12 RT Newbie

[Alf170]

Picked up new 12RTLE with toys last 10 days ago, first service last Wednesday and off to Scotland tomorrow.  Changed over from a string of BMWs,GSs and finally K12S. Loving the poise, handling and engine and first time in life having to read the festering manual! I have the audio system as good good deal on bike but having scoured the Forum, i'm left with a sore head thinking  about BT. 


I think i've finally got my head around most of it but one final piece of the jigsaw to fill in.  If i have anything other than BMW BT only i can listen to the audio, sat nav and pillion. Pillion can listen to me but nothing else, which would be incredibly dull, or at least my wife might think so. But, if i turn on the BT on the iPod touch and connect it direct to her BT set, can i listen to the tunes through the audio system which will use its own BT system and wife listens iPod direct using its own BT.  Have i got that right or am i getting all my BTs mixed up?

[BMjoe64]

Hi Alf, enjoy scotland on the RT. Can't help on audio cos I ain't got it on mine.

[guest2360]

I had the system on 1600Ks.  My first job on both of them was to switch off the BT in the audio system and connect an Autocom to it.  That way you and your pillion will hear everything, radio, whatever you plugs in the  USB port and the GPS. The best way  to use your own music in it is to load a USB card up with MP3 and just plug it in. The bike will do the rest. You also get full control of the volume to everything with the wheel.  No Bluetooth system will do that.  The Alpine unit is a high class bit of kit and by wiring an Autocom to it you get the best out if it.  The BMW Bluetooth kit is expensive and flawed with no auto mute function and no way of connecting the GPS to the pillion.  A complete Autocom system for 2 costs £269.00 with another £40.00 for the connection cable to the audio unit.  Far less expensive than BT.

[Alf170]

Thanks for the replies. I took an old autocom unit off the K12 so presumably I can just get a cable and get someone to plug it to the canbus and the audio unit. Presumably I don't need BT for autocom? Also I have a Zumo 660. How does that fit into autocom? Or do I need a BT for autocom to get the feed?

[guest2360]

Your old Autocom should work fine and no you don't need any Bluetooth dongle unless you want to connect your phone for auto answering. The 660 works Ok in the cradle and the prompts will work. I would suggest you find a dealer who sells Autocom as there are some out there who will tell you it can't be done. They are of course trying to get you to spend £1000 plus on the BMW Bluetooth kit. You should be able to get it done for about `an hours labour.

[richardbd]

Whereabout are you Alf?


I had my Autocom fitted by Bahnstormers in Alton.  Top blokes.


On the other hand, Vines in Guildford said it couldn't be done...

[Alf170]

Yorkshire so will start looking around.  No intention of buying BMW BT, just so expensive with other options available. 

[richardbd]

Yorkshire so will start looking around.  No intention of buying BMW BT, just so expensive with other options available.

Understood re the price.  I haven't come across another BT set-up yet (or heard of anybody that has) that properly integrates with the RT's audio and Nav5.  The Autocom does work perfectly though.  I have both on my RT and regularly switch between them.


Good luck...

[guest2360]

Depending where in Yorkshire you could try Pidcock's in Long Eaton.  They were the first to connect Autocom to the Alpine unit and supplied Autocom with the fitting details.

[Maz12]

Alan Jefferies fitted mine,  not sure how much they charge as I got it all done when I got the new bike,
They did a neat job and know their stuff...  They're in Shipley

[David.]

AJ's wanted £200 to fit an Autocom & Sat. Nav. to my 2012 RT, did it myself.

Barrie Robson BMW in York originally supplied both the Autocom & Sat. Nav, they also assisted me in fitting it to my 2010 Bike.

[guest2360]

AJ's wanted £200 to fit an Autocom & Sat. Nav. to my 2012 RT, did it myself.
Barrie Robson BMW in York originally supplied both the Autocom & Sat. Nav, they also assisted me in fitting it to my 2010 Bike.

There's a lot if difference to fitting an Autocom and GPS to a pre 2014 and a LC. On the LC its purely power and easily accessible audio connection under the pillion seat. No GPS work at all. Should take no more than an hour.  ,Pre 2014 its a good 20 minutes to fit the GPS bracket and power lead and if you have the radio fitted that has to taken out or the speakers uncovered to wire in the Autocom

[David.]

Cooper BMW Sunderland charge £78.00 + VAT per hour, that's £93.60.

[guest3091]

Hey Alf;  I think you have it figured out pretty well.  I've had my R1200RT for almost a year and obsessed (for a while) over the entire communications setup.  I have a Schubert C3 with a SENA BT system.  I can BT to the bike and get all audio (AM/FM, satellite, Aux, and navigation from the Garmin BMW Motorrad Nav V that came with the bike).  I can also intercom with my pillion wife and other bikes with the SENA system.  I can BT to my iPhone and make calls or talk to Siri if I wanted.


My rider on the other hand cannot BT with the bike (like you said... only with the proprietary Schuberth BMW setup).  My wife can BT with her iPhone and listen to tunes or make calls.  When I intercom her, or she intercoms me the music fades out and the intercom has priority until it is cancelled.  Works fine.


I know it sounds complicated and it took a while and some trial and error to figure it out, but in the end it seems to function okay with only a few drops every now and then. 


We don't use the phone and I don't need to use a thumb drive for music.  I really only listen to music on short rides into town as the highway noise is too loud. So, the features I do use work well.  I think you can get it going with no problems. 


Good Luck.