Bmw r 1200 rt

[Lil geezer from Texas]

I have a chance to buy a 2006 BMW R 1200 RT. Sounds like a good deal, but I have read and heard a lot of horror stories about maintenance on the fuel pumps, final drive and one other piece of them. Are these exaggerations or common occurances. I don't need a problem child in some of the remote places I tend to ride.

I's appreciate any input from folks with a fair amount of experience with these machines.

Thank,

Lil Geezer from Texas

[wingland]

You will need to budget $1200 a year for service, routine or otherwise. Many people find that the handling, quality and comfort of the bikes far outweigh the costs of service. It's an *amazing* bike, light as a feather (under 600 pounds) with the handling and long haul comfort of a ST1300.

If it's from a known good owner with books and records, and you have a quality dealer within an hour or so, go for it!

[Lil geezer from Texas]

You will need to budget $1200 a year for service, routine or otherwise. Many people find that the handling, quality and comfort of the bikes far outweigh the costs of service. It's an *amazing* bike, light as a feather (under 600 pounds) with the handling and long haul comfort of a ST1300.

If it's from a known good owner with books and records, and you have a quality dealer within an hour or so, go for it!

Thanks for the help.

Lil Geezer

[skyway_rider]

I have not ridden the 1200 but I did own a 1150RT, 2003 model that I wish I still had. It was a great handling bike. If I owned another one I would like to learn how to do the valve checks myself. One word of note on valve checks...a BMW mechanic told me that after about 18000 miles or so the valve clearances change very little. I had the first service and valve check done at around 900 miles and I progressively went past the 6000 mile check intervals with no problem. I put 40,000 miles on that bike. I did quiet a few oil changes myself which is no trouble. But don't let me get you in trouble with neglecting valve checks, that's just what the BMW mechanic told me. My biggest complaint about the RT though was that construction zones and other stop and go traffic would make me panic as the air cooled engine up under the fairing would begin to overheat. When I bought the bike the salesman told me to always shut the engine off and not let it idle long while still. You either have to get moving or shut the engine off. That's by far is the biggest complaint of mine, otherwise, I don't think any sport tourer can even come close to the combination of handling and comfort a properly set up RT can provide. I have ridden at least two of the RT's major Japanese competitors of that size bike and neither comes close to the handling of the RT. It may feel cumbersome at a stop light but once moving it's a different bike. Get the rear ride height and preload dialed in and you are ready to go. Good luck.

The RT has its quirks, but it's a great bike. BMW is often an acquired taste as they say. I didn't like mine near as much at the beginning as I did later on. It's usually the other way around, you like a bike more new then get tired of it. I fell on some hard financial times which is one reason I sold the bike.