Trying to come back!

[Greybeard]

Made the 2nd biggest mistake of my life a few years back and sold my '04 1150R for a ....Guzzi.
Bought it with my...er...heart, yeah, that's it!

But I've repented and am considering adding another to my stable.

I've seen one in passing with 80K on the clock, just wondering what gets sloppy on them with that many miles on?

TIA

[peels]

time is worse than miles in many cases on these things. IMHO.


except for the drive line. Clutch and transmission input shaft splines can wear unevenly and strip. DO some research, you'll find a mountain of information and MIS-information. enough that you'll want to run away. I was scared, assuming I was riding a time bomb. But... I opened mine up last week and saw ZERO wear. must have to do with certain production aspects and how its used.

[riceburner]

Made the 2nd biggest mistake of my life a few years back and sold my '04 1150R for a ....Guzzi.
Bought it with my...er...heart, yeah, that's it!

But I've repented and am considering adding another to my stable.

I've seen one in passing with 80K on the clock, just wondering what gets sloppy on them with that many miles on?

TIA

err - depends on the owner really.

Remember as well that an owner will not notice things getting 'loose' over time as they'll unconsciously adjust - but someone fresh to the bike may well notice things.

my 100K+ bike has had at least:
1 clutch change, (Splines were 'worn' but usable)
1 clutch-slave-cylinder replacement (and most of that linkage as well - very odd failure).
1 burnt out starter motor,
1 set of front wheel bearings,
1 set of gearbox bearings,
2 final drive crown wheel bearings (2nd wasn't strictly necessary, but done anyway because the box needed stripping for another reason)
1 set of final drive box bearings
3 or 4 (maybe more) different shock units over the years (always OE, but not always Rockster parts - R1150R unit will fit on the rear)


That's the big stuff.
I've also:
replaced the threads on most of the cam-cover mounting bolt holes (aluminium head / steel screws - threads get stripped over time)
done umpteen valve checks (never seen more than a minor variation, they've never fallen out of tolerance)
1 (maybe 2?) gear-linkage sets ( the ball joints can wear a bit if used in all weathers)
I don't want to think about how much oil I've put through it...... (nearly always Castrol Actevo 10-40 mineral).

[sjbmw]

Used beemers are all about service history.

And their owners are the most diligent service hounds of all the makes.

If you find a 1 owner bike with a full service history, consider it.

[CycleRob]

Get the next generation technology R1200R. It will have a better electrical system (EFI, CAN bus), performance (weight, power, throttle response, auto idle control, MPG), handling, instrumentation, serviceability and ABS system . . . for a few thousand dollars more -unless- your budget has a ceiling, you like the simpler technology or you are so determined it must be a Beak.

Sorry if that seems like disloyalty, but the R1200R is just an all around better engineered BMW boxer. I made a similar kind of decision way back in June 2009, choosing an all together different BMW machine. It was an excellent choice for the way I ride.

[Greybeard]

Happy for your remarks and glad I stalled acting for awhile.

Rob I think you're correct.
Though I THOROUGHLY enjoyed my '04, that was when it was new.
Started reading about the R1200R and it seems like "quite similar only better" plus they are newer.
It's not the "Beaksterness" I'm after but the torque, shaft, comfort in a naked bike.

So!
What years and features are recommended?

[Greybeard]

Just looked at the R1200R specs.

I think it's too tall for me.

[racurley]

While I haven't actually ridden one, I've sat on the R1200R's from a couple of different years and didn't find them any taller than the 1150. They are lighter and seemed narrower. I felt it would be fine for me and I'm 5' 6" with a 29" inseam.

[windy]

They seem narrower because the seat is thinner and narrower. I tried one with a comfort seat(about $400.00 more) and that's what I'd like ,but I have a 34" inseam. All the r1200R's I've seen have keyless ign. and to many electric extras for me(heated seat &grips OK) the rest they can keep .

