I love these reviews. They're so calm and informed, the presenter isn't shouting in a high-pitched voice like "HEY GUYS JEFFZZZTOONE HERE TESTING THE NEW...." Modern reviewers take note - this is how to do it!
Proud owner of a 02 K-RS, no matter how hard I look at replacing it. I always erase those thoughts, it's a brilliant machine which I've owned for a 1/3 of my life.
Thanks for putting up this vid, I've been interested in finding a review of the K1200RS at a time when it was still current in 1997. As I watched the vid I got the feeling this could be the *actual* bike that I own... sure enough... right now P151GMO is standing outside my house! I acquired the bike in 2006 with 11600 miles on the clock, I see in the vid it had 9k, mileage now stands at 16k, so in my eyes the engine is as good as new. It's still got the panniers (including removable inner zip bags) and I managed to get hold of the tailored BMW tank bag mentioned in the vid. Even the key fob looks identical to the one in the vid! I swapped a Guzzi LM III for this beemer (couldn't afford to keep both) and the beemer feels safer: with the Guzzi you had to plan ahead for overtakes, with the beemer you see a gap and just go for it. Agree with the reviewer that once rolling the weight is unapparent. Even though I don't use the bike very often, I can't see myself being tempted to part with it since it holds special and sentimental memories: an outing to Donnington with my Son on his Bandit, we swapped bikes, I can still see him grinning when we finally stopped. www.justgiving.com/remember/86703/Adam-Parry
If you do a major trip in pretty well any country you are bound at some point to experience high cross winds, especially on the coast. If you do, this is the bike you need to be on. Its weight and yours combined will save your life. I will never tour on a light bike ever again. You can also ride this bike all day and be fresh at days end. Great value and plenty of low ks bikes still around to buy.
That is the first road bike I ever rode Still the smoothest bike I’ve ever ridden And FAST 💨 It’ll sneak right up on a 100mph without clueing me in with the aerodynamic beating of other bikes I found that saddle to be very comfortable on longer rides as well
Actually the bilateral indicator switches on my k100rs took me a day or two to have it become second nature after some decades of riding Japanese and Italian motorbikes. I rather came to like how the switches felt beneath my thumbs. It's like anything else familiarity sometimes breeds favour
Blinker is self cancelling dude.. Unless you only want to blink 2 or 3 times then hit the manual canceller button. And that button does take some getting used to.
The adjustable rear mudguard is probably more for countries with different Government specs. Most of the bikes in Australia have a rear mudguard that looks about the same as the lowered on in the video.
I have a red RS, I've always admired the paint scheme on this checkered flag bike. I don't find the RS all that comfortable, I'm into my hands just a little too much. I ride my R1100R more, it has a windscreen and luggage and top case, it's just so comfortable, I put risers on the bars so I can sit up and ride all day. I hope to get around to changing the risers on the K bike, but it's kind of a hassle, with brake hose change and that sort of thing. The main thing with the bike is keeping the speed down, it's so smooth I find myself running 80mph all the time. Being arrest me red I can't afford the points I'd probably rack up.
Dirrectional switch gear IS friendly if one gives it a chance - riding boxers & bricks along with Goose for 25+ yrs... NO issue going from one to another.
Look at 1:08 in the video. Look what comes in from the left. Is that a lizzard? I have one of these bikes. I have owned a CBR 1000F, ZX-12R, TL1000S. The K12RS is a lot better handling bike than any of those bikes. The ZX-12R eats the BMW for lunch power wise. The CBR 1000F is close in handling and a little quicker at top end, but down low the BMW eats it alive. The TL1000S will out accelerate the BMW, but it is so twitchy up front it frightened me enough to sell it quickly. The BMW K12RS is a roll on king that handles great and does more than most if not all of its riders can do physically. Prefect bike and it looks good enough to give me a chubby in the morning.
Well you know the extendable rear mudguard it's just something you'll have to accept. It's simply a German thing. Bavarian in fact. You know Oktoberfest Lederhosen Ratskellers Messerschmidts and...adjustable motorbike bits.
per jo es una moto completa, rutera per anar de vacances molts de díes, maletes, bosa depósit, etc.etc. i també si vols fer un poc de vía, aixi tal cual com aquesta foto, 250 kms.hora ( probats) pero fa temps, ara ja m'ha costat un parell de punts anar a Palma.-( son en Michel ..... na Joana encara té tots els punts i lo bó es que li agrada colcar !!)
i can never understand the people who are confused about the indicators . the buttons are right under your thumb press left for left and right for right . you have to be a moron to be confused by that !
