R1200RS without bags, really!

romany · Dec 20, 2015

How can BMW sell the R1200RS without side cases as standard equipment? This is suppose to be the companies iconic sport touring bike. All that history wrapped up in a marketing blanket: flat twin reliability, handling, smooth, long distance touring. Except you have to cancel your first couple of tours to pay the ransome for the side cases.

Kind of like buying a convertible without a roof.

How about the MOA executives taking the BMW marketing, bean counters, president et all, aside and giving them a sincere; "Come On Man!" After all the big brother RT comes with cases.

BMARC153920 · Dec 20, 2015

romany said:
How can BMW sell the R1200RS without side cases as standard equipment? This is suppose to be the companies iconic sport touring bike. All that history wrapped up in a marketing blanket: flat twin reliability, handling, smooth, long distance touring. Except you have to cancel your first couple of tours to pay the ransome for the side cases.

Kind of like buying a convertible without a roof.

How about the MOA executives taking the BMW marketing, bean counters, president et all, aside and giving them a sincere; "Come On Man!" After all the big brother RT comes with cases.

I'd argue the RT is the iconic sport touring bike with the RS being a more comfortable version of the "s" splitting the difference between the S and the RT in features, wind protection, riding position and price.

It can tour and it can sport ride, so the bags are an option for those that want to tour and for those that do not aren't paying for what they do not want.

I see no issue with the bags being optional on this bike at all.

lee · Dec 20, 2015

Has there ever been an RS that came standard with bags?

vtbob · Dec 20, 2015

The new RS is closer to the original RS. Not much heavier, similar physical size, similar sized fairing. Very close to the original Sport Tourer.

To claim the RT as the sport toured is a stretch for me. 80% Tour 20% sport. Comparing the new RT to the original RT one can easily see the fairing has grown considerably. The tank has gotten much larger as has the weight. A great touring bike that does sport riding better than its touring peers.

36654 · Dec 20, 2015

Lee said:
Has there ever been an RS that came standard with bags?

I'm pretty sure the answer is no.

However, with the Airhead, Oilhead and Flying Bricks, the RT and RS bags were the same. So, the aftermarket prices weren't too bad. I don't know if that's the case with the newer models, where the bags might be specific to each model.

romany · Dec 20, 2015

BMARC153920 said:
I'd argue the RT is the iconic sport touring bike with the RS being a more comfortable version of the "s" splitting the difference between the S and the RT in features, wind protection, riding position and price.

It can tour and it can sport ride, so the bags are an option for those that want to tour and for those that do not aren't paying for what they do not want.

I see no issue with the bags being optional on this bike at all.

Your description sounds like the 1200R. Yet if you want a small light bike for commuting and around town and a bike that you can tour on over the weekend that's the RS in my view.

Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk

BMARC153920 · Dec 20, 2015

bobzeliff said:
The new RS is closer to the original RS. Not much heavier, similar physical size, similar sized fairing. Very close to the original Sport Tourer.

To claim the RT as the sport toured is a stretch for me. 80% Tour 20% sport. Comparing the new RT to the original RT one can easily see the fairing has grown considerably. The tank has gotten much larger as has the weight. A great touring bike that does sport riding better than its touring peers.

Take a ride with me some time and then tell me it doesn't sport more than 20%...

But you made my point the RT is more tour oriented thus standard bags, the RS is more sport oriented thus optional bags.

Again, seems fully appropriate to me.

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Wkoppa · Dec 20, 2015

36654 said:
I'm pretty sure the answer is no.

I don't remember being able to decide on the bags on my 77 RS. The bike on the floor had them. The original Krauser bag brackets were cast which broke and were replaced with tubular steel brackets.

Wayne Koppa
#71,449
Grayling, MI

36654 · Dec 20, 2015

wkoppa said:
36654 said:

I'm pretty sure the answer is no.

I don't remember being able to decide on the bags on my 77 RS. The bike on the floor had them. The original Krauser bag brackets were cast which broke and were replaced with tubular steel brackets.

Wayne Koppa
#71,449
Grayling, MI

Click to expand...

Wayne,

While my membership number is older than yours. I can't speak to the 1977 models. I was 17 and riding a Honda CB360, that year.

BC1100S · Dec 20, 2015

romany said:
How about the MOA executives taking the BMW marketing, bean counters, president et all, aside and giving them a sincere; "Come On Man!" After all the big brother RT comes with cases.

The RT is roughly $2700 more. http://www.bmwmotorcycle.com/2015-bmw-motorcycle-models.htm

Write a bigger cheque.

Wkoppa · Dec 20, 2015

36654 said:
wkoppa said:

Wayne,

While my membership number is older than yours. I can't speak to the 1977 models. I was 17 and riding a Honda CB360, that year.

Click to expand...

Most likely not much different in age. Had a lapse in OA membership so I could have had a lower number if I paid attention.

Came up with a fix for that membership problem.

