I have spent the last winter with an R1250RS as my main ride, the previous winter I enjoyed an R1250RT. As you might expect I spent quite a lot off time and effort investigating how the R1250RS could be adapted too make it more suitable for winter conditions! The purpose of this article is to give my Top 10 hints and tips on how get through the winter with an R1250RS, hopefully this will be useful.
Tip 1: Improve Visibility with LED Running Lights
In the winter months visibility will be a priority to increase safety. The R1250RS comes with some excellent LED headlights (the very latest R1250RT now sports some very similar lights) they are a big help in making you visible but adding in the BMW LED headlights (or aftermarket) is a big step forward. The low slung LED lights create very visible triangle of light.
Tip 2: Install a Larger Winter Screen
This is a very simple and cost effective way of improving the winter performance of the R1250RS. My favourite winter screens are the Z-Technik V-Stream range. I installed one on my R1250RS and the improvement was immediately noticeable. Out of interest the RS has an upper and a lower mounting position for the screen which can then flip between high and low settings so you have a choice of four positions!
Tip 3: Wunderlich Wind Deflectors
This idea came to me from the GSA which employs some very effective wind deflectors to protect the rider from the wind – you notice the difference on a GS immediately. I discovered that Wunderlich make some Wind Deflectors or Winglets for the R1250RS. They look very nice in the smoke grey and are easy to fit and remove. You can leave the front bracket in place during the summer. The winglets work very well in combination with the V-Stream screen. When Carl followed me on a ride to Stourhead he reported a lot of turbulence from the winglets and found it difficult to follow on the A303. This could be a problem or a useful way of stopping people tailgating you!
Tip 4: Wolo Bad Boy Horn
It is still likely that some drivers will not see you and you may need to alert them to your presence with a swift blast on the horn. The Wolo Bad Boy horn from Hornig does this job very well. Having a better horn means that you will be heard from a greater distance to give the driver and yourself more time to react. Horning do some excellent installation videos. I would say that the installation requires a little patience but is not too difficult.
Tip 5: Install some 20mm Bar Risers
The standard R1250RS riding position is great but as soon as you are going at less than full pace you notice the weight on your wrists and since you are more leaned forward it is harder to see around you. The answer is to fit some small 20mm bar risers. These will give a much better riding position and comfort and it is easier to see around you at junctions etc. You might not mind on a hot summer’s day but in the middle of the winter they will be very welcome!
Tip 6: Adjustable Foot Rests
The bar risers will improve the upper body position but if you are taller than about 5′ 8″ or have very short legs you will probably find the knee position a little cramped. Not helped by all that winter clothing! The solution is to get some adjustable foot rests. SW Motec do make some effective foot rests which do look a bit like a running board! Or you can fit the BMW HP adjustable footrests which give three ;positions of adjustment. The BMW HP foot rests are very stylish and improve the look and comfort of the R1250RS. I found that moving from the high to the medium position greatly improved winter comfort.
Tip 7: Re-position the Sat Nav
When I test rode the R1250RS with my BMW Nav 6 I though the standard sat nav mount on the handlebars would be fine but a couple of winter Meetup rides showed that this was not really the case – especially if you are leading the ride. There are alternative mounts from Hornig and others but in the end I decided to use the Moto Mate mount re-positioning kit which moves the sat nav into a similar position to an R1250GS above the TFT. I found the Moto Mate mount to be highly effective and would recommend it if you regularly use a sat nav. Again in the winter you really don’t want to be looking down at your handlebars and taking your eyes off the road and with the sat nav above the TFT you will get a better view of the TFT itself which is useful.
Tip 8: Fit a Front Mudguard Extender
The standard front mudguard on the R1250RS is too short to protect the engine from mud thrown up by the tyre and on the SE or Sport models there is not enough clearance to fit a sophisticated front mudguard extender such as MachineArtMoto Avant guard. (MachineArtMoto do offer a sort of front engine cover which looks pretty hideous!). Fortunately a cheap front mudguard extender is available from Pyramid Plastics which does the job. It is best to take the mudguard off when installing and use the plastic rivets AND the double-sided tape.
Tip 9: Fit the BMW Australia Proper Rear Mudguard
The standard rear mudguard on the R1250RS is a very minimalist affair, a bit like relying on a pair of swimming trunks for wet weather protection in a storm! For some reason BMW Australia arranged for a replacement proper mudguard as an option for Australian customers, maybe is was the dust that made this necessary? You can buy the Australian Mudguard and fit it easily. The part is available from BMW Motorrad UK dealers as part number 46628543348 – check carefully with BMW Motorrad that this fits your bike. I got mine from Cotswold Motorrad.
Tip 10: Lubricate the Exhaust Flap
Exhaust flap failures have been a continuing problem on the R1250RT and the R1250RS might have the same problem. As a precautionary measure I removed the silencer and lubricated the exhaust flap with SuperLube which is designed for lubricating high temperature exhaust valves. Whether this works in the long term only time will tell.
Tip 11: Buy a Heated Vest
I have a couple of old heated vests which work perfectly well and I would use them on some of the coldest days in the winter. I soon realised that I would probably be wearing a heated vest more often on the R1250RS. I upgraded to a Keiss Heated Vest and battery packs. The great advantage of the battery pack is that when you come off the bike for a break and want to avoid getting COVID-19 inside you can happy stay outside with the heated vest on and stay nice and warm! The larger Keys battery lasts about 6 hours on medium, enough for most rides and I always carry the lead to connect to the canbus socket in one pocket just in case.
Hopefully these hints and tips will be useful and they will also improve the BMW R1250RS for the summer when it is a pleasure to ride!
Originally posted 2022-03-31 17:55:49.
