BMW R1200C (2001-2002) Specs, Performance & Photos

In 2001, five years after its introduction, the German motorcycle manufacturer launched the BMW R1200C, a cruiser-styled motorcycle created by the House of Munich as a competitor to the American cruiser maker, Harley-Davidson.

The BMW R1200C was a cruiser-styled motorcycle made by BMW from 1997 to 2004. It was made in over 40,200 units, including a smaller displacement model under the R850C designation, produced from 1997 to 2000.

In addition to the standard version, the maker introduced several variations with different features and designations, such as the Classic, Avangarde, Independent, Montauk, Troica, R1200CL, and R1200CLC.

The 2001 R1200C came in the same shape and form as the 2000 model, which received new colors, a black-finished engine, and several upgrades, such as the electronic ignition, fuel injection system, and rear-end suspension.

It packed the same standard features as the previous model, including a round headlight upfront, a pulled-back handlebar, a two-piece dual seat with the passenger seat foldable into a rider backrest, a dual exhaust system with a silencer on each side, and wire-spoke wheels.

Powered by a 1,170cc four-stroke air/oil-cooled twin-cylinder boxer engine mounted underneath its fuel tank, the 2001 BMW R1200C boasted 61 hp at 5,000 rpm and 98 Nm (72 lb-ft) torque at 3,000 rpm.

The braking performance was achieved by 305 mm brake rotors mounted on the front wheel and a 285 mm brake disc mounted on the rear wheel. The front rotors were coupled to four-piston calipers, while the rear was tied to a two-piston caliper.