1997 R850R questions

[samaaron]

I am considering purchasing a 1997 R850R with ABS and 37K. It is the black and silver model. Allegedly it was used as a courier bike in 1996 Olympics. I want something that is entry level, good for tooling around and some touring. There are a few spots of rust. This my first bike I am 59 years old, 6'1" and 200 lbs. The price is around 3200. Is this a wise choice will I be able to sell it if I want? My cousin is BMW guy and he says walk away. The transmission was rebuilt a while back which I see as a good thing. Any comments and thought appreciated?
Thanks

[pinecone]

Rust? where? There's not a whole lot of steel on the bike other than the tank. Does it come with system cases? When you say "entry level" are you talking about price or power/weight? The 850 weighs the same as the 1100 so it's not necessarily any better for beginners.

An 850 will definitely be more difficult to sell than an 1100. If you're concerned about cost, don't forget to factor in expensive BMW parts (& labor if you don't plan to do your own work). Also, there aren't many aftermarket options for the R850/1100R.

Sorry to sound pessimistic, but there are a lot of things to think about. In this price range there may be better (non-BMW) options unless you're dead set on an R.

[omg1010]

Would be surprising to see any rust on the R850 ... Anyway the R850 certainly is a good bike and pretty stable. It has got enough power and torque to enjoy a ride. However I would go for a model 1998 or later as that is the year the gearbox was slightly modified (as well as some other things). I would also make sure the bike has ABS and heated grips as without these the bike would be hard to sell. It certainly is a good bike to start with.

Kind regards
Oliver

[samaaron]

Any recommendations I am looking at a R1150R as well, non abs, saddle bags for 5700. It is a 2003 with 2100 miles.
Thanks

[pinecone]

samaaron, I just realized you've posted the same question in 3 different forums over the past week. You've received a lot of feedback already and probably noticed there are a lot of ideas/opinions out there. In the end you're going to have to make your own decision.

Decide how much you want to spend and keep shopping until you find the best deal for your $.