R1150rt

[pjamesb80]

I picked up a used '02 R1150RT this spring. So far very happy with the purchase. I just joined BMW MOA it looks like a good resource. Anyway, I would appreciate any feedback on issues I should be on the lookout for concerning the 1150Rt. I have ordered (but haven't received) a Corbin seat. Stock seat is awful.
The bike only has 11k miles. The only issues I have so far, are as follows:

1. When seated, my left knee is closer to the padded part of the fairing then my right knee. Maybe it needs to be adjusted (don't know how) or maybe it was dropped at some point and twisted.
2. No owners manual from original owner.
3. The bike decelerates very quickly (engine compression) and that takes some getting used to.
4. At speed the bike tends to lurch (holding constant speed is difficult) a little.

Otherwise enjoying the bike and the forum.

[kgadley01]

Hi and welcome !!! you've bought a great bike. any questions you may have should be answered here. I don't know about why your one knee is more forward than the other, maybe one leg is longer. LOL... about your throttle surges, my guess is you need to syncronize your fuel injectors. any dealer can do this, but most of us do it ourselves. you will need to purchase a Twinmax, ( $99.00 ) and follow the instructions. its not hard, just hook it up and adjust your right injector to match the left. the left is non adjustable. this should be checked every 6000 miles. its a good idea to check your valve clearances first. buy a good shop service manual, I use a Clymer. none of this is hard to do. but if you don't think your up to it, take it to the dealer. your right about the stock seat, they're terrible. I put a Sargent on mine. good luck and once again welcome to our group. :thumb

[aerialfilm1]

Congrats on the RT. I too bought a pre-ridden 02 RT and have loved every 40k miles.
After I joined MOA and read about other's issues with the same bike, I became worried I may have bought the "wrong bike". So far no problems and the RT has been a faithful friend. So don't panic if you see threads or posts that mention possible defects or common problems. Ride your bike and have fun.

If I were you I would assume that your previous owner(s) may have neglected some maintenance, and prepare to do a catch up 12k service. If you are like me, it will be intimidating the first time and you may just want to pay your dealer to do it so you can relax. But get ready to have all the info you need to do your own services in the future and save some money and make some new friends.

BTW, it's Ok to ask about synthetic oil. We all did.... :p

[awagnon]

Welcome. I have a 2002 1150RT and love it. You might want to log onto the BMW Sport Touring forum ( bmwsporttouring.com ) which is mainly devoted to RT's and/or touring bikes. Some issues:

1. Surging is common at speeds where the rpm is 3,000 - 3,500. A good throttle body balance and valve adjustment will help. You can also remove the CAT plug from the fuse box. This is a device that tells the Motronic brain to run the engine lean so that it meets emission standards. There is a different plug for different bikes and countries. Pulling it will make it run slightly richer with much less surging. Will cost maybe 1 mpg in gas efficiency.

2. Brakes are overly sensitive. You'll get used to it if you have ABS. Also they are fully linked, so the bike will go straight to the ground if you use too much brake at low speeds.

3. The 2002 1150X bikes ( especially the RT ) have a high rate of spline failures. No body know exactly, but may be as high as 1% or more. That's a long story. Lubricating them might help prevent this, but probably not as it's most likely an alignment problem. Don't loose sleep over it. Mine failed.

4. Many people put 1/4 - 3/8 inch shims under the front seat supports to help keep from sliding into the tank and crushing your testicles. After market seats usually correct this.

I'll quit now. It's a great bike and a mile eater on trips. You'll love it. Let me know if you need anything. Also, check out the BMW Sport Touring group. Lots of RT riders there and friendly.

[Muneio]

1. When seated, my left knee is closer to the padded part of the fairing then my right knee. Maybe it needs to be adjusted (don't know how) or maybe it was dropped at some point and twisted.

Thought I was the only one that experienced this. Good to know I'm not the only one with one leg longer then the other.:dunno

Bill

[1024JLC]

My left knee is slightly closer to the knee pad as well; I thought it was the way I was sitting, but interesting to here a few others expereince the same thing. I sold my 02 R1150Rs and purchased an 04 R1150RT. Much better ride, IMHO, more upright, better weather protection, and better touring configuration. The only two things that I really miss from the RS is the two most significant upgrades that I had made, 1) Sargent Seats, and 2) Ohlins shocks. Time and money will cure that for the RT.

You bought a great, low mile RT and you will really enjoy this bike, and you have come to right place for information and advice.

[cardno7]

Welcome Home

I have the 2002 1150 RT; bought with 2,700 miles; now have 41,300. Many multi-state rides. Great bike.

Stock seat is unbearable. I use the Corbin and love it; may take adjustment as it is very firm but has good ergonomics. Corbin is very wide, thus can make flat footed stops difficult for anything less than a 32 inch inseam. I also have a Sargent for two riding as my wife slides on the Corbin, but not on the Sargent. I switch back and forth accordingly as the Corbin works better for me long distance riding.

1. Noticed the left engine seems to have a very slight angle in the opposed heads. Dismissed issue and figure it could be a balance adjustment built into the opposing heads. (just a guess)

2. Look for one online or ask any specific question here and you will get an answer and possibly photos to accompany the reply. See if your local dealer can get an owners manual replacement. There is also a service manual you will want to have on hand. They are two different books.

3. If you are used to a Honda, Yamaha etc.... you will feel this but it is a great decelerator for sport riding; Note this deceleration does not come close to the CL, CLC or Montauk deceleration.

4. Much talked about; Time has diminished much of this for me, also switched to equivalent Champion sparkplug; this helped a great deal. At around 20,000 miles the surge really was fading. That is about the mileage these bikes seem to break in; Many people use teclusion and other after market fixes but many find time, plug change and engine adjustments takes most of the surge out.

Originally my surge was in the 3,300 to 3,500 RPM range, a very bad spot. With engine break in and spark plug change surge is slite and under 3,000 rpm; not much of an issue anymore.

[121464]

Sounds like a really nice low mileage RT. I have a 2003 RT and love it! I learned to do the 6000 and 12000 mile service myself and probably do a better job on the valve adjustment and throtle sync than a service tech could do to their time constraints! I down loaded several PDF files for doing the services which helped greatly. I also tried the AutoLite 3923 standard plug and found the bike idled and ran better than on the Bosch's and it eliminated any surge I had (along with the valves and throtle sync). Much different bike (huge twin) than any of the 4 cylinder bikes I had in the past. But once I got over the fear of reving her to red line and not bogging or straining the engine (keep her over 3500 rpm and up and she runs sweet) she ran just great.

[pjamesb80]

Thanks to everyone for the tips and advise. I can already see that I'm falling in love with this bike. I had to make a trip last week on State Route 15 for about three hours. This bike is more than adequate in the twisties but it absolutely loves the highway.
I live in a rural area of Maryland and for zipping around the area I use my Triumph Scrambler. Also a great bike but it's a "white knuckler" on the highway. I much prefer the RT for rides of 100 miles or more.
Thanks again!

[pjamesb80]

If I were you I would assume that your previous owner(s) may have neglected some maintenance, and prepare to do a catch up 12k service.

Jeff, my first stop after picking up the bike on the Eastern Shore was to Bob's BMW in Elkridge, Maryland. They did a state inspection and serviced the bike for me. The previous owner also used Bob's BMW for service, so they new just what to do. Good advise though. Thanks.