West_Coaster Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 Hi! Been reading through the posts here for a few weeks and decided to join and say hi. I'm from southern Ca, 55 years old. Grew up riding dirt bikes from around 14, rode a few street bikes for 5 years or so. Stopped riding at 25 for about 10 years, then rode a CR500 with a 12 paddle in the sand dunes for 5 years. Been away from a bike for 15 years. Recently my buddy bought a 2005 street glide and I got the bug again. I got my permit and have rented a Honda rebel 250 a few times. I take the CA safety course in a few weeks. Now I'm trying to decide what to get for a bike. My wife will populate the rear seat 10-20% of the time. Have to have something she is comfortable with. I've been eyeing a few r1200rts, I like the sport touring looks and the tech. I know my way around a toolbox so short of a clutch or engine rebuild I'll do my own maintenance. I'm concerned that I should start smaller, but the riding is coming back pretty quickly. I'd appreciate your thoughts on an r1200rt as a touring bike with 2 up, for an inexperienced rider. I consider myself a beginner at this point. Thanks! 2 Link to comment
wbw6cos Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 Welcome to the board and back to motorcycling. As you can tell, there are quite a few variations of the RT, starting with the motors but that is subject to a whole bunch of other threads. The RT is the bike I use when I ride two with my wife. It has the Sporty side when I am riding solo . but the touring aspect is when it really shines when riding two-up. I, too, did let my endorsement lapse on my DL and decided to take the MSF beginner course to get it back. The Honda Rebel I used in the course was easy and made me learn quite a lot that I had forgotten. Kudos to you for doing the class. I got back into riding on a R1200C, which I knew I could handle, but doubted I could have successfully passed the skills test on that bike at that time. Hence the MSF course. What inseam length do you have? This might make a difference when it comes to the RT. I have 30" inseam and can flat-foot my C. but not quite on the RT. I would say I am about 3/4 of the way there and find it will be enough for riiding 2-up. I have a stock seat in the low setting and can ride with it in the higher level but would rather not when the wife is with me. If you know what I mean. As far as handling on the RT, there is absoulutely no issue there for me, with or without a passenger. The bike is really nimble, so that should not be a concern. Just get used to riding it before being confident to allow an adult passenger. Just sayin' My RT is a 2019 model with the 1250 Shift Cam motor, but the chassis is still the prior years model. Guessing it is similar to '14 on up. I was told it was the exact chassis used in the '18 model year, but I cannot confirm all the similar model years that use it. Your kilometers may vary. Cheers, 2 Link to comment
TEWKS Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 Wow a CR500 with a sand paddle tire to a Rebel 250. Even with all the time that passed, you had to chuckle just a little! The RT is a great bike but if backroad (see dirt) exploration is something that’s an interest to you, check out the GS line. Welcome! Link to comment
hopz Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 Welcome to the board West_Coaster.... you have come to a good place for information as well as advice and friendship. I'm going to ramble on here- sort of a string of consciousness... It is good that you are returning via the path you are on. A great deal of the art of safe riding is having a built-in balance combined with practice, practice, practice. What I am trying to get to is that on a bike, a good bit of what you do, and mostly- are prepared to do- needs to be ingrained and instinctive. Your prior experience is probably imbedded in you, so your main task is to get it to the surface, with instruction and practice. If you have good balance, good reflexes and good judgement- you are on a good path to safe riding. If these attributes are not there it is best not to think they are..... assumption is the mother of accidents. There is a lot of action/reaction stuff that you need to be good at- without having to think about it. Taking the MSF basic course is a great way to start. A smaller lighter bike might be worth it in the learning stage but that is not an absolute. Depending on your inherent physical ability and coordination, things might go pretty easy or might need to be learned and practiced- before competence and confidence arrives so give it time and miles. The RT family his a great choice for 2-up riding but understand... they are possibly not the best choice right out of the box. (I am saying this out of concern mostly for your passenger.) Having said that, let me me also say that if you find a good RT and get some miles, and confidence, and experience under your belt it wold be a great bike for 2-up riding. They are quite different from the low center of gravity of Harleys and the lower weight of small bikes. The higher-up weight calls for some getting-used to... with a passenger... things can get top-heavy until you get experience with it... word to the wise. A good coach during the MSF phase is worth a lot. Maybe an honest chat with your instructor would be a good place to start, but... in-fact doing the MSF on an RT might be good. Keep us posted on how it goes. and a few tips: All the Gear, all the time. Link to comment
