Just got my R1250RT yesterday and am noticing a few "issues"....

[IndyRob]

Picked up my factory ordered bike yesterday afternoon.  For background, this is my first BMW with 45 years riding experience on mostly Hondas and Yamahas..   

 

I have noticed a few things that seem to be "not good" even with a new $30K+  motorbike;  the XM radio drops out if you are anywhere near a tree, building, or just about anything!  I love XM and bought this bike partly because it had built in XM radio which many competitors did not.  Is this normal?  A little searching seems to indicate that antenna placement just behind the windshield is not optimum.   I see others putting antennas on the "top box" but I did not get that....  if I want to try adding another antenna, where is the connection to the RT's XM radio module??  I am pretty handy wrenching on bikes but BMW does not seem to be very willing with shop manuals etc.  

 

Also, after reading about all the issues with the BMW Connect App, I mounted my Garmin Zumo to the bike using the Telferizer RAM mount on the center of the handlebar (which, BTW is AWESOME!!).  I noticed today that the bike speedometer on the TFT is consistently about 5-6 mph higher than my GPS based Garmin at 70MPH, which, since it is GPS, I assume is probably the "correct" speed.  Again, is this normal for BMW bikes?  6MPH is quite a lot off IMHO (9%).  And I assume that is leading my odometer to also read higher mileage than I am actually putting on the bike.  Honda was recently sued for this since that meant their warranties were running out way ahead of when they actually should have.   What's up with that??  

 

In advance, thanks for all of your replies!

[TSConver]

8 minutes ago, IndyRob said:

Picked up my factory ordered bike yesterday afternoon.  For background, this is my first BMW with 45 years riding experience on mostly Hondas and Yamahas..   

 

I have noticed a few things that seem to be "not good" even with a new $30K+  motorbike;  the XM radio drops out if you are anywhere near a tree, building, or just about anything!  I love XM and bought this bike partly because it had built in XM radio which many competitors did not.  Is this normal?  A little searching seems to indicate that antenna placement just behind the windshield is not optimum.   I see others putting antennas on the "top box" but I did not get that....  if I want to try adding another antenna, where is the connection to the RT's XM radio module??  I am pretty handy wrenching on bikes but BMW does not seem to be very willing with shop manuals etc.  

 

Also, after reading about all the issues with the BMW Connect App, I mounted my Garmin Zumo to the bike using the Telferizer RAM mount on the center of the handlebar (which, BTW is AWESOME!!).  I noticed today that the bike speedometer on the TFT is consistently about 5-6 mph higher than my GPS based Garmin at 70MPH, which, since it is GPS, I assume is probably the "correct" speed.  Again, is this normal for BMW bikes?  6MPH is quite a lot off IMHO (9%).  And I assume that is leading my odometer to also read higher mileage than I am actually putting on the bike.  Honda was recently sued for this since that meant their warranties were running out way ahead of when they actually should have.   What's up with that??  

 

In advance, thanks for all of your replies!

 

Usually the mileage is correct even if the MPH is off.  They always read high on MPH for legal reasons.

[Dave_in_TX]

32 minutes ago, IndyRob said:

Picked up my factory ordered bike yesterday afternoon.  For background, this is my first BMW with 45 years riding experience on mostly Hondas and Yamahas..   

 

I have noticed a few things that seem to be "not good" even with a new $30K+  motorbike;  the XM radio drops out if you are anywhere near a tree, building, or just about anything!  I love XM and bought this bike partly because it had built in XM radio which many competitors did not.  Is this normal?  A little searching seems to indicate that antenna placement just behind the windshield is not optimum.   I see others putting antennas on the "top box" but I did not get that....  if I want to try adding another antenna, where is the connection to the RT's XM radio module??  I am pretty handy wrenching on bikes but BMW does not seem to be very willing with shop manuals etc.  

 

Also, after reading about all the issues with the BMW Connect App, I mounted my Garmin Zumo to the bike using the Telferizer RAM mount on the center of the handlebar (which, BTW is AWESOME!!).  I noticed today that the bike speedometer on the TFT is consistently about 5-6 mph higher than my GPS based Garmin at 70MPH, which, since it is GPS, I assume is probably the "correct" speed.  Again, is this normal for BMW bikes?  6MPH is quite a lot off IMHO (9%).  And I assume that is leading my odometer to also read higher mileage than I am actually putting on the bike.  Honda was recently sued for this since that meant their warranties were running out way ahead of when they actually should have.   What's up with that??  

