Considering R1150R - newbie questions

[Winged_STer]

Hi all,

Coming off of a Honda ST and now looking at the R1150R. Love the looks of the bike but how is it as a LD tourer? Obviously the RT would be a better choice but the price differential is too great. All day comfort? Any defects I should look for? Other considerations? Looking at a bike that has 30k on it. Lot's of miles left in it but anything that is likely to fail at this point?

Thanks in advance.

[boxermania]

First, Buy the newest model that you can afford, Second, Check on the service history, Third, Do a search here as there are some potential issues that could be costly.

In order of agravation and cost
Overly tight nylon ties on wire bundles under the steering head (they lead to broken wires)
Crimped on fuel clamps (leak with time)
Fuel quick disconects (plastic and they fail with time)
Stick coils on the 4 plug models (heat will eventually lead to failure)
Final drive bearing failure (mostly on earlier years)
Clutch spline failure (here and there, but costly if you have to pay for the repair)

Comfort wise there is litle diference between the RT and the R other than the plastic. General comfort is a personal preference, I never had any issues, other than lowering the pegs.

Good luck

[Winged_STer]

Thank you!

I am currently looking at an '03 with 30k miles, and recent valve service. Overall condition tells me whether the owner was caring or not. I am on the anal retentive side of thing and this one looks well maintained.

This one maxes me out on my current budget but it has most of my wish list on it. No ABS though. And wish it had cruise but again, Limited funds have their limits!

This is a single spark model. Any issues with that?

Fianl Drive scares me and so does clutch work. Clutch requires full tear down doesn't it? Ooy. Not a pleasant thought.

[boxermania]

You must not be in the continental US....two reasons....the expresion Ooy and there weren't many 03's stateside. The clutch issue is not that expensive, if you do it, but it is somewhat tedious as the rear of the bike has to come off.

[Sunbeemer]

Welcome to the board..this forum is a big help if you decide to own an RR.

I have an '02 without ABS and is single spark, and feel the drawbacks of not having those things far outweigh their benefits.
IMHO, it will be cheaper and easier to maintain than a bike with those things, and will be more reliable in the long run with less expense.

Good luck and while I am certainly biased in this matter, I don't think you could find a better bike made to do the variety of things this bike can do (touring, commuting, sport riding, etc) so capably.

[sjbmw]

For many, the biggest issue with long distance touring is the stock seat. Some have the right size bum, and ride all day on it. Others get about 200 miles and have their bum cheeks howling for mercy. YBMV (Your Butt May Vary)

I was worth about 250 miles on the stock seat, now I have a Sargent. Much better.

The bike will load up 600 lbs and go all day without panting.... it really is an iron horse.

[Twempie]

I've just sold my 2003 single spark R1150R and bought a 2009 ST1300. The opposite direction than the poster. They are both great bikes but the comparison is the proverbial apples and oranges.

The R is a great touring bike, once you change the seat, add luggage, windshield, driving lights, peg lowering kit and a few mechanical upgrades like the cam chain tensioner (left cylinder), fuel quick-disconnects, etc.

The R is a dependable machine, has taken me from Seattle to Chicago (the long way) several times, along with multi-day camp trips. The steering is very dependable, with a low center of gravity that is great for twisting mountain passes. 30k on the clock is nothing to worry about - it's ideal.

You will need to learn how to adjust your valves and give it a TBS once in a while, usually about every 6,000 miles. Use dino oil in the engine and synthetic in the tranny and FD.

At 30k, you will need to think of new shocks. At around 35k, I put a pair of OEMs in that had 11,000 miles and they work just fine.

I had to sell my R to make room for my new ST. I like 'em both a lot, they are two different animals, so it depends on what you're looking for in a bike.

[Winged_STer]

Thanks to all. Thinking about saving a bit more to move up a couple of years in bike.

You are right the ST and the R are completely different animals. Loved the ST, just think I want something a little different but still want to do a couple of multi thousand mile trips a year. Probably should hold out for an RT.

[tlwood28]

I am no expert, just a very satisfied owner of a 2002 RR. I think if you do your research on this site you will find very little meaningful difference in model years. If the RR is the bike for you, I wouldn't hesitate to buy the 03, and I would consider model year relatively insignificant to maintenance, condition, etc.

I value the RR in part because I love the flexibility--you can strip it down for city riding or load it up for touring. As a long distance bike my only issues are/were seat and windscreen which I think is common here. The seat is easily fixed, the windscreen yet to be determined (people's opinions here vary and my effort is a work in progress).

