Hello all!
I'm not a prolific forum poster, but I'm a big BMW Motorrad fan. I've had my F700GS for close to 3 years now, and while it's an excellent bike, it does leave me wanting more. It's just a very "easy" bike -- easy to ride, easy to handle... good maneuverability at low speed, decent pickup, good versatility, dang near perfect for commuting to work daily. But.. it's lacking some of that "thrill" factor that gets people riding to begin with. I love it dearly, but between not having that "je ne sais quoi" as well as not feeling quite as stable as I'd like at highway speeds for extended periods of time, combined with the fact that I never go off-road, it may not be the right bike for me.
For some time I was considering an Aprilia Tuono Factory (the 2 cyl, not the RSV4). To me it represented a step up in terms of power and fun, without sacrificing much comfort due to the upright seating position and the fact that the bike is about the same size. But lately I've been thinking.. why not go bigger? I've considered other bikes, including what is purported to be a more user friendly bike in the R1200R, plus the flagship R1200GS/R1250GS, but I ask about the K bike because this particular opportunity seems to have fallen into my lap.
Specifically, I have a chance to grab a K1200R for a negotiable $5k. This particular bike has been lightly and tastefully modded, and very well kept and loved, and currently has 50k miles, which in the world of BMW motorcycles I don't think is "high mileage" for a well maintained bike. Please correct me if I'm wrong. It does have a broken fuel level sensor, which I know is a common problem, and needs new tires. It also has a couple minor cosmetic issues. Otherwise it's freshly serviced and good to go.
I think my two main concerns are reliability/maintenance, and ease of riding. Yes, it's a larger 4 cyl bike, riding it will not be the cakewalk that my GS is, but different bikes of similar size and weight still manage to handle differently. It's not a super common bike, and the info I have found is at times conflicting. I know it's an altogether different beast from my GS. I did find a youtube review where a rather petite female rider seems to have no issues handling the K12 (
) which gives me some confidence. I am a 6 foot tall male, but I'm partially disabled (think just generally weak in terms of muscle strength due to nerve damage, which is improving with time and therapy), and want to make sure that I can handle the bike from the get-go. Part of me wants to be cautious. The other part of me, which is the part that got me riding to begin with, is telling me that I've grown beyond the F700GS.
I would like to be able to take longer road trips on my new bike. I've done half days of traveling on the GS, and a few hours of highway at a time, but the highway driving particularly has never felt super confident on the smaller, skinny-tired GS, and longer trips leave me a bit more exhausted than I'd like. I'd also like a good commuter through suburbs, rural areas, and highways, that's rewarding to drive. But the main thing is more fun and more power. On paper, the K1200R seems to fit the bill. Other bikes do as well, but as I mentioned, this unexpected deal kind of fell into my lap, and I'm trying to differentiate providence from a red herring.
Any advice or input regarding the ownership or riding experience of this bike would be greatly appreciated!! Thank you
I'm not a prolific forum poster, but I'm a big BMW Motorrad fan. I've had my F700GS for close to 3 years now, and while it's an excellent bike, it does leave me wanting more. It's just a very "easy" bike -- easy to ride, easy to handle... good maneuverability at low speed, decent pickup, good versatility, dang near perfect for commuting to work daily. But.. it's lacking some of that "thrill" factor that gets people riding to begin with. I love it dearly, but between not having that "je ne sais quoi" as well as not feeling quite as stable as I'd like at highway speeds for extended periods of time, combined with the fact that I never go off-road, it may not be the right bike for me.
For some time I was considering an Aprilia Tuono Factory (the 2 cyl, not the RSV4). To me it represented a step up in terms of power and fun, without sacrificing much comfort due to the upright seating position and the fact that the bike is about the same size. But lately I've been thinking.. why not go bigger? I've considered other bikes, including what is purported to be a more user friendly bike in the R1200R, plus the flagship R1200GS/R1250GS, but I ask about the K bike because this particular opportunity seems to have fallen into my lap.
Specifically, I have a chance to grab a K1200R for a negotiable $5k. This particular bike has been lightly and tastefully modded, and very well kept and loved, and currently has 50k miles, which in the world of BMW motorcycles I don't think is "high mileage" for a well maintained bike. Please correct me if I'm wrong. It does have a broken fuel level sensor, which I know is a common problem, and needs new tires. It also has a couple minor cosmetic issues. Otherwise it's freshly serviced and good to go.
I think my two main concerns are reliability/maintenance, and ease of riding. Yes, it's a larger 4 cyl bike, riding it will not be the cakewalk that my GS is, but different bikes of similar size and weight still manage to handle differently. It's not a super common bike, and the info I have found is at times conflicting. I know it's an altogether different beast from my GS. I did find a youtube review where a rather petite female rider seems to have no issues handling the K12 (
I would like to be able to take longer road trips on my new bike. I've done half days of traveling on the GS, and a few hours of highway at a time, but the highway driving particularly has never felt super confident on the smaller, skinny-tired GS, and longer trips leave me a bit more exhausted than I'd like. I'd also like a good commuter through suburbs, rural areas, and highways, that's rewarding to drive. But the main thing is more fun and more power. On paper, the K1200R seems to fit the bill. Other bikes do as well, but as I mentioned, this unexpected deal kind of fell into my lap, and I'm trying to differentiate providence from a red herring.
Any advice or input regarding the ownership or riding experience of this bike would be greatly appreciated!! Thank you
