New addition

[kbasa]

Well, there ya go. Finally got the R12GS off the stand at Marin BMW and parked in our garage. I picked it up last Friday and went for a ride for a big chunk of the afternoon. Not too busy at work, kept an eye on my voice mail and spent a good 5 or 6 hours bonding.

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/3858916-L-1.jpg

[kbasa]

I've gotta say. The thing is screwed together pretty well and every time I look at it, I see something else.

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/3858927-L.jpg

[kbasa]

Take these black plastic thingies as an example. If you look at it one way, it looks like a guy with a big nose and if you look at it facing the other way, it looks like a dinosaur. Wild. Anthropomorphic is the term, I believe.

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/3545411-L.jpg

[kbasa]

Now, this hole in the middle of the final drive just begs to have a bratwurst shoved in it with a couple of fine titanium BMW bratclipzen to keep it from flopping out while the final drive cooks it to perfection.

Those wild and crazy Germans, I tell ya.

In reality, the designers drew it up that way and the engineers were pleased to discover that it actually makes the final drive run 10F cooler.

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/3545401-L.jpg

[kbasa]

If you think your old BMW oil filter wrench is going to work, think again. That one you've had in your tool box for the last two decades that changed filters on your Kbike and then your oilhead? Fuggedaboutit. This filter is different and you're seeing pretty much the whole thing. I'd bet that if you got the bash guard out of the way you could get a strap wrench on it.

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/3316542-L.jpg

[kbasa]

I like the clocks. There's been some complaining about them in some of the publications about illegibility in bright sunshine, but I didn't have that experience. Over there on the left, you have your fuel gauge, in the middle is your clock, on the right is the temp gauge and that little number in the square is your gear indicator. Now if something goes pop on the bike, you get a message in the upper part of the panel. When you start the bike, it cycles through a bunch of checks with icons that look like a V8 motor and a time bomb. Again, those crazy Germans.

Down at the bottom, you can see the odometer. You have two tripmeters and an odometer. When the bike goes on reserve it puts up a number of miles with an arrow that points left. You've got 45 miles left. Geddit? Anyway, it varies the number of miles left based on what kind of consumption you've been getting on that particular tank. Very, very nice, in my opinion. Not much is worse than riding along on some long drone, looking down, seeing the reserve light and being startled into thinking "HOW LONG HAS THAT BEEN ON!?"

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/3858931-L.jpg

[kbasa]

Mirrors work great for self-indulgent self-portraits.

:p

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/3858930-L.jpg

[kbasa]

Now my experience with BMW over the last 25 years has been that you ride them home and throw away both the seat and the suspension components. This seat, while seeming nice at first, burned my butt over the weekend. Rocky Mayer is going to be getting a call from me and a visit at the 49er Rally. Prolly do something with the back too. They're hard and focus all the weight, like every other BMW seat I've ever had, right on the two bones in your ass instead of spreading it across your entire gluteus maximus.

The suspension, on the other hand, is terrific. Damping actually works, and this is the first BMW I've ever ridden that isn't suffering from the usual oversprung/underdamped combination. The suspension stays.

:clap

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/3935124-L.jpg

[kbasa]

The seat system is pretty nice. You have a key on the side of the deck that you can turn to the rear to unlock the back seat and toward the front to unlock the front seat. Neato. Simple and, at long last, on the right side of the bike. I'm kind of wierd. Getting on a bike from the right side is like getting on a horse from that side. Eeeeew. The lock is now correctly placed. And when I forget it in the seat lock, I won't have to get off and fetch it out from under the taillight like I do on the RS.

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/3935129-L.jpg

[kbasa]

Once the back seat is off, you have this really nice flat deck that is the same height as the bags. There seem to be lots of places to tie/loop/hook things to, which is pretty nice. If you take the tail rack off (3 torx fasteners) you can use the whole thing to carry your duffel bags and stuff - right where you want them over the rear wheel.

I ordered the top case and mounts so I can put it on the tail rack or on the deck where the rear seat goes. That's pretty enticing to me. Lockable, waterproof (resistant?) storage right behind me. I ordered the back rest for the bag too. It's gonna be like a limo.

