Long Termer: BMW R 1200 R

City Express

A few months ago, Spannerman introduced our long term BMW R 1200 R. The "R" is BMW's basic, street-fighter-style big boxer. Entry-level pricing for the 1200cc Bavarian steed is $18,750 plus ORC, a sharp-pencil price by BMW standards. So clearly BMW is making an effort with the "R" to introduce the delights of its grunty big twin to a new audience.

ITS NICHE
Let's move beyond the street-fighter label and look at some of the specifics of the BMW. There's nothing subtle about the R. It's an in-your-face naked with a big lumpy engine, a big lumpy tank, a huge muffler and an upswept sub-frame and seat cowl that exposes the fat back tyre. The wide 'bars push the rider into an upright position, with good control, that's ideal for traffic work, while the chassis, suspension and brakes combine to keep pure sports bikes honest in the twisties, when it gets out of town for a day.

So this is a bike whose known associates in the hooligan class would include the likes of Ducati Monsters, Triumph Speed Triples and Buell Lightnings. While you're absorbing that you should also take on board that the big boxer out-torques them all with a max output of 11.73kg-m at 6000rpm.

When the R passed from Spannerman to me, it took on my daily commute duty that involves inner-suburban streets, suburban arterial roads, "Free"-ways and some central-city work - almost all in heavy-traffic conditions.

CITY LIFE
It did its designers proud in this environment. Tin-toppers scratching themselves, or adjusting their climate-control settings - after the lights go green, will probably seldom see a backpack disappear as swiftly towards the horizon, as mine does on the R. The bike's huge torque, shortish gearing and modest weight (198kg dry) launch it very rapidly. You can keep the front tyre skimming the tarmac or you can elevate it, if that's your style (there's something of the big, fat super motard about it at times).

The suspension soaks up the worst our sub-standard city pavement throws at it. The chassis combined with the upright wide bars delivers an agile response that has the R ducking and weaving with immediacy, while retaining stability. The brakes are awesomely powerful and deliver reasonable feedback (the optional ABS on the test bike seems too keen, though, to shut down the rear brake - I would like to be able to squeeze a bit more out of it at times, taking it closer to lockup before the pedal-pulsing starts- while mercifully allowing the fronts to deliver really strong retardation on all surfaces).

The good ground clearance and the big bars allow you to easily pop it up kerbs for footpath parking.

The clutch and transmission are nice. Gear changing requires the usual, BMW-style, definite prods, but having said that, it changes reasonably quietly and cleanly. I haven't missed any changes or suffered any distractions. The Paralever shaft drive? You wouldn't even know it was there.

It needs premium unleaded but gets a good 17km/litre with spirited riding.

A city-ride grumble: When you're holding low, steady speeds, in low gears, the injection system finds it hard to cope. Slight on/off throttle movements tend to produce jerky responses. The bike prefers a firm hand on the throttle - but sometimes the conditions require you to be subtle. It seems to be an inherent problem with fuelling big twins. It can occur too when you fumble at times, with the thumb on your throttle hand, while finding the unfamiliar BMW indicator-cancelling switch. You give a small unintended throttle input and the bike lurches forward.

Overall it's a top city bike and a great commuter.

OUT OF TOWN
I've had a couple of quick dashes on the R through the best of the back roads of Central Victoria. You know the sort of trip - minimise the highway content, plenty of bends, a few hills, a stop for coffee, then home again - about 300km all up. It's very satisfying as you sit at a footpath table, waiting for your coffee, gazing at the bike that's two or three metres away, and hearing it tick and creak as all that hot metal cools down. And the cool-down sounds start you thinking that life doesn't get much better than being able to put that sort of heat into a capable bike by riding it rapidly but safely in the manner and conditions for which it was designed.

The torque of the R launches you from the exit of one bend to the brake point for the next in a thrilling manner. It's delivering in-line-four performance without the busy, shrill, in-line-four sound. This engine speaks with a deeper voice and with great authority. It powers the bike smoothly and predictably. It's a seriously fast bike, the R. Obviously if you want a bike with stratospheric top speed, you shouldn't be looking at a naked. But, make no mistake, this thing can produce numbers as big as most on a given road. It's just that there's a helluva wind blowing and there's nowhere to hide.

The Telelever, wishbone and ball-joint, front suspension is capable and confidence-inspiring allowing me to comfortably carry braking deeper into corners. For fast riding through bends with real-life bumps on our typical roads, I needed a bit more compliance than the standard suspension settings were delivering. Backing off the rear-spring preload a little (easily done in a minute with the under-seat hydraulic adjuster), gave me a lot of the improvement I needed.

During a Phillip Island visit I found myself on some dirt and gravel roads. The R wasn't too bad at it. The riding position and the wide bars seemed to compensate for the unsuitable wide sports tyres. It's no GS, but it kept up a reasonable pace without frightening me.

TOURING
Towards the end of a 300km day you realise that the seat ain't meant for touring. You could tour on it (I think Spannner's even planning to do it) but it's really a street-fighter seat - all muscle and not much cushion. The co-pilot enjoyed a 20-minute dink on the pillion perch but was quick to make excuses when the next opportunity came her way. Part of the essence of the street-fighter idea is that it's a rider's steed - his steed. I've heard that the Lone Ranger was never comfortable about giving Tonto a dink on Silver.

THE VERDICT SO FAR
It's a lot of bike with a lot of attitude for less than the usual cost of BMW big boxer ownership. It does everything you ask of it, effortlessly. It's very easy to have a good time on an R 1200 R.

TOOL TIME
I came out to fire up the R one morning and found the back tyre flat - a big ugly nail right in the centre of the tread. So it was time to whip off the back wheel and take it away to be repaired.

Out came my ?-drive hex-bit set. Back went my ?-drive hex-bit set. The back wheel bolts are Torqx-type, the modified version of the hexagonal "Allen" type.

After borrowing a Torqx bit I slackened off the back wheel. Not there yet. The muffler needs to come off to allow the wheel to be pulled clear. Yes, you guessed it, the muffler brackets have Torqx bolts - smaller sizes than the one I had borrowed.

So I'm now the proud owner of a full set of ?-drive Torqx bits (I will finally have to turf the Whitworth stuff to make room in the toolbox).

If you're into home maintenance, be it on a new Beemer or any other new bike, it's probably time to buy a set of Torqx bits. Torqx bolts were rare but they're becoming common on bikes.