BMW R1100S

[@Mr121953]

Have owned two R1100s... First model was the 1998 non ABS 'Mandarin' bike which came to the UK and Europe... Second and current bike is the 2005 ( last model ) with a servo system , higher compression pistons, better breathing and twin spark heads in silver... Both have been very reliable and have ridden all across France , UK and elsewhere- have clocked up some serious milleage. Some issues ...Shaft drive rod on the 1999 model gave up and needed replacement and on the later 2005 model the bike needed a new starter motor...that's it apart from wear and tear items inc tyres... I have used 15-50 synthetic oil for years and have changed the oil every 5000 miles this gives better tick over and acceleration , the engine just seems happier and a bit quieter. Tyres- Pirelli Grand Tourismo seem to last quite well although some Australian riders use Pirelli T/60's semi off road / road tyres which by all accounts do well and give great longevity and grip ... Last big service done at 30.000 miles inc OIl , Air filter, all fluids changed , the fuel filter in the tank is a must , belt change , brake pads which are always Brembo . Later models had BMW printed on the calipers but on reverse are Brembo , best to get the correct pads BMW recommend . Earlier models had Brembo on the upside , all are made by Brembo not BMW... The 2005 model was the last series of bikes to role off the production line in Bavaria and it shows in the quality of later BMW's made now in different parts of the world ... Highly recommended bike which can surprise you from time to time ...it is old school engineering compared to today's machines and becuase of this , improves the character of the bike ... It will tell you when the weather is just perfect for the ride and they seem to function best when it's a little damp , some mist around helps with cooling ... Handling is superb , ride quality is very acceptable and the power from later models will surprise many people , braking is very postive and with all models does take some time to get used to . The paralever system means that the forks don't do the same job as a conventinal bike. They are basically sprung rods to help keep the front end doing what it does . The real supension is hidden in between the forks under the fairing . When braking under load there isn't any twitch as with Japanese bikes , you can brake around a bend and it won't flex...it is a very solid reliable system that may take some getting used to ... One thing take that 'cat' collection box off the exhaust it's ugly and strangles the engine ...easy fix with a link pipe , make sure the Lamba valve is still reading correctly and you will see and hear the difference ...Best done in a good machine shop/ Bike dealer with professional advice ... Better power all round ...and the bloody thing is so heavy very ugly ... (98 BHP is standard for the R1100s ...) ... I've got mine up to 105 BHP and it shows ... One last thing those mirrors are ok but I have replaced them with bar end types . What is very noticeable without them is the lack of 'drag' experienced and a serious weight reduction ...worth thinking about .

[@ourtime-downhere6931]

Thanks for the advice! They are really well made quality bikes and I absolutely loved riding mine. I've only had it for a couple weeks but I'm already very impressed with it. I'm thinking of doing an exhaust upgrade and maybe now the mirrors as you mentioned. The weather is just getting sunny so I've only been able to put a few hundred miles in the last couple days but I'm really excited for summer. For the price you pay I can't imagine finding more value for your dollar.

[@Mr121953]

@@ourtime-downhere6931 So pleased you have got one ...They tough bikes and like I said as long as you change the oil on a regular basis , you can't go wrong ...Not sure what milleage you have but the bike seems better the more miles you do ...They are happiest when doing long treks . They don't like the towns with stopping and starting all the time . If you intend to go off road a bit , fire trails and such like , I would seriously think about the MT / 60 - tires, they are quite brilliant ...So well done again and have fun . Stay safe ...

[@ourtime-downhere6931]

@@Mr121953 mine has 61k miles and runs like a watch and I've seen plenty of the boxer engines with well over 100k on them so it doesn't bother me to have one with some miles on it. It's clearly been very well taken care of and serviced regularly. If you went off just appearance it's clean enough you'd think it was only a year or two old, the original owner really took great care of it. It came with the hard bags, brand new tires and all the services done right before I bought it and I picked it up for only $2200. I feel like I got a great deal and now after living with it for a couple weeks I'd have been happy paying twice that. It came with the sport suspension from the boxer cup but I haven't installed it yet. I really like the set up the way it is so I'm not sure if I'll install it or not but it's nice to have if I decided to. I'll be replacing the front brake lines with some stainless ones, the rears have already been done. I do all my own maintenance and my brother has owned several if I run into something I haven't done before. I'm going to do the exhaust for sure but I'm not sure what else.

[@Mr121953]

@@ourtime-downhere6931 Superb stuff , all sorted then .I changed the brake lines as well . Suspension for the boxer cup was designed for racing so maybe not change it . I found the standard system more than adequate. You are right about milleage they love the miles and should be fine for more than a hundred thousand plus . I knew someone who had done 250.000 on the original bores and barrels . Spark plugs always a good fix , just so you know ...The hard cases are brilliant and very tough , will take a fall and still function , I should know cos it happend to me and it's a heavy bike !- It does sound like you've got a good one . One thing be prepared if the clutch goes , it's an engine split job so , time and cost and you'll need a bench and maybe a hoist ok ...The shaft drive can wear , had to replace one in 100.000 miles . Oh yes take the oil level reding after you've come back from a ride , leave the engine for 10 mins and then check the level . This gives the engine chance to drip down from all the pathways and gives a true reading . Never from cold .Don't overfill otherwise too much pressure on the internal seals and it could blow ...They can use a bit of oil , common with the bike. Not an issue and semi synthetic ok . Plus use high octain petrol , they are an old design and pefer it . Good luck . Simon

[@Kevin40las]

I have one as well that was purchased used. The previous owner added bar risers and eliminated the cat which gives the exhaust a nice sound. The mirrors are horrible, added bar ends. It's comfortable enough for touring. The mid range power and handling make it an absolute blast on twisty roads although it does feel heavy in the really tight turns of the southern appalachians. The only major repairs were a transmission shaft seal leak and a stick coil.

[@jamesdunn9714]

I own a 2000 R1100S. It is a fun motorcycle.

[@damselinea]

Strange to hear that one has to "pull the 11 S" in the corners... the fact the BMW is stiff doesn't make it less nimble than a japanese, specially on bumpy roads, thanks to its telelever front end !

[@huckusan]

"Super Duper"??? Things you say on the internet can come back to haunt you.

[@anidiotinaracingcar]

Have you tried the R1200S as well?

[@tomthompson7400]

owned both , the 12 is a fair bit buzzier , needs revs not as relaxing to ride and some would say not as good an all rounder , me , id say a fair bit more fun solo.