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/3858939-L.jpg

[kbasa]

The seat height is adjustable on this bike via these little metal rods on the seat pan. You move a metal rod from a high to low position. There's one on each end of the pan and they're held in place with these little stretchy rubber gizmos. Advice here - carry a couple extras. I'll be ordering them and keeping them in teh nice velcro tool pouch.

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/3935133-L.jpg

[kbasa]

Under the seat we have access to the battery (Finally!), the owner's manual in a little waterproof packet, the tool kit, which fits into a tray with the patch kit and the top of the shock.

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/3858936-L.jpg

[kbasa]

This is looking up under the rear deck. There's a spot for a Ulock and that big black round thing is for the diagnostics.

I'm not sure where the bar part of the Ulock goes, but the tray is molded like that all the way up under the deck. I'd be that BMW starts selling a lock for this bike.

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/3858937-L.jpg

[kbasa]

The ignition switch, which uses one of those funny keys like BMW cars have with the groove in the side and the flat edges, doesn't have a "P" position to turn on the parking lights. Instead, you hit the left turn signal switch within a few minutes of turning the bike off and it'll light up the parking light and the tail light. I think it times out after a while. The ABS light also stays lit to indicate that the accessory outlet is still powered. That turns off after 15 minutes, I believe. When you go to start the bike, the headlight stays off until the bike has actually started. Neato. Yamaha had it on their bikes in 1982.

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/3858947-L.jpg

[kbasa]

I don't know about you guys (and girls - hiya BG, BMWRTGIRL and BMWbeauty! :wave) but when I get a new bike home the first thing I do is take it apart and get a feeling for what's in there. Reading the Owner's Manual doesn't hurt either. :evil

I had to take those panels off with the Dzus fasteners. They come off with the two fasteners you can see, a quarter turn lock on the lower front inside and a grommet on the upper front that captures this little spear shaped thing on the back of the panel.

Here you can see the actual tank. It's the big black plastic thing that's shaped all strangely. The aluminum panels and the painted plastic are just covers like the dino/face panel.

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/3858948-L.jpg

[kbasa]

I've gotta go to bed. More in the morning.

:wave

[Cliffy777]

But frankly I was expecting more details and not such a brief overview of the bike in general!
Great pictures. Cool Bike.

[BradfordBenn]

It looks like we hit 2,000 on the forum before you hit 600 miles. So how many miles do you have so far?

[basketcase]

Try as I might, I can't get that black plastic trim thingie to look like what he described.

But my floundering imagination aside, congrats on the new ride!

Rick (maybe I should inhale, too) in AL

[lorazepam]

Beautiful bike Dave, I see the beginnings of a long torrid love affair. At least till the new RS comes out :p

[username]

so i can only assume that this perfectly shiny bike is going to see a little dirt this weekend? it looks ashamed to be so clean. ;)

the rear deck design is slick. the whole bike looks very well thought-out.

[kbasa]

Thanks, guys. Yeah, it's pretty slick. I've only managed to put 500 miles on it so far, but with a commute into SF today and a ride down to Mountain View tomorrow, I should be good to go for the first service this week.

There are a whole bunch of dirt roads up in Sonoma County, so I might have to head up there this weekend and take a look. They run over the coastal range right down to the water, which makes the scenery pretty spectacular.

Anyway, where was I? Ah yes, I was pulling the body panels off.

OK, so you see this big thing that looks like a Thermos cooler cover? It hides the fuel pump plumbing. You just snap it off and and only snaps on one way.

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/3858949-L.jpg

[kbasa]

These little trim pieces are held on my those two grommets you see on the frame. The trim has these little points that lock into the holes by being pushed through.

On the bikes with black dino/guy panels and a black seat, the black trim looks nice. On the bikes with gray panels and seat, the little trim pieces stand right out and make the side of the bike look disjointed and cluttered. I think they should make gray ones. Of course, Wunderlich or Wudo will probably make some of them that cover the whole side of the bike or carry a six pack of Hefeweizen on one side and a couple of fresh lemons and a stein on the other.

Give it time.

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/3858950-L.jpg

[kbasa]

On the other side, you have this big portal on the side of the tank that looks like it feeds the evaporative canister and from what Pierce tells me, has a pressure relief feed from the FI system. It looks to me, between this side and the other side, that the tank doesn't need to come off to change the fuel filter anymore. If you've sat on your garage floor on a Saturday night trying to get all that stuff out of the tank, then back in the tank without having the whole thing leak once you've finally got it back together, you know how good that news is.

