BMW K1200S Review
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From 17 reviews
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“I have owned my BMW K1200S since 16th November 2006....”
★★★★★
written by K1200S on 10/04/2007
Good Points
Awesome power, fantastic build quality, easy to ride fast, superb ABS brakes, great fuel consumption, mind-blowing acceleration.
Bad Points
Initial cost.
General Comments
I have owned my BMW K1200S since 16th November 2006. It's a full spec 2007 model in Night Black, the only dealer fit option I never ordered was the Tyre Pressure Control which wasn't available when I placed the original order. I have completed 4500miles to date and have ridden it on the salt laden roads of the UK with only about 6 washes in 4 months. The bike is still in top notch condition whereas a similar Japanese bike would have been seriously damaged by the salt. The BMW heated grips meant I never bought any winter gloves and went all winter with mid season Goretex gloves. In fact, the top setting is so hot I burned my hand on them on a ride!
The bike inspires confidence and is so easy to go fast on. The electronic suspension and Duolever front end are amazing. Pull the brake mid corner and the bike just goes round the corner slower and doesn't head for the opposite side of the road like all other bikes. Hammer the brakes on and the bike hardly dips at all. The 2007 models have had new mappings for the injection and the throttle is very finely controllable. I know this because I have had a couple of "experiences" of rather too enthusiastic throttle usage on cold tyres on winter slimy roads. Each time gentle easing off the throttle has had the back wheel returning from beside me to it's normal place with the "heart in mouth" feeling subsiding rapidly. Fuel consumption is awesome. On average runs on motorways at a constant 100mph cruise I have returned over 60mpg. When I have had opportunity to exceed limits (at 0400hrs) on empty motorways, the worst consumption I have experienced is 42mpg (imperial gallons).
The low centre of gravity makes this bike easy to maneuver and despite a 240kg+ wet weight the bike feels like it weighs sub 200kg. I had an Aprilia Futura which was 13kg lighter dry, but felt like it weighed 100kg heavier when fully fueled. I have a car, but I love riding the bike and use it all the time.
The shaft drive means no more Scottoiler. I had a nightmare with mine on the Futura (it used to coat everything but the chain) and it's dealer fitted set-up). Shaft drive also means that leaving the bike unexpectedly by air route caused by chains finding new homes in the back wheel is a thing of the past.
Lastly, when I take my bike into the City Centre and park up, I have total strangers who have no interest in bikes coming and saying how beautiful the bike looks. One even said it looks like something James Bond would ride. The best part by far is, despite a purchase price of £12,553 I know that it will still be worth at least £10k in 3 years time, unlike, Japanese bikes or Aprilia's which lose 35% as soon as you ride it the first day. Servicing in the UK is £100 and is every 6000 miles compared with Aprilia's £400 every 3000 miles. If you can afford one of these, there is no other bike worth buying.
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2007
Year Manufactured
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4 months
Length of ownership
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Build quality
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Reliability
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Value For Money
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- K1200S's review
Sharpshooter0220's Response to K1200S's Review
Written on: 14/07/2007
I think this a great review, you're a good example of an expert: you write loads in detail with a honest touch.
<br/>Great review, keep reviewing!
Mike11559's Response to K1200S's Review
Written on: 21/03/2013
Many thanks for your review. I'm going to have a look at one tomorrow (22nd March 2013). I'm off to France for Easter and was going on my Triumph 900. You have been more than helpful. If the bike looks in good condition for an 06 plate then I'll buy it......... Mike a very young 53
Guest's Response to K1200S's Review
Written on: 18/06/2011
"Fuel consumption is awesome. On average runs on motorways at a constant 100mph cruise I have returned over 60mpg. When I have had opportunity to exceed limits " I think you are getting your maths wrong . 60 mpg ?!! I own a k1200s , and if I'm careful , just riding 60-70 mph I get about 53mpg to achieve 60mpg at 100mph is impossible. But it is a great bike.
Saintlucien's Response to K1200S's Review
Written on: 11/10/2009
I've ridden the 1200 and a Falco, both fairly extensively, the former for work.
