Author Topic: Would you buy an older R1200RT?  (Read 7566 times)

oldbike54

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Re: Would you buy an older R1200RT?
« Reply #60 on: January 26, 2020, 04:33:18 PM »
 Bipper , buddy , did you not believe yourself the first time  :laugh:

 Dusty

Offline Bpreynolds2

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Re: Would you buy an older R1200RT?
« Reply #61 on: January 26, 2020, 04:37:29 PM »
Bipper , buddy , did you not believe yourself the first time  :laugh:

 Dusty

Why Dusty, did you see something?  I didn’t see anything.  You sipping the whiskey this early in the day?  That double vision will get ya  :boozing: :wink:

And here I am thinking I can operate a Beemer’s cruise control, heated seats and ESA suspension.  I’d have more luck hooking up my VCR, probably  :grin:
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oldbike54

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Re: Would you buy an older R1200RT?
« Reply #62 on: January 26, 2020, 05:10:12 PM »
Why Dusty, did you see something?  I didn’t see anything.  You sipping the whiskey this early in the day?  That double vision will get ya  :boozing: :wink:

And here I am thinking I can operate a Beemer’s cruise control, heated seats and ESA suspension.  I’d have more luck hooking up my VCR, probably  :grin:

 The old dealer in Tulsa spent 10 minutes explaining what all of the knobs and switches on an RT did . He might as well been attempting to teach a cat how to operate a slide rule .

 Dusty

Offline Perazzimx14

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Re: Would you buy an older R1200RT?
« Reply #63 on: January 27, 2020, 12:10:08 PM »
Its and 1150 but for $2,800 so if it lasts a season its money in the bank. If it doesn't last a season part it out and recoup your money and then some

https://advrider.com/f/threads/2800-2004-bmw-r1150rt-in-oregon.1422129/
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Re: Would you buy an older R1200RT?
« Reply #63 on: January 27, 2020, 12:10:08 PM »

Offline Scud

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Re: Would you buy an older R1200RT?
« Reply #64 on: January 27, 2020, 04:27:57 PM »
Its and 1150 but for $2,800 so if it lasts a season its money in the bank. If it doesn't last a season part it out and recoup your money and then some

https://advrider.com/f/threads/2800-2004-bmw-r1150rt-in-oregon.1422129/

That is true. Let's say you get it for $2500. You can sell the bags, windscreen, seat, rocker covers, headlight, and wheels pretty easily for premium prices. Then you can sell all the bits needed to convert a police bike to a standard RT - those are in high demand. After those quick sales, you will have a large pile of stuff to get rid of. I currently have a large pile of stuff from an 1100RT.

Or you can just run it till it dies, which could be a very long time.

It's kind of sad how cheap some quality used bikes are. But that means there are some excellent values if you are just looking for a solid commuter.
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Offline Perazzimx14

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Re: Would you buy an older R1200RT?
« Reply #65 on: January 27, 2020, 05:37:18 PM »
That is true. Let's say you get it for $2500. You can sell the bags, windscreen, seat, rocker covers, headlight, and wheels pretty easily for premium prices. Then you can sell all the bits needed to convert a police bike to a standard RT - those are in high demand. After those quick sales, you will have a large pile of stuff to get rid of. I currently have a large pile of stuff from an 1100RT.

Or you can just run it till it dies, which could be a very long time.

It's kind of sad how cheap some quality used bikes are. But that means there are some excellent values if you are just looking for a solid commuter.

Unfortunately some one on here will post how hard it is to sell stuff or make up another reason why the OP should steer clear of the brand. Its no fun for the bashers when they have nothing to bash :violent1:

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Offline ysrebob

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Re: Would you buy an older R1200RT?
« Reply #66 on: January 28, 2020, 06:44:49 PM »
He is giving you good advice.  I would definitely recommend an R1200RT over the prior model R1150RTs, which were heavier and higher risk for catastrophic driveline issues.  2007 and newer bikes have a better ABS system than 05-06; this is indeed what you want to find.  Main recurring failure with this era of RTs that he didn't mention is the sensor for the fuel gauge, a surprisingly expensive "fuel strip" that seems to fail every few years on some bikes.  Fixed around 2011.  That said, the '07-up R12RTs are solidly designed bikes, if complex, and handle very well.  Wind management is second to none.  If you can find one with a Cee Bailey windscreen its even better.  Flip up the lid on your visor and all you can hear is the hum of tires and whisper of valves, almost no wind noise.  I rode mine through some toad strangling deluges and came out semi-dry.  Truly great machines for covering big miles at speed and in comfort.

At this point a Norge would be a better value, tho not as good a fairing.
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Offline Motormike

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Re: Would you buy an older R1200RT?
« Reply #67 on: January 29, 2020, 09:25:40 PM »
2007 and up didn't have the servo "wizzy" brakes, which is a good thing.  I know of no reliable way to inspect the dry clutch that wouldn't involve major disassembly.  All you can do is look for the tell-tale signs of oil leakage underneath the clutch housing and along the seam where it bolts to the engine.  Of course, a hard test ride should reveal if it is slipping.

