Considering a 2011 R1200RT

[Eddiet204]

So, after 30 years of riding, I am considering a 2011 R1200RT. I have owned almost 30 motorcycles over the years (unfortunately, not at the same time) from the Big 4 from Japan. Included, are a couple of KTMs, HDs, and a Ducati. With the exception of one KTM (990 Super Duke) and the Ducati (999), all of my bikes had zero issues. I decided to give BMW a try, but I thought I would do some research. What better place than this forum right?

 

After reading about some of the issues like: bulbs burning out, switches failing intermittently, starting issues, tranny issues, final drive failures, and leaking seals, I have to ask this question: Why do you put up with this??? I have never done anything besides change the oil and tires on all my other bikes, HD included. I rode a 1150 for a couple of years when I was a motor officer and had no issues other than a nuisance oil leak that kept a film of oil on the stack of my left boot ALL the time. That issue didn't outweigh the nice ride and handling, so I ignored it.

 

I have never purchased the extended warranty for any of my bikes because nothing ever went wrong with them. I ditched my KTM and Ducati before the factory warranty expired. How many of you have the extended warranty? Does it cover the failures I listed above? Any input would be appreciated. Thanks!

[EffBee]

No matter what motorcycle forum you go to, you will find people who have problems with their bikes. When I had an FJR, their forum was full of heat-related issues, ticking heads, altitude sensors that would reset to zero when the ignition was shut off, then would provide too much fuel on startup, etc. etc. When I had my Wee-Strom, there were braking issues (not good enough), fuel-injections that needed remapping (REALLY bad on certain year 1000 V-stroms), cheap fasteners, and more.

 

Every day, members of forums everywhere ride their bikes and have no problems. But they don't post about yet another uneventful day. However, the few who have problems, do post. So you're looking at a very, VERY skewed representation of overall ownership.

 

BMW's are not perfect. And more than any other brand, their owners expect them to be. So we cry foul the loudest when something goes amiss.

 

If you're looking for an appliance, you've owned them and you know which dealers sell them. Dead reliable. Add oil and change tires and go. No drama. Not much soul.

 

If you want bikes that deliver passion, have a heart you can feel, need your managing touch and respond entusiastically to it, then bikes like BMW's, Ducatis, Aprilias, KTM's and others of that ilk will make your blood race and your spirit sing. That kind of intrinsic exhillaration requires a bit of faith and a certain level of commitment. Only you can answer if that's for you.

[Eddiet204]

Point taken...So if I go into this with the same mindset as cat ownership, I'll be fine! Kidding aside, you make some good points. As much as my Duc and Duke were a pain in my ass, they were fun to ride. I look at bikes as tools rather than something that should have character or soul. I guess it would be ideal if I could have both LoL.

 

This is the kind of stuff I plan on using the RT for:

 

 

http://youtu.be/7gqWvWzaH4E

 

[60av8tor]

I look at bikes as tools rather than something that should have character or soul.

 

Only my opinion... I love the RT and have come to greatly appreciate the boxer and BMW's "character" - I honestly think I'll always have an RT in my stable. But if the above is your mindset, and there is certainly nothing wrong with it, I can think of cheaper, more dependable tools that call for valve checks at 24k not 6k, have more sorted FDs, etc. The RT and the boxer just got a hold of me. Some call it drinking the kool-aid. Whatever, call it what you will - I just love the RT.

[EffBee]

So if I go into this with the same mindset as cat ownership. . .

 

Cat ownership?

 

But, uh, yes there's some truth to your analogy.

[roadscholar]

 

Every day, members of forums everywhere ride their bikes and have no problems. But they don't post about yet another uneventful day.

 

 

 

If you want bikes that deliver passion, have a heart you can feel, need your managing touch and respond entusiastically to it, then bikes like BMW's, Ducatis, Aprilias, KTM's, Guzzi's , and others of that ilk will make your blood race and your spirit sing. That kind of intrinsic exhillaration requires a bit of faith and a certain level of commitment.

 

Well said.

 

 

[Dave_in_TX]

I had an extended warranty on my 07 RT and now have one on my 11 RT. I don't normally purchase extended warranties but I put a lot of miles on my BMWs. I put 140k miles on my 07 before trading it in on a slightly used 11 (1800 miles). I now have 38k on the 11. I haven't needed it so far on the 11. On the 07, the extended warranty paid for a transmission oil seal, a switch, and a fuel pump housing (I finally got cracks around the outlet at about 135k). BTW, the original final drive, fuel strip, and fuel pump controller were still fine on the 07.

 

Unless you're planning on piling on the miles, the extended warranty may not be worth it from a risk/reward standpoint.

[Eddiet204]

Thanks, that's good to know. My friends ride RTs for their agency and the ones riding 07 and 08 RTs have had the biggest issues while another has had 09/10/12 with none of the issues I listed. I ride my bikes pretty hard, so I will go with an extended warranty. Ill get some pictures posted when it arrives. Thanks for the input!

[lkchris]

I look at bikes as tools rather than something that should have character or soul.

 

Then BMW isn't for you.

