I like the Michelins Road 6 GT's on my 1200 R/LC. Didn't like the gas-response either in road-mode. Got it chiptuned, now it's more powerful in Road and very responsive in Dynamic. The suspension can only be changed in preload, not in damping !! Nice video 👍
Great review Rikky. See, I told you you'd like the R didn't I? I'm still loving mine with close to 7000mls on the clock. If it's helpful to anyone, I just use ESA road mode for things like long stretches of dual carriageway or motorway, and dynamic for everything else with bends. With respect to tyres, I'm running Michelin Road 5's, and I really like them. Loads of grip and confidence, and they smooth the road out, so it's a bit like riding on carpet. I don't do track days though mind, so I can't comment on that. Keep up the good work. Ride safe fellah.
Hey there I just looked over the old comments and yep I made the right decision getting the R1250 for sure! Sometimes I miss the top end rush of an inline four (I've ridden a couple recently) but on balance I use mid-range torque much more often than I can use top end horsepower and so this bike works really well for me. I'll bear those Road 5's in mind, cheers!
Another vote for Micheline Road 5s. I run them on my zx12R, and it has that top end rush all right. But the confidence they give me in wet conditions is palpable. My next tyres will be michelin Road 5s again
Well done sir. I have close to 4k miles on my 2020 1250R. I usually never leave the road mode for the very same reason you stated, under-damping. Ride safe.
Superb review Nicky, love your down to earth honest videos. Plain, honest, unpretentious presentation, by a really nice guy. I have just your bike, bought it brand new in May (I think), done just over 4000 miles. I average 64 mpg on E10 (by computer and twice by tank fill), also I ride at lower revs, rely on the torque more. Love the bike, do not regret my purchase. However I find the mirrors not up to quality use, also the indicator switch a bit fiddly, especially on left turns. Also perhaps the front light could be brighter for night rides (ride to work in the dark now). However it has more than enough power for public road use (have to watch speed on overtaking, gets to 90 mph just like that). The bike is comfy for long distances, and handles well giving a relaxed ride. My only regret is the wife has not used the pillion with a BMW topbox pillion seat more. I also ride in dynamic mode all the time. Last week rode home chucking it down, and is was fine in dynamic, just was careful with the throttle. Metzeler tyres I think are designed for BMW bikes and work brilliantly. So far it seems to me that all the riding modes is to just alter throttle response. I like dynamic as I do not have to turn the handle so much.
Hello Rikky. I just wanted to say that after viewing your videos about the R1250R, I ordered one for myself. It will be arriving mid October. Many thanks, Christos from Cyprus. 🙏🏻☺️🏍🍺
I've got a r nine t ( it's beautiful) and got a test ride on the r1250r when having my bike serviced. I loved it, more refined and lovely to ride, I was really impressed. I will consider seriously the r1250r as my next bike.
The R9T is a better looking bike for sure and had a great deal of charm! But the R1250R has more performance, comfort and technology and that makes it my choice too 😊
I totally agree, I was really impressed with 1250r. Saying that, mine is a pure toy, couldn’t afford another woman🥴. After three years and the main thing for me a lot of custom modification I have a bike I absolutely love the look of. 2 or three years when 1250r start popping up in bike trader for 50% of new price I’ll have one.
Great "real world" assessment of the bike Rikky. Only just had mine serviced at 750 miles, but absolutely love the bike. I find the balance makes the relative weight disappear when riding and gives a bit of solidity in cross winds and 2 up etc. Mine came with PR4s so maybe better to come when they get changed. I'm finding the quick shifter a bit clunky going up, but great on the way down. Love the tune from the engine/exhaust too. Can't wait to get some petrol so I can get some more miles on her!
Welcome to the R club! The PR4's sound like a better OEM choice than the Z8s for sure, they may last longer than my M9RRs but then again I'm happy with the added feel of these tyres and will likely get them again regardless of how long they last. Yes the quickshifter can be clunky sometimes going up the box you're right... nowhere near as smooth as my old S1000R and a lot of the time I just use the clutch which is nice and light (much lighter than the S1000!). Hope you get some miles in before the autumn kicks in!