Offline JohninVT

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Re: Would you buy an older R1200RT?
« Reply #68 on: January 30, 2020, 03:32:32 AM »
Wow.  I totally and completely appreciate all the input here but has this thread has gotten a little off course from my initial post - maybe some of that’s my fault.  But here’s what I put in my initial post

“But anyhow, yesterday I phoned a guy I know who is a 10 year BMW mechanic to ask him a couple questions.  He was fantastically, ridiculously helpful.  Surprisingly, however, he said he would not buy any air/oil cooled RT without having him or a BMW mechanic look at it.  He said the clutch and the brakes are both a 3k dollar job each if they are down.  For the clutch you have to split the bike to repair even.”

Please note, he didn’t say anything about drive shaft or any other issue.  In fact, he was quite complimentary of the bikes.  He just knows my limited budget and said these are the 2 things to look out for in a R1200RT purchase and said he wouldn’t recommend buying one unless it can be inspected for these 2 issues first.  He also said the brake issue was remedied beginning in 2007, so if I must, that I should seek a post ‘07 bike to at least rule out the one potential big repair.  In fact, he said if I just HAD to get one without inspection, to get one with higher miles on it as the likelihood the brake issue had already been addressed and the clutch issue less likely - at all costs, he said avoid one that’s been sitting, at least avoid it if can’t be inspected.  He also suggested the wet clutch on the K1200 bikes of the same era are far less prone to failure but a ride yesterday on a K1200GT - a wonderful machine - proved yet again that I’m just not a 4 cylinder kinda guy.

Just reposting this to maybe bring it back.  I expect these kind of posts to drift a bit on the manufacturer but I wasn’t really asking for nor commenting on BMW reliability in general and I was only speaking strictly to the R1200RT and what the mechanic told me.

Posting on any motorcycle forum about BMW will get responses regarding their reliability.  There’s a reason for that.

Posting on any motorcycle forum about Moto Guzzi will get responses regarding the lack of dealers.  There’s a reason for that too. 

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Re: Would you buy an older R1200RT?
« Reply #69 on: January 30, 2020, 05:57:30 AM »
bmw doesn't exactly have a whole lot of dealers either.  when i last had one, there were several states without a dealer at all.  west virginia and wyoming come to mind.  maybe that has changed.
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Offline tazio

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Re: Would you buy an older R1200RT?
« Reply #70 on: January 30, 2020, 07:48:19 AM »
Motorcycle.com shows 181 BMW Motorcycle dealers.
Don't know how up to date this is.

Edit: They show 158 Guzzi dealers!   Nevermind..
« Last Edit: January 30, 2020, 07:51:26 AM by tazio »
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Offline Motormike

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Re: Would you buy an older R1200RT?
« Reply #71 on: January 30, 2020, 07:58:41 AM »
bmw doesn't exactly have a whole lot of dealers either.  when i last had one, there were several states without a dealer at all.  west virginia and wyoming come to mind.  maybe that has changed.

Some people find comfort in a large dealer network.  I know Harley owners that love the fact there is a Dealership (or two or three) in every town.  I prefer to ride a motorcycle that doesn't need a lot of dealer involvement.  When I retired and left the "big city" for the country, some of my friends thought I was nuts.  I told them then, as now, "there's nothing on this earth I need that can't be delivered to me in the back of a UPS truck!"

Offline Perazzimx14

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Re: Would you buy an older R1200RT?
« Reply #72 on: January 30, 2020, 11:50:55 AM »
bmw doesn't exactly have a whole lot of dealers either.  when i last had one, there were several states without a dealer at all.  west virginia and wyoming come to mind.  maybe that has changed.

Approximately 580,000 people live in Wyoming or 6 people per square mile. NJ in contrast had about 1,200 per square mile. West Virginia has approximately 1.8 million people and is the second poorest state in the Union with an average income of just above $23,450 (2015 dollars).

Wonder if that why neither of these states have a Lamborghini dealership either?

 
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Online blu guzz

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Re: Would you buy an older R1200RT?
« Reply #73 on: January 30, 2020, 04:44:46 PM »
they have harley and honda dealers and those can cost as much as a bmw.
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Offline Perazzimx14

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Re: Would you buy an older R1200RT?
« Reply #74 on: January 30, 2020, 05:02:49 PM »
they have harley and honda dealers and those can cost as much as a bmw.

Well I guess an opprutinity has presented itself for you to corner the market in these two states. Let us know when the grand openings are. 
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Online Chuck in Indiana

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Re: Would you buy an older R1200RT?
« Reply #75 on: January 30, 2020, 05:57:36 PM »
Some people find comfort in a large dealer network.  I know Harley owners that love the fact there is a Dealership (or two or three) in every town.  I prefer to ride a motorcycle that doesn't need a lot of dealer involvement.  When I retired and left the "big city" for the country, some of my friends thought I was nuts.  I told them then, as now, "there's nothing on this earth I need that can't be delivered to me in the back of a UPS truck!"
Or USPS. Gotta agree, Mike. I cringe at the thought of ever living in a city again. <snapping suspenders>
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