Bought an R 1200 RT ... keeping my C 650 GT.

Delray

Well-known member
Road trip planning ....

I live in South Florida and have been planning a month or two stay in my hometown of Rochester, New York. Since getting there is half the fun, I've explored several modes of transportation.

1. Tow my C 650 GT. I bought my Toyota Prius from an attorney who loved to race go carts. He had a Curtis hitch installed to tow them. Why not take advantage? Last week, I negotiated the purchase of a 2021 Stinger XL-112 fold-up motorcycle trailer. This sounded easy, interesting and reassuring. I'd drive for awhile and when I reached a destination, I'd be eager to hop on the bike and explore. And talk about safe travels. If one vehicle breaks down, I have another! But this plan had a fatal flaw. The thought of 40 to 50 hours behind the wheel of a car was too grim. That led me to ....

2. Ride the C 650 GT. Fun! Adventure! It's 1,500 miles each way. My '19 GT could easily handle that. I bought it in Charleston, South Carolina in May and rode it 555 miles home. The bike was a dream. But did I really want to pile on that many miles on my beloved, matte blue maxi-scooter? That led me to ....

3. Fly to New York and buy a bike there. This sounded perfect for awhile. Travel home in a few hours and have a brand new motorcycle waiting. I found interesting deals on a Honda Silver Wing, Burgman 650 and a BMW R 1200 RT. Unfortunately, Florida has a stupid "new to the state" surcharge, and with each of the bikes I looked at, the porridge was a little too hot or a little too cold (for non-American readers, that is a reference to a childhood story, "The Three Bears" ;o). That led me to ....

4. My new-to-me BMW R 1200 RT. It's a silver 2007 with 17,100 miles, which apparently is "low mileage" for a mile muncher like this. Got it for $5,450 from a private seller who lives one mile from my house. Easiest bike purchase I ever made. Picked it up yesterday, cleaned it for ten hours and went for a spin. My motorcycle shifting skills were VERY rusty but they came back fast. It's a beast of a bike. Since it's designed for touring (BMW category is "sport touring"), it has all the familiar C 650 GT features. I like the BMW side cases. It came with an ugly GIVI 56-liter top case that I removed to find a pretty BMW luggage rack underneath. I'll use a seat bag instead.

The RT has electronic screen, heated seat and grips, TPMS, ABS and traction, four power ports, adjustable seat heights, electronic suspension adjustments. This one had highway pegs added, which I will LOVE. Haven't been on an interstate yet but I have a feeling this will feel more solid than the C 650 GT. Weirdly, the GT weighs more than the RT, by 4 lbs!

I will update the maintenance in the next few weeks and get it ready for the road. It's oil and air-cooled so there's no coolant, and shaft-driven so no belt or chain. Maintenance appears easy and accessible based on my YouTube videos so far. The BMW Service and Repair DVD I bought includes the RT (and all BMW bikes). Plus, my Motoscan app will work with the RT.

Departure is planned for the second week in August. I hope to ride home in late September in crisp Fall temperatures. I will enjoy the power and handling of the R 1200 RT. It's nice to lean my knees into a bike again. Meanwhile, the GT will have a little nap in my son's garage. With the price I paid for the RT, along with updated maintenance and thorough cleaning, I should be able to recoup my money after my trip and enjoy a new bike for several thousand miles in the process. That's a win-win. I may keep it for awhile, but honestly, I'm not a fan of shifting. I like automatic.

P.S. how did I clean for ten hours? Look closely at the rear rim. See all that black crud? Every square inch of both wheels looked like that when I bought it. The bike was a mess but I could see the potential. And worth noting: in looking at a lot of R 1200 RT's in the last few days, it became routine to see odometers like 65,000 ... 76,000 ... even a 111,000. I know people say the GT can reach those numbers, and I believe it can, but that's pretty rare. With the RT and Boxer engines, that's just how they roll.

July 15 2022 bought the R1200RT copy.jpg
 
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dantaxman

New member
Here in Las Vegas there is a BMW R 1200 RT on craigslist with 136,000 miles. The RT's seem to go forever. I am enjoying my 2022 BMW C400 GT.
 

wspollack

Active member
Mike:

Congrats on the purchase.

