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| On the road BMW R 1200 RT: the ultimate luxury tourer By Th. Groussin On sale since spring 2005, the new BMW R 1200 RT, the tourer bike Europeans prefer, is incredibly versatile. You'll appreciate this exceptional bike on a day-to-day basis and also on long trips where it proves highly efficient.
Disconcerting ease Aproaching this bike for the first time you are rather wary. The lines of the RT 1200 are less fluid than the previous 1,150 ccm version and the fairing is more voluminous and stocky, hence the visual impression of massiveness which intimidates. Yet, as always with BMW flat-twins, the bike moves off with disconcerting ease. Its centre of gravity is still as low and the bodywork is not as heavy as it appears. The first kilometres reveal a fabulous driving position and this was confirmed throughout the test. The engineers have managed to keep great slimness at the level of the knees: the 27 litre tank, now made of synthetic material, extends in front of the pilot's legs, making it easy to control the machine. The handlebars (ideal width) - seat - footrests' triangle is quite simply perfect. Superb comfort
No bike of the same category does better in protecting you. The low position rear-view mirrors shelter your hands, and your legs are tucked behind the fairing. As for the large electrically height adjustable (down to a millimetre) windshield, it is a model of its kind. In low position, no hindrance to vision or eddying; in high position, it moves up by advancing towards the road, isolating you completely from wind and rain. So you can then enjoy the radio and CD option or take delight in merely listening to the purring of the engine... Added to all this, the upholstery and suspensions are exceptional, making 1,000 kilometre stages nothing but pure pleasure. Vibrations are also far better filtered than in the old 1150 thanks to the presence of an engine balancing shaft. Mention should also be made of the particularly powerful lighting and a horn that now blasts like a lorry's! The new flat-twin loves to play
Completely overhauled with respect to the 1150, the new 1,200 ccm flat-twin is clearly more agile. Even more nimble than before when moving slowly, and far more alert at mid speeds, it has clearly benefited from the increase in power values (+ 20%), but above all in torque (+1.5 mkg). This engine now exercises immediate charm and proves even more captivating as time goes by. Consumption stabilises at 6.5 l/100 km during relaxed touring (350 km of autonomy excluding the reserve). Of course, Euro-3 anti-pollution standards are complied with. The gearbox keeps its specific characteristics, especially a relative slowness with respect to Japanese production, but clear progress has been accomplished regarding precision: this gearbox therefore tolerates far better those swift shifts into a lower gear. The 6th gear is no longer an overdrive, so you can enjoy using it on side roads. Behaviour worthy of a sport tourer The exceptional stability characterising the BMW R series is still topical, but the 1200 is even more agile than the 1150, which was already a reference in this respect. Extremely easy to drive whatever the lay and state of the land, the 1200 RT clearly pushes its pilot to adopt sporty driving in the right conditions. On motorways, even in bad weather, the carrier steers ahead unruffled. Back in town, the nimbleness is a marvellous asset. If the side cases are removed (possibly replacing them with an optional topcase), the bike is not too wide to drive in traffic jams, making it an excellent machine not only on a daily basis, but also for a tourist ride in an urban setting. The average time needed to assimilate the RT's ultra-sophisticated braking power is no longer more than a day. Once you've mastered this system you have great peace of mind as it now combines ABS, automatic distribution of braking power between front and rear (only on the right lever now) and an electronic brake booster. Practical... like a car
The pair of cases, fitted as standard, have been entirely rethought and have become more pleasing to the eye and functional. Opening, closure, removal, water-tightness: everything is perfectly designed. Yet, with the cases removed, the RT's appearance does not suffer at all. Our test bike was equipped with nearly all the options: on-board computer (fuel level and remaining travel distance, oil level, average speed...), electronic suspension adjuster (ESA: three damping modes - normal, sport or comfort, to be chosen from a button on the handlebars), and a radio and CD player (far less futile than you'd think...). Well done BMW: each of these items of equipment proves useful in actual use. They are by no means just gadgets' you laugh at. Some bikes are of course even more luxurious, but they are in the different category of American-style' tourers such as the Honda Gold Wing 1800 and BMW K 1200 LT.
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