05 vs 14

[Sonor]

I might have an opportunity to purchase a 2014 RT.  Currently I ride an 05 that I know the brakes can have issues and of course the fuel strip.  But mostly the biggest disappointment with the 05 was the NEED to replace the seat and shocks with better quality than the stock items.  That said, what are the differences between the two bikes first from a user interface/user experience perspective and secondly (if you wish to add it) some technical differences?

 

This is not a sure thing, just something I am thinking about, but still curious minds want to know.

[TEWKS]

I had an 05 and now a 2014 RT. Very big difference in motorcycles, have you had the chance to ride the newer bike? The stock seat on the 14 will be better but, I still replaced mine. It's become kind of a habit with me. 

 

I'll link a pretty good deal in an edit.

 

Edit...

 

2016 RT

 

 

[TEWKS]

I could see this 2016 RT becoming part of a great fly & ride UNrally Adventure!  It has the Nav already, negotiate them down to twelve five and pick it up on the 22nd of June. Lake George NY. is 4 hours due west. 

 

I dont work on commission BTW. 

[Sonor]

Thanks for the tip and the heads up.  Might just expand my horizon pending my discussion with my wife about $$. 

[rglassma]

If your focus is on saving money on maintenance, and you are use to to working on your '05, there will be many things that you will either not be able to do yourself anymore, or have to relearn.  Here are some differences that you will loose with the upgrade:

 

1) 7.2 gal tank down to 6.6

2)  Nice and loud double horn down to quieter single horn

 

Here are some items you will probably want to let the dealer maintain (added expense of course}

 

1)  valve check and adjust

2)  12K service

 

Oil differences as recommended by BMW:

 

From 10w40 - 15w50  Motorcycle oil to their 5w40 synthetic (or similar).  New oil is very expensive.  Older bike could use conventional motorcycle oil quite effectively.

 

Non-exhaustive list of features on new bike that you didn't have on your 05:

 

1) Tiire pressurre monitoring

2) Shift assist (no clutch needed to go from second up)

3)  Hill start

4)  traction control

5) ride modes

6) significantly more power

7) liquid cooled engine

8) no fuel strip (as you said)

 

I am sure there are more.  But I can't think of anything else right now.

 

[TEWKS]

On ‎5‎/‎1‎/‎2019 at 7:40 AM, Sonor said:

Thanks for the tip and the heads up.  Might just expand my horizon pending my discussion with my wife about $$. 

 

The one up north appears to be gone, you?

[Sonor]

Nope, not me.  Thanks for the heads up - I really appreciate it.

[longjohn]

On 5/5/2019 at 6:21 AM, rglassma said:

If your focus is on saving money on maintenance, and you are use to to working on your '05, there will be many things that you will either not be able to do yourself anymore, or have to relearn.  Here are some differences that you will loose with the upgrade:

 

1) 7.2 gal tank down to 6.6

2)  Nice and loud double horn down to quieter single horn

 

Here are some items you will probably want to let the dealer maintain (added expense of course}

 

1)  valve check and adjust

2)  12K service

 

Oil differences as recommended by BMW:

 

From 10w40 - 15w50  Motorcycle oil to their 5w40 synthetic (or similar).  New oil is very expensive.  Older bike could use conventional motorcycle oil quite effectively.

 

Non-exhaustive list of features on new bike that you didn't have on your 05:

 

1) Tiire pressurre monitoring

2) Shift assist (no clutch needed to go from second up)

3)  Hill start

4)  traction control

5) ride modes

6) significantly more power

7) liquid cooled engine

8) no fuel strip (as you said)

 

I am sure there are more.  But I can't think of anything else right now.

 

I’m comparing the 05 to the 18, but I believe these are relevant to the 14 too.  

 

The wizzy brakes time-bomb is gone. 

Tranny oil change is gone. 

Accessible clutch.

Inaccessible stator. 

Throttle by wire. Haha it makes for effortless throttle twisting 

Sight glass is more accessible. 

Higher contrast on dashboard screen, for those with decreasing visual acuity. 

Higher gas mileage. 

One handed turn signals, although they could have put horn on other hand grip. And there is still no turn signal canceling coming out of a turn. Other manufacturers have had this feature for decades. 

Optional factory aux lights. Yay. 

Keyless ride option. BMW over engineering again?

i believe there are less frequent valve and throttle body checks. 

The gear ratios appear equal aside from a lower 2nd gear, which is good. 

You don’t have to drop the final drive to change the FD oil but after reading about spline rust (here and on ADV ) on the newer bikes I would still do  it to apply some grease. 

The bike feels lighter. Maybe it’s a lower center of gravity?  

H7 bulbs are still being used

 

[Sonor]

:-) Thank you John ...

[longjohn]

1 hour ago, Sonor said:

:-) Thank you John ...

 

[hopz]

Sonor... I seldom read the Hexhead section any more but I did today...

 

Maybe I can help. I owned an '05 for many years--- well... all the way up to 2014- then, I traded the  '05 for'14 RT Wethead.

 

First- let me say I loved them both. I also did as much of my own work/maintenance etc. as I could on both... and by "could" I should mention on the '05... I did it all... brakes, valves, routing oil service, final drive service, etc... never had a reason to take it back to dealer... but I digress.

 

The '05 was less complex, more accessible and in many ways "friendlier".  The '14, for me was smoother, more comfortable (with the Low Seat... I 'm kind of short) but less friendly.

"14 is Faster, quieter, physically comfortable and heavier. For one thing, you have to remove a lot of body panels to do- basically- anything on the '14. Some of these things are not particularly friendly. Some freaking mysterious. There were several times I really wished I still had the '05. 

 

Part of the answer is how do you ride and do you like to work on your own bike? The '05 is simpler, easier, more accessible. The '14 is faster, potentially more comfortable (things like the 3 different ride-modes)- selectable using the "Wonderwheel", has more fancy features- like the built-in, native Navigator 5 system. has more on-board communications, entertainment, etc. Quite a bit more expensive to purchase, own, and maintain. Mine was the "Premium" version. The '14 "requires" intuitive mechanical/electronical thinking to do some of the basic things.

 

I enjoyed them both... but in different ways. If I had it to do over again.... hard to say.... ? I am somehow older now than I was when I got the '05... funny how that happened. 

 

I just took the '14 to the Dealer and is on consignment... wish I had the '05... no wait... the '14... hold-on... no maybe the '05... 

 

Having written all that... and it is all true... I need to return to add... I am now '75 years old. I still ride- or I did till last week... and my "passenger" since 1965... no longer rides so I gave it all up. The maintenance issue is not a big deal unless self maintenance is what you like to do.  For me that was an important and enjoyable part of the ownership experience. The '14 is a better bike in many ways but the elections, the body panels, the re-arrangement of the parts, etc... is potentially a challenge. If you are older and like the simplicity- the '05 is a great friend. If you are younger or middle aged and do not really enjoy hands-on work then the '14.

 

 

Glad I could settle all thant...