RT from a GS

dogmaboy · Jun 27, 2020

Hello ,I have been a inmate on the GS site for years,but I am thinking of buying a 1250 rt.The main reason is the wife struggles to get on the back of the GS and is not that comfortable or relaxed.I was thinking the RT is lower has a bigger seat area and heated seat appeals to her also the higher windscreen.I would appreciate any advice .regards Dogmaboy. P. s We would not be doing any dirt road touring.

RSInterloper · Jun 27, 2020

Not really sure what sort of "advice" you're looking for. Since I returned to biking 10 years ago at age 60 I have had F800ST - F800GT - R1200RS and now I am on an R1250RT. Every year (although maybe not this one!) I make a round trip of about 1800 miles to South West France. All of these bikes have coped well with the trip but the RT is by far the most comfortable one that I have done it on. I only have a couple of gripes (apart from the cost of the thing) - one is the weight, but I'd guess it's not much different to a fully laden GS, and the other is that, even after a year of riding, every time that I go to put my feet down at a stop the darn footpegs seem to be in the way. I love the way it rides and handles for such a big beast, but for me it's not great for local rides on B roads here in the mountains and I'm looking around for a second, smaller, machine to make those more enjoyable.

Before I bought the RT I met a 74 year old guy on one outside Riders in Cardiff (may they RIP). He said it was his third RT and he loved it, but he had a GS for riding the twisties in the mountains with his mates....

NLC · Jun 27, 2020

I had a GS for years and have just recently went to a RT. I did love my GS but I realised that over the years I was basically trying to make my GS an RT. At 5'7 I put on a low seat, new windscreen, bar risers and road tyres. I would love to more offroading but it would be on a much lighter bike. I've had the RT a month now and love it. My bike is a 2016 1200 RT. I didn't ride the 1250 as many of my friends who have riden GSs for years said there was not much in it vs the cost. My previous GS was a DOHC so going to the LC was a big jump anyways. Aside from the minor bits I have put on it I can't see much more to perfect it, if it is not already the perfect touring bike.

beemerboy9 · Jun 28, 2020

RSInterloper said:
I'm looking around for a second, smaller, machine to make those more enjoyable.

Before I bought the RT I met a 74 year old guy on one outside Riders in Cardiff (may they RIP). He said it was his third RT and he loved it, but he had a GS for riding the twisties in the mountains with his mates....

If you want a second, smaller machine then the GS is still too heavy - and too similar to the RT. Consider a Yamaha MT-09, KTM 790 or Speed Triple - or anything else that weighs under 200kg. Fit an automatic chain oiler if you have "shaft" anxiety.

RSInterloper · Jun 29, 2020

beemerboy9 said:
If you want a second, smaller machine then the GS is still too heavy - and too similar to the RT. Consider a Yamaha MT-09, KTM 790 or Speed Triple - or anything else that weighs under 200kg. Fit an automatic chain oiler if you have "shaft" anxiety.

I guess you noted from my sequence of bikes that I have a pathological hatred of chains - goes back to my days of boiling Norton chains in tins of Duckham's grease on the kitchen stove :barf

Thinking of maybe a Guzzi V7, but the Husky Svartpilen looks interesting...apart from that ridiculous screen.....

(The 74 year old guy was shorter than me and had legs like a John Wayne who had just dismounted from a particularly wide horse...)

theop · Jun 30, 2020

dogmaboy said:
Hello ,I have been a inmate on the GS site for years,but I am thinking of buying a 1250 rt.The main reason is the wife struggles to get on the back of the GS and is not that comfortable or relaxed.I was thinking the RT is lower has a bigger seat area and heated seat appeals to her also the higher windscreen.I would appreciate any advice .regards Dogmaboy. P. s We would not be doing any dirt road touring.

Did the switch like you two years ago. I had a K16, then a GSA LC, then the RT.
They are not too disimilar bikes at heart. I would say the RT offers much more wind protection and is a bit quieter at motorway speeds, like any K bike, but with the manner and cg of a boxer, which makes it v easy to handle. Its less “cool” than a GS, bur also much less nickable, and thus cheaper to insure. Its equally fast to a GS, and feels more planted on the road in steering terms in good tarmac. On a negative, legs are much more cramped on the RT, despite appearance of space and size, they are actually a tighter fit (and bent much more) than a GS. Im 6’4 and my knees are just about ok on the RT. Its ok for 250/300 mile days with a pillion, but if you asked me to do a 1000 mile effort “iron butt” rally sort of thing, I d take a GS actually. Or a 700cc Transalp (which remains the comfiest bike I have ever owned).
In off tarmac terms, I have done loads of steep dirt road remote Greek island beach descents on the RT, so taking my own limited abilities into consideration, there is no offroading I would attempt with a GS that I wouldnt be able to equally do on an RT. So, dont listen to the crowd hype esp here, unless you are a trained motocross god, all big boxer bmw are too heavy to be offroaded properly.

Vs other tourers like Pans and K series bikes, its lighter and runs cooler so your legs dont get toasted in hot climates like they do on an FJR/Pan/K tourers.

