Annoying things about the R1200/1250RT LC - what are yours?

[gogs01]

You must be joking! I've spent years on £1,000 bikes, strapped together with cable ties and gaffer tape. If I find a gripe with this bike, I know I've become too comfortable in old age!

I've had lots of good bikes over the years and, although I feel I should really be getting something lighter and easier to handle (and cheaper would be nice .....),  I will persist with the RT because it's absolutely brilliant and definitely the best bike I've ever had.


When the 1250 RT comes with a secure Navigator and a TFT dash I'm going to be sorely tempted.  That could be the end of the pension fund .....

[Casbar]

You must be joking! I've spent years on £1,000 bikes, strapped together with cable ties and gaffer tape. If I find a gripe with this bike, I know I've become too comfortable in old age!

Lol - Bit like I feel, I can understand the things people raise, but I'm more in the its a motorcycle camp and as long as its comfortable to ride and doesn't break down, I'm generally ok. I'm also one of the very few, that doesn't have an issue with the saddle, I can do 600 mile days with no discomfort. But I think that is mainly because I ride a lot, all year around, so am probably bike fit and my butt is used to being in different saddles

[jackronner]

This is pretty much fixed on the later bikes a "Normal" indicator switch and self cancelling after a certain distance

By "normal" d'you mean all controls are on one side?  The 2005 is self-cancelling, but usually about 13 flashes down the road, plenty of time to fatally fool drivers ahead if you've forgotten to manually cancel.  I mean does it cancel immediately upon completion of a turn?

[jackronner]

Lol - Bit like I feel, I can understand the things people raise, but I'm more in the its a motorcycle camp and as long as its comfortable to ride and doesn't break down, I'm generally ok. I'm also one of the very few, that doesn't have an issue with the saddle, I can do 600 mile days with no discomfort. But I think that is mainly because I ride a lot, all year around, so am probably bike fit and my butt is used to being in different saddles

Messrs. Cabbage and Casbar (sounds like a solicitors firm, that)  I agree.  Spent more on major interval tune-up than for most bikes I've ever owned!  Also, I find the seat cushier than most I've had, and did 10k miles last summer without a bum-mer complaint from the nether regions.  I do feel that the blokes who designed this tourer don't tour themselves.  I reference the terrible mirrors and wind-up-the-sleeve fairing.  Oh, also the lack of attachment points for bungees 

[PeteM]

By "normal" d'you mean all controls are on one side?  The 2005 is self-cancelling, but usually about 13 flashes down the road, plenty of time to fatally fool drivers ahead if you've forgotten to manually cancel.  I mean does it cancel immediately upon completion of a turn?

Yes, indicators both on left, same style as you would find on a Honda


On my 2012 they cancelled after 200 meters, on my 1250 the distance varies according to speed

[bandytales]

I do feel that the blokes who designed this tourer don't tour themselves.  I reference the terrible mirrors and wind-up-the-sleeve fairing.  Oh, also the lack of attachment points for bungees

Jackrunner, which year of RT are you talking about here? My Wethead doesn't direct wind up my sleeves. It has deflectors that prevent this. In fact, it would be an interesting experiment to make these adjustable to help manage the air differently in varying weather conditions!  The mirrors are fine on the Wethead for me. Also bungee points, I use the grab rail to bungee strap to.

[jackronner]

Per my suggestion, model/year are now posted under the member's name, but mine is a 2005.  Just eye-balling later models led me to think they'd addressed this problem, which you say they have.  I just cut some stiff plastic and screwed them on to the mirrors.  Of course, I didn't know the mirrors were "pop off" in designed, so in a bad cross-wind I lost both mirrors within 100 yds!  Another screw fixes the problem, and they work a treat.  I use the hand rails for bungees too, but it would be nice to have some options.  On past bikes, I'd drilled the trunk and added two large eye bolts nigh up.  Much easier than digging around under a large load to remove the bungee hooks.  But the construction of the BMW box seems a little too delicate for this, even with adding a couple of big, flat washers to distribute the stress on the trunk wall.

[Jack_the_Lad]

I second every item on Bandytales' list, and would add:
• Better storage for small items - it's a huge bike, yet so little space to stash things
• Better controls for the GPS.  The GSA is outstanding in this respect; relatively speaking the RT an utter disgrace.  The RT interface wastes most of the GPS's capabilities because it is SO cumbersome, requiring the magic wheel AND the menu system.  This one item is my biggest disappointment with the RT.  I'm totally unimpressed.

• Better controls for things on the electronic menu generally - having to scroll through various screens to change handgrip or seat heating (along with a host of other things) is not only ridiculous but downright dangerous.
•  A motorcycle this expensive should not be able to benefit from after market shocks.  I'll be changing front and back via Ted Porter just as soon as I can kick the piggy bank into submission.     

