They say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but if that were the case this story would already be over, so I guess I better fess up.
Unfortunately, there are no tales of wild nights and huge wins at the tables, but there are some pretty exciting motorcycle adventures to relay from two days of riding up into the mountains that dominate the Las Vegas skyline.
Leaving the eastern seaboard socked in with heavy clouds and driving rain, the glowing spring sunshine in Las Vegas was an instant delight. Immediately whisked away to a plush hotel on the outskirts of Las Vegas, my only task for the first day was to soak up some rays and get myself to the technical presentation before dinner.
This was as interesting as ever, with BMW’s Joan Horst showing us the latest safety innovations and clothing on offer this year. With new body armor, removable this and that, and a host of features not found on most motorcycle apparel, I certainly wouldn’t have been surprised to hear the latest jacket turns into two-man tent, for those times when you are stranded in some far off jungle.
But the assembled scribes and myself were here to learn about BMW’s new adventure touring bike, the R1200GS, so before long Tim Hirst took the floor. As a big fan of the Adventure, I was very pleased to hear the new GS has been on the motorcycle equivalent of the Atkins diet losing a total of 30kg, for a new dry weight of 199kg. Now a featherweight this doesn’t make, but it is a significant improvement over the previous GS.
The new 1200 has also been assigned a motorcycle personal trainer, as it now pumps out 100 horsepower at 7250 rpm, and 85 foot-pounds of torque at 5500 rpm. Losing 30kg and adding 15 horsepower, even I quickly figured out this was going to make for a very exciting new machine.
Two days later, standing comfortably, knees locked on the side of the 20 litre fuel tank, I was flying across the top of a dry salt lake at 90mph.
Ahead of me, Cycle World’s off-road editor Jimmy Lewis was leading an adventure that saw us doing things on the new GS that I wouldn’t have thought possible. It was like being in the middle of a Mad Max movie, and directly ahead of me Tim Hirst was kicking up some serious dust.
I pulled right, watching Free2Wheel’s Tom Van Beveran come blasting past on my left: He had to be topping 100mph. Twisting the throttle to give chase, the rear end lost traction, as I reminded myself for the umpteenth time there is close to a hundred horsepower trying to escape through the rear tyre. The big GS just drifted left and I stayed on the throttle to bring it back in line.
An hour later, I was lying on my back panting like a dog amongst the cactus, gulping down water and wondering what I had gotten myself into. Jimmy had detoured off on a trail that would honestly be challenging on a mountain bike, let a lone a motorcycle. Amazingly, employing some of the lessons learned from attending his off road school that morning, I made it through without dropping the bike. Letting the clutch all the way out in first gear, and riding the bike just off idle with the throttle cracked a little kept the rear tire from spinning too hard. This allowed me keep moving forward in the deep gravel. The bikes were fitted with road-biased tyres, and I think a more dirt suited tire would have made life easier. But, the good thing was, it allowed us to simulate the scenario of the GS rider who spends most of his time on the road, and wants to take the occasional dirt detour. It is totally possible and actually encouraged.
The previous day, breaking away from the sensible BMW lead riders with a couple of other journalists, we had gotten a little wild through one dirt section. Following this was an awesome twisty back road that featured broken tarmac and enough bumps to get the GS airborne a few times. The pace was hot, and in the dirt I found keeping the bike a gear high worked best for me. Allowing more drive out of the corners, I could take the big twin down almost to idle, then still pull away without any hiccup or cough from the fuel injection. I have had a few problems with the injection system of previous GS models, but that thankfully seems to be a thing of the past.
Out on the black top, road-racing the GS, the taught suspension and incredible power brakes allowed some silly speeds and lean angles to be attained. The bike took it all in its stride saying, “bring it on,” as I repeatedly twisted the throttle to redline.
For 2005, the BMW R1200GS is 98% new and born from a philosophy at BMW that said, “let’s see how far we can go.” Starting with the bodywork, this year’s look is more angular and lithe, with the gas tank slightly smaller.
The GS’s silhouette remains though, with the sharp beak style front fender and asymmetrical headlights. These are now more oblong in shape compared to the old bikes round jobs. We didn’t get to ride at night, but I am sure they are every bit as penetrating as their predecessors.