@@RikkyTang I agree I find the quick shifter very clunky and only use it going up from 3 to 4 onwards though it’s ok coming down. The clutch is lovely and light though and I just love the bike overall.
Totally agree, torque / engine is the best thing about the bike, weight is the worst. (Although low centre of gravity due to boxer engine mean weight isn’t too bad) 👍
Great review Ricky. My 2020 R1250R has done about 5500 miles and as per most of the other comments here, I agree with the points you make. Regarding tyres, mine came with Michelin Pilot road 4’s which so far are proving to be very hard wearing with very few signs of degradation. Handles well on them also….. (road use not track day)
Thanks Spiko! The PR4's may well be an option if I'm looking for hard wearing (but good performing) tyres. But if I get to maybe 4000 with these Metzelers with the torque levels on this bike I'd be pretty happy!
Yes I think I'll be keeping this one for a while! I can't think of a bike I'd want to replace it with to be honest! To find a bike with big torque, good handling AND shaft drive... I don't think there is another one!
Good review. I love the torque and think the bike handles really well too. I do find the gearing isn't quite right for sitting at 30 mph. Fuel consumption is very good, I average 60 mpg. I really don't like ESA very much and would spec a replacement with regular suspension if possible.My other bike is a Himalayan, and the contrasts amuse me: the front brake on the RE is very soft, and the rear is great; The opposite for the BMW where I find the front too sharp and the rear ineffective.
That's interesting with your thoughts about riding at 30mph - I'm actually quite happy at 30mph in 3rd gear but that speed is a bit too low for 4th I find. And yes generally the rear brake is quite week on this bike. I also found the rear brake on a Vespa was much stronger lol
Really like this bike and trying to justify the costs :). Not just initial costs, but all ownership costs, particularly over a few years, and because you *need* to go to a dealer for several things (special tools and knowledge, and all). I'd highly recommend the next time you need tires, don't hesitate to grab some Michelin Road 6s. Grip in about any condition, specially the wet, is outstanding, and they will last much longer than the rubber you've been using. Have had 5s on two of my bikes, and just got 6s for my current bike.
Thanks for the info about the Michelin's, I do plan to give them a shot. You are correct, BMWs are not exactly the most cost effective machines to own, but in the particular case of the 1250 boxer bikes, there is nothing else quite like it on the road! So if you have the desire for one, nothing else will do 😊
I have the BMW R1200R LC and I love it. I’m no bmw fan boy but I’ve never found a bike I’d rather own. I’m kind of thinking the next gen R1300R might tempt me. Oh and my average is showing at 55mpg and although I don’t accelerate of brake super hard (mechanical sympathy kicks in) I do ride at speed and have done around 24 thousand miles to get that average. Impressive for a chunky bike that pulls me and often the wife without any hesitation.
This is such a nice and great review! I have (since a couple of years back when testing a 2012-model) decided to get a R1200R/R1250R, so thanks for making me even more secure of this choice! Very interested if you (or someone else) has done a comparison between the 2011-14 and this? (Tried the 2015 and didn’t like it as much as the elder one, but haven’t tested the 2019-22 yet…) Also interested in 2019 vs 2021 models, if there’s any differences. Great if you/anyone could help! Also love the looks of the opt. 719 and color…:)) Great vid once again!!
I'm glad you enjoyed the video and I hope you found it helpful! I haven't ridden the earlier generations of this model so unfortunately can't comment myself of the differences. Perhaps someone may chime in at some point in the future! I think the 2021 model year did bring some minor improvements... if you get Riding Modes Pro you'll have MSR (adds a bit of throttle to avoid locking the rear wheel up on aggressive/high rev downshifts). I think there is another option - DBC - that cuts the throttle if you do an emergency stop but accidentally keep the throttle partially open. And the 2021 is Euro 5 although I think the earlier models technically were anyway 😁 The Writtle Rider and AmenCornerRider are two other R1250R owners on RU-vid that you may find interesting! Personally I love the bike... I wish it weighed a bit less but that engine is so strong and the bike so much fun that I really enjoy riding it 👍
Hey Ricky, great to hear your thoughts. Like you, my biggest negative is the weight but I do most of my riding in Dynamic mode so I don’t experience as much of the slow motion bounce as you do. Still, pushing the bike around requires a bit of planning and effort (I’m roughly the same size as you but considerably older). Overall, having only done about 6500 kilometres, mainly because of lockdowns, I love the bike. My most annoying issue is the clunky gear shift from first to second; I still haven’t mastered making that shift smooth except when I’m giving it a handful above 5500rpm. Also like you, I love the torque and she seems to handle well for such a big girl. Ride safe.
