R1200RT: centerstand and CoG

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

As far as balance goes, my old R1100RT was pretty much right over the centerstand: with a couple of small items in the cases, it would actually balance on nothing but the stand, with both wheels in the air. Remove the front wheel for a tire change, and it would settle nicely on the rear wheel, and vice-versa.

 

My R1200RT, however, is a different beast altogether. Either the CoG has been moved forward, or the centerstand is farther to the rear. If I want to remove the front wheel for a tire change, I have to put a good 70 pounds of weight on the rear rack to get the nose in the air before wheel removal.

 

I'm guessing the front-rear weight bias of the bike isn't too far different from the 1100RT< which means they must have positioned the centerstand farther back.

 

Anyone know why they would do this?

[Kitsap]

Maybe our R12RT's have less junk in the trunk, a slimmer, svelte figure?

[XTrooper]

If I want to remove the front wheel for a tire change, I have to put a good 70 pounds of weight on the rear rack to get the nose in the air before wheel removal.

 

Or you can just use a jack like most people do.

 

I slip my Sears lightweight aluminum "NASCAR" jack under the crankcase and, using a small piece of 2x4 to protect it, jack up the front of the bike until the rear tire touches the floor. Fast and simple.

[RodB]

I can't answer to why they did this, but had they not, I would have even more trouble setting it up on the center stand. When on a trip and fully loaded, I need to remove the top case to set it up on the center stand.

[DaveRT]

When I change out the front tire, I make sure the gas tank is low. Takes very little weight on the tail to make it safe to remove the front tire.

[VinnyR11]

As far as the reason why, it must have to do with ease of getting it on the stand. My R1200RT seems easier to get on center than my R1100RT.

[Selden]

As far as the reason why, it must have to do with ease of getting it on the stand. My R1200RT seems easier to get on center than my R1100RT.

That's the best explanation I have seen, although I prefer the "old" approach (which seems to be a longstanding boxer tradition) of having the centerstand at the unladen balance point. I find my 99 RT easier to get on to the centerstand than my HawkGT -- which weighs 200 pounds less. Cases loaded, of course, is a different matter.

[tallman]

Remember the folding handle to help put them on centerstand?

 

My GT has a handgrip area, "handy" because it is much more difficult than most beemers if you're not used to the weight.

 

To get the bikes moving and then up on the CS they needed to make a change, IMO, because many folks had trouble.

 

The Airheads are a completely different story.

[Ken H.]

Who knows, but I'd be more inclined to guess it’s just a coincidence of packaging as much as anything. Figuring out where the best/easiest attachment points for the center stand pivot points was the engineering goal with little consideration to ‘posture’ of the bike when on the center stand. That it was a near perfect balance point on the R1100RTs was little more than a coincidence would be my guess. Even the R1150RT series was less so, and the non-RT Rs were/are far from balanced when on the CS.

[dirtrider]

Hi Mitch

 

It’s difficult to know what BMW was thinking when they developed the center stand location on the 1200RT.

In looking at the 1200RT center stand attachment area the pivots could easily be moved forward a couple of inches with just a redesign of the pivot mount support tubes and casting. It might take a little finesse to rework the up-stop to clear the exhaust pipe but otherwise it looks like it would clear the side stand pivot bracket and cat with ease.

 

Maybe it is just the luck of the draw on position as the battery was moved back, the ABS controller is lighter, the final drive is lighter, the tool kit is definitely lighter. But the evap can is way up front now as well as a fairly heavy cruise control unit way up front.

 

If I were to guess, the new “improved” center stand position would be to put more weight on the front and to keep some of the weight off the rear to make center stand deployment easier. The 1200RT is a very easy bike to put on the center stand and to rock off the center stand at ride away. My only real bitch with the NEW setup is the lack of a handle to use when the rear seat is loaded with camping gear. Once the rear seat is loaded out over the side handles there is just nothing to grab to help the bike onto the center stand.

 

[lawnchairboy]

you mean like this? Sagerider and RAAAAAAN are good supervisors by the way...

 

[Redbrick]

Pain in the butt to have to weight the rear with bags of lawn fertilizer, cat litter or whatever I have handy to get the front wheel off the ground to pull the wheel..Or get the side cases and top case down and mount them too......Kathy's 1150 is easy with it's almost mid-balance point under the center stand....

Thanks for the opportunity to vent on a vital, however trivial, annoyance.....