New to Forum - Issues or Drawbacks to R1200RT?

[dogboy11]

I am new to this forum and I am thinking about taking the plunge and getting a new R1200RT. This would be my first BMW after having a couple of Yamaha Vtwin cruisers. I actually test rode an R1200RT at my dealership the other day and just loved it!

 

I have heard a lot of good things about these bikes but I am still very new to BMW. My question to you folks is ... are there any "gotchas" about the BMW that I am not aware of? Any little idiosyncrasies or personality traits that are going to get me coming from the Vtwin world? ...what about cost of maintenance? ... tires, etc?

 

Any insight you could give would be greatly appreciated.

 

DB

[jackflash]

I am new to this forum and I am thinking about taking the plunge and getting a new R1200RT. This would be my first BMW after having a couple of Yamaha Vtwin cruisers. I actually test rode an R1200RT at my dealership the other day and just loved it!

 

I have heard a lot of good things about these bikes but I am still very new to BMW. My question to you folks is ... are there any "gotchas" about the BMW that I am not aware of? Any little idiosyncrasies or personality traits that are going to get me coming from the Vtwin world? ...what about cost of maintenance? ... tires, etc?

 

Any insight you could give would be greatly appreciated.

 

DB

 

One of my issues was that it has a tall seating position even with the seat in the lower position. Additionally, I finally realized I didn't really want a touring bike but that was not a bike issue, just a "me" issue.

 

Otherwise, great bike, plenty of power, great brakes, and handles well. It has a tall first gear but I got used to that quick. FWIW.

[algover]

Boy, you came to the right place! To hear us complain, you'd think somebody forced us to buy these awful bikes! Truth is, as you'll find out, we do love them.

 

That said, still riding an R1100RT, I'll shut up and let others post specifically for your bike.

 

Welcome, and fill out your profile more, so we can get to know you.

[markgoodrich]

I switched to the RT about 15 months and 15,000 miles ago from a Goldwing/VFR Interceptor/Yamaha FJR1300 recent history. Of the four bikes, the RT is the best 2-up combination I've tried. The Wing is MUCH more comfortable, a lot smoother, but man, oh man it's heavy.

 

The only gotcha I've encountered with the RT is the frequent (6,000 mi) relatively major service intervals, to the tune of $350-400 in Austin at the dealer. The remedy has been (trying) to learn to do the services myself...valve adjustments, throttle body syncs, other stuff, plus the normal oil changes. At the risk of starting a flame war, I'll say I also have to include the local dealer's service department as a "gotcha." Note the word "I" in the previous sentence; my experience and opinion only. If you live in Austin, and don't want to do your own services, I can recommend a really experienced, excellent, reasonably priced independent BMW guy.

 

Otherwise, I've simply ridden the bike, solo, two up, day rides, long vacations, it's just the right tool for me.

 

Oh, one other sort-of gotcha: two up touring requires careful packing (smush bags are your friends), and adding camping gear/other not-bike gear for two presents serious challenges. Solo, there's plenty of room in the side cases and either a top box or a soft bag on the rear.

 

HTH

[Dietrich]

Best bike I have ever owned. Ordered a new one with the lower chassis. Getting restless, just sold my '05RT and the new one is delayed, go figure. It will be a bit of a transition from a cruiser to the RT. You obviously want a change to sportier Touring. I did the same, rode a Honda 1100 Tourer for a couple of years before going to the RT, first the 1150, then the 1200. It's a more engaging ride, I find I am riding more involved rather than being driven. I have had no issues with the RT that made me take it back to the dealer ever.

That's my $0.02 worth.

Dietrich

[Ken H.]

Probably the biggest one is that they are a really tall bike. Depending upon your inseam, that can be a bit intimidating at first for some.

 

The boxer, and their transmissions definitely have their own characteristics to them that may seem 'different' at first, but soon you'll realize their strengths.