drives like an 18 wheeler and way too much money …..and I've owned a lot of Beemers and Gooses and Harleys…and Gold wings….just fat over kill….but then I started in the 60s with Bonnies and 400 pounds is all you need….but most men love to have 12 when 6 is all that is needed…Heeee Heeee
Don Peterson fat over kill? You are comparing Goldwings and Harleys which all weight way more than this K bike. They also make less power than the RS. This is an old motorcycle, and if you compare what was available from all bike companies when this bike was around New... It stood up quite well to the competition. They are super reliable and smooth bikes. If you want a scalpel of a bike get a light weight naked like a Monster 821 or a Duke 790. Comparing this old bike to newer machines would be like comparing a old HD Knucklehead Dyna to a 2017 Milwaukee Dyna.
thanks for you feedback ………. me I had em sold em and 4 hinckley Tri now NO MORE SHIFTING after 50 years and 100s of thousands of shifts and had 03 09 now 16 Burgman 650 not that nimble by any means but why better than the twins 3s and 4s from BMW and the company itself is not good to deal with in my experience……and by the international BMW clubs i have belonged to …..their scooter sounded like a tractor and was way under what the Burgman offered ………..I am retired and living in the warm and sunny land of florida so handling on these flat roads is pretty much of no value
Just bought a k1200 BMW and man what a bike, handling, speed, top end, bottom end speed.... Flat out love it
I love these reviews. They're so calm and informed, the presenter isn't shouting in a high-pitched voice like "HEY GUYS JEFFZZZTOONE HERE TESTING THE NEW...." Modern reviewers take note - this is how to do it!
PeowPeowPeowLasers I Agree! Although, this is from a world without social media, likes and subscribers. Better still.
Proud owner of a 02 K-RS, no matter how hard I look at replacing it. I always erase those thoughts, it's a brilliant machine which I've owned for a 1/3 of my life.
Are the brakes electronic linked? What's your millage
@@orenovadia6590 yes they are linked brakes. Bike has about 52k miles... Not enough time to ride.
@@dasteknoviking shoot nevermind then
Thanks for putting up this vid, I've been interested in finding a review of the K1200RS at a time when it was still current in 1997.
As I watched the vid I got the feeling this could be the *actual* bike that I own... sure enough... right now P151GMO is standing outside my house!
I acquired the bike in 2006 with 11600 miles on the clock, I see in the vid it had 9k, mileage now stands at 16k, so in my eyes the engine is as good as new. It's still got the panniers (including removable inner zip bags) and I managed to get hold of the tailored BMW tank bag mentioned in the vid. Even the key fob looks identical to the one in the vid!
I swapped a Guzzi LM III for this beemer (couldn't afford to keep both) and the beemer feels safer: with the Guzzi you had to plan ahead for overtakes, with the beemer you see a gap and just go for it. Agree with the reviewer that once rolling the weight is unapparent.
Even though I don't use the bike very often, I can't see myself being tempted to part with it since it holds special and sentimental memories: an outing to Donnington with my Son on his Bandit, we swapped bikes, I can still see him grinning when we finally stopped. www.justgiving.com/remember/86703/Adam-Parry
Love mine ever since I picked it up
If you do a major trip in pretty well any country you are bound at some point to experience high cross winds, especially on the coast. If you do, this is the bike you need to be on. Its weight and yours combined will save your life. I will never tour on a light bike ever again. You can also ride this bike all day and be fresh at days end. Great value and plenty of low ks bikes still around to buy.
That is the first road bike I ever rode
Still the smoothest bike I’ve ever ridden
And FAST 💨
It’ll sneak right up on a 100mph without clueing me in with the aerodynamic beating of other bikes
I found that saddle to be very comfortable on longer rides as well
Actually the bilateral indicator switches on my k100rs took me a day or two to have it become second nature after some decades of riding Japanese and Italian motorbikes. I rather came to like how the switches felt beneath my thumbs. It's like anything else familiarity sometimes breeds favour
Blinker is self cancelling dude.. Unless you only want to blink 2 or 3 times then hit the manual canceller button. And that button does take some getting used to.
solid- well done! outstanding concern w buying a maintained K1200 w 120K miles?
The BMW K bike seats have always been a pain in the ass to remount on the bike frame
The adjustable rear mudguard is probably more for countries with different Government specs. Most of the bikes in Australia have a rear mudguard that looks about the same as the lowered on in the video.
I have a red RS, I've always admired the paint scheme on this checkered flag bike. I don't find the RS all that comfortable, I'm into my hands just a little too much. I ride my R1100R more, it has a windscreen and luggage and top case, it's just so comfortable, I put risers on the bars so I can sit up and ride all day. I hope to get around to changing the risers on the K bike, but it's kind of a hassle, with brake hose change and that sort of thing. The main thing with the bike is keeping the speed down, it's so smooth I find myself running 80mph all the time. Being arrest me red I can't afford the points I'd probably rack up.
Is this still a good option in 2021? Should I expect a world of maintenance?