[LeftCoastMan]

I have a 2011 RT and one of the stranger things I "put up with" is that occasionally a hot soccer mom asks me why I put BMW stickers on my bike. Seriously. I got that once. If she weren't really cute driving her X5, I might have been annoyed.

 

In science, what we observe about the BMW motorcycle on these forums (or hell, on any forum on the internet) is selection bias, where the postings are not random samplings of every users. On the three BMW forums that I frequent, the user are either noobies who can't figure something out, old timers who ware trying to figure out how to do something new, or a complainer.

 

Search saddles or seats for any BMW. You'll get a kick out of that. But the vast majority of BMW riders don't care or are perfectly content with their seats. Like me. Not going to pay $500 for marginal improvement in comfort, and lowered improvement in usability.

 

But we can talk about oil. Anyone up for a conversation about oil?

 

[John in VA]

I've owned four RTs. The third was a 2006 with 2 years left on BMW warranty. Just before that warranty expired, I bought a 3 year extended warranty. It more than paid for itself because it covered replacing a cracked fuel pump, several fuel gauge strips, a failed alternator, and a leaking engine seal.

 

After that extended warranty expired, the ABS modulator failed and a different engine leak developed. $3000+ repairs. That bike is gone and I now own a new 2013 RT with warranty for 3 years. If I keep it beyond that, I will purchase a warranty because I will never own another BMW without some protection from repair catastrophe. My 2c!

[wvpc]

 

After reading about some of the issues like: bulbs burning out, switches failing intermittently, starting issues, tranny issues, final drive failures, and leaking seals, I have to ask this question: Why do you put up with this???

 

2012 RT with 18K miles. Except for the 600 mile service I do all my own service checks. Zero warranty claims to date. One exhaust valve was out of spec at the 18K service (.406mm). Burned a quart of oil in 5200 miles. I think it needs more riding.

[AnotherLee]

After reading about some of the issues like: bulbs burning out, switches failing intermittently, starting issues, tranny issues, final drive failures, and leaking seals, I have to ask this question: Why do you put up with this???

 

I think this explains it pretty well:

[Blind Squirrel]

This is the kind of stuff I plan on using the RT for:

 

http://youtu.be/7gqWvWzaH4E

 

I would suggest a GS or GSA for that.

[Eddiet204]

That's actually me on my ST1300. I've already ridden against one of our top riders on his GS and smoked him. Police motor training/competitions only run RT/ST/HD/C14 platforms. The fastest guys are on ST/RT platforms. The tighter courses slightly favor the RT. If there is room to run, the ST will outrun the RT. Occasionally, agencies that run HD will close up the course that only allows for straight up and down riding.

[John in VA]

That is superb riding. I don't know if I could jog that course on foot that perfectly.

[mickeym3]

That's actually me on my ST1300. I've already ridden against one of our top riders on his GS and smoked him. Police motor training/competitions only run RT/ST/HD/C14 platforms. The fastest guys are on ST/RT platforms. The tighter courses slightly favor the RT. If there is room to run, the ST will outrun the RT. Occasionally, agencies that run HD will close up the course that only allows for straight up and down riding.

 

Eddie, you are one heck of a rider. They should show that clip to anyone going for a motorcycle endorsement on their license "and this, boys and girls, is another reason you should never try to escape a police pursuit....they will catch you!".

[AndyS]

Eddie, I know this is off topic - sorry - but when you practice that stuff:

a/. would you do it if it were your own bike!

b/. do you practice on rat bikes with rollers and reinforced crash bars?

c/. When practicing, do you get special leathers with body armour?

d/. how do you memorise the course? it must be quite easy to get one row of cones out and really screw it up.

 

 

any other info would be helpful too! I don't want to be able to do this, I just want to know how you practice it.

 

[Eddiet204]

Thanks for the kudos

 

A little background about how I got started doing police motor competitions. Before I got on motors, I had about 15 years of riding under my belt. A ton if track days (I live near Laguna Seca), commuting, and some dirt bike riding as well. When I went to the police motor academy, I found I couldn't make a simple u turn at walking speed without falling over or putting my foot down. The head instructor knew I was a track rider and pretty much berated me and said I sucked (which I did). I looked at this type of riding as a new challenge and made it a point to not only "get it", but I was going to master it. Having the luxury of using the city's bike on city time, I practiced my ass off everyday at the end of my shift. Yes, there were several incidents of dropped/crashed bikes, but no serious injury or road rash. I bought my own police trainer bike with crash bars and thrash that bike. The same skill set can be applied to pretty much any bike, so yes, I ride my CBR1000RR, R1, Harley Davidson the same way, but a shade less aggressive. When you have several mishaps, you get pretty good at knowing when you are about to lose it, so I usually step off the bike before it goes down. Other than helmet and gloves, I don't wear an aero stitch or any protective gear. When learning a particular course, we walk it and ride it for about 4-5 hours before we make our timed run and yes, some officers do get lost LoL.

 

The point of this training is that enforcement riding requires officers to get from point A to B as quickly and safely as possible. Whether its chasing down a violator, doing escort duty, crowd control, or chasing a guy who foot bails on you, this style of riding covers all the bases. I found that it made me faster at the track as well.

