Discussion
Thinking of biting the bullet and trading my R1200R for one
I ride my bike everyday, for commuting 10 miles each way, touring once/twice a year and weekend fun every now and again.
There are 2010s knocking about for absolute bargains, but there is just one concern, the small tank (18.5 litres).
Any long term VFR1200 owners able to comment on the tank range/mpg figures? Can it get 200 miles to a tank? My R1200R will comfortably go 250+ miles to the tank, making it a very practical machine, and I need that for my style of riding.
Another bike I have been looking at is the K1200S but due to a wrist injury its painful to use the BMW indicator cancel button for me so I'm looking for a conventional jap bike indicator setup, and the K1300S is way out of my budget unfortunately (factoring in insurance costs).
Another potential alternative is the K1200RS, but again it has the BMW indicators which is painful for me.
I ride my bike everyday, for commuting 10 miles each way, touring once/twice a year and weekend fun every now and again.
There are 2010s knocking about for absolute bargains, but there is just one concern, the small tank (18.5 litres).
Any long term VFR1200 owners able to comment on the tank range/mpg figures? Can it get 200 miles to a tank? My R1200R will comfortably go 250+ miles to the tank, making it a very practical machine, and I need that for my style of riding.
Another bike I have been looking at is the K1200S but due to a wrist injury its painful to use the BMW indicator cancel button for me so I'm looking for a conventional jap bike indicator setup, and the K1300S is way out of my budget unfortunately (factoring in insurance costs).
Another potential alternative is the K1200RS, but again it has the BMW indicators which is painful for me.
Edited by Waaarrrggghhh on Thursday 21st March 23:21
I can’t comment on the VFR1200 range but I do know there are great bikes to ride. The looks have never done it for me but if you’re happy to keep your eyes closed all the time then that won’t be a problem! 
There’s a reason why an otherwise excellent bike had such a short “shelf life” and is now available second hand so cheaply.
My suggestion would be to avoid the K1200S. I had one for 5 years (followed by two stints of 3 years each on a K1300S). The K1200S is a great bike for eating continents on and for commuting on but, and it is a really big BUT, it has some component issues that are well known and very expensive to fix. The brake servo, the coils, the radiator, the switch gear and the clutch top the list. If you were to buy one then I would recommend putting aside a substantial sum of money to cover the inevitable expense that will come, If you can afford to do that then you can afford a K1300S!
The K1200RS is a reasonable machine but it’s fundamentally a 1980’s design. They are solid, robust and pretty bullet proof. Likewise, they are heavy, ponderous and underpowered compared with the VFR1200/K1?00S. For commuting duty it would probably be ideal and it will do the motorway sections of Euro jaunts with ease but it’ll be less happy chasing around the mountain passes.
In your position, I’d definitely try the VFR1200 and be seeing if I could scrape together the money for a K1300S. If neither of those worked, I’d be looking at a BlackBird.
There’s a reason why an otherwise excellent bike had such a short “shelf life” and is now available second hand so cheaply.My suggestion would be to avoid the K1200S. I had one for 5 years (followed by two stints of 3 years each on a K1300S). The K1200S is a great bike for eating continents on and for commuting on but, and it is a really big BUT, it has some component issues that are well known and very expensive to fix. The brake servo, the coils, the radiator, the switch gear and the clutch top the list. If you were to buy one then I would recommend putting aside a substantial sum of money to cover the inevitable expense that will come, If you can afford to do that then you can afford a K1300S!
The K1200RS is a reasonable machine but it’s fundamentally a 1980’s design. They are solid, robust and pretty bullet proof. Likewise, they are heavy, ponderous and underpowered compared with the VFR1200/K1?00S. For commuting duty it would probably be ideal and it will do the motorway sections of Euro jaunts with ease but it’ll be less happy chasing around the mountain passes.
In your position, I’d definitely try the VFR1200 and be seeing if I could scrape together the money for a K1300S. If neither of those worked, I’d be looking at a BlackBird.
It's not the actual price of the k13 that is the issue, it's insurance.. for a k12, it's peanuts, but the k13 is insane. Same with the blackbird surprisingly, and it's also not a shaftie.
I actually rode a k1200rs for a week as a courtesy bike, and it was an absolute hoot in the twisties to my surprise. The handling felt superb. At the time if it didn't have COURTESY BIKE and various website addresses and phone numbers written all over it I would have offered to swap my R1200R with it right then and there.
I just find the R a bit of a dull ride.
I actually rode a k1200rs for a week as a courtesy bike, and it was an absolute hoot in the twisties to my surprise. The handling felt superb. At the time if it didn't have COURTESY BIKE and various website addresses and phone numbers written all over it I would have offered to swap my R1200R with it right then and there.
I just find the R a bit of a dull ride.
i looked at one before getting a zzr, i think the fact it was going out of production at the time (only euro 3) and the zzr was Eu4 put me off for future re-sale, there are issues with the rear suspension but they were easily dealt with under warranty or regular servicing, small tank was off-putting realistically only 150 miles for me
pity they never sold in numbers Honda might have invested in it - if only someone would make a powerful shaft drive sport tourer
pity they never sold in numbers Honda might have invested in it - if only someone would make a powerful shaft drive sport tourer
If you find the K1200RS “an absolute hoot in the twisties … The handling felt superb” then you’re in for a really pleasant surprise on any of the other bikes. The VFR, Balckbird and K1?00S all knock the K1200RS into a cocked hat for both balls-out performance and handling.