Now (per my text) I assume you know what ESA is on those bikes. There have also, according to my readings, been some problems with the final drive, that BMW asserted was lubed for life, or some such nonsense. But, yep, as you note, that really is low-mileage for those tourers, so neither should be a problem for you.

Having ridden -- borrowed, for part of a day trip -- a 2012 RT, the real problem I have with those bikes is the seat height (and I'm not sure what position the seat was in). It was feet-straight-down, tip-toe-city, for me, and I don't care for that (29" - 30" inseam). But that's me.

In any case, enjoy the ride up and back.
 

Delray

Well-known member
Bill:

The seat is surprisingly high. I'm 6'1" and it's nearly tippy-toe, even in the low position. That beaded cushion doesn't help, although it is surprisingly comfortable.

I learned a bit about the ESA when you mentioned it, and thanks again for that on short notice. I won't be using it once, so hopefully that will help avoid any issues.

As for the final drive, one of my to-do's is to change that oil. The YouTube video I will follow for reference includes lubing the shaft splines. When I saw that -- the RT's five-minute maintenance-equivalent of changing a CVT belt or timing chain -- I thought, "Oh, I like this." Access to the splines is a few bolts away, right in front of your face when you're changing the final drive oil.

Maintenance on this machine feels like engineers sat down and said, "how can we make it easy for people to work on this bike?" Isn't that refreshing? If you look at the head jutting out from the engine just in front of the left foot position, that's where the spark plug is. You can access it in two minutes. For an oil and filter change, you need to put the bike on the center stand. That's it.
 
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Ceesie76

Active member
Congratulations on the purchase.
Here in France, my little Honda SHi 300 scooter has 22,000 miles and still rides like new, took it for a spin today.
That RT should be very comfortable on the highways.
 

EvilTwin

Active member
Wow. Congrats on the bike. I hand a 2009 RT that I sold in order to get the C650. It was a great bike for the open road and I loved riding it, but I was a bit inseam challenged with it, even with a couple of different low seats on it.

Maintenance on them is very straightforward, valve checks are easy as are oil changes and the like. 17K is low miles on one of those, especially for the age. Mine was in the low 30's IIRC and it was still running like it was new. Since it's a boxer, you will have to get used to the boxer shake or twist, the movement the bike has when you gun the engine or start it up and those pistons are going side to side.

I think ABS is one of the sore spots on that year, if yours is working then fine. ESA also a bit problematic if its not working right. It's all in the shocks and those puppies are not cheap to repair or replace. Also the fuel gauge is an electrical strip in the tank that can fail over time, so if yours is working consider yourself lucky.

Bummer you didnt get it with the big BMW top box, they are very nice. Expect to pay around 500 for a used one. At least the default color for them is silver so it will match fine. I had the BMW bag with mine but it was way too big for everyday use and I replaced it with a smaller one. I also put the illium floor boards on mine, they were nice to have instead of the pegs.

The first time I had the bike on the road on a local highway I looked down and I was doing 85 and slowed it way down. It's so smooth, even with a 2 cyl motor you dont realize how fast you are going.

33NlHcB.jpg
 

EvilTwin

Active member
This is with the corbin low seat and the floorboards:

CVQlA3Y.png


This is how big the large BMW top box is.

V7O3hJE.png



And if you get a wild hair and decide to look at the K bikes, just be aware that even the K12 and K13gt's can probably hit 150 and are quite the ride. I would avoid the big K12 touring bikes, those are probably more maintenance then even you would like to deal with.
 
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Delray

Well-known member
Mama Mia, that's a beautiful 2009 RT! I always lust after Corbin seats and you're right, the BMW top case looks perfect on that bike. That is a dream machine. Well, actually, in my dream it would be red or green.

