Thrill Of Riding My Wethead Redux

[Paul De]

Well the wife and I have been living in the Northwoods  since the the middle of March.  I have my trusty '99 RT here at this location  and enjoyed many a ride on that old gentleman.  I've been back to our place in MKE several times to check on the place and for other appointments and such, but really haven't been on my '15 RT beyond a jaunt here and there on shopping errands since riding weather opened up until last week.  So, I was well acclimated with my Oilhead and all of its glorious idiosyncrasies, but last week I was able to take the the '15 RT Wethead out for a couple hour ride, with the top box off.  Man-o-man, riding the rouge in a tuxedo for a longish ride for the first time this year was such a blast.  It instigated my naughty side and also let me know my skills are rusty...good thing the computer overrode a few decisions my ham fist told it to do.  I do love that old '99 RT, but there is no comparison to the 15 RT...it is just better in every category.  I have that bad boy parked with its nose for the door on my next visit in a few weeks. Can't wait!

[TEWKS]

It’s really hard to fathom how they’re going to make the next generation RT any better! 

[NumbHands]

Agreed. 

But how could it be better? 

[AndyS]

9 hours ago, NumbHands said:

Agreed. 

But how could it be better? 

 

Really? I have a list...

Smoother ride quality of choppy road surfaces.

more comfortable seating.

Better windscreen.

Adjustable handlebars

Adjustable headlight (from the cockpit).

LED / better headlights

lockable satnav.

 

I am sure others could add to the list

 

 

[Paul De]

For sure the Wet/shiftcamhead is leaps and bounds better than my 21 year old RT, but there are things to improve upon.  I will say overall the engine, drivetrain and chasis is pretty darn good, and that includes my 2015 with a supposedly glitchy shifting transmission (I must have been lucky as I have had no real issues in this regard)  But to add onto Andy's list

 

A real horn!

Less weight

The return of a useful glove box like on my '99

The beautiful bodacious lines of the 1100/1150 VS the Star Wars X Fighter looks (your taste may vary on this one)

Did I say a real horn!!

Better adjustment of parameters to self canceling turn signals (also include lean sensing to the time distance algorythem)

       Make adjustment of self cancelling turn signals accessible in the whizzy wheel menu system and not only from a diagnostic computer

Infotainment system that is fully compatible with all music file formats, particularly Apples M4a (ACC or MPEG-4).

Improved speakers and amplifier power

Improved blue tooth compatibility for wireless comm systems

WiFi connectivity for firmware updates for the onboard computer (I suspect it isn't done to give a revenue stream to the dealers)

Improved onboard diagnostic message system

Did I mention that the bike should have a real horn!!!

More and easier adjustability of pegs, shift/brake gear

Refine ESA through even more adjustability (eg. separate control for compression & rebound damping)

Allowing ESA spring preload adjustment on the fly

Maybe a real horn!!!

 

 

 

 

[NumbHands]

I guess we need a better horn! Current  "kleine Autohupe", dictated by European noise rules, I guess.

 

I agree with your aesthetic take on the 11000/1150RT. And I miss the glove box. Can't even get a modern smartphone into the 1200RT's mini-storage!

 

M.

[Rinkydink]

10 minutes ago, NumbHands said:

I guess we need a better horn! Current  "kleine Autohupe", dictated by European noise rules, I guess.

 

I agree with your aesthetic take on the 11000/1150RT. And I miss the glove box. Can't even get a modern smartphone into the 1200RT's mini-storage!

 

M.

I can’t hardly get my 20 year old 8GB Nano IPod in the glove box with the required cord. Now that cord has developed an intermittent open and staticky because of my having to stuff it all in there. Grrrrrr

[strataj]

1 hour ago, NumbHands said:

I guess we need a better horn! Current  "kleine Autohupe", dictated by European noise rules, I guess.

 

I agree with your aesthetic take on the 11000/1150RT. And I miss the glove box. Can't even get a modern smartphone into the 1200RT's mini-storage!

 

M.

My 021150RT had a great horn, I put a Steble air horn my 14R1200RT so I'm ok with the horn but Storage I'd not only like a real clove box (I did remove the mounting hardware for the radio on the 02) I need storage under the plastic, not much room to put anything.  The 02R1150RT had all kinds of space for tools, fuse boxes and more! 

[longjohn]

4 hours ago, NumbHands said:

 

 

I agree with your aesthetic take on the 11000/1150RT. And I miss the glove box. Can't even get a modern smartphone into the 1200RT's mini-storage!

 

M.

 

4 hours ago, Rinkydink said:

I can’t hardly get my 20 year old 8GB Nano IPod in the glove box with the required cord. Now that cord has developed an intermittent open and staticky because of my having to stuff it all in there. Grrrrrr

The first thing I looked at when considering the ‘18 rt was would my new phone, which hadn’t been purchased yet, fit into the charging space. My iPhone 11 Pro with protective case does fit, but it needs an ultra short charging cord to squeeze in there.  
 

I wish this ‘18 was as quiet as my ‘05. 
 

I do hunt for neutral occasionally, but maybe that’s adjustable. I’ll check at the dealer on Fri. 