Try shifting from 1st and 2nd at very slow speed under lighter throttle. Almost as soon as you start rolling. Once you are in 3rd you can quickshift under more load without the clunk.
The bike does have a bit of character about it, we're bonding quite nicely! Yes the clunkiness is disappointing and I often just use the clutch between 1st and 2nd; it's either that or roll off the throttle and do an old school clutchless shift. Thanks for your comment Bruce!
Thanks for the review. This is the first time I heard about vibrations on the right hand grip causing the hand to go numb. I thought the boxer engine is renown for zero vibrations?
Great review. On my first BM, 1250RS. Loving it so far. I find myself double tapping between road and dynamic damping as needed - easy and almost instant. What exhaust are you running? Sounds pretty good.
Cheers nathan! I was running the Leo Vince Factory S Carbon back then but I had all sorts of drama trying to keep the noise down without affecting the power. I have a playlist all about 😊
good review, I had one traded it for an RT and now looking to trade back!! The R is a great all rounder and decent alternative to a GS but for me its about having a good screen on it, I used the Wunderlich Marathon which was excellent.
I agree - it's such a awesome bike and the I can't think of anything out there right now I'd swap it for. It's not perfect though and one of the main reasons I want a screen is to give that expensive instrument panel some protection (as well as my GoPro!). I've got the OEM Sport screen fitted but I get a bit of buffeting with it... a Puig screen is on the way now!
@@davidjones9636 I do appreciate the suggestion but I have to be honest and say that personally I'm not a fan of having bigger/taller screens on this bike - I don't think they are a good look!
Great review. I’d be interesting in the rationale of going for R rather than RS model. Thoughts? As for the complaints about weight you should try paddling around a Valkyrie!!
Hello Alan, thanks for writing in! Yikes the idea of pushing a Valkyrie is making my back ache haha! Well there were a few reasons behind going for the R instead of the RS. Firstly, my then current bike was also a naked bike and so I quite like naked bikes! While the wind pressure is higher with naked, there is less buffeting; I found with the RS that I could not avoid wind buffeting regardless of the screen position. Now maybe I could buy a different screen but I've been down that road before with a Suzuki Bandit 1250S... I went through five different screens without solving the buffeting problem on that bike and so I didn't want to risk repeating that. The RS has a slightly more sporty riding position than the R and I preferred the more upright riding position and also the RS weighs a bit more than the R and I wanted the lightest version of that 1250 boxer engine I could find. I think that pretty much sums it up!
@@RikkyTang thanks! That all ‘scans’ as the yanks say. I’m on my 2nd screen already trying to solve its wind buffering issue. Likewise, I hate it and based on much feedback from owners on different Solns will work towards a soln. I used to have a Kawasaki zxr1200-s and I went for that model cos it had a half fairing, not wanting to have to endure full wind-blast through Scottish winters. If I was plumbing for the bmw boxer in the future, I’d be sorely tempted by the RT. However, for everyday traffic riding I recognise the absolute superiority of the naked R. I really appreciated your owners real-world perspective that points out things that someone on a quick demo ride would never sense or report. Thx.
@@RikkyTang Great review - there are very few videos on this fine bike. Great summary here too - I'm torn between an R and an RT! I want something that's fun but can also cope with a 90 minute motorway commute all year round. Guess I need to try both!
