DarrylRi
01-13-2005, 08:11 AM
My friend in Belgium just sent me these (unfortunately rather small) photos he took at a preview for the R1200RT. I hope you find them helpful! Here's what he has to say about it:
I sat on the R1200 RT this morning. It looks "different" BUT, from an ergonomic standpoint, it is fantastic. Actually, it is not as butt ugly as on the pictures. The front fairing looks massive, but it's not wider at its widest point then the R1150 RT. It's just built in more of a straight line, to give added protection. The lights are pretty good looking, be it a bit Japanese. The whole front has some definite Honda Pan European [ST1300 here in the US] traits to it when you look at it straight. From the outside, it looks like a superbly well put together piece of machinery. The pillion sits extremely well, its head over the head of the pilot, no need to lean sideaways to see the road.
The petrol tank looks relatively flat, compared to the old one, but it's also used as a sort of protection. It actually "wraps" itself over the knee. It also contains 27 liters [7.1 US gallons], which makes for pretty good distances between tankstops. I'm looking forward to the test ride we've booked on it, as well as the GS.
Here it looks like the taillight/turnsignals are pretty sharp looking. The bags look big and don't seem to have all those little cutouts that make the current bags' volume less than completely usable.
http://darryl.crafty-fox.com/mcpics/2005/R12RTPreview/R1200RT1.jpg
The handlebar controls look pretty similar to the current models, but you can see the radio/cd buttons on the fairing edge. Also, you can see one of the rails on the tank that is supposed to accept the new tankbags without using either magnets or straps.
http://darryl.crafty-fox.com/mcpics/2005/R12RTPreview/R1200RT2.jpg
The white numbers on the gray clocks don't look like they give very much contrast. Also, you can see where the speakers go for the audio system. And the clutch and brake lines are both braided steel.
http://darryl.crafty-fox.com/mcpics/2005/R12RTPreview/R1200RT3.jpg
The right side controls look pretty standard. It appears that there are vent controls for air behind the fairing (you can just see one in the lower left).
BUT! Where's the cruise control??
http://darryl.crafty-fox.com/mcpics/2005/R12RTPreview/R1200RT4.jpg
The other vent is visible here, along with the radio/cd controls and the rider's accessory power outlet. Pretty conveniently placed.
http://darryl.crafty-fox.com/mcpics/2005/R12RTPreview/R1200RT5.jpg
I still find it hard to get a real sense of what this bike looks like out in the open. But it seems to me that the styling is in the direction of, and further along than, the ST1300. The double headlights should do a good job of lighting up the road.
http://darryl.crafty-fox.com/mcpics/2005/R12RTPreview/R1200RT6.jpg
No more mechanical speedo drive from the front wheel--there should definitely be a cruise control option for this bike.
One nice thing about the new styling, at least relative to the RS (which is what I'm familiar with), is that it's not necessary to remove the fork trim to remove the front tire.
http://darryl.crafty-fox.com/mcpics/2005/R12RTPreview/R1200RT7.jpg
In this photo, with the scale of a rider on it, the bike doesn't seem like a huge touring bike. It looks like the windscreen is pretty close to the rider so that, especially when it's in the up position, it ought to give really good protection.
http://darryl.crafty-fox.com/mcpics/2005/R12RTPreview/R1200RT8.jpg
For the wildness of the design, the graphics are pretty restrained.
http://darryl.crafty-fox.com/mcpics/2005/R12RTPreview/R1200RT9.jpg
All photos courtesy Carlo Ratzersdorfer.
I sat on the R1200 RT this morning. It looks "different" BUT, from an ergonomic standpoint, it is fantastic. Actually, it is not as butt ugly as on the pictures. The front fairing looks massive, but it's not wider at its widest point then the R1150 RT. It's just built in more of a straight line, to give added protection. The lights are pretty good looking, be it a bit Japanese. The whole front has some definite Honda Pan European [ST1300 here in the US] traits to it when you look at it straight. From the outside, it looks like a superbly well put together piece of machinery. The pillion sits extremely well, its head over the head of the pilot, no need to lean sideaways to see the road.
The petrol tank looks relatively flat, compared to the old one, but it's also used as a sort of protection. It actually "wraps" itself over the knee. It also contains 27 liters [7.1 US gallons], which makes for pretty good distances between tankstops. I'm looking forward to the test ride we've booked on it, as well as the GS.
Here it looks like the taillight/turnsignals are pretty sharp looking. The bags look big and don't seem to have all those little cutouts that make the current bags' volume less than completely usable.
http://darryl.crafty-fox.com/mcpics/2005/R12RTPreview/R1200RT1.jpg
The handlebar controls look pretty similar to the current models, but you can see the radio/cd buttons on the fairing edge. Also, you can see one of the rails on the tank that is supposed to accept the new tankbags without using either magnets or straps.
http://darryl.crafty-fox.com/mcpics/2005/R12RTPreview/R1200RT2.jpg
The white numbers on the gray clocks don't look like they give very much contrast. Also, you can see where the speakers go for the audio system. And the clutch and brake lines are both braided steel.
http://darryl.crafty-fox.com/mcpics/2005/R12RTPreview/R1200RT3.jpg
The right side controls look pretty standard. It appears that there are vent controls for air behind the fairing (you can just see one in the lower left).
BUT! Where's the cruise control??
http://darryl.crafty-fox.com/mcpics/2005/R12RTPreview/R1200RT4.jpg
The other vent is visible here, along with the radio/cd controls and the rider's accessory power outlet. Pretty conveniently placed.
http://darryl.crafty-fox.com/mcpics/2005/R12RTPreview/R1200RT5.jpg
I still find it hard to get a real sense of what this bike looks like out in the open. But it seems to me that the styling is in the direction of, and further along than, the ST1300. The double headlights should do a good job of lighting up the road.
http://darryl.crafty-fox.com/mcpics/2005/R12RTPreview/R1200RT6.jpg
No more mechanical speedo drive from the front wheel--there should definitely be a cruise control option for this bike.
One nice thing about the new styling, at least relative to the RS (which is what I'm familiar with), is that it's not necessary to remove the fork trim to remove the front tire.
http://darryl.crafty-fox.com/mcpics/2005/R12RTPreview/R1200RT7.jpg
In this photo, with the scale of a rider on it, the bike doesn't seem like a huge touring bike. It looks like the windscreen is pretty close to the rider so that, especially when it's in the up position, it ought to give really good protection.
http://darryl.crafty-fox.com/mcpics/2005/R12RTPreview/R1200RT8.jpg
For the wildness of the design, the graphics are pretty restrained.
http://darryl.crafty-fox.com/mcpics/2005/R12RTPreview/R1200RT9.jpg
All photos courtesy Carlo Ratzersdorfer.