 

Th biggest mistake people coming off one big twin onto this big twin is that they are afraid to rev it. After the initial 600 mile break in, feel free to explore the upper RPM ranges. It's a whole different bike from 5 - 6K on up to red line. Enjoy!

[krussell]

In addition to what's already been said...

 

The fit of the bike is very subjective, and may or may not work for you in stock form. I'm a big guy, I don't have any trouble with the height of the bike. I did buy aftermarket hardware to lower the pegs for both rider and passenger, and I raised the bars and moved them back. The stock seat was narrow for my HD Ultra conditioned backside, so that was remodeled too. Now, the bike fits me just fine. Make sure you test ride enough to get a sense of what doesn't fit, and figure that into the budget.

 

Tire life can be as little as 6k / set, plan accordingly. :-)

 

I find most add ons to be more expensive then equivalent HD stuff, likely due to less competition. Parts can be expensive too.

 

You'll need to set aside more time for the RT for sure. It's very addictive, and you will want to pile on the miles.

 

With a saddle upgrade the bike is wonderful 2 up. My girlfriend and I came from an HD Ultra, and with the seat fixed she doesn't see a big difference. Again, fit is very subjective. I'm keeping her and the RT!

 

I spent some time on some other bikes forums, and you will not find anything like this one. You get amazingly good information quickly, and it's a great resource.

 

Good luck in your pursuit.

[Twisties]

There is some concern about premature final drive failures. Most people think these occur in a low, 1-5%, number of bikes, but there are no hard numbers. Most of these failures would occur under warranty, but not always. Could be a $2000.00 hit, could leave you stranded for a few days. Obviously we all feel the trade off is worth it, but never let it be said we didn't tell you about this.

 

Another issue is the relatively poor dealer network, e.g. low number of dealers. Service can be far away.

 

The only other issue I have is that it's hard to clean. Lots of little crevices.

 

Fun to ride, highly competent machine. It's hard to beat.

 

Jan

[bootzilla]

are there any "gotchas" about the BMW that I am not aware of?

 

having to make payments? Only think I can think of at this point. I don't have one, so I can't shed a lot of light, but from the test ride I took, that is one really nice bike - twin is smooth, lots of power, feels light, and tranny seemed eaiser to shift smoothly than the 1100 and 1150, at least to me.

 

Very cool bike - I came back from my test ride with a big smile, and I know I wasn't riding it to it's true capability...

[h2000fb]

Like mine. Easier to clean than my Ultra! More nimble, faster, and better gas milage. Service? What little service it needs, I do myself. Adjusted valves at 8k. No change. Will not adjust again for another 10k. Change my own oil. Carb sync? If it ain't broke, don't fix it. My ain't broke. Smooth as it ever was. Oil you chain, brake cables, or clutch cables - doesn't have any!

[keithb]

DB

The R1200RT is one damn fine machine and don't let anybody tell you differently. Yes there are some problems here and there like final drive failures and some tranny seal leaks but what brand of m/c is free from recalls or defects? Pause..... I thought so, NONE. You can buy new or used but make sure it is still under warranty. Personally, I could care less if something happens to the bike and it is still under warranty. It will be fixed by BMW so really what is the problem? Last weekend I met a guy riding a Harley and he said it has been in the shop no less than 40 times. He actually had a lemon juice bottle tied to his front forks. It was obviously a lemon and he was suing to get his money back. He WAS asking me how I liked my 1200. I said he just needed to go and test ride one. I have been riding BMW's for 15 years and love them. Find one is good shape and buy it. You won't be sorry.

[Kitsap]

It's easier to work on than you think.

It wants to be shifted with authority.

You will want to change the shocks out around 10k miles.

The aftermarket makes better tankbags for it.

You will spend time and money on electronic do-dads.

 

And..you will wonder how you ever lived without cruise control.

 

My only beefs were the turbulance from the stock windscreen and poor padding of the stock seat. After fixing those items it's been heaven.

