K1200RS 2002 Bars

[Johnnup]

I have been riding my bike for 3 years.
I love my bike but I hate it too. I have ridden nearly 600 miles in a day but after 30 minutes, I am in complete agony from the rediculous riding position the bars force me into adopting.
My wrists ache and my fingers and thumbs are numb. My forearms develop tendonitis and I feel like dying.
Yes I have tried adjusting the bars back an forth. Yes I have bought those useless risers. TYes I have highered and lowered the seat.

I once tried rotating the bars to conform to the angle of my wrists, but was stopped by the locating screws that pins them in positon to the top of the fork spreaders. Today, I was so unhappy I removed the pins and rotated the bars a few degrees to the rear with just enough room to prevent the bars from hitting the tank.

I took the bike around the block to see how it felt and ended up on a 30 mile ride. It was like being reborn. What a difference! The bike handled like a dream, my arms felt good, my body position allowed me to corner much more easily. Wow! Now I feel like I have the BMW I always thought I had paid for.

As the bars do not have the locating pin in place they might move under heavy breaking. I would hate to over tighten the allens and damage the forks in any way.

I love German engineering, but they can be so thick headed. Who would design anything like that? Something that looks like it can be adjusted, but cannot be because it has been is immobilized by the pins. There have been clip-ons available for 100 years that can be infinitely adjusted to a rider's style.

Any suggestions.

[Bernardo]

Welcome to the forum!

Try with this bar risers...

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3500&p=23218&hilit=+handle+bars#p23190

[SiBorg]

Yeah, but his bike is a K1200RS, older generation K bike, so they won't fit.

[Johnnup]

Thanks for the well intentioned replies.
I am on my way to try to resolve a basic engineering fault myself. Necessity is the mother of invention. Instead of spending more and more on expensive risers I just want to adjust what should already be adjustable. I am so pleased with this bike overall it is a pity it is messed up by a lack of forethought at the ergonomic design level. I'm sure that on the newer bikes similar basic faults have arisen.

[JR Killiany]

My 2003 K1200RS has about 1-inch of adjustment from the factory. It goes from touring down to about sport touring.

I love it and wish that the K1200s had some kind of adjustment.

The worse bike I have ever ridden, as far as riding position, was the Honda ST-1100. The owner had some kind of an adapter and It had a straight up riding position, which just killed me. Maybe when I join the 70 and up club, it will be just perfect.

JR Killiany

[Johnnup]

Exactly
It is a pity that the engineer wasn't an experienced rider. He would have designed a more universal adjustment.
Thanks for the response.

[scorpion 237]

John,
Same here on the bar position and resultant wrist-pain & finger numbness. I have put on one set of bar risers still not the ideal.
I am very interested in a solution, please let post what you learn works.
Scorpion

[Redliner]

Hi guys,

Here's my two-cents.....

I unscrewed the locking bolts and rotated the bars forward to a much more comfortable position.

The factory position forces the bars in a downward angle that was un-natural for my wrists.

The adjustment has been great for me, although I'm still looking at purchasing the “American Machine K1200GT Bar Backs” to bring them a little further back so that I'm not sitting so far forward. I’m 5’8” and the reach is a little much.

If you put a dab of "blue colored" lock-tight on the bolts, and then tighten them up - you'll be fine.

The locking bolts are overkill, like so many other things on BMW products.

I understand the reason behind the engineering, but they're really not needed.

I have been riding my bike without them for quite some time, and the bars haven't slipped under any conditions.

The only complaint I have is with the concrete factory heated grips.

Does anybody out there know of a good gel or foam grip that I can put on over the factory grips to rescue my poor hands???

[mayojuaf]

Can anyone tell me where the locking bolts are located? I will like to try same solution

Thanks

[twreath]

Do what I did. Buy a set of bar backs or risers and cut them in two with a hack saw. Take them to your local welding shop and have them weld a 7" piece of aluminum stock in between the ends bringing your bars back 8". I ran the cables on the inside of the bars to gain the length but had to get a new brake line made. Snipped a few cable ties and re positioned the wires and ...AHHH I'm riding straight up and comfortable now. Even on 500 plus mile days! I Love my RS now and hated it before! I extended the windshield about 6" also and added wind (and bug) deflectors on the left and right hands. It went from a sport/touring bike to a Touring/sport bike. If you want I'll attach some photos ....let me know
GITERDUN and be comfortable!
TW