting out of bends and sling-shotting the bike off a lean towards the next tightening cliff-lined corner offered wide-eyed fun-aplenty. This thing is comfortable at serious pace and inspires confidence in real sports territory. A true sports bike and, dare I say it, BMW's best sporty ever.

 The screen offers good protection, pillions are only reasonably catered for and the lack of a fuel gauge is a big oversight for mine. It looks lovely and is built like a BMW (and a bike that costs well over $20K) should.

ALSO...
There is the usual huge range of quality BMW options available for the bike, the highlights of which are a six-inch rear wheel that will happily take a 190-section rear tyre (quite a feat for a shaft drive bike), and Ohlins suspension for both front and rear. As mentioned, test bikes at the launch featured the Ohlins option and, while I can't report on the standard suspension's capabilities, the Ohlins set-up could well be worth the extra quids. Suspension was a highlight, both on mountain twisties and indeed during the extensive track work undertaken during the launch.

SO...
Time will tell, and the market will make its own choices, but for mine this is an outstanding motorcycle and represents a big improvement on what was already a good bike.

FEATURES ATA GLANCE
Air-cooled 1170cc flat twin engine with balance shaft
Electronic BMS-K engine management with dual ignition, knock control, two oxygen sensors, and three-way catalytic converter
Three piece frame structure constructed of steel and aluminium tubes
LED tail light
Under and over underseat exhaust
New lighter ABS system
Wide accessory range

ENGINE
Type: Air/oil-cooled, OHV, four-valve, four-stroke, fuel-injected, horizontally-opposed twin cylinder
Bore x stroke: 101 x 73mm
Displacement: 1170cc
Compression ratio: 12.5:1

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six-speed, constant mesh
Primary drive: Gear
Final drive: Shaft

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame type: Space frame with engine as stressed member
Front suspension: BMW Telelever, 110mm travel
Rear suspension: BMW Paralever swingarm, full adjustable monoshock, 120mm travel
Front brake: Twin 320mm discs, four-piston calipers, optional ABS
Rear brake: Single 265mm disc, two-piston caliper, optional ABS

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Dry weight: 190kg
Seat height: 830mm
Fuel capacity: 17lt

PERFORMANCE
Max power: 122hp at 8800rpm
Max torque: 12.4kg-m at 6800rpm

OTHER STUFF
Price: $21,000-21,750 depending on colourchoice
Colours: Night black, White Aluminium, Yellow, Red/Titanium Silver
Test bike supplied by: BMW Motorrad, Germany