New BMW Water-Cooled Boxer

[ANDYVH]

I'm really curious where the fuel tank is. Given that the intakes are now vertical I would assume the airbox is right above the engine with the intake facing forward either around the steering head or to the side of the body panels.

In the past the fuel tank was above the engine, and the battery and airbox were behind and below the fuel tank. I wonder if BMW swapped them around, put the fuel tank below the seat, and the battery and airbox in front of the fuel tank and above the engine.

If the fuel tank is behind/below the engine that moves a large weight lower and more central on the bike. That should improve the handling and responsiveness of the bike in general.

[EMSimon]

If the fuel tank is behind/below the engine that moves a large weight lower and more central on the bike. That should improve the handling and responsiveness of the bike in general.

Point well taken. But does the GS REALLY need improvements in that area?
I don't own one, but from what I see when we ride with others, the bike handles better than almost anything BMW builds.

[henzilla]

Point well taken. But does the GS REALLY need improvements in that area?
I don't own one, but from what I see when we ride with others, the bike handles better than almost anything BMW builds.

It would help when picking it up when it has a full tank ... not that I would have any knowledge of such need

[ANDYVH]

Oh for sure the current GS handles great! I have touched boot edges down in turns on the R12GS, even did my first ever dry pavement power slide on one! That'll tighten your shorts if you react to it wrong!

But one thing I noticed about the K16GTL is it handles very easily and predictably, which I'm guessing is because BMW located much of the big weight parts close to the bike's center of rotation. This makes it very nimble and easy to move even for a fairly heavy bike. If BMW can move the fuel tank from its high position on the current R/GS to a under the seat it may feel even lighter and more nimble.

Certainly it would help decrease that top heavy feel when fully fueled.

[easy]

I had to go searching... A clearer pic of the R1250GS can be found here...

http://www.motorcycle.com/gallery/ga..._itemId=321514

Anybody else notice how much smaller the FD is? Much much smaller it seems.

It looks like it will be a hot ride. There appears to be a hot air vent for the radiator just before the knee.

E.

[sibud]

When will we get a new Forum in the Garage -- "H2O Head"?

IMO I love both BMWs I own but I vote in favour of water cooling. I always think of piston slapping and shock cooling shrinking the cylinder onto the piston when I ride my 2011 "Camhead".

No, it will be known as a "Wet Head"

[Darryl Cainey]

I have a different vision.

[oldnslow]

I have a different vision.

FUNNY!

[OfficerImpersonator]

The imminent debut of the water boxer for the 2013 model year is why I ordered a 2012 GSA this year.

The water-cooled engine may in fact be an evolutionary improvement, offering better power, better emissions, lower noise, etc., but I never buy the first year of a new model. I'll let others be the guinea pigs and help BMW work out the kinks in the new engine.

While the new 2013 engines are recalled to fix defects starting next year, I'll be enjoying the 2nd year riding the ultimate expression of the hexhead oil/air cooled engine.

[71243]

I have a different vision.

Hi, could you / would you, send that pic to me in email ? I'd luv to show it to a friend of mind.

Each time I've tried, from the forum it fails.

rprior49@gmail.com...

Thanks, Ron

[nielsm]

The imminent debut of the water boxer for the 2013 model year is why I ordered a 2012 GSA this year.

The water-cooled engine may in fact be an evolutionary improvement, offering better power, better emissions, lower noise, etc., but I never buy the first year of a new model. I'll let others be the guinea pigs and help BMW work out the kinks in the new engine.

While the new 2013 engines are recalled to fix defects starting next year, I'll be enjoying the 2nd year riding the ultimate expression of the hexhead oil/air cooled engine.

I bought a 2012 GSA for the some of the same reasons. But, the main reason was that if it's water cooled, there is little need for it to be a boxer. Much of the boxer design was about getting the cylinders directly in the air flow to aid cooling ability. Water-cooled boxers seem to be an odd premise caught between worlds. Water cooled motors bring extra complexity and weight in trade off for more consistent temperature, lower noise, etc.

So long as they are moving to water cooled, why not consider a design that might offer other advantages of being water cooled and offset some of the compromises of the boxer? Increased lean angle? Reduced torque twist? Reduced chance of damaging the valve covers?

I love the boxer & have had several of them over the years, but are they keeping the boxer as they move to water cooled purely for nostalgia? How long is the boxer going to stick around once they move to water cooled?

[Motodan]

The imminent debut of the water boxer for the 2013 model year is why I ordered a 2012 GSA this year.

The water-cooled engine may in fact be an evolutionary improvement, offering better power, better emissions, lower noise, etc., but I never buy the first year of a new model. I'll let others be the guinea pigs and help BMW work out the kinks in the new engine.

While the new 2013 engines are recalled to fix defects starting next year, I'll be enjoying the 2nd year riding the ultimate expression of the hexhead oil/air cooled engine.

Hate to say it, but it is true...with BMW it might be better to wait three to five years to purchase the newest model. They try to have MOST of the bugs worked out of current models before they bring a newer version on line. Perhaps that's their engineering MO?

[Alfred02]

Hate to say it, but it is true...with BMW it might be better to wait three to five years to purchase the newest model. They try to have MOST of the bugs worked out of current models before they bring a newer version on line. Perhaps that's their engineering MO?

Ditto
I have now a 05 1200RT and it's showing the known rear flange cracks.
Throughout the 1200** series, improvements have been made..some minor, others major.
Looking at the 11**/12** models development/bug fixes, it doesn't seem to be worth touching them until they are at least in their 3rd re-vamp generation.

Let's just hope they bring them out soon, so that they will get tested in the 'real" world and get them sorted ASAP.

[lkchris]

Water-cooled boxers seem to be an odd premise caught between worlds.

Not in the slightest.

NOTHING feels better to ride than a two-cylinder opposed engine.

And, it's the best way there is to have a lower center of gravity. Original K was close and was also a design where didn't have to change direction of power output more than the one time required at the rear end.

[milo]

All true.

I'd hazard a guess that most of the air-cooled Japanese bikes are in the smaller displacement category (Someone will point out the exception to this statement. Thank you in advance).

Yamaha Stratoliner comes to mind

113-cubic-inch (1854cc) air-cooled 48?? V-twin; pushrod OHV, 4 valves/cylinder