<br/>
<br/>The 1200 has a notoriously suspect gearbox (no surprise that its been completely updated on the 1300), and handling wise you have much more of a sense of the what the front is doing on the Falco. The 1200 does feel heavier, its just that in a straight line the long wheelbase assists high speed with comfort. It notably lacked the low/mid grunt of the Falco, compensating with the capacity for big speeds - the sole area where the BMW was more competent was at speeds in excess of about 130 mph. Like many people, I found the engine stangely lacking in soul (and sound) but that is obviously subjective.
<br/>
<br/>Telelever does not mean that the bike will not run wide, it is subject to the same laws of physics as all other bikes, and it is misleading to suggest otherwise. I have to be honest and say the 1200 came with the job so I feel able to be objective about it. I prefer the older 1200s and the later 13. I'm glad you enjoy it, but lets try and keep things in context.
Westlodge107's Response to K1200S's Review
Written on: 11/09/2009
I have had a k1200s for three years from new,the running in is as stated keep it below 7000rpm I'll let yuo work out the speed at these engine revs.
<br/>the gearbox is clunky because of the straight cut gears for 1st and 2nd (engine power), to stop a lot of this problem I find that if you load the gear lever just before changing up this has a remarkable effect on the amount of noise produced.
<br/>Colin
Alkydale1's Response to K1200S's Review
Written on: 23/11/2008
Is the K1200S really that good? I too had an Aprilia (Falco) which I have just sold because I want the K12S, only worry is the negative feedback about the gearbox, any comments?
Stallionrider's reply to Alkydale1's Comment
Written on: 16/05/2013
I bought a 2008 K1200S 3 years ago with 18000km on the clock. In the beginning I was very happy. I had a incident or two with the dealer in between services. I never hesitated to pay for work done on it but when I feel I'm paying for services and they don't deliver I get upset. Anyway a year after I bought it the gearbox started jumping out of gear. I was told it happen to 1 in a 1000 K12000S and it cost me to replace the gearbox for R19000. Not long after that I had to find out that almost everybody who has one had the same problem and had to replace or undercut the gearbox. This made me totaly disgusted with BMW to lie to me. 3 years and I still got the bike with 110000km on the clock now. My spark also came out due to stripped thread. The bike was serviced only one dealer and the plug only changed 3 times. The dealer didn't want to take responsiblity for this and cost me a further 10000 rand to fix. With all the backup service received from BMW SA and their national GM [name removed] who wasn't even interested in my story and neither wanted to see me when I requested. This proved to me that its all about the name and image they trying to upkeep. These are only a few of my problems I had. The dealer principal even told me in my face I can take them to the ombudsman and that they don't need to follow his instruction to fix my bike at their cost. Lately I also experience handling problems on my bike. I just can't figure oyt what the cause is to this. This dealer even once deliver my bike back to me with a broken mirror. And with all of my problems on a late model bike I came to a conclusion that they not made to last and neither are the dealer customer orientated. My Kawasaki was a much older bike and have 130000km on the clock and didnkt give me have the problems or expenses I had with the K1200S. In 3 years I spent more than 90000 rand on the bike and can't say even it was we'll spendt and worthwhile. I hope that somebody from BMW on a higher level might see this to resolve my issues.
388175_Great Dane's Response to K1200S's Review
Written on: 02/08/2008
Seriously considering purchasing one having read the reviews. I currently have a 1998 K1200RS which is great but slightly tired now. Just have to convince my Wife and newborn baby its a good idea!
