I just took delivery of my 2023 R1250Rt, drove the bike home, read the manual, and took the bike out for a ride. The FM radio was working fine, decided to listen on XM Radio...and found the same issue, no reception, fading in and out, nothing. This was on a west bound heading, turning south, the XM receiver was working fine, but turning back home, I had the same issue come up. The "mushroom" antenna apparently loses signal due to the windshield blocking the signal, this from several owners that confirmed relocating a $22 antenna from Amazon solved the issue quickly. I haven't verified the windshield as the culprit, once the weather is nicer I am going to experiment with it, but it makes sense. A friend of mine has a new K1600B and his XM has been a point of frustration also, although he didn't think he had the mushroom antenna showing on the dash...he couldn't' remember because it made him so mad, he traded it in on a new Indian Challenger.
The XM Antenna issue is well known with BMW, make a video and talk to/ show your dealer what's going on (mine kept dropping when you adjusted the windscreen). After three weeks at the dealer it was replaced under warranty, but still a pain. Call BMW, and have your Vin# ,and file a complaint, 800 831-1117. Good luck. Below is a post I made on a BMW forum. forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?103775-BMW-s-quot-FIX-quot-for-the-XM-Antenna-Issues-2023-RT
Thanks for the update, I will have to check my AM radio antenna, FM reception seemed very good. Sometimes I think the best thing I can do is fix it myself, as I have the "mushroom" sitting right on the dash, I may try to modify it by cutting it and putting a real XM antenna that would look nice and it would probably be a cheap fix under $50. But, since I have such good streaming stations to listen to, connecting that way and listening to music that way would be just as good as XM Radio, and is free anyway with very few commercials. Just got the bike, winter is on the way out so I will have time to think which is the best way to go...as I would NOT like to have the bike in the shop for any length of time!
I have the same exact issue. Dealer confirmed the issue. Bmw said they wouldn't do anything about it under warranty and that I should call XM. Very disappointed. I didn't buy the antenna from XM. I bought it from BMW and they should stand behind it!
I would make a video of it also, they hate the bad PR, and it'll show the dealer what's happening. They have the fix (the antenna from the K1600), they just need it documented for BMW to give the go ahead.
Not to change the subject, but I haven’t yet tried the XM radio on my new 2023 RT because I can’t get the damn Wi-Fi connection to stay linked to my cell phone for more than five minutes. The dealer has no ideas, and BMW Motorrad sent me a list of six suggestion for my phone. How about their damn bike. This TFT has been out for three years.
Sorry for this issue. I stopped even trying to connect it with my phone, instead I got a Garmin Zumo GPS and it works great, very user friendly. I could never read the side streets (small print) with the TFT on the RT. BMW bit off more than they could chew with this RT.
I am aware that a dealer has replaced the R250RT XM antenna with one from a K1600GTL and it resolves the issue . . . your dealer needs to press the issue!!
