2004

26 MOTOR CYCLE NEWS JULY 21, 2004

ROAD TEST

DOES an 1157cc in-linefour with 165bhp andsuperbike handlingsound like a BMW toyou? No, of course not.Yet 165bhp is the power

figure BMW is claiming for the all-newK1200S. As for superbike handling…

BMW maintains their first entry intothe serious sports bike market handleslike no other BMW. The set of bendsahead should allow us to explore theirclaim nicely. But first off, the semi-linked brakes have to be tested.

Squeeze the adjustable-for-finger-length front lever and the world turnsinside out. The ferocity of the servo-assisted front four-pot calipers isenough to worry contact lens wearers.

The feel from the lever is abundant,and as the road behind is clear I mightas well keep the brakes on and checkout the ABS system.

Squeezing harder and harder, thensuddenly there’s the trademark ABSforward lunge as the system kicks in.The calipers’ grasp on the discs bolteddirectly to the wheels (no floatingcentral rotor, for lightness) ismomentarily relaxed. Just as quicklythe brakes bite again. The way the bikelops off speed is impressive. There’s nosign of pulsing through the lever as thepistons are released at the point ofwheel lock-up and instantly re-applied.There’s also no need to think aboutapplying the rear brake to slow thebike – the linked brake system has

already done just that. But youwouldn’t know it because this latestversion of BMW’s linked brake systemis finely honed. It also allows the rearbrake pedal to be used withoutworking the dual front calipers.

The amazing thing is the way thebike remains poised, stable, unruffledand safe. There’s no drama or feelingof impending doom. Even braking hardinto a corner causes no heartache.Confidence goes skyward and so doesthe realisation that if the bike can bebraked hard while tipping in thenthere’s enough grip and feel from thefront Metzeler SportTec to carry onleaning it over until the apex is hit or

WRONGWRONGThink BMW doesn’t makeperformance sports bikes?

J BMW K1200S 87%

Continues on page 28

BMW has decided sportsbikes are the future, and by

ploughing millions intodesigning an all-new engineand chassis it has created a

BMW motorcycle like noother. The future looks

bright...

THE K1200S is not your usual BMW fare...

THE K1200S remainsutterly poised andstable at speed

JULY 21, 2004 MOTOR CYCLE NEWS 27

BY TREVOR FRANKLINPICTURES HOWARD BOYLAN

THE K1200S is a dreamblend of huge power,

quality suspension, andastonishing brakes

‘Wrench the throttle open at2500rpm in first gear and check

out the black line left behind. Thisbike could pull a house down’

28 MOTOR CYCLE NEWS JULY 21, 2004

ROAD TESTthe danger has gone.

Superb brakes are only part of the story.The chief reason they work so well is thechassis and its sublime handling manners.The moment the brakes are worked thefront end dips. But it is only a small,controlled dip. There is still plenty ofmovement left in the spring for the frontwheel to track the surface and soak upbumps. Hit something raised or sunkenand yes, like a sports bike the front endkicks back momentarily through wrists andarms. Actually the whole front end feelsmost like a well set-up race bike. It

performs faultlessly with plenty of feel inall situations and on various surfaces.

As a luddite who has previously held thebelief that motorcycles should alwayscome with telescopic forks, I’m pleasantlysurprised that BMW’s new Duoleversystem is a viable, perhaps even superior,alternative. It works bloody well. Plus theharder the bike is pushed the better itfeels and responds.

Back up to speed and more fast-flowing

corners loom. But the K1200S is no quick-steering beast. With its long wheelbase,248kg weight and low centre of gravity,there’s no way it can be chucked aroundlike a supersport bike. But then neithercan a Suzuki Hayabusa, Honda Blackbirdor Kawasaki ZX-12R. Even so, I’d expectthe K1200S to be a good bet for best inclass when these bikes square up in MCN’sfirst head to head test.

