BMW R1200RT/R1250RT Forum

Nice day today so I popped up to Bahnstormers in Maidenhead for coffee and a peek at some bikes, amongst them was the latest version of the K1600, it now has the gearshift  assist and a reverse gear, just what it needed but still a heavyweight, for me, at any rate.

blokeonthemove wrote: Nice day today so I popped up to Bahnstormers in Maidenhead for coffee and a peek at some bikes, amongst them was the latest version of the K1600, it now has the gearshift  assist and a reverse gear, just what it needed but still a heavyweight, for me, at any rate.

Did you take it out though? I did and the engine is phenominal  :beee: I traded in the R1200RT LC and bought a K1600GT Sport, picking it up this week. I just couldn't get to love the gearbox on the RT and the dealer said it was standard. Also the engine on the 1600 is intoxicating and I didn't have an issue with the weight. The reverse gear wil be very welcome after a year apaddling the RT backwards out of the garage  :alas:

Now I have had to register on the other forum!

And one of the main reasons I changed from a K1600 to the RT was the terrible transmission lash at low speed and a clang with every gear change.  Maybe they have sorted it.  I agree about the engine though, can't be beaten.

I switched from a 1600 to a RT because the 200 pounds weight saving made low speed handling pleasant

RTman10 wrote: And one of the main reasons I changed from a K1600 to the RT was the terrible transmission lash at low speed and a clang with every gear change.  Maybe they have sorted it.  I agree about the engine though, can't be beaten.

The gearbox with quick shifter was a delight to use and very smooth on the demonstrator I rode, I could select 1st gear with startling drivers in the queue beside me!

T6pilot wrote: I switched from a 1600 to a RT because the 200 pounds weight saving made low speed handling pleasant

Each to their own and I understand your reasoning, however the reverse gear is genius (albeit copied from Honda) and works very well making manoeuvreing easy. I even tried feet up low speed U turns with no problem.


I accept a 3 hour test ride is not the same as living with a bike so time will tell if I have made a good choice,

jimmer137 wrote:
The gearbox with quick shifter was a delight to use and very smooth on the demonstrator I rode, I could select 1st gear with startling drivers in the queue beside me!

I have a suspicion that the issue with the GSAP shifter isn't bike-specific, it's year-specific.  If you read the threads across a variety of BMW owner forums there is a common theme of people swapping 13/14/15 bikes for 16/17 bikes and seeing a noticeable improvement - where or not it's the same bike.


In my case I swapped a 14 RT, where I thought the GSAP was good, for a 17 GS, where it's fabulous...

Test rode a 17 RT whilst mine was in for service and the gearbox is a vast improvement over my 14, Gear shift pro works seamlessly from 1st and no clunk getting into 1st. Not enough thought to make me change as the rest of the bike felt the same  8)

jimmer137 wrote:
Each to their own and I understand your reasoning, however the reverse gear is genius (albeit copied from Honda) and works very well making manoeuvreing easy. I even tried feet up low speed U turns with no problem.


I accept a 3 hour test ride is not the same as living with a bike so time will tell if I have made a good choice,

Be interested no know which Honda the reverse is copied from?.

The Gold Wing GL1800 has had it for many years.

BMW had had reverse before going back 17 years to the K1200LT.  TheY could have just dug it out from under the bench.

RTman10 wrote: BMW had had reverse before going back 17 years to the K1200LT.  TheY could have just dug it out from under the bench.

Bugger, you just stole my thunder there. I was all ready to come back with "my 1999 K1200LT had a reversing system (not really a reverse gear). Not sure if the Honda version appeared with the launch of thr 1800 Wing or is the 1500 and 1200 also had it ?.

Gear or not , when you pressed the button it went smoothly backwards. Haven't bothered to look how the current system works and wouldn't want to discuss it on this proper Motorcycle forum. 


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Fair enough, end of chat.

I also noticed, when it was pointed out to me, that you could easily pull away gently on no throttle, probably not as lean a mixture on idle as the earlier model.