November 15, 2001
By Dave Abrahams

If it wasn’t for a certain breakfast cereal I would probably have nicknamed this bike "Special K" – BMW’s most powerful motorcycle yet is not your average street bike. It’s too big and heavy to be a sport bike, it’s at its best on open roads with long, sweeping bends – hence the title we chose: Bahnstormer.

The horizontal straight-four BMW motor made its debut as the K100 in 1983; in 1989 it got a four-valve head and 1992 saw its capacity increase to 1100cc. This latest version has grown again, to 1171cc, and its power is up to 96kW at 8750rpm - at surprisingly high piston speeds due to the unusually undersquare bore and stroke of 70.5 x 75mm.

The upside of the long-stroke mill, though, is class-leading torque of 117Nm at 6750 revs. The new fairing (more about that later) has its air intake right at the point of highest pressure below the screen and headlight for maximum ram air effect, while the motor breaths out through two three-way catalytic converters, enabling it to meet the world’s toughest emission standards.

The result is an immensely muscular big bike with phenomenal midrange, allowing it to simply flatten the average all-rounder in any street situation without even breaking a sweat. The factory claims a top speed of "over 200km/h" – I saw well above 240 on a couple of occasions during high-speed testing, with more to come.

The K1200RS simply ran out of road before it ran out of steam; suffice it to say that the big K is faster than I am. Of more importance in the real world, however, is its ability to pull itself out of a corner harder than anything this side of a World Superbike, in any gear except top.

This abundance of urge is fed through a superb, seemingly abuse-proof, single-plate dry clutch to what was at the time of its introduction BMW’s first six-speed gearbox. As noted in our review of the R1100S, the first Blue Propeller twin to get the six-speed transmission, it’s a vast improvement over the five-ratio cog set.

While still vocal and a little notchy, especially at low revs, the change is at all times light and positive; it lends itself to clutchless changes in both directions, which is unusual for any shaftie, and driveline lash is limited to a loud, typically BMW "clonk" when taking up the power in first.

The big four-pot motor is fully rubber-mounted in a cast-alloy frame, with the now familiar Telelever front suspension whereby the fork sliders are just that – sliders. Damping is taken care of by a single central Showa automotive shock absorber on an A-frame lower mount, which forms the lower steering pivot. The system has no adjustment; it doesn’t seem to need them.

It’s one of the most accurate-steering front ends on the market and its geometry lends a modicum of inherent anti-dive, important on a machine of this size and weight.

The single-sided rear suspension system is called Paralever, since it uses two universal joints in the drive shaft and a fixed stay to maintain the big and heavy final drive casing at the same angle to the ground throughout the wheel travel, almost completely eliminating rear wheel hop under braking.

Its movement is controlled by a big Showa gas shock offset to the right in the frame, away from the hot tail pipe. This is adjustable for preload through a remote hydraulic setting – a first for any motorcycle – as well as for rebound damping by means of a no-tools hand wheel. Even at the factory’s normal settings the rear suspension is noticeably stiffer than the front, with a harsh and choppy feel on bad roads.

Given the high unsprung mass imposed by BMW’s monumental final drive it’s necessary, though, and a characteristic of most shaft-driven motorcycles.

The K1200’s brakes are amazing, both for their complexity and for the results they deliver. Just as well, seeing that they’re responsible for hauling down nearly 300kg of motorcycle. To start with, the front wheel has Brembo’s EVO brakes with twin lightweight 320mm rotors clamped by four-pot opposed-piston callipers.

Little electrically operated servo pumps – one for each wheel! – make it the world’s first motorcycle with power brakes and it carries BMW’s third-generation anti-lock system, a very necessary safety feature given the ferocious power of the brakes.

New this year for BMW is integral braking: hand and foot levers operate both brakes through a series of proportional pressure relief valves. The complete system is in place on the tourers but the K1200 has what the factory calls a partial integral set-up; the handlebar lever operates both brakes but the foot lever applies the rear stopper only, for steadying the bike into a corner or when riding in rain.

Even BMW has finally recognised the geometric realities of weight transfer under deceleration, which is the reason motorcycles have separate braking systems. There’s even a built-in continuous diagnostic check and a fail-safe unboosted get-you-home mode.

The results are impressive; just one finger is enough pull the bike down like running into wet cement. With very little nose-dive and no chatter the bike simply stops like nothing else on two wheels. There are motorcycles that will brake harder - but these are ultra-light, hard-core sport bikes weighing less than half of the BMW’s 266kg – and you’d better know what you are doing with them.

The K has very little lever feel and needs no such finesse; just squeeze gently and the thing stops; squeeze a little too hard and the lever will pulse gently under your fingers as the ABS prevents the wheels from locking or hopping. Long after you’ve become used to the wooden feel and lack of feedback the sheer ferocity of the brakes will continue to get your attention.