Choose a line through fast, flowing turnsand the K12 sticks to it. Push or pull thebars and the bike rolls on to its side withthe ease and action of a basking otter.Tease more fuel through the injectors andrelish in the way it pulls out of the turn.Going in faster and slamming the bike onits side evokes no wayward reaction. All thetime you’re aware of what the tyres andsuspension are doing. A delight.

With the electronically adjustablesuspension (see page 31) set in comfortmode (soft setting for motorway use) thebike reacts slower to rider input. But insport mode (more damping effect) thebike is more taut and can be hustledthrough the sweeping countryside withouteffort. The boys on R1s, Blades and the likearen’t going to get away.

Hand-in-hand with the new-foundsports handling is an engine whichdeserves equal praise. An in-line four witha claimed 165bhp is something to beholdfrom any manufacturer, but to come froma company with a name for bikes thatcome with just the right amount of powerto do the job is a big deal.

Like Suzuki’s Hayabusa there’s enoughsheer grunt to pull fifth gear from4000rpm without complaining. Slowmoving traffic or town riding is a cinch;even two-up and loaded the engine

From previous page

EVEN the world’s largestsilencer can’t eclipse the beauty

of the single-sided rear end

‘Push on the bars and the K1200S rolls on toits side with the ease of a basking otter’

Under the skin ofGermany’s finestTHE talking points on theK1200S will undoubtedlyrevolve around thepowerful engine andoddball front end (seepage 31), but there ismuch more to the bikethan first meets the eye.

What appear to beeveryday components to

Japanese and Italian bikeowners are all new to theBMW massive – items suchas separate switchgearand lever assemblies andwet multiplate clutches.

Here we go under theskin of the bike to revealhow BMW has puttogether the K1200S...

HEADLIGHTTHERE are three light units behindthe polycarbonate cover. One ofthe H7 bulbs is for low beam, theothers for high beam. A broadspread of light is emitted andon high it’s good enough tomelt the retina of roamingwild boar or kerb-crawlingMercedes drivers. Nighttime vision is exemplary.

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INSTRUMENTS AND SWITCHGEARTHE dash is thin, neat andincludes gear indicator, tripmeter and distance possiblewith remaining fuel. Thespeedo takes pride of placewith a white tacho to theleft. If Electronic SuspensionAdjustment is fitted, thedash displays thesuspension settings selectedby a button on the left bar.

JULY 21, 2004 MOTOR CYCLE NEWS 29

refuses to get bogged down. Through sceniccountryside, up and down dale, top gear willsuffice – a true-to-form BMW machine. Butthe engine has a welcome fierce side, too.

Wrench the throttle open at 2500rpm infirst cog and check out the rearward view inwhat have to be the most useful mirrors onany motorcycle today. The black line leftbehind is from scrubbed Metzeler rubberand scorched tarmac. This bike could pull ahouse down.

The K1200S is deceptively quick. On thelarge-faced European-spec kph speedo thenumbers run out at 300kph. Head-down on

the autobahn, the speedo needle makes aclockwise bolt for freedom with every up-change. An impressive 290kph (180mph) iswhere it finally settles. And BMW claimsspeed is not a priority for prospective buyers!Perhaps in its eyes, speed is just anunimportant by-product of the availablepower – and that 165bhp performancefigure was just one area that BMW aimed forto attract a new breed of owners.

There’s no getting away from the fact theK1200S is endowed with big horsepowerand torque – 140bhp can be expected at theback wheel after the drive shaft, gearbox and

shaft final drive have sapped some of thecrank derived 165bhp. Yes, it’s got a shaftdrive system. But BMW has got its Paraleverdrive system pinned down. There’s minimalshaft torque reaction.

With more miles under the belt the engineshould become just another engine goingabout its business. Except this one isn’t. It hasproblems and they’re driving me mad.

In the first three gears the gearshift is loudand hard on the foot. Think of being shot inthe foot at point blank range and you’ll beclose to what it’s like. The top three cogs arepositive in their action but aren’t half as bad.