 

In advance, thanks for all of your replies!

I don"t know if it is normal for the RT but both my previous 2020 GS and 2023 GS are within about 2mph of what my Garmin Zumo XT shows.

[c10]

My RS1250 is within 1 mph gps depending on tire wear .    XM radio why are you listening to that over a decent helmet system ?   My FJR1300 was 6 mph off GPS at 75 mph . 

[Mellow]

Yo Rob...

 

Yeah, mine is off 5mph ish compared to the zumo display... all my Hondas were as well.... in fact only the Yam Tracer was close as it was only 1-2 mph off, the Super Ten was also 5-ish off.  Not much you can do about that.

 

The connected app sux in my opinion but I also still have the original bike software installed from '21, some have a newer version along with newer versions of the app on their phones and have better experience but the zumo just does a better job at it since they've been doing in longer anyway...  But, the TFT is awesome so I would have still gotten the bike with or without the connected app integration.

 

Some get an external XM antenna and put under the rear seat w/good results.

 

Congrats on the new bike.

[strataj]

My dealer changed the XM antenna (22R1250RT) to the same one as on my 14R1200RT and since than no problems with reception.  It's the antenna not the location of it.

[Steveyacht]

My speedo is reads 4 MPH high, my 51 year old Norton, with a mechanical driven Smith's Speedo is more accurate.  I would like to know the "legal" reason.  Sounds more like a "big brother" thing to me.  Sorry guys, but this intentional speedo inaccuracy is a huge pet peeve with me.

[TSConver]

4 minutes ago, Steveyacht said:

My speedo is reads 4 MPH high, my 51 year old Norton, with a mechanical driven Smith's Speedo is more accurate.  I would like to know the "legal" reason.  Sounds more like a "big brother" brother thing to me.  Sorry guys, but this intentional speedo inaccuracy is a huge pet peeve with me.

European laws say they must read above the actual speed by no more that 10% + 6kph (3.7mph).  It is weird but it is the EU.  Also I would imagine it is to prevent lawsuits.  You get a ticket for 10 over and you prove your speedo is reading 5 under then sue the maker for your ticket.

[Bernie]

After 11K milestone my 23 RT I mounted my Nav 6. The GPS indicates around 5-7 MPH higher speeds in 55-75 MPH range then the TFT.

I tried the after market antenna for the Xm radio, I got the same results. I gave up and returned the antenna and decided it is cheaper to listen to my MP3‘s and Apple Music then pay extra for a XM subscription.

The BMW Connect App works as well as the Nav 6 does for navigating a pre-planned route. I have been using it with my old iPhone 7 and it has been giving me better navigating directions then my Nav 6 ever has. I wish the font would be bigger, so I could read the street names when needed. But it has been spot on, even during START 24 while riding in the mountains in narrow valleys, under tree coverage where the Nav 6 sometimes loses its satellite signal. 

The last App update has even fixed some of the reconnection issues while riding. Now if it losses the WiFi connection while navigating a route, it will reconnect automatically in the next few minutes. I don’t know why it losses that connection at times, but at that moment it also has no cell signal and it happens way back in the countryside.

I just wish the ACC would have warned me about the granite rock that attacked my front wheel.

[Steveyacht]

1 minute ago, TSConver said:

European laws say they must read above the actual speed by no more that 10% + 6kph (3.7mph).  It is weird but it is the EU.  Also I would imagine it is to prevent lawsuits.  You get a ticket for 10 over and you prove your speedo is reading 5 under then sue the maker for your ticket.

Thank you for that explanation, I didn't know that about the EU. Regarding that, I've had two Mercedes and one Jaguar, all three had very accurate speedos.  Is it different for cars?  With the ease of software reprogramming, why not make speedos accurate in countries not in the EU?  Sorry to belabor a subject, but to me, it's unacceptable.

