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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128101
2002 BMW R1150R and R1150RT Bv BLAKE CONNER PHOTOS Bv CALVIN KIM '\?r.'fi7e walked into the bar and \!J\!J immediately realized that we were in a foreign country. The thing was, I couldn't remember having my passport stamped. All of these newbike press introductions are easy to get confused - walk onto a plane, fall asleep and, the next thing you know, you're in some weird civilization. This time, however, I could have sworn that BMW told me the intro was domestic. The language was strange and, as I looked around at the local citizens, I felt even more alienated like everyone was staring at me. 1figured out that it wasn't because of what I was wearing, but what I didn't have on - namely, a cowboy hat and matching boots. I realized that our group of journalists included the only males in the entire bar that weren't pac kin' 10 gallons on their heads. "So, where in the hell are we?" I asked one of my cohorts. He also appeared confused, but replied that he thought we were in Texas. It all became crystal clear, and my memory was jarred back to life - we were in Austin, Texas, in the bar at the Four Seasons Hotel, of all places (not even a cowboy watering hole). My next thought was that, if we were in Texas, then why was it so damned cold - and wherever we were, did I really have to ride in such weather? BMW picked Austin as the sight of its press launch for the new 2002 R1150RT Touring bike, and the Rl150R Roadster "naked bike." And Austin seemed a good choice, since the group of joumalists that attended the week prior to our arrival had enjoyed 85-degree weather. That was definitely not the case upon our arrival - we were met by temperatures in the low 40s. I was prepared for the worst, and had packed my Aerostitch suit, along with a lined leather jacket as another option (though I discovered, on the moming of our ride, that I had forgotten my fleece jacket to wear under the Aerostitch, rendering the suit useless). As we were staging to leave for our ride, Joan Horst, from BMW's apparel division, looked at me in my leather jacket, and commented that I must be crazy if that's what I was planning to wear. Moments later, she handed me a BMW electric vest, which conveniently plugged right into the side of the R1150R Roadster I was about to ride. I'm pretty sure lowe my life to Joan. I've been on some cold rides in 10 APRIL 25,2001 • eye • e my life, but this had to be the coldest in recent memory. Temperatures were in the high 30s and low 40s the entire day, and I started out on the "naked" Roadster - although I'm the one that felt naked. I'm not sure what the wind-chill factor is at 90-100 mph but, even with the BMW's heated grips cranked to full power and the vest set on Bake, I was miserable. I was skeptical of Texas having any decent roads 0n which to ride. As a kid, I spent long summers in the state visiting my grandparents, and I don't remember anything that could be mistaken for a twisty road. I was wrong, though - the route that BMW planned for us was a blast. There The 2002 BMW R1150RT Touring bike (above) and R1150R Roadster Petti represem the newest motorcrcle offerings from Germany. Both are quite capable street machines, with plenty of linear power, strong ABS brakes, decent handling and quite welcome creature comforts such as plug-ins for electric vests and healed handgrips. wasn't a lot of tight stuff, but there were plenty of fast sweepers, which suited the R1150R Roadster perfectly. My only complaint would be the cows . yes, that's right, cows. It's a little unnerving blasting around a corner to find a lazy, cold bovine standing in the middle of the road. This particular cow wasn't going anywhere, either; as far as it knew, that was its territory, and I was going to have to go around - I think I got slowed down to around 50 mph by then. With cows come cattle guards - just another thing to think about. I've spent a decent amount of time on the R11 OOR, the bike that the new Roadster replaces, and had a favorable opinion of that machine. The new bike, however, is leagues above the bike it replaces. The additional displacement means more power, which is always welcome on any bikE;, and the updated styling is a n e _ s huge improvement. The Roac(ster was perfectly at home on the big, open sweepers that we were riding on nothing tight enough to cause the centerstand or pegs to drag. These are items that the R11 OOR would destroy on a tight, twisty canyon road. The suspension felt a bit soft at times, which is to be expected from a bike that only has provisions for preload and rebound dampening. I was, however, pushing the bike about as hard as I dared on unfamiliar roads, and it was completely acceptable. The one thing that gets really old on a naked bike is the wind-blast that abuses the rider's neck and upper body at speeds over 60 mph. BMW does offer a small fairing that looks much more attractive than the previous model's optional windscreen, and that should help dramatically. One of the biggest changes on the R1150R is new optional Integral ABS (Antilock Braking System), which incorporates a power brake-booster in addition to the ASS - really weird to get used to, at first. The first thing you notice is, when you're pushing the turned-off bike around in the garage or a parking lot, the binders have virtually no power at all. You will ram it into a car in your garage at least once. Secondly, it takes a while for riders accustomed to normal hydraulic brakes to adapt to the system .. They tend to be grabby, which feels weird - but I guess you don't have to worry about locking the wheel because of the ABS, it just feels funny at first. The system on the R1150R is much better, in my opinion, than that on the R1150RT Touring bike for one reason: The Roadster's is a partially integrated system, which means that the front brake also automatically activates the rear, but the rear only activates the rear (the way it should be). The Touring bike, on the other hand, has a fully integrated system in which the front activates the rear, but the rear also activates the front. I mentioned the power brake booster, didn't I? Now put those two together, and you have what I would call a scary combination - don't trail-brake the touring bike with the rear brake into a corner - it will scare the hell out of you. Why can't consumers simply learn how to brake properly? Anyway, I spent the morning on the Roadster, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Let me reiterate that I enjoyed the bike, though I was completely frozen from the lack of wind protection. We ate lunch at a really cool restaurant called the Hilltop Cafe