[Eddiet204]

Here is a clip of Officer Redeker from Ventura PD on his R1200RTP. Hands down, the best police metric bike pilot in the US.

 

 

[Flatbroke]

That's actually me on my ST1300. I've already ridden against one of our top riders on his GS and smoked him. Police motor training/competitions only run RT/ST/HD/C14 platforms. The fastest guys are on ST/RT platforms. The tighter courses slightly favor the RT. If there is room to run, the ST will outrun the RT. Occasionally, agencies that run HD will close up the course that only allows for straight up and down riding.

 

You did pretty good at the Scott's valley ride too. I was one of the judges by the Nevada pattern. I think I have some photos on your runs. I was supposed to help at SF but family obligation prevented it.

 

[Flatbroke]

Here is a clip of Officer Redeker from Ventura PD on his R1200RTP. Hands down, the best police metric bike pilot in the US.

 

he is very good. You both gave each other a challenge. Didn't you guys place 1&2 in Scott's valley 2 yrs in a row? I know Bucky was proud of you.

[Eddiet204]

San Jose PD is hosting a motor skills training/competition Sept 21st. Open to the public. Hope to see you there

 

http://www.sjpd.org/BFO/SpecialOps/TEU/Events/2013_MotorTraining/

[ncsonderman]

What an eye opener. That is some really talented riding. Practice makes perfect. Nice to have the time for that. I'll have to settle for my commute and infrequent couple hundred mile weekend jaunts.

 

I can tell you that my skills have deteriorated since the days when I was able to do track days and ride daily. That training is more of a commitment than most are able to make. It is like reading runners world magazine....take the time to do all of these stretches before and after your runs, eat these specific foods, cross train three times per week and don't forget to put in around 35 miles per week. No one with a job and family can afford that time commitment.

 

Kudos to those who can ride like that!

 

BTW - I've had to replace final drive bearings and swing arm pivot bearings in around 60k on RTs. Not bad as I've ridden them like sport bikes for the most part.

[Eddiet204]

So, since I started this thread, I took delivery of my 2011 RTP that had 2k miles on the clock. I've logged about 2k miles on it and have spent about 60 hours of practice in the patterns and "broke it in" at the Redding CA Police Motor Competition. Here are my impressions:

 

Fit and finish are great. Everything about this bike has a level of refinement above that of my ST1300. Admittedly, I have put more effort in keeping my RT clean than I did my ST. It's just a great looking bike. I don't like the set up of the emergency lights/siren switches; its awkward to activate them while riding. Speaking of switches, I know switch failure has been an issue on the civilian bikes, but none of my colleagues on RTPs have experienced any switch issues. The switch gear on the RTP is different than the RT. Are they sourced from a different supplier?

 

Handling: When it comes to police motor competitions, you will not win a turning war against a RT-period. I rode the RT and ST back to back and when things get tight, the RT will out turn and transition quicker than the ST every time. Its not by much, but when a course has 60 plus turns, it adds up to a lot of seconds. Im not an engineer, but I believe the 17" front wheel and the 100 plus fewer pounds may have something to do with it. When things open up and the speeds increase, both bikes handle equally well. When ridden with precision and finesse, the RT rewards you with a super fast time. It's not very forgiving if you screw up and it will send you off your intended line or put you on your ass. The ST can be ridden very aggressively and leave you room to make a few errors. However, you have to ride flawlessly if you want to beat a rider of equal ability on a RT.

 

Engine and brakes: The RT is down on power compared to the ST. It also sounds like its got asthma. On open courses, I have beat some if the top RT pilots on motor alone. On the road, the ST will pull the RT all day long. It takes a bit more time and effort to keep up with a ST, but its doable. The ABS on the RT is more sensitive than the ABS on the ST. Almost too intrusive for my liking. It seems to kick in when I don't want or need it, keeping me from executing my desired path of travel.

 

So, there you have it from a non BMW guy. Overall, I really like it. You trade power for handling. In competition, the trade off is well worth it. I can already see my times coming down on the RT due to its superior low speed handling. In the real world, they handle equally well and the ST has more power to boot, so it really comes down to rider preference. I wish I could have both

[Fathom]

 

 

What a great thread! Thanks Eddie, for sharing these clips and, especially, your own experience. Very glad you're on board the RTP, and on this board as well. I know you'll feel welcome here, and hope you'll continue to share your experiences, both in competition and in your travels "well beyond the cones."

[Lmar]

That's some great riding! Thanks for background info. It answered some of my questions.

[Eddiet204]

This was my first outing on the RT : http://youtu.be/Skemxmu1x1w

 

Happy I didn't drop it lol.

[Martyn]

I have a 2011 RT and one of the stranger things I "put up with" is that occasionally a hot soccer mom asks me why I put BMW stickers on my bike. Seriously. I got that once. If she weren't really cute driving her X5, I might have been annoyed.

I've had that, so I feign surprise, asking "Do you mean to say they make cars as well as bikes?" Usually gets a puzzled look.........