@@windyrun7979 sure. Im 5 11, the screens were stock plus slipstreamer, this is 2,5 inch taller and 4 inch wider than stock. Further options to be explored in in 2022
There are three things I wish this bike would do better: 1) Heated grips: I really do not understand why there are only two settings. Two is too hot and one is too cold. 2) Third mode for ESA: I think that this bike would benefit a lot from a third ESA mode. Road should stay like it is. Then there should be a slightly stiffer mode (somewhat between the current road and dynamic mode). Especially the rear shock has to be a bit tighter in this mode compared to the road mode. The third mode should be a bit stiffer than the current dynamic mode. The bike is capable of some serious lean angles. However the dynamic suspension mode is sometimes still a bit to soft to handle hard braking/acceleration. The main benefit of the third mode would be that one could put it in road for commuting/long straight line rides to get to a destination/if someone chooses to take it easy that day/... However: if you want to ride a normal tour you could put it in the new mode between road and dynamic. This should give you some more comfort than the dynamic mode but eliminates/reduces the movement of the rear shock. And if you really want to push it there would still be the dynamic mode which could handle the braking and acceleration better. 3) independent wheelie control: It just steps in way too hard and way too early. Would be great if its lean angle dependent (so that it steps in more the greater your lean angle) and if there would be an option to at least allow some higher wheelies (maybe nothing too crazy but something which doesn't make it feel like there's no power output at all as soon as the front wheel rises just a tiny bit)
I would certainly like more sophisticated ESA.... your third damping option might keep me from scraping the centre stand at the track! Better rider modes too - like you I would love independent wheelie control 😎 That was something that my S1000R was very good at managing.
@@RikkyTang it‘s just the lack of options when it comes to customizing the electronic assists what holds this bike back if you really push it. But I guess that the predefined settings work for most riders. There are not many out there that push this bike hard.
According to the manual of my BMW ( a different one), the 2nd setting is only meant to bring the temperature up quickly. You're not supposed to stay on it. You should then switch to the 1st setting, which should stay warm enough. I suppose that they work the same on all the BMW bikes.
Surprise quick reply! Just answering other comments when I saw yours. Cheers mate it's great to know that my vids are being enjoyed! To answer your question, on the ESA equipped models that is no way to adjust sag manually. I've heard that the latest models out of the showroom don't have ESA (maybe related to the worldwide chip shortage but I'm speculating). On non-ESA bikes you can adjust the preload yourself and therefore play with the sag.
@@RikkyTang you deserve the very best with your channel. Ok, that's interesting regarding the ESA and sag not adjustable, never knew that, thanks for explanation. Are you able to have different luggage/pillion mode combi's ? I just assumed from having R and RR you can adjust the sag but clearly the ESA is different on the R1250R/GS etc. Keep well and carrying enjoying the bike.
@@tailtidy8185 Cheers 😊 While you can't adjust the sag yourself, you have got three preload presets "min" "auto" &"max" min is for one up, max is two up but the manual recommends that you stick to auto. I stuck it max for the track day but still touched the centre stand down 😆
@@RikkyTang I read somewhere the bmw chip shortage is due to the flooding that happened which damaged the factory that makes them (and other parts) so they are rationing chips and such
Good question! I may have compared it to bikes like the Bandit 1250, CB1300 and XJR1300, but as a classy (i.e. more expensive) German alternative for those that want to try something different from an inline 4 cylinder! Nowadays I think it is a class all by itself... Perhaps the Moto Guzzi Mandello I've reviewed recently is close, but that has an upper fairing so doesn't directly compete.
Hi Rikky. About the road set of esa... Have you updated the software to the latest version ? I did it at 10k km service and I got 3 big upgrades 1) the Sport screen, that in the exclusive version was not included 2) better blipper funtionality (electronic downshift), smother 3) stiffer damping in the road-road esa. That was the same issue you claim Please note that I refer to esa setting with the double word. The first related to the suspension set (left button) and the second to the mode set (right button). Actually the setting available are 6...2x3modes. For instance you can easily feel that dynamic-road has less rear preload and damping than dynamic-dynamic. Moreover the road-road is quite softer than road-dynamic, both in front and rear sunspension. I hope these info could be useful for you. Have nice rides!
