BMW R1200RT/R1250RT Forum

blastfurnace wrote: I have been thinking about getting either a 2007 or a 2010 R1200RT for touring with my wife, both day trips and longer trips.  I currently have a Sertao and the only other bike I have even owned is a KLR.  I do a lot of gravel road riding on the Sertao, but as I get older I am less interested in technical off road riding and my wife has no interest in being off road. 
My big questions have to do with the pros and cons of each year.  They are similar except the 2010 has the radio and a corbin seat.  The 2007 has 61,000 miles and the 2010 has 41,000.  There is about $4,000 difference in price of the two.
Also, their are other sport tourers: ST1300, [size=2px]FJ1300 and Concourse.  What sets this bike apart?[/size]
[size=2px]
[/size]
[size=2px]Thanks for entertaining these newbie questions.[/size]

blastfurnace wrote: I also found a nice 2013, but it has all the bells and whisltes, lower miles (20,000) and higher pricetag ($12,00). Are all the bells and whistles worth it (especially all the radio/communications stuff?)

blastfurnace wrote: I don't much care about the radio either. This bike does not have ASC. I know it can be added, but I'm not sure what it brings to the party. It is worth adding on?
Test rode the bike yesterday and it is amazing the difference between it and my Sertao. So much...more...of reverything. Power, control, braking, refinement...

Boxflyer wrote: The 2 BIG items that would make the 2010 model more desireable for me are the routine maintenance on the valve adjustments and the final drive unit upgrade.
The twin cam valves (2010-2013 RT) are adjusted by determining the clearance and inserting the proper hemispherical spacer part from BMW. They are very stable and some have reported high miles before needing to actually change the shims. (some as high as 50,000mi)
The standard hex head (2005-2009 RT) valve adjustment with a little locking nut on a screw shaft that must be turned to get the correct clearance, then fiddled with while locking the little nut...which always seems to change the setting you just thought was perfect! Granted, there are no parts to buy/exchange with the valve service, but the hex head series of boxer engines more than likely will need some adjustment at the 6,000mi service interval.
The second model change was with the final drive.
On RT final drives on the hex heads (05-09) the FD "big bearing" is placed in the housing on the flange side of the bevel gears and is not running in the 75W90 gear oil. It's only protection against water intrusion/contamination which leads to it's failure is a small O-ring on the splined shaft and the low friction seals which are part of the bearing itself. I had a "big bearing" failure on my 08 RT and rebuilt the FD myself to replace this bearing...still the same basic weakness in the system.
Starting in 2010 up to present .....

gogs01 wrote: This looks to be correct, but written in 2013, before the engine / gearbox / final drive all changed.
I you want the best R1200RT, buy a 2017 SE with dynamic packl ! ;D