OK, More Ownership R1200RT questions, especially those that live in hot climates

[mgalison]

This may not even be a problem with the RT, but I did try looking up for "Heat Issues" as not to bother you guys.


I know the ST1300 has some heat issues where some owners admit that they can not even use the storage pockets located on the tupperware. Is this the case with the RT ?


After living in AZ for 2 1/2 years. I never noticed that my VSTAR 1100 can get pretty hot to the point I balance the MC with my left leg and put my right leg on the floorboard due to heat when I am stopped. Any heat issue with the RT ?

How many of you swap out yor seats ? I tried sitting on the RT and thought it was fine, seemed to be very comfrontable, but when I sat on the FJR1300, I knew right away that those had to go along with needing risers for the handlebars.

For those that ride 2up, does your SO like the stock seats ? Do they complain about them ?


OK, Lighting for night time use, I here the FJR and ST owners Farkle lighting since what is supplied by the maufacture does not do a good job, So how is the RT factory lighting. Do you need to upgrade or is it pretty good on its owns ?

Thanks

Marty

:wave

[RT-Hollywood]

The bike simply does not get hot here in South Florida. Or maybe I should say that the rider does not get hot. No ifs ands or buts. Even in stop and go traffic the most you might encounter is a wiff of heat up through the opening in front of the gauges. Again, it does not affect anything. You can brag to all of your friends!

As for the lighting, it is very good. No need to change to HID, no need for bulbs. If you were riding in some sort of very dark and lonely area you might install a set of HID driving lights but otherwise lighting is fine. They do however "dance" as if loose in the housings. Or at least mine do and I can not seem to get it corrected.

The seat sucks. At least it does for me. An air hawk is on the way so I can go longer without loosing feeling in my butt. Has not arrived yet.

Ed

[judspin]

Heat is not a problem. Stock seat is a killer. Risers were a "must" for me.

[Mag]

I'll agree that the seat sucks, I've started with the BeadRider and will move up if needed.

As for the heat, I ride with guys on HD's and they shut down at trafic lights. I just laugh :dance:

I'm comfortable with the handle bars the way they are. But, I've never driven one with risers.

[Lopaca]

Living in So. Cal. we do get the occasional heat but I have never noticed any issues comfort or otherwise.

Rode through Vegas in June and got stuck on the strip in stop and go, again everything was fine.

I changed my seat to a Russel Day - much better. I went with leather, I assume there are cooler choices.

I added Mototechnique (sp?) risers and lowered the pegs.

I do not ride 2 up ever, so I can't help you there.

Good luck with all your decisions.

[motorman587]

Ditto on the Florida heat. We work off our bikes in the Florida summer sun. Not issue.

I like the stock seat on the RT.

[Harleyujoe]

I will tell you here in New Jersey that on Humid and Hot days that the bike does not light you up .
I have a Harley and at stop lights and there are so many in New Jersey that my legs
do get hot and on RT know thoughts of heat catch my attention.
And if you live in Jersey their are lots of stop lights that you have to stop for and
those legs have to go down every time.
I ride out in the west every year and ride Harleys and their is a lot less stop lights
and more riding out there than here in Jersey.
I am 58 and will tell you that the seat on RT just sucks and my wife liked it less than
I did..You can read all about my seating on my Threads..
I now have Harley Ultra seat on RT and Wow..
I also just had shoulder surgery and had to move handle bars up some and what a
difference in comfort of riding this bike.. Moto Techques Risers
But every body here as different length legs,arms ,torso ect and how the bike feels
to each of us is hard to tell others what it will take to make it comfortable for you.

If I was riding alone I could have liked the stock seat for a good amount of miles but
the minute my wife was on I hated that seat.

I have 34" inseam and really love this RT but hate the height of this bike but learning
to live with it..The bike really shines in every other way but that height....LOL

When I installed the Harley seat and it is wider than RTseat I said wow it is comfortable
but made me feel little higher because of width and thinking wife is not on it yet .Yikes!
But the minute she sat on bike the bike settled out and made the work it took to
make this seat worth the 11/2 years to figure out what I needed.