[Jack_the_Lad]

You must be joking! I've spent years on £1,000 bikes, strapped together with cable ties and gaffer tape. If I find a gripe with this bike, I know I've become too comfortable in old age!

With all due respect you, that is perhaps the entire point.  The RT is a not an Econo-bike but a premium bike, at a premium price, from a respected German marque which prides itself on being as close to perfection as possible.  For the money, there are a lot of areas which fall short of expectations mostly in terms of ergonomics, especially compared to RTs of just a generation or two ago. My old R1150RT would is down on power compared to the R1200RT, and the 12 has a lot more gadgets and gizmos & handles better with more power.  I had a 4-cyclinder K100RT bought new in '86 and while the current RT twin is a big improvement over that four-pot, there is no quantum leap as there is between my car in 1987 and my car in 2018.
You spend north of $20,000 on a bike, and the first thing you have to do is buy a decent seat!  In my car, which I've driven for 130,000 miles trouble free miles, I've added a phone holder for $17.

Luckily for BMW, we are easily swayed and we all like shiny & new...

[MrCabbage]

With all due respect you, that is perhaps the entire point.  The RT is a not an Econo-bike but a premium bike, at a premium price, from a respected German marque which prides itself on being as close to perfection as possible.

I can totally understand that point of view for many owners, particularly those who have had previous models. But, for me, this bike is the culmination of working hard and saving hard. I don't want the bike to be like my car; I want a more visceral experience. I don't care about any foibles or ergonomic issues. Yesterday, I took my bike to Wales for the day, raced down the M4 doing a ton first thing in the morning (though the speedo was definitely indicating 70 officer!). Chased some leather boys on their Ducatis around the Brecon Beacons (they don't like being beaten by a fat bloke on a tourer!) and then cruised home across the Cotswolds. 270 miles in less than 5 hours. All the time saying to myself "What a machine!".


This bike will never disappoint me.

[Casbar]

I can totally understand that point of view for many owners, particularly those who have had previous models. But, for me, this bike is the culmination of working hard and saving hard. I don't want the bike to be like my car; I want a more visceral experience. I don't care about any foibles or ergonomic issues. Yesterday, I took my bike to Wales for the day, raced down the M4 doing a ton first thing in the morning (though the speedo was definitely indicating 70 officer!). Chased some leather boys on their Ducatis around the Brecon Beacons (they don't like being beaten by a fat bloke on a tourer!) and then cruised home across the Cotswolds. 270 miles in less than 5 hours. All the time saying to myself "What a machine!".


This bike will never disappoint me.

Sounds like you had a good day and I agree with you. I have covered over 20k miles on a 2014 RT and now have done a miserable 2k miles on my new 1250. Haven't had to change the seat yet, obviously I'm one of the lucky people that doesn't have a problem with the standard seat.

[Jack_the_Lad]

I can totally understand that point of view for many owners, particularly those who have had previous models. But, for me, this bike is the culmination of working hard and saving hard. I don't want the bike to be like my car; I want a more visceral experience. I don't care about any foibles or ergonomic issues. Yesterday, I took my bike to Wales for the day, raced down the M4 doing a ton first thing in the morning (though the speedo was definitely indicating 70 officer!). Chased some leather boys on their Ducatis around the Brecon Beacons (they don't like being beaten by a fat bloke on a tourer!) and then cruised home across the Cotswolds. 270 miles in less than 5 hours. All the time saying to myself "What a machine!".


This bike will never disappoint me.

The Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde problem!  Mostly I love it, but there are certain things the really tick me off.


Despite my whines and complaints, this is still one of the best bikes I've ever had and I enjoy it very much.  It does all you say, and more!


But it IS a lot of money - you say "for me, this bike is the culmination of working hard and saving hard" - and it could so easily cross the line from really good to spectacular, and that boundary consists of mostly nitpicks that they should have got right in the first place.

[pockomoth]

Really only two.  the RT still vibrates too much for a touring model.  I’m the only one here with that particular complaint, but after long days my feet and hands have had enough of it.  The second: the transmission is clunky.  I’m used to a smooth snicking transmission, this has been usual with all 15 of my Beemers, this one with the Pro Assist has to be handled very lightly to get it to snick rather than clunk into gear.


I’ve changed a few things like the seat and the windscreen, but when one asks for annoying things, one has to think about things that you are just going to have to live with: things that can be improved upon aren’t annoying, because we have a way to improve them with some work or money.

[ds99]

2007 RT


- the indicator switch layout
- the location of the horn button (ie impossible to reach quickly)
- the crap mirrors
- the "clunk" into 1st gear
- the expensive servicing costs

[sup909]

No right hand storage locker ( just ordered parts to covert)

Gotta link for that? I would be curious to se that.