South African GS road test & Report

[Ken_Ahrweiler@xxxxxxxxx (Kenneth Ahrweiler)]

List,
For the last few days I have been trying to forward to the list a report
on the new GS that was published in a BMW South African news leter.
I was unable to send it in a form compatible to our Oilhead list.
Soooooo I cut, copied and pasted the text below.  At last I found away.

Ken
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The Motorcycles 
R1200GS SA Road Test 
BMW R1200GS - R1150GS replacement lighter, faster and more
dirt-friendly. World launch, George, Cape.
Originally published in Bike SA, February 2004  

The 1150GS has been replaced by a very different machine that is 30 kg
lighter and with 15 more horsepower from a bigger motor. That is one big
step for BMW. 
 I would have liked the longer travel of the R1150GS Adventure, but this
is replacing a bike that was a best seller as a touring enduro and the
more power and lighter weight alone should ensure its continued success. 
For 25 years BMW have built GS bikes with only some off-road
capabilities and for 25 years the friendly jibe has been that these are
the best tar road bikes BMW ever built. 
They were for many riders. 
They had an upright riding stance, softish suspension, lovely pulling
power and everything any conservative, cautious, responsible rider could
want for conservative, cautious, responsible tar riding. 
They grew from the 800 cc R80 to the 1150. Then the Adventure was
launched a year ago, with the same heavy construction but with more
off-road sympathies. 
The world applauded. 
Now, with the 1200GS, even the frame is different, the weight is down by
30 kg, power and torque is up 18% and there is a normal ratio six speed
box without the dreaded big gap to sixth. 
The world will applaud again. 
And again the world will applaud when the Adventure Dakar Baja Namib
Roof model with longer travel and even less weight and more power is
launched, sometime in this century. 
The world 1200 launch, with journalists from all over the world
converging on George in the Cape, took place towards the end of January
and BMW announced that the inventor of the touring enduro has set new
standards. And, judging by comments, BMW will get a firm nod of
approval. 
The bike was ridden around the Klein Karoo are of George with lots of
lovely twisty mountain passes and some interesting gravel roads with
mild rocky and water sections thrown in. 
The weight advantage is of course immediately apparent, with change of
direction easier and with more chuckability. Hanging the back end out
under acceleration is easier, with less weight and better power too. 
But, what's this - the specifications show front and rear travel at only
190 and 200 mm. This is not supposed to be anywhere near motocross
specs, but the "old" 1150 Adventure had 210 and 220 mm specifications.
The end result is still better off-road handling with the 1200 because
of the less weight and better power, but it is good to know there is
room for more development. 
The 1150 Adventure is staying, by the way, and will exist in the market
with the 1200, giving riders a choice of two offish road BMW's. It
remains, says BMW, "as the definitive bike for serious long-distance
riding on- and off-road". 
The engine of the 1200 is new and, despite having a bigger capacity,
keeps the same dimensions and weighs 3 kg less. Power is now 100
horsepower with torque also up, making for a nicer ride, with better
response, especially with 25 kg less weight. The rideability is now
excellent, with power seemingly endlessly available from low revs, with
smooth acceleration, allowing fewer gears to be used. We did not
experience deep sand on this launch, but hopefully we will have a bike
on the Namib Desert Run from 2nd April and my guess is that it will sail
through even the dandiest of the routes. We will even tackle Dune 2
behind Dune7. 
The balance shaft was probably not necessary - these Boxer horizontally
opposed engines have always been smooth, except at idle speeds when the
quaint left to right rocking motion was part of their legend and not
something that needed curing. Anyway, it is now very smooth. 
The new crankshaft is more compact and lighter, the single-plate dry
clutch has a bigger diameter; pistons and crankcase are lighter. 
The cylinder heads have retained the chain-driven cams below the valve
plane and tappets and rocker arms design, with easy tappet setting.
Valves are bigger by 2 mm with the exhaust ones now sodium and ports
have been modified accordingly to go with the flow. 
The twin spark dual ignition has been improved, as has the oil cooling
an there is a new engine management with two oxygen sensors, with
ignition and knock control, with each cylinder getting undivided
attention. The twin spark dual ignition has been further modified and
improved on the R1200GS. 
The BMS-K (BMW Engine Management System) gives fully sequential fuel
injection, integrated knock control, faster processing of sensor signals
and is compact and light. 
What all that means is that the rider gets an even better throttle
response and he can have more fun showing off on the dirt without the
back end sliding out too far and he and bike landing in a heap like some
Bike SA reprobate did with the Adventure launch. 
Does it still look like a BMW? Yes, definitely. The sticking out
cylinders are as characteristic as the grille of the BMW cars, as are
the Telelever and Paralever suspensions. And the tank, fairing and front
mudguard lines are 650Gsish. 
Quick glance short summary 
Herewith a quick summary to see at a short glance some of the features: 
Better off-road qualities; 
30 kg less weight with lightweight construction and materials; 
A new, smoother 1200 cc flat-twin engine with balance shaft; 
18% more torque (115 Nm, previously 98 Nm) and horsepower (72 kW,
previously 62); 
18% better fuel consumption; 
New engine electronics and emission technology; 
A quieter exhaust system but with a more throaty sound; 
A new, smoother six-speed gearbox with decent ratios, including sixth; 
A new, lighter Paralever with lighter drive shaft, and a new and lighter
Telelever for easier steering; 
More rigid running gear for better and tighter handling; 
Stronger cast light-alloy wheels, with cross-spoke versions available as
an option; 
Better electronics, including standard immobiliser; 
Lots of equipment and tailor-made accessories. 
And a more comprehensive quick glance 
Tank:
It has a plastic fuel tank with additional plastic covers and aluminium
trims with quick release side covers. The fuel tank holds useable 20
litres of fuel. 
Seat:
The seat still has two height adjustments and new contours to allow the
rider's feet to reach the ground more easily. 
Suspension:
The lighter Telelever front suspension has adjustable spring preload and
a new trailing arm. The gas-filled front suspension strut has 9
mechanically adjustable spring preload settings, so that sufficient
reserve capacity is available even when riding across fairly severe
terrain. Front suspension travel is 190 mm, the same as the 1150GS. The
Paralever rear suspension has an adjustable suspension strut with
ratings for the load situation like solo, two-up, on- or off-road. The
spring preload can be adjusted hydraulically and the degree of damping
varies automatically in response to suspension travel and speed. 
Gearbox:
The R1200GS's gearbox now has high-strength helical-cut gear teeth for
smoother gear changes and quieter running. And sixth is a decent gear,
close to fifth, without the dreaded jump to sixth. 
Brakes:
The front brake lever puts on the front and rear brakes simultaneously
when activating the front brake. The rear brake pedal puts on the rear
ABS brakes in the conventional manner. When riding off-road the ABS can
be switched off. 
Electrical:
The entire electrical system has been redesigned on the 1200. The
central electrics now use the BMW Motorrad Single Wire System (SWS). All
the control units are connected together by a joint control line in a
data-networking concept, which there is no longer a complex main wiring
harness. This also provides extensive diagnostic facilities, and saves
weight. 
Cases:
The new aftermarket "Vario" cases and the "Vario" top case have an
ingenious adjusting mechanism with one-hand lever operation, which
varies the volume of each case, including the top case, by nine litres. 
Colours:
Rock Red Metallised, Desert Yellow Metallised, Ocean Blue Metallic.

 Ken Ahrweiler
 New Hyde Park
 New York
http://community.webtv.net/Ken_Ahrweiler/KenAhrweilersHome

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