I won't be adding anything other than fluids and filters and plugs and grease because my RT will probably have a new home by Fall. I will enjoy it thoroughly across 4,000 cross country miles and probably a few trips around Florida to see family and friends. (Sidebar on spark plugs. It's a two-cylinder with four plugs! Each head has a "secondary plug" to provide smoother acceleration)

Thanks for the heads up on ABS and ESA and fuel gauge. Everthing is working, thankfully. The seller had no records but I sense the bike was cared for. It has a Deltran (Battery Tender) Lithium Battery that cost a pretty penny. Tires are Michelin Pilot4 GT's. And I mentioned the aftermarket highway pegs, also not cheap.

Not interested in a K bike. The RT will likely be my last foray into shifting and feet-down riding position. Although I did get a chuckle out of "probably more maintenance than even you would like." I admit, I can't wait until my MOTUL 20W50 and BMW filter arrive this week. ;o)
 
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Delray

Well-known member
ERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! (SCREECHING TIRES)

That sound you hear is me doing a 180 on the R 1200 RT. I've been riding it exclusively for the last few days. I'm fine with shifting. Was starting to really like the bike until I tried the highway pegs extensively today -- C 650 GT's equivalent of floor boards.

TERRIBLE. Couldn't extend my legs fully. Legs were in an unnatural, contorted position. For me, this is potentially life-threatening.**

Can't imagine riding 2,500 miles like that so the bike is up for sale today. I got a great deal and I'll offer a low price so it should sell fast. Meanwhile, I'm back to Plan B or C ... ride my GT up and back OR fly, buy and ride. Buying a bike up north allows me to skip riding through Florida and the Deep South during the hottest part of the year, and man, it seems extra hot this year.


** This is more than me being fickle. I have a genetic thing called Leiden Factor 5. My blood is predisposed to clot. It clots like a mofo. I had clots in my left leg twice in my life, once at 19 after I drunkenly slammed my leg in a car door. Second time in my 50's after I flew round trip from New York to San Francisco twice and then drove to Florida, all in less than ten days. I don't like full leg extension when I ride. I NEED full leg extension.
 
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EvilTwin

Active member
Bummer. Is there any way to mod the bike/pegs so they get your legs out farther? Maybe post a pic or two. Doesn't have to be pretty but just functional, esp if you are going to sell the bike anyway.

This is a set of highway pegs from Illium works. Not cheap but they make nice stuff and it is a BMW.


When I sold my bike, I removed the floorboards and sold them separately. There is ALWAYS a market for BMW parts and accessories. I got most or all of my money back.
 
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EvilTwin

Active member
One other thought. Whether you are in your car on on the bike, if you are doing a long trip, stop and get out and stretch your legs every hour. Yeah, you won't make as good time, but you bladder and the rest of the body will appreciate it.
 

Delray

Well-known member
A temporary mod is a good idea. No ideas pop into mind though. The pegs wrap around the heads and disappear out of sight. The pegs aren't terribly strong.

If i put my feet in the pegs, like stirrups, my legs are about three-fourth's extended, which is unnatural and uncomfortable. if I rest my legs on top, that is better, but not ideal. Feel like I'd have to pay constant attention to my feet, lest one of them slip off a peg and hit the road at 60 mph. Don't have to worry about that with floorboards.

Maybe i need to give it another shot. You're right, I already have the bike. It's so new to me after a few days of riding it, I took the GT for a spin and was coming to a stop light on a little downhill. I pressed down on the right floorboard -- where the rear brake is on a traditional motorcycle -- and felt a little sense of panic when the floorboard brakes didn't work.

14. Highway Peg.jpg
 
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EvilTwin

Active member
Those things actually look like they are part of the valve covers. Those covers are normally silver like the rest of the engine. I was wondering why the jugs on your bike were black. Thats probably way too high to want to park your feet. The Ilium pegs are below the jugs and have some adjustment fore and aft as well as a rubber pad for your boots to rest on.

Do what you think is best, but if it were me I'd give a try to some different pegs. There are a couple of BMW boards with a lot more traffic than what you get here, and I bet somebody could give you a better idea of what might work. There's also adventure rider which has quite a bit of traffic from all types of people. Their Battle Scooters forum is one I frequent quite a bit. But like the name says, they have lots of people who ride ADV bikes and those folks like to tour.
 

