Instead of gaining weight over the years the RT has been on a strict diet and the result is staggering. Five stone has been lost, but power has increased, making its performance like that of a sports bike but without the painful riding position!
Engine power is up over the old R1150RT thanks to an additional and seemingly modest 40ccs (1130cc up to 1170cc). So there must be only a slight improvement in performance, right? Wrong. Power is an impressive 110 bhp (up 15 bhp), but factor in the stunning frame and reduced weight and you get a brilliant package. The new engine produces 14% more power and 13% more torque.
On a back-to-back test in Mondello some months back I found the difference between the old and new RT to be stunning. The 1150 was a solid, no-surprises machine so beloved by advanced, silver-haired riders. The new 1200 broadens the RT’s appeal as it is happy to both tour and play. It’s willing to go down and change direction like a 600! The R1200RT is a big machine to look at but manages to shrink on the twisty bits.
BMW ‘Telelever’ front suspension means that the pointy end of the bike feels brilliant. Hop on to the RT from any other manufacturer and you’ll be amazed. Diving under braking is a thing of the past, which gives the added bonus of a head butt or two less for touring riders from pillions.
You can get all the toys like heated grips and seat, ABS, trip computer, electrically adjusted screen, CD stereo and cruise control to name a few. The most impressive new feature is ESA; that’s active suspension at the touch of a button. There is little or no engine heat radiated to the rider or pillion, which is a serious virtue when traversing hot countries.
At five foot ten I found the height-adjustable seat handy. The lower setting gave me more confidence when filtering the 905mm wide machine through Dublin traffic. I could also get my left foot flat to the road. The lower setting also made better use of the limited wind protection from the standard screen.
The RT has always been a great machine for slow control and this is helped by the relatively short wheelbase of 1,480mm. BMW has a comprehensive luggage set up and there is even room on the bike for your sunglasses on top of the CD unit, which is accessed via a small pop-up cubby on the right side of the tank.
The only downside with the stock machine is the screen, because the edges flicker when traveling on the open road when the screen is at its maximum height. This problem is a godsend to the aftermarket screen manufacturers and easily sorted out. Plus there is no denying that on-the-move boxer twins are never as smooth as V twins or four-cylinder bikes.
That said, few bikes have such a loyal following as BMW’s ‘RT’.
Michael Sheridan