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/3858951-L.jpg

[kbasa]

This little gizmo is the air filter. It goes right between the snorkel for the air intake and the new 9 liter airbox. At long last, BMW has seen fit to actually have an airbox that is big enough for a motor that will inhale vast quantities of atmosphere.

The filter is a flat plate of pleated paper and it looks like it just snaps in there.

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/3858955-L.jpg

[kbasa]

Coming up the side of the motor, that big black plastic tube is the intake. You don't hear any intake noise at all with the way it's positioned. On the current GS and Roadster, the intake honk is very pronounced and it annoys the heck out of me. I'm not sure how it'll fare in deep water crossings, but given that by the time you got that thing under water, the entire cylinder head would be submerged, it's probably high enough. Not sure about the whole bow wave effect, though.

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/3858957-L.jpg

[kbasa]

I've actually got some work to do, so I'll put some more of this up tonight. :wave

[username]

im totally digging the analysis. the bike looks like it was designed to be field stripped, cleaned, re-assembled, and ridden off. pretty much what you'd expect for a bike you'd ride around the world on. im really impressed with what theyve done on this bike.

thanks for taking the time to put this together. it's going to turn into a defacto sales presentation for this bike.

[BMWBeauty]

:wave .....Hiya Kbasa.......
Love the bike.....:) And yes I do read the owners manual:p ......LOL

[dbrick]

Excellent tour, thanks Dave. I've seen lots of pics, and the real thing once, and your content adds a *lot* !

[knary]

Originally posted by dbrick
Excellent tour, thanks Dave. I've seen lots of pics, and the real thing once, and your content adds a *lot* !

You're not thinking about replacing your RS, are you?

[MarkF]

I want one. Thanks alot Dave. Make mine Blue with gray side panels, please.

MarkF

[YB in IN]

I want one to. Great write-up Kbasa. Of course this would be the day I decide to go to my parent's house that only has dial-up. It was worth waiting for the pictures though to see how everything works.

[Fang]

Kbasa:

Hey, don't tell yer ol' lady I said it, but I think that'air BPT looks like a pert, perky boob! It's also true that (1) there was a full moon out last night, and that (2) I've been experimenting with self-medication lately. Don't say nuthin'....... :D :D

[LICK MY BRICK]

Ahhh, nothing like a new ride. Dave;Good luck with it,and enjoy you lucky dog:bliss

[dbrick]

Originally posted by knary
You're not thinking about replacing your RS, are you?

Not just yet...but come, say, 2006 when there oughta be some year- or two-old R1200RSs out there, I'd be interested. Gotta figure out how to drop the pegs, 'though.

[knary]

Originally posted by dbrick
Not just yet...but come, say, 2006 when there oughta be some year- or two-old R1200RSs out there, I'd be interested. Gotta figure out how to drop the pegs, 'though.

The 12GS seemed pretty roomy when I sat on it - certainly roomier than my 1150, but maybe not as much as your RS. I have a hard time picturing you on a different bike.

[kbasa]

Originally posted by fang
Kbasa:

Hey, don't tell yer ol' lady I said it, but I think that'air BPT looks like a pert, perky boob! It's also true that (1) there was a full moon out last night, and that (2) I've been experimenting with self-medication lately. Don't say nuthin'....... :D :D

You do know she reads this board and is a moderator, right?

[dbrick]

Originally posted by knary
The 12GS seemed pretty roomy when I sat on it - certainly roomier than my 1150, but maybe not as much as your RS. I have a hard time picturing you on a different bike.

That's me: stick-in-the-mud, no innovation, no change. Sigh.

I'm sure the GS is roomy. My apprehension is that the new RS will be...well...RSish, with pegs higher than I like. I've gotten used to more room, and I like the faired RS look. OTOH, if the new RS is too spaceshipish, then maybe I'd just move to GS land.

[knary]

Originally posted by dbrick
That's me: stick-in-the-mud, no innovation, no change. Sigh.
I was thinking more that the RS suited you very well.

I'm sure the GS is roomy. My apprehension is that the new RS will be...well...RSish, with pegs higher than I like. I've gotten used to more room, and I like the faired RS look. OTOH, if the new RS is too spaceshipish, then maybe I'd just move to GS land.

A new RS is how far out? one year? two?

