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New BMW Water-Cooled Boxer

Maybe the Camhead, i.e slight engine modification and other small changes, but the R1200RT has been in production since 2005 I believe.
At least mine is a late 2005.

No, BMW gives the "Camhead" a whole different model number, i.e. RT1200 10 (0440) while the "Hexhead" is RT1200 05 (0388) for USA versions.

The R100RT came in three versions, too, but all three were quite different bikes.

You wouldn't call all 535s the same car, would you?
 
No, BMW gives the "Camhead" a whole different model number, i.e. RT1200 10 (0440) while the "Hexhead" is RT1200 05 (0388) for USA versions.

The R100RT came in three versions, too, but all three were quite different bikes.

You wouldn't call all 535s the same car, would you?

Using that logic, every time there is a change in the related parts fiche, it would be a new model.

This is where you get into the different between a "model" and a "variant". The "model" is the R1200RT which has been in production from 2005 to now. The "model" is how BMW represents the bike to the public for sales, marketing and comparison purposes. Every DMV around uses the terms "make" (BMW) and "model" (R1200RT) to differentiate vehicles.

The camhead engine rather than being completely different, has a change to the cylinders and valve gear. Get down to the block, bore and stroke and other details and the differences disappear. A change in tupperware or switch gear is a minor cosmetic update of the same model.

BMW internally uses the number codes to designate differences in production "models" but that is a bit of a misnomer in the German to English translation. Other than my metric speedometer, how many differences are you going to find between my Canadian spec 0430 RT and an American 0440? I'll gladly stick with all R1200RTs as being the same model, with year-to-year and market-to-market production variations.
 
The camhead engine rather than being completely different, has a change to the cylinders and valve gear. Get down to the block, bore and stroke and other details and the differences disappear. A change in tupperware or switch gear is a minor cosmetic update of the same model.

It has a completely different exhaust system, too.

So, if the new water-cooled RT remained a 1200 and BMW called it R1200RT would you call it the same bike? Is 50 or 100cc enough to make it a different bike? Is the R900RT (Europe) a different bike?
 
It has a completely different exhaust system, too.

So, if the new water-cooled RT remained a 1200 and BMW called it R1200RT would you call it the same bike? Is 50 or 100cc enough to make it a different bike? Is the R900RT (Europe) a different bike?

You are now speculating to justify your argument.
You don't "know" if the new water cooled Boxer will be called a R1200RT.
Looking at BMW's history, the chances are remote at best that a completely new bike would have the same designation.

Model ranges as an example: R100RT, R1100RT, R1150RT, R1200RT

Incremental version changes is what we are seeing, i.e: 2003 R1150RT (single spark version), 2004 R1150RT (dual spark version).......
 
New Forum in the Garage

When will we get a new Forum in the Garage -- "H2O Head"?

IMO I love both BMWs I own but I vote in favour of water cooling. I always think of piston slapping and shock cooling shrinking the cylinder onto the piston when I ride my 2011 "Camhead".
 
New R Boxer

As we don't have a "Wasserkopf" section yet, I post this here:

More and more pictures surface of "close-to-production" look, new watercooled R bikes, leading to the speculation that BMW plans SOP soon. The 2012 Intermot will probably be the platform for the introduction to the public.
Interesting feature seems the new transmission will cause the swinarm to move to the left.
 

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re: left side swing arm....that brings it 'in line' with the newer K's now, for manufacturing simplcity across platforms?
 
I'm really curious where the fuel tank is. Given that the intakes are now vertical I would assume the airbox is right above the engine with the intake facing forward either around the steering head or to the side of the body panels.

In the past the fuel tank was above the engine, and the battery and airbox were behind and below the fuel tank. I wonder if BMW swapped them around, put the fuel tank below the seat, and the battery and airbox in front of the fuel tank and above the engine.

If the fuel tank is behind/below the engine that moves a large weight lower and more central on the bike. That should improve the handling and responsiveness of the bike in general.
 
If the fuel tank is behind/below the engine that moves a large weight lower and more central on the bike. That should improve the handling and responsiveness of the bike in general.

Point well taken. But does the GS REALLY need improvements in that area?
I don't own one, but from what I see when we ride with others, the bike handles better than almost anything BMW builds.
 
Point well taken. But does the GS REALLY need improvements in that area?
I don't own one, but from what I see when we ride with others, the bike handles better than almost anything BMW builds.

It would help when picking it up when it has a full tank ... not that I would have any knowledge of such need :whistle
 
Oh for sure the current GS handles great! I have touched boot edges down in turns on the R12GS, even did my first ever dry pavement power slide on one! That'll tighten your shorts if you react to it wrong!

But one thing I noticed about the K16GTL is it handles very easily and predictably, which I'm guessing is because BMW located much of the big weight parts close to the bike's center of rotation. This makes it very nimble and easy to move even for a fairly heavy bike. If BMW can move the fuel tank from its high position on the current R/GS to a under the seat it may feel even lighter and more nimble.

Certainly it would help decrease that top heavy feel when fully fueled.
 
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