The BMW R 1200 RT arrived for the 2005 model year as the successor to the R 1150 RT, continuing BMW Motorrad’s long-running RT tradition as a large touring motorcycle built around comfort, weather protection, and long-distance practicality. It was introduced as part of BMW’s new-generation boxer lineup and positioned as an upscale sport-touring machine rather than a pure luxury tourer. Over time, the nameplate became one of BMW’s best-known touring models, especially among riders who wanted shaft-drive touring ability with the brand’s characteristic boxer-engine layout.
The R 1200 RT evolved through two major eras. The first generation launched in 2005 with BMW’s then-new 1200 boxer platform and remained in production through the early 2010s. A substantially revised version followed for the 2014 model year, bringing a more modern touring package and a new technical direction for the RT line. That later version carried the model through the end of the nameplate’s run, with BMW’s model-year 2019 lineup shifting to the R 1250 RT instead.
As an RT, the model holds a special place in BMW Motorrad history: it represents the company’s core road-touring philosophy, blending long-haul comfort with enough agility for spirited riding. The R 1200 RT is also significant because it bridged BMW’s older air/oil-cooled boxer touring bikes and the newer liquid-cooled era, making it an important transitional model in the RT family.