BMW test rides: R1200RT and F800GS

The BMW R1200RT, an excellent touring motorcycle

A motorcycle like the BMW R1200RT is the reason I will never own a Harley. If I'm going to spend that much money I'm going to spend it on the beemer.

As reported previously, I went up to Northern Colorado Euro Motorcycles in Loveland to test ride some BMWs and I got to spend some time on four bikes: R1200RT, F800GS, F800ST, and S1000RR. I've already discussed the F800ST and S1000RR. Now I'll tell you about the other two.

R1200RT

 The mirror on the R1200RT

First off you need to understand that I'm a touring sort of motorcyclist, so the RT is right up my alley. And what a sweet bike! With a standard seat height of 33 inches this could be a tall bike for me but the one I rode was lowered and it fit perfectly. Plus, the center of gravity is much lower than what I'm accustomed to on my Kawasaki Concours, so the greater stability was pronounced.

With 100 horse power at 7,750 rpm, this bike has throw-you-back power that should satisfy your need for speed. The top speed is given as 120+. The 6.6-gallon gas tank, with a 1-gallon reserve, ensures that you can definitely cover some miles between gas stops.

Other features include an electronically controlled windshield and standard hard cases that hold 32 liters apiece, as well as electronic suspension adjustment. ABS is standard, as is cruise control. Beyond that, I'm not going to bore you with a lot of technical information. You can easily find as much of that as you want.

As for the ride, I was surprised that it actually has a little more vibration than my Concours, but it's nothing extreme. It shifted smoothly, accelerated smoothly, and had a very comfortable riding position. Couple that with great handling and it was a super bike to ride, the kind you can spend all day on.

One thing I did find novel was the position of the mirrors. Rather than being suspended above the grips, the mirrors are incorporated in the fairing below the grips. I didn't play with them but the way they were set up, that resulted in the top portion of the mirrors giving me a good view of my hands on the grips. The view of the road below my hands was quite good; far better than the mirrors on the F800ST, as I discussed previously.

With a list price of $17,000, the RT is not inexpensive. But if you're serious about covering the miles on your bike and want to do it in style, this is a heck of a motorcycle. I'd take it in a heartbeat.

F800GS

 The BMW F800GS dual sport motorcycle

The F800GS is a very different type of ride, and as a dual sport machine it seems to be biased toward the dirt. Unfortunately, when you do demo rides they don't generally take you on the dirt so I can't tell you about how it handles in that environment.

What I can tell you is that I came away with the impression that this is not a bike I would want to spend a lot of time riding on the pavement. The kind of torque you need on a rough trail does not translate well in street riding. Small throttle adjustments had me lurching forward and backward. It was hard to ride smoothly.

Additionally, it's extremely tall, as any good dirt bike needs to be. With my short legs I had to throw my body over it and catch myself on the other side in order to get it upright. Then, keeping it upright at a stop, I either had to slide down on one side or barely touch ground with my tiptoes on either side. But these aren't complaints; that's just typical on this type of bike.

All that said, a friend told me just last night that he knows a guy who rides a GS many thousands of miles every year and absolutely loves it. He's the kind of guy who likes to come upon a gravel or dirt road and go wander. This bike makes that possible. And then when it comes to riding on the street, he says he'll keep up with you wherever you want to go for as many miles as you care to go.

So maybe it's just a matter of getting used to it. Now, if BMW wanted to give me a loaner for a couple months I'd be happy to give you my revised thoughts on this bike afterward. But with just a half-hour ride--on pavement--this is the best I can do.

The GS has an $11,395 MSRP and can carry a payload up to 520 pounds. The fuel tank holds 4.2 gallons.

For more on the new BMWs, visit Autoblog.