The redesigned upper fairing features the engine air intakes right in the nose, taking advantage of the zone of high pressure generated by the headlight area to force cool clean air into the motor, while the sector behind the front wheel is occupied by two large radiators in a trademark kidney-shaped grille. BMW makes much of the fact that the fairing has been slimmed down by 90mm in width; it’s still a bulky 650mm across, making the front of the motorcycle look incongruously heavy by comparison with the slimmer rear section, rather like a big bulldog.

The windscreen has been enlarged by more than 20% to 430 x 420mm for better weather protection and can be adjusted on two spring-loaded arms, either up for touring or down for more adventurous riding.

I soon found that the upper position created a small but unpleasant vortex behind my head so I left the screen in the down position throughout the review period and still didn’t have to crouch very much to get into the pocket of still air behind it. The aerodynamics of the new K fairing were developed in a wind tunnel and they work remarkably well.

The ergonomics of the latest edition have moved sharply towards the touring side of the sports-tourer equation; the formerly optional higher "comfort" handlebar becomes the standard fitting while the footpegs have been moved down by 30mm in front and 20mm for the pillion for a gentler angle on ageing knee-joints.

The footpegs are also adjustable through 30mm fore and aft as well as 26mm vertically, while the seat can be set either to 770 or 800mm off the deck. With all these adjustments you’ve only yourself to blame if you can’t get comfortable. The body panels are deeply scalloped behind the fuel tank to make space for the rider’s legs and the bike doesn’t feel as wide as it looks, although the huge tank cover almost filling the space between the rider’s elbows remains a little intimidating.

The instrument cluster is unique to this model and is surprisingly plain and concise by BMW standards. It doesn’t share any of the modular displays that make the fascias on the rest of range look a little disjointed. It has four dials, a clock and 14 warning icons yet the layout is almost clinically straightforward and very easy to read – other makers please note.

The mirrors are now on the handlebars, on rather neat double stalks, instead of being part of the fairing and the switchgear is the normal mishmash, including BM’s famously silly indicator controls that use three buttons to control what everybody else does with one. Rather more pleasant to use are the company’s heated handlebar grips, retained as standard issue. You can also get cruise control for R1 800 extra.

Riding the big K is a pleasant surprise; the bike is a lot more nimble than its size and heft would suggest and it’s beautifully balanced. It’s also stable almost down to walking pace, with a very smooth throttle action and only its excessive beam prevents it from being a very competent commuter.

The relaxed seating position is comfortable around town but tilted far enough forward for good control at higher speeds.

The Bavarian musclebike gives a good account of itself out in the twisties. As with all shafties, it’s better to get all your braking done before turning in and drive through the corner on positive throttle, but the chassis will tolerate the rider changing his mind mid-corner without becoming unsettled.

However, if you’re in a hurry, it will take a lot of body English to change lines, mostly due to the long (1549mm) wheelbase.

Engine response is always strong, thanks to the mountainous torque curve, and you can come out of corners hard on the gas, accelerating like a jet plane with the bike perfectly stable on reasonably smooth surfaces. When you get to the next corner those marvellous brakes will scrub off the speed with no fuss.

In that way the K1200 inspires a lot of confidence in the rider, especially on long fast sweeps where you can settle into the groove and use the power to push the big 170/60 rear gumball into the tar for maximum grip. Given open corners that you can see round to plan your lines the biggest Beemer is capable of very high average speeds point-to-point on good roads – which is how it got its nickname – Bahnstormer.

Thanks to Johan Booyens at Auto Atlantic, Cape Town, for providing the test bike. The big K sells for R107 600.

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SPECIFICATIONS
BMW K 1200 RS

Motor: Liquid-cooled in-line horizontal four-stroke four.
Capacity: 1171cc.
Bore x stroke: 70.5 x 75mm.
Valvegear: DOHC with four valves per cylinder.
Compression ratio: 11.5:1.
Power: 96kW @ 8750rpm.
Torque: 117Nm @ 6750rpm.
Induction: Bosch Motronic MA 2.4 electronic fuel injection.
Ignition: Digital electronic.
Starting: Electric.
Clutch: Hydraulically actuated single-plate dry clutch.
Transmission: Six-speed constant mesh gearbox with shaft final drive.
Suspension: Telelever with central Showa hydraulic shock-absorber at front, paralever with Showa monoshock adjustable for preload and rebound damping at rear.
Brakes: Twin 320mm discs with Brembo EVO power-assisted four-pot opposed piston callipers and ABS at front, 285mm disc with Brembo EVO power-assisted twin-pot oppposed floating calliper at rear.
Tyres: Front: 120/70-ZR17 tubeless. Rear: 170/60 -ZR17 tubeless.
Wheelbase: 1549mm.
Seat height: 770/800mm.
Dry weight: 266kg.
Fuel capacity: 20.5 litres.
Price: R107 600

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