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The water-cooled BMW R1200GS during testing

Water-cooled BMW R1200GS spied

By MCN -

New bikes

11 February 2011 11:59

These spy shots taken by a Spanish BMW owner on his mobile phone confirm BMW is well ahead with the development of a new water-cooled version of the top-selling R1200GS.

The new motor will bring to an end 90 years of the traditional air-cooled boxer twin engine when the new bike goes on sale in 2012.

To find out more about the new engine and BMW R1200GS, pick up a copy of the current issue of MCN.

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Arrow says

You can do what you like to the engine but if the final drive bearings and seals keep going with the current power available what's the point. They need to address this first and get some after market fix for people like me who having had one set replaced at 19,500 miles has now got the precursory oil weep at 28,000 miles and the bike is only 18 months old.

18 February 2011 23:28

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STRESSED1says

What it needs is.......

Yes,what the Bmw GS1200 needs is a light weight alloy internal ribbed cast frame,

The engine,can then be made from LESS metal as it wouldn't need to be totally load bearing.The front end should be dumped in favour of OHLINS / WP USD forks along with the new gen RAD CALS.

The Telelever front end getting rid it it would save kg's as today USD forks have come a long way.

If BMW can make the bike lighter or at least no heavier then the air cooled version but with more power and of course the width kept the same(cyl to cyl)then all well and good.

But this will mean a heavier price too pay at the showroom won't it !!?

13 February 2011 18:07

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Lifeintheslowlane says

aircooled

the end of the aircoled boxer. Like err whoa dude, deja vu!

12 February 2011 00:02

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daveiresays

Everyone thought that when Suzuki went water cooled in the GSX R range. Water cooled engines can make more power because of the better cooling and also run leaner which is why BMW is doing it, for emissions regulations. Most bikes on the market are water cooled, its the way to go.

I can't think of a new air cooled bike that I would buy.

11 February 2011 19:42

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tman39a says

Weight

Oh goodie....add a radiator, pipework , pump etc etc and still be competitive....don't think so unless its heading to 140+ hp and even then it will need a really good diet. KTM, Ducati etc are holding 200kg dry weights and that why they are selling so well...for general use people don't want to ride a tank unless it has a super powerful engine. BMW's biggest problem is in the finer details of their bikes...too many recalls for technology issues or leaks.

11 February 2011 14:20

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