R1200R weaknesses

[slowtorque]

As an R1150R owner, I've made my bike better by replacing the plastic fuel disconnects, upgrading the headlamp wiring with relay kit from Eastern Beaver, cutting the harness cable ties near the headtube, removing the charcoal canister (just looks better IMO), and I also plan to do a tear down at 20k (at 13k presently) to check the splines and lube them. Wilbers shocks are in her future as well.

As an owner of a new R1200R (2010), I wonder if perhaps this bike does not have as many weak points as did the 1150. If it has, I'd sure love some pointers on what they are and how folks are addressing them. I love working on my bikes almost as much as riding them. Thanks for any advice, gang.

[deilenberger]

As an R1150R owner, I've made my bike better by replacing the plastic fuel disconnects, upgrading the headlamp wiring with relay kit from Eastern Beaver, cutting the harness cable ties near the headtube, removing the charcoal canister (just looks better IMO), and I also plan to do a tear down at 20k (at 13k presently) to check the splines and lube them. Wilbers shocks are in her future as well.

As an owner of a new R1200R (2010), I wonder if perhaps this bike does not have as many weak points as did the 1150. If it has, I'd sure love some pointers on what they are and how folks are addressing them. I love working on my bikes almost as much as riding them. Thanks for any advice, gang.

Let's see:

R1200R - not known for breaking the plastic fuel disconnects, but if you really want to - just replace the male ones. The female ones don't break even on the R11 series bikes.

R1200R - no need for a headlight relay (in fact it won't work with CanBus ZFE switching..)

R1200R - there were one or two cases of overly tight tie-wraps to the EWS ring wiring. Not a big issue on the R12R as far as I can see. The wiring system is SO MUCH SIMPLER with CanBus signalling and smart components that there aren't near the number of wires running all over the bike.

R1200R - charcoal canister. Mine fell off some time ago (about 45,000 miles.) Plugging up the fitting on the left throttle-body took care of most of it, re-routing an overfill hose from the fuel tank took care of the rest.

R1200R - no need for spline lubes. Wasted effort IMHO. If you have it apart for some other reason - then do it, otherwise, forgeddaboutit.. BMW finally seems to have gotten this right.

R1200R - Wilbers is a nice improvement. Don't overlook Hyperpro and Ohlins. Hyperpro will probably cost you less.

I've found I really enjoy a bike I don't have to think about wrenching on - must be me getting old or something, but I'd rather be riding.

[Caroanbill]

A long list of actual failures on my 2007 R1200R, given the four and a half years I've had it.

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fuel strip (twice)

Yep, that's it. One issue, twice, which isn't an essential item. And I never relied on the fuel strip anyway.
Recall or service bulletins on (1) EWS ring and (2) some brake thing (I've now forgotten what)
Final drive oil is now a consumable, but that's hardly a failure.
Rear pads are soft, and I wear 'em out coz I 'drag' a bit, bit I like the way they work (I could get harder ones, but why?)

Weaknesses?
- Stock seat, esp pillion (fixed with an AirHawk and now a comfort seat)
- choppy front shock (fixed with Wilbers pre-delivery)
- air turbulence from tank design
Not a lot, really. An none affecting reliability or safety.

Improvements? oh, yes yes yes. Yes. But that's half the fun.

Compared to my old BMWs - airheads (R65LS; R80), bricks (K100RT; K1100LT), thumpers (F650CS x 2) and oilheads (R1150RS) - this bike is very nicely resolved and far enough down the engine / drive development life to be quite trouble free. And this on top of very few failures in any of those bikes anyway.

I tend to think the later oilhead issues were probably the longest list for any BMW - though I only had my RS a short while (so no faults showed up), I know a lot of oilhead riders who had drive etc issues. I have 'heard' a lot of final drive isseus with R1200GS, but I know quite a few R12GS riders and none of them have had problems. I know this board and a few guys in real life with R1200Rs - never heard of a real problem.

[ka5ysy]

None here...

Did the recalls when they appeared, but other than that, my 07 release day bike is solid as a rock.

Stock seat sucked ... Rick Mayer fixed that for me.

[websterize]

The fuel strip, residual range computer (ignore it) and the missing gasket around the tank lid. Otherwise, golden.

[slowtorque]

Well, it's a good thing I kept my flawed R1150R lest my greasy hands become idle. I just did rush out to remove my fuel filler lid and plastic assembly. Mine is coated with red oxide primer and is in fine shape. I put a thin coat of waterproof grease on the surface for now. Gasket may get done in the future. THanks for all the replies.

[Bill Stevenson]

The fuel strip and the battery problem are the only bugaboos for me. I do without the fuel strip and buy a new battery every other year. Recalls were done as required. I have the OEM tall windshield and it works fine for me. I bought a Bill Mayer saddle, but that is axiomatic with any new bike. That's it as far as I can recall. BTW, mine is a 2008. Cheers!

[MTBeemer]

No problems with my 08. Put on a Corbin seat , a Parabellum Scout fairing and Hepco-Becker bags. I consider the BMW bags a weak point. I have them on my RT and they provide too little carrying space in proportion to their size and weight, and I like top loaders.