BMW R1200RT Review (2010)
What Is It?
The BMW R1200RT is a premium touring bike which can be spec'd up with all the toys and is powered by an air / liquid cooled 1,170 cc Boxer engine, producing 110 bhp at 7,750 rpm and maximum torque at 6,000 rpm.
Specs
- Seat Height: Average (820 mm / 32.3 inches)
- Weight: Very heavy (259 kg / 571 lbs)
- Economy: Average (45 mpg / 6.3 l/100km / 15.9 km/l)
- Range: Very high (270 miles / 434 km)
- Power to Weight: Average (0.425 bhp/kg / 0.317 kW/kg)
- Top Speed: High (130 mph / 209 km/h)
Pros
- Less top end vibrations
- Less wobbly screen
- Suspension
- Handling
- Comfort
- Brakes
- Power
Cons
- Gearbox
- Mirrors
What Is It Like?
First Impressions
I purchased the R1200RT in January of this year, after many years of trying various bikes that suit both myself and my wife, as we intend to do a good bit of touring. We found a low mileage R1200RT on a 2011 plate with 12,000 miles at purchase time.
Initial thoughts are that for a big bike I found it to be very easy to handle, the low centre of gravity, that is familiar with the boxer engine only helps stability.
I tested this bike in January, in Tayside Scotland where the roads were not in the best condition and fairly slippery underfoot, however the bike never stepped out of place once. This is probably due to this bike having ESA and ABS as this is the SE model.
Reliability
I haven’t had the bike long enough to fully comment, however I have never had any issues. My first essential was to purchase the BMW maintenance charger.
I work away from home a lot and give it a boost when I get home and even after leaving it a month in the garage the charge only drops about 10% therefore no issues. This was a concern as I had issues with poor battery performance many years ago with BMW batteries.
Servicing
I have also just put the bike in for a minor service and this cost in the region of £250. For a main dealer service I thought this was reasonable.
The BMW dealer has been first class with me. I purchased the bike the day before I was due to go away to work for 4 weeks, they prepared the bike perfectly and delivered free of charge, although fairly local.
ESA
I have found this to be excellent, as mentioned the main reason for purchasing this bike was for 2-up touring. The bike adjusts very easily with the ESA for the pillion and once you're moving the bike behaves with a pillion exactly as it does for solo riding.
With all the electrical additions, heated grips, heated seats, cruise control and ESA make this a very easy bike to live with and is easy to use whilst on the move without being too distracting.
Any Downsides?
I have taken a bit of getting used to the gear box as I was accustomed to a silky smooth sports tourer gear box. There is certainly a bit of a clunk selecting 1st initially, especially when cold. BMW call it re-assuring but this is just the Boxer Engine.
The other negative is that the bike came prepared for satellite navigation. I purchased a BMW IV Nav and I find that depending where the sun is on a ride, sometimes you can’t see the display but this isn’t a criticism of the bike just its mounted location.
To Sum Up
I am very pleased with the bike, in the past week I have done around 400 miles in a day and did not come off the bike tired or stressed.
I would certainly recommend this bike to others looking for a great touring bike and when the time comes to change bikes I will probably replace with exactly the same.
- Sandy B, 2018
Price Guide
Related Bikes
BMW R1200RT (2014-2018) - New and improved version.
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