[Bill_Walker]

9 hours ago, Paul De said:

Infotainment system that is fully compatible with all music file formats, particularly Apples M4a (ACC or MPEG-4).

I've got an old 16 GB iPod nano (the little square one) in my right box to play (most of) my music from iTunes, along with the overly expensive and bulky adapter cable from BMW.  It's nice, because you can select a playlist or album from the wonder wheel, as well as skip songs forward or back.  But it's not clear that the Music app in MacOS Catalina (which replaced iTunes) will let me manage the music on it.  I have trouble getting playlists to sync with my iPhone X.  I haven't tried the iPod since upgrading.

[Krid]

In addition to the above-mentioned how about a TFT display for the speed/ tachometer/ information as on the GS model

[AndyS]

Not for me. I have no need for any more information. I like the Analogue style of the RT and really can't see why everyone is drooling over the idea of a TFT dash. However, (good) LED headlights...now you are talking.

[Dann]

There's been a couple of improvement besides the engine on the  the R1250 RT.

The screen is a combination of Analog and TFT

The preload doesn't need to be adjusted. The bike adjusts it automatically according to the load on the bike.

The dynamic mode adjust the dampening on the fly while riding

The shift assist pro is great.

The position of the mirrors is much better. I don't miss the handlebar mirrors I had in my 07 RT

 

It still needs a decent horn

The glove box is tiny and if you don't have the audio package, you only get the left one.

It still needs a better screen and seat.

Having LED headlights would be great

[Paul De]

The 1200 Waterheads that came with ESA and dynamic power mode will also do damping adjustment on the fly...I don't think it changes spring preload though.  Also the 1250 has lean angle sensitive ABS which the 1200 does not.  It is sort of dumb to not have put an LED headlight on the water cooled boxers.  For the cost of admission it should have the latest and LED headlights were well established by the time these models were released

[92Merc]

They added the lean sensor in the 2017 model, for the ABS.  My 2015 doesn't have it.  The wife's does.  It's right on top of the rear fender under the seat.

[Bernie]

My 2018 R12RT is supposed to have ABS Pro, which should be providing a different ABS action when the bike is leaned over.

I think that would require a lean angle sensor. I also have sensors mounted on both shocks and swing arms.

At 40,000+ miles the bike has successfully retrained this old monkey and it is getting along fabulously with me.

 

[JamesW]

Then if you're smart get rid of it before all your warranties expire.  Either that or get a part time job just in case Bring More Wampum bites you in the derrière. Now why would I say that?  Oh I don't know.

[Paul De]

10 hours ago, JamesW said:

Then if you're smart get rid of it before all your warranties expire.  Either that or get a part time job just in case Bring More Wampum bites you in the derrière. Now why would I say that?  Oh I don't know.

It is not good to hold onto all that negative energy as it is detrimental to your health and life span.  You really do have to let sheite go man.   The vast majority of the Waterheads are racking up a lot of trouble free miles.   And the thrill of riding this generation of boxer IMO is well beyond any thrill I can get on the previous generations and it sure does keep a big 'ol grin on my face from the moment I fire that bad boy up until I reach my destination.  I have no worries that mine will become a lemon in the future.

 

Don't let yesterday use up too much of today

(Cherokee Proverb)

[Paul De]

On 8/1/2020 at 10:34 AM, 92Merc said:

They added the lean sensor in the 2017 model, for the ABS.  My 2015 doesn't have it.  The wife's does.  It's right on top of the rear fender under the seat.

 

Haha my 2015 has a lean sensor, and it is called my wonderful wife.  If I get too frisky with her on board I get a sharp pain in my kidney...from her fist!

[Bernie]

45 minutes ago, JamesW said:

Then if you're smart get rid of it before all your warranties expire.  Either that or get a part time job just in case Bring More Wampum bites you in the derrière. Now why would I say that?  Oh I don't know.

 

Hey the secret is out. If I would be smart, I wouldn’t have bought a BMW and I wouldn’t hang out here, with special people like you.

By they way, when you figure out how to read, you will see in my signature that I somehow was able to advance my odometer on 3 different modern style BMW motorcycles in excess of 330,000 miles (not KM). All of that without any major breakdowns.’

[JamesW]

Hi Bernie,  Seems I remember you having some not much fun issues early on with your wethead??  Personally I would not want to own one of these high tech wonders past the warranty period.  If nothing else I might have trouble sleeping.  Just my humble opinion for what little it's probably worth

 

However, I would by far prefer a new wethead to a K1600 especially when it comes to sleeping soundly.  Again just imo.

 

[MikeB60]

10 hours ago, JamesW said:

 

However, I would by far prefer a new wethead to a K1600 especially when it comes to sleeping soundly.  Again just imo.

I happen to own a wethead and a K1600.  Both are out of warranty and neither of these bikes keep me awake. The K1600s are extremely reliable, mine has 47,000 miles and runs perfect.  Fixed a leaking water pump at 30,000, easy fix, didn't even have to remove any Tupperware. Plenty of the big 6s with over 100000 miles.

 

Not as many miles on the 2016 GS about 16000 but not one issue so far. 

[JamesW]

Well Mike......better you than me.