stevenrankin
Active member
Now
Now I know I won't be buying anything newer than my 84. St.
Now I know I won't be buying anything newer than my 84. St.
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The New R1250RS Announced
- Thread starter pglaves
- Start date
lee
Debbie's Servant
So, which color did you order?
And your bikes don’t have tubular bars?
We like our color better than the 2023 options
The white 2023 looks a little plain without the red frame, gloss black wheels and stainless ascents.
The tubular bars on the 2023 is a new option. They're wider and higher than the cast bars.
Here's what the cast bars look like.
susan-nc
New member
We like our color better than the 2023 options
The white 2023 looks a little plain without the red frame, gloss black wheels and stainless ascents.
The tubular bars on the 2023 is a new option. They're wider and higher than the cast bars.
Here's what the cast bars look like.
View attachment 89929
The 2023 triple black is pretty tempting but need to take another demo ride to check out the pillion seating.
We like our color better than the 2023 options
The white 2023 looks a little plain without the red frame, gloss black wheels and stainless ascents.
The tubular bars on the 2023 is a new option. They're wider and higher than the cast bars.
Here's what the cast bars look like.
View attachment 89929
I do like your current colors. The cast bars still look OK and K13ish.
The new R hasn’t swayed H yet, said it looks like cross of Aprilia and KTM
lkchris
Active member
So, in December 1983 I purchased an R100RS that I then rode for 25 years.
Do a constant dollar analysis comparing the $7K I spent then to the cost of the R1250 RS.
It's really flabbergasting all the extra content the new bike has for nearly the same real price.
Twice the horsepower
Another transmission gear.
A water cooling system.
ABS, Traction control, etc.
Handles instead of wallows.
Significantly better braking.
I can still do the RS riding position and prefer it to my current RT. Just one thing ... satellite radio on the RT not available on the RS. I'll skip the list of things on the new RS I don't want ... it mostly means I'm old and is surely not relevant to current customer base.
Do a constant dollar analysis comparing the $7K I spent then to the cost of the R1250 RS.
It's really flabbergasting all the extra content the new bike has for nearly the same real price.
Twice the horsepower
Another transmission gear.
A water cooling system.
ABS, Traction control, etc.
Handles instead of wallows.
Significantly better braking.
I can still do the RS riding position and prefer it to my current RT. Just one thing ... satellite radio on the RT not available on the RS. I'll skip the list of things on the new RS I don't want ... it mostly means I'm old and is surely not relevant to current customer base.
stevenrankin
Active member
R100rs
Over the years I have had my 84 R80RT, and my now late 78RS, I have never been a slave to the dealership, some factory recalls were taken care of quickly and there were not a lot of them. I replace wear items my self, do oil changes myself I haven't paid over $500 for engine rebuild let alone $2000 for a routine service interval.
I have not had to take the bikes to the dealership for GPS, radio or CANBUS for that matter any kind of electrical problems. The biggest electrical issues I have are salt induced poor grounds and burned out bulbs.
Oh yeah, I still have a bike that handles just fine for me as I am not a Ricky road racer, they don't wallow, minor tune up to the frame and proper shocks and tires helped improve the handling. I have never needed ABS or traction control, and don't see the need to pay for it or maintain it on the one in a million chance I need it. LOL, ABS would not have done a darned thing for me in my last accident that claimed the RS. Paying attention to the path ahead would have.
So from my point of view and I will keep saying it, I have the almost perfect motorcycles. BMW with their dealership nonsense and high tech, goodies at a higher than needed bike costs and repair costs won't ever sell me a bike again. I always love the fellows who post horror stories about the new bikes, it makes me thankful I am not the one with the problem and spending the time and money to get things back on the road. St.
Over the years I have had my 84 R80RT, and my now late 78RS, I have never been a slave to the dealership, some factory recalls were taken care of quickly and there were not a lot of them. I replace wear items my self, do oil changes myself I haven't paid over $500 for engine rebuild let alone $2000 for a routine service interval.
I have not had to take the bikes to the dealership for GPS, radio or CANBUS for that matter any kind of electrical problems. The biggest electrical issues I have are salt induced poor grounds and burned out bulbs.
Oh yeah, I still have a bike that handles just fine for me as I am not a Ricky road racer, they don't wallow, minor tune up to the frame and proper shocks and tires helped improve the handling. I have never needed ABS or traction control, and don't see the need to pay for it or maintain it on the one in a million chance I need it. LOL, ABS would not have done a darned thing for me in my last accident that claimed the RS. Paying attention to the path ahead would have.
