Frankly I’ve been counging the hours until this happened:

[blogs.motorbiker.org]

MCNs Scoops The New BMW R1200GS-Adventurer

UK motorcycle magazine, MCN, got a scoop. They managed to print the first photos of the new BMW R1200GS-Adventurer motorcycle before the official launch this Friday at the NEC motorcycle show in the UK.

Official data will arrive on Friday, but this is what it looks like:

[…]

Check back on Friday for more info and pictures.

UPDATE: Only extra information is that there’s a 33 liter gas tank, extra 20mm suspension travel and adjustable brakes and gear levels. Also, new ally handlebars and wider footpegs.

…and there’s an image on Mike’s website. [blogs.motorbiker.org]

You the family resemblance is nice and strong, with several nods to the previous Adventure. I shall be interested to check out the swingarm and suspension in real life.

Analysis:

What with the timing, and the upcoming Birmingham NEC (UK) launch, I can’t help but wonder whether it will be announced that the mooted LongWayRound2 Adventure – McGregor, Boorman and Law doing the Guevara thing – will be done on bikes such as these?

It’d be a sizable brand-gamble for BMW to provide three of these relatively new bikes for moderately heavy thrashing in the public eye; nothing like so bad as Siberia or Mongolia, but still – if these Adventures are likewise CAMBUS/Fly-By-Wire like my 1200GS, then having a TV crew around for several weeks will be a significant test of confidence in the system.

LWR1 was done on old technology, and it’s less easy to hack a computerised ignition systems when in the middle of a swamp, or desert.

Perhaps the rumours are true. Maybe these aren’t CAMBUS bikes?

Anyway – 18 month’s development to make an already beautifully ugly bike into one that is even more ugly.

Superb! 😎