Delray

Well-known member
The pegs are integrated. That's part of the design. They fit neatly into a little horizontal channel in the valve covers. And they are not too high at all. In fact, the higher the better, because it enhances blood flow in the legs.

I looked into the Ilium pegs last week. One of the bikes I liked was a black R 1200 RT near Rochester. Very similar to the one I ended up buying but no highway pegs. By design for those particular model years, both bikes have tupperware covering where the Ilium pegs go, and Ilium didn't design pegs for them.

LATER THAT SAME DAY ....

I am reminded of that great moment in "The Simpsons" when Homer, concerned about gaining weight, steps on an old-fashioned scale where the needle spikes up and down, gradually decreasing until it settles on your weight. He steps on the scale, the needle jumps to 280 and he screams, then the needle plummets to 160 and he coos. It's been an up and down few days.

Took the big RT for a good run on I-95 tonight. Now I get why people tour on these bikes. So big and sure and smooth, I felt like I was sitting in a train window watching the scenery. It is AMAZING on the highway. Back home, I put the bike on the center stand and played with the highway pegs.

By sitting all the way back, I can get full leg extension. With practice and familiarity, I can make it work. I suspect my earlier concerns about the pegs may have more about anxiety from being in heavy traffic with a big new machine and learning to shift again.

I am getting more comfortable with it every day. Tonight my attitude is, I own a legendary touring bike with a trip in front of me -- to research my German ancestry. Perhaps the best thing is to ride that all the way home.

Sidebar ... saw this BMW ad in my 20's and it hit me like I was whapped in the head with a sauté pan ....
 

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erionsh

New member
Which one do you think is better? R series or K? Like K 1200 GT. I think that the R series since they have the boxer engine, which BMW is making them for more than half a century, are more reliable and less expensive to maintain. Whereas the K 1200 or K 1600 engine looks too complicated and hard to work with. I that right?
 

Delray

Well-known member
"Which one do you think is better? R series or K?"

First, resolution to this thread. I sold the R 1200 RT tonight. Made $100 and got to enjoy a legendary Boxer engine for a week. My main memory for this bike will be riding on I-95 feeling like I was sitting in a train watching the landscape sail by. The bike is so powerful and sure.

Two reasons for the decision to sell. 1. Too much feet down riding. I thought there would be more highway peg time with legs elevated. That is a major health consideration for me. 2. The first guy to look at the RT didn't buy it, but we had a great two-hour conversation. I told him about my travel plans and he asked why I didn't ride the GT up to New York, since that is clearly my favorite. He didn't buy my "don't want to pile the miles on it" answer. Nicely scolded me to enjoy such things fully, and ride the bike I love rather than a second choice. Of course he is right. If I'm waking up in a hotel somewhere in Virginia, the GT is the bike I want waiting outside. So it is written, and so it shall be.

Btw, first guy loved the bike but hated the RINO-coating on the side cases. The second guy to look bought it.

As for R vs. K, I have one week's knowledge of the R and zero experience with the K. You're saying K doesn't have Boxer engines? That's news to me.

The aforementioned first guy owned several K's. That's his bike. He is curious to try an R, which led him to me. He said the K's ride is even bigger and better than the R, describing the K as BMW's ultimate touring bike. He couldn't say enough about it. I learned they weigh about two hundred more pounds than the R bikes and are six-cylinder. I'm planning a trip to Germany next year. Perhaps my rental bike will be a K. I'm curious now about what BMW put on the streets as their best touring machine.
 
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EvilTwin

Active member
Which one do you think is better? R series or K? Like K 1200 GT. I think that the R series since they have the boxer engine, which BMW is making them for more than half a century, are more reliable and less expensive to maintain. Whereas the K 1200 or K 1600 engine looks too complicated and hard to work with. I that right?
I havent owned a K bike, so all that I know about them is from reading online, although I did sit on a used K12GT at a dealer. ;)

The 4 cyl engine is buried in the tupperware vs the boxer which is pretty much out in the open. Running gear is similar between the two. HP out of the K12 is around 130 vs 110 on the boxer.
 