[lcarlson]

I have had the hexhead R1200R as a loaner, and while I found it to be incrementally better than the 1150 (lighter, smoother, better shifting) it was not dramatically so. More similar in function than different. I have never wished to switch, though, for aesthetic reasons. While the 1200 is handsome enough, it appears sort of generic to me, lacking the signature styling features of its predecessor. The 1150 was the last of the boxers that had the appearance of a purely air-cooled motorcycle. Those graceful and functional oil cooler scoops (that appeared to be air scoops), which anchored the bikes lines so definitively were replaced with the big, ugly low-mounted block of the single cooler on the 12. The elegant split telelever struts of the 1150 were replaced ugly beams, and of course, the distinctive beak became history. Plastic instrumentation replaced the classic clocks of the 1150. I could go on, but suffice it to say that for me, the 1150 is a classic; the 1200, just a nice motorcycle.

[CycleRob]

First, as a motorcycle mechanic by trade, I lean toward water cooling and OverHead Cams (OHC). Seeing the R1150R in my magazines, I thought BMW would be a good new direction since my 1990 Suzuki VX-800 was going on 10 years old and shaft drive was the only FD for me.

I've worked on my brother-in-law's R90S (charging, carbs, points/timing) and my first time riding a BMW Boxer seemed like it was made by Farmall Tractor Co. Every gear made a different meshing noise and the engine was very tame. The alternator discharging light glowed bright at an idle and the brakes were weak. The instruments were crude.

Some 10 years later, when I went to look at the new R1150R in 2001, I was really impressed. She was a beauty in red, so I decided to test ride it. Working the throttle from idle speed with my feet on the ground, I almost dumped it on it's side! Getting out on the road the ease with which it accelerated with small throttle openings in 3rd, 4th and 5th was a whole new experience. Then I went into 6th gear and at that moment I said wow, this thing cruises fast so effortlessly . . . I like this! When a sharp set of 3 curves came up, I glided thru them with such solid confidence, the un-scuffed greasy new tires weren't even a factor. SOLD!! Made a U-turn and rode back to the dealer to speak with a salesman. I bought the very bike I test rode. The kind of bike it was became a rewarding new direction, even though the engine mechanics were tame, old technology, very automotive, with Pushrods, Rocker Arms and 4 inch pistons, but with Air Cooling. The bike was HEAVY too. On the other hand, I absolutely loved the powerful car alternator it had (that's what it is!), the beautiful mag wheels, TeleLever front end performance and the way it handled and rode so well. I was 53 when I bought it, so I guess it became the time to graduate to a BMW. It was a step up that improved my motorcycle experiences almost every time I rode it. Even my wife liked it better than the VX-800 and Honda 750 V-4 Sabre before that.

Then after 7 years the Beemer's clutch slave died. They never die like that on Japanese bikes. Next, it was the FD bearings, surprising since I carry no heavy weight, don't cruise at high speeds -and- timely oil changes were with premium grade full synthetic oils. Those bearings never die like that on Japanese bikes.

Some time after that, I went to BMW Atlanta's Open House for the usual Bratwurst + Coke snack and to see the new modes. Looked at the blue F800ST and decided to test ride it. I was so impressed with the lightweight performance of the advanced designs (engine, belt drive, instruments) I knew it would be my next bike. Inked a deal for a new Non-ABS model in Champagne Silver. The bike is so all-around good for the way I ride, it'll be very tough to go back to Japanese bikes! It's only failures in 7 years is the left front signal light bulb and a battery that started to crank noticeably slower after 6+ years. 62---68 MPG is the norm, on Regular gasoline. It's a sweet, precise engine, gearbox and EFI system that sounds like a motorcycle should.

I'm telling you this history so the unflattering post I made above does not negatively influence your decisions. A very rewarding OilHead riding experience for years awaits you. Just be prepared for some relatively expensive component failures (ABS?) that never happen on Japanese bikes.

[lcarlson]

Cycle rob wrote <<I'm telling you this history so the unflattering post I made above does not negatively influence your decisions. A very rewarding OilHead riding experience for years awaits you. Just be prepared for some relatively expensive component failures (ABS?) that never happen on Japanese bikes.>>

YMMV -- in the 14 years since I bought my bike new, the only component failure I have experienced on my R1150R was the plastic quick fuel disconnect, which was a quick and inexpensive repair. If you buy one of these bikes, replace the plastic units with metal ones immediately.