[BradfordBenn]

Hi Scott---

You're not dead!!!! :clap :clap :clap :clap

:p

[knary]

Originally posted by BradfordBenn
Hi Scott---

You're not dead!!!! :clap :clap :clap :clap

:p

Alive and well. Just busy re-organizing my life. Nothing like a mid-life crisis at the age of 32, eh? :D

[BradfordBenn]

Never to early to get a crisis. However I called mine, my second adolescence. I don't want to think 32 is midlife:p

[BMWBeauty]

Originally posted by BradfordBenn
Never to early to get a crisis. However I called mine, my second adolescence. I don't want to think 32 is midlife:p


Brad you may have a crisis at 32, but 32 IS DEFINITELY NOT "MIDDLE AGE"......:p

[BradfordBenn]

Originally posted by BMW Beauty
Brad you may have a crisis at 32, but 32 IS DEFINITELY NOT "MIDDLE AGE"......:p

I agree 100%

I may grow old, but I refuse to grow up.

[BMWBeauty]

Originally posted by BradfordBenn
I agree 100%

I may grow old, but I refuse to grow up.


Brad...... I like the way you think......:D

[kbasa]

Originally posted by knary
I was thinking more that the RS suited you very well.


A new RS is how far out? one year? two?

Think months.

[kbasa]

Well, let's see. I've covered the tank and the bodywork (such as it is) and most of the other stuff, which means it's time to show you the accessories. I figure you're going to see 8 zillion pictures of the neat new final drive, pictures of the fiddly bits on the motor and all, but nobody is going to talk about the bags or the tank bag. And this, gentle reader, is where you reporter will step in and give you the straight poo.

The GS has some new bags, which I'm told share some common design theme with the F650 expando bags.



http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/3858972-L.jpg

[kbasa]

They've got the issue that BMWs have had lately, in that the left side bag has a cutout for the muffler. In my opinion, big whoop. This bike has a deck big enough to carry around a whole extra bike and the top case looks like something my grandma used to keep extra blankets and stuff in. Add in the expand-0-matic and I think you've still got a ton of room left.

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/3858965-L.jpg

[kbasa]

To get the bag open, you push in this little yellow button that lets the handle flip up.

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/3858967-L.jpg

[kbasa]

Under the handle are two little gizmos. The yellow one gets pushed and the side of the bag opens up. The red one gets flipped up and allows you to flip up the red lever against the bike to pull the bag off.

You can leave the bags unlocked, which is cool, so you don't have to keep digging in your pockets all the time while your packing up.

:thumb

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/3858968-L.jpg

[kbasa]

They also have this latch (no lock) to hold the bags securely up front. They look a heck of a lot like an old Kbike bag latch.

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/3858942-M.jpg

[BradfordBenn]

Yup those seem exactly like my F650GS bags, but mine doesn't have the muffler cut out.:p or that little latch up front.

[kbasa]

To expand the bags, you flip this rather sturdy bail through a 180 degree arc and it moves the whole outside of the bag out a couple inches. Neato. The right side easily holds a helmet or an aerostich, but the left side isn't quite as big. If you want to, there are two helmet locks under the front seat, so you can lock up your helmets without taking up bag space. The locks hold the helmets flush up against the side of the bike so they won't fill with rainwater either. Neato.

Anyway, the bail:

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/3858973-L.jpg

[kbasa]

Here's a little before and after action for you:
http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/3858908-M.jpg http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/3858976-M.jpg

[kbasa]

The tankbag is a big ol' mother. It's waterproof, so you don't need the shower cap to keep your stuff dry.

I think the stuff on the side is reflective, but I haven't been out in the garage with a flashlight yet to find out.

The map pocket has a scheme where it rolls up and velcros shut, which is cool. At long last the map pocket is big enough to hold a real map without having to fold it into little teeny squares. This, I believe, is all good.

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/3935118-L.jpg

[kbasa]

It comes with this little bag that's held on with a couple of fastex clips. The bag also comes with a belt, so you can wear the bag around your waist.

It's gonna be a cold day in hell before I wear that thing around my waist. More likely, the little bag will get yanked off and stuffed in the big bag (lots of room in there) and the belt will get used as a should strap to lug that big thing to the tent or hotel room.

