BMW R 850 RT (1997-1998) Specs, Performance & Photos

In 1997, the German motorcycle manufacturer released the BMW R 850 RT, a motorcycle similar to the larger R 1100 RT, apart from the engine. The R 850 RT touring motorcycle was created by German engineers for those riders who wanted to spend as much time as possible behind bars but also a fuel-efficient machine.

The 1997 motorcycle came with the same package as the previous model, offering the same technical, visual, and performance specifications without any significant modifications whatsoever.

It was a luxurious motorcycle with a large touring cockpit, an electrically adjustable windscreen, a digital fuel gauge, an oil temperature gauge, a clock, a gear indicator, a speedometer, and a tachometer. It also packed an ABS that could have been turned off.

Besides that, the bike had standard fittings, such as a full fairing, a single headlight unit, a windscreen, a two-piece dual seat with passenger grab rails, a top case, side-mounted panniers, a side stand, and five-spoke aluminum alloy wheels.

The 1997 BMW R 850 RT had installed an 848cc four-stroke air/oil-cooled twin-cylinder boxer engine underneath its fuel tank, boasting 73 hp at 6,750 rpm and 77 Nm (57 lb-ft) torque at 5,600 rpm.

The power generated by the engine was redirected to a five-speed gearbox that sent it to the rear axle via a final shaft drive, launching the motorcycle to a top speed of 186 kph (116 mph).