West_Coaster Posted July 30, 2020 Author Share Posted July 30, 2020 Hi again, thanks for the comments so far, really appreciate it. Not sure of my inseam, I am 6' tall ~230 lbs if that helps. I'm going to go over to the local BMW dealer and sit on a new RT and see how it fits. Not interested in a new bike, but have to imagine they are similar in height and feel over the years. Maybe after I pass the safety course I will see about a test ride on one. BTW, I plan on riding single for 3 or more months to get my chops back up and get familiar with riding before I think of having a passenger. That first ride with the wife has to be a good one lol. Also I have always been a full gear guy, on dirt bikes I was over the handlebars at least a few times a day. Lol 1 Link to comment
West_Coaster Posted July 30, 2020 Author Share Posted July 30, 2020 4 hours ago, TEWKS said: Wow a CR500 with a sand paddle tire to a Rebel 250. Even with all the time that passed, you had to chuckle just a little! The RT is a great bike but if backroad (see dirt) exploration is something that’s an interest to you, check out the GS line. Welcome! When I walked up to it, I asked the guy where the rest of it was! No Bike off roading for me, I have a dedicated off road car for that. 1 Link to comment
TEWKS Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 Ah, I was thinking this kind of CR500. Which by nature would either teach you or kill you. There’s no middle ground with a monster like that! Link to comment
West_Coaster Posted July 30, 2020 Author Share Posted July 30, 2020 4 minutes ago, TEWKS said: Ah, I was thinking this kind of CR500. Which by nature would either teach you or kill you. There’s no middle ground with a monster like that! Add 4 more paddles and that's what I rode. Except mine was a 1991. Really miss those 5th gear wheelies.... 1 Link to comment
TEWKS Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 Oh ok, so I had it mostly right. A bit of that had to hang around to help transition you to the street. Link to comment
wbw6cos Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 That is okay @West_Coaster, from what I gather, @TEWKS has been trying to lure RT riders over to the dirty side for quite sometime. 2 1 Link to comment
Indy Dave Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 The New RTw's 2014 + (wet heads) I believe do feature a lower standard seating position - and from 05-13 will have a higher standard seating position. This is separate from high and low seat position, etc. At your height, you should have no issues with the bike being too high. @Bernie can comment further about stock seat height between models in case I just made all of that up! And Welcome! Link to comment
wbw6cos Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 He is 6 foot, so he should be fine either way. Link to comment
Ken S Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 12 hours ago, West_Coaster said: I'd appreciate your thoughts on an r1200rt as a touring bike with 2 up, for an inexperienced rider. The RT is a great bike, especially for the type of riding you have in mind. That's exactly how I use mine. All the RTs are great. I had a 2013 camhead and loved it. But when I moved up to a 2018 wethead I was pleasantly surprised how much more nimble it felt. I understand your thought of being a "beginner" because of getting back into riding. But, as you say you plan to do, don't ride double until you're comfortable with the bike and your feel for it. Good luck. 2 Link to comment
Rinkydink Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 Yes, my 17RT sits lower than my 09RT did (both with RDL seats) even lower than my 04RT with a Sargent seat. I was tiptoed on that one. At 6 ft Tall I think you’d be fine but hopz is correct. It is a top heavy bike and it needs to be worked up to...especially for two-up riding. Your main concern is safety and a low seat height HD is a world of difference from a RT. With that said good passenger skill/etiquette is almost as important as rider skill. Good luck in your decision but don’t let your pride get in the way of smart decisions. Oh and welcome to the board. Link to comment
Selden Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 It sounds like you have all your bases covered. If you are set on an R bike, try as many on for size as possible. I have been told that passengers find the GS models more comfortable than the RT models because the passenger sits a little higher. The only ones I would avoid are the early R1200s, when BMW engineers decided that the final drives were made for life, and didn't include an easy way to change the FD oil supply, because it would never need changing. FD failures cured them of that idea. Among the oilheads, I prefer the 1100s to the 1150s. Five-speed transmission with better spaced gears, cable-operated clutch, and simpler ABS brake system. Since you are in southern California, the heater ducts (removed from the R1150RT) aren't really an issue. I put 65,000 trouble-free (but well-maintained) miles on a 1999 R1100RT before selling it recently at 130,000 miles. It felt like it could go for another 100,000 miles. Link to comment