And there’s a really solid mechanical rumblelike a single brick in a cement mixer from theclutch at tickover. It clears when the clutchlever is pulled. At a fuel stop later in the dayanother K1200S rider claims his gearbox hasimproved with the miles covered. What aboutthe erratic low rpm fuelling, I ask? Nodifference there, he replies. And like me his isalso plagued with a high frequency buzzthough the bars and pegs on a neutralthrottle between 6-8000rpm.

The most annoying fault is the fluffy fuellingor ignition mapping at low rpm. Trying tomaintain a steady throttle between

3-4000rpm is a hit or miss affair. Rolling offthe throttle from high revs to this pointcauses the engine to hunt and surge briefly.Throttling back and then opening it upstraight away sometimes results in a big kickof drive. Triumph had similar problems on itsfirst injection systems on the TT600.

BMW knows of these problems. “It is notwhat we expected,” said one technician of thefuel/ECU problem before running for cover.It’s a matter of refinement, BMW claims. Andthis refinement is taking place now beforeany customer bikes are released from thefactory – the firm has a hell of a reputationfor customer satisfaction to maintain.

There are no complaints about the ridingposition. That seat is soft but supportive sono aching bum after 200 miles. The barposition is spot-on and the K12 even hasBMW’s legendary heated grips.

So who is BMW aiming for with its dip intothe sports market? Honda VFR riders whowant a bike with more guts and sport appealwill love the BMW. And so will superbikeriders who want similar levels of handling andperformance but with added distance abilityand perhaps a bit less of the fear factor.

At first glance the cost is lower than mightbe expected from a high-spec BMW –£9750 for the base model isn’t too far offthe list price (if not the real price) of ZX-12sand Blackbirds. But add on ABS and thesuspension electronics (as fitted to our testbike) and you’re looking at £11,000 – withlittle prospect of a deal.

BMW sales people may face a challengewhen it comes to the K1200S. The idea ofBMW Motorrad building a modern, sports-biased motorcycle is alien to a lot of people.Even die-hard supporters of the brand havebaulked at the idea that an in-line four(rather than the traditional Boxer twin)should be used in such a flagship model. Butwe’d advise all those people to suspend theirdisbelief or prejudice and get themselves atest ride – this is a real sports-orientedmachine that deserves serious consideration.

Available: September 2004 Colours: Yellow/black/silver,blue/white. Available March2005: grey, blue Insurance group (tbc): 17 (of 17) Info: BMW UK, 0800-777155Power/torque (claimed):165bhp @ 10,250rpm96ftlb @ 8250rpmFuel capacity: 19 litresSeat height: 820mmWeight: 248kg

* Spec as tested, with ABSand £430 ESA suspensionoption. Base non-ABS, non-ESA model is £9750

SPECIFICATIONEngine: Liquid-cooled,1157cc (79 x 59mm) 16vfour-stroke in-line four. Fuelinjection. Six gearsChassis: Aluminium beamFront suspension: Duolever,electronically adjustable forcompression damping (onlyon ESA model)Rear suspension: BMWParalever, electronically fullyadjustableTyres: 120/70 x 17 front,190/50 x 17 rearBrakes: 2 x 320mm frontdiscs with four-pistoncalipers, 265mm rear discwith four-piston caliper.Servo assisted and semi-linked, optional ABS.

HANDLING issublime; feedback adelight CONS l Erratic low rpm fuelling l Notchy box

BMW K1200SPRICE: £10,985* otr

87%PROS l Fast l Superbike handling l Comfy

FUEL TANK AND SEATTHE 19-litre fuel tank looks absolutely huge but isshaped to be slender where knees and thighs rest. Youcan grip it tightly when laying the bike on its side.Because of the angle and height of the bars and fairlyupright riding position, stomach and chest don’t touchthe tank – there’s enough room to clip a shaped tankbag on. The seat is sumptuous and at 820mm high theaverage height rider will have no problem placing bothfeet on the floor. A 30mm lower seat is a no-cost option.

