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Listing of model / year changes
- Thread starter biliv
- Start date
AntonLargiader
Active member
I would say it depends on the model. For instance I have info on my website about the changes to the K75, R100GS and the R1100S, but not all BMW models.
mneblett
#32806
Is there a specific model you are interested in?
Some here are deep in knowledge on particular models, some on others. You can get a lot of info here, at least the major differences and most of the minor differences, even if it is not an "official" source.
lkchris
Active member
Like Mercedes and like Porsches and like BMW cars, a particular BMW motorcycle model is designed for a run of several years.
About 1/2 to 2/3 of the way through the run, the model is "facelifted," which usually means some noticeable styling changes and maybe even a new motor. Or adding whizzy brakes.
Changes that happen between new model intros and facelifts of that model are most often error corrections.
Sometimes the last year of a particular model sees some "model runout" styling exercises. R Nine T, for example.
The R1150 was the facelift of the R1100. The K1300 was the facelift of the K1200. The Camhead was the facelift of the Hexhead.
Errors corrected over the years have been ...
dual plugs to address surging
Deletion of "whizzy" brakes
Steel rear rotor mount flange
Reinforced fuel pump QD flange
Elimination of fuel strip
Rear drive drain plug addition
More durable handlebar switches
Steering damper added to Wethead GS
Heavier flywheel for Wetheads
Redesigned water pump for Wetheads
Best to think of BMWs as undergoing "continuous improvement" rather than "model year changes," as the improvements can enter production at any time. About all that happens on a "model year change" is new bodywork colors. And of course a facelift.
The best year for any model BMW is its last year.
About 1/2 to 2/3 of the way through the run, the model is "facelifted," which usually means some noticeable styling changes and maybe even a new motor. Or adding whizzy brakes.
Changes that happen between new model intros and facelifts of that model are most often error corrections.
Sometimes the last year of a particular model sees some "model runout" styling exercises. R Nine T, for example.
The R1150 was the facelift of the R1100. The K1300 was the facelift of the K1200. The Camhead was the facelift of the Hexhead.
Errors corrected over the years have been ...
dual plugs to address surging
Deletion of "whizzy" brakes
Steel rear rotor mount flange
Reinforced fuel pump QD flange
Elimination of fuel strip
Rear drive drain plug addition
More durable handlebar switches
Steering damper added to Wethead GS
Heavier flywheel for Wetheads
Redesigned water pump for Wetheads
Best to think of BMWs as undergoing "continuous improvement" rather than "model year changes," as the improvements can enter production at any time. About all that happens on a "model year change" is new bodywork colors. And of course a facelift.
The best year for any model BMW is its last year.
wbrownell9
New member
And a price increase...
Doubt that such a list exists/keep looking and let us know what you find.
mneblett
#32806
I agree a "summary" will be hard to find.
I can at least get the ball rolling by starting a list.
Assuming you are not interested in airhead RTs:
R1100RT - oilhead engine
-- first model: 1996 (US model year dates)
-- 1070 cc
-- ABS II (pre-dates the Integral (power assist or "whizzy") ABS)
-- 1998(??) M94 transmission changed to M97(?)
R1150RT - oilhead engine
-- 2002 - 2004 (some 2005 and 2006 examples, principally Authority (police) models that continued to be built until the next R1200RT Authority model was available)
-- 1130 cc
-- Integral ABS system (power assisted/whizzy brakes) -- works wonderfully when it works (although considered too sensitive by some); terribly expensive if the ABS pump unit takes a dump (>>$2K); alternative is to remove the pump unit and convert to non-ABS brakes. Universally praised or universally despised, depending on which love/hate camp you are in
-- mid-life styling update -- larger headlight and addition of fog lights (very different look from the 1100 small rectangular headlight; includes revised dash style
-- standard stereo became an option in (2003??)
-- dual spark plug ignition and heads added in 2004 to address the oilhead's lean surging issue (the 2004 RT is considered by many to be the best of the oilhead RTs)
R1200RT - hexhead engine
-- Major RT redesign -- virtually nothing carried over from the oilheads, besides the general layout.
-- 2005 - 2009
-- 1170 cc
-- substantially revised engine, transmission and final drive
-- introduction of CANbus electronics (i.e., a communications network that allows the bike's various computer modules to talk to one another); added complexity, but IMO *far* too much "Chicken Little" concerns about "unservicable" or "unfriendly" electrical systems -- easily worked with if you take the time to understand it
-- fuel level indicator changed from a float to an electrical "fuel level strip" -- a *very* problematic change
-- engine includes a counter balancer
-- final drive is the new "big hole" drive -- fundamental final drive change with the large crown wheel (ring gear) bearing moved out of the hypoid gear oil bath to its own separate "compartment"
-- final drive initially designed as "lubed for life," so not provided with both a fill and drain plug. "lubed for life" proved to not work out the way the BMW engineers expected, so changing final drive oil on the early bikes requires the drive to be disconnected from the paralever link and rotated 90 degrees downward to get the oil level above a hole from which the oil can be drained/replaced.
