Author Topic: Sweet Rides - 2012 BMW R1200GS Rallye  (Read 5386 times)

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VersysRider

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Sweet Rides - 2012 BMW R1200GS Rallye
« on: September 20, 2014, 11:11:20 AM »


By Doug Westly | Safety Editor

Over the past 6 years I have been on the search for the perfect (for me) sport touring bike. I’ve tried just about everything and have always come back to the R1200GS. My latest is the 2012 Rallye Edition, which I’ve now had for a year, with just over 12000 miles on it.

The 2012 model is the last of the air/oil cooled GS models. They carried over the engine in the 2013 GS Adventure, but the standard GS received the new water/air cooled engine in 2013. In case you’re wondering which is which, it’s pretty easy. If the next GS you see has the exhaust on the right side, it is a new “wasser boxer.” In any event, I consciously chose to purchase the 2012 GS, knowing the new engine was coming in the 2013 models. There were a couple of reasons for the decision. First, I fell in love with the look of the Rallye Edition GS when I saw it. I had also decided I didn’t want to be a first year redesign test owner. I may upgrade to the new engine model in a year or two, but for now the 2012 fits me just fine.

If you have never ridden the GS, or other similar adventure style bikes, you may be wondering why the attraction for them. It is true that very few riders actually use them to their full potential. I for one have no intention of riding from Tampa, FL to Ushuaia at the southern tip of South America. However, adventure bikes have other great features. They generally are lighter in weight than regular, large sport touring bikes. The rider sits up higher and straighter. The wide bars and upright seating offer a comfortable riding position for staying in the saddle hours on end. The wide bars and comparatively light weight (for the large sport touring motorcycle category) also make for a great handling bike. They also have great ground clearance, high GVWR ratings and you can pack/carry just about anything on them. The BMW GS series also has the advantage of a huge OEM and aftermarket parts selection. If you look hard enough, I bet you might just find a kitchen sink that fits. I like the GS not for its off-road capabilities (even though I will wander down the occasional hard packed dirt road), but rather for its maneuverability and comfort. I’ve even gone so far as to rid the GS of its standard on/off road Tourance tires, replacing them with Michelin PR3 road rubber. The PR3s transform the road characteristics of the big boxer, making it a real corner carving machine as well as smoothing out the ride even more.

The BMW GS is equipped with the company’s famous opposed twin engine. In the 2012 model the engine produces a claimed 110 hp, with a combination of air and oil cooling keeping the cylinders cool. There’s plenty of torque on hand as well for either a single rider, or two-up with luggage. My Rallye has 5.3 gallons of usable fuel in the tank, and consistently returns about 40 mpg, offering an easy 180-200 miles in range during high-speed interstate runs. When I slow down on the back roads, mileage quickly climbs, providing a range of 220-240 miles on a tank.

The 2012 Rallye Edition comes equipped with the GS electronics package. This includes switchable on/off ABS and electronically adjustable rear suspension for road and load conditions. The Rallye package also makes wire spoke wheels standard, which are both lighternand stronger than the cast wheels found on the base GS model. The Rallye also comes with the beautiful red frame and combination white/red/blue paint, as well as a two-tone seat that really finishes off the scheme.

As this is my 4th GS, I’ve gotten to know what tends to work well for options. When I purchased the Rallye, I skipped the standard BMW Vario panniers. I’ve had them on an earlier model and was never a fan of them. First off they are sideopening, which means when you open them, stuff tends to fall out. The left bag is small (as it fits around the exhaust) unless you use it in the expanded mode, and even then it doesn’t hold a lot. Fortunately there are great options when it comes to saddlebags or panniers for the GS. I decided to just go ahead during the purchase and add the full GS Adventure pannier system. While expensive (and there are other, less-expensive aftermarket options), the OEM Adventure panniers offer top-loading storage that is exceptional in terms of convenience and load-carrying capacity.

In addition to the complete Adventure pannier system, I’ve continued with my ZUMO 665 GPS, with full XM/weather/ traffic capability. It sits above my instrument panel in a Touratech locking mount, with a glare shield for good daylight visibility. Along with the GPS in the cockpit sits my Adaptiv TPX radar detector with visual alert, more to remind me to pay attention to the road conditions than anything else (although it has also saved me from a couple of potential roadside chats with the local constabulary).

Other modifications include wider rider foot pegs for comfort and control, the GS Adventure winglets that improve airflow around the rider, a full under tail Mud Sling and SW-Motech crash bars to protect the vulnerable cylinders.

The BMW GS faces stiff competition nowadays. There are plenty of manufacturers out there now with their own adventure touring or adventure-styled bikes. I’ve ridden a lot of them, and owned one or two of the alternatives. I always come back to the big GS boxer. It is easy to ride, comfortable, fast (at least enough for me on the road), handles extremely well on the back roads, and reliable. Being able to haul anything I want in those huge panniers is a nice benefit as well. Why do so many riders still prefer the GS? A prominent motorcycle magazine did a road test several months ago, comparing several makes and models of sport tourers. They brought along a BMW GS to serve just as the camera bike and general Sherpa. Almost to a tester, they were stunned to discover the big boxer not only was able to keep up with the high horsepower sport tourers, it was easier to ride and more comfortable as well. In the end, although the GS wasn’t officially part of the comparison test, it garnered the unanimous opinion from the testers of being all-around the best bike in the group! I second that opinion. For me, nothing works as well as my all-purpose, daily and long-distance bike. Maybe something else will pop up in the future, but for now when I need to just get on my bike and ride, it is always my GS Rallye that comes out of the garage.

Offline HawkGTRider

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Re: Sweet Rides - 2012 BMW R1200GS Rallye
« Reply #1 on: September 21, 2014, 02:51:29 PM »
I'm with you on the looks of the bike. The white body work with distinctive striping gives the bike a striking look. I like it!
Geoffrey Greene
MSTA Ride For Kids Coordinator, MSTA Secretary (retired), TN-STAR and Tri-STAR Coordinator (retired)
Difficult roads can lead to beautiful destinations.

Offline qman8

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Re: Sweet Rides - 2012 BMW R1200GS Rallye
« Reply #2 on: September 22, 2014, 07:51:00 AM »
I've put 43k miles on my '09 R1200GS.  It's been a real eye opener on what is capable out of these new ADV bikes.  I never would have thought I'd enjoy a GS after renting a 1150 in Colorado for STAR several years back, and having owned nothing but sporty bikes since starting riding in 1996...but the newer models are so much better street machines.  I also like the idea that it has more contact patch on the front wheel than your average street bike, with the 19" tire.  The other reason it handles so well is the paralever front suspension...helps to keep the chassis stable under heavy braking.  Sure I wish for some improvements, and the water cooled version might take care of most of them, someday maybe I will bite that bullet.  After 5000 mile in 2 week trip this summer, I agree with your assessment of the sport-touring capabilities of this machine!