R1200RT Handling Question

[Mr Sunshine]

I can tell you fully loaded at ~115mph 2-up the RT is about as stable as one can expect a big bike like that to be.  This of course was on the Autobahn through Germany.

[Scoop]

That's the best thing I've heard yet.  

[tigertom1965]

Will have to bring it over next Saturday as I didn't get the chance to this weekend. Too damn tired from the vacation and had a visitor this weekend.

Did get out but with the windy conditions I was all over the road (did leave the side cases on). Doesn't seem to matter if I have a loose grip or not or the windscreen is up or down. It has the stock windscreen so it isn't anything I added. Doesn't feel like a wobble, or feel like it is a  repeating problem (Think with tire rotation) and it tracks straight as far as I can tell. With 5-10 mph winds I am blown around. I have ridden in wind before so I would like to think that a 5 mph wind wouldn't have much affect but it is blowing me around on the road.

Now we seem to have tar and chip loving PennDOT crews placing that crap all over my backroads. So no rest for the weary. At least they filled in the potholes.

Bike has 1384 miles on it right now so tires should be broken in by now. I hardly see any wear on them either except for a barely minimal center wear area.

I don't want the extra weight of the GT. I wanted a lighter bike that was easier to maneuver around in parking areas.

I checked for any free play in the front or rear and found nothing.

[twist]

Is your suspension set too soft for you?  Try increasing the preload.

[tigertom1965]

This bike has the ESA. Electronic suspension. It is set at 1 person plus luggage with empty bags right now. I was running it with it set to normal and sport mode with no real affect on wind but a different feel on stiffness and bump handling.

If there is a way to adjust the preload on the front to help the front come down a little I would do it. But I am not sure.

[Mr Sunshine]

ESA on that bike does not adjust the preload for you (you need the K1300S).  It simply adjustes the dampning.  Also 1 person isn't the same 1 person across the board so if you are a bigger person you may need two person mode.

[twist]

ESA on that bike does not adjust the preload for you (you need the K1300S).  It simply adjustes the dampning.

orly?  It looks to me like it has 3 damping settings and 3 preload settings.  You can adjust damping while in motion, but you have to stop to adjust the preload.  Hold down the ESA button to adjust the preload (while stopped).  You can feel the bike rise up as it changes from 1 person to person + luggage - I don't see how that can be done by adjusting the damping.

[tigertom1965]

You can feel the bike rise up as it changes from 1 person to person + luggage

Really??

I don't feel it adjust up.

I not sure it rides any different when I turn it on but I also don't feel it rise upward.

[twist]

I don't feel it adjust up.

I not sure it rides any different when I turn it on but I also don't feel it rise upward.

Are you sure it changed?  When I left for my National trip, I forgot to increase the preload.  The bike didn't feel right, so when I was at a stoplight about 50 miles later, I changed the preload to person + luggage.  I could literally feel the bike rise up by about half an inch.

[FizDog74]

It adjusts the preload and damping.

[FizDog74]

Really??

I don't feel it adjust up.

I not sure it rides any different when I turn it on but I also don't feel it rise upward.

Just straddle the seat without your weight on it. You should feel it move. If not, you may want to have it looked at.

[Mr Sunshine]

There was an improvement to the ESA which did preload.  I know the 2008 R1200RT we rented last year which had ESA didn't do preload.  I thought it was only the K1300S and GT that got the ESA-II but I guess the R1200RT also got it in 2009.

[denydog]

There was an improvement to the ESA which did preload.  ....

Are you thinking of spring rate adjustment?  I thought the original ESA always did preload.

[twist]

Here's an explanation of ESA II:

http://hellforleathermagazine.com/2008/10/details-bmw-esa-ii-electronica.html

[Mr Sunshine]

Are you thinking of spring rate adjustment?  I thought the original ESA always did preload.

Ah yes I was thinking spring rate not preload.  Ok...there I go.

[Z50a]

just to put in my $0.02 ...............
I am not a guru on this bike but I did just demo on and it impressed the #$%@#^ out of me !
I got it up to 90 and was out in traffic (don't remember if there were any trucks around........),
 
BUT (here's where I wanted to put in my $0.02)

I have ridden other (rented) bikes with Metzelers on them AND I will never purposely ride / own a bike with them ever again !
One of the bikes rode like the frame was bent, above 35 miles an hour, went back to the place where I got the bike (I know the people there)
and they just said "everything is fine, that's just how the Metzelers ride", they (need to) run at a higher PSI.  
I know some people love them, but I hate them.

also, I didn't remember reading: how does the bike feel at 70+ w/o any trucks nearby ??    stable ?, squirrelly  ?
You could just bad tires ?  either manufacture defect or thread was damaged shipping ?

I will be checking back for updates, as this was potentially my next bike purchase........  Good Luck, Ride Safe !

[twist]

also, I didn't remember reading: how does the bike feel at 70+ w/o any trucks nearby ??    stable ?, squirrelly  ?
You could just bad tires ?  either manufacture defect or thread was damaged shipping ?

Mine feels fine at 70+ with no trucks.  Stable as a rock.  And I have Metzeler Roadtec Z6.  36 psi front, 42 psi rear.

[motoguy128]

I think the tall windscreen, and tall flat sized of hte bike combined with a top case and saddle bags grabs a lot of wind.  The bike has a light front end and is fairly responsive.  I find winds will toss the bike, but it's still very stabel and self correcting.  I think what makes the bike so responsive ot the rider, also gives the impression that it's less stable.  

A death grip on the bar WILL ALWAYS make any instability worse.  The worst tank slappers I've ever had were on sportbieks o nthe racetrack because I was coutersteering too aggresively exiting a corner on the throttle trying to hold a tighter line... that was the wrong approach.  You need to relax, put some pressure where it's needed to countersteer and just anticipate the wind a little.

I've ridden my RT at 110mph with a gusty 30-40mph cross-tail wind.  Did it drift 3-4 feet whe nteh wind hit it ... you bet ya... but was it still stable overall...yes!

I wonder if you're just over compensating whe nthe wind hits you.  Turbulenece and gusty winds are a little like riding in gravel or sand.  You need a light touch and let hte bike wander jsut a little.  Bikes have a natural tendancy to correct themselves if the operator lets it.

[Scoop]

I took my new RT out on a maiden ride yesterday, 2 up with the side bags on.  I could not believe how stable it was and how unaffected by truck turbulence it is compared to my Strom.  I had the windshield at the top with no issues.  It was a relatively gusty day, with 10+ mph crosswinds.  No problemo.  I am quite pleased with it.

[tigertom1965]

Scoop,

What tires do you have on yours?

I have 1400 on my Metzeler Roadtec Z6s and I think they got worse with age.

But my R1200RT drifted from day 1.

The test bike last season had Pilot Roads that were rock steady in 20-25mph wind gusts.

I have Pilot Road 2s on order and will see what happens when I get them mounted in 2 weeks.