Re: R1200S (was "starter motor lubrication")

[Bruno Valeri <bvaleri@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

- ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Makohin" <wateredg@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, December 03, 2005 8:55 PM
Subject: Re: R1200S (was "starter motor lubrication")


> Steve's Editorial: Remember the complaints on the 'Net about the R1100S
not
> being sporty enough? Too heavy.

The choice was there to make the new S an improved R1100S. And I was
hopeful. But the decision is to go down another path ie more focused sport
bike.  Both paths are ok, if you do what is needed.

> Now the R1200S looks more like a world-class sport bike (though still not
a super-bike, it competes
> against the Italian "exotics"), so I guess we'll be complaining that it
has
> moved too far away from the sport-tourer mark.

Probably a significant handicap here. It will be competing in the sportbike
category more fully than it was as an R11S.

But it nowhere looks world class when compared to its competition. In fact
it looks sorely lacking. Put up against any of its rivals whether Aprilia,
Moto Guzzi, et al, it falls way short on looks. And looks are a key element
in the sport class.
For a revealing example, take a look at the new Moto Guzzi MGS-01. It has
virtually the same specs in terms of power, torque, features, mission etc.
Put them side to side and you could wonder if the S was designed by a design
student doing a project. But I've seen students show more imagination and
flair (sorely lacking here).

If you want to be really floored, you can put it against an MV Augusta F4
1000. And then you realize what sexy design is. A sport bike has to be sexy.
If the mission is to sell the new S only to the faithful, then there is no
problem. They are mostly under the collective trance and pre-disposed to
accept any output. But if the mission is to garner sales from the
competition, you need to look how competitive the offering is. But time will
tell if drinking magic cool-aid was right or not. The market will judge. As
it apparently has with the ST. What is required is snapping out of
collective trances Because the market is not in a trance.

Design wise, the new S is not cohesive nor imaginative. At least with what
I've seen so far. And it's a pity  because the R11S it replaces was arguably
the best looking BMW model. There was so much opportunity here. . . .


Bruno
Montreal, Canada
http://pages.videotron.com/mcrides

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