dba Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 First, welcome back to motorcycling. As for RTs, they are superb bikes. I've owned two of them, a 2004 1150, (sexiest bike ever made), and a 2007 R1200. I get my R bike fix currently on a 2009 R1200 GSA and also ride a K1600 GTL. I don't know where in So Cal you are, or how far you want to travel to look, but I've had great luck at Brown's Motor Works in Pomona, (my wife's home town), Irv Sever in Orange County and BMW of Riverside. Irv Sever and Riverside are huge stores. New Century in Alhambra is very nice and I've been treated well in Temecula. The thing I like about visiting So Cal is the number of dealerships to choose from. Very good luck to you. Link to comment
RTinNC Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 Welcome ! As other have noted the RT is a great all around bike especially if you will have a passenger at times. If solo I would suggest the GS or GSA as even when used 100% ON road the handling can't be beat. But the RT is a close second and better for a passenger. I would always suggest buying the newest model year you can afford as they continually make minor tweaks that are usually a plus. Also, the pre 2014 models are taller and at 6' you may be at your max with a pre-2014. In addition the liquid cooled motor is an improvement. But most any year 1200 or 1250 RT is a great bike. Good luck and enjoy! Link to comment
West_Coaster Posted July 31, 2020 Author Share Posted July 31, 2020 What do you guys think of this bike? https://www.ebay.com/itm/2015-BMW-R1200RT/293666893352 I like this color and like that it has the updated digital display. I'm going to ask for more pics to see what options the bike has. It's about a 2 hr drive away. 1 Link to comment
TEWKS Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 If it’s not a scam, I’d jump on that! Link to comment
West_Coaster Posted July 31, 2020 Author Share Posted July 31, 2020 I sent the owner a message, let's see if he responds. 40K miles is not a problem right? Link to comment
TEWKS Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 It should breeze though another 100K without much grief. I can’t speak from personal experience on that kind of mileage but there are a few out there. Some with more I’d bet. The one scary thing with this motor is its internal alternator. If that fails, it’s kind of a big deal. Very few failures reported though! Link to comment
RTinNC Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 7 hours ago, West_Coaster said: What do you guys think of this bike? https://www.ebay.com/itm/2015-BMW-R1200RT/293666893352 I like this color and like that it has the updated digital display. I'm going to ask for more pics to see what options the bike has. It's about a 2 hr drive away. Yes ... what others have said ... sounds like a good deal for sure. Make sure you see the service records and you may want to call the Riverside dealer and chat with them about the history of the bike. But that is a sweet package with all the right stuff. Link to comment
West_Coaster Posted August 2, 2020 Author Share Posted August 2, 2020 That one is gone. Have a friend of a friend with an 08, has 20k miles. Has the tpms tire pressure light on, so I'd need to take care of that. Going to look at it later in the week. Rented the 250 Rebel again and went on a 100 mile ride. Man is that an awful bike, gutless and tiny. Link to comment
Hosstage Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 Perfect for learning! Not so great for actual riding. TPMS light is at least a minor fail, in my opinion. You can (and should) always physically check the tire pressure. A little piece of black tape solves the light issue until you get to the repair.... Link to comment
Dennis Andress Posted August 6, 2020 Share Posted August 6, 2020 If I may suggest - the dark side. This one is priced way high but it is a really nice example. Link to comment
Nobrakes Posted August 6, 2020 Share Posted August 6, 2020 Get that 1200Rt. You already know how to ride. There’ll be some subtle nuances but, nothing you can’t handle. That CR 500 is a handful, you’ll be fine on a 1200RT. As you stated, ease into it and you’ll have it mastered in less than 3 months. Mine is 2017 w/24,000 trouble free miles. It a tallish machine but the CG is down fairly low. Adjustment to 2 up riding will feel different at first. Again ease into it and be sure to ride on solid ground as foot plants are little tricky in gravel. Love my RT and it fits all my needs. Good luck and test ride one... I’m sure you’ll be comfortable with it in short order. The pro shift is awesome once you break the habit of grabbing for a clutch. The different ride modes are useful. For a “beginner” rain mode is more gentle but, I tend to keep mine in dyna (sport) mode. The bike has no quirky surprises and it’s fun! Link to comment