K1200S's Response to K1200S's Review
Written on: 04/02/2008
17500 mile UPDATE ON K1200S EXPERT REVIEW <br/>Awesome acceleration in all gears at all revs<br/>Superb build quality defeating British winter<br/>Very fuel efficient<br/>Still head-turning looks<br/>Supreme residual value<br/><br/>OK everyone! Here I am reporting back on my Night Black 2007 Spec BMW K1200S. I'm glad you all enjoyed my last review and I am appreciative it was chosen as an Expert review.<br/>OK What to tell you? Well since about 15000 miles the engine has loosened up to the extent that it flies in 6th gear now from very low revs. This is best illustrated by the fact that in 6th (top) gear the bike now accelerates from 50-100mph in around 4.5secs......that is pure flexibility and torque. I believe that BMW engines are built in such a way as to encourage durability. The Japanese engines have every last ounce of power reaked out of them. This inline four BMW has been designed to last hundreds of thousands miles. This is evident in my running in experience.<br/>Due to picking this bike up on 16th Nov 2006 it was right in the greasy British roads situation. For the international readers what this means is this: British roads are notoriously bad because the local and county councils don't clean the roads anymore due to lack of money. The road builds up mud, dirt, grit, stones and accident and animal debris and then gets a nice helping of rock salt mixed with grit when they think there's going to be ice on the road. Mostly the debris is in the centre of the road, but when anyone overtakes this mix gets added onto your lane. Consequently, running in a bike after a lay off from owning (though did have over 30 test rides) a bike for 21 months and running in a bike that has 167bhp at the crank tends to make you a little cautious.<br/>So for the first 600 miles I followed the running in instructions to a "t". I kept it gentle for the first 6000 miles and rarely gave it full throttle. When it had it's 6000 miles service around March 2007 I let it loose. The first time I opened it up I remember the induction roar and commented to my girlfriend it sounded like a grizzly bear's roar being heard through honey! You know, a fierce growl but a smooth growl? It made my hair stand up on the back of my neck and so alluring was it that I turned round and rode the road again, and again, and again! It was intoxicating, not the acceleration but the induction growl!<br/>My girlfriend lives in London and I see her on average twice a week. It's a 200 mile round trip, which I can't tell you how long it takes for fear of possibility incriminating myself. However, let me tell you that it takes less time than travelling across London from North to South using public transport (including the Tube (underground)). So how has it affected tyres? Well, unfortunately, one of the little people who I was lecturing stuck his penknife in my tyre when the original had 1840 miles on it. That original fit was a 190/50ZR17 Michelin Pilot Power and so it was replaced by RS Tyres in Leicester for £115 fitted. That tyre lasted 4650miles. I replaced that tyre with one of the new Michelin Pilot Road 2CT.......What a tyre, went through the worst summer in terms of thunderstorms and also the early part of this winter including 75 miles in deep snow (got caught coming back from my girlfriend's). So how far did I get out of my Road 2CT? AN INCREDIBLE 9762 miles!!!!!! That is on a bike with 167 bhp at the crank and the 12000mile service was done on 2nd July 2007. That tyre was changed for another Road 2CT on 31/12/08. I have now covered another 1750+ miles on this new tyre. I'm not someone who's scared to use the power, as my tyre fitter commented "you certainly push this bike!" I can't highly recommend this tyre more because it is predictably sure footed in any conditions and I am positive after my snow bound exploits which included reversing the bike backwards down a 30deg slope which is my drive would not have been possible on any other tyre.<br/>The front original lasted 8900miles and now has a Michelin Pilot Road 2CT tyre fitted. I'm expecting it to last at least 20000 miles!!! I think that some of us have egos that insist that we buy out and out sports tyres when a good sports tourer is best for ANYONE who rides on public roads. Sure, if you ride to a track and then on the track on the same tyres then buy a sports tyre, but this Pilot Road 2CT is amazing and I have never had it skip or miss in the rain when cornering.<br/>OK more about the actual bike. I had the 12000 mile service as I mentioned earlier and that was at Pidcocks in Derby (Long Eaton just off junction 24 follow East Midlands Airport sign). My supplying dealer Wollastons in Northampton, and Balderstons in Peterborough both wanted £250 inclusive of parts and VAT. Pidcocks carried out the 12000 mile service, changed the air filters (not a 12000mile item) and replaced the back brake pads (I drag the back a lot in London) and washed the bike all for £196.00 inclusive!!!!! They were excellent and they also solved one of the great mysteries of my ownership of the K1200S.