So from my point of view and I will keep saying it, I have the almost perfect motorcycles. BMW with their dealership nonsense and high tech, goodies at a higher than needed bike costs and repair costs won't ever sell me a bike again. I always love the fellows who post horror stories about the new bikes, it makes me thankful I am not the one with the problem and spending the time and money to get things back on the road. St.
jammess
Jammess
Hi Steve, I couldn't have said it better! I'm OK with my 29 year old R1100RSL even though it does have a little high tech which mostly handles ignition and fuel injection but no whistles and bells other than ABS which would be easy to remove if it ever malfunctions and remove it I would! At least I have normal braking even if it does malfunction so a piece of black tape over the ABS warning lamp would do the job. I've thought about just going ahead and removing it anyway and might this winter if I get bored.
Susie (wife) from Spencerport says hi.
I like upstate NY except for the taxes and road salt.
Susie (wife) from Spencerport says hi.
I like upstate NY except for the taxes and road salt.
lee
Debbie's Servant
I was checking out turn signal lights on the configure page. Hey, it's only 18 F out and needed something to do
On the UK site the GS has the options for Cruise lights in the front and Multifunction in the rear.
Cruising Light
The Cruising Light of the two dimmed front turn indicators attracts attention and thus also increases safety. Together with the light icon in the headlight, it forms a lighting design that draws the attention of other road users.
Multifunctional Indicator Lights
The LEDs of the multifunctional indicator lamps can emit yellow flashing light and red brake or rear light simultaneously. They increase visibility and thus safety for the rider and also allow eye-catching lighting effects.
When I got to the US site the GS does not have the Multifunction option in the back.
When I look at the RS and R on the UK and US sites the RS and R do not show options for Cruise lights and Multifunction lights.
Unless the sites are not fully up to date the RS may only have the LED lights without the cruise and multifunction options.
On the UK site the GS has the options for Cruise lights in the front and Multifunction in the rear.
Cruising Light
The Cruising Light of the two dimmed front turn indicators attracts attention and thus also increases safety. Together with the light icon in the headlight, it forms a lighting design that draws the attention of other road users.
Multifunctional Indicator Lights
The LEDs of the multifunctional indicator lamps can emit yellow flashing light and red brake or rear light simultaneously. They increase visibility and thus safety for the rider and also allow eye-catching lighting effects.
When I got to the US site the GS does not have the Multifunction option in the back.
When I look at the RS and R on the UK and US sites the RS and R do not show options for Cruise lights and Multifunction lights.
Unless the sites are not fully up to date the RS may only have the LED lights without the cruise and multifunction options.
stevenrankin
Active member
I read it
Yeah, I am always going on about the best motorcycles BMW ever made.
Like I said, the airheads had problems, but not like I see in the various forums now a day. Come on, I mean are you guys who own these new bikes really happy with the bills you get like the post Omega man linked to? https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?103236-2014-R1200RT-stator-failure-by-ldg
Are you really happy being BMW guinea pigs having bikes you just spent a large amount of money to buy sitting in the dealership while BMW tries to figure out a fix for a new technical glitch or mechanical glitch? LOL this isn't the only thread I have bothered to read and like I said, it turns me off of any of the newer BMW bikes.
l will admit, I like the advantages of fuel injection versus carbs just because of the increased gas milage. Mapped electronic ignition is cool as well for extra HP and economy. All is great as long as it all works and when it quits, it is not a day's long expensive fix.
Oh sure, I could trade out a bike every three years or 36K miles and let the next guy worry about the repair bills. As I see it, BMW's reliability goes down (as far as I read in this and other forums) the prices go up, and frankly they are just not worth the money anymore. Same goes with their cars.
BMW priced themselves out of my price range for a toy that has limited use with mediocre reliability. I can't ride to justify the cost for a "newer" BMW motorcycle despite how much I love the sport and the miles I do manage to ride.
I just keep riding my airhead and rack up the miles as best I can. It is the almost perfect bike. When the bike quits, I put it on the lift, fix it and keep on going. At the rate it is going, the bike will outlast me LOL. I never needed much more than that and never will. St.
In my lab at work for 25 years, I had a rotary phone, it worked EVERY time I used it, no lost signal, no low battery. I took a lot of joking about it but no one could fault it for its reliability, I never missed a call. St.
Yeah, I am always going on about the best motorcycles BMW ever made.
