VOL. 52 ISSUE 30 JULY 28, 2015 P53
There's no getting away from
the fact this is a machine purely
governed by electronics—es-
pecially if you ride the D-ESA/
Gearshift Assists Pro/Cruise
Control, etc., machine I did—but
if you strip away all the sparkly
things and focus purely on the
chassis and engine, you'll find a
machine of brilliant balance and
poise, matched to a motor with
the near ideal level of horse-
power for its given applica-
tion. Riding an RS you do
feel on the sportier side of
touring thanks to the slightly
forward-biased riding
position and raised clip-on
handlebars, yet BMW has
somehow managed to work
plentiful touring comfort into the
equation without compromising
either side of its personality.
You get excellent wind pro-
tection on the RS with the half
fairing wrapping airflow around
the rider. The screen is four-way
adjustable and there's a short
option seat of 29.9." There's
also a tall 33.1-inch optional seat
(the standard height being 32.3
inches), so tuning the R 1200
RS to your height shouldn't be
too hard.
Those 1170cc's of BMW twin
match this chassis perfectly, and
the ultra low center of gravity
gives the RS mid-corner stabil-
ity the likes of which many bikes
can only dream of. Initial turn-in
on an RS isn't superbike-level
fast, nor is it designed to be, but
The
office.
Once
you
get
used
to
all
the
buttons
and
controls,
the
R
1200
RS
is
a
breeze
to
ride.
BMW
have
kept
the
asymmetrical
headlight
design
that
started
with
the
S
1000
RR.
Some
love
it,
some
hate
it.
The same engine powering the R 1200 GS can be found in the RS.
