The Motorbikerist Thread

[JLv3.0]

I'll just wait for the chap on the internet to tell me / us, or not

(or he has bought the RT1250 the dealer lent him while his 1200 was being serviced, at a guess).

[tim]

No, I have not bought that demonstrator I had for a couple of days. It was £21,200 ffs!!!

[NotoriousREV]

But you've bought a different R1250RT?

[tim]

Yes. But that was yesterday, so you loose. :p

[JLv3.0]

Lured by the ShiftCam wizardry I see

[tim]

Yes, essentially. I bought it for the engine, which is a genuine step forward whilst still retaining the unique character of the boxer twin that I really like. I know a lot of people find them soulless and boring, but they're riding them wrong so there.

Gone is the flat spot around 4kish, always made itself known at legal motorway speeds and marred the otherwise exceptional sit up and waft point of these things.

I think it's about 9 bhp up or something inconsequential, but it feels quicker overall and you cannot feel the shift cam work and it pulls harder lower down, easy roll on from 30 in 5th - not something I'd ever do on my 1200. I didn't bother letting it rev out because it's pointless but people tell me there's a bit more spark up that end of the revs too.

Friends keep saying to me get a K1600 for the turbine wallop, but they're not for me. You can genuinely ride an RT like a sports bike - you look like a bit of a tit, but you can do it and leave a big No.1 up the road if you really want to be rude. They are absolutely ace on back roads, as well as more conventional touring jaunts.

So aside from this I've gone from an SE spec (middle range) to a LE exclusive with keyless ignition, dynamic pack, auxilliary lights and the Intelligent Emergency Services thingum.

About £1800 off list and a good p/ex value so wasn't a hard choice.

Pick it up Saturday.

[NotoriousREV]

Yes. But that was yesterday, so you loose. :p

It falls within the 7 days, so I was right.

[NotoriousREV]

Oh, and they call them a "flat" twin for a reason :p

[JLv3.0]

Awesome stuff, I've always enjoyed the extent to which the RT works for you, brilliant

ShiftCam on the RR seems to bring the kick that mine has at 9k down to about 5k. That's insane!! Total game-changer.

[JLv3.0]

I didn't bother letting it rev out because it's pointless but people tell me there's a bit more spark up that end of the revs too.

I've probably mentioned this before but of the three 1200 boxer BMWs I've ridden, two of them (an R1200R in Japan and fairly new GS in Norway) did not benefit one iota from being wound out. But the ginger stepson GS in SA absolutely revelled in it, and properly came on cam at about 6k and didn't let off until the limiter. Absolutely bizarre seeing as the engines were (AFAIK) identical.

[tim]

Yeah it's funny that. My 1200 pops and farts a bit now it's got more miles on it, so hopefully they've not lost that, cos it's fun.

Suspension wise the electronic gubbins is now fully automatic for preload, so where as I now have Soft Medium Hard over the top of Solo, Pillion, Luggage or Pillion + Luggage, it's just Soft Medium Hard in Road or Dynamic mode and it worries about the load on the bike itself.

I don't think much else is different, other than the new one is better equipped, has dynamic riding mode (like the R one, loosens off all the safety shizzle), ABS Pro, shift assist (nothing like the sublime one on the R and I don't like it, but you can't not have it) hill start, LED headlights plus the engine mounted LED spots. There's some chrome/shiny bits on it where mine is black currently, which I'm not 100% about, but it is what it is.

This SOS thing is interesting, it detects if you're upside down in a hedge and automatically dials BMW emergency services with your location etc, but also you can press the button yourself if you happen upon someone else's accident and they'll help. I wouldn't have specced it myself probably for £400 or whatever but it was on the bike available that otherwise met my requirements, so can only be useful if needs be.

I've done 16k miles on it, loved every one. This can only be more of the same.

[tim]

Oh yeah - and central locking. On a bike.

It's a whole new thing! :p

[dinny_g]

Oh yeah - and central locking. On a bike.

It's a whole new thing! :p

so when it's locked, you can't get on it from either side ??

[Broccers]

New bike woo

Watched lamb chop rides review of the ktm yesterday and the keyless none opening fuel cap looked a right pain. I'd imagine BMW do it better.

[tim]

Yeah press a button on the filler cap, it pops open. Doesn't seem hard!

One of the many things I grumble about motorcycling with luggage is faffing about with one key to operate the ignition two panniers and a top box, when you always want to keep them locked. Unless I plan my key based route in advance I'm pretty much always taking keys out here and there and ffs there must be an easier way - turns out there is

It's a bit like cruise control on a bike. Stupid idea I thought, until I tried it. It's the best thing ever.

[dinny_g]

One of those “why doesn’t everyone do this” things???

[Barry]

Nice work Tim

Cruise is ace once you try it yeah, used it on my slog back from Scotland in July.

[JLv3.0]

Yep cruise is awesome, keyless go I wasn't convinced by, mainly because I spent longer each day making sure the key was in my pocket than I would have done bunging it in the ignition

[NotoriousREV]

Now I figured out that the KTM shuts off the cruise control if you move the throttle 0.01mm beyond the closed throttle stop (i.e. if you put your hand anywhere near the throttle whilst you're moving), cruise control is great. I now rest my hand on the handguard bracket so I can still cover the front brake. Fucking stupid design.

[evostick]

Congrats on the new bike Tim!.

However having not ever ridden the watercooled twin I can confidently state that it's not progress.