That's an interesting observation about the suspension and riding modes. I won't lie and so I will admit that I haven't noticed any difference between Dynamic/Road and Dynamic/Dynamic... then again I wasn't looking for any differences because the owner's manual does not mention any rider-mode specific differences within each damping mode. I'll have to do some riding and see if I notice! I think my firmware is up to date as far as I know, but I'll ask my BMW dealer about it, thanks 👍
@@RikkyTang Yes, I know the manual does not mention it, but it is true, and it makes sense. Try this simple experiment... On a bumby straitfull road drive with constant speed and revs (so no influence by throttle mode) ... switch from Road/rain to Road/dynamic... The difference is huge, especially at rear ammo
@@scattmanscattman9816 Hmmmm I need to make sure I understand what you are saying... in your example above you are saying that I switch from Road(damping)/Rain(throttle) to Road(damping)/Dynamic(throttle)? If that is what you are suggesting then that is not straightforward... the reason is because, if the damping was on Road when I switch the throttle mode to Dynamic, then the damping automatically switches to Dynamic at the same time. So in your example above I would have to switch my throttle mode to Dynamic first and then manually switch the damping mode back to Road afterwards. Your bike changes the damping mode automatically when you switch the throttle mode from Road to Dynamic doesn't it? Because that's definitely how mine behaves.
@@RikkyTang Sure, after switching to dynamic mode you have to correct the damping set back to road because the bike changes to dynamic. I forgot to mention but also my bike works like that. In another case you have not to correct, for instance if you want to compare dynamic-road and dynamic-dynamic (actually very different) you can start from dynamic - road and press just the mode button. (no need of manual correction) instead, If you want to start from dynamic-dynamic you have than to manually correct because the mode button mouves the setting to road-road. Sorry for the complicated explanation but english is not my language 😅. I hope now it is clear and you ll try this aspect. Actually it has changed my way to use the bike, for instance if I want the stiffer setting for my favourite twisties I must use dynamic / dinamic also if I prefer the road throttle.
@@RikkyTang I have a 2021 R1250GS (not quite the same thing but a similar setup) and no matter what I set the engine mode at. the damping remains the same (either road or dynamic) unless I alter it myself but perhaps the R1250R is different?
Hello Ricky, could you please let me know, since we are both 1.70cm, how are your feet on the ground? The hole sole touches the ground or just the toes? Thanks
I can easily flat foot (the whole sole) on the ground with both feet but the important measurement here is my inside leg measurement which is 32" (81.2cm) if your legs are shorter you may just have to settle for using your toes. There is a lower seat option available for these bikes too. but mine has the standard seat.
Got 1000km on mine (got it 15 days ago). Only complaint is a sore butt... advice? Also found the front pretty stiff anyway, even in road mode. Rear is great for bad roads, but the front definitely feels a bit rough for me.
You'll need a tougher butt!! I find the seat starts to get uncomfortable after a couple of hours too... I usually just shuffle around on the seat into a new position for a while or lift my butt off the seat for a few seconds to let the air get to it. I've only managed a six hour day so far and I was tired but not feeling too sore at the end of it.
Maybe try wearing lycra cycle shorts as underwear for longer rides. I get an extra 1-2 hours of fidget-free comfort. They don't scrunch up inside your trousers, the padding wicks sweat away from pressure points, and the seams are flat. Can also be used for cycling! They are, after all, specifically designed to cosset the nether regions of folk who only have 1 cm of gel or solid leather to sit on all day. I was initially a bit disappointed by ESA on my R1200R - I was expecting adaptive dampers to be magic-carpet plush. It took me a bit of riding to notice (as Rikky points out) how composed the bike is even on poor surfaces, which makes me think the ESA is less about comfort, and more about handling, by keeping the tyre contact patches faithfully tracking the road surface when it's less than smooth.
I have 5500 miles on my 2020 R1250R - just did my 6000-mile service - and can’t really add anything to your fine 5K review, other than the whiz wheel gets in the way of intuitive signaling with an oddly far thumb reach, and the mirrors vibrate and blur at 5K rpm. Also, did I hear you correctly that you simultaneously have Road suspension and Dynamic throttle? If so, do you get around the preset-package modes to customize it like that? I’ve looked at Dynamic Pro mode and don’t even see the ability to set that combo option there.🤔
Strangely I don't seem to have a problem reaching the indicator but I do wish the switch itself was more tactile! As for suspension/rider mode thing, I just manually switch the suspension mode after switching the rider mode... so if I have switched the rider mode from Road to Dynamic, I'd then switch the suspension back to Road mode myself with the "spring" rocker switch on the left cluster 👍
@@RikkyTang Interesting! I just put my bike into winter hibernation, but I’ll print out a reminder to try this as soon as Spring hits. That combo would definitely be the perfect setup for everyday riding.