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/3935119-L.jpg

[kbasa]

The waterproofness comes from this nifty liner inside. You pull it up all tight and snap the little adjuster to the top of the bag. That keeps it dry. Kinda neat. We'll see how it works, I'm sure. In the meanwhile, I'll keep my camera and stuff in ziplocs until I'm sure it's good.

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/3935121-L.jpg

[kbasa]

And this is what you do with a GS - go places and do things.

:wave

Thanks for riding along!

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/3858917-L.jpg

[Rich]

Enviable, but spoiled! :D Nice write-up, nice bike, thanks for sharing the ins and outs with us. Enjoy!

[lorazepam]

Kbasa pontificated:
Think months.


I thought the same thing Dave. The 3 slashes on the tank of the test bike that were posed as an RT sure seemed to me to be more RS like. It has been around the longest, and has the stiffest competition right now. I hope BMW fires a good shot with the new engine and rear drive changes.

[Fang]

TO: Kbasa

Oh now you tell me! Oops! :brow

[kbasa]

Originally posted by fang
TO: Kbasa

Oh now you tell me! Oops! :brow

:rofl

She's the one with the Supergirl avatar.

[knary]

Originally posted by KBasa
And this is what you do with a GS - go places and do things.

:wave

Thanks for riding along!

Your new bike sure does look like it'd be all kinds of fun. Hmmm...I seem to remember someone taking my GS for a sporting ride.

hint hint nudge nudge wink wink.:D

[BradfordBenn]

Originally posted by KBasa
:rofl

She's the one with the Supergirl avatar.

Her screen name is MrsKbasa

[MrsKbasa]

Originally posted by fang
TO: Kbasa

Oh now you tell me! Oops! :brow

Wake up and smell the moderation.

watch the language.:D

[dlearl476]

Great write-up Dave. I'm going to post a link on F650.com. I know a lot of inmates will appreciate the info on the new GS.

>The GS has some new bags, which I'm told share some common design theme with the F650 expando bags.

If so, you might want to peruse the Chain Gang FAQs. Lots of folks had problems with the adhesive warming up in the sun and the aluminum bits parting company with the bags on the road. Several simple fixes in the FAQs, IIRC.

[kbasa]

Totally cool! :thumb Thanks for the tips. I'm going to keep my fingers crossed that I don't have problems with them. So far, in California traffic, they haven't presented any difficulties while lane splitting.

knary, you get down here, or we hook up and you're on for a ride. And yes, I have you to blame for my infection with GS disease. You coming down for the 49'er?

Thanks. Really. This bike is a hoot.

[BradfordBenn]

Dibs at Spokane!

[sfdave]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by KBasa


And yes, I have you to blame for my infection with GS disease.


Nah, we know where your infection really started - lusting after those two beautiful black GS's at the Bovine...;)

[MarkF]

Dave,

Tell us what you think about the OEM bags and windshield. Those seem to be the two items most often replaced by aftermarket items.

MarkF

[kbasa]

Originally posted by MarkF
Dave,

Tell us what you think about the OEM bags and windshield. Those seem to be the two items most often replaced by aftermarket items.

MarkF

I really think the windshield is fine. I rode across the Central Valley (smaller version of Kansas) and the shield, in the halfway up position, put my body in a pocket of still air, with my helmet in fairly clean air. All the way up seems to generate a whole bunch of turbulence and all the way down makes the wind hit me just below the shoulders. FWIW, I'm just under 6' tall.

Those pointy plastic thingys on the sides of the tank do a nice job of deflecting wind off my legs and between the flared section of the lower shield and the handguards, I'm really well protected. Tina takes a little wind on the back, which tells me the pocket has been designed to cover the rider pretty well. The wind is closing just behind me and hitting her.

I like the standard bags. They latch nicely, see to secure to the bike well and have a ton of room. No word on the top box yet, but I hear it's enormous. I'm not as worried about waterproofing as a lot of folks since I don't usually do much rain riding (Hey, I live in Cali., we won't see rain again until October). I like that I can leave them unlocked. They were a little cheaper than Jesses, but when I added up the capacity of the two side cases, the top box and whatever I could strap on the deck, I figured I had enough capacity.

[ian408]

Nice report!

There's a lot to like about the new GS. Look forward to hearing
your opinions after you've ridden it for a while.

Next time you wander down towards Mt. View, holler if you
have the time :)

Ian