My only other suggestion is to try a bit more shopping around for insurance on a K1300S. BMW have their own insurance scheme so it may be worth asking your local dealer for a quote. I commuted 150 miles a day and did a number of Euro tours on both my K1300Ss and, for those jobs, you’d have to spend an awful lot of money to get anything that is as good! I know because I’ve just had to replace my last K1300S and BMW don’t make them anymore!
This gives me a good excuse to post a couple of pictures …
My only other suggestion is to try a bit more shopping around for insurance on a K1300S. BMW have their own insurance scheme so it may be worth asking your local dealer for a quote. I commuted 150 miles a day and did a number of Euro tours on both my K1300Ss and, for those jobs, you’d have to spend an awful lot of money to get anything that is as good! I know because I’ve just had to replace my last K1300S and BMW don’t make them anymore!
This gives me a good excuse to post a couple of pictures …
Edited by black-k1 on Friday 22 March 09:56
... and, just to make life a little more difficult for you ... This was taken on the Old Gits trip to the Picos in Northern Spain in 2016.
I'm not the only one who thinks the K1300S is a great all rounder ...
Mine is the Motorsport at the front but my old black/grey Sport is in the middle of the back row!
I have had a VFR1200F from new, put about 60000 km on it from new.
The cons: It does like a drink and the tank isn't too big but nothing that worried me. I got about 280-300 out of a tank.
I love it. It's fast, comfortable.
I pitted it against the K13 at the time but in my perception the quality wasn't on the same level on the BMW, and at the time they only offered a 2 year warranty as opposed to the honda's 3 years (which speaks volume about the trust in their own product imho).
With the VFR, everything just gelled, I got on it, the switchgear was great, position, steering.
I did a test drive with the dual clutch but I deemed that too insane. I've got the manual one and very happy with it.
It hasn't seen much rides in the past 3 years because of kids and a changed work situation.
The cons: It does like a drink and the tank isn't too big but nothing that worried me. I got about 280-300 out of a tank.
I love it. It's fast, comfortable.
I pitted it against the K13 at the time but in my perception the quality wasn't on the same level on the BMW, and at the time they only offered a 2 year warranty as opposed to the honda's 3 years (which speaks volume about the trust in their own product imho).
With the VFR, everything just gelled, I got on it, the switchgear was great, position, steering.
I did a test drive with the dual clutch but I deemed that too insane. I've got the manual one and very happy with it.
It hasn't seen much rides in the past 3 years because of kids and a changed work situation.
ZesPak said:
The cons: It does like a drink and the tank isn't too big but nothing that worried me. I got about 280-300 out of a tank.
What sort of riding was that? That is acceptable for a 170hp machine if you're ragging it but I wonder what you can get out of the tank from cruising in 6th gear on the motorway.Waaarrrggghhh said:
ZesPak said:
The cons: It does like a drink and the tank isn't too big but nothing that worried me. I got about 280-300 out of a tank.
What sort of riding was that? That is acceptable for a 170hp machine if you're ragging it but I wonder what you can get out of the tank from cruising in 6th gear on the motorway.https://www.motorcyclenews.com/bike-reviews/honda/...
300 miles from a tank?
Moulder said:
To clarify are we talking about one of these?
https://www.motorcyclenews.com/bike-reviews/honda/...
300 miles from a tank?
Kilometres.https://www.motorcyclenews.com/bike-reviews/honda/...
300 miles from a tank?
Moulder said:
As nobody else has jumped in with an exact figure... When not on the motorway it is the same as GSXR1000K6 in terms of range, so whilst this is not a definite figure either I would suggest no to 200 miles on a tank, probably nearer 140-160 miles.
Not quite as good a range as a GSXR750. Not great for a sports tourer really.Dr Jekyll said:
Kilometres.
I usually specify it on here but forgot, my bad.
It was a lot of motorway, but the bike just asks being ridden hard.
I think I hit 220 leptons on a daily basis where the road and lack of traffic allowed it. It's ridiculously stable at speeds it shouldn't be.
CousinDupree said:
Not quite as good a range as a GSXR750. Not great for a sports tourer really.
I never did really long journeys, but there was a period I had to fill up daily. It never bothered me and another bike would have me filling up any way.
I never got the obsession with it, my diesel car can go 1000km on a tank. I'm perfectly fine with my bike getting 280km, by that time I'm OK to get off it for a couple of minutes.
I can imagine it being a bit of an issue on long trips with no petrol station every 50km, but I haven't been in that situation just yet.
ZesPak said:
I usually specify it on here but forgot, my bad.
It was a lot of motorway, but the bike just asks being ridden hard.
I think I hit 220 leptons on a daily basis where the road and lack of traffic allowed it. It's ridiculously stable at speeds it shouldn't be.
I really want one of these as my next bike, but I keep arsing around and spending my cash on s
te I don't need. My dad has just moved on his second K1300S (an Anniversary model) and I am in no doubt it's superior to the VFR1200F in nearly every way, but I still want the VFR...! I could have had that Anniversary model if I had known he was getting rid.
te I don't need. My dad has just moved on his second K1300S (an Anniversary model) and I am in no doubt it's superior to the VFR1200F in nearly every way, but I still want the VFR...! I could have had that Anniversary model if I had known he was getting rid. Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff