Fact Sheet: 1998 BMW K1200RS

 
 



Purchased in May, 2003 from an original owner...an amazing story in and of itself.  Only 856 miles on the clock when I found it, perfect, scratch-free condition, showroom new.

I'd been studying K12's for quite some time, and looking for one to purchase since early 2002.  These do come on the market fairly frequently, but I wanted this particular "flavor", and also needed to find one relatively close to St. Louis so I could go check it out in person before buying.

Third set of modifications: Xenon Depot H7 low beam HID conversion, Highway Blaster 132db horn, BMW stock handlebar risers, BMW stock footpegs

Second set of modifications
: BMW Comfort Shield, Laminar Lip, BMW MultiVario tank bag (electified), Alaska Leather sheepskin

First set of modifications: Zteknic carbon fiber dash and tank protector, Givi E52 tail trunk, Aeroflow windscreen, Cee Bailey headlight protector, HyperLites, Pirate's Lair helmet lock and peg lowers, BMW comfort bar risers, BMW hard bags, RAM mounts for V1 and Garmin

About K1200RS in general

 BMW began producing the K1200RS in late 1997 as a 1998 model, an evolution and significant redesign of the very successful K1100RS.  Design goals included incorporation of their paralever design front suspension, along with significantly reducing engine vibration by rubber-mounting the engine in the frame.

Initial reviews were mixed, many of the opinion that BMW had moved the ergonomics of the bike too much in the "sport" direction, yet supplying too much road-hugging-weight in the "touring" direction, a perceived "bad" combination.

Nonetheless, the bike sold very well, offering BMW silence and smoothness at time when it's competitors, the Honda ST1100 and Kawasaki Concours, were both many-year-old designs.  Ergonomic challenges, perceived or not, were quickly addressed by the aftermarket with the addition of higher bars/bar-backs, lower pegs, and larger windscreens.

BMW has kept the bike current through minor upgrades in the 2002 model year, and making additional features (like cruise control) standard equipment.   BMW introduced a new K1200GT model in 2003, basically a RS with additional comfort (heated seat, anyone?) and protection features from it's K1200RS police model.

With a very active owner's community, solid BMW reliability, and inspiring performance, the K1200RS stands out as the benchmark sport-tourer for this age.

 

K12 Portrait
Next round of mods here, mit System Cases, BMW Comfort Shield

1998 K1200RS Dakar
My K12 with first set of mods: Givi E52, Aeroflow windscreen

K1200RS Rear view
Here's a rear view...Givi trunk mounted, ZTeknic tank protector 

K1200RS Cockpit mods

Here's a cockpit view of this bike with mods so far: V1 and holder, Garmin GPS-V for travel.  RAM mounts attach to clutch and brake reservoir covers available through Cycle Gadgets