Wayne Koppa
#71,449 Life

romany · Dec 20, 2015

I'll acknowledge that the RT may be the best touring bike ever but it fails aesthetically for me. That cowling doesn't appeal to me. At this size I'd rather have a GS even though I'd still have to buy bags. Still think if you're going to call a bike a sport tourer it should be equipped so.

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pffog · Dec 21, 2015

Touring for many is a soft pack strapped to the seat and hitting the road, as it should be.

RS with bags $2000 higher MSRP, or RS without bag and buyer decides if they want to spend the $$. I don't understand the issue, if bags were standard, you are forcing people to have and pay for them.

36654 · Dec 21, 2015

wkoppa said:
36654 said:

Most likely not much different in age. Had a lapse in OA membership so I could have had a lower number if I paid attention.

Came up with a fix for that membership problem.

Wayne Koppa
#71,449 Life

Click to expand...

So, you were shopping for the 77 R90s in your teens?

Wkoppa · Dec 21, 2015

In my teens was riding dirt bikes, Hodaka, Kawasaki 238 Sidewinder and a Honda 305 Hawk. All in High School with gas station money.

Then making the leap to a Kawasaki H2 with pipes and knife in the back handling.

More dirt bikes, 250 Yamaha and Kawasaki KX 450.

Also had a couple 900 Kawasaki's and then the RS.

Woke up and realized that as long as I worked at a motorcycle shop I would spend all my discretionary money on discounted motorcycles and parts.

Wayne Koppa
#71,449 Life
Grayling, MI

36654 · Dec 21, 2015

wkoppa said:
In my teens was riding dirt bikes, Hodaka, Kawasaki 238 Sidewinder and a Honda 305 Hawk. All in High School with gas station money.

Then making the leap to a Kawasaki H2 with pipes and knife in the back handling.

More dirt bikes, 250 Yamaha and Kawasaki KX 450.

Also had a couple 900 Kawasaki's and then the RS.

Woke up and realized that as long as I worked at a motorcycle shop I would spend all my discretionary money on discounted motorcycles and parts.

Wayne Koppa
#71,449 Life
Grayling, MI

Sounds like you might be in the 60-ish age bracket.

So, you were looking at the RS as a used bike. I don't think the bags were included as a standard feature.

36654 · Dec 21, 2015

pffog said:
Touring for many is a soft pack strapped to the seat and hitting the road, as it should be.

RS with bags $2000 higher MSRP, or RS without bag and buyer decides if they want to spend the $$. I don't understand the issue, if bags were standard, you are forcing people to have and pay for them.

Based on website postings, the bags are ~$500 a piece.

So.......from the SF dealer website

Standard Package: MSRP $16,150* (with Lupin Blue / Light Grey Metallic paint)
Includes the following equipment
Code Description
272 GPS Preparation
350 Chrome Exhaust
519 Heated Grips
538 Cruise Control
681 Saddle Bag Mounts

Add 1000 for the bags, and you have ~$17150.

Adjusting for inflation, that's less than the ~$12,500 MSRP on my 1999 R11RS w/o bags...........

royce · Dec 21, 2015

Perhaps I am alone in this view: ALL motor vehicles--cars, trucks, motorcycles--should be sold in their most basic form, and ALL other items offered as buyer's choice options. That way when I want a motorcycle that takes me from point A to point B, I don't have to buy all the doodads that I deem unnecessary to my mission. If the OP wants bags, he/she can equip his new bike with bags--at an extra cost. If someone else wants a GPS, he/she can equip a bike with a GPS--at an extra cost. Likewise for all the other attachments many of us think are essential: lap counter, tire pressure thingees, heated ass pocket, etc.

slipstream · Dec 21, 2015

I am the proud new owner of a 2016 R1200RS. I had no problem with paying for a top case, side pannier bags (and associated fittings), and whatever else I decided to add on (SATNAV, Akra full Ti system, etc.)

The R12RS is listed under 'Sport' on the BMW website, NOT 'Tour'.

If you want a clean, sexy sport bike with a boxer engine, there it is, ready to go.

If you also want to sport tour on said bike, then you can decide to add the hard-bags...with the associated hardware mountings and piping that somewhat detracts from the clean lines, IMHO.

Put another way, the RS is really a faired R.

The RS is a great all-arounder, and the fact that I can choose what to easily have "bolted on" to make the bike tailored to my particular needs is a huge positive for me.

--Slipstream

CANADIANSTEVE · Dec 21, 2015

I began my BMW life with a 1985 R80 which had bags on it from the start ... this was at a Yamaha dealer, I traded my Suzuki RG500, the Beemer was as is ... and when I bought my 92 R100RS, the bags from the R80 were just transferred onto it ... so I don't believe that bags were standard equipment even back then ... I am ok with the bags being optional now ... however I wouldn't buy the R1200RS without them ...

R1200RS without bags, really!

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