R12RT - Rider display has a character of its own

[joc]

Some comments on the new R12RT rider information computer after riding my first 10days and 700 miles:

1. Ambient temp guage is wholly inaccurate, reading about 6 degrees centigrade too low. One morning last week it read -10C, when it was really only -1 or-2. The dealer says his demo bike is the same. Unsure if it can be recalibrated.

2. The 'miles to empty' is incredibly volatile: in just 7 miles yesterday it fell from 280 to 210! It seems to calculate quite simply on the number of 'bars' on the fuel guage multiplied by the riding style of the last couple of miles (sometimes anyway). So on cold start up, with overfuelling, the range drops dramatically. On this tankful I've seen a forecast tank range of as much as 375 miles and as 'little' as 280 miles. Still getting the knack of filling it up correctly to do a proper brim-to-brim check.

 

Interested to see if other R12RTs report similar characteristics

 

Joc

[ChrisL]

Now theres a coincidence - I've just passed 700 in 12 days and have the following:-

1. Ambient temp gauge reading about 3 degrees centigrade too low. My dealer doesnt know if it can calibrated or not.

2. The 'miles to empty' yesterday gave me 293 after 100 miles of gentle riding (albeit stop/start stuff). Still getting the knack of filling it up - I ust want to either a) fill it without overfilling it or b) fill it without blow back from the pump.

3. A throttle that once I pull away from cold will reset to 200 rpm at some point in the next mile so that stopping on the engine braking becomes impossible (this feature goes away once engine has reached fist temp bar).

 

PS did you get the 'lucky dip' draw for the rear mudguard splash guard the manual states is standard and in thid area turned out to be only on one demo bike!!!

[joc]

Very familiar indeed!

 

Also getting the 'surging' when cold, same feeling on an old bike when the throttle cable gets stuck! Easy to have the bike run away from you.... Need to stay sharp.

 

On filling, I've removed the little rubber insert from the filler neck and seems easier to fill. I got it really full last time, but still the fuel light came on at 240 miles, and I've been really steady on this tank... tomorrow morning I'll aim to push it to 280 before filling (I like to play dare).

 

Rear adjustable mudguard - on 1st service, dealer extended it fully and it looked rather ugly!

 

Even with longer front mudguard, could do with an extender, as lots of crus has built up on pipes, casings already

 

Joc

[joc]

Pushed the fuel range this morning, but bottled it when the rider display showed just 2 miles remaining! So filled up with 277 miles after warning light had come on at 240 miles. Brimmed the tank, probably overfilled, and put in 22.75 litres only. This suggests there might be as much as another 4 litres remaining ( and therefore an extra 50 miles. Next time, I'm going to take a can with me and run the bike dry...

The fill up confirmed an approx 56 miles per imp gallon, similar to the display which has been flicking between 55.4 and 56.5 mpg (it shows nothing in between those values).

 

Joc

[ChrisL]

I've yet to put more than 23.5 litres in despite being on reserve for some time so I cant get my head around the miles to go yet either. My pet theory is currently that at reserve level it always seems to be 41/2 miles left regardless of tank usage up to then and I think it guesses downwards from there.

 

>>On filling, I've removed the little rubber insert from the filler neck and seems easier to fill<< - any trick to this at all as I'm getting fed up of waiting whilst filling for the damn petrol to level out.

 

>>Rear adjustable mudguard - on 1st service, dealer extended it fully and it looked rather ugly!<< - at least you have one I'm told its no longer std fitting so here I am with cutouts in the rear for it and nothing to plug them with!!

 

Regards

[joc]

Removing the little rubber insert - easy. It's only placed in position - so shove your longest finger in there and scoop it out. Then carefully place it in the bin.

[gadgetgaz]

I can confirm the inaccuracy of the ambient temp guage. Mine consistently reads about 6 degrees celcius too low. It was reading 6.5 degrees in the showroom. The demo bike read the same so I reckon it is a generic fault. My dealer is looking into whether it is a simple case of re-calibration.

