Motorcycle.com

Administrator · 01-11-2012, 10:22 AM

Original Article:
2013 BMW R1250GS Preview

Please discuss the Motorcycle.com article 2013 BMW R1250GS Preview in our Motorcycle Forums below. Use the reply button to let others know your comments or feedback on the article. Constructive criticism is always appreciated, along with your thoughts and personal opinions on the bikes and products we have tested.

jmdonald · 01-11-2012, 11:11 AM

If this new offering is heavier than the old one it may not be as appealing as some of the other Manufacturers. 600 lbs. should not be the new standard.

sarnali2 · 01-11-2012, 01:19 PM

Interesting, a shame they have to go to water cooling though, the (semi) air cooled boxer is iconic. No matter really, I have my eye on the new Triumph Explorer or the ever popular Stelvio for if and when my trusty PzKw gives up the ghost..

Unless I turn gay, buy a Sportster and move to Utah....

seruzawa · 01-11-2012, 06:27 PM

In all my riding years I've only once seen GSes with mud on them. It was last year in Island Park, Idaho on the way to Yellowstone. I sawr about 25 GSes and KTMs in a big tour group and they'd been running the fireroads. By my measure only 1% of GS owners ever take them off the asphalt so if the GS grows into some 600+lb monstrosity almost no one will notice.

I hear that some Seattle area GS owners are planning on moving to Salt Lake now.

sarnali2 · 01-11-2012, 09:12 PM

The guys I know with GS's ride them, in fact they rode up to the arctic circle last summer. I was invited but used my vacation getting my colon yanked out an trimmed by a few feet instead, That said most of them are the SUVs of the motorcycle world, much more at home at the Starbucks than the boonies. Similar to Tigers, except without all the tasseled loafer-SLC chic/Brokeback Mtn conatations...

The Spaceman · 01-14-2012, 06:52 AM

The contrast between BMW's willingness to surrrender their "iconic" engine design versus Harley's desperate clinging to it intrigues me. Both are 100 y/o motorcycle companies with an engine design that essentially defines their image.

HD had several opportunities over the past decades to step up with new technology and position themselves as something more than a "nostalgia" company. BMW didn't have to do this; at least not now. They could probably keep selling the aircooled Boxers for another decade. But the fact they chose to do it will, IMO, serve them well in the future.

Come on HD, build a Revolution baggger and put it in the dealerships.

schizuki · 01-14-2012, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Spaceman

The contrast between BMW's willingness to surrrender their "iconic" engine design versus Harley's desperate clinging to it intrigues me. Both are 100 y/o motorcycle companies with an engine design that essentially defines their image.

HD had several opportunities over the past decades to step up with new technology and position themselves as something more than a "nostalgia" company. BMW didn't have to do this; at least not now. They could probably keep selling the aircooled Boxers for another decade. But the fact they chose to do it will, IMO, serve them well in the future.

Well, they DID "step up" with the V-Rod. I guess Europeans buy some. I don't know if it will serve Harley well in the future, but it seems to be serving them f***-all now.

Honestly, I don't understand why so many people don't get the appeal of air-cooled engines. I absolutely will not buy a liquid-cooled bike. I like elemental simplicity and clean lines on a motorcycle, not radiators and plumbing. And I haven't liked a BMW since the R100 series:

Quote:

Come on HD, build a Revolution baggger and put it in the dealerships.

Where it will be scarfed up by the "c'mon, HD!" crowd like they hoovered all of those liquid-cooled Buells they clamored for.

The Spaceman · 01-14-2012, 12:10 PM

The R-90 is the BMW.

The Buell was a total departure from HD's market. They should never have bought Buell unless they were in it for the long haul. You don't become competitive against Japan Inc. in a few years. The venture didn't even get started before they shut it down.

Eventually there won't be enough aging boomers to buy GasGlides at a rate to keep HD alive as anything more than a niche player.

schizuki · 01-14-2012, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Spaceman

The R-90 is the BMW.

Touché.

Quote:

Eventually there won't be enough aging boomers to buy GasGlides at a rate to keep HD alive as anything more than a niche player.

The other manufacturers will be no better off. Kids today don't want bikes, they want social media access.

