BMW R 1200 CL Motorcycle Reviews on Cycle Insider (12)
Avg. Rating

This is the most comfortable seat on a bike that I've ever owned...and I owned a 1987 Suzuki Cavalcade 1400 LE. Highway miles just flow under the tires with ease and it handles the back roads with precision. At 65 bhp., you will need to downshift a couple of gears to crank up rpm. during passing. But the six speed tranny makes for easy riding up and down hills.

I have been riding for more than 35 years and have owned all kinds of motorcycles from a Honda CL 160 all the way up to my 1997 Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Classic to which I added many extras to try and make it a touring bike. Now that I have the BMW R 1200 CL, it cannot hold a candle in comparison. The Vulcan is not nearly as comfortable even with a $400 custom Bill Mayer touring seat, and suspension wise, forget about it. I prefer the Vulcan for around town cruising and the R 1200 LC for longer trips and it really shines on twisty curvy roads, a delight to drive. The Vulcan cannot handle twisties like the BMW. There are so many finely engineered mechanical features on this model BMW, they are really too numerous to try and mention them all. I really appreciate the nice layout of the dash with attention to details like two tripometers, tachometer, and that classic looking analog clock (a nice old school touch.) The cruise control is easy to use and helps on longer trips. I haven't had a chance to use the heated grips or heated seat yet because I live in So. California where it will seldom be needed. I like the easy adjustment of the suspension system with just a twist of the knob you are ready for two up riding and another twist to go back to single riding. There is ample room for any junk you just have to carry around. I use the the top trunk for registration/insurance papers, leathers, jacket and would still have room for a few small grocery items (i.e. a 6 pack). I like the slighly less than roomy saddle bags and how they easily lock. Even with the CD stereo unit built into the right side bag there is still room to hold a helmet, gloves and small clothing items. The stereo system is not audiophile quality, but OK and I enjoy having the weather station at my fingertips. The controls are easy to use and accessible while riding and not becoming distracted. I can hear the system OK even at 70 mph, especially when playing CDs. Parked I can give a concert at tailgate parties! I was happy to find my R 1200 CL and purchase it as a pre-owned bike. The previous owner must have been a dedicated rider as the bike was very well maintained and I plan to keep her that way. I get a lot of compliments on the bike and that wild looking metallic blue really stands out in a crowd. I am very happy with this motorcycle.

This is my first big bike. I got accustomed to the handling right away. Smooth and easy to handle except for low speed parking lot manuvers. Speedo is approximately 10% off. I like the low seat, it fits like a glove.

Been riding this bike from March 2005-new. I've ridden this fabulous bike across Canada, down to CA through WA, ID, NV [ during March of this year-2006]. A very satisfying smily ride. Wish I had cruise, they didn't bring the CL into Canada with cruise otherwise it's a "ride all day" and still be pleasant to your riding mates when the day is over. Only gripe is that it's an "oddball" so acccessories like a Throttle Meister aren't available. But for the in seam challenge with a desire for a cruiser with some real handling ability nothing else is like it.

The best touring bike I have ever owned. This machine is comfortable on the longest of trips. The only complaint is I have trouble hearing the stereo on highways. Am I the only one? This bike when parked has passersby all over me talking about the machine. It is a real eye catcher.

An excellent motorcycle. Highway driving is a pleasured. The engine specs (61HP) seems low yet this bike feels like it has much more. Some reviews claim that this bike has no passing power, nothing can be further from the truth, lots of passing power at any speed. Very light weight bike compared to other cruisers on the market. Driving at 120 to 130KM/hr just feels great. Claimed top speed (160Km/hr) is also incorrect, this bike will easily exceed 180Km/hr. This bike is comfortable to ride. Stopping/Breaking is unmatched by any other cruiser I've ever driven and the suspension, front and rear, is perfect for my weight. No flexing of the frame at any speed . Headlights are bright and excellent for night riding. I do find the engine a bit noisy but the exhaust and wind noises are so minimal it's hard to complain. The windshield design is a bit strange, it works well for deflecting the wind yet I found the rain to be a problem. The front end stability is more than impressive with no diving under any braking. Low speed handling takes a little getting use to. Brakes are great yet extremely sensitive and also take a bit of getting use to. Gas mileage(>55 Mpg)is very good. What I like the most about this bike is that it attract a lot of attention, is very different and there are not many of these bikes around. Overall I am extremely satisfied with this bike and I would recommend it.

The bike has been everything I could have hoped for. I commute with it and use it for pleasure. Love the 6th gear, heated seat, heated grips, ABS brakes, comfort, and 4 headlights.