 

Also, like you say the range readout is constantly changing. One interesting thing though, you can re-set it while riding and get an (almost) instantaneous readout. It does settle down obviously as the readings average out over distance.

[gadgetgaz]

Are you using 98RON as BMW recommend or the much-easier-to-obtain 95RON. I have tried both and there really doesn't seem to be any difference.

[joc]

I'm running alternate tanks of super and regular, only because diffent filling stations are convenient at each end of my regular journey. I've detected no discernable difference yet. But it's early days.

Joc

[joc]

For Information for fellow R12RTs

 

Fuel light on when "60 miles remaining" was showing, at 248 miles. By 283 miles, the computer showed Zero miles remaining.

I pushed it to 303 miles and filled to max, with 25.1 litres.

Joc

[ChrisL]

Joc

>>Fuel light on when "60 miles remaining" was showing<<

I had mine go from 57 down to 42 in a single bend on Sunday and its weird that every time the light comes on on mine its at 41/2 area and it then counts down from there.

I've emailed BMW Customer Service on this as on my bike it does not seem to matter at what economy rate I'm driving the reserve light flicks in at about 21.5-22 litres and the dist to go just counts down from there to aero. I have had as low as 8 miles to go and have yet to put more than 22.67 litres in (reserve is supposed to be at 23!!) and at that the gauge said empty.

Now I thought the gauge/reserve light on my 1150 was off but at least they were consistent and I have yet to figure out when the light comes on (without playing with cans of petrol) except that it took 21.22 litres 2 miles after the light came on to 'brim' it. As for the dist to go I believe it pays no mind to your current economy and just switches to 41/2 at the light and counts down the miles from there - anybody else care to confirm thjis hypothesis??.

[gadgetgaz]

I am personally a bit disillusioned with the range meter. It seems to be very erratic. The warning light comes on after about 175 miles when the range is showing about 75 miles to go. The next day when I get on it starts with a range of about 50 miles which has reduced to 25 by the time I get to work (which is only 10 miles!) By the time I get home at the end of that day (10 miles later) it is showing about 5 miles range. (These figures are very rough). Today it is showing 13 miles range after only covering 230 miles on this tank and the fuel guage bar on the left of the display is just about showing a small triangle at the bottom. I should be able to get at least another 50-60 miles on this tank but the computer says 13! I think I need to carry a petrol cannister and test it properly but I am scared to run the tank dry.

I think that the range must go to zero at the beginning of reserve when there is 4 litres left and that should give about another 40 miles.

[joc]

Ditto all of this, gadgetgaz! It sounds like you have to fill it up more - take out the little black rubber insert in the fuel filler with your fingers, then you can better fill the tank. After I did that I have been able to fill pretty completely, confirmed by a consistent range with fuel light coming on between 238 and 248 miles so far. Maybe you're right about reserve beginning when the remaining range hits zero - that would equate very roughly to my example above when I ran 20 miles after the guage went to zero.

Tonight my range fell from 98 miles to 74 miles in 3 minutes and 3 miles on the motorway!

[artig]

I think I need to carry a petrol cannister and test it properly but I am scared to run the tank dry.

 

Why? If you bring enough fuel with you, there should be no ill effects. Unless, of course, you're in the fast lane of a busy, multi-lane road when it happens. See the "300 mile range" thread in this forum for my experience on a test ride of the R1200GS. Unfortunately I wasn't carrying the spare fuel with me when it ran dry.

 

The R1200RT display seems more erratic than the GS one. The only peculiarity I've noticed on the GS is that it will sometimes start the countdown at about 80km, then after a few kms it may disappear again, coming back about 20km later and counting down from 80 once again. I suspect it is fuel being transferred from one tank lobe to the other which causes this.

[gadgetgaz]

I can't find the reference now but I read in the owner's manual that you must not run the tank dry.

[John Moylan]

I can't find the reference now but I read in the owner's manual that you must not run the tank dry.

 

.....in which case the AA will be delighted !!

 

running out of juice won't hurt anything. Except your back........pushing it.!

