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Comparison of BMW R 1200 GS / BMW HP2

The cow flies

Back to the roots: With the HP2, BMW is adding a real hard enduro to the GS, which has recently become softer, and ties in with glorious times in off-road racing.

Off-road with the 1200 GS? Zero problem, as long as the ground is reasonably flat, not too slippery or steep ?? and the driver doesn’t get too scared. Otherwise, however, the following applies: BMW has left the GS in the course of its evolution
made an increasingly better all-rounder, the current 1200 is more suitable than ever for everyday use, fun in curves and long-distance travel, while classic enduro qualities in the sense
a R 80 G / S moved into the background.
BMW also offers highly specialized models: the mighty 1150 Adventure for the great journey through the continents and the new, radical HP2 for unpaved terrain. HP for high performance. You could also translate the abbreviation as high price ?? 16,000 euros are really not a bargain.
In order to trim the HP2 in the direction of off-roading, excess pounds first had to be removed. It is around 45 kilograms lighter. The weight reduction is all the more remarkable since the entire drive train is almost identical to that of the GS. With the chassis, however, no stone was left unturned. An inch long
Suspension travel and rough tires clearly show what is going we. Like in the old days, as legends like Rolf Withoft or Richard Schalber for the European Championship-
fought in cross-country sport, the HP2 is finally stable again-
backbone cane; at GS he holds
Engine the chassis together. A whole
normal upside-down fork replaces that
Telelever construction, just so are long
Feasible suspension travel.
In order to make a comparison between GS and HP2 fair, you naturally have to depict the entire spectrum, i.e. road and terrain. And it is clear:
In the everyday evaluation, the GS has clearly
ahead. It offers more comfort, more extensive equipment, effective wind protection and comfortable comfort for two. The large tank allows long journeys, a case system creates storage space for luggage. You can go big
Go on a tour or mess with super athletes on mountain passes.
In contrast, the HP2 looks spartan. It is a machine for soloists, the bench is high and narrow. Draft shield: Nothing. Light: rather moderate. And the off-road boxer vibrates quite robustly in the medium speed range. The balance shaft fell victim to the diet regimen. For that like
the lively performance development. Special-
Or else in the upper speed range sets that
powerful HP2 engine one more time
Zacken and can outstrip the GS motor because it is allowed to breathe a little more freely in the intake area. The slightly wavy torque curve connects both variants.
However, the coarse knobby tires tend to turn roads into connecting stages. The Metzeler Karoos melt on asphalt like butter in the sun. Here it is strongly recommended to also
approved Enduro 3. This means that the HP2 runs stably up to top speed. And you can really savor the fun on the bends. With all the qualities of the GS: It cannot do this dynamic
Offer. Suddenly the two-cylinder looks as if it has been freed from a heavy load.
Weight was also saved on the braking system. In contrast to the snappy integral brake of the GS, the HP2 has a conventional brake system without ABS and with only one disc
reach in front. If you don’t have any
GS can slow down, so she does her job quite well. And the conventional system works better off-road than the colleague’s integral brake.
And already we are in the second part
the comparison, in the field. Here the situation is reversed on the spot. Almost a hundredweight less, that alone opens up completely different possibilities. Anyone who once had to balance a stuck production GS out of a deep groove knows what is meant. Nevertheless, slow trial insoles also work with the GS thanks to the high-traction boxer.
But while their driver is busy somehow getting through the
To muddle botany, the HP2 is always about speed. Long suspension travel, a lot of ground clearance ?? the part is built to make it really crack. It is phenomenal what the air suspension strut ironed out. Shoot about full bottles while seated over holey sand paths. The Marzocchi fork is also set up quite comfortably and does not go on block even under heavy loads. However, it does not always filter out edges and short bumps.
The cardan reactions are kept within limits, but violent rattling noises are annoying, especially when pushing and on the brakes. A GS can never, ever follow such a pace. The overstrained rear strut pumps desperately, the rear wedges violently with larger holes. And the front beats the soft
coordinated Telelever badly. AT
R. 1200 GS is a plow horse and not a racehorse.
Respect is also in order with the HP2. Because if the situation gets out of hand in the heat of the moment, a 200-kilo run is not as easy to catch as a 110-kilo enduro. The sweeping boxer cylinders also require getting used to. At first there are plenty of noise on the shin. You only gradually get used to it,
to drive a lot while standing in curves.
It comes as no surprise that every machine scores on its very own terrain. The comparison shows what an overweight chunk the GS has become over the years. The HP2 proves that less is often more. And that was ultimately the basic idea when BMW created the GS.

Technical data: BMW R 1200 GS

Engine: air / oil-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke boxer engine, one high-lying, chain-driven camshaft, four valves per cylinder, injection, Ø 47 mm, regulated catalytic converter, six-speed gearbox, cardan.
Bore x stroke 101.0 x 73.0 mm
Cubic capacity 1170 cm3
Compression ratio 11.0: 1

Nominal output 72 kW (98 PS) at 7000 rpm
Max. Torque 115 Nm at 5500 rpm

Chassis: load-bearing motor-gearbox unit, telescopic fork, Ø 41 mm, central spring strut, directly hinged, double disc brake at the forehead, Ø 305 mm, four-piston fixed calipers, disc brake at the rear, Ø 265 mm, double-piston floating caliper.
Tires 110/80 H 19 TL; 150/70 H 17 tsp

Dimensions and weights: wheelbase 1520 mm, seat height * 845 – 865 mm, weight with a full tank * 242 kg, load * 180 kg, tank capacity / reserve 20/4 liters.

Warranty two years
Colors yellow, red, blue
Price 11,700 euros
Price test motorcycle ** 13,545 euros
Additional costs 262 euros

Technical data: BMW HP2

Engine: air / oil-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke boxer engine, one high, chain-driven camshaft, four valves per cylinder, injection, Ø 47 mm, regulated catalytic converter, six-speed gearbox, cardan.
Bore x stroke 101.0 x 73.0 mm
Cubic capacity 1170 cm3
Compression ratio 11.0: 1

Rated output 77 kW (105 PS) at 7000 rpm
Max. Torque 115 Nm at 5500 rpm

Chassis: tubular steel frame, upside-down fork, Ø 45 mm, air suspension strut, directly hinged, single-disc brake at the front, Ø 305 mm, double-piston floating caliper, disc brake at the rear, Ø 265 mm, double-piston floating caliper.
Tires 90 / 90-21 TL; 140 / 80-17 tsp

Dimensions and weights: wheelbase 1610 mm, seat height * 960 mm, weight with a full tank * 198 kg, load * 182 kg, tank capacity / reserve 13/2 liters.

Warranty two years

Colors blue / gray

Price 16,000 euros

Additional costs 262 euros

…the air was out

It is obvious that the HP2 is not a crosser. But the works pilots Christian Pfeiffer and Simo Kirssi regularly show in their appearances in the German Cross Country Championship that a boxer like this can fly meters high through the air. Such
Insoles animate the limits of sport-
Boxers to sound out yourself. MOTORRAD did this on the cross route in Obernheim in Swabia. Certainly a real endurance test and a very special experience jumping over a 15-meter table with such a 200-kilo device. Incredible.
However, the resilience is not unlimited. After a few hard landings, the stern suddenly sagged when approaching the jump. The piston rod of the Conti air spring strut was bent, obviously due to the high forces during the landing. As a result, the air pressure dropped suddenly. Admittedly, an extreme load, in practice hardly anyone will dare such experiments with the HP2. After this incident, BMW had the strut analyzed by Continental. In order to rule out such damage under all circumstances, piston rods made from a stronger alloy are now used in series production. In case there are more imitators.

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