Monday 27th April 2015

BMW R1200 RS: PH2 Review

A bike for all seasons and a typically solid performer from BMW

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I have a theory about the new R1200RS and its naked sibling, the R1200R. If you are over 40 years old you will love the RS, if you are under the R is much more likely to float your boat. Everyone seems to have an opinion on them and my pub research holds out my theory. The reason? Thanks to their incredibly high level of technology, not to mention the seriously peppy partially water-cooled engine and sharp styling, BMW's boxer models have shed their old man reputation and are now actually pretty cool bikes in their own right.

There is nothing wrong about being seen on a boxer BMW, the dealer network is excellent and if you use a bike day in, day out, then BMWs come with a lot of plus points such as high residual value and easy finance options. So why do over 40s like the RS and under 40s the R? The R says "I still like to be a bit silly" as it doesn't have a fairing where the RS is certainly a bit more of a sensible option for the more practically minded. Which is no bad thing at all.

R or RS, what's the difference?

The bare bones of the R and RS are identical and the RS is basically an R with a half-fairing, different bars and slightly altered geometry. Price-wise there is hardly anything in it and they both offer the same level of accessories and options. The base model RS has ABS as standard and basic traction control, the Sport version adds dynamic traction control, gear shift assist, Pro riding modes and a bit of bling while the Sport SE is the full monty with semi-active suspension and cruise control added to the party along with some more practical extras such as luggage racks. That said, BMW reckons 70 per cent of the UK's sales will be the SE model as virtually nobody buys a base BMW and you can always spec your bike as you wish anyway.

Competent performer
Like the R version PH2 tested recently, the RS is a very hard bike to criticise as, in typical BMW fashion, it does everything extremely well. The riding position feels almost identical to the R aside from the slightly different bars and it is all-day comfortable with a decently padded seat (which has various height options) and low pegs. The dash is the same LCD as on the R so you get a variety of display options if you fancy prioritizing rpm over mpg and although the numbers on the analogue speedo are a little jumbled and small it's a smart cockpit.

The new half fairing has a screen that can be adjusted into two positions by hand and then altered on its mounting points to give two further heights. It's not electronic and at anything over walking pace you can't alter it while on the go due to the wind pressure and overall it wasn't hugely effective. Naturally BMW sells a taller aftermarket item and it doesn't detract from the bike's practicality too much.

Surprisingly sprightly

Testing the bike on the excellent roads around southern Spain the RS proved considerably more nimble than most would expect from a boxer engined BMW. The geometry is certainly more aimed towards stability than agility, and at 236kg the RS is quite a heavy bike, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy the bends.

With the wonderful semi-active suspension set to two people mode (adding an imaginary pillion increases the shock's spring preload, sharpening the handling) the RS turns reassuringly into corners and then sits there totally planted thanks to its relaxed attitude. Then, when it comes to powering out, the boxer engine delivers huge drive and the dynamic traction control deals with any slides with minimal interference. I know some riders aren't keen on electronics on bikes, but I would always spec a BMW up to the hilt as its systems are excellent and can be turned off at the push of a button should you wish. That said the gear shift assist is less convincing and I tended to find myself using the clutch on downshifts.

Too competent?
Having spent a day riding it at various speeds and on straight as well as twisty roads, I find it very hard to say anything negative about the RS. It is a brilliant bike that does absolutely everything you ask of it with minimal fuss and maximum efficiency.

However, I can't help but feel it is missing something. It's not a bike that leaves you excited or thrilled, mainly down to the fact it is so ruthlessly efficient. Is this a bad point? Not really, it's more the sign of a thoroughly well sorted machine, but some may crave more excitement. Yes, the RS's engine sounds amazing, the boxer is stacked full of torque, the electronics are outstanding and I really like the look, but it does feel a little too much like a workhorse to me where the R has a bit more of the fun factor about it. That said, I'm still under 40 and really enjoyed the R1200R so maybe I'm just not quite ready to be that sensible yet...

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BMW R1200RS
Engine: 1170cc boxer twin, 8v
Power: 125hp@ 7,750rpm
Torque: 92lb ft@ 6,500rpm
Top speed: 155mph (est)
Weight: 236kg (wet)
MPG: 50mpg (est)
Price: £10,835 (Sport £11,060 / Sport SE £12,915)

[garypotter]

Having ridden sports bikes all my riding life I now own a R100 RT and can appreciate the torque for the boxer engine and the shaft drive for commuting.
Yes i am over 40 yrs old and also own an automatic estate car...