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BMWs and First Gen Ownership

3K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  dbyker 
#1 ·
Just tossing this out there.

Dad always told me to NEVER buy the first generation of anything. Maybe not even the second generation as bugs are usually discovered and ironed out over a couple of model years.

So, the R1250R/RS...does anyone expect “fixes” will be in the works on the “improvements” in the next couple of model years for the new tech? I didn’t follow BMW to see their track record on this issue. My last bike had a great reputation with the first major change from carburetors to fuel injectors and then a digital dash instead of all analog. Otherwise, it remained the same it’s entire production run.
 
#2 ·
Dad always told me to NEVER buy the first generation of anything. Maybe not even the second generation as bugs are usually discovered and ironed out over a couple of model years.

With that logic you may just want to wait until the end of time, to make sure you get all the bugs ironed out.


In all seriousness though, the R----R bikes have been around for a long time. They occasionally add 50cc to the mix, but generally the bike is very similar to the previous year. It's not in BMW's best interest to change a lot year over year.


I have concerns about longevity of the color LCD displays they're coming out with, but you saw a similar situation in the analog to digital displays.
 
#3 ·
True. Checking out the 2020s, the display is nicer, but redundant if you have the Nav system. That, and navigation is done via a BMW app on your phone. Not bad, but it means you need to program routes and such into the app. From the wheel you can only access what’s already saved on the phone. It appears when you download a map, a POI database is included...which helps some.

My concern is always over “new tech” in motors. Some manufacturers are better than others. For example, the CVT is often considered a garbage transmission, but Toyota has a good reputation with them. Of course, Toyota uses them in their Prius, and they can’t afford to put junk in their flagship product. Other companies...mechanics would tell you to avoid a car with a CVT.
 
#4 ·
I think the LC got a few updates after the first year model and then not much change after that. But I think they were more gearbox/clutch and electronics related, not the new motor. In that case I think the LC motor was in other models for a little while before it made it to the R, but this time it’s come out right after the shiftcam hit the other models. I would probably err on the side of caution as well and wait a year or two after the changes to the motor, not that I plan on getting the new model, I will wait a good few years before I would think about an update.
 
#5 ·
The 2020 is so sexy, but while I now wish I waited a couple years to get my RS, I'm not inclined to do the work of trading in and then farkling a new one. :)
 
#6 ·
#7 ·
I've owned a few Beta bikes, including a '94 R1100RS....

I agree with your dad. I got a "last year of build" 2018 R1200R, and it seems to have been Perfected. I may trade for a 2021 or 2022 RS, but that's a ways off, when they sort out the R1250 to Perfection.
 
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