CdnGS · Jun 30, 2020

I’ve gone from a hexhead GS to camhead GSA to a wethead RT. The RT has fantastic weather protection and the remote electrically adjustable windshield, heated grips and seats are a real plus when the wx goes south. The RT pillion seat is much better for a passenger IMO but as mentioned, the distance to the pegs is quite a bit shorter For the driver and requires more frequent stops and leg stretches for me (33” inseam). If you want an all-rounder/multi-mission bike, go with the GS/GSA but if your riding is mainly on tarmac with a pax the RT is probably your better option.

dogmaboy · Jul 1, 2020

Thankyou

Thankyou all for your replies and advice.The distance from seat to pegs not so much a problem for me being 5foot eight inches with not so long leg.I will also be keeping the Gs for single and dirt rides.So I will go and purchase a new bike.Thanks again and keep safe.Regards Dogmaboy

casbar · Jul 1, 2020

dogmaboy said:
Thankyou all for your replies and advice.The distance from seat to pegs not so much a problem for me being 5foot eight inches with not so long leg.I will also be keeping the Gs for single and dirt rides.So I will go and purchase a new bike.Thanks again and keep safe.Regards Dogmaboy

I am 5ft 8ins with around a 30inch instep. I find it very comfortable, sometimes I ride with the seat in the high position, can still easily flat foot it.

RSInterloper · Jul 1, 2020

With an instep like that how do you manage to have feet flat even when just standing on the ground ?

casbar · Jul 1, 2020

RSInterloper said:
With an instep like that how do you manage to have feet flat even when just standing on the ground ?

I'm a freak

RSInterloper · Jul 1, 2020

I'm 5' 9" with a 31" inseam and am not quite flat-footed with the seat in the low position. Do you find that the footpegs are in the way when you put your feet down or is that just me?

CdnGS · Jul 1, 2020

RSInterloper said:
I'm 5' 9" with a 31" inseam and am not quite flat-footed with the seat in the low position. Do you find that the footpegs are in the way when you put your feet down or is that just me?

I am 5’11” with a 33” inseam and the seat in the high position. I’ve never had an issue with the footpegs getting in the way but my dimensions are a little different.

casbar · Jul 1, 2020

RSInterloper said:
I'm 5' 9" with a 31" inseam and am not quite flat-footed with the seat in the low position. Do you find that the footpegs are in the way when you put your feet down or is that just me?

Its just you

I can def flat foot in the low position and just about in the high position, and I'm only 5ft 8, so not sure what is going on with you

You sure you haven't got a high seat fitted

RSInterloper · Jul 2, 2020

Maybe I'm shrinking as I approach 71 - pretty sure it's the standard seat but I'll check the numbers later. Was the first thing I noticed when I swapped from the RS, on which I could flat foot easily without catching the pegs on the way down....

dogmaboy · Jul 3, 2020

New bike on its way

Thanks for all your advice ,have bought a new 1250 with the option 719 with brown seats.I think it looks great,but more importantly so does the wife.Great buying here at the moment with BMW taking over $5000.00 off the rrp and dealer taking off dollars as well.I need to order a stand enlarger and cant make up my mind x-heads v BMW case protectors any suggestions and would you recommend a headlight protector ?Thanks for reading stay safe Dogmaboy

Mark H · Jul 3, 2020

Nippy Normans in the UK supplied my Headlight Protector, (£29.00) much need because replacement headlights are very expensive, changed the ugly white velcro fastenings to black, now hard to see them.

Currently showing "Out of Stock" but contact them and they will email you when new stock in https://www.nippynormans.com/r1200rt-2010-to-2013/headlight-shield-for-bmw-r1200rt-lc-r1250rt

Martyn H · Jul 3, 2020

dogmaboy said:
Thanks for all your advice ,have bought a new 1250 with the option 719 with brown seats.I think it looks great,but more importantly so does the wife.Great buying here at the moment with BMW taking over $5000.00 off the rrp and dealer taking off dollars as well.I need to order a stand enlarger and cant make up my mind x-heads v BMW case protectors any suggestions and would you recommend a headlight protector ?Thanks for reading stay safe Dogmaboy

Great colour choice. I love the way it "changes" as you walk around it in the sunlight.

CdnGS · Jul 4, 2020

dogmaboy said:
Thanks for all your advice ,have bought a new 1250 with the option 719 with brown seats.I think it looks great,but more importantly so does the wife.Great buying here at the moment with BMW taking over $5000.00 off the rrp and dealer taking off dollars as well.I need to order a stand enlarger and cant make up my mind x-heads v BMW case protectors any suggestions and would you recommend a headlight protector ?Thanks for reading stay safe Dogmaboy

Congrats on the new bike - sounds like a good deal. Can’t help you out with the accessories you’ve listed as the only thing that I added was a front fender extender to prevent stone chips to the engine paint. Safe travels.

theop · Jul 7, 2020

dogmaboy said:
Thanks for all your advice ,have bought a new 1250 with the option 719 with brown seats.I think it looks great,but more importantly so does the wife.Great buying here at the moment with BMW taking over $5000.00 off the rrp and dealer taking off dollars as well.I need to order a stand enlarger and cant make up my mind x-heads v BMW case protectors any suggestions and would you recommend a headlight protector ?Thanks for reading stay safe Dogmaboy

Wonderful choice of colours. I have one of the last 1200s in blue planet and brown seats from 2018. Love it.

X heads are excellent quality plastics and fit imo.

I havent used recent OE bmw protectors since the hex days (2005) when they were selling the aluminum half head protector. Which was also excellent quality but worth more than a replacement head...

Regarding headlight protectors, I ran one on my K16 a few years back now as I got terrorized by the price of that headlight replacement unit (which was roughly £2k from memory), but i found that the second layer of the protector and the small gap it left in between created a horricle aerodynamic whistling noise at certain speeds that eventually got too much to bear. So i removed it.

Enjoy the bike!

RT from a GS

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