West_Coaster Posted August 17, 2020 Author Share Posted August 17, 2020 I completed the California motorcycle safety class this last weekend. I was surprised, I had a LOT of fun! Excellent instructors, gave very good and personalized feedback and were very organized. I felt that I got more than my moneys worth from it and definitely feel safer hitting the road. What I really appreciated was that there were a few riders not doing all that well, and they didn't pass them. Hate to see someone get hurt out there. One bummer is that the RT that my friends friend decided not to sell his bike, so now I'm back to zero searching. Over the weekend I thought about starting out with maybe a smaller less powerful bike, build up my skills and then transition to a larger bike. The over riding thought was that I should start with the bike I want to ride, start slow and get used to that bike rather than bounce around on different bikes. Partly because you need to like what you're riding, and mostly to develop a relationship with the bike and learn each others quirks and become friends lol. So now there is nothing stopping me, the search begins...... 1 Link to comment
RTinNC Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 5 hours ago, West_Coaster said: I completed the California motorcycle safety class this last weekend. I was surprised, I had a LOT of fun! Excellent instructors, gave very good and personalized feedback and were very organized. I felt that I got more than my moneys worth from it and definitely feel safer hitting the road. What I really appreciated was that there were a few riders not doing all that well, and they didn't pass them. Hate to see someone get hurt out there. One bummer is that the RT that my friends friend decided not to sell his bike, so now I'm back to zero searching. Over the weekend I thought about starting out with maybe a smaller less powerful bike, build up my skills and then transition to a larger bike. The over riding thought was that I should start with the bike I want to ride, start slow and get used to that bike rather than bounce around on different bikes. Partly because you need to like what you're riding, and mostly to develop a relationship with the bike and learn each others quirks and become friends lol. So now there is nothing stopping me, the search begins...... The 800GT is a nice bike that can do almost what a 1200RT can do. Link to comment
West_Coaster Posted August 17, 2020 Author Share Posted August 17, 2020 1 hour ago, RTinNC said: The 800GT is a nice bike that can do almost what a 1200RT can do. Thanks, but I want to stick with the boxer engine and a bit bigger of a bike for the wife's comfort. Pretty cool looking bike though. Link to comment
RTinNC Posted August 18, 2020 Share Posted August 18, 2020 1 hour ago, West_Coaster said: Thanks, but I want to stick with the boxer engine and a bit bigger of a bike for the wife's comfort. Pretty cool looking bike though. Then I am confused ... you stated Over the weekend I thought about starting out with maybe a smaller less powerful bike, build up my skills and then transition to a larger bike. The over riding thought was that I should start with the bike I want to ride, start slow and get used to that bike rather than bounce around on different bikes. Partly because you need to like what you're riding, and mostly to develop a relationship with the bike and learn each others quirks and become friends There really is no "boxer" that fills that bill. Sure maybe an R or RS but they are not less powerful and "smaller" only a bit. And the R and RS would not be much more passenger friendly than the 800GT. The only real "smaller" boxer would be an older air head but with a passenger you'd still probably be better off with the 800GT. On my way to the MOA National in Salt Lake I met a couple along the way at a truck stop off I-80. The had come from Ohio on a 800GT. Sucker was loaded for bear but they said it ran like a champ. Just sayin. Link to comment
Hosstage Posted August 18, 2020 Share Posted August 18, 2020 Then I am confused... He meant that he knew he should get a smaller bike, but decided screw it, he's getting a big bike and living on the edge! At least that's the way I took it. Link to comment
West_Coaster Posted August 18, 2020 Author Share Posted August 18, 2020 3 hours ago, Hosstage said: Then I am confused... He meant that he knew he should get a smaller bike, but decided screw it, he's getting a big bike and living on the edge! At least that's the way I took it. Bingo, mostly Not trying to live on the edge so much as to get a bike I can grow into and enjoy for years. Link to comment
West_Coaster Posted August 18, 2020 Author Share Posted August 18, 2020 Went to the BMW dealer today and sat on a new 1250RT, man that is a little bigger than the Honda CB300 I was on last weekend. I was able to flat foot it which was nice. It felt very comfortable, controls, seating position, visibility etc. There is a bit too much going on in the handlebar area, too many buttons, but I'll get used to it. The front cowl area was bigger than I imagined, seems like there is a lot of stuff up there. Guess I'm just a little nervous because this is getting real, I'm sure I'll be careful and eventually get used to it like everyone else has. It's still a lot lighter than a HD and people are able to get around on those. I think I may have found a bike, 2007 RT that's the blue I like, 20K miles and the dealer say's it's super clean, ~$6K. https://www.cycletrader.com/listing/2007-BMW-R-1200-RT-R1200RT-R1200RT-5013594584 He's sending me some additional higher resolution pics, if it's nice I'm gonna send him a deposit unless you smart folks tell me otherwise. I'll have to ship it to San Diego, $600. Link to comment
