BMW R1250R Top Five DISLIKES!
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ส.ค. 2024
- It's about time that I talked about the things that I don't like so much about this mean machine! There are other niggles too but these are the ones that bother me the most...
0:00 Intro
1:05 Agricultural gearbox (sometimes)
2:13 Rear ABS
3:12 Headlight performance
4:17 Headlight styling
5:45 Electronic assists
If you have this bike, what bothers you the most? What would you like to see on an improved model? This could be the basis of a future video 😊 - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
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It's nice to hear an owners honest review of his motorcycle. We all discuss our bikes "likes and dislikes" at the cafe so why not on TH-cam. What's more it's interesting listening to different points of view. I agree, your modification to the front headlamp and windscreen look much better.
As always thank you for uploading.
SW France
Yeah it's good to be able to have these conversations! I'm glad you like my mock up image of the headlight... I'd love to customise the bike this way!
Hi Ricky, I too find the gearbox a bit clunky but only when shifting between 1st and 2nd. I’ve only done 6000klms, mainly because of lockdowns here in Sydney, and I still haven’t mastered a clunkless shift from first to second. I have the BMW sport screen, which I find pretty good for wind protection. All in all I absolutely love the bike. I swapped out the original tyres for Metzeler Roadtec 01 SE, which I have found to offer far better grip, feel and turn in. Keep the 1250R vlogs coming!
Thanks for the feedback Bruce! Overall the gearbox is great most of the time and I can even get a smooth quickshift between 1st & 2nd a lot of the time! The rest of the time though... clunk! I think I'll tend to use the clutch for the lower gear changes but we'll see how it goes. I've done 3000 miles now and I hope things keep bedding in. On balance I'll keep the Sport screen on, mainly because I don't want to spend loads of money testing alternatives! I need tyres in the next week or so... I think I'm going to go for Metzeler M9RR because I have two trackdays lined up!! It's an awesome bike though and yes stay tuned for more videos 😊
@@RikkyTang please do a video on your track days. I’d love to see how the 1250 goes on track!
@@bruceleong9534 Don't worry - I plan to have three or four cameras attached to the bike 😁
Happy New Year! I have not seen any new posts from you. How's the bike and any new changes upgrades? What about the exhaust situation? Did you find a better choice? Thanks
Hi Paul, it's been slow progress with the bike and specifically the exhaust! I have had to come up with my own DB killer and I've been trying to arrange some dyno time so I can find out what effect it's having on the bike. That fell through but I think the DB killer is working the way I want it to, finally! I have been making vids and taking photos so I'll put an update together over the next few days. Thanks for asking by the way!
@@RikkyTang Thanks, I will wait to see what you share. Glad you are doing well.
Still on my list of top 3 to possibly get in next few years.
Fully agree with you Ricky! Owning an r1250r 2020 exclusive model, fantastic bike, I'm wondering if an alternative front light is existing.
if not, I'm seriously considering to design it or to study an alternative post market.
The gerar shif box, compared with my k100rs16v, dated 1992, is much more clunky and less precise.
There is also an engine noise from 2000 to 4000rpm that sound like coffe cup shaked together.
But what can I say? I'm in love with the r1250r, including all the small problems: it is a great underrated bike!
Done over 1500 miles on my R1250R now. Very pleased with it. Agree the ABS seems to kick in very easily though. BTW the brakes are linked so you get a bit of back brake even if you just use the front lever.
Thanks George, I do know about the linked brakes as my S1000R also had them, but on that bike I could still use both brakes without having the rear ABS throw a fit. It's just a mental re-adjustment. I'm still really enjoying the bike overall!
I did have one of these bikes and then sold it thinking of getting another one but can’t remember what it’s like with a pillion on the back have you taken anyone on the back of yours what’s their opinion of how comfy it is thanks Rob
I'm sorry RW but I think the last time I took a passenger on the back of any bike was about 2008 and so I can't help you there! It wouldn't be right to speculate on passenger comfort and so I hope you can find the answers you need.
On the transmission, my 2020 RS is the same. Sometimes it's smooth, sometimes it clunks. I have about 2400 miles on it and I've found that it tends to clunk more when it's warmer.
I will be keeping the clunks under review lol
Not much we can do about it really but it is one of life's little mysteries that it would be good to understand.
Agree with the lurchy shift from 1st to 2nd and 2 to 3. I pull in the clutch for those shifts. I think that’s my biggest disappointment. I don’t mind the headlights.
Thanks for the feedback! 😊
I had a few noisy and rough gear changes during my 1h test drive of this bike. Wasn't sure if that was just this bike of the dealership because usually BMW gearboxes are super smooth. Clearly BMW started cutting costs there.