With over 35 years of riding everything from dirt bikes to small Hondas to Harleys, this is my first bike and I know I will keep it for a long time. I commute over 100 miles a day (round trip), mostly on a turnpike. I just get up to speed, set the cruise control, turn up the radio and enjoy the ride. Brakes are fantastic, heated seats and grips are very fun, even in south Florida I used them a couple times. With my wife on the back we have enjoyed several nice trips. Handles nice, although parking lot speed can be a handful at times.

Comfortable, supurb handling, great unique look. Not a huge powerhouse, but a solid cruiser enough for most people. About equal with H-D Road King. Gets lots of attention, takes corners great, loaded with factory options. Heated seats, heated grips, CD, Stereo, adjustable preload, on and on. The EVO Servo assist brakes have saved my hide a few times. No reason for me to ever get another bike for both city and highway. Great mileage as well. Average 52 MPG with the 6 speed overdrive system.

Every time I got on this bike it rained. I'll never buy another bike without heated seats and grips (Standard equipment). I can ride this bike 12 hours, get a bite to eat and I'm yearning to ride more. Sure there are times I wish it could accellerate better, but it's a fine cruiser. It handles well at any highway speed, even those that some don't approve of. I bought it brand new just to do it once before I die, but you can save up to $5,000 on a one year old with just 3K on it.

I have ridden since 1968, had 28 bikes of all kinds, including 6 other BMW's, airheads, /2, /5, /6, K's, 75, 100 and 1200, and the CLC is the most enjoyable bike I have ever had. If they're still making them when this one has 100K miles or so on it, I will buy another one for sure. The motorcycle just drips with quality, looks are too subjective to bother with saying more than, it looks good to me. It needs at least 10 more HP, some of which can be gotten easily for with a Rhinewest chip, but it is nevertheless a wonderful ride. If you keep the rpm's up higher than seems intended, on a bagger you can go quickly. I wouldn't say "fast", given the kind of juice you can buy these days, but pretty quick if you know how to ride and its fun. On the drone, you can set the cruise control at 70 to 90 (only 3000 to 3800 rom in 6th!)and leave it there for hours, no problem. Fast enough for me. The wind protection and seat/grip heaters kept me going all winter (except in snow) even when the morning temps were 2 to 8 degrees farenheit. Starts right up too. I got the bike in November, it is June and I am going on 7k miles with no long distance tours (Dang) yet. I have ridden it for 4 hours with no discomfort at all. I mean its as comfortable as anything I have ever ridden. On the other hand, slow is nice when you figure it out- as usual drag the brakes on the throttle- and you can troll around like a parade cop. It took a little while to get used to the bike and there are some vibes between 3200 and 3400 rpm that a decent throttle body balance will probably fix. It takes at least 4K miles to get the thing broken in right- be patient, it's an old school beemer in that regard. Brakes, great. Interlocked and power and ABS and I've heard all the whining, but open your mind and just ride the bike, they do the job like no brakes I've ever had. I like them a lot. Economy- on the road, if I keep it under 75, I get over 55mpg and don't even get the reserve light until around 180 miles. So I can go easily over 200 miles before a fill-up. I never do, but it could happen. If I go faster or stay in 4th and 5th on the mountain roads with the rpm's up, it goes to 50 mpg. In traffic also around 50-52 mpg. I don't really understand why the reviews have been genreally so lame, but I don't care. It's a wonderful bike and I am really glad I got one. Hope there's another one around in 5 or 6 years when I am back in the market. Until then, I got the one I want.

I trade in a 2000 Kawasaki 750 for the BMW in February 2003. Everything about the bike is built A+, you can read all the features in the specs. Everything works as advertised, Brakes, lots of Torque, good handling on the highway and backroads. Plenty of room for extra helmet, 2 12 packs and 2 bags of groceries between the side bags and top case. I ride two up about half the time and my wife loves the extra leg room and comfortable seat and backrest on the top case. She sits up higher and has a great view, not looking at the back of my helmet all day. Heated grips and wind protection are a big plus, started riding in March without being too cold. A lot of my friends ride Harleys and they were very impressed with the looks, quality, technology and chrome on this bike. It has a very unique look and I get a lot of "what is that kind of stare". After 900 miles I only have three complaints. One is that the seat to floorboard length is not long enough for my 32" inseam. I get a cramped feeling after about 2 hours of riding. Secondly the seat is not what I would expect from BMW, they should of included a stiffer contoured touring seat. I would expect more comfort from a touring bike. Lastly, I am only getting about 160 miles from a tank of gas but most of my riding is in the city or backroads not Highway. Looking forward to a 3 day trip in June to see how the long haul feels.