BMW R 1200 R 2017 — Ficha técnica

Imagine a scene: a customer walks into his BMW dealership, hesitating between the R 1200 GS, which stands as an obvious choice, and the R 1200 RT, whispering promises of effortless mileage. Then his gaze drifts to the third silhouette, the one that doesn't shout, that doesn's impose itself, but that waits. A BMW R 1200 R has long suffered from this unfavorable positioning, squeezed between two mastodons of the Munich range whose notoriety crushes everything. The 2017 version, however, marks a real turning point. BMW didn't just tick the Euro4 box and moved on.

The 1170 cm3 liquid-cooled boxer engine, which BMW R 1200 R LC enthusiasts are well familiar with since its appearance on the GS, delivers here 125 horsepower at 7750 rpm and 125 Nm of torque at 6500 rpm. These figures speak for themselves when compared to a Ducati Monster 1200 or a Triumph Speed Triple: the Bavarian engine has nothing to envy in terms of raw power, even if it plays a different score. No abrupt violence at acceleration, but a progressive, passionate rise in revs that rewards those who know when to wait for the right moment to open the throttle. The six-speed gearbox was reworked for 2017, the shifts are cleaner, and the Pro shifter as an option makes the left hand almost idle. On this model year, the final transmission by cardan remains faithful to its position, without surprise and without abusive maintenance.

The 45 mm inverted fork derived from the S 1000 RR replaces the historic Telelever, which will make purists grind their teeth. This choice is not trivial: installing the water radiator in front of the engine required freeing up space, and the Telelever had nowhere to go. What the bike loses in that particular "road feel" that regulars of the BMW R 1200 R 2015 or the BMW R 1200 R 2013 recognized with their eyes closed, it regains in dynamic rigor. The wheelbase of 1515 mm, extended by 20 mm compared to the previous generation, further stabilizes the trajectory. The Paralever EVO swingarm on the right side ensures the continuity of the BMW philosophy at the rear. Braking entrusted to two 320 mm discs with radial four-piston calipers at the front, a 276 mm two-piston disc behind: serious, without frills. ABS is disconnectable for those who feel the need.

The electronics, this is where the BMW R 1200 R 2017 hits hardest. As standard, ABS, anti-slip control ASC and two riding modes. As an option for 300 euros, the Riding Pro Modes add DTC, a finer traction control, plus the Dynamic mode and the User mode fully configurable. For 2017, ABS Pro and adaptive brake light are added to the list. This catalog of options is exactly where the bill soars. Displayed at 13,550 euros in basic version, the bike cheerfully exceeds 16,000 euros once adorned with heated grips, ESA Dynamic suspension, cruise control and other delights. A BMW remains a BMW.

The adjustable seat at four heights, including 790 mm in standard position, makes the machine accessible to a wide range of builds. The riding position, wide and slightly raised handlebars, aims at an audience of experienced motorcyclists seeking daily versatility without sacrificing weekend pleasure. This is not the beginner's bike, nor the track rider's. This is the machine of the informed driver who wants to leave on Friday evening, chain winding roads on Saturday and return on Sunday without back pain. The 232 kg fully fueled are forgotten from the first bends: BMW masters the art of building heavy motorcycles that don't behave like such. Whether you are looking for a used BMW R 1200 R to discover the brand or comparing the evolutions between a BMW R 1200 R 2012 and this 2017 model year, the qualitative leap is real, tangible, and largely justifies the price difference on the used market.