Interesting how we all have different experiences. I use the linked brakes all the time, via the front lever. I only use the back brake on loose surfaces and have never had the ABS kick in. Mind you, mine is a 2019 bike and it’s always possible that the fiddlers at BMW have fiddled with the ABS settings on later bikes. Or maybe the pad material is of a different formulation and so grips more sharply, setting off the ABS earlier? Anyway, I can confirm that just using the linked brakes works fine even in “Oh sh!t” situations 😂 Mind you, I’ve been riding since 1971. You wouldn’t believe how bad brakes were back then 😉
That's interesting to know that you've had no trouble with the ABS. I'm wondering if something went a bit awry in the change over from the Brembo front calipers to the Hayes front calipers that I have on my bike? It's no biggy, just a little change in riding style to not use the back brake with the front.
1971... and I thought I had been riding for a long time!! I did have a ropey Honda CB400/4 many years ago and you didn't so much brake when it rained... you prayed 😂
I also had a 400/4 F1 - the one with the pillion footrests mounted on the swing arm 😂 Mine was in good nick, though, as I bought it in 1976!
@@malcellison8831 I would have loved one in good condition! Sounded glorious on the original 4-into-1 pipes 😍
Just test rode the bike and it was awesome. It's a thinking man's naked. Just cannot get over the looks though. Maybe it's better to go with the RS model with R ergos (mainly the handlebar).
I love the colour scheme on mine, but that front end... 🤮 Still, the bike gets under your skin with the awesome amount of torque on tap!
Only thing I didn't like about mine was the seat. Seth Laam sorted that out for me.
Does the blipper have anything to do with the anti lock activation?
What I find is that if I go down through the gears with the auto-blipper while hard on both brakes at the same time, the rear ABS does kick in. However if I down the gears while only hard on the front brake, the rear ABS does not interfere. So in my mind the rear ABS calibration is a little over-sensitive.
Is it easy to put on the Top box rack?
My bike came with it already fitted so I can't say I'm afraid. I don't think it would be too hard, maybe there will fitting instructions somewhere online that you can download.
I came very close to buying the same model as yours, but the more I looked at it the uglier it got, it may be a naked bike but it’s not styled very well by Bmw, I think they gave the design sheet to some kindergarten kids and said go for it… I ended up buying a Kawasaki ninja 1000sx performance tourer, not the bike I was looking for but it rode so well, looks so good and sounds even better…..however 2 months on I’ve just been persuaded by the dealer to ride the bike they didn’t have in stock at the time, ( the one I went to look at!) the ZH2 se….. holy moly what a bike, not because it’s fast just because it’s a fantastic bike… nice video as always
Hi Karl thanks for writing in! The Ninja 1000SX is certainly a great machine and so is the ZH2... when that beast spools up you need to hang on! But yeah the ZH2 is also pretty comfortable and handles well too. The styling of my bike is not that great but at least I think I've got the best colour scheme out of the available options!
Have to agree totally with your comments on the styling of that front end/headlight. I have the exclusive(2020) and the bike is pretty good otherwise. Also took some time finding the right screen but the WRS sport screen does a good job
Glad I'm not alone with the design of the front end 😁
It's that thing about finding the right screen that frustrates me so much... I've been through the process already with my old Suzuki Bandit and I don't want to go through it again!
I was surprised if am am correct it has not got LED all round but I've got to asked what attracted you to this bike visually it's not my thing and they ain't cheap so for that money I would expect nothing less than perfection to the point it makes my breakfast for me in the morning : D .So if you could what would you swap it for ? .Cheers Rikky : )
Well I have to say that it's not the visuals that attracted me to the bike (although I like naked bikes and overall its not a bad looking machine IMO) but it was the engine and power delivery that first got me interested in this model. After the first test ride I found that I really like the chassis/handling too. It's just right up my street! I can't really think of anything I'd like to swap it for, apart from a newer version of the same bike with more power/torque at the same revs! That bike doesn't exist yet but I'm hoping that a R1300R comes out in a year or two with more performance and better technology (plus LED lights all round haha)
@@RikkyTang I really do get the power thing we are all similar in that respect but I am thinking your bike is probably good for 150+ mph , and will get there really quickly now .So can I ask how fast we actually need to top out at on the road and how quick do we need to get there . I my self would like a speed triple or for me also a GSX-S1000 but when I really think why? is it because my bike is to slow for me or can not get to 80mph/100mph quick enough, no not really I will be honest the power I have is more than enough for me but maybe we just get caught up in the hype of the sales team or bloggers who say this is the bike to have or whatever but it seems a never ending search for what ? I'd like to know your opinion on this. Sorry if I have droned on to long but it is interesting to know different peoples opinions : ) Cheers Rikky
@@crumblymal8479 I don't want to go any faster to be honest Malcolm... I'll probably never try to get the top speed out of this bike (maybe on the trackday I will haha). For me it's about torque... for example I want to get from 20mph to 50mph in sixth gear quicker, or 10mph to 40 in third... that the kind of improvements I would like to see. Ultimately, I think the only type of motor that will truly make me happy is an electric one! They have huge torque from zero revs and I think basically that is what I'm looking for... but right now the price, range and recharging times make electric bikes a non-starter for me. Please continue to drone away!! 😂 I'm happy to discuss these things and then people also get a better idea of what I'm about on the channel too.
