A couple of questions

[Green RT]

I have started putting some miles on my 2016 R12R, and there are a couple of things about the digital display that I am unclear on. Actually, there are probably a lot of things that I am unclear on, but you have to start somewhere.

 

Today, I will just ask two questions:

 

1) What is the normal engine operating temperature. This is the hottest month where I live, so all my rides have been in an ambient temperature of about 30+/- C (about 86 F). The engine temperature indicates about 94 - 100 C (200 -212 F), the lower end on the open road, and the upper end in stop and go city traffic. Is this a normal range?

 

2) Is the readout the actual tire pressures. The "Trip" button scrolls through a bunch of displays one of which reads "Bar/ 2.5 - 2.9" but it is not clear if that is measured pressure front and rear. I know there are some warning lights as well.

 

Note: The displays are all metric since I live in, and purchased it, in Mexico.

 

Finally, a general question. Has anyone written up a more readable manual for the computer and switches? The manual that comes with the bike seems a little obtuse at times.

 

Thanks,

[marcopolo]

I have a '15 GSA, and my "normal" operating temperature is around 185F, but it hasn't really been hot since I bought the bike in early November. In stop-and-go traffic, it can get up to 210F and that's about when the fan kicks in and the temperature goes down. At the risk of asking a dumb question, the new R1200R is a wethead, right?

 

As for tire pressures, the reading you see comes from the sensors that are located in each wheel. They send both tire pressure and air temperature in each wheel to a control unit. However, the tire pressure readout you get from the Tire Pressure Monitor is temperature compensated, so it displays the tire pressure as if it were 20C (68F), so it's unlikely you'll ever have the TPM pressure match that which you'd get with a handheld tire gauge. That's why the manual explains how to interpret the TPM reading. If TPM on the bike says your front tire is at 34 psi (whatever that is in Bar), and the manual recommends the front tire pressure be 36 PSI, you simply need to add 2 PSI (regardless of what the pressure might read on a hand-held gauge, or at the pump at a gas station). That's the theory anyway.

[Green RT]

Thanks. Yes it is a wet head. I think I heard the fan, but didn't realize that is what it was. Mine seems to run warmer than yours, but I only have ridden it once in the evening when it was cooler. I don't remember what the temperature gauge said.

 

After I hit submit, I realized what was confusing me on the tire pressure readings. I had read the manual and understood about the temperature compensated readings. What confused me was actually a dumb mistake. The only other vehicle I have driven with tire pressure sensors was a rental van. I had a bad tire and used the digital readouts a lot. It got me in the habit of looking at the readings from all four tires. When the bike only displayed two readings, I was wondering how to get the other two and thought there was something I didn't understand about the display. Then, I had a head-slap moment and remembered that I only had two tires.

[CRUSTYBEEMER]

You can have your BMW service depth change the bar to psi if you want! Did mine! Now understandable!

[duckbubbles]

When new, I noticed the engine temp jumping all over the place -+10-15 deg F. With 6500+ miles it remains fairly steady- 185 -+2-3 deg at highway speeds. Give it time to get broken in.

Mark is correct about the tire pressure monitor. You won't see much if any change in press indication as they heat up.

Setting up and changing the display isn't very clear in the owners manual until you learn how to do it. Went to the dealer soon after I bought it and had them walk me through it and I am ok now.

 

Frank

[garr2]

I have TPMs on my '15 RT. The manual says the TPM system is temp. compensated and I thought I understood what that meant. But when the read out changed by up to 3 psi during a ride I decided I didn't!

So now, I set my pressures before a ride using my trusty pressure gauge and look at the TPM readout every now and then to check for any significant drop during the course of a ride - indicating a loss of pressure and a slow leak.

 

Ian