The fairing is easily adjustable by two thumbscrews and can be set to your desired height. I had mine all the way up and it gave no buffeting out on the highway. Moving it down induced some turbulence, so I put it back and left it alone.
Rider’s eye view of the cockpit is BMW classy and clean. A large round speedometer sits next to a smaller, round tachometer and a square digital display panel. The whole panel is protected by a tubular roll bar and is very easy to read on the move. I didn’t get chance to mess with the digital display panel, but I did figure out it was telling me how much fuel I had left, what time it was and more importantly on the dirt what gear I was in. A neat feature, that I managed to confuse, is the fuel warning system.
When you get down to four litres of petrol, a fuel-pump symbol flashes and your expected mileage is displayed. The system calculates this figure based on how fast you are traveling and how hard your riding. What it can’t figure out is what to do when you pull long wheelies. I was showing 26 miles to getting off and push time, when the front wheel accidentally went skyward. Facilitated by a light tug on the bars, and a quick twist of the throttle in first gear, the big GS needs no clutch slipping to assist this sort of behavior. On returning the front wheel to terra firma the digital readout suddenly showed 48 miles to empty.
Planting my buns in the new saddle I found it a comfortable perch. Designed to take not only leg length, but also leg arch into consideration, the seats are measured from across the seat ground to ground for the desired height. I rode with the stock seat set on the lower of the two height options, and at just under six-foot I certainly wouldn’t have wanted it any higher. There is a high and low seat option available if needed. This gives the GS the enviable distinction of being able to offer a range of seat heights from 810mm to 890mm.
Getting set to ride, the wide, tubular handlebars fell easily into my hands. I have fairly long arms, but it looks as if they should be easy enough to move back or forward to suit your needs.
Swinging my feet up onto the pegs, I was surprised to feel how low they are set. This makes for a really relaxed riding position and very little stress on the knees. I never got anywhere close to dragging them in the twisties and can assure you we weren’t hanging about. I would think if you get them on the floor, you will probably have your arse and elbow right there with them, so will have plenty of other things to worry about.
Responsible for the effortless power wheelies, the new 100 horsepower Boxer power plant is an absolute gem. Whether churning through deep sand at low revs, or hitting speeds in excess of 130 mph out of the highway, it just purred along.
With no distinctive surges anywhere through the range, it just keeps churning out strong, useable power until the rev limiter kicks in at 7750 rpm. Visually it is different this year, using reshaped cylinder heads that also contain larger valves. These are opened and closed in the same manner, but are now filled with sodium to allow them to run cooler. Fire is still provided by means of dual spark plugs.
Pistons are larger and lighter this year. Running in the same 101 mm bore, they now travel through a 73mm stroke. The longer rods also connect to a new crankshaft, which is lighter and stronger.
A new counterbalancing shaft is employed to damp out unwanted vibration. And I have to say that at 4000rpm in top gear, somewhere around 70mph, the GS engine is so intoxicatingly smooth it is going to make long highway journeys an absolute joy.
Also improved is the six-speed gearbox. No longer using sixth gear as an overdrive, the ratios are all closer together. The gears are helical-cut, and the shift mechanism has been updated for smoother shifts.
Internal bearings are also upgraded, and a glance at the spec sheet shows the service schedule at a remarkable 25,000 miles. Down at the left foot the changes are immediately evident, and in the exuberant words of Tom Van Beveran, “this is the best BMW transmission yet.” (He is a long time GS owner).
Taking the power to the rear wheel is a typical BMW Paralever shaft drive, albeit a lighter unit thanks to use of forged aluminum. Incredibly, it will never need to have its fluid changed as it is sealed for life.
The torque arm now sits above it, for more ground clearance, and the rear wheel uses a visually pleasing hollow axle.
Keeping the wheel in contact with the floor, the new rear shock remains adjustable for preload and rebound damping. There is a handy external adjuster knob located on the side of the bike, and it was easy to dial in a little more spring when we started getting wild in the dirt. Back on the pavement, traveling at law-abiding speeds, I relaxed it for a more compliant ride.
At the other end, the distinctive looking BMW Telelever system is lighter and stronger as it uses high-strength forged aluminum. Trail has been reduced 5mm for quicker steering, and the fork tubes enlarged to 41 mm for increased rigidity and strength.