<br/>My bike from about 8000 miles was using about a litre of oil every 2000 miles. Some commentators would say that this is normal or within acceptable parameters for a high performance bike. However, having spoken to other owners it would seem that the K1200S' appetite for oil is similar to it's appetite for fuel which is minimal, 45mpg average (for normal point and squirt riding) drops to 39mpg after a real thrash, and best 61mpg when I had an enforced sticking to the speed limit on the motorway due to weather.......Anyway, getting back to my bike's propensity to drink oil after many dealers looking at it and proposing this and that Pidcocks solved it. The pistons hadn't meshed with the cylinder liners properly because the bike was ridden cautiously in the first 6000 miles. This meant that the oil is bypassing piston which it's meant to cool and ends up being burnt in the cylinder. Remember I said that I picked this bike up in November when the road surfaces are poor and it was run in over the winter? <br/>This is also a tribute to the build of BMW and supports my comment about the engine being built for longevity, reliability and durability. The cylinder liners are rock solid, designed to cope with the stresses of formula 1 (engine is derived from formula 1 block). This bike runs a compression ratio of 13.0:1 which is the highest compression ratio of any production bike. Therefore it needs strong pistons and liners. Unfortunately, you need to run it in in good weather so you can exploit the awesome throttle!<br/>So what is the solution? Well I have just used the available power in the second half of the summer. In other words, run it in now. Also I was advised to go back to 10W40 SAE Mineral Oil instead of the semi-synthetic that was in it. So what can I report? Well, in 5500miles since the service it's used about 500ml, so it's now ok. The fuel consumption is now superb. I can go to London and back (v. fast) a round trip of 100miles which includes 25 miles of fast A-roads, 67 miles of motorway and 8 miles of London congested traffic. That 100miles costs me £10 which buys 2.07 Imperial gallons and equates to 48.31 mpg. <br/>What else can I tell you? Well, I dropped it just the other day, due to oil on a wet petrol forecourt and losing my right foot on it. I held it up for ages, but had to spin off the bike and let it go. I didn't want to pick it up for fear of what I'd find, when I did, guess what? Another BMW surprise, slight scuffing on the bar end and front brake lever, a few marks from the tar but no breakages or further damage. My Aprilia loved the concrete because of a high centre of gravity and that would have broken everything!<br/>Riding this bike is like nothing else. Every other bike I have owned or tested makes you feel wary of it. They make you feel like you could be off at any moment. The BMW K1200S makes anyone feel like a God. It's so stable in cross winds, handles brilliantly, soaks up bumps and undulations without any drama. At no time do you think you'll come off. It's so easy to U-turn too!! It reminds me of my Lancia Integrale which I had in the late 1980s. It turns an ordinary guy into a God (at least in his own mind!) The acceleration is awesome, and on a track when you're indicating 160mph and you open the throttle it still flies with an urgency which is frankly, ridiculous! The brakes are amazing, and combine that with the wonderful engine braking and sitting up into the air flow, you'll rarely have to use the brakes. Those brakes inspire confidence and can stop you on a sixpence without worrying about coming off no matter what the conditions thanks to integral ABS. Integral is BMW-speak for front brake operating both front and rear brakes and rear pedal working only on rear brake. They really are the best set of brakes on any bike (made by Brembo apparently!)<br/>As for the ESA, when my girlfriend gets on, I only have to press a button to change the preload, no spanners and no scuffed knuckles or worse trying to remember where the suspension was set before. She gets off and it's another press on the button to change the preload back. When I'm on the M1 Motorway, the South bound carriageway between junctions 11 and 6 has long term roadworks which have some really bad undulations and damaged tar that include lorry induced tar tramlines. That's no problem, because i simply select comfort and sail over the bumps and poor surface. This has highlighted how well sorted the duolever and paralever set ups are. How? Because several times I have forgotten to put the ESA back onto Normal or Sport and I have ridden fast and on my A-roads back to my house and not even noticed it was set on the soft comfort setting. The bike never lurches ever or floats, it's always supremely sorted whichever setting you choose.<br/>I do use the sport setting but rarely since these are roads i'm on and the normal setting keeps the bike glued to the line you want. ESA is very useful in other respects. When the road is slippy you should soften the suspension so that a bump doesn't cause a deflection which has the tyre struggling for grip. So softening it up, like I did when I was 75miles from home and encountered bad snow in November all the way home. Recently, high winds have been the order of the day, and a couple of times gusts have caught me, but never anything to frighten me. Perhaps that's because I set the damping to Sport to prevent the bike being "sponged off" the road.<br/>Overall, I cannot highly recommend firstly Wollaston BMW in Northampton for the best purchase deals, Pidcocks BMW in Long Eaton for excellent and cheap servicing and of course the BMW K1200S which surely has to be the best bike bar none for the everyday rider.