BMW R1200RT/R1250RT Forum

Hi. Well I took the plunge and bought a new RT less than two weeks ago.
It's been eventful.
The bike is brilliant. I tried a Trophy twice and rode it and the Beemer back to back but there was little comparison. The BMW was lighter, quicker, more comfortable and with better controls. More "together".
I shopped around a bit and got what I think, for BMW bike dealers, was a good deal on a Triumph Tiger Sport trade in. Thank you Ian Witterick at SBW Motorrad in Welwyn Garden City. Very business-like and bike delivered in a week.
The bike was 5 days old when a car drove into me (first collision since 1978). I didn't fall off but the cylinder head and pannier got gauged and scratched. My leg, fortunately, untouched. The bike is driveable and the damage only cosmetic. I left the car driver at the side of the road with his headlight gone and wing caved in, trying to pull it off his tyre.
The usual beefs. Why are accessories sooo expensive? Navigator V GPS at £615 when it's really a £315 Zumo? And the BMW topbox at £800 and upwards?
I've already pored over the forum. The bike has the nice fend a extenda from Nippy Normans that you just bolt on. The alternatives seem to involve taking the mudguard off, which involves taking the wheel off which means taking the calipers off....
It's got a Givi topbox on now which looks great. That and the fitting kit came from Italy in 6 days and saved me a lot.
Protective film for the panniers goes on today. The first service is done. Time for some miles.

Thank you stelyn.
I wasn't fussed about the color. And aren't they are all optional extras anyway? Difficult to see how you can charge extra for every color available. Perhaps BMW do a basic model at list price unpainted.
Here are two photos. The first when I got it home. Pristine Callisto Grey. The second after the collision. Yes, that is car headlight embedded in the cylinder head.

Hi Crater sorry to here your misfortune a bit of a bummer. What top box did you go for and is it a straight fit or extras to be purchased to fit? I to have a Calisto Grey I would be heart broken if it was damaged. I like you and Stelyn left Triumph (3 tigers) I still miss the triple, but a Bavarian twin will do.

Hi Spencer.
I see you are near Bourges. I'm near Stansted Airport if you are ever travelling this way.
I saw a picture of this Givi topbox on gser.com (thank you Rong of Norfolk). It's a V47 NN Tech. I got the R1200RT lc fitting kit. All from Italy (significantly cheaper than the UK) and delivered, as promised, in 6 days.
Givi instructions are useless but the fit was easy. It took me about an hour. Basically you take the BMW carrier off to fit a few plates and then put it back on to finally fit the Givi plate. You need Torx sockets and screw drivers and some Allen keys.
It looks OK. Certainly better than the expensive thing the size of a caravan that the dealer offered.
I've put a bit of carbon fibre trim on the bike to match the box (well I think it looks tasteful).
I've got a R1200RT badge off eBay that I thought I would try and attach too.....

Hi Crater, Sod's law would have it that I just spent the best part of 2 yrs commuting Stansted - Limoges nearly every weekend as I was first working on the new American Embassy London and then Sizewell A in Saxmundham Sussex. On sabbatical now after Prostate surgery can't go near my bike for a few months, bummer. Good to know a friendly face in a unfamiliar area. If you are ever my way drop me a PM.

Welcome etc, I considered the Triumph (liked the service intervals better!) But before I rode one I tried the RT and lost interest in everything else. FJR was a contender except for the pannier/top box issue. The RT just doesn't ride like a big/heavy bike and after doing Stelvio on the Bandit 600 last September I wanted something I would feel confident riding no matter what the journey brings.

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Welcome Crater. It's a bummer having your new toy damaged but it's only a machine at the end of the day, and can be fixed! Re the cost of accessories, if you shop around some dealers will give you 20% discount of your satnav, although it's still very expensive just so you can twiddle around with your handlebar control! Incidentally, the old 49l topbox fits the RT LC so you can pick up a used one for around £300 if ever you need to change the givi.