And I would wager that the average age of forward-thinking BMW's riders is at least as old as Harley's, if not older.

Kevin_Duke · 01-14-2012, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schizuki

Kids today don't want bikes, they want social media access.

I really don't want to believe the above point, but it's the sad fact about the next gen of youngsters coming along. It's kinda sobering to think motorcycling in America will never be bigger than it was in the 2000s.

01-11-2012, 10:22 AM	#1
Administrator Administrator Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: On My Bike Posts: 0	2013 BMW R1250GS Preview Original Article: 2013 BMW R1250GS Preview Please discuss the Motorcycle.com article 2013 BMW R1250GS Preview in our Motorcycle Forums below. Use the reply button to let others know your comments or feedback on the article. Constructive criticism is always appreciated, along with your thoughts and personal opinions on the bikes and products we have tested.

01-11-2012, 11:11 AM	#2
jmdonald Founding Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Mission Viejo Posts: 1,223	Time will tell If this new offering is heavier than the old one it may not be as appealing as some of the other Manufacturers. 600 lbs. should not be the new standard. __________________ Secede.

01-11-2012, 01:19 PM	#3
sarnali2 Aging Cafe` Racer Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Sittin' down by my window, lookin' at the rain. Posts: 8,639	Interesting, a shame they have to go to water cooling though, the (semi) air cooled boxer is iconic. No matter really, I have my eye on the new Triumph Explorer or the ever popular Stelvio for if and when my trusty PzKw gives up the ghost.. Unless I turn gay, buy a Sportster and move to Utah.... __________________ "Carpe` Throttelum -Loud Suits Save Lives" "Denser alloy. My Father gave it to me, I think he wants me to kill you"... CVF-FCV

01-11-2012, 06:27 PM	#4
seruzawa The Toad Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: 8501 ft. Posts: 17,393	In all my riding years I've only once seen GSes with mud on them. It was last year in Island Park, Idaho on the way to Yellowstone. I sawr about 25 GSes and KTMs in a big tour group and they'd been running the fireroads. By my measure only 1% of GS owners ever take them off the asphalt so if the GS grows into some 600+lb monstrosity almost no one will notice. I hear that some Seattle area GS owners are planning on moving to Salt Lake now. __________________ http://www.badmovies.org/movies/deadalive/ I kick @ss for the Lord!

01-11-2012, 09:12 PM	#5
sarnali2 Aging Cafe` Racer Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Sittin' down by my window, lookin' at the rain. Posts: 8,639	The guys I know with GS's ride them, in fact they rode up to the arctic circle last summer. I was invited but used my vacation getting my colon yanked out an trimmed by a few feet instead, That said most of them are the SUVs of the motorcycle world, much more at home at the Starbucks than the boonies. Similar to Tigers, except without all the tasseled loafer-SLC chic/Brokeback Mtn conatations... __________________ "Carpe` Throttelum -Loud Suits Save Lives" "Denser alloy. My Father gave it to me, I think he wants me to kill you"... CVF-FCV

Sponsored Links	Remove Advertisements
Motorcycle Forum Advertisement

01-14-2012, 06:52 AM	#6
The Spaceman Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 2,387	The contrast between BMW's willingness to surrrender their "iconic" engine design versus Harley's desperate clinging to it intrigues me. Both are 100 y/o motorcycle companies with an engine design that essentially defines their image. HD had several opportunities over the past decades to step up with new technology and position themselves as something more than a "nostalgia" company. BMW didn't have to do this; at least not now. They could probably keep selling the aircooled Boxers for another decade. But the fact they chose to do it will, IMO, serve them well in the future. Come on HD, build a Revolution baggger and put it in the dealerships. __________________ "This used to be a fun country before the conservatives ruined it."

01-14-2012, 12:10 PM	#8
The Spaceman Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 2,387	The R-90 is the BMW. The Buell was a total departure from HD's market. They should never have bought Buell unless they were in it for the long haul. You don't become competitive against Japan Inc. in a few years. The venture didn't even get started before they shut it down. Eventually there won't be enough aging boomers to buy GasGlides at a rate to keep HD alive as anything more than a niche player. __________________ "This used to be a fun country before the conservatives ruined it."