Does it not have linked brakes ?
Yes it does but if you are talking about the rear ABS kicking in, it only does it when I'm going down the gears with both brakes on i.e. both levers activated by me. There's no problem going down through the box with the front only, which I presume doesn't apply as much rear brake pressure though the linked system. I've had the same thing happen on a R1250RS and 1250GS too 🤷♂
@@RikkyTang I suppose what I was alluding to was as the brake is already on from the linked system applying more rear brake is effectivly doubling the rear brake force - I had a GS and very rarely used the rear unless I was on gravel roads
@@LemonDrizzleGang Ahh I see, gotchya! If I remember rightly I think it's a twin piston brake caliper at the back so indeed the linked system might activate just one of them and my right foot could activate both
Concerning nr 5. (I do own a 1250R as well); try to give a little pressure on the clutchpedal just before actually clutching..... it works with me, a lot smoother! Greetings from the Netherlands
Bedankt u for commenting 😊 its not a big problem but it also happens sometimes when using the quickshift/autoblip so I'm not always using the clutch when it happens. It's not a major issue, just one of the few things that could be better. I know that generally Boxer gearboxes are a lot better than they used to be!
If that's the worst of it. Other than possibly the abs issue I don't think that's too bad going.
absolutely - it's a brilliant bike overall!
I know that this video is a old one, but being a owner of a zrx1100, I can tell you for a fact that the headlight is shite...put some daybreaker bulbs in the bmw, that will help hugely m8.. As for the design of the headlight, surely u should have taken that into account when you were thinking about buying the bike 🤷♂️🤦♂️😅
Oh I wouldn't have kept the original reflector or bulb in the ZRX unit, I just think a headlight fairing at a sensible height looks better than what I've got. Obviously I did take that design of the headlight into account when buying the bike... didn't stop me from buying it because the positives outweigh the negatives by a big margin 😁 I'll look into the daybreakers though, cheers for the recommendation 👍
I am still riding my 2009 R1200R and I believe that it is superior in many ways to the R1250R in function and looks!
You're probably not wrong but overall this bike is the best bike I've owed so far!
Simple question … why didn‘t you buy the R1250RS?
I didn't want the additional weight of the RS and also found the screen/fairing created buffeting for me when I rode one. Also the R has a more upright riding position that I prefer. Simple answers 😊
“Tractor-matic “ gearbox is a very polarizing thing. A tale of two “No’s”
No it’s not smooth…and…
No it doesn’t break, ever, like not even a little.
My Father rode an R75/5 and I ride an oilhead and that ka-chunk shift must be a staple to the “R” riding experience
Yes BMW have got to keep the heritage thing going haha
The 'R' on BMW's stands for Roadster, so I'm not sure this is the 'performance' model.
That is a fair comment and demonstrates a level of ignorance of the brand on my part. However on that basis it performs even better on track than I could have hoped, whilst remaining an excellent road bike.
Do you regret getting this bike or still happy with it?
No regrets buying this bike, I'm very happy with it!
It's not perfect but I'd struggle to think of a bike that could replace it and have all the right attributes that this bike has.
@@RikkyTang Thanks for the reply!
@@RikkyTang I'm torn between s100r and the 1250r. This video seems to push me towards the s100r now.. Would you go back to s100r or still choose the 1250r
@@gjzosa9425 You might be interested in my Dilemma playlist which goes through my thought process of selling my Gen 2 S1000R and buying the R1250R.
th-cam.com/play/PLt0htBe4TlqN6NvYXD44dE4k47pGLHeR9.html
In my case I would not want to go back to the S1000R - not even the latest version. There are several reasons but mainly I love midrange torque and the S1kR hasn't got enough for me!
