The All New LIQUID COOLED R1200GS threadfest

AND......
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California has way more Starbucks then the 4 bordering states.

Regards, Paul

Well, the human race is supposed to be wiped out on Dec. 21st. this year, so who gives a fuck?

I don't know about you, but I do plan on living past Dec 21st, along with a whole lot of others. Enjoy your limited stay.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but no effing way. There's no "adventure" draw to that part of SoCal. They won't pick the venue for the potential market, but for the place that gives the best combination of backdrop and riding. Witness: North Georgia for the K16.

So how's the show? Get a chance to sit on the bike?

Don't know yet - about to leave the house in a few minutes ...

More Starbucks in S. Cali then the rest of the world. Starbucks will make make a great backdrop for all those fully farkled GS that never so much as get dusty....

Regards, Paul

Damn! Ya beat me to it. I was about to say almost those exact words.

Great minds think alike, I guess!

For us, the show was worth it. We were looking for a potential new bike for my wife and she had a chance to sit on everything that was even remotely interesting - even on the GS. She can pretty much flat foot it with her 5'7" and 32" inseam.

I think the GS looks better (less "sporky") in person, the windshield adjustment is pretty good, looks like it might give a fairly turbulence free ride, it felt fairly light, the seat was much better than on the older GS, felt more like the seat of the RT.

So, overall I really liked it. Will take a test ride when the demo bikes come in. Not sure whether it's for me. I got the R1200R bug again, which was also the most interesting bike for my wife.

But have to admit, compared to any of the European bike shows, the IMS is a freaking joke. Two very small exhibition halls barely filled. But at least most of the manufacturers were there, not many aftermarket guys though. Next time I plan my European vacation around Intermot or so.

Just back from the bike show in San Mateo, and BMW had the new R1200GS and HP4 to show. Although it is heavier it looks to me more compact, than the outgoing model. And yes you can sit on it .....

Didn't spent too much time, but the BMW guy was answering lots of questions and from what I overheard not all details are settled for the US model.

Petzi-baer

It was on the center stand when I swung a leg over it. Pegs felt a bit higher... then I remembered I put the after market pegs that are on my current GS in the low position.

One thing I noticed is that the radiator shrouds that really stand out in the images don't do so as much in real life. Anyway, some misc images:

Lots of knee room


Luggage rack detail


Radiator detail


Note the small bit of fixed clear plastic under the adjustable portion of the windshield. The gap between the fixed and variable portions increases as the shield is raised. I think that will result in less turbulence for the rider. Hope so, anyway.


This bike had halogen lamps

Leg room was great:



The bike looks small in that shot as the camera was relatively high. I'm 6', 34" inseam.

Comparison:



Felt great, too.

You look pretty good on that R. Some say we buy the GS despite of it's looks and not because of it, BMW should consider making a more visually pleasant one (even asking more for it) . Love that new beak shape, well, it will grow on me.

It was pretty comfortable - surprisingly. I had my hiking boots on, so even slightly thicker soles, but it was actually pretty comfortable.

Also a pretty good fit:

Cutaway drawings from BMW's 3-ring binder at San Mateo show today. Plastic covers messed up clarity, but you can see the basics.

I've lookled at this before, curious if BMW changed the part number for the small European LED turn signals,
they look similar to the 2012 turn signals but who knows, a small difference and there goes hard earned EUR 160...







Something like this would be nice:

I noticed this standard halogen lights does not have the daylight running lights below the high beam, it as the empty space. Does it mean that the DRL is an option as well?

K1600 is a touring bike, so okay Georgia worked. Any place in California, definitely can be the home of he GS. Especially in SoCal, we have mountains. We have desert (sand). We have rocks. Changing elevations. Scenery. All of these welcome GS type bikes, hence riders. We even have BMW's official GS training center in Angeles National Forest mountains. Well Starbucks too! Panera Bread too, if that helps. I'm just say'n

BMW's US headquarters is on the East coast..............

There are 3 headlight option:

Halogen with small normal tungsten light and presumably the low beam is fixed on as it is now.
Halogen with LED DRL below the high beam.
Full LED low beam, high beam and kinda horseshoe DRL round the high beam.
It's been suggested that the full LED might not be avaliable in the states. You guys will know better about that than me but none of the show bikes have had the LED lights so it might be correct.