-- final drive oil change plugs provided 2008 (late 2007??)
-- 2007 Integral ABS (power assisted system) replaced by a non-power assisted ABS system (with far lower potential failure concerns)
-- as part of the major body style changes, the exhaust head pipes are not nearly as closely hugged by the fairing lowers, eliminating the R11xxRT's tendency to roast the paint on the inner fairing wall/shark fin next to the head pipe.
-- overall the R12 fairing is less work to remove that the R11xx.
-- R12RT's gain a very handy tank rack with slots for "snap on" mounting of the BMW tank bag (wish the R12RTW still had it)
R1200RT - camhead engine
-- 2010 - 2013
-- mid-life update
-- double overhead cam heads added (significant structural revision from previous "cam-in-head"/short pushrod design; slight power increase, but significant improvement in the nature of the torque curve in the mid-rpm range -- removed the "humps" and added a couple ft-lb
-- slight styling changes (front edges of the L/R fairing side panels, addition of instrument cluster surround from other models as standard)
-- first use of the MutliController, aka the wonder wheel, on the left grip to provide limited menu selection capability from the grip -- BMW's first foray into reducing the number of buttons on the grips/dash by installing the motorcycle equivalent of a computer mouse (move, click to select highlighted item, etc.)
-- 2011 fuel strip replaced by float level indicator
-- electronic adjustable damping and pre-load, selectable by the MultiController/dash menu available (ESA) (damping adjustment on the fly, pre-load adjustment only when stationary)
-- BMW's long-standing turn signal levers (left on left grip, right on right grip, cancel above right on right grip) replaced by a conventional Japanese-style single turn signal button on the left grip (IMO, a terrible ergonomic change)
R1200RT - wethead engine
-- 2014 -
-- major (massive!) redesign
-- air/water cooling in place of oil/hex/camhead air/oil cooling
-- transmission integrated into the engine (no separate gearbox)
-- cylinders integrated into the engine (no longer individually replaceable)
-- wet multi-plate clutch replaces single-plate dry clutch between the rear of the engine and the transmission of the prior RTs
-- clutch moved to front of engine for *much* easier service (previous dry clutch work requires essentially breaking the machine in half to remove the tranny)
-- alternator moved from outside the engine to integrated into the rear of the engine case on the rear of the crankshaft -- eliminated alternator belt replacement, but made alternator service far more onerous (but then these rarely fail, so IMO a net gain)
-- most of the electronics introduced in the K1600 models -- more complex CANbus and LIN bus links, many more capabilities enabled, including advances in traction control.
-- electronic ("ride by wire") throttle -- no throttle cables, and far simpler cruise control (no separate cruise module and related cable/bellcrank hook-up)
-- electronic automatic real-time adaptive shock damping available (ESA II)
-- a K16-like instrument cluster with color LCD screen.
-- revised frame for improved handling
-- final drive switched from right side (where it's been on boxers since 1923, until the 2014 wethead R12GS) to the left side.
-- keyless ignition/fob central locking available
That's a start -- others can copy/paste in more.
I can at least get the ball rolling by starting a list.
Assuming you are not interested in airhead RTs:
R1100RT - oilhead engine
-- first model: 1996 (US model year dates)
-- 1070 cc
-- ABS II (pre-dates the Integral (power assist or "whizzy") ABS)
-- 1998(??) M94 transmission changed to M97(?)
R1150RT - oilhead engine
-- 2002 - 2004 (some 2005 and 2006 examples, principally Authority (police) models that continued to be built until the next R1200RT Authority model was available)
-- 1130 cc
-- Integral ABS system (power assisted/whizzy brakes) -- works wonderfully when it works (although considered too sensitive by some); terribly expensive if the ABS pump unit takes a dump (>>$2K); alternative is to remove the pump unit and convert to non-ABS brakes. Universally praised or universally despised, depending on which love/hate camp you are in
-- mid-life styling update -- larger headlight and addition of fog lights (very different look from the 1100 small rectangular headlight; includes revised dash style
-- standard stereo became an option in (2003??)
-- dual spark plug ignition and heads added in 2004 to address the oilhead's lean surging issue (the 2004 RT is considered by many to be the best of the oilhead RTs)
R1200RT - hexhead engine
-- Major RT redesign -- virtually nothing carried over from the oilheads, besides the general layout.
