BMW R 850 RT (1999-2000) Specs, Performance & Photos

In 1999, the German motorcycle manufacturer released the BMW R 850 RT, a luxurious touring motorcycle similar to the larger R 1100 RT, apart from the engine. The 1999 model came in the same shape and form as the previous one, featuring the same technical, visual, and performance specifications.

It came with 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.

Besides its standard features, the motorcycle had 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.

The bike was made around a three-section composite frame with a BMW Motorrad Telelever system on the front and a BMW Motorrad Paralever system on the rear, offering excellent suspension performance and handling.

The braking power was achieved by two 320 mm brake rotors with four-piston calipers mounted on the front wheel and a 276 mm brake rotor with a dual-piston caliper mounted on the rear wheel.

As for power, the 1999 BMW R 850 RT had its heartbeat set by an 848cc four-stroke air/oil-cooled twin-cylinder boxer engine mounted underneath its fuel tank, boasting 73 hp at 6,750 rpm and 77 Nm (57 lb-ft) torque at 5,600 rpm.