BMW R1200RT/R1250RT Forum

Whilst riding early hours, for several high speed motorway hours, on a very cold morning - full beam on, front seat on, pillion had seat on max setting, grips on max - I noticed left hand grip was not quite as hot as the right. When I turned riders seat off it seemed to balance out. Has anyone noticed this? Or could account for it? ::)

No, what bike? If the can bus was limiting power, then it normally switches an item off.

R1200RT TC 2010

Mike wrote: R1200RT TC 2010

I'm sure someone more knowledgable will be along shortly, I have an LC but do ride a 2010 RTP, but that doesn't have heated seats

Never heard that one before.  Could it be your brain and not the bike.  If it was low power you would expect the canbus to switch off both.  Try with different heat settings on the seat . But the right one normally does feel a bit cooler as you move your hand more with the twist grip which also has an effect on it.

Will try that. It might have been me. Long ferry crossing - then towards the end of a six hour push for home.

Mike wrote:R1200RT TC 2010

Does the bike have cruise control.

Yep. Cruise, ESA it's SE model.

Could you be gripping the throttle grip more tightly than the clutch side.

I'm convinced that my right grip is consistently warmer than the left after 20 mins or so.  Will rig up a temp monitors to confirm (because I'm a nerd).

DaygloDavid wrote: Could you be gripping the throttle grip more tightly than the clutch side.

I reckon this is more common than we think...

I think you'll find it's  because the r/h grip rubber is thinner as it has the throttle sleeve inside

I'm tempted to go with smiley miley - had the same problem on my last bike (dullville) and ended up rewiring the whole shebang to see if it cured the problem and nope was the answer - ended up putting it down to the thinner rubber - got the RT (2010SE) about 6 months ago and the same issue - didn't bother with the rewire and just live with it.

It's a common BMW 'feature' !   I've experienced the same on several RTs.


Left grip is mounted onto the bars, which act as a big heat sink. Right grip is spaced off the bars by the twistgrip tube, so doesn't lose heat and hence feels hotter.


I think it's 'normal' and doesn't suggest any fault.

Smiley miley has hit the nail on the head! It's now just a BMW trait, my last three Hondas did the same.