Buenas, disculpa mi inglés, traducido por google. Tengo una r1250r del 2020, y noto una vibración, quizás de la transmisión, embrague, caja de cambios o cardan, al llegar a las 3000 rpm y que quizás se alargue hasta las 4000rpm, aunque unas veces se nota más que otras, y a veces no lo noto. Cuando más lo noto es al poner marcha larga, tipo tercera marcha y esperar a llegar a las 3000rpm más o menos. Creo que tú también sentías s aslgun fenómeno similar, si no estoy equivocado, y finalmente se resolvió. Quería saber si te engrasaron los engranajes del cardan, te cambiaron aceite del cambio o aceite del cardan o si pudiste saber que era con un poco de precisión. Estoy preocupado por las malos informes sobre el cardan en varios modelos de bmw, y en el concesionario ya han dicho que ese ruido o vibración son normales. Gracias anticipadas. La moto ya hacía ruido desde el principio y ahora tiene 14000 km. Ha pasado 2 revisiones, una por año, y aun me quedan 2 años de garantía . Traducción: Hi, sorry my English, translated by google. I have a 2020 r1250r, and I notice a vibration, perhaps from the transmission, clutch, gearbox or gimbal, when it reaches 3000 rpm and that may lengthen to 4000rpm, although sometimes it is more noticeable than others, and sometimes I do not notice it. When I notice it most is when putting long, third gear type and waiting to reach 3000rpm more or less. I think you also felt a similar phenomenon, if I'm not mistaken, and it was finally resolved. I wanted to know if they greased the gears of the gimbal, changed you change oil or cardan oil or if you could know that it was with a little precision. I'm concerned about bad reports about the gimbal on several BMW models, and dealerships have already said that such noise or vibration is normal. Thanks in advance. The bike was already making noise from the beginning and now has 14000 km. It has passed 2 revisions, one per year, and I still have 2 years of warranty. Gracias
La traducción anterior es del inglés al español. “Usted tiene razón, noté una vibración alrededor de las 3000 rpm y al principio pensé que había un problema con el motor o la transmisión. Sin embargo, el distribuidor de motocicletas no pudo encontrar ningún problema. Eventualmente dejé de notar la vibración, o me acostumbré y me olvidé por completo de ella. La vibración todavía está allí si trato de buscarla, pero creo que se vuelve menos notable a medida que agrego más millas a la máquina.” --- You are correct, I did notice a vibration at around 3000 rpm and in the beginning I thought that there was a problem with the engine or transmission. However the motorcycle dealer could not find any problems. Eventually I stopped noticing the vibration, or I got used to it and forgot all about it. The vibration is still there if I try to look for it, but I think it becomes less noticeable as the add more miles to the machine.
The main reason I keep the screen on is to protect the instrument display - to be honest the sport screen doesn't make a big difference other than take a bit of wind pressure off my shoulders. Generally there isn't a lot of turbulence for me. I have got a video where I compare this screen to riding naked and against a taller screen here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-8d-ewN6Dow4.html
I've tried several now! In my experience either they don't make much difference or they make things worse! Currently not using a screen but I might re-fit one for an upcoming track day.
Complaining about the suspension movement road ride is ignorant… that is what it is supposed to do on a road mode to help comfort… otherwise how else can you make a road ride comfort… bikes are more custom built .. .. if you want to do street Rossi maybe should buy another bike
I wasn't complaining, I was explaining how my understanding of Road suspension mode has evolved over the period I've owned the bike - there is a difference. Low-speed compression/rebound damping could be improved without sacrificing comfort on rough sections of road. The Road setting isn't perfect but I explained it's still good enough most of the time and I even said I prefer to use it... yeah a big complaint there!