BMW R1200R R1150R/T F800 K1200R R1100R/T R1250R RnineT Message Board

I have had the pleasure of owning two R1150R. The first was a 2002 without ABS. Total loss when a old fella driving a van pulled out in front of me doing about 55 MPH. Applyed the brakes as hard as I could, Don't remember much except landing on top of the bike. I think the front end washed out. I replaced the bike with a 2004 R1150R with ABS.
Total mileage between both bikes 22000(deceased 02) and 17500 presentely on the 04!
Doing all my own maintenance other than the 600 mile services.
One word of caution to date. On my last run about 50 miles into a 700 mile weekend I lost the use of the clutch. First stop at a autoparts store I checked the 18 month old clutch fluid to find it badly contaminated. I bleed the fluid and drove anothe 20 or so miles until I came to the next town. Each time I found myself in a situation where I needed the clutch (dead stop) I would have to pull over and bleed the hydrolic line to the clutch, this would allow me to get through and to the next town and set of traffic lights. The short story clucth slave cyclinder was bad at 17000 miles, some six months before the schudled fluid change. Check that fluid more often, than every two years. Happy holiday and riding year round

Welcome to the board! Tough way to get a new R by wrecking the old one!

Good heads up on the clutch fluid!

Thanks for the welcome.
The fluid level looked fine and no leaks noticible. The small leakeage on the slave cyclinder occured over a long period of time. Lots of crunge on the old cyclinder. I do recall a strange odor like the clucth buring after almost every ride. Brake fluid on the clucth? You can get pretty good at shifting up and down without a clucth, still working on taking off from a dead stop with a fully loaded pillon.

Welcome and thanks for the heads up! I have an '04 and probably need to do the clutch and brake fluid change out. Since there's an inch of ice outside right now, maybe it would be a good time to do that, lol. I do ride year round though so the slick stuff is slick until it's gone

I'll be in Tampa this Feb.....I hate to sweat so I figured that would be the best time to visit

Glad you survived your encounter with the van. I had a similar experience when a woman pulled out in front of me from a stop sign, totally unexpectedly, just a block from home. I was on my Yamaha FJ (no anti-lock) and, of course, my first instinct was to hammer the front brake -- with predictable results ... a low side with 4 broken ribs.

Thanks for the heads up. By the way, where is the slave cylinder on the Roadster? Do you have to remove the tank?

BigC, I aggree sweating is no fun. Our best riding is now until late May or June. Febuaray can be good or not weather wise, just ask anyone who has been to bikeweek several years the first week in March. Could be 70 and sunny or 40 and raining.
Winter rally in January up around Jacksonville last year was 26 degree and 50 mph northeast wind. Heres hopeing you have great weather.
Panzerleder, I got lucky with my accident just a dislocated finger.
The slave cylinder is at the back of the Transmission. three small tork head bolts hold it. You can remove it with the rear tire and rear shock removed, if you find it needs replaced lots of work. BMW recommends removal of the gas tank, electric box and air box.
Bleeding is simple, there is a bleeder tie wrapped to the right side of the frame on the inside behind the seat lock. Locateing the bleeder is the hardest part. Find the slave cyclinder and look at the hydrolic lines on top, follow the one going to the right side to the bleeder. The bleeder on my bike has a foam cover wrapped around it. With the foam cover it is about 1" in diameter and 3" long clinder shape. The Bleeder has a 5mm allan screw that must be remove to get to the speed bleeder inside. With the allan screw remove insert a small pointed object in bleeder to depress the speed bleeder and bleed. Hope this is clear and helps, sorry about the spelling.
John