And it can be ridden fast :) th-cam.com/video/GQyg1c8p8i0/w-d-xo.html
As far a I am concerned an ABS that makes you skip the rear brake is a criminal thing! This basically negates most of the advantages of having ABS in the first place and I call that a major design flaw! The rear brake can be a lifesaver when it comes to stabilising the rear. Even if you do have enough stopping power on the front brakes you should never toally depend on them only. That is basic motorcycle lore and anybody proclaiming front brakes are all you need should only drink lemonade for the rest of the pubside blahdiblah-session!
The good news here is that the front and rear brakes are linked (as they are on a number of BMW's) so when you use the front brake you automatically get some of the rear anyway. But still, the fact the back brake goes into ABS so easily when using it in conjunction with the the front is frustrating.
@@RikkyTang OK, so it is a bit like Moto Guzzi's old integral braking system in which the brake pedal also, proportionally, activated one of the front disks. On your Beemer the rider probabaly only adds adds to this combined activation via the brake pedal without both inputs being actively evaluated/ conttrolled and corrected accordingly for the rear brake, or at least not being correctd sufficiently. That would actually explain the behaviour you describe. It's a design flaw all the same though. No such problems on the Guzzi's where the front brake lever only activated the second front disk. No such interactive problems there.
Very honest thoughts. I test rode the RS and there I can also confirm the clunky gearbox but it isnt a deal breaker for me. For others here is th-cam.com/video/4K8CaUA_K7I/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for the feedback RRR 😊
why buy it then ???
The positives hugely outweigh the negatives...
Thats a shame, i thought all the r250r’s were LED all round. Mmmmm 🤔
Yes its very annoying! The naked R model is the only one in the 1250 range with a halogen headlight now. But its not a deal breaker... in fact it also turned out that the headlight beam had been set too low from new! The light is now "good enough" at night with the proper headlight alignment.
@@RikkyTang thanks, thats good info that is. Can’t believe they’re using halogen bulbs on such a premium motorcycle
Add fog lights and get the 1250RS
Well I didn't like the added weight of the RS on an already heavy bike, plus the screen buffeted my helmet in either position so it wasn't an option.
@@RikkyTang would you take a long trip on the R with that small screen?
@@tonydavis5053 I did a 1200 mile trip in one week this year with no screen at all.
It's called an R for a reason. Find the reason :-) Not racing, not agRession, not Running wild. It's a RELAXING bike. It's a boxer. It's a gentleman's bike. It's meant for being chill. If you are not chill, you wont like it. So chill :-)
I thought R was for GRRRRR! 😂 Only joking, honestly I think the bike is good at going slow and also good at going fast, that's why I like it so much!
Amazing bike, if only it wasn’t so incredibly fugly.
Agreed of de headlight design, its terrible
BMW makes good bikes, but they just can't make them look good. It's really weird. All except the retro range, they look amazing but those must have a different/better designer. It's just really bad taste the way they look. I just love the s1000xr, it's almost a perfect bike and I absolutely love it. But they way it looks is just awful. That ugly and unmotivated little beak it has in front and even the graphics on the bike are bad. The only design feature I like about the s1000xr is the saddle. For some reason they made that look good. Pity.
Yes the R nineT range looks pretty good but I do really like the look of the last two generations of S1000RR too, I cannot lie! Many years ago they had a beast called the R1200ST.. a minger if ever I saw one!
Told five reasons you should of bought a GS!!
🤣 Nah - I didn't really want a bike even heavier than this one! But when the water cooled 1300 model comes out I may take a closer look 😁
@@RikkyTang lol, the gear box is the same on my GS, sometimes on the quick shifter it can be smooth then on others sound and feel like a rollercoaster connecting to a chain. Though I’ve always been tempted by the ‘R’ because it’s a big naked bike that won’t try and kill you.
@@iam_mono1892 Yep sounds like you know what I'm talking about with the gearbox lmao
The R is a great machine and because it has the same engine as the GS it has a better power/weight ratio! But I wish I had Enduro Pro mode so that I can have traction control but still pull wheelies 😄
Rikky, I think your points have no validity at all. You think the design is terrible. You are annoyed by stuff, horrible design, all shite!
This is a video specifically about the things I DISLIKE about the bike... didn't you notice? Not that you'll be bothered but there's plenty I love about the bike if you take a look at the other 40+ videos I've made that feature it.
BMW only thinks about making money! they release too many unfinished models! with a lot of problems... it's not the bmws of the 60/80's with an excellent reputation in terms of reliability that they can't compete with honda ! BMW motorbikes have various problems, especially with electronics, with many reported breakdowns