[Rinkydink]

Quick, run, save yourself!! It can only get worse from here. Do yourself a favor and buy a Yamahonakawazuki. You will never have any major mechanical issues and will only have to adjust the valves every 120,000 miles or so, and of course the occasional air filter will come due.

 

Honestly, if you don't do some maint. yourself you are in for a sizeable chunk of change whatever the brand my friend.

 

Pick a bike that really moves your soul, idiosyncrasies be damned.

[SK_in_AB]

Just switched from an '02 RT to an '06. Really like all the improvements in the '06 especially the feel of lightness (I know its only about 30# but it feels like more). The things I don't like compared to my 1150

 

1) noticeably less wind protection on the sides of my arms and legs. Not a big deal and Garmin's has now fixed the arms issue.

 

2) Style. I know this is subjective, and I'm getting more used to the R12's 'edgey" look, my 1150 is looking a bit old fashioned, but I still prefer it.

 

3) Seat seems better than the 1150, but I may upgrade anyway if I start to make some 6-10 hour days.

 

4) PRice - high but I fixed part of that by buying 2 year old used. Still lots of Km's left on this machine and in pristine shape - think about shopping around for a used one if you are price sensitive

 

As to all the other nits you hear about - they are just that very minor items on an otherwise excellent machine.

 

Good luck and welcome to the board.

[Motodan]

Also be aware of EWS failure. That is the theft-security system, which can lock the owner out and bike will not start, with no way to bypass. There have been failures that leave one stranded. My '08 is in shop now [19th day] and not fixed yet, even after a complete new wiring harness. Some say this is a small percentage event, but sreach under EWS and see what is there. Otherwise I like the machine...I should have gotten the Ulimate Starting Machine so it can be ridden.

[motoguy128]

Really tall first gear.. well probably a little too tall final drive ratio overall.

 

Side cases have double walls. This makes the interior look more finished.. and the cases will float if you ever happen to dorp it in a lake... but it reduces the usable space significantly. The huge 49L top case would probably be close to 60L without the double wall.

 

Rider and passenger seats slant forward.

 

'05-'07 models don't get a drain plug on the final drive... because it was originally supposed to be "filled for life"... but that changed quickly... but BMW was slow to admit they screwed up and took 2 years to change the casting after altering the service requirements. It should have changed by '07. My guess is that they had a long term volume based contract from their casting supplier that had penalties for changing the casting. The same casting I think is used on all R and K bikes... so it was really stupid to not have a drain plug... even a really small one.

[Semper_Fi]

Absolute blast to ride.

 

Coming from a wing, in my opinion better wind and rain protection.

 

ESA get it - this is a touchy subject as oil and tires

 

Very ergonomic, have long inseam but can see how bike can be tall for some.

 

Do my own maintanance, with the right tools, and instructions bike was built to be worked on, comes apart very easily

 

Aftermarket parts expensive, whose aren't

 

Test ride and decide for yourself.

[Dave39]

I bought a used 2001 1100RT 3 months ago. I don't really have a bigger bike to compare it to; I had only ridden small bikes before, but I was incredibly impressed what a wonderful highway machine it is. It's much more comfortable than my smaller bikes. I could ride the RT all day on the freeways with confidence (with some frequent stops) and have some camping tours planned soon. Some friends with other brand ST's and cruisers have remarked to me how much more comfortable and roadworthy it is for the long hauls. I found a cheap local BMW mechanic who will do my scheduled maintenance as I'm not much of a mechanic. My only real complaint is a minor one: that god-aweful oil window. The oil level is all over the place after each ride (in spite of doing the "dance") and still trying to figure out if this oilhead is really burning oil.

