BMW R1200RT/R1250RT Forum

Just a bit of Sunday fun, but what are the things about the marvellous RT LC (it is a brilliant bike) that annoy you. Those stupid things that indicate the design boys and girls in Bavaria clocked off early that day.
Mine are:
Sat nav not part of the central locking (rectified by shelling out for the excellent Oldtimers kit).

No second lockable cubby unless you buy the very expensive (and pointless imho) radio option.

Side stand seems slightly long to me.  It can catch on the swing through, fooling the distracted and unwary (i.e. me) into thinking it was down.  On the upside I found the value of cylinder head guards and those sticky rubber strips on the bottom of the pannier.  Is it me or does the bike sit just a little bit too upright for comfort?

Reflections from the silver yoke obscuring the lower part of the instrument panel (rectified by sticking black insulation tape all over it - looks bad on such an expensive bike).

No USB charging point.

We must be due a new model soon and maybe someone in the Motorrad mothership may see this.
No fighting please, just a bit of fun

Very poor design of upper forward panels attaching tabs
No locking of nav unit( solved with 05 cent sheet metal screw)
Plank BMW calls a seat

My 2 top of the list annoyances are :


1) Digital speed only in MPH not able to change to Km when heading for European trips. Yes I know I can use SatNav but its not as clear.
2) Auto retract screen. When I want to wash the bike I hate having to have the ignition On for screen to be fully up. Just Stupid.


Both these really annoy me because they would both be so simple to fix. A couple of lines of computer code and a menu item would do the trick. The inability to change from MPH to KM for a TOURING bike is just stupid.


Agree with you on front storage. Premium brand penny pinching !

T6pilot wrote: Very poor design of upper forward panels attaching tabs
No locking of nav unit( solved with 05 cent sheet metal screw)
Plank BMW calls a seat

I have to agree on the seat, on an hours test drive it was fine. However, when you're on the bike for 6 hours it's not so good. Which for a long distance tourer it should be.
The GS seat was better for me because you could set the front and back to different heights which meant minimal sliding forwards on braking.

Only had my 1250Rt a couple of weeks but already miss the cavernous rider storage of my R1100RT
I've ordered a SW Motech Evo daybag (Tankbag) for easy access storage on the move

Poor service from some dealers
Standard screen poor (replaced with Wunderlich, much better)
Non lockable sat nav
No right hand storage locker ( just ordered parts to covert)
Difficult access to air filter



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I'm wondering if the boffins have corrected my pet peeves about my 2005 RT.  It appears that they've raised the fairing profile so that the wind isn't laughing up your sleeve, but have they changed the mirrors to something actually safe and useful?


Also, I hate the signaling system.  Chief peeve:  it doesn't have an angle sensor to auto turn off the signal after the turn is completed.  It can give false impressions to drivers ahead and is very dangerous should you forget to manually cancel.  Nearly every other vehicle on the road has this.  Also, I much prefer having the whole system under my left thumb along with the horn button.  I hate the two-sided system;  very awkward, and the horn and cancel buttons are shallow, so you have to feel around for them and requires an unnatural lateral pressure of the thumb.  I sometimes hit the horn button when trying to signal left. 


I, too, feel the riding position for long hauls is too upright for some aging lower backs (Sit up straight, son!), and feel that they'd do well with a button in the electronic suspension to lower the bike for those of us with challenged inseams.  I almost didn't buy the bike because of this (Hint:  pop the return springs on the front pegs to fold them up when backing up - your feet go straight down for max flat-footing and you don't bark your shins on the pegs).


The back of the stock seat's seam is uncomfortable on long trips, too.

jackronner wrote:Also, I hate the signaling system.  Chief peeve:  it doesn't have an angle sensor to auto turn off the signal after the turn is completed.  It can give false impressions to drivers ahead and is very dangerous should you forget to manually cancel.  Nearly every other vehicle on the road has this.  Also, I much prefer having the whole system under my left thumb along with the horn button.  I hate the two-sided system;  very awkward, and the horn and cancel buttons are shallow, so you have to feel around for them and requires an unnatural lateral pressure of the thumb.  I sometimes hit the horn button when trying to signal left. 

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

Sprintgull wrote: what are the things about the marvellous RT LC (it is a brilliant bike) that annoy you.

Well, the suspension needs to be more supple - like my marvelous 1150RT is.
It needs to not wear out tyres at the rate it does. (ridden much more gently than my 1150, it consumes tyres at a faster rate). I don't mind yomping through tyres when I am giving it 'the beans'.
The seat needs sorting.
Adjustable handlebars would be great.
LED lighting.
Less complicated panel fixing system
Less fragile panels
A better balance point when the bike is on the centre stand. (I love on my 1150, that I can get it to sit with either the front wheel or the rear wheel on the ground). It makes washing the wheels a breeze.
Better corrosion resistance on the known culprits (final drive and crankcases).
Auxilliary power sockets than can handle a rider and pillion's heated clothing.
Lockable Sat Nav
Longer lever arm on dip switch.
There are SO many things to be honest!

Getting to the air filter, front fender does not extend far enough to save THE ENGINE from road debris, skinny grips, right compartment won't fit nor play music from my iPhone Xs.

Kunkies +1

Hideously expensive (although nice) top box that won't take a System 7 helmet.

It spends too much time in the garage!

I,m 5-11 the standard screen is definately not a touring screen , the seat i agree should be a lot better on a 16/17 thousand pound motorcycle apart from that i,m ok. 

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!