EvilTwin

Active member
"Which one do you think is better? R series or K?"

First, resolution to this thread. I sold the R 1200 RT tonight. Made $100 and got to enjoy a legendary Boxer engine for a week. My main memory for this bike will be riding on I-95 feeling like I was sitting in a train watching the landscape sail by. The bike is so powerful and sure.

Two reasons for the decision to sell. 1. Too much feet down riding. I thought there would be more highway peg time with legs elevated. That is a major health consideration for me. 2. The first guy to look at the RT didn't buy it, but we had a great two-hour conversation. I told him about my travel plans and he asked why I didn't ride the GT up to New York, since that is clearly my favorite. He didn't buy my "don't want to pile the miles on it" answer. Nicely scolded me to enjoy such things fully, and ride the bike I love rather than a second choice. Of course he is right. If I'm waking up in a hotel somewhere in Virginia, the GT is the bike I want waiting outside. So it is written, and so it shall be.

Btw, first guy loved the bike but hated the RINO-coating on the side cases. The second guy to look bought it.

As for R vs. K, I have one week's knowledge of the R and zero experience with the K. You're saying K doesn't have Boxer engines? That's news to me.

The aforementioned first guy owned several K's. That's his bike. He is curious to try an R, which led him to me. He said the K's ride is even bigger and better than the R, describing the K as BMW's ultimate touring bike. He couldn't say enough about it. I learned they weigh about two hundred more pounds than the R bikes and are six-cylinder. I'm planning a trip to Germany next year. Perhaps my rental bike will be a K. I'm curious now about what BMW put on the streets as their best touring machine.
Two happiest days I guess... I do agree about riding what you like, life is too short. I kept the R12 for about a year and change, put about 4k on it before I decided I needed something easier to ride.

The K bike I think this guy is referring to is one of the big touring bikes. Those are the ones that need all the maintenance and are buried in tupperware. They got so deluxe that for a time you could get a power center stand and never worry about balancing the bike to extend it.

The new K bikes are the K16 with the inline 6. As long as you are good with having the dealer do the work, they are nice rides.

Does FL seriously knick you for taxes and registration? It's quite a bit here in VA and they make it a PIA to do. That alone probably keeps me from wanting to swap bikes too often. That and my wifey...
 

Delray

Well-known member
"Does FL seriously knick you for taxes and registration?"

I suspect it's the same as most places, except for the annoying "new to the state" surcharge. I mentally plan on adding $500 for the State of Florida with any bike. In almost every case, both parties agree to report a lower purchase price to the state, so the buyer can pay less in taxes. Personally, I would NEVER participate in something like that state authorities who may be reading this.

As for riding what you like, my default plan for the trip is to ride my GT. I'd love that. But I just found an impeccably kept 2003 Silver Wing in Candy Glory Red, a color I love so much I bought two 2003's over the years. Fly 'n Ride would be convenient, but it would feel oh-so-good to be on the GT every mile. Win-Win.

Sidebar: the K guy I chatted with said he got his K's up to 160 mph regularly (yes, he owned the big touring bikes). He was fascinated with my C 650 GT, just marveled at it, and kept mentioning how he would LOVE to ride one, and he had his helmet in the car, and ....

(I didn't offer. Not an amusement park, sorry. ;o).
 
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EvilTwin

Active member
If I were to consider another scoot, I would look at a Vespa. Folks LOVE those things. Even though it's Italian, everything I read says they are well designed and built. The rational for that would be to go with something a bit smaller and easier to handle as the C650 is a porker with a tall seat but it seriously hauls ass.

And if I get that feeble that I have problems with staying upright, I can always stay with the 3 wheelers. The Can Am I have now is a 2010 and if it does nothing else, it gets you out in the wind with a cushy seat and lots of storage. I keep fantasizing about going to a newer model that has the 3 cylinder motor which is better on the maintenance and gas, but this one still runs fine and it's the only bike my wife will ride on back with me.

 
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