TEWKS Posted August 18, 2020 Share Posted August 18, 2020 The mileage is a plus but $6600 bucks for a 2007 is a little on the high side imo. Realize six is shipping. Offer 5K and see what happens. 1 Link to comment
9Mary7 Posted August 18, 2020 Share Posted August 18, 2020 The 2007 looks like a good deal. The 2007 has the improved abs, (no servo) and is 50 pounds lighter than that new 1250 you sat on at the dealer. It is a great bike that you will not soon grow out of, (if at all), and a mature attitude towards learning it will keep you safe. Re: price, I finally found one for myself (2011) and bought it two weeks ago. 19k miles for $7250....... had to put tires and a full service to be ready to ride again. IMO 6k for a clean low mileage '07 is not a bad price, assuming it doesn't need anything. From a dealer it shouldn't need anything. That also has the 28 liter top case which is a $600 bonus. They may be able to help you on the shipping, but dealers are running low on inventory due to the Cov and clean used bikes are getting scarce as well. Good luck with your negotiations!! 1 Link to comment
TEWKS Posted August 19, 2020 Share Posted August 19, 2020 Maybe consider something like this if you find the RT's fairing intimidating. Honest opinion, you'd get use to the RT in short time but I'm just pointing out other options. 2012 R 1200 R 1 Link to comment
hopz Posted August 19, 2020 Share Posted August 19, 2020 West... The '07 is a great choice. I was on an '07 for many years and it served me well. I know you are interested in 2-up and I can tell you my wife did thousands of miles on the rear seat of my '07. I think this is a great choice and the candidate bike looks good. At those miles- it is basically a new bike. Photo below is us on the '07... at a annual gathering of BMW people in Torry, UT. I vote- Go For it! 1 Link to comment
West_Coaster Posted August 19, 2020 Author Share Posted August 19, 2020 I guess my only hangup is buying from a remote dealer, not being able to see and ride the bike. Then there is the 3-4 weeks of agonizing waiting for it to show up. For some reason there are no RTs locally for sale, while there were a few a month ago. Not sure if I should wait a bit where I can test ride it. I do like that the one I posted has had the rear shock changed to a non esa one, and the dealer claims it has a Sargents seat, though it looks stock to me. I know if this was a car, there would be no way I'd consider buying sight unseen. Thanks for being my sounding board. Definitely have some butterflies in the belly. Link to comment
West_Coaster Posted August 19, 2020 Author Share Posted August 19, 2020 This one is about 45 minutes away. I passed it by because of the mileage, but its setup nicely and I could go see it. https://www.cycletrader.com/listing/2012-BMW-R-1200-RT-5013317014 Link to comment
TEWKS Posted August 19, 2020 Share Posted August 19, 2020 If you could negotiate this one down a grand you'd be in the ballpark of the one noted above, with less miles. And, a fly and ride would get you up to speed on the RT! Link to comment
Oldrider51 Posted August 19, 2020 Share Posted August 19, 2020 Looks good, mileage is only 6862.5 miles per year for 8 years old, so not high miles for the model year. Ask for all maintenance records, check the VIN for any recalls and be sure that they have been completed. Also it appears to be an individual so maybe price is negotiable. It close so maybe a good one to go look at. Link to comment
9Mary7 Posted August 19, 2020 Share Posted August 19, 2020 I'd go look at the close 2012 blue one..... so you can sit on and know what you're lookin at. I agree with 041100S on the mileage not being an issue with full maintenance records....... plus it's a camhead which are the best of the oil cooled RT's....... (though I would've bought a 07-09 hexhead in a heartbeat if I had found one as clean as the camhead I found.) It's nice to have options!!! Link to comment
West_Coaster Posted August 20, 2020 Author Share Posted August 20, 2020 Talked to the owner of the 2012, super nice guy. Bike has excellent maintenance with records and spreadsheets, he does oil changes and has BMW do the major services. He says he'll go down to $6,200 which I think is fair considering it has some cool extras like the seat, lights and highway pegs. I'll try 60 crisp $100's first. I think it will have 55K worth of rock chips, but I suspect I'll probably add a few "marks" on it as I get used to it. Kinda excited and a bit nervous, pretty cool. Any things I should be looking for when I go look at it? Link to comment
Sonor Posted August 21, 2020 Share Posted August 21, 2020 Not sure about the 2010 and newer models, but historically the earlier models have saddles you will want to replace or get rebuilt. I swear by Russell Day Long saddles, they provide painless long rides. Link to comment
9Mary7 Posted August 21, 2020 Share Posted August 21, 2020 The one he's lookin at has RDL seats on it............ Link to comment
9Mary7 Posted August 22, 2020 Share Posted August 22, 2020 And of course we'll need an update once you check it out!!! Link to comment
West_Coaster Posted August 23, 2020 Author Share Posted August 23, 2020 Update posted in Camhead section. Link to comment
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