Dirrectional switch gear IS friendly if one gives it a chance - riding boxers & bricks along with Goose for 25+ yrs... NO issue going from one to another.
Plus it automatically cancels!
Look at 1:08 in the video. Look what comes in from the left. Is that a lizzard? I have one of these bikes. I have owned a CBR 1000F, ZX-12R, TL1000S. The K12RS is a lot better handling bike than any of those bikes. The ZX-12R eats the BMW for lunch power wise. The CBR 1000F is close in handling and a little quicker at top end, but down low the BMW eats it alive. The TL1000S will out accelerate the BMW, but it is so twitchy up front it frightened me enough to sell it quickly.
The BMW K12RS is a roll on king that handles great and does more than most if not all of its riders can do physically. Prefect bike and it looks good enough to give me a chubby in the morning.
a leaf, its blowing a gale
Have one with 40k miles love it
Great bikes awesome review
Would you recommend this as a first motorcycle? Im 17 and I need a vehicle to get to my High School hehe
As your first bike i would recommend something like a Honda Transalp or suzuki DL650. Great torque at low rpm and easy handeling.
Did you end up getting this as your first bike, lol? It'd be a pretty horrible beginner's bike.
How do you adjust the rear suspension on these things to make for a firmer or softer ride, please?
Standard adjustment with the proper spanner wrench. It's just a showa.
A good review, now would be to compare it to the K1300S?
K1300S is lighter and more agile.
At 1:07, what is that crawling in from the right? It comes in down low where MM red logo is. Mouse? Lizard?
Well you know the extendable rear mudguard it's just something you'll have to accept. It's simply a German thing. Bavarian in fact. You know Oktoberfest Lederhosen Ratskellers Messerschmidts and...adjustable motorbike bits.
Una màquina, ja un poc obsoleta (1998) pero extraordinariament rutera i amb una mecánica BMW de total confiança,i per pasar-hi gust amb ella.-
Si segueix tenint molt bona "estampa"
per jo es una moto completa, rutera per anar de vacances molts de díes, maletes, bosa depósit, etc.etc. i també si vols fer un poc de vía, aixi tal cual com aquesta foto, 250 kms.hora ( probats) pero fa temps, ara ja m'ha costat un parell de punts anar a Palma.-( son en Michel ..... na Joana encara té tots els punts i lo bó es que li agrada colcar !!)
you soon get used to the indicators , after that all the other ways folk do it , just seem wrong.
Holy shtt, did he say 285kg!!
Someone offered to trade me a 98 for my 06 Burgman 650. Should I bite?
If you have experience with a powerful bike then yes . If the only thing you've ridden is the scooter then probably not the best idea .
No.😂
1:42 you should tuck that away 😄
Wow £13500 in 97!
Olá
✌🏿😜 🏍️ 🏁 🏍️ 🏁 🏍️ 🏁 🏍️ 🏁✌🏿😜
Je vais chercher la même à Grenay 🏍
Chez STAND MOTO !
i can never understand the people who are confused about the indicators .
the buttons are right under your thumb press left for left and right for right .
you have to be a moron to be confused by that !
Typical BMW. Weird.
Ok untill you need repairs clutch major expense. Rear tires shot at only 5 k miles. I'll never own another BMW bike or car. Not worth it.
If you can do your own repairs it's not a problem at all or that expensive.
02:48 … he should stop talking about himself.
Pig on roller skates.
drives like an 18 wheeler and way too much money …..and I've owned a lot of Beemers and Gooses and Harleys…and Gold wings….just fat over kill….but then I started in the 60s with Bonnies and 400 pounds is all you need….but most men love to have 12 when 6 is all that is needed…Heeee Heeee
Don Peterson fat over kill? You are comparing Goldwings and Harleys which all weight way more than this K bike. They also make less power than the RS. This is an old motorcycle, and if you compare what was available from all bike companies when this bike was around New... It stood up quite well to the competition. They are super reliable and smooth bikes. If you want a scalpel of a bike get a light weight naked like a Monster 821 or a Duke 790. Comparing this old bike to newer machines would be like comparing a old HD Knucklehead Dyna to a 2017 Milwaukee Dyna.
thanks for you feedback ……….
me I had em sold em and 4 hinckley Tri now NO MORE SHIFTING after 50 years and 100s of thousands of shifts and had 03 09 now 16 Burgman 650 not that nimble by any means but why better than the twins 3s and 4s from BMW and the company itself is not good to deal with in my experience……and by the international BMW clubs i have belonged to …..their scooter sounded like a tractor and was way under what the Burgman offered ………..I am retired and living in the warm and sunny land of florida so handling on these flat roads is pretty much of no value
Please I need a set of side box for K1200 RS from Nigeria, Here is my Contact 08032921019