Story by Uwe Wachtendorf     Photos by RHM

Let’s be honest: motorcyclists are a particularly image-conscious group of people. Although there are always exceptions to the rule, such as those who ride in battered and outdated gear, most of us spend almost as much time worrying about what to wear as we do about what we’re going to ride.

Motorcycles, to a great degree, are an extension of an image that we want to portray. I’ve known many riders who purchased a bike that didn’t reflect their riding interests, but did, in their minds, make them look cool. Not immune to such vanities, I have a weakness for retro-styled motorcycles, not because they’re a logical solution to riding needs, but because I have a sentimental affinity for the days when riders wore leather caps, aviator’s goggles, long leather coats and riding breeches. And the more quirky or iconic an engine, the better. Consequently, I’m hung up on machines such as Triumph’s Thruxton, Moto Guzzi’s V7, Harley-Davidson’s Sportster 48, and now, the 2011 BMW R1200R Classic.

When BMW updated its venerable R1200R roadster last spring, they also offered an optional Classic Package, which not only gives the bike a more retro appearance, but is also a nod to the machines from BMW past. Central to the Classic is its metallic black paint job, underlined by a solid white strip running from the front fender to the rider’s seat. The bike’s Telelever front suspension, drivetrain, cylinder head covers, frame and fork have all been finished in a complementary silver paint. Chrome-plated mirrors, wheels and exhaust system cap off the appearance package. The spoked wheels, which replace the cast units on the base R1200R and are constructed of light alloy rims and aluminum hubs, require the use of tubed tires.

Our test bike was well equipped, and even though its engine retained the simplistic look of past oil-cooled BMWs, it was still a technologically modern machine. Most obvious when sitting on the latest R1200R is that its redesigned instrumentation. Gone is BMW’s typical asymmetrical funkiness; in its place is a clean and sophisticated-looking pair of gauges which are highly legible and fitting for a retro-inspired design. Between the two analog dials is a small LCD monopolized by a large gear indicator that doesn’t leave much room for all the comprehensive information the screen provides.

The bike’s sculpted seat is another revision. It was comfortable and allowed room for movement; however, its stock 800 mm height was too low for me. Although the reach to ground was perfect, the seat made me feel like I was sitting inside the motorcycle rather than on it. It also made the distance to the pegs feel cramped. Fortunately, there are numerous no-cost seat options available, ranging from a lofty 830 mm to a more down-to-earth 760 mm. As a final comment on the riding position, the two massive jugs protruding from the engine do take getting used to. While lowering my legs at stops, I painfully nailed the cylinders with my shins several times before I adapted.

I was thankful that the Classic was equipped with BMW’s traditional – non-traditional – turn-signal switchgear. I was under the impression that BMW was discontinuing their characteristic switchgear, which incidentally is very similar to what Harley-Davidson uses. Aside from a few journalists I know who are mentally inflexible, R1200R riders will quickly adapt to the setup and wonder what all the fuss was about.

A notable addition to the R1200R is its standard equipment centre stand. The stand was easy to deploy, so easy that it became my default method of parking the bike.

If you’ve never ridden a boxer-powered BMW before, it does feel a little odd at first. The iconic engine has idiosyncrasies that affect . . . (read more)

2011 BMW R1200R Classic Spec Chart

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