New BMW owner

[basingstokesteve]

I am not only new to this forum or forums in general but also new to BMW's having only ever owned Honda's in the past
I pick my new 90th anniversary R 1200 RT next Saturday has any one any tips generally and in particularity ways and means for protecting the the finishes/condition whilst allowing one to ride it all year round.

 

[Ex-Call Centre Chimp]

ACF 50.

And welcome aboard.

 

[Farmer Palmer]

ACF50, ACF50, ACF50 and welcome aboard!

ACF50 is a spray on, mist on or wipe on oily substance that you apply once and/or reapply through the winter and it'll protect the vulnerable areas on your new bike. A little goes a long way so you don't need your bike swimming in the stuff and don't get any on the brake discs, other than that you're good to go!

As used by navy helicopters and jet fighters to protect them from sea salt, seagulls guts etc. ACF50 might make your new bike look a bit grungy throughout the winter but come springtime or when you wash your bike it'll be good as new!

I even use it on my John Deeres, JCB etc

FP.

 

[Riktus]

Farmer Palmer
Its about time you got a Fendt cos they dont rust!

 

[basingstokesteve]

Thanks for the info FP
are there any add on available? extended front mud guard rear huger etc??
Steve

 

[stanley]

Take your new bike home, fit a front "fender extender" (ebay £16 ish), remove all plastics (easy job), remove the big aluminium footrest hangers, spray all of the now exposed areas with ACF50, use a brush to work it into nooks 'n' crannies, reassemble, re-clean outer edges of footrest hangers and apply a good length of 50mm heli-tape (protects from heel scuffs).

About 4 hours work all in. Maybe carnuba wax the bodywork too. Then just ride and enjoy. Clean when you feel like it, rinse salt off with cold water during the winter, re-apply ACF50 to exposed parts. Do the "big" strip, clean and ACF once a year and it will be well protected.

Also, a bit trickier to describe, there is a gap between the underside of the rear mudguard and the underseat/tail light area. Crud gets flicked off the rear wheel and into the light unit. Locate this gap and seal it up. I used an off-cut from an old foam camping mat (about300mmx 40mm from memory).

Much easier to do that lot before the bike gets mucky!

Other things? Tyre pressure a bit higher than standard usually work well (36f- 42r) and Cee Baileys inner bags for the panniers (better than BMW's).

Come back after a few thousand miles and we can talk tyres and re-maps

Great bikes; best you can buy

 

[stanley]

Just thought of something else....

Don't be too gentle when running it in. Get it warmed up and then often take it up to BMW's recommended limits. Plenty of closed throttle too to clean the bores. The rev. limits may feel high, but (from my experience) bikes that are run in with a limp wrist will always use more oil.

 

[Martyn H]

I agree with all the above but I would add that when I picked my new RT a few weeks ago my first port of call was to a company that installs 3M Ventureshield. I went to a company in Daventry, Northants, but I'm sure there will be an approved agent not too far from you.
It does prevent some of that "stone chip" marking that a fairing gets & I think at £220 it's a better buy than some of the farkles we all seem to fall for.
Oh, & a BMW rear mudguard extension stops the trail of water jetting out at the back on a wet day.

 

[BeemerBaz]

Crud catcher

You also consider a crud catcher to further protect the front of the engine

Crud Catcher

 

[oldnfat]

I agree with all the above but I would add that when I picked my new RT a few weeks ago my first port of call was to a company that installs 3M Ventureshield. I went to a company in Daventry, Northants, but I'm sure there will be an approved agent not too far from you.
It does prevent some of that "stone chip" marking that a fairing gets & I think at £220 it's a better buy than some of the farkles we all seem to fall for.
Oh, & a BMW rear mudguard extension stops the trail of water jetting out at the back on a wet day.

Agree totally with the above.....you WILL scuff the top of your panniers getting on and off.

If you can't be arsed to do the ACF50 yourself Bahnstormers will do it for you for £35.

Mines an 09, screen is either fine for me and bad for my pillion or other way round. I think your bike has a letter design so might be ok. If not I fitted an MRA x screen to mine....bliss for both of us.

Cheers

 

[JKW]

Tyres

If it comes with Bridgestone BT021s don't accept it! Oops - just checked the date of your post and guess it's too late for that piece of advice. Seriously though if you've got 021s on the bike (and BMW still seem to fit them despite the fact that they are grade A shite!) either a) get rid and replace Michelin Pilot Road 3s; or, b) look forward to having a revelation of how good your RT really is when the 021s eventually do get replaced by something decent.

If it has come with BT023s - you can look forward to a much-improved ride quality when you swap those for PR3s whose side walls are not made of brick!

PS - did I mention that I have been VERY impressed by the Michelin PR3s I had fitted a couple of months back?

 

[aRTy_Hexhead]

If it has come with BT023s - you can look forward to a much-improved ride quality when you swap those for PR3s whose side walls are not made of brick!

PS - did I mention that I have been VERY impressed by the Michelin PR3s I had fitted a couple of months back?

+1

021s should be in the history bucket- surprised there are still some around, how old ARE they then??

023GT were good for about 8k but very choppy compared to PR3s.
I got a pair fitted before heading for Norway this summer.
And 4k later it has been like riding a magic carpet.
No scary moments even in some monsoon like rain and cold of Norway!

AND just enjoy the RT.
Has to be THE best tourer around - perhaps ever?