The best Sports Tourer...

BMW-Fahrer · Post by **BMW-Fahrer** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 3:16 am

...according to BIKE.First the VFR,and now the F800 also got to beat the ST3S and Sprint ST;even the GSXR750;except for the track were it was placed 2nd behind the GSXR.
Not bad but can it replace the R1100S?I like the F800S especially it's low weight and resulting nimbleness as also it's low fuel consumption.But something is missing for me.Coming from a boxer it feels to mainstream or not unique enough to me.Not as bland as a 4 cylinder but not as special as a boxer or guzzi.I can't help to think how much better the 30hp more powerful R1200S even would have been if all the useful items available for the F800ST would have been also available for the R1200S as optios!?One sure can hope with the R1200S-HP2 being intruduced this weekend in Paris that they make all the options available to be able to turn the R1200S into the outstanding and unique sports-tourer it could have been from day one...
I keep my fingers crossed

throttlemeister · Post by **throttlemeister** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 4:28 am

Christian, you are sounding like a broken record. Get a life.

YouTube · Post by **Paul** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 6:39 am

OK

I'll take the bait...

I had a couple of R1100S's which I loved. I got off my last one at speed last September and it was written off. I test rode the R1200S and F800S. I'd rate the F800S (which I bought) as a lighter more nimble R1100S with similar performance. The R1200s is like a (lighter nimbler) 1100S on steroids.

The reason I went with the F800S was that it did everything my R1100s did and I could load it with panniers and a top box. At the time the R1200S had no pannier option.

I've just had some recall work done on my F800S and I took out an R1200S for the day to play on, half thinking I might swap bikes, now that panniers are available, because I do kinda miss the character of the Boxer engine. I really enjoyed the 1200S and would have no qualms about owning one, other than the price. I was offered £4k for my bike (1 year old, 9k miles), against an £8k second hand R1200S with sports pack (1 year old, 2.5k miles). The 1200 is a better, more fun bike than my 800, but I don't think it's £4k better... When you factor in the cost of the replacement exhaust and pannier rack bits (I could re-use my F800 pannier boxes apparently) it becomes a £5k+ trade which is just silly money for what would be an incremental upgrade for me.

So there you have it, my 5p. If you want a similar package to your beloved R1100S, its the F800(s/st). If you want more zing and the option of panniers (which is all the R1100S ever had for touring) go 1200S with panniers. What's your dilemma? A 1200S with panniers will do everything an 1100S with panniers could, and then some. It will go further on a tank of fuel and go faster too, whilst carrying the same amount of luggage. I suspect I'm going to regret asking this but what exactly is it that your R1100S does better in sports touring mode than a R1200S with panniers could?

Paul

snavetrauts · Post by **snavetrauts** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 8:31 am

BMW-F will no doubt answer Or just copy in one of his previous texts.... but for me the only downside to the 1200S is the passenger capability..... this is only as compared to the 1100S.

As the 1200 was not really intended for passengers (imho) it must score really highly for those out there who want to rip up the miles accross europe with panniers and in that regard.... throw overs or back pack would be as good

My 2p

Stuart

Boxered · Post by **Boxered** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 8:33 am

Ooh, wait while I get myself some popcorn, this should be good

Steve

PBBoxer · Post by **PBBoxer** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 8:36 am

John Clarke of Tayside is offerring some R1200s's and extremely hot prices. £7900 and down for fully loaded with 6 or 7 miles on them.

http://www.johnclarktaysidebmw.co.uk/mo ... bikes.html

Get it done!

Cant believe Im replying to his post again, but the ONLY thing where a 1200s isnt as good as the 1100 in my view, is purely pillion seat comfort. Everything else rocks.

stoney · Post by **stoney** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 8:46 am

Paul wrote:I was offered £4k for my bike (1 year old, 9k miles), against an £8k second hand R1200S with sports pack (1 year old, 2.5k miles).

I guarantee you'll get a better deal than that from shopping around. I saw a private sale of an '06 r1200s (granted in the yukky colgate colours

) for £6500 with just £6k miles on in MCN last week. Thats what I got trade-in for my '05 19000 miler GS!

PBBoxer · Post by **PBBoxer** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 8:52 am

stoney, are you up for playing out in the dales?

stoney · Post by **stoney** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 9:05 am

PBBoxer wrote:stoney, are you up for playing out in the dales?

When?

PBBoxer · Post by **PBBoxer** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 9:20 am

now onwards!

BMW-Fahrer · Post by **BMW-Fahrer** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 2:42 pm

Paul to answer your question you made some good points.A friend bought a R1200S after trading in his 03 Boxercup and I got to ride it for a weekend.
Anyways you are right when you say the F800S will do anything the R1100S does.I think it is even a little faster due to lighter weight.Only the bags are a minus which are smaller compared to the R1100S which can be a tight fit on a touring trip for 2 people.But the F800 feels to generic almost japanese to me.I would miss the boxer engine.
The R1200S I like a lot.But the difference to the R1100S is not as big as some people want you to believe.It really comes down to two things.You either get the additional top end rush and 15mph higher top speed with the R1200S or the anmeneties like bigger bags,2 up ability and practical center stand with the R1100S.It's is a personal decision which is more important to you.The R1100S is also a hair more comfortable with higher bars and better padded seat.Too bad that you have to make that decision and can't have both with the new bike.The 130 mile + 40 mile reserve tank range is to small on both...
Anyways with the "real" HP2-S sportboxer introduced this weekend on the 28th in paris it would only make even more sense not to have to make those decision between the advantages that the R1200S or the R1100S,anymore...
Like I said,keep your fingers crossed...
Until then, for me at least and looking at the sales obviuosly a lot of other riders ,too, the additional power of the new one is not persuasive enough to give up on the pratical advantages of the old one.And yes the F800S/ST are great bikes but for a boxerfan too normal/generic/japanese/flavourful enough...

PS:To turn the question around, what does the R1200S better than the R200S-HP2-Sport?It has panniers...

?

But the HP2-S will have an 23 litre "endurance-tank".What a wasted opportunety...

stoney · Post by **stoney** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 3:45 pm

PBBoxer wrote:now onwards!

Cheers Paul. Beats working - nice wee ride. My tyres are now nearly scrubbed in for the weekend! Thats a beast you've got there! Man its fast!

overipe&keen · Post by **overipe&keen** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 6:59 pm

You wait until I get hold of you this weekend. Ugly Colgate colours, how very dare you!!!!

stoney · Post by **stoney** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 7:15 pm

overipe&keen wrote:You wait until I get hold of you this weekend. Ugly Colgate colours, how very dare you!!!!

ooopppssss

winger · Post by **winger** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 7:53 pm

Funny old thing e'h!!! i don't do panniers(there for people who don't know how to pack) and def don't do center stands,not on my S anyway,and my wife doesn't garden benchs sold as motorcycle pillion seats.