Then the K1200S was announced and often with a statement such as "Hayabusa killer" in conjunction. And as the Hayabusa was the worlds fastest production bike at the time, a very bold statement. As things turned out, this killer was just stiff competition but made its mark by putting BMW's name up with the other sport bikes at the top of the game.
K1200s
But then there's the K1200 R model which takes that fully faired sport bike and strips it down to streetfighter manners. Hosting the same 1157cc liquid cooled inline 4, you get the same 167hp thrills and shrills but in a slightly more upright manner. A beefy 522 pound bust (wet) keeps the R from being truely agile around town. But, sometimes its not all about agility as it is pure acceleration which some reporters have remarked is easier on this bike due to forward weight. 0-60 times come in at around 2.9 seconds.
Other noticable features are the single sided swingarm and shaft drive. Arguable a neccessity on a bike like this. The ease in maintenacne will allow for more tire changes and so forth.
Another featuere is the unique front suspension. The duolever suspension is based off of the Hossack design, and so involves an attempt at isolating steering from suspension movement giving the rider better stability and control while cornering and braking. Diving is for swimmers. And it is a BMW, so it has plenty of creature comforts such as electronic aids and the what not.
Picture from Two Bros Exhaust. comparing the R and S models
The K1200R has already enjoyed some racing treatment in the Power Cup. Seen here is a K1200R Cup Racer
These two bikes seemed to serve as a gateway for BMW to enter into an all new market segment, far departed from its usual lineup. A few years ago they launched the first of their HP2 lineup, an enduro bike with a 'High Performance' boxer engine (over 100hp). Now there is a supermoto and supersport HP2 bringing all kinds of new life to the famous BMW boxer. There is another bike in the works which is said to shatter all that's come before in BMW's history. The K1000RR is set to take on the very best in the Superbike world with its 1000cc straight 4. And be rest assured there will be a street version to follow