[Dick_at_Lake_Tahoe_NV]

You'll really like the RT. As always you'll take a big hit with depreciation--consider looking for a good used one on this site, under classified. With that said, there's been a lot of improvements with the R1200RT, so stay with that. Cruise control is great, as is power, gas mileage, etc. Several of us have gone to an aftermarket windshild to get rid of distortion and get better protection. Many more of us have gone to an after market seat--the BMW seat sucks! I have one made by Rick Meyer(near Red Bluff if you want to ride-in). If you're over 200lbs, I'd suggest seriously considering the Russell Daylong saddle--more expensive than the Rick Meyer but worth it if you're on the large size.

 

Maintenance is easy to DIY especially if you get the DVD available on this site. Saves big $$$$ for standard maintenance items that you'll do every 6,000-12,000 miles.

[dogboy11]

Man, I can tell that this site is going to be my bread and butter if I buy this bike ... you guys are great...thanks for all of the input.

 

One question, what kind of standard warranty comes with these bikes?

 

So, sounds like service and tires are expensive .... same problem I had with my Yamaha Roadliner. I did test ride an '06 RT and I loved it. I have a crappy back and the riding position was much better than my cruisers. I am 5'10"... the '06 that I rode had a low seat so I could stand flat footed at a light. My only concern is pushing it out of a parking space or whatever. However it is lighter than any bike I have ever owned .... well since my dirt bikes as a kid

 

Thanks for all the help and, please, any input you feel like sharing, do so. This would be the most expensive bike I have ever bought so I need all the input I can get. Thanks

 

DB

[bootzilla]

If you can flat-foot, then you'll be able to move it around. I came from exactly the same situation - cruiser to the RT (albeit a much lighter cruiser with a Yamaha V-star to an 1100RT that is actually heavier than the 1200RT) and while it feels way more difficult at first to move around the taller bike, the more I do it the easier it gets - making sure your footing is solid before you shift the weight is the thing I found I have to pay the most attention on - the V-star was so low that I hardly had to pay attention at all - because I always had plenty of leverage.

 

The other thing that I've learnhed to do that I never had to worry about with the V-star is not parking it in a place where I have to back up an incline - that, I'll admit, can be a handful. I pick a place as flat as possible, and if the grade is sloped a little to help me back up, then all the better.

 

So the one you were thinking about - what color is it? I totally dig the graphite and that dark-red color.

[marcopolo]

'05-'07 models don't get a drain plug on the final drive...so it was really stupid to not have a drain plug... even a really small one.

 

At the risk of nitpicking, '05-'07 models do indeed have a drain plug on the final drive. It's just that it's at the 9 o'clock vs. 6 o'clock position of the '08s, meaning you have to drop the drive 90 degrees to get the oil to drain out.

[Ken H.]

North American warranty is 3 yrs. or 36K.

 

Service cost can range from very high, to reasonable. Just depends upon how much you are willing to do yourself.

[h2000fb]

And, there is really VERY LITTLE in the way of SERVICE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE... very little. You will enjoy the bike.

[dogboy11]

I have a VStar 1100 also .. so it is great to see a viewpoint of someone that went from that bike to an RT.. thanks.

 

The color I am looking at is actually the blue metallic... my wife picked that I like it best of the 3 colors offered on the '08s.

 

DB

[Semper_Fi]

+1 on the color choice

[motoguy128]

The color I am looking at is actually the blue metallic... my wife picked that I like it best of the 3 colors offered on the '08s.

 

DB

 

That's the same reason I have a blue RT. She thought it was pretty... and comfy, had heated seats, and lots of storage space for trips... so we got one. From a passenger's standpoint, not much else matters.

[JMertz]

+1 on the color. I told my wife I bought the bike cause it matched her eyes. She totally knew that was bull, but it does. I just got my 07 RT about two weeks ago. I'm only at 450 miles yet so not through break in. I had a K1200RS that I traded. I wanted something with a lower CG than the KRS and this felt best to me of all the competition. Maybe I was biased when I tested them...I knew I wanted this bike. It's been a complete joy to ride so far. I'm looking forward to many, many miles ahead. You will probably add stuff. I mounted a gps with jackfrosts' (member here) mount. Overall 10/10 on the bike. Really.