-- 2005 - 2009
-- 1170 cc
-- substantially revised engine, transmission and final drive
-- introduction of CANbus electronics (i.e., a communications network that allows the bike's various computer modules to talk to one another); added complexity, but IMO *far* too much "Chicken Little" concerns about "unservicable" or "unfriendly" electrical systems -- easily worked with if you take the time to understand it
-- fuel level indicator changed from a float to an electrical "fuel level strip" -- a *very* problematic change
-- engine includes a counter balancer
-- final drive is the new "big hole" drive -- fundamental final drive change with the large crown wheel (ring gear) bearing moved out of the hypoid gear oil bath to its own separate "compartment"
-- final drive initially designed as "lubed for life," so not provided with both a fill and drain plug. "lubed for life" proved to not work out the way the BMW engineers expected, so changing final drive oil on the early bikes requires the drive to be disconnected from the paralever link and rotated 90 degrees downward to get the oil level above a hole from which the oil can be drained/replaced.
-- final drive oil change plugs provided 2008 (late 2007??)
-- 2007 Integral ABS (power assisted system) replaced by a non-power assisted ABS system (with far lower potential failure concerns)
-- as part of the major body style changes, the exhaust head pipes are not nearly as closely hugged by the fairing lowers, eliminating the R11xxRT's tendency to roast the paint on the inner fairing wall/shark fin next to the head pipe.
-- overall the R12 fairing is less work to remove that the R11xx.
-- R12RT's gain a very handy tank rack with slots for "snap on" mounting of the BMW tank bag (wish the R12RTW still had it)
R1200RT - camhead engine
-- 2010 - 2013
-- mid-life update
-- double overhead cam heads added (significant structural revision from previous "cam-in-head"/short pushrod design; slight power increase, but significant improvement in the nature of the torque curve in the mid-rpm range -- removed the "humps" and added a couple ft-lb
-- slight styling changes (front edges of the L/R fairing side panels, addition of instrument cluster surround from other models as standard)
-- first use of the MutliController, aka the wonder wheel, on the left grip to provide limited menu selection capability from the grip -- BMW's first foray into reducing the number of buttons on the grips/dash by installing the motorcycle equivalent of a computer mouse (move, click to select highlighted item, etc.)
-- 2011 fuel strip replaced by float level indicator
-- electronic adjustable damping and pre-load, selectable by the MultiController/dash menu available (ESA) (damping adjustment on the fly, pre-load adjustment only when stationary)
-- BMW's long-standing turn signal levers (left on left grip, right on right grip, cancel above right on right grip) replaced by a conventional Japanese-style single turn signal button on the left grip (IMO, a terrible ergonomic change)
R1200RT - wethead engine
-- 2014 -
-- major (massive!) redesign
-- air/water cooling in place of oil/hex/camhead air/oil cooling
-- transmission integrated into the engine (no separate gearbox)
-- cylinders integrated into the engine (no longer individually replaceable)
-- wet multi-plate clutch replaces single-plate dry clutch between the rear of the engine and the transmission of the prior RTs
-- clutch moved to front of engine for *much* easier service (previous dry clutch work requires essentially breaking the machine in half to remove the tranny)
-- alternator moved from outside the engine to integrated into the rear of the engine case on the rear of the crankshaft -- eliminated alternator belt replacement, but made alternator service far more onerous (but then these rarely fail, so IMO a net gain)
-- most of the electronics introduced in the K1600 models -- more complex CANbus and LIN bus links, many more capabilities enabled, including advances in traction control.
-- electronic ("ride by wire") throttle -- no throttle cables, and far simpler cruise control (no separate cruise module and related cable/bellcrank hook-up)
-- electronic automatic real-time adaptive shock damping available (ESA II)
-- a K16-like instrument cluster with color LCD screen.
-- revised frame for improved handling
-- final drive switched from right side (where it's been on boxers since 1923, until the 2014 wethead R12GS) to the left side.
-- keyless ignition/fob central locking available
That's a start -- others can copy/paste in more.
Last edited:
Dear MNEBLET,
Thank you so much! You are a great person. I really appreciate all the time you took to provide this very useful information! I'm sure many will benefit from this great resource. I'm going to save this as a valuable resource. Based on the information you provided next RT I'll be looking for will be either a 2004 or 2014 based on the budget.
Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
Thank you so much! You are a great person. I really appreciate all the time you took to provide this very useful information! I'm sure many will benefit from this great resource. I'm going to save this as a valuable resource. Based on the information you provided next RT I'll be looking for will be either a 2004 or 2014 based on the budget.
Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
mneblett
#32806
I would not rule out a 2007-later R12RT. I have a 2004 and 2015 RT in the garage, as well as a 2012 RT. Other than the turn signal change with the camhead redesign, the hex/camheads are excellent bikes, too.
AntonLargiader
Active member
I can't think of any reason to take a 2004 over a 2005, and the 2007~2009 are great bikes. There's a low-mile one for sale locally.
If you mean, "Don't win the lotto, buy an '04 and if I do I buy a '14" then it makes sense. But otherwise those are not particularly sweet spots on the cost/value curve.