BMW R 1200 R design details and exhaust sound

2013 BMW R 1200 R - very powerful naked with an 1170 cc twin boxer engine that now produces 110 HP and even more impressive 119 Nm (88 lb-ft of torque). The engine now likes to be revved high - unlike previous generations of the BMW's big boxer. Over 5000-6000 rpm it really delivers. I was honestly surprised by how agile it really was above that range. This boxer is quieter, smoother and more powerful. It's not difficult to find the right position sitting on it. Wide seat and adequately wide handlebars make it pleasant to ride for a long time. However, I found the seat's edges to be quite hard and sharp, what can make your thighs hurt while standing and waiting for the green light. It's not the case when you sit on the bike with your feet on the foot pegs. Other than that and ignoring the fact that the bike is not very tall so your legs won't be straighten up, the position is absolutely OK.

Brakes are great - just like in other top-of-the-line BMW motorcycles. ABS works great, comfort mode in ESA makes the bike really comfortable on moderately rough roads (strongly limited because of short travel of the wheels). Front Telelever suspension and rear Parelever with drive shaft make the rider feel even more confident. Traction control (ASC) is crap... It's not BMW's fault though - so far motorcycle industry is just unable of providing perfectly working TC. Don't get me wrong - it works but sometimes makes the bike so unpredictable that it becomes the danger itself. You can see it at the end of the video when I start off with full throttle, the bike makes a short wheelie, slows down, accelerates again and I am struggling not to fall off. Nice system but it's better to turn it off if you want to ride aggressively and start off fast. Thanks to BMW for letting us turn it off with a hold of a button. Works great on slippery surfaces though.

Optional sport screen does the job of cutting turbulence but above 130 kph (80 mph) airflow successfully makes you slow down. I'd recommend getting a touring windshield for longer trips. Another great upgrade would be an aftermarket exhaust that would make R 1200 R sound as it should from the beginning. The thing is just too damn quiet. Doesn't sound bad for a boxer though, just needs a little bit of extra deep tones. Akrapović exhaust is available right from the dealership.

Overall a very nice and unique motorcycle with an interesting engine, nicely equipped, with bells and whistles and fantastic brakes. Probably the best classic naked on the market.

Podsumowując: R 1200 R to oryginalny motocykl z ciekawym silnikiem i kanapą, która nie pozwala długo stać na światłach. Bardzo dynamiczny, bardzo oszczędny i elastyczny, z doskonałymi hamulcami i maksymalnym możliwym w dzisiejszych czasach wyposażeniem z zakresu bezpieczeństwa. Nie jest to najlżej prowadzący się motocykl, ani specjalnie wygodny turystyk, ale rekompensuje to bardzo dobrą stabilnością przy prędkościach wyższych niż manewrowe i nietuzinkowym wyglądem. Tłumik brzmi kiepsko. Polecam zatem akcesoryjny, bo zdecydowanie należy się tej maszynie.

Motocykl został użyczony przez BMW Inchcape Warszawa - http://www.bmwmotocykle.pl

Music by audionautix.com and by Dan-O at DanoSongs.com