Like I said, the airheads had problems, but not like I see in the various forums now a day. Come on, I mean are you guys who own these new bikes really happy with the bills you get like the post Omega man linked to? https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?103236-2014-R1200RT-stator-failure-by-ldg
Are you really happy being BMW guinea pigs having bikes you just spent a large amount of money to buy sitting in the dealership while BMW tries to figure out a fix for a new technical glitch or mechanical glitch? LOL this isn't the only thread I have bothered to read and like I said, it turns me off of any of the newer BMW bikes.
l will admit, I like the advantages of fuel injection versus carbs just because of the increased gas milage. Mapped electronic ignition is cool as well for extra HP and economy. All is great as long as it all works and when it quits, it is not a day's long expensive fix.
Oh sure, I could trade out a bike every three years or 36K miles and let the next guy worry about the repair bills. As I see it, BMW's reliability goes down (as far as I read in this and other forums) the prices go up, and frankly they are just not worth the money anymore. Same goes with their cars.
BMW priced themselves out of my price range for a toy that has limited use with mediocre reliability. I can't ride to justify the cost for a "newer" BMW motorcycle despite how much I love the sport and the miles I do manage to ride.
I just keep riding my airhead and rack up the miles as best I can. It is the almost perfect bike. When the bike quits, I put it on the lift, fix it and keep on going. At the rate it is going, the bike will outlast me LOL. I never needed much more than that and never will. St.
In my lab at work for 25 years, I had a rotary phone, it worked EVERY time I used it, no lost signal, no low battery. I took a lot of joking about it but no one could fault it for its reliability, I never missed a call. St.
88bmwjeff
SF Bay Area
This thread has degraded from the R1250 RS at the beginning. However, I do want to respond to the old vs new. I have an airhead and a newer bike, and there's pluses and minuses to both. While the airhead has less complicated electronics and it appears that the mechanical portions may be a bit more reliable, parts and knowledgeable individuals to do the repairs are dwindling. My experience with BMW OEM parts for older vehicles (both cars and bikes) is that it's a hit and miss. I've had many replacement parts be pure crap, while others as good as the original. While repairing newer bikes can be expensive, parts are available as are technicians to perform the work. If my airhead needs the heads, tranny or final drive rebuilt, it looks like I'll have ship it across country. The cost to repair/rebuilt parts may increase as the number of individuals able to do the work dwindle. I also think the internet tends to make things look far worse than they actually are. Very few write about how well things are going, but there are many who write how bad things are.
It also seems to be the answer a lot of times is to us to do the work ourselves. However, not everyone is ready, willing and able to do the repairs--and how often have we read about someone complaining about the ham-fisted prior owner. For those of you who can, great. My time is very limited, and I just don't have the time any more to do much of the work on the airhead. As such, it's sits in the garage these days because it needs work, and I'd rather ride than wrench.
It also seems to be the answer a lot of times is to us to do the work ourselves. However, not everyone is ready, willing and able to do the repairs--and how often have we read about someone complaining about the ham-fisted prior owner. For those of you who can, great. My time is very limited, and I just don't have the time any more to do much of the work on the airhead. As such, it's sits in the garage these days because it needs work, and I'd rather ride than wrench.
I met Fred Tausch at a rally out east many years ago. His R60/5 had around 300,000 miles on it at the time. I was riding a nearly identical R60/5 and was interested in how long he thought the bike would last. Fred told me he had asked the same question of some German engineers from BMW and they answered him “Forever, of course”. The further explanation was that the R60 was designed to be forever rebuildable.
I suppose anything is fixable forever if one throws enough money at it, but the old airheads made this option more practical with simplicity of design. Some airheads are still owned and being ridden by their original owners, who purchased them many, many years ago.
New motorcycles are faster, handle better, are more efficient, and may even be safer with better brakes and lighting. But, there’s something to be said about a bike that was originally purchased by a young man or woman, and is still being ridden by that same person many years later when they are old and gray. There’s a kind of a relationship there, like an old friend we share memories with. Some will understand that, but others won’t.
I suppose anything is fixable forever if one throws enough money at it, but the old airheads made this option more practical with simplicity of design. Some airheads are still owned and being ridden by their original owners, who purchased them many, many years ago.
New motorcycles are faster, handle better, are more efficient, and may even be safer with better brakes and lighting. But, there’s something to be said about a bike that was originally purchased by a young man or woman, and is still being ridden by that same person many years later when they are old and gray. There’s a kind of a relationship there, like an old friend we share memories with. Some will understand that, but others won’t.