Blasting down a tight, twisty dirt-trail, a left-hand bend came up a little too quick. No worries, as I lightly brushed the front brake lever, scrubbed off the desired speed and made my turn.
With the GS using power brakes, I had been initially worried that there wouldn’t be enough sensitivity in the dirt, as they were so strong out on the highway. With the bike featuring optional partial-integral ABS (try saying that at happy hour) it takes a while to figure what is happening at any given time.
With the ABS activated, the front brake not only works the two four-piston calipers as they grab a hold of their respective 305mm floating rotors, it also adds in the correct amount of rear brake: A single 255mm disc and single two-piston caliper set up.
The electric power-assist servo makes sure this is a very strong, precise process, and the brakes haul the 496-pound GS down very rapidly.
And, thanks to the ABS, there is no chance of locking the wheels. It does mean that you have to watch out moving the bike around with the ignition off as the brakes are not too strong, and I had an amusing incident on the edge of a steep cliff moving the bike for photos.
Switch the ABS off, by holding the ABS button on the left hand switchgear and turning on the ignition key, and you can control the front and rear brake independently. This is the preferred method for riding in the dirt; you just have to remember it reverts back to full time ABS every time you turn the ignition off. This comes standard, but there are plenty of things to be had for the accessory junkie.
The bike comes stock with a beautiful set of cast alloy wheels, but for a little more you can order your new GS with some very cool looking cross-spoke wheels. Heated handlebar grips are also available and were fitted to our test mules.
Heading into the mountains on a crispy morning, quickly gaining four thousand feet of elevation, they allowed me to ride with lightweight gloves on.
Continued…
Heading back to Las Vegas through Red Rock Canyon for the last time at the end of our two-day ride, I settled into the comfortable seat and dialed the engine on the magical 4000-rpm mark. The ride was smooth and the scenery breathtaking.
I had ridden the new BMW R1200GS more than 500 miles through some seriously tough conditions. Blasting through high-speed corners, howling along open highways, or flying over rocks and gravel in the desert, it had performed flawlessly in every situation. A dirt bike, touring bike and sport bike in one, with such sophistication as heated grips, adjustable seats and anti-lock brakes, the new BMW R1200 GS might just be the world’s most versatile motorcycle?
BMW R 1200 GS – SPECS
Engine – 1,170cc, flat twin, four-stroke, four valves per cylinder
Bore x Stroke – 101 x 73mm
Claimed Power- 100hp (74kw)
Claimed Torque – 115N-m (85 lb-ft)
Induction – Electronic Fuel Injection
Clutch – Dry single plate
Transmission – Six speed
Final Drive – Shaft
Frame – Tubular space frame, load bearing engine
Front Suspension – BMW Telelever, 190mm o2005f travel
Rear Suspension – BMW Paralever, 200mm of travel
Wheelbase – 1,519mm
Front Brakes – 2 x 305mm discs
Rear Brake – Single 265mm disc
Tyres – 110/80-19 (F) – 150/70-17 (R)
Length – 2,210mm
Width – 915mm at the mirrors
Seat Height – 810 to 890mm
Dry Weight – 199kg
Wet Weight (full fuel tank and lubricants) – 225kg
Fuel Capacity – 20 litres
RRP – $21,000
Warranty – Two years, unlimited kilometres
A history lesson – The progression of the GS BMW
1980–1987 R 80 G/S – 797 cc ohv 37 kW (50 bhp)
1988–1990 R 65 GS – 649 cc ohv 20 kW (27 bhp)
1996 R 80 G/S Basic – 797 cc ohv 37 kW (50 bhp)
1987–1996 R 100 GS – 980 cc ohv 44 kW (60 bhp)
1987–1996 R 80 GS – 797 cc ohv 37 kW (50 bhp)
1990–1995 R 100 GS Paris-Dakar – 980 cc ohv 44 kW (60 bhp)
1993–1999 R 1100 GS – 1,085 cc hc 59 kW (80 bhp)
1999–2000 R 850 GS – 848 cc hc 51 kW (70 bhp)
1999–2003 R 1150 GS – 1,130 cc hc 63 kW (85 bhp)
2002 R 1150 GS Adventure – 1,130 cc hc 63 kW (85 bhp)
2004 R 1200 GS – 1,170 cc hc 72 kW (98 bhp)
