Exclusive driving report BMW K 1200 S

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Exclusive driving report BMW K 1200 S
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Exclusive driving report BMW K 1200 S

Exclusive driving report BMW K 1200 S
Dare to do sport

BMW relies on sport. But not just with a simple Japanese copy, but with the technologically advanced K 1200 S. MOTORRAD drove the most powerful non-Japanese series machine of all time.

Michael Pfeiffer

07/14/2004

The new BMW has become long. And narrow. Longer than any other four-cylinder sports car thanks to the cylinder block inclined forward by 55 degrees, but narrower than most thanks to the extremely slim design of the in-line engine. Although the four-cylinder now,
As with all Japanese, with a transverse crankshaft installed, the 1200 remains a typical BMW. Cardan drive, single-sided swing arm, ABS as standard, left and right turn signal switches, these are only available from Munich. In addition, the independent design, sporty, discreet, cleverly concealing the excess length. The huge muffler hugs the six-inch rear wheel, made clean. And at the bow? The new double-wishbone front suspension is almost hidden under the fairing that is pulled far forward.
Compliment: The Bavarians built a revolutionary chassis and you can hardly see it. Only the main frame profiles, which run almost horizontally above the engine, and the wheel carrier, a beautifully shaped and trustworthy cast part, completely testify to one thing
innovative construction. How this completely new chassis technology works?
But first to the engine. The brand new, 1157 cm3 four-cylinder does not take long to ask. Immediately he falls in
a slightly sawing idle, gnarled gnarled to himself. A couple of throttles
show: This engine is a high-performance engine and no longer has anything to do with the previous K drives. The foursome responds sharply to every turn of the throttle, speaks in a hearty tone somewhere between the Kawasaki ZX-12R and the Honda CBR 1100 XX. A new world.
Get on, drive off. The somewhat thin handles snuggle up as if by themselves
Place your feet on the handlebars that are not too narrow
the conveniently arranged notches. The upper body is stretched a little over the tank; nevertheless, the ergonomics fit. Mainly because the shape of the tank enables perfect contact with the machine. The clutch needs a strong hand, first gear engages audibly. You know that from the Japanese.
Even the first few meters make you forget the 248 kilograms of the BMW with a full tank of fuel. You can almost go with
Conducting with the ease of a 600. The second thing that stands out immediately: the front-
wheel guidance filters all lanes-
bumps. The responsiveness of the
Duolever, invented by Norman Hossack. The third: The 1200 is really going to the point, although it doesn’t have the boom below
a Yamaha FJR 1300 or Suzuki
Hayabusa, however, is already pulling powerfully
on. Despite two balancer shafts, it vibrates, sometimes more, sometimes less, depending on the load. Not annoying, but clear. From 6000 rpm it really starts moving.
Finally a free stretch of motorway. Outlet for the 167 hp. The four-cylinder roars, turns tremendously from 8000 rpm and brutally catapults the BMW forward. Third gear, fourth, fifth ?? there is really something going on. Never before has a BMW driven so fast, 250 km / h were the highest of emotions on the K 1200 RS. On the S, the pointer surpasses this mark on the easy-to-read speedometer with real momentum in fifth gear. The new one accelerates up to over 280 km / h, then the pointer of the rev counter is in the red area, so ideally translated. Thanks to the excellent wind protection of the fairing in the wind tunnel, even this high speed can be endured quite well, you don’t even have to make yourself small.
Why does the engine develop the K 1200 S so much power? The extremely compact combustion chambers with a valve angle of only 21 degrees and cylinder-selective knock control allow the engine to be designed for an incredible compression ratio of 13 to 1. Straight inlet ducts, impressive size 46 throttle valves and an arrangement of the airbox’s intake snorkel that uses the back pressure at high speeds bring flavor to the pistons. If, instead of Super Plus, petrol with a lower octane number is used, the knock control regulates the engine output to healthier values ​​by means of less advanced ignition. Then a few less than the 167 hp maltreat the rear wheel. Now the good Super Plus is in the 19 liter tank, so all the horses are on duty. At top speed, the BMW is not completely stable, the handlebars move slightly, stimulated by concrete slab joints.
Only 500 meters to the exit, full in the iron: Brutal, how the BMW can be braked. The ABS with brakes-
Power booster, the stiff front wheel suspension with brake deflection compensation and the low center of gravity enable brutal decelerations. A real advantage when things get tight. And it’s good that the braking system was only designed to be partially integral. So the rear wheel can with the
Footbrake can be delayed individually. That
facilitates the so-called adaptive braking, which one often unconsciously undertakes before a curve.
Curves, finally. Despite the huge wheelbase of 1571 millimeters, the 60.6 degree flat steering head and the considerable 120 millimeters of caster, the new K is more manageable than any other in its class. The center of gravity of the machine must be very low. Thanks to dry sump lubrication, unique to large four-cylinder motorcycle engines, the engine could be lowered 60 millimeters-
than this with the oil supply
would have been possible under the engine. At the same time, the driving comfort inspires, the suspension and damping iron almost everything smooth that can be found on our roads on bumps. Even more impressive than the effect itself is a look at the wildly wriggling scissor handlebars in front of the ignition lock. Does this road really have such bumps? Hardly anything gets through to the driver, perfect. A whole new driving experience.
A world first as an optional extra on the chassis: an electronically controlled spring base and damper setting, known as ESA. Three load levels and three damper settings can be selected at the push of a button on the handlebar. This allows the driver to adapt the BMW to all conceivable requirements and even set the damping while driving. The differences are clearly noticeable. as
The normal position is sufficient for soloist
most ventures. The “Sport” damper setting is recommended for hard driving, while the “Comfort” setting is ideal for strolling. A great feature.
The list of optional extras was typical for BMW: main stand, heated grips, case system, tank bag, everything specially tailored to the new one. And everything for the frequent driver. Forgot something? Sure, the price. A whopping 14850 euros, with ABS. Not cheap pleasure. And, oh yes, the transmission. Finally a BMW that shifts well. Better than the other BMW models. Not quite as perfect as the Japanese, though. But that’s a small blemish that by no means spoils the first impression. On the contrary: The K 1200 S is the best BMW of all time, and in terms of performance it doesn’t need to fear any opponent.

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Dare to play sport

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Technical data – BMW K 1200 S.

Engine: water-cooled four-cylinder four-stroke in-line engine, transverse crankshaft, two overhead, chain-driven camshafts, rocker arms, four valves per cylinder, two balance shafts, dry sump lubrication, injection, regulated catalytic converter, six-speed gearbox, cardan.
Bore x stroke 79 x 59 mm
Cubic capacity 1157 cm3
Rated output 123 kW (167 hp) at 10250 rpm
Max. Torque 130 Nm at 8250 rpm

Chassis: Bridge frame made of aluminum, load-bearing engine, double longitudinal control arm made of aluminum, suspension strut, hinged directly to the lower trailing arm, two-joint single-sided swing arm made of aluminum, suspension strut, hinged via a lever system, double disc brake at the front,
Ø 320 mm, four-piston fixed calipers, disc brake
rear, Ø 265 mm, double-piston floating caliper, partially integral ABS.
Cast aluminum wheels 3.50 x 17; 6.00 x 17
Tires 120/70 ZR 17; 190/50 ZR 17

Dimensions and weights: wheelbase 1571 mm, steering head angle 60.6 degrees, caster 120 mm, spring travel f / h 115/135 mm, weight fully fueled 248 kg, permissible total weight 450 kg.

Warranty two years
Colors blue, gray, various two-tone versions
Price without additional costs from 14,850 euros

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