BMW R1200GS
The 2004 hexhead shed around 30 kg over the 1150 and became a best-selling motorcycle across several European markets.
Made to order: your copy is researched, fact-checked, and typeset to our standard, then delivered within about two weeks. We'll email you the moment it's ready.
About the BMW R1200GS (2004-2012)
The R1200GS turned the big adventure class into the biggest class in motorcycling. Replacing the R1150GS in 2004, it shed about 30 kg (66 lb) while gaining power, and its torquey air and oil-cooled boxer twin, shaft drive and Telelever front end suited a fire road and a thousand-mile day equally well. The generation is named for its engine: hexhead through 2009, camhead once twin-cam heads arrived for 2010.
The appeal is simplicity relative to what came after: no radiator, no ride-by-wire, and on most bikes no electronic suspension, so an owner with tools can do the servicing. Values are low enough that these get used, not stored.
Specifications at a glance
| Years | 2004 to 2012 |
| Engine | 1,170 cc air and oil-cooled boxer twin |
| Output | 100 hp at 7,000 rpm (2004-2006), 110 hp at 7,750 rpm (2010-2012) |
| Torque | 115 Nm (85 lb-ft), rising to 120 Nm (89 lb-ft) for 2010 |
| Transmission | 6-speed, shaft drive |
| Weight | 229 kg (505 lb) wet |
| Fuel capacity | 20 litres (5.3 US gal) |
| Seat height | 850 mm (33 in) |
Known issues to check before you buy
- Final drive. Bearing and seal failure was common before roughly 2010. Listen for a whine that rises with road speed, look for oil weeping onto the rear wheel, and ask for oil change records.
- Driveshaft splines. Check the rubber boot ahead of the final drive is clipped on: water gets in, washes out the grease and grinds the splines away. Re-grease them whenever the rear wheel is off.
- Fuel pump controller. The in-tank module fails from water in its housing or a corroded heatsink, so the bike will not start or loses power while riding. Failures continue on the revised part, and the fuel level strip sticks the gauge on empty.
- Fuel pump flange. 2005-2011 R1200 models were recalled for a cracking flange that can leak fuel onto a hot engine. Run the VIN and confirm the work was done.
- Servo-assisted brakes (2004-2006). Early Integral ABS uses a pump that buzzes when you brake. Failure is expensive and parts are scarce; 2007 bikes onward dropped the servo.
Owning one
Service intervals are long and the boxer is durable, so the real costs come from the driveline and fuel system, not the engine. Buy the one with the thickest service file. This volume documents the BMW R1200GS (2004-2012) specifically: verified specifications, the documented weak points and how to inspect each, the service data, and the parts and owner community.
Inside this volume
Known issues & a buyer's guide
The documented weak points for this exact model, how to inspect each, and what a proper fix costs.
Full specifications
Every published figure, engine and frame detail, and running change, with the conflicts flagged, not guessed.
Systems & maintenance
Engine, fueling, electrical, and chassis, plus service intervals and torque and fluid data.
Parts & community
Where the parts are, what cross-references, and the clubs and forums that keep the model alive.
Make it your bike.
We fold in your year, your engine and options, your rebuilds and modifications, your VIN, and your own motorcycle's photo on the cover. The book stops describing the bike that left the factory and starts describing the one in your garage.