R 1200 GS

2012 BMW R 1200 GS Technical Analysis & Specification Breakdown

At the heart of the 2012 BMW R 1200 GS enduro - offroad motorcycle, BMW pairs a 1170 cc (71.4 cu in) oil & air-cooled two cylinder boxer, two-stroke architecture with road-focused gearing. In factory specification, peak output is rated at 48 HP (35 kW) at 7,750 rpm while maximum torque reaches 120 Nm (88.5 lb-ft) at 6,000 rpm, transferring power to the rear wheel through a 6-speed gearbox and shaft drive (cardan) final drive. With a specific output of 41 HP per liter and a 1,750 rpm working window between peak torque (6,000 rpm) and peak power (7,750 rpm), the engine character is prioritizing low-RPM tractability, mechanical longevity and relaxed throttle response over peak redline numbers.

On the scales, the R 1200 GS measures 229 kg (505 lbs) wet (curb), translating to a power-to-weight ratio of 0.21 HP/kg (4.77 kg per horsepower). Rider ergonomics and chassis geometry center around a 850 mm (33.5 in) seat height — resulting in a taller command-style riding posture suited to medium-to-tall inseams, combined with a 1,507 mm (59.3 in) wheelbase engineered for balanced agility and highway composure. The 20-liter (5.3 US gal) fuel tank paired with a rated consumption of 4.3 L/100 km provides an estimated theoretical range of roughly 465 km (289 miles) between fill-ups.

Within MotoLibrary's BMW archive, this model family spans 15 indexed model years from 2004 to 2019, allowing buyers to track year-over-year changes in emissions tuning, weight and equipment.