The lights on this bike shine the best I have seen for stock and I ride down some pretty dark roads and have to watch for deer and very happy with them..

Good Luck in purchasing your bike..Joe

[Sailorlite]

Regarding the seats, I'm actually surprised at how good the rider's seat is. I just returned from a 4-day into NV and Death Valley and never even thought about the seat (except to turn on its heat from time to time). I've sort of been looking for an excuse to upgrade, but can't find one.

On the other hand, the stock seat on my previous RT, the 1150, was very uncomfortable for me and upgrading to a custom Cee Bailey's was a huge improvement.

For me there are absolutely no engine heat issues or lighting issues.

[Stixx]

+1 on the seat. AS for heat, don't know bought mine in fall and have had zero heat issues and the heat from my regular R 1150 R model was non existent so I don't expect much if any more from this one. Dry clutches don't like heat or starting up hill with a load on is not reassuring on any R model but not riding the clutch and using neutral at red lights has made my clutch last over 12 K so far though riding two up starting on a hill will make it smell for a while. Not a fan of dry clutches but overall the bike does well in all kinds of weather so far.

Good luck on your dicisioin ..........

[Swrv]

Since you are coming from an ST1300, then you should know all about Spencer's Motorcycle Seat Mods. I had him mod my RT seat and found it a great improvement. The original seat sucks pretty bad.

Here in Tennessee it can get quite hot and humid. I have ridden Harleys and there is no comparison to the RT on a hot day. The RT does not generate any heat from the engine that I can observe.

My only complaint is that in the summer you are so well protected you wished you could get more air circulating around you. I have a CalSci windshield and in the hottest part of the year I will switch back to the OEM windshield to get more air flow.

[cali_beemer]

This may not even be a problem with the RT, but I did try looking up for "Heat Issues" as not to bother you guys.


I know the ST1300 has some heat issues where some owners admit that they can not even use the storage pockets located on the tupperware. Is this the case with the RT ?


After living in AZ for 2 1/2 years. I never noticed that my VSTAR 1100 can get pretty hot to the point I balance the MC with my left leg and put my right leg on the floorboard due to heat when I am stopped. Any heat issue with the RT ?

How many of you swap out yor seats ? I tried sitting on the RT and thought it was fine, seemed to be very comfrontable, but when I sat on the FJR1300, I knew right away that those had to go along with needing risers for the handlebars.

For those that ride 2up, does your SO like the stock seats ? Do they complain about them ?


OK, Lighting for night time use, I here the FJR and ST owners Farkle lighting since what is supplied by the maufacture does not do a good job, So how is the RT factory lighting. Do you need to upgrade or is it pretty good on its owns ?

Thanks

Marty

:wave

The RT doesnt have any noticeable heat at all. This is night and day compared to the ST1300. I just sold my ST1300 for my 1200RT. The ST gets warm regardless of temperature. Most of the time it was just annoying but never really untolerable. However I had one ride that felt like my crotch was on fire. It was so hot that I almost had to stop to get relief. I had heat pouring through the seat like I was sitting on an open flame. It was after that ride, along with several other issues that bike had that promped me to sell it. You definately cant leave anything sensitive to heat in the gloveboxes on the ST. I have pulled stuff out of there that was roasting hot. You will have none of that on an RT. No heat in the glovebox and no heat from the engine. I have yet to find a comfortable stock seat and the RT is no exception. I am on Spencers waiting list as he is backed up for 3 weeks. However, I eventually will get a Russel Day long saddle.

[BMWphreak]

Regarding the seats, I'm actually surprised at how good the rider's seat is. I just returned from a 4-day into NV and Death Valley and never even thought about the seat (except to turn on its heat from time to time). I've sort of been looking for an excuse to upgrade, but can't find one.