[Bullett]

Hey there! Plus 3 on the color. The blue is the best. The only problem I have had with mine in 11 months and 12K is my heated grips failed at about 11K and the dealer doesn't know how to fix them yet.

 

 

Edit: I can't count either, but I don't care! I'm ridin' an RT!

[EddyQ]

Sounds like you are copying me. I've riden for 15 years with Yamaha cruisers. Good bikes, but no way near as fun to ride as the RT. Highway will now be comfy.

 

As most have warned, the higher seat. It got me. Before my 600mi checkup, I downed the bike in the driveway. Manuvering on a slight downhill and not paying attention to it (never had to with a cruiser). Now, the scratched sidecase reminds me every day.

 

Be aware that the RT is not as visible as a nice cruiser. My old Roadstar had the dual front lights and all the marker lights made it look huge. The RT does not look big in trafic. I recently installed Motorlights Aux lights and reflectors on the sidecases. Hopefully it looks bigger in traffic.

 

Lastly, if you ride with Harleys or other cruisers, then you will be lonely out in front. Miles in front. Hope you and your friends get use to it.

 

Good luck ! Have a blast !

[Mister Tee]

I ride mostly sportbikes myself, and I bought an RT for commuting about four months ago. This bike is the closest thing to a sportbike I've ever ridden, that isn't a sportbike. It does have a high center of gravity (like a sportbike) but that's an asset in high speed handling, and it makes it more capable in low speed handling as well, although certainly low speed handling is more intimidating than a cruiser until you get used to it.

 

I'm doing most of my own maintenance. The downsides I see is that with the exception of oil changes and maybe valve adjustments, these things are not designed to be maintained easily. The fairings are big and time consuming to remove, and you need to remove them any time you need to do something major, or even minor, like replacing an air filter. Also, the design of the engine and transmission makes components such as the clutch to be inaccessible without completely dismantling the entire motorcycle. Changing the oil in the final drive looks to be a PITA, but no more so than replacing chains and sprockets at roughly the same interval. The bottom line is yeah it's quirky, but I have no regrets with this bike.

 

I also considered an FJR, which I liked. But the FJR is definately not as good of a handling bike as the RT - both the rear, and particularly the front suspension of the RT is far superior. The FJR has standard straight forks. The BMW front suspension looks like a straight fork setup but it's actually very superior due to the bracing configuration, and has the lightness and rigidity of an inverted fork suspension. Turn in, flickability and stability of the RT is much better in my opinion.

[ScaryPenguin]

Found this thread, as I'm very close to taking the plunge with an new R1200RT SE (or at least an ex-demo twin cam). Took it for a test ride on Saturday, and had it all day, and it impressed. Currently have a Triumph Tiger 1050 and R110RS, and really wanted an update to the RS, but the ST has been dropped from the line up, so I thought I'd try the RT and was really surprised at how well it coped with the narrow twisties in Kent (UK) in sport mode and then switch to comfort for a loverly smooth cruise down the motorway (freeway ). Lots of dosh needed, but I think this will replace all my bikes bar the track day tool.

 

The info hear has been really helpful, as I have heard some horror stories regarding the final drive and electrics. This has put my mind at rest, so thanks.

[roadstar]

I have had my R1200RT for 1 1/2 years now &I just like the bike ( not love it ) I traded an 07 FJR for it and really miss the rush when you twist the right grip. The RT does gett better fuel milage , but at premium fuel prices. Also if you add up all the problems either bike has , the FJR is better ( not sure about the 2013 & up)

But pick your poison. Forgot to add that they put in a great charging system & a canbus system that doesn't like add ons.

[Over]

Mr Penguin, ( or can I just call you Scary?).

 

I also hail from Kent ( the one in the UK), PM me if you want to hook up and I can bore you about how nice the RT is on the twisty roads of Kent...