CHASSISA FIRST for BMW is the aluminium twin-beamframe. Cast sections form the headstock area andthe rear side plates for the rear engine mountsand swingarm pivot point. The side spars areformed from high pressure moulded alloy sections.The extreme angle of the engine means thecylinder head does not dictate the width of theframe – it is very narrow and uses hangers thatreach down to support the front of the motor.

This also allows a big (10-litre) airbox to be usedand the 19-litre fuel tank to be mounted lower.BMW claims the bike’s weight distribution is 50:50from the rider’s seat – the Japanese oppositiontend to run with a 51:49 front-end bias.

Because the bike’s wet weight of 248kg(comparable to a gassed-up Hayabusa at 246kg)is carried low, it’s the first physicallymanageable BMW – you won’t burst a bloodvessel pushing it around.

PARALEVER DRIVESHAFTDESPITE the engine’s 165bhp output, BMW has stuck with itstraditional shaftdrive drivetrain. The Paralever system is similarto the lightweight unit used on the R1200GS and is strongenough to take the extra power put through it – the motor is notrestricted in any form in the lower gears where drive thrust is atits highest. Thanks to the twin pivoting action of the swingarm –which the shaft runs through – torque reaction (lift) when openingthe throttle is virtually eliminated.

WHEELSALL three brake discs boltdirectly on to the gorgeousten-spoke wheels – the lack ofinner rotors saves weight andoffers a small handling advantage.The tyre valve on the front wheelis fitted to the side of a spoke foreasy airline access.

BRAKESBMW’s servo-assisted linked brakesoffers serious power. The K1200S’sversion differs from other BMWs inthat although the front lever alsooperates the rear brake, the rear pedalalone exerts no force through the frontcalipers. The ABS has been tuned tosuit sports riding – cutting in at ahigher level to other BMW models.

30 MOTOR CYCLE NEWS JULY 21, 2004

ROAD TEST

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‘This engine is as far removed fromBMW’s Boxer twins and flat fours asthe Government is from reality’

As small as a 600 but with 165bhp

From previous page

T O realise its ambition of musclinginto the sports market, BMW had todevelop a completely new engine.

The K1200S’s in-line 1175cc four-cylindermotor gives a claimed 165bhp and astaggering 95ftlb of torque and is as farremoved from BMW’s Boxer twin and flatfour engines as the Government is fromreality.

Designed in collaboration with BMW’s carracing arm, the engine is tiny. Itsdimensions mirror a 600cc supersportlump rather than a full-blown 1000cc-plusengine. Tilted in the frame to 55° it helpsto maintain a low centre of gravity, butalso creates the space needed for theDuolever suspension system (see opposite)while maintaining 50:50 weightdistribution.

The engine is a dry sump unit. Oil iscarried in a reservoir tank behind theengine. A main pump feeds the oil to firstlythe oil filter and then to crankcase oilwayswhich lead to the crankshaft, gears,camshafts, etc. Used oil is then pumpedvia a second pump to the oil cooler andthen back to the reservoir.

Cooling is taken care of by a water pumpbolted directly to the cylinder head and isdriven by the inlet camshaft. The coolantflow is divided 73:27 between the headand barrels – the lower flow rate around

the cylinders aids quicker engine warm-upto reduce cold-running wear. The radiatoris located to the front of the engine andjust above the cylinder head.

The 16 valves are actuated by rockerarms driven by the camshafts. A chainfrom the crankshaft turns the exhaustcamshaft and a gear drive links this to theinlet shaft. It’s a tidy way to keep the headnarrow while ensuring precise valve timingwithout the use of many gears associatedwith gear driven camshafts.

The clutch is a typical wet multi-plateconfiguration (although a first for shaft-drive BMWs) riding piggy-back on thecrankcases along with a cassette-type six-speed gearbox. BMW claims this speeds-up production by slotting the gearbox in asa complete lump. But, it could mean thegear ratios could be changed if the engineis used in further sports bike projects.

Fuelling is by injection, but rather thanbeing of the return pump type, the ECUcontrols the pump to supply only therequired amount of fuel.

