Exciting from every angle.
In its overall design, the K 1200 S combines power with elegance, sportiness with perfection. Clearly contoured, interacting surfaces with flowing lines accentuate the dynamic looks of the new motorcycle and generate a new feeling of tension from every angle reflecting the muscular, athletic character and the agility of this outstanding athlete.
Clear emphasis of the motorcycle's transparency and "lightness" is provided by visible technological highlights on the frame, the wheel mounts and the wheels themselves, thus bearing testimony to BMW Motorrad's leadership in technology.
The design of the K 1200 S is absolutely unmistakable, entering new territory without any role models: You clearly see at first sight that this motorcycle is without a predecessor in the BMW range, that it is brand-new in every respect. Yet in the harmony of its lines and in its expressive style, this new athlete is clearly recognisable at very first sight as a BMW and a member of the K-family.
Virtually every visible component on the new motorcycle is also an element and product of design. Particularly the fairing with the headlight, the fuel tank with its cover on top, and the rear end complete with the seat are crucial to the overall design concept. So using the usual parlance at BMW Motorrad, these components are summed up under the term "body".
The range of colours clearly underlines the unmistakable character of BMW's new high-performance motorcycle: Sporting Indigo Blue Metallic and elegant Granite Grey Metallic, two single-colour paintwork schemes, give the K 1200 S a very sophisticated look. But there is also a choice of two multi-colour schemes finished in top quality over large surfaces: Sporting, elegant Indigo Blue Metallic/Alpine White gives particular emphasis to the lines of the body, while the extroverted combination of Sun-Yellow Non-Metallic/White Aluminium Metallic/Dark Graphite Metallic is a particular eye-catcher. On the non-metallic colours the frame and suspension components come in silver, on the multi-colour schemes they are finished in black.
Slender fairing in modular design for excellent aerodynamics.
The K 1200 S owes its sporting and slender silhouette to the equally slender, virtually narrow engine. This helps to keep the entire fairing slim and compact, while from the side the elegance and smoothness of the surfaces is not marred by the usual air outlets. Instead, discharge air from the radiator flows within the fairing through an opening at the bottom of the engine spoiler to the outside. The spoiler itself is finished in black, giving the entire motorcycle an even slimmer, more athletic appearance from the side.
The frontal view emphasises the dynamic appearance of the machine through the V-shaped transition of the upper section fairing into the windshield. This striking V-design with its clear subdivision of surfaces continues within the headlight lens and in the front mudguard, giving the K 1200 S its truly unique "face". Reflecting that typical BMW style, the direction indicators are integrated in the rear-view mirrors, which in themselves offer unusually good visibility over a broad range. On the road the fairing of the K 1200 S lives out its aerodynamic qualities as the result of comprehensive tests in the wind tunnel. The objective in developing the fairing was to offer best-in-class protection from wind and weather, the emphasis once again being on relaxed, enjoyable motorcycling and not on the achievement of merely theoretical records such as air resistance reduced to a minimum.
The flow of air on the fairing is guided by the side contours and the convex "blade" shape around the edges of the windshield to minimise wind pressure on the upper body of the rider and divert rainwater past the rider's shoulders. Gill-shaped openings at the edge of the fairing around the sides use differences in air pressure to guide rainwater past the rider's feet, then flowing out first to the inside and subsequently to the bottom. A carefully designed additional splashguard keeps contamination around the sides and at the rear to a minimum.
At the front the shape of the front-wheel mudguard supports the flow of air to the radiator, air flow to the oil cooler and the radiator itself being optimised to such an extent that the K 1200 S, despite its superior power and performance, requires only relatively small cooling surfaces.
Thanks to the modular structure of the fairing, partial removal of fairing elements for servicing is simple and straightforward. The front end made of two plastic shells is a self-supporting unit and offers a wide range of support and fastening functions in holding cables and fairing components.
The headlight is a load-bearing element on the front end, again helping to keep the entire structure light and ease to assemble.
Headlight in clear-glass look and free-form surface technology--striking in design, safe on the road.
Striking in its design, the headlight of the K 1200 S houses no less than three light units (one low-beam, two high-beam lights) with H7 bulbs. The headlight cover finished in clear-glass look is made of impact- and bump-proof, extra-light polycarbonate. The reflectors in free-form surface technology are tailored precisely in their geometry to light requirements, ensuring an excellent light yield and illumination of the road ahead. To facilitate replacement of the bulbs, the headlight is easily accessible from behind and from the rear.
Fuel tank and seat--special design for perfect function.
The fuel tank on the K 1200 S is made of light, impact-resistant plastic and has a capacity of 19 litres or 4.2 Imp gals (including 4 litres reserve). The tank is fitted almost in the middle of the motorcycle behind the airbox, helping to provide a perfect centre of gravity. The overall package of the motorcycle serves to keep the tank slim and slender around the rider's knees, allowing optimum knee grip with the rider keeping his knees close together. Otherwise, the shape and design of the tank follows functional requirements and the space available, the compact structure providing maximum capacity on minimum material.
Production of the tank in a rotation process allows maximum freedom in the external design of the tank and its structure. This freedom BMW's designers have used to give the tank fairing a clear contour with interchanging light and shadow effects for a different look from every perspective.
The seat also follows this interesting design language continuing into the panels at the rear. In designing the double seat, the designers and ergonomics specialists focused above all on a criterion called "step arch length" (1,810 mm or 71.26). This specific measurement covers the total distance between the rider's two foot contact points on the ground measured over the inner length of his legs, taking not only the rider's absolute, geometric height into account, but also the shape and width of the rider's seat in the relevant front area.
While the seat itself is not adjustable, its distinctive waistline around the tank ensures very good access to the ground and at the same time keeps the rider' knee bending angle very comfortable. A further advantage is that this configuration offers the rider significant freedom of movement even with a sporting style of riding.
Geometric seat height of the standard seat is 820 millimetres or 32.38". A seat lower around the rider's seating area, with step arch length of 1,780 millimetres or 70.08 and geometric seat height of 790 millimetres or 31.10, is available as a no-cost option for the shorter rider and may even be fitted subsequently as special equipment at extra cost.
Although the seat is sporting and slender in design, the seat areas for the rider and passenger have been carefully designed to provide sufficiently wide seat surfaces and adequate support. The final result, therefore, is a standard of seating comfort quite superior in the sports motorcycle market, particularly for the passenger. And despite its sporting character, the K 1200 S is just as suitable as every other BMW for riding long distances, going on an adventurous tour, or taking along a passenger in genuine style. Indeed, straps for fastening luggage integrated beneath the seat make the K 1200 S even more suitable for a lengthy journey.
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