Purchased a 2011 RT earlier this year (previously had GS) . Really like the bike comfortable great for solo sport touring . Absolutely no complaints. Great value . Well maintained and optioned. My dilemma is that I would like to do a few longer trips with my wife as a passenger. She is a rider herself but would like to be a passenger this time. We are planning a weeklong trip next month to visit friends is SC coming from Ontario Canada.
I want her to have a comfortable ride as a passenger and also for myself.
I have the opportunity to trade my 2011 (with 60km) for a lower mileage (47kms) 2019. I am looking at a significant cash difference of probably $8k.
My question is …should I upgrade to the more refined newer model for the 2 or 3 trips that I will probably do with my wife or keep the 2011 which is still a great bike with many miles left ? Is the 2019 that much better ? (Ie . Suspension, power)
Just to clarify: I see good and bad points in both bikes. If you are comfortable riding any of them, and happy with riding any of them, consider other necessities from your partner, comfort of both of you, availability of servicing, cost of servicing, re-sale value, size for parking and manual handling.
Even if you don't write it all down to pros/cons list, it makes you both more involved in riding, when you make such decisions as a couple. And for me, my partner is much more happier riding with me, as she knows she was involved in bike choice, purchase and accessorising. We saved a bit on buying 2015 bike with all the extras, and already spent the "saved" funds (compared to newer bike) on one nice holidays together. And 8 grand would make for extremely nice holiday and plenty of weekend trips to see the sights, visit family, friends and places of interest.
I wish you all the best, whatever you decide. And I wish you extra happy and comfortable pillion.
If your moving from a 1200 to a 1250 then yes, make the move, your $8k is Canadian, so that just over £4k in GBP fr a 8 year newer bike with a better engine and lower miles -- go for it, I think some may not have noticed your from Canada
Pretend the 2011 needs a new clutch and you're going to pay a dealer to change it
That 8K becomes a lot cheaper
Man maths
The only way you can decide is by taking it for a test ride on your own and then with the wife and no one can make the decision for you as its each to their own!
The 1250 is a far superior engine performance wise. I have the 1250 but the 2022 model and found the suspension to be smoother than my previous 2016LC model ( even in dynamic mode)
Taking a 1300 out for a test ride in a couple of weeks
Yes, I had a 2011 R1200RT and moved to a 2015 R1200RT.
Benefits: A display you can actually see in sunlight
Digital cruise control unlike the analog on the older RT's. Your can see the cruise at 5mph in 1st gear and it will hold the speed with zero surging if interested.
Wet clutch translates to smoother engagements and long life.
Water cooled vs. oil cooled - valves will stay in adjustment much, much longer. BMW likes to sell those very expensive valve cover gaskets long before those valves will ever need adjustment
Gearbox...... still shifts like a John Deere 1950's two lunger........ tractor
A distracted Uber driver took it and me out in a 30mph sideswipe crash in May 2025.
Insurance company totaled the RT, I sold it to an RT rider with 200k on his 2014 and he had it back on the road in 3 days as my bike only had 21K miles and nothing expensive was damaged in the accident. RT's minus the fragile plastic tupperware are built like tanks.
Spend the money.
I had a 2011 I think maybe a 2012. Rode it for 18 months and traded for a new 2018.
Wife liked the seat a little better but mostly the advantage was climbing hills in Alberta B.C. mountains. Two up fully loaded heading uphill through the interior or on the TCH the 2018 was much easier. That was 7 years ago but I can still remember somewhere around Golden where I noticed that I wasn't downshifting any where as much and the bike felt like it wasn't straining.
That being said the fairing on the 2011 might have had a little less turbulence but not that much.
I never had any maintenance issues on the 2011 but my 2018 has needed a couple of things Cardon (?) shaft and cam followers I think. BMW paid for most of it but it still cost me something.
I haven't ridden the 1250 back to back with the 1200 but I did have one for a week in the mountains while on another trip. At the time I was thinking of trading the 1200 for the 1250 and decided against it.
The 1250 didn't seem to be any better at low rpm and the extra "boost" when the cam profile changed just didn't seem worth it. I felt like I was either revving the bike more to get onto the cam or I was always at the transition point.
I've owned a few bikes and I have missed most of them at some point after selling them but I haven't regretted the upgrade to the 2018 for a minute.
My two cents
Same dilemma, I have a '10RT which I like, dialed in with all my accessories etc. At 55k miles. And I appear to have some bearing whine now
It'll need a clutch at some point at least, maybe a driveshaft who knows. Hate to off a bike for so simple a reason but if the newer (wethead) RT's are a better bike overall it might be worth the cost between my bike's current value and a used newer 1200 / 1250 / 1300 ....
Thought I would provide an update to my original post.....should I trade my RT for a newer....
The intent was to get a more 2-up friendly bike for my wife to enjoy the ride.
Well...here is what I did and I hope some people might find the info valuable.
I did get rid of my 2011 RT...but I did not get another RT...I went up to a 2013 K1600GTL (lowmileage and well optioned).
This is an RT forum so I wont get into alot of detials on the K1600.
But I will say it is a very capable long distance tourer. Definitely a heavy bike...and not the easiest to low speed maneuver...but when you are on the road it was very comfortable for both of us. We did a 2000km round trip last fall and it performed as expected.
That said...I do miss the RT. Miss the lighter wieght performance and the engine.
I am now looking at either trading the K1600GTL for a 2019-2021 RT1250RT (not interested in the R1300..styling just doesnt do it for me)
OR
I might keep the K1600.....and get a low mileage 2010-2013 R1200RT with the intent of it being my solo riding bike.
I do like the air cooled camheads, the styling of the older bikes, and simple mechanicals and less electronic gadgets.
Might look at a wethead 2014-2018 R1200 or even a R1250 if I can find one at the right price and mileage...but I would probably get rid of the K1600.
Seems to be alot of nice 2010-2013 R1200RT s out there will reltively low mileage.
I still think the 2010-2013 is the best value for the dollar....and is an easier to maintain bike (my personal opinion).
This forum is great and look forward to being back on an RT.....
Andy
current: K1600GTL
previous: 2007 R1200GSA, 2011 R1200RT
