Anyone have any experience with both the new 8th gen VFR and the new air/water cooled R1200 boxer motor or ride of the R1200RT? This new RS model looks interesting.
From BMW website: "The new sports touring bike derives its power from an output of 125 bhp delivered by an air/liquid-cooled 2-cylinder 4-stroke boxer engine with two overhead spur gear driven camshafts and a counterbalance shaft. In order to ensure stability on every country road, the highly active, electronically regulated suspension ASC (Automatic Stability Control) is featured as standard. Engine modes "Rain" and "Road" - likewise standard - provide an optimum riding experience."
I am curious to ride the new RS (not available to test locally until next March).
So in prep I recently rode my 04 to Cal Moto and went for a spin on the current RT to feel the motor for a future RS comparo and to see if it brought back any sensations from my old "76" R/6. It did.
No doubt the RT is a solid mile eater with the Telelever front end, shaft drive, clutchless shift assist gear changes, elec windshield adjust and all the gizmos.
What surprised me was that with all of the engine advancements from the Airhead days BMW did not get rid of the torque pull to the right as the motor is rev'd. Not noticeable once rolling except maybe under hard excelleration (not tested)
Perhaps an ode to the lineage, I didn't ask about it when I returned. For that $ I'd be content with the ever smooth ST 1300.
I know I don't want to feel that torque pull on the new R or RS.
Needless to say I was happy to ride off on the dialed in to my liking 6th Gen.
Before I bought my almost new 14 Deluxe, I was trolling through Craig's List for a possible good deal on a R1200RT, had never ridden one, and I was thinking of renting one for the day until I found the Deluxe. Couldn't justify spend twice what the VFR cost me for a new or late model BMW.
In CT, an R1200RS will run you about $4000 more than a VFR deluxe. I expected it to be closer, but the 4 dealers in the area all add a number of things to the bike that raise the "for sale" price.
Thanks all for your thoughts and experiences. Still waiting for a white 2015 to become available, but another local dealer just put their new 2014 Red dlx up for sale at $11,999 so am thinking--"red looks pretty good" :).
The boxer engine is a sweet, simple motor that is being made unnecessarily more complicated with the new water cooling and semi-active suspension to keep up with the competition on power, ride, and sexiness. The R bikes are silly easy to maintain for the most part in non watercooled form, and I have spent numerous hours considering an R bike to replace my K1200S. That change has been suspended due to recent investments in my K bike and would like to have some enjoyment of those changes before trading it in.
While I have not ridden any of the water cooled models, I have ridden 2004 R1150RS and 2008 R1200RT loaner bikes for several hundred miles each. Both engines are delightful and full of character, but they are not in any way similar to a VFR in character or power delivery. As mentioned above, the ST1300 would provide a more touring oriented V4 experience.
The torque pull to the right was only noticed on revving while stopped. While in motion, this is much less pronounced even when running the heck out of them. There is virtually no top end hit, so if you require this as part of your motorcycling affliction, look elsewhere. I would welcome this, since it does not encourage as much hooligan behavior. Both bikes had stock exhausts, which are nearly silent, even moreso than a stock VFR 6th gen exhaust.
The R bikes are exceptional for a more touring oriented sport touring steed. They both handle much better than their weights would suggest (very much similar to a VFR) and can keep up with most road semi-legal sport riding situations piloted by experienced riders, even in well-used form. For my own purposes, I would upgrade the suspension of a used older model to keep various hard parts off the deck.
The increase in power on the watercooled model combined with semi-active suspension completely transform the ride, or so I am told. This is intriguing from an overall performance perspective, but at a cost of increased complexity for maintenance and probable change in the ride experience. Are the tradeoffs worth it? The only way to see if the bikes are for you is to ride them, yourself.
Thanks 007 for the detailed feedback. Very helpful. I am interested in test riding the new RS but its not available until march or thereabouts. Guess I'll just have to wait. Plus the closest bmw dealer to me isn't open until march either so for it to be convenient I'll wait for them (they are the triumph dealer from which I bought my street triple).
I do really like the v4 feel and my brief experience test riding a gen 8 was fun. Plus I really like their look as well (vfrs).
Hi Windyrun.
Hope you decide on the VFR, and save some dollars. Have a real close look at how the VFR is finished off, build quality and attention to detail, engine castings and down to the screws fitting the fairing. In my humble opinion they are all superior to BMW, however buying a bike is such a personal thing and the Beemer may be more suited in other ways, its all about what you want. Good Luck.
Cheers.
Grum.
Not interested in that BMW. Seating position is too upright, handlebars are too high up. The 800F is pretty much the only model on the current market with a position half way between a sports bike and a tourer (30° lean angle for my size). Nicer engine or whatever can't replace that.
Good point Emil. According to cycle-ergos.com for a person that is 6' tall the comparative ergos are: '14 VFR: forward lean angle=25 degrees, knee=69, hip=63; '15 r1200rs: forward lean=17, knee=78, hip=73
Before I bought my VFR, I was toying with the idea of a BMW RT as I've enjoyed these when riding friend's "R" bikes. I reserved a 2014 RT from the local Eagle Rider outlet and went in to pick it up. I was delighted to find a literally brand new bike with only 40 miles on it. I got on the bike and tried to start it, feeling very silly that I had somehow missed the "secret" BMW starting method, as I could not get it started - clutch in or out, side stand up or down, whatever. I called the chap over who'd rented the bike and asked him if he would fire it up. He went through the same drill and met with the same result. Then he started wiggling things and it did fire up. He took it to their mechanic and he said that it was an electronic fault and needed to be returned to the dealer. So they wheeled out another 2014, this one with just 400 miles, and I happily took off for a day of riding. While I liked the bike, the heated grips had a mind of their own and would turn off and on without prompting from the rider. It had a surge at 65 mph which was at a minimum annoying. So when I returned it, the guy who'd rented it to me asked how I liked it. I said it was a great bike, but was disappointed with the surging and heated grips. His comment was, "We seem to have lots of electronic issues with these BMW's that we don't have with the Harleys or Hondas we rent." I told him I was thinking about trading from my 6th-gen VFR and he said, "If it were me, I'd keep the Honda! They're better motorcycles."
The flat twin has a nice thrum which offers more vibration than the VFR, the RT rides better than the VFR and I did enjoy the more upright riding position. I like the way the shaft drive "feels" and, for big bikes, the RT handles and stops well. When it came time to trade my '03 VFR, however, I bought a brand new eighth-gen and am thrilled I did so.
I've only ridden one BMW - a GS1200, I think it was. Weirdest bike I've ever been on. I was expecting masses of torque, and some character, but I was surprised by it. Hated the screen - heaps of turbulence behind it so it was noisy. The engine was very strange; it was like there was some factory or summat beavering away below me, that had little to do with the throttle, and less to do with the rate of progress. Perhaps it was assembling cardboard boxes or stamping out teaspoons or some other industrious endeavour, but it was very unlike a bike engine.
No thanks.
End of thread · 13 posts recoveredWayback Machine snapshot 1 Jun 2015