[joc]

Two things:

1. Now the Oil level warning light comes on after enthusiastic riding. I was a bit alarmed. The actual level is just over half way up the sight glass on every check, so all seems ok. Wondering if the sensor is struggling to get an accurate reading when you're throwing the bike around and revving it hard?!? Anyway, after idling for 20 secs the light goes off and the 'tick', to say the level is ok, returns.

 

2. FWIW and to those who may be interested: Just run way past the range again: fuel light on at 252 miles with 45 miles showing as remaining range. Range went to zero at 287 miles. Filled up at 302 miles with 25.25 litres. Implies 54.5 mpg, versus the computer at 56.5.

 

Joc

[gadgetgaz]

Implies 54.5 mpg, versus the computer at 56.5.

Wow, mine is saying 47mpg. I've only done 2-3 tankfulls though (about 700 miles) so I hope it will get better when the engine loosens up.

[beemerman2k]

You guys are making me sick. I haven't even seen one yet and you folks are out there having fun! By the time I see one of these RT's you'll be coming off your factory warranty!

[ChrisL]

Joc

>>1. Now the Oil level warning light comes on after enthusiastic riding. I was a bit alarmed. The actual level is just over half way up the sight glass on every check, so all seems ok. Wondering if the sensor is struggling to get an accurate reading when you're throwing the bike around and revving it hard?!? Anyway, after idling for 20 secs the light goes off and the 'tick', to say the level is ok, returns.

I had my light come on twice in a day of very sedate riding with a local group - both times it was on the flat and not accelerating at all - since then checked oil and all was fine.

>>2. FWIW and to those who may be interested: Just run way past the range again: fuel light on at 252 miles with 45 miles showing as remaining range. Range went to zero at 287 miles. Filled up at 302 miles with 25.25 litres. Implies 54.5 mpg, versus the computer at 56.5.

I find that the computer calc seems about 2 mpg higher than my old fashioned oen and paper calc!!. - getting about 50mpg on std mixed ride tank and about 55mpg on touring tank.

 

 

Joc

[Easyrider5258 (Mark)]

joc, re warning light , should,nt the oil level sight glass be nearly full ??? see page 98 of the riders manual.

Mark.

Ps , had my r1200rt since 03/03, brill bike !! re, the fuel readings , the bikes fuel computer is mesuring your mpg "at the moment " continually reassing your range subject to your riding style at that time, Ive seen 74mpg on a slight decline with a whispher of throttle, to 38mpg , headwind, two up engine fairly loaded, within the running in parameters, overall, I,m avaraging 54mpg at the moment.

[MrR1200RT]

I've had the same experiance. I rode till I had 9 miles remaining, I then road a mile to get gas and filled up with 5.478 US Gallons. I should have had about 1.622 gallons left. The triangle warning light comes on around 50 miles left on the tank. With 1.622 gallons left, the computer should have shown 72.99 miles left.

[Mainuh]

Joc,

 

If you search through the archives you'll see this topic (near verbatim) every few weeks on here. Someone summed it up well by saying to use all the gadgets and idiot lights as a guide, don't bet the farm on them.

[Lawman]

I refill my tank before it's empty and stick my head out the door before riding to check the temperature and so far this has worked pretty well for me..

[joc]

Joc,

 

If you search through the archives you'll see this topic (near verbatim) every few weeks on here. Someone summed it up well by saying to use all the gadgets and idiot lights as a guide, don't bet the farm on them.

 

Indeed! Thanks Mainuh - amazing how this topic carries on nearly a year after my post!

bifn

[MrR1200RT]

I had my dealer check my computer system. The dealer found an error code when checking the computer CAN bus system stating that the fuel sensor not isolated from the battery. The dealer re-calibrated the gas tank sensor and so far my tank appears to be reading correctly I will soon find out the closer I get to empty in the next day or two. They said if this happens again the computer check report stated to replace the gas tank sensor. All this was done under warranty and the dealer also filled my gas tank up as I had only 2.125 gallons in the tank when I gave it to them.