Wiring is kept to a minimum by usingCAN (Controlled Area Network – first seenon Ducati’s 999 range) technology. Insteadof several metres of wires, one cable nowdelivers many electronic individual codedpulses. If something goes amiss then theECU shuts down that particular area.

JULY 21, 2004 MOTOR CYCLE NEWS 31

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IN-LINE four-cylinderengine is angled in theframe to give a lowcentre of gravity

TECH ANALYSIS: THE FRONT SUSPENSIONBMW is no stranger to strangefront suspension. Fact: It was thefirst to fit hydraulically-dampedtelescopic front forks to aproduction bike, way back in 1937.In more recent years the firm hastrodden a unique path with itsTelelever single wishbone forksystem – a halfway housebetween conventional forks andthe latest set-up fitted to theK1200S. The K’s Duolever frontend is not, however, quite as newas you might think.

British inventor Norman Hossackfirst designed a twin-wishbonefront fork set-up in the 1980s.BMW saw this design for what itwas – a major leap forward infront suspension. But until now itcouldn’t use the idea as its rangeof bikes simply couldn’t beadapted to fit the system withouta ground-up redesign. Over theyears BMW has secretly labouredat perfecting Hossack’s design(modern materials, bearings,lighter construction) and with theclean sheet approach that theK1200S project offered it becamea logical step to debut thesystem.

The Duolever system uses a rigidcast alloy fork which is connectedto the main frame at its top bytwo pivoting wishbones – similarto a race car’s suspension. Aconventional shock is mountedbetween the lower wishbone and

the headstock, controlling the upand down movement of the fork.The steering movement is takencare of by conventionallymounted bars which rotate thefork on its bearings in thewishbones via a pair of linkagesthat are hinged to accommodatethe suspension movement.

This arrangement offers greaterrigidity than telescopic forks for agiven weight. But it also meansthere is virtually no dive at thefront when the brake is applied,allowing the suspension to do itsjob of absorbing bumpsunhindered. Hence thecomparison on our first ride witha well set-up race bike front end– little dive, great feel.

In addition, the geometry (rakeangle and wheelbase) do notchange significantly underdeceleration. The end resultshould be more stable andpredictable handling, especiallyon turn-in – and it is.

Both front and rear shocks aremade by Dutch specialist WP. Therear is fully adjustable, while thefront has compression dampingadjustment only (though if youhaven’t paid for the ElectronicSuspension Adjustment option, it’sunadjustable. The rear on thenon-ESA bike has the same fullrange of adjustability but viaconventional manual knobs andscrews).

The ESA system allows you toswop between nine suspensionmodes at the flick of a switch onthe left bar. Small electric motorsdo the work of moving theadjusters in and out.

First of all you set the pre-loadwhile stationary, choosing fromone of three modes – solo, solowith luggage, or rider, pillion plusluggage.

Then within each of thesemodes there are three pre-determined settings available forthe compression (and, at the rear,rebound) damping levels. Theseare designated comfort, sportsand normal depending onwhether you want a soft ride, afirmer, more responsive feel, orsomething in between.

It’s no gimmick either – youreally can feel the change as youswop between modes – and itbrings possibilities that othersports bikes simply do notcurrently offer. Where mostriders set up their bikes ona compromise setting thatreflects the kind of ridingthey do most, the K1200allows you to changebetween, say, sports andcomfort setting instantly in themiddle of a journey as theroads you’re riding change from,say, mountain roads to motorway.Dare we hope that one day allsports bikes will let you do this?

Continues over

YES, it looks mad.No, it mostdefinitely is not agimmick

32 MOTOR CYCLE NEWS JULY 21, 2004

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“The Bike Safe”

From previous page

MCN was given exclusive access to the production line ofproject K40, BMW’s new K1200S. Here’s what we saw...

THE frame being mated to the engine...

AFTER that, the rear suspension and drive shaft

THE rolling chassis goes off to the bodywork shop BODYWORK decals are applied by handNO hands-on approach for building rear bevel box PAINTWORK application is all automated

Where it all began...

ROAD TESTDESIGNERS hadeven more radicalideas than made itto production