I have recently traded my 09 RT on a 15 GTL and have found the engine heat on the lower torso and feet to be relentless. I have tried a couple things, smaller windscreen, highway pegs and splash guards along with cleaning the radiator. Although each helped a little bit I am starting to lean toward going back to the RT model. I have no experience with the Liquid Cooled boxer and was hoping current owners would chime in on the heat management, does the LC do as well of a job at heat management as the Hex Heads? Thanks.
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Engine Heat Compared to k1600
- Thread starter jsd
- Start date
pglaves
#13338
Too much shorthand talk on this Forum makes for confusion. BMW has sufficiently confused model and submodel names so as to reduce some nomenclature to meaningless. I have been riding BMWs since 1977, have owned 15 or 16 on them, and ridden them almost 900,000 miles. I wrote a tech column in the ON for 20 years. Still, I have no clue with specificity what a "GTL" is. Is that an F800? A K1300? K1600? R1200? Folks will get better answers if they use the real model designation such a 2018 R1200GSA or 2017 K1600B, etc. Then those of us not up on the shortcut jargon might know what the question and answer really are. Rant off.
alegerlotz
Member
Don't get me starts on acronyms either. At work or in forums, one person's TLA doesn't necessarily mean the same thing to another person. Drives me nuts.
The so called missing specificity "K1600" part connected to the "15 GTL" is in the threads tittle. I really do not see an where one could get confused? The question started with a reference to the k1600 due to them all being very similar in the tittle then focused in with year and specific model in the question.
beemerphile
New member
I have found it generally true that water-cooled bikes to a better job of cooling the motor at the expense of heating up the rider. Experience includes Honda ST1100, ST1300, Yamaha FJR and BMW K1100. Honda never fixed it, but later FJR's and BMW K1200'a got better at directing the heat away from the rider. No experience with an LC R12RT, but comparing my camhead R12GS to an LC R12GS, the LC model puts more heat on the rider. The R1200's are only partially liquid cooled vs. completely jacketed on the K1600 with more engine and a large radiator. That would assure that the K1600 is dispensing much more heat than the R1200. How well the extra heat is channeled and shielded from the rider, I do not know. By the OP's comments - not so well.
exgman
Active member
I have a 2015 R1200RT. The two channels for heat dissipation from the engine are spaces just forward of the rider's knees. The shape and placement of the exits are such that the heat from these two sources is away from the rider. Here's photo of the RH side space:
This side has a fan behind the radiator which will activate at higher engine temperatures. The LH side does not have a fan.
The Wethead engine cooling system also includes airflow over and around the cylinders. I think I read somewhere that 40% of the cooling comes from the air passing over the cylinders and the rest is through the two radiators. I clearly don't have highway pegs and engine protection bars on my RT. Perhaps a reader with those installed could advise as to the amount of heat which hits the knees and legs as they ride. On my bike RT I don't find a lot of heat hitting my legs coming out of the two channels from the radiators.
This side has a fan behind the radiator which will activate at higher engine temperatures. The LH side does not have a fan.
The Wethead engine cooling system also includes airflow over and around the cylinders. I think I read somewhere that 40% of the cooling comes from the air passing over the cylinders and the rest is through the two radiators. I clearly don't have highway pegs and engine protection bars on my RT. Perhaps a reader with those installed could advise as to the amount of heat which hits the knees and legs as they ride. On my bike RT I don't find a lot of heat hitting my legs coming out of the two channels from the radiators.
Thank you all for your input. Sounds like a test ride on a hot day is in order. I was concerned that the wet head RT had eliminated the oil cooler found on the earlier models but if the bike is capable of cooling with only 1 fan running it sounds like they overbuilt the system unlike the K1600 system.
lasnin
New member
What heat?
I have a 2016 R1200RT with Illium front crash bars and their highway pegs.... I haven’t experienced any excess or uncomfortable heat issues on my bike while riding with my legs outstretched on the pegs.
I have a 2016 R1200RT with Illium front crash bars and their highway pegs.... I haven’t experienced any excess or uncomfortable heat issues on my bike while riding with my legs outstretched on the pegs.
bmwdean
BMW MOA co-founder
I have two wethead RTs (see photo) . I have ridden numerous oilhead RTs from a 1995 R1100RT through a 2007 R1200RT. From 1995 through 2017 models none have presented me with heat problems. Heat management is one of the RTs' greatest benefits. The opposed boxer engine design by itself helps keeps heat down from 1923 through 2018.
I have not ridden a K1600, so cannot comment on them, but your comment does not surprise me.
I have not ridden a K1600, so cannot comment on them, but your comment does not surprise me.
ncpbmw1953
Member
Yep, just another distinguishing characteristic that illustrates why RTLC is the best Sport Touring motorcycle in ever! ;o)
bmwdean
BMW MOA co-founder
[size=+3]You nailed it, "ncpbmw1953"! Right on! [/size]
I have a 2017 R1200RT with Illium Works highway pegs. When riding in temps around 90 degrees (F) and above, if I put my feet on the highway pegs I catch the engine heat from the radiator exhaust ports, which can get quite uncomfortable. No heat issues with feet on the regular pegs.
Heat
I too ride a 14 RT and just last week coming from South Dakota temps were mid 90's and there was a lot of heat if I used highway pegs! Hadn't really noticed it before but it was not comfortable at all for any length of time! In fact on different forum there is a rider who has used some plastics to vent heat further away friend rider....
I too ride a 14 RT and just last week coming from South Dakota temps were mid 90's and there was a lot of heat if I used highway pegs! Hadn't really noticed it before but it was not comfortable at all for any length of time! In fact on different forum there is a rider who has used some plastics to vent heat further away friend rider....
I have two wethead RTs (see photo) . I have ridden numerous oilhead RTs from a 1995 R1100RT through a 2007 R1200RT. From 1995 through 2017 models none have presented me with heat problems. Heat management is one of the RTs' greatest benefits. The opposed boxer engine design by itself helps keeps heat down from 1923 through 2018.
I have not ridden a K1600, so cannot comment on them, but your comment does not surprise me.
I see you have had both the 2015 and 2017 model years. Other than color changes are there any differences from 2014 - 2018 models? I understand they did something internal in the transmissions for 2017 but I couldn't find any other changes throughout those years. Thank you for your input.
bmwdean
BMW MOA co-founder
Great write up, thank you.
IDK what the problem is, IMHO the OP was perfectly clear. BTW my RT is AOK re temp...YMMV. OTOH my F6B fan actually blew forward so even hot 6cyl rarely got to my legs.