I think the RR is the do-it-all bike. It's hard to go wrong with it. Still, if you are really looking for a long distance bike, and everything else is not important to you, I would think you should take a hard look at the RT and your budget.

[WorkinMan]

I have a good friend with an RT, and it is definately more comfortable for longer rides. It also has much better "wind" protection with the full fairing, (I have the BMW sport windshield on my RR) but other than that, the bikes are quite similar to ride. Personally, I like a naked bike myself, so I wanted the RR over the RT anyway, but the cost difference helped the decision too. If you're looking for a bike like your ST, hold out for the RT. If you're wanting a little more naked bike, go with the RR. Either way you won't go wrong.

[peterbulgar]

My 2004 (purchased in December of 2003) R1150RA just turned over 85k miles. It's been across the country from CA to West Virginia, to Alaska twice, twice up the Ice Fields Parkway and around British Columbia, and is used year 'round as a daily commuter. No issues except a failed stick coil at 60k miles. The cautions about the input splines and final drive problems are worth considering, but keep in mind that a very small number of bikes seem to be affected. The fuel line disconnects and wiring harness ties are also potential problems, but much easier and cheaper to remedy.

I find the stock seat tolerable, although from day one I thought that maybe I should look into something more comfortable. Six years later and I'm still considering. When my son was younger he was a regular traveling companion and at his insistance I replaced the passenger seat with one from Sargent, which made him much happier. The Sargent rider's seat would probably work just as well. I have a BMW touring screen for trips north of the border, and a shorter one from CEE Bailey (same height as the BMW Sports screen but wider at the top) that I use the rest of the time. Both work well for their intended purpose. I have the BMW panniers and a Pirate's Lair backrest that I use when I'm carrying a passenger. In addition to the long trips both two-up and solo when I didn't camp, I've also taken a week long camping trip two-up. The model-specific BMW tank bag is an expensive but worthwhile addition.

So, based on my own experience the R works just fine as a tourer - I've never felt the need for more power and I regularly get over 50 mpg when in touring mode.
peter '73 R75/5, '04 R1150RA

[bmwr1150rbmw]

I think this is a great long distance touring bike. Obviously not the absolute best but considering how versatile it is, great in the turns also, but also so capable as a touring bike, I say yes! I rode 5500 miles in 13 days last summer on the stock seat with an Alaskan Leather. No problem! I wear nice riding pants and that does make a difference. Don't expect to wear jeans or something pedestrian and not get sore. The bike is very smooth on highway between 65 and 80 mph. I throw my legs onto the cylinders and Im good to go.

[johno]

I have had 5 oilheads, R1150GS, R1150RT, R1100RS, and 2 R1150R.
All great bikes. The GS was a little too high for me, the RT was a fantastic winter bike, but too hot in the summer, the RS was a great allrounder, but the sporty riding position took its toll on my crook shoulders.
I now have my 2nd R, and to me, this is the ideal bike for my kind of riding.
I use an Airhawk seat cushion, and find that helps a lot on longer trips.
I use a tall screen, have just made up highway pegs, and couldnt be happier.

[REFFI]

I'm fairly new to the BMW community. I opted for a 2004 model that I purchased from a dealer north of San Francisco and rode home to Southern California. The p.o. had already installed bar backs, but that ride taught me that I needed a better seat and lower pegs if I was to survive any kind of a long ride. (The trip home was in two overnight legs but still punishing.) My previous ride was an '80 Yamaha XS1100 that I bought new. Changing to the BMW, I found it lighter and more manoeuverable than the Yamaha, but down on power (and, of course, the twin is less smooth than was the in-line four). I have ridden the R1200R and feel that it has the right amount of power for my bulk, but it was uncomfortable because of the handlebar, peg and seat. I have a Cee Bailey windshield to which I've added a Laminar Lip reducing tremendously the amount of buffeting that I was enduring.

All in all, I'm happy with my choice and would recommend the model to a newbie.

Ralph

[awagnon]

I've had a 2004 R1150R, R1200GS, two F650GS's, and an R1150RT. I sold the 1150R last year and I serously regret it. Nice all around bike. I love the RT or touring and the F650 for local rides. But my favorite bike was the 1150R Roadster. The 1150R was a jack of all trades, but master of none. It did everything adequately. If I had one bike, it would be the 1150R. I was insane to sell it, but I needed the money at the time.

All BMW's have issues. The splines on my RT have gone out twice. ( it is a 2002 which is the worse year for spline failures, so stay away from that year. )