MCMXCIVRS
More toys than space
After selling my 94 R1100RS 11 years ago, I now have it back and my K1200GT is going the other way in the family trade. I also have a new RT on order. I did ride the RS again last year for the first time in quite a while and was pretty quick to realize that in spite of having put over 120K kms on it when I last had it, it by no means is a bike I'd want to revisit that kind of mileage on. It'll be great to have around for occasional rides, but the new RT will be far superior to ride day to day, much as the GT has been for these past 11 years. I plan to keep the RT for quite a few years too, the maintenance on newer bikes has never been a deterrent to me as I do my own service work and repair. I'm not going to fret about issues that have not happened yet and may never happen. I do plan to enjoy all the whizzy new features.
The new RS looks good, but for me the RS riding position is just not what I want today hence my move to an RT to be more kind to my arthritic shoulder from an injury (I recall joking about RT owners and their pipes and slippers back when I first had my RS
) . If I had twenty or thirty fewer laps around the sun on my personal clock, I'd seriously look at this new RS.
The new RS looks good, but for me the RS riding position is just not what I want today hence my move to an RT to be more kind to my arthritic shoulder from an injury (I recall joking about RT owners and their pipes and slippers back when I first had my RS
) . If I had twenty or thirty fewer laps around the sun on my personal clock, I'd seriously look at this new RS.
And there it is.
When I got my first BMW, a one year old ‘05 RT, and joined the party here, the first reports of EVO final drives started being reported. The world was ending! I came from riding other brands and repairing and riding were the mix, so no big deal. H and I have had only one failure of that particular iteration with combined mileage in the 450k mile range on five bikes. We just ride them and quit worrying unless something burps.
To the folks who had failures the reports were amplified on every forum and your would think there were hundreds. Yes, bad… along with other issues since. As the gentleman from New Mexico reminds us regularly, these are expensive “toys” .
We have several BMW models from ‘67 through 2011 currently as well as a 2015 and 16 KTM’s we throw in the RV and all bring joy until they don’t. Repair and bring the joy back is how it works for us.
We both eyeball newer models but not piling miles the last few years has us trying to wear the current stable out… I don’t think twice about taking the older high mileage bikes across the country at all.
Back on topic, The RS is a sweet bike…I’m more of an S guy
so there’s bias 
stevenrankin
Active member
I also think the internet tends to make things look far worse than they actually are.
I am an outspoken critic of BMW, I make no bones about it. I don't post anything but my experience over the years of dealing with them.
The internet has not made things look far worse than they are at least as far as I have been reading over the years in the forums rather, they let people share both good and bad experiences of the marquee and it's products. BMW sure as heck doesn't want any kind of negative publicity and sadly the old motorcycle magazines whose writers could be brutal regarding company failures are no longer in existence. Where do people get the truth?
I would rather read a negative post about a new BMW model bike than to buy one based on advertising. At least then if I do buy a new bike, i might be forewarned and not surprised when the stator goes or the valve train quits working and I have to sit at home and wait for repairs.
So for me, I was interested in the styling of the new RS, I am down one bike and perhaps looking to buy another but in this case and others, some not so nice news came out. That is what I expect to see in an honest forum, I don't read and contribute to this forum as a cheerleader nor do I expect cheerleading.
The internet has brought a lot of garbage out to be posted but it has also become a great tool for comparing and buying. If people want to cheerfully believe BMW's advertisements and are queuing up to buy the latest and greatest bikes more power to you. Don't throw rocks at those of us who look before we leap or aren't impressed with the technology or just plain don't want to spend the money or can't afford the price. St.
I am an outspoken critic of BMW, I make no bones about it. I don't post anything but my experience over the years of dealing with them.
The internet has not made things look far worse than they are at least as far as I have been reading over the years in the forums rather, they let people share both good and bad experiences of the marquee and it's products. BMW sure as heck doesn't want any kind of negative publicity and sadly the old motorcycle magazines whose writers could be brutal regarding company failures are no longer in existence. Where do people get the truth?
I would rather read a negative post about a new BMW model bike than to buy one based on advertising. At least then if I do buy a new bike, i might be forewarned and not surprised when the stator goes or the valve train quits working and I have to sit at home and wait for repairs.
So for me, I was interested in the styling of the new RS, I am down one bike and perhaps looking to buy another but in this case and others, some not so nice news came out. That is what I expect to see in an honest forum, I don't read and contribute to this forum as a cheerleader nor do I expect cheerleading.
The internet has brought a lot of garbage out to be posted but it has also become a great tool for comparing and buying. If people want to cheerfully believe BMW's advertisements and are queuing up to buy the latest and greatest bikes more power to you. Don't throw rocks at those of us who look before we leap or aren't impressed with the technology or just plain don't want to spend the money or can't afford the price. St.
Twice in what, 3 weeks?
Going to make it my sig line.
I certainly don't hate my F800GS. It's a great, midsize bike.
OM