[marcopolo]

The speed displayed on the TFT of my new 2023 1250GS is generally 2 mph higher than the speed displayed on my Nav VI GPS. 

[lkraus]

U.S. regulations require a speedometer accuracy of only ±5% at 50 mph. I can't find a spec for odometers, but Honda apparently lost an expensive class action suit over warranty coverage when recorded mileage was 3% high.  Tire inflation and wear can affect both readings, so it is no surprise that manufacturers err on the safe side to avoid lawsuits.

 

I started checking speedometers back in the early '70s using my LED watch (the one where you had to hold the button to see the red numbers) and interstate mile markers over long distances, doing the calculations in my head to relieve the boredom of Kansas at 55 mph. The markers are located pretty accurately by surveyors where conditions permit, generally within 0.01 miles or 53 feet, with the errors cancelling out over long distances.  Some mark the mileage in whole numbers, some include one or two decimal places.

 

 We've had a dozen cars and half a dozen motorcycles since, from the U.S., Japan, and Germany.  I have found no speedometers that were accurate, all reading 3-4 mph over actual speed.  The odometers were generally exact. The introduction of satellite GPS has made speedo discrepancies more noticeable to more people.  I now use phone/GPS speed as my guide, seldom even glancing at the vehicle speedo. I think many others do also, but it is easy to detect those that do not as you ease past 3 mph faster.

[simskid]

My 24 1250 RT:  Spedo exactly 3 MPH over no matter what the speed.  As long as I know, don't care.  The XM situation was a PIA.  I and several others on this forum solved it  ourselves.  I'm not having the dealer fix it because I don't want to leave the bike there for so long.  I simply took off the rear seat and disconnect the factory Satellite connection, bought a Sirius XM antenna and connected it and mounted it on the back of the bike,.  XM now works perfectly.  Maybe someday I'll go back to the dealer but I doubt it.  You may want to put XM in the search box and you may find some answers.  If not, PM me.  As far as the connected app goes, once I learned it I bagged my garmin.  

 

John

[dirtrider]

1 hour ago, lkraus said:

U.S. regulations require a speedometer accuracy of only ±5% at 50 mph. I can't find a spec for odometers, but Honda apparently lost an expensive class action suit over warranty coverage when recorded mileage was 3% high.  Tire inflation and wear can affect both readings, so it is no surprise that manufacturers err on the safe side to avoid lawsuits.

 

I started checking speedometers back in the early '70s using my LED watch (the one where you had to hold the button to see the red numbers) and interstate mile markers over long distances, doing the calculations in my head to relieve the boredom of Kansas at 55 mph. The markers are located pretty accurately by surveyors where conditions permit, generally within 0.01 miles or 53 feet, with the errors cancelling out over long distances.  Some mark the mileage in whole numbers, some include one or two decimal places.

 

 We've had a dozen cars and half a dozen motorcycles since, from the U.S., Japan, and Germany.  I have found no speedometers that were accurate, all reading 3-4 mph over actual speed.  The odometers were generally exact. The introduction of satellite GPS has made speedo discrepancies more noticeable to more people.  I now use phone/GPS speed as my guide, seldom even glancing at the vehicle speedo. I think many others do also, but it is easy to detect those that do not as you ease past 3 mph faster.

Afternoon Larry 

 

Trucks & busses have a different spec than automobiles That  ±5% at 50 mph is a truck & buss spec, I'm not sure what the current federal auto spec is at the moment. A while back  (after electronic speedometers became common) the speedometer accuracy spec was opened up on an experimental basis as the auto companies were given some latitude to get them closer but the possibility of reading slightly slower was a possible issue. 

 

I have no idea on motorcycle speedometers as at one time those were outliers as the tires have a rounded profile & the motorcycle leans in curves. 

[JCtx]

9 hours ago, Bernie said:

I just wish the ACC would have warned me about the granite rock that attacked my front wheel.

Hey, I also wish my side stand had warned me it was about to smash my big toe when walking the bike off the garage 'step', but it didn't (it's taking a long time to heal). Unfortunately, we have to rely on the ECU between our eyes for those kinds of things (among others). By the way, if it makes you feel any better, I'd have taken a destroyed front wheel over my foot injury (I already paid like 2 wheels/tires in doctors alone).