2021 BMW R1250 RT Review | First Ride

2021 BMW R1250 RT Review | First Ride: A few months back those kind folk at BMW UK loaned me the latest RT for a try - Here's my first ride on the bike plus those links I promised:-

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My current motorcycles are:-
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Royal Enfield 650 Interceptor
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[lylemacdonald]

I run a 1984 R100RT and the advancements in technology over the intervening years is astounding. That being said the old bike weighs but 525 pounds, loves to run at 75mph all day and is easy to work on: one can adjust the valves on the side of the road if need be using the factory tool kit. Of course riding this bike feels like your riding something out of "The Flintstones" cartoon after coming off a modern bike but it is good enough for me and only cost me $4000. The engine has about 160K kilometers on it and it runs as good as the day it was new. I love the German boxer engines.
Thanks for the great review. Kind regards from Canada. 🇨🇦

[IanTed]

You can use the buttons on the left side of the fairing for ‘favourites’ including the heated grips, apparently😀

[PhilC]

Ironically, a bike built for crossing continents, just when we can’t. But when we can you could be in the South Of France before you know it. Love it.

[zunaidkajee]

enjoying my 21 RT for 3 months now. The nav and media options work fantastically well, once loaded and set-up.
Personally I feel the RT is a mixture of a love / hate affair. It's the best bike to do everything from picking up take aways to long distance holidays, but its too "ordinary" looking and the boxer engine won't entice the soul, especially if you coming from an inline four or six.
But if like me, you want 1 bike to do it all, it's hard to beat, include 2 up riding.
my 2c. 🇿🇦

[andrewedmond]

Would certainly buy one if my back didn't dictate my riding days. No longer able to do the all day rides so I would never truly appreciate the capabilities of this beautiful bike. Will be getting the Triumph T120 to retain my sanity and maintain my therapy rides!. Great video as usual Andy, appreciate the effort as usual. Ride safe brother.

[petewebb]

They say older riders like these bikes, but I say get one whilst you’re young. The weight adds up and can be tricky on adverse camber, awkward, junctions, with it’s 279 kg, rider, pillion and luggage. 450+kg on tour…. Great for the faster roads, but try it on the small, awkward, adverse camber roads with loose gravel, typical in the remote Celtic countries. I sold my LE back to the dealer and got a F900XR, which means I can concentrate on the roads without worrying about the weight. I had a 2013 (90 Jahre) for three years, which seemed lighter. Even then I remember on the SW coast of Ireland thinking a GS might be better. At 70 next birthday I have to think what weight bike is the most practical for me. Otherwise yes, great bike.

[Happy-as-Larry]

Thanks Neil for the advise will look at an older model, may even get a bit of a bargain. The older dash with the dials looked so much better in my opinion.

Best Regards Larry

[WillPower]

Thank you for the video. I bought an RT based on your advice sometime ago. I have fitted a Vstream screen. It's amayzing how good that screen is. It's very quiet much more than the standard screen and you don't have to put it up so high to get a perfectly smooth air flow. For anyone with an RT the two best upgrades are a Sargent seat and Vstream screen.

[watkinson]

BMW Connected actually works quite well and is easy to use, all I use on the 850 GS.

[jacksong]

I find the sat nav very easy to use, connect using the usb and cable. Active cruise control on motorway is another smart tech and works well. I’m sure you will love it the more you ride and use the nav and tech installed.

[hiddentwisties]

I ended up with a GSA, but was so close to choosing the RT. It’s a beautiful thing. The RT would have done well for my Hidden Twisties channel, but the off road capability of the GSA made the final decision for me.
Excellent review as always. I can’t wait for the whole suite of videos in the subject.

[andysatch]

It looks like the foot-peg position is dictated by the fact there is no chance of moving them forward, due to all the stuff sticking out the sides at the

[billiondollardan]

I really like your videos, man. You've got a real positive attitude and it feels like you're a real bike lover

[bangersmith]

I think you’ll find navigation via the phone very good though I do take your point about having the navigation inbuilt. That said, planning the next days route in your hotel room’s not going to be too easy with an inbuilt system. There are software improvements due for the app in Sept for the people who are having issues. I only use the app for navigation and find it very nearly perfect. The TFT alone puts the navigation system a long way ahead of anything Garmin produce.

[brulaapgaapmeester]

Funny, personally I always liked the stick out (boxer) cilinders, one of the reasons I also like Guzzi's. To each his own. :-)

[richpierce]

Andy you mention the panders are locked separately, but in fact they work on the central locking function. I find the mapping function works well as you can route plan in the house then just put your phone in the housing and off you go. FYI make sure you join the bike's wifi and bluetooth in order to get the full functionality. I have the SE with top box and I do love the bike. I've had many other bikes and plenty of GS's. However I find I have more confidence with the bike than any other, especially in slow speed manoeuvring when you just trail the back brake. Overall good video and I look forward to your future observations. If I could have a wish list item I'd chose apple car play, as it would work really well on a screen like that.

[markwolf]

Hl. A great review as always. I bought one of these last week and just a couple of points I’d like to point out. The bike comes with full central locking including the panniers and the 2 pockets on the dash, and those 4 buttons on the left panel, one of them contains a short cut to the heated grips and seats. What I don’t like is the built in sat nav using your phone, setting it up is a pain so I’ve used my old navi 5 instead.

[nigeltankard]

Cheers Andy for another great review. always like the kit review at the end

[bobvincent]

Thanks. The cylinders force the legs from being further forward, that's it.

[paulcollins]

Hey Flyer! At last, you are taking a look at the bike I now have, having traded in my R1250GS Rallye TE. I hope you enjoy your time with it. I have been very impressed with it so far. I got the best colour one, blue, by far and all of the gadgets including the stereo player, over indulgence maybe but really impressive like the active cruise control and "moving" lights. The heated grips can be reached by putting them in the favourites buttons, the ones on the left running 1 to 4 which is quite useful but I think they could have made that better yet still, shouldn't have to have it awkward and then a "favourite" button system, oh well. I'm also a fan of buttons for things you will use a lot. The engine is stunning on the bike and matched in with superb handling from the bike going a bit quicker is very good, safely done of course. Once you are used to how the navigation works with conjunction of your phone and the BMW App it is really good, I'm still learning with it and it can be a little frustrating whilst you get the hang of it. What's most annoying is how long it takes to set up from putting your phone in the special cubby hole and turning on, getting the App engaged and loaded and bike fired up and running, and everyone else on their bikes have long set off..!!! When you get going the system is good, frustratingly when you stop and have a coffee/tea break in the cafe on journey, when you set off again you have to go through all that palaver again...!!! it would be better in my view if they had integrated a sat nav in the screen without need for phones and apps etc....