Triumphrat

PA-guy

A friend and I just returned to PA from a week in Arizona. We rented almost new BMW R1200RT crusiers and did 1300 miles mostly south of Phoenix. These bikes have the horizontial 1200cc engines. Overall they're a decent crusier but IMO not a great one. My "guess" is that there are quite a few other crusiers in the $18,000 range that would be better....i.e., Gold Wing and probably an Rocket III to name a few. This was my first time on a bike with a windshield (electric) and cruise control and "if" I ever get a major crusier I'll be sure to get both of these options. 250 miles a day on my windshieldLESS 05 T100 and I'm beat. 350 miles on the BMW and I'm feeling fine.

Many of us feel our Bonnevilles make a little too much engine noise. Let me tell you, they're quiet compared to the BMW, which is a very, very noisy bike both engine and trans. My friend has a K model BMW sport bike and said it is worlds quieter. I believe one difference is that his K model is a 4 cylinder and generally speaking 4 cylinder engines are smoother than 2 cylinder engines.

I would highly recomend riding southern AZ this time of year or in March if you'd like to travel north of Phoenix. The scenery is unique to say the least. Although there's no place like home, it's worth seeing at least once.

Trident85596

Well PA-Guy ,
Most water cooled bikes are quieter that air cooled
bikes.
Make mine a Triumph,air or water cooled.
Arizona sounds good. If I wasn't working all the
time.
Jeff

Zorba

Hi guys, I'm really thinking about a new "SM" or "America" Which is simular to the Bonny's etc I just hope they have enough power for me ?
I don't need a lot, not a speed freak but i am 5 -10 about 225, a guy at work said i would look silly on it! I think he's way off with that comment?
I have to go test ride one when I get time , that's about 75 miles from here !
How does it compare to other bikes in power, is like a sporty ?!
Thanks for the help !
Pete

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ohiorider

As a long time BMW rider (twins, triples, and 4 cylinder models) I continue to be amazed at how smoothly the Bonneville motor runs. The Brits did a nice job on it. Having ridden the German bikes for over 20 years, let me offer a few opinions about your riding impressions:
- the RT bikes with full fairing amplify engine and tranny noise. BMWs naked bikes transmit much less engine noise to the rider.
- older BMW's in the 600-800cc range (50-60 hp) were generally smoother than some of the newer larger twins. Probably a matter of how much power each piston was generating on the power stroke.
- BMW trannys are getting better, but in my opinion (on the current twins) will never be as smooth shifting as, say, a Bonneville or Japanese bike with transverse engine. Part of the reason is the fact that the BMW clutch runs at engine speed, where the Bonneville clutch runs about half the speed of the engine due to the geared-down primary drive.
- Even though the flat BMW motor is theoretically in perfect balance, you may have noticed when/if you looked down at the motor, one cylinder was an inch or two in front of the other. This causes what BMW calls a 'rocking couple; or secondary low frequency vibration. They have attempted to eliminate this on the 1200 twins.
- If the bikes were brand new, low mileage machines, the engines were probably tight. Most Beemers don't loosen up until well over 10000 miles.

Thanks for entertaining the ramblings of a long-time BMW rider who is looking forward to a season of Britbiking.

- Bob -

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2003 T100 (790cc) Lucifer Org and Silv: 122/42 jets, TORs, 17T, UNI filter, no AI, Polaris bellmouth, Metzeler ME880 tires, Progressive 440 shocks (105/150 springs),11-1126 fork springs, gaiters, MotoTwin low bars, 6024 lamp, htd grips, 12v outlet.

Asmith

Ohio, that offset of the cylinders would be the thickness of two cylinder walls, the space if any, between them, and the thickness of one con rod big end or the the half of two con rod big ends, correct? Vegas.

Dinqua

Zorba,
No problem with the power. Come on over to bonnevilleamerica.com and get info from the guys that ride just them.

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Pat Whitbeck
Canandaigua, New York 14424

darmahman

Part of the reason the engine sounds loud is the windshield stops alot of wind noise leaving the engine noises.

panda

If the full fairing was removed you would not hear the engine etc at all except when you were stopped. I fully faired all my road bikes, tiger cub, t100 and tr6, and afterwards they all sounded like a bag of nails.. but then you dont get the wind noise or physical buffeting or cooling. which was a worthwhile trade off doing high miles in the uk. there is always a trade off.

is why many folks remove the fairings from rt models and convert them into naked bikes, especially in teh US where naked bikes are more popular ( probably climate motivated)

[ This message was edited by: panda on 2006-02-20 14:45 ]

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A wise man learns from his mistakes..
A genius learns from other peoples mistakes.

ohiorider

I think you're correct. The space between the big end crank journals probably determines the space between the cylinders. Whatever the distance, it is visually obvious when you're in the saddle of a flat twin and look directly down at the cylinders. Regarding the secondary vibration, the Haynes Manual describes it as '.... this layout (horizontally opposed) cancels out all vibrations, other than the small rocking couple due to the distance between the cylinder center lines.... .'

Bob

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2003 T100 (790cc) Lucifer Org and Silv: 122/42 jets, TORs, 17T, UNI filter, no AI, Polaris bellmouth, Metzeler ME880 tires, Progressive 440 shocks (105/150 springs),11-1126 fork springs, gaiters, MotoTwin low bars, 6024 lamp, htd grips, 12v outlet.

PA-guy

Panda posted: If the full fairing was removed you would not hear the engine etc at all except when you were stopped. I fully faired all my road bikes, tiger cub, t100 and tr6, and afterwards they all sounded like a bag of nails.. but then you dont get the wind noise or physical buffeting or cooling. which was a worthwhile trade off doing high miles in the uk. there is always a trade off.

I hear ya Panda but my riding companion has an 04 BMW sport/crusier, 4 cylinder with fairing and he said the ones we rented were MUCH louder than his. And they made much more noise when shifting. Strange!!!
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