Controlled

One of the privileges we have as motoring journalists is that we are sometimes lucky enough to be the first to try, drive, test or in this case, ride the latest in the automobile industry, be it cars, SUVs, AUVs, vans, trucks, motorcycles or motoring-related products such as tires and other components. Of course, some of the more senior (in age, position or both) and more popular (or more persistent) motoring journalists get the first crack at a new model, especially of the four-wheeled variety, while the new (read "not-so-famous") journalists like myself have to wait in line before we can get behind the wheel of the latest 4-wheeled vehicle model launched in the market.

Luckily, in the motorcycle industry, this is not the case. I’m happy to report to you, our dear readers, that yours truly was among the first Philippine motoring journalists (along with Aris Ilagan of Manila Bulletin and Brian Afuang of Manila Times) to ride BMW’s latest uber motorrad — the BMW K1200 S.

Powerful Bavarian Motorrad

Launched last April 22 at the NBC Tent in the Fort Global City, the K 1200 S is the Bavarian automaker’s stab at the global sport motorcycle market currently dominated by the Japanese sport bikes. "We are not positioning the bike as a super sport motorcycle, but as a sport bike that you can comfortably ride for long distances as well as to carve zigzags and mountain passes with," said Leonardo "Dec" Decampong during the bike’s press preview held April 19 (Tuesday) at Padi’s Point in Antipolo. "With the outstanding power and the razor-sharp handling of the K1200 S, our targets are the experienced and mature sport bike riders who recognize their capabilities and the power at their disposal, yet display an uncanny ability to control and properly harness this power. They ride sensibly on the streets and join track days to flog their bikes at speeds in safe and controlled environments. Thus, like the K1200 S, the rider should likewise have controlled power," Dec added.

These claims are not mere empty boasts. The Bavarian uber motorrad is powered by a new in-line four-cylinder motor mounted transversely across the frame and tilted 55-degrees from vertical (55° to the front) for an optimum center of gravity. This revolutionary free-revving1156cc motor was designed with features carried over from BMW’s Formula 1 technology and produces 123 kW (167 bhp) and 130 Nm (96 lb-ft) of torque at 8,250 rpm. Digital Motor Electronics and three-way catalyst emission management ensure absolute fulfillment of the strictest Euro-4 environmental standards while a maintenance-free, weight-optimized shaft drive delivers the power to the rear wheel. A large exhaust muffler mounted on the right side of the bike barks at the start and emits grand prix-like shrieks when the throttle is twisted.

Innovative Suspension System

The K1200 S has a new suspension system to produce a combination of supreme riding precision and maximum riding stability, a characteristic that BMW is hoping to be renowned for against the Japanese sport bikes. BMW claims that these targeted characteristics are achieved with the new Duolever suspension at the front and the Evo-Paralever suspension at the rear.

The Duolever design steers only the wheel and its aluminum "upright" (the modern analog of the classic girder suspension) while suspension links take the form of forward-projecting, automotive-style upper and lower A-arms, their thick bases pivoting on the chassis. This design decreases steered mass and increases front-end stability, provides the initial feel of telescopic front forks yet bring in some anti-dive as the suspension compresses. Combined to the stability provided by the stiff single arm Evo-Paralever rear suspension, a low road trim weight of 248 kg (547 lb) and a low center of gravity, the K1200 S is blessed with a neutral handling and light steering feel that telescopic front fork-equipped sport bikes cannot duplicate, while retaining a razor-sharp agility that is previously denied BMW riders.

Enhanced Riding Comfort And Safety

An ergonomically enhanced seating position offers relaxed, active riding and features a recessed potion on the tank top shaped to accommodate the lower chin guard of a full-face helmet when the rider leans forward during a high-speed run. The K1200 S’s narrow frame and svelte shape packs its component tidily to allow a low ride height and provide an aggressive lean angle for fast corners, while its controls are designed to enhance rider performance and comfort.

When the rider decides to take on corners, or to take a passenger or add panniers to carry some stuff, an optional Electronically Adjustable Suspension (EAS) takes the hassle out of adjusting the suspension. A mere push of a button enables the rider to tailor fit the shocks for load and stiffness and the adjustment could be done "on-the-fly" or while riding. A pictograph and bar meter on the bike’s LCD display informs the rider of the ESA activation, while a 12,000-rpm tachometer and a 300-kph speedometer monitors the bike’s vitals and momentum.

To enhance active safety, BMW equipped the K1200 S with a partly integral brake system that allows the rider to activate the anti-lock braking system (ABS)-equipped front and rear brakes with the handlebar brake lever. An on-board network with electronic management and single-wire CAN-bus technology was employed for enhanced functions combined with simple and straightforward wiring and low weight. To provide security for the bike, an electronic immobilizer with a code-changing transponder key comes standard.

Short But Exhilarating Ride

BMW provided us with a brief test ride of the P1.080M (for the single color models and P1.130 for the two-tone versions) K1200 S, guided by Motorcycle Riding Course (MRC) instructor Pete McCullough on an F650 CS, around the winding roads in Antipolo. The bike felt almost un-BMW-like when I first mounted it. With its light weight and narrow width between my legs, it allowed me to plant my feet firmly on the ground and to lean the bike without fear of dropping it. However, close inspection of the bike’s fit and finish and the tactile feel and location of its controls reminded me of its Bavarian origins.

The banshee wail of the engine exiting through the large exhaust can is more akin to a Suzuki Hayabusa or a Yamaha R1 and so is the immediacy with which it accelerates. The Bimmer was just striding through the 2000-3000rpm range at 60kph, and was barely breaking a sweat overtaking the vehicles lumbering up to Antipolo. The bike exhibited neutral balance while cruising and an almost telepathic handling and steering response at speeds. At a sharp curve on the way down, I overcooked the apex while overtaking two vehicles and I instinctively released the throttle, which disturbed the bike’s balance and pushed it further towards the opposite lane. Once I got back on the gas and committed the bike to a lower lean angle, I was able to point the bike back to my lane. This flick-ability and agility is far better than the Boxer Cup Replica that I rode before and demonstrates the design and engineering that went into the K1200 S.

My brief ride seemed shorter than the other testers (was I riding that fast?), but it was perhaps just as well. The BMW K1200 S left a new impression of what a Bavarian sport motorrad should be — that of controlled power and unbridled exhilaration.