I have a theory... sometime about 2010 or 2011 they changed the fuel mapping and the stock headers blued. Or they changed the manufacturing process on the pipe header. The 07/08 bikes did not seem to blue, even after many thousand miles. Or maybe all the ones I've seen did not do enough slow traffic riding to get that hot. I kind of like the blue myself... Does anyone have a pic of a blued '07?
That photo was taken just before we decided to turn around, back down the hill, and just deal with with the freezing rain... It was taken at the top of "Yarnell hill" on Hwy 89, north of Phoenix.
We had a similar ride in the Poudre Canyon outside Ft. Collins in CO one year. We were still 35 miles or more from town, and snow was over an inch deep on the road. We pulled into a state campground of some sort and began to set up when our neighbors, who had packed for a week stay with at least 7 kids decided the snow was going to be too much to manage and decided to abruptly head home to Denver. They said "please help yourself to everything in the ice chests and our supplies. Consider it all yours as we won't be back to pack up until next Saturday". Contents included: -well secured canopy over picnic table for a totally dry evening -half a cord of firewood, that made for a nice warm evening -ice chest full of good beer, which made for a typical evening -steaks, and other good foods we dream of on camp outs -eggs and bacon for breakfast -all kinds of camp gear and cooking equipment as needed -candy -two pellet guns on the table, pointed towards beer cans in the tree, and a video titled "How to teach your kids to Shoot Safely". State campgrounds are always my first choice for shooting practice. Most campers like ventilated tents anyway. My friend apply proclaimed : "It's like manna from Heaven".
And they can be highly farkled (like anything else). I would have loved to upgrade to the R1200R but it had welded on footpeg mounts and one of the accomodations I made to mine to accomodate my 6'-2" frame was to put R1150GS rear suspension, footpeg mounts, etc. on it to provide longer leg extension and enough cornering clearance for the Jesse bags. Wasn't possible with the R1200 unfortunately.
Here's a couple of mine before I ceramic coated them That was at about 800mi, I didn't let them go any longer before
I made a mistake visiting BMW dealership last spring. After riding DL-1000 for seven years i took r1200r for a spin around block (20miles) and i was hooked on this bike. Week later i became owner of 09 black r1200r with farkels such as: Sergant seat (love M stripes) Cee bailes tall windscreen Highway foot pegs (they are awesome on long runs) Clear water aux light (V-strom had way better lights than oryginal BMW) All hard lugage (top case little to small only 27 liters) Over all great bike for travel, around city and for qucik runs for groceries.
Anyone have any experience carrying a passenger on a 1200R? Specifically passengers who are as tall or taller than the rider and what their impressions of the ride are.
I've only ridden the RR as a demo bike for a long day and had a passenger. I am 5'11" and she is almost 5'10". She said other than riding a bike herself, it was the best pillion bike she could remember being on other than a full cruiser where she feels like she sitting on a recliner. Great grab handles and foot pegs were positioned well. And she is all legs w/ a short torso so that is normally a concern. She didn't feel like some other bikes where the pillion is "perched" way above the rider. Hope that helps.
Given that the R has the same frame as the RT, it's just a matter of the seat (and obviously wind protection) how comfortable a passenger is.
I've had both. If you put a skid plate on it and some Tourances it would do what a GS does. The GS doesn't need all that suspension travel or ground clearance. The leg room is a problem for me on the R but I would stretch my legs out over the cylinders. I liked the oil cooler in cheek cowls on the 1150 better. And the R has a real metal gas tank.
A few things I'd still like to see pics of are the Parabellum Scout fairing on the R1200 and also if anyone has turned one into a old school cafe look bike, with low bars etc. I saw a Scout coming towards me on the freeway one day but at our combined closing spec of about 140mph I did not get to look for long