On the other hand, the stock seat on my previous RT, the 1150, was very uncomfortable for me and upgrading to a custom Cee Bailey's was a huge improvement.

For me there are absolutely no engine heat issues or lighting issues.


+1 I have had the same migration from 1150 to 1200 and the exact same experience.

[keith1]

No heat issues whatsoever. Stock seat is a POS. Changed mine out after about 6 months to a Corbin. The lighting is very good but I added two sets of lights to be seen. One set under the mirrors and the other set under the oil cooler.

[OU812]

Really a great bike for hot weather riding. Harley can dry roast your nuts. :mad:

[Nebish]

1. The head lights are amazing. You can run the stockers confident in the knowledge that you are getting probably one of the best lighting systems out of the box on the market. Others have made an HID conversion, which is not really necessary in my view but will give you even further reach on dark roads. I am awaiting delivery of a set of Motolights for greater visibility by on-coming drivers.

2. As you can see, there is a divided opinion about the seat. I happen to think the stock seat is pretty decent. Not fabulous but acceptable. I'll admit that after 10+ hours in the saddle, I want to get off. I have added a Bakup back rest which ups the comfort factor big time, at least for me. Being able to push my tired back against the some support is a huge improvement. A custom saddle is the ultimate, but that said, you will see ads for second hand custom seats because Brand A is too hard or Brand B is too soft. This is really a highly individual decision. Let your arse tell you what makes it happy.

3. I found the boxer twin engine to be surprisingly cool running. Everyone seems to agree that heat is a non issue. Just like most everyone says the Honda ST's are nut roasters as were older FJR's. The RT is way better than those bikes IMHO.

I could not be happier with my RT. A fabulous balance of amazing handling, more than adequate power, touring capable and comfort. A little tall for a guy who is 5'8'' with a 29" in seam but I can almost flat foot the standard version in the low seat position and can completely flat foot the factor lowered model. But the seat on the factory lowered model is just too lacking in padding for my padding. Same with the stock low seat option.

If you are seriously thinking about a new RT, I would not hesitate. Some friends and I had Sunday breakfast with fellow riders. One of the riders is a sales guy at a local BMW dealership. He told me that the factory has scaled back production this year anticipating a drop in sales given the current economic climate. Motorrad is not delivering the allocations to its dealers that it originally promised.



This one's a keeper.

[rtdavew]

Marty, You should not have a problem. With regard to seating comfort Scottsdale BMW sells sheepskin covers for the RT. They supply the SPD and carry covers that fit both rider and passenger seats. I picked a set about a year ago and could not be more pleased. I have a CeeBailey after market and it fits fine.
Relocated to the east coast and truly miss my 87 to Payson to 260 to 17 weekend loop. Nothing like it in the sunshine state.

[quint]

In terms of heat, the RT is the ultimate cooling machine. It gives off no noticeable heat from the engine, no matter how hot the surrounding air temp. I have had an FZ1, Road King, FLHTCUI, K1200GT, Ducati S4R-S, and I have ridden a FJR-1300 and Concours-14 in the Las Vegas summer heat - the RT is the BEST by a country mile. Very comfortable.

[switz]

I have seen the oil temperature a notch higher on the gage on a summer day in Phoenix. The fairing on the RT does a decent job of keeping the heat off the rider's legs. The GS bikes throw a lot of heat into my shins in the same weather. Another heat management trick in the summer is to not lug the engine nor wind it up over 3k to 4k in city traffic. If you are stuck in traffic for more than 5 minutes in the Phoenix area or any other place with triple digit temps, I would strongly consider a shutdown to help keep the heat soak down and the oil temperature down.

[Bails]

Well Australia is as hot as you want, the RT is fine. As for seat that depends on what you are used to. If you are a Fat Arse Hardley rider then you might not like the seat. If you are a sports tourer enthusiast type then you may find the seat OK. To me seats are a personal thing dependent on your past motorcycling history and expectations.