1994 R1100RS - good crashbars for this bike? Also a question about this bike's rubber brake lines [US]

[lukaspriest]

Hello! I'm brand new here and to BMW bikes in general. I recently picked up an absolutely gorgeous '94 1100RS (20k miles on the clock) that has been truly loved and pampered. It was clearly always garaged and has a full service history. I have an appointment with a gentleman named Mitch who is evidently a very well respected BMW mechanic over here in the Boise, Idaho area. While the bike seems to be in perfect working order, I'm going to have him do a full service on it and just go through it really well to make sure it's truly and verifiably road-worthy - I want to give her the best and I want to be safe. After working on two different 40-year-old Hondas, I have a very healthy respect for how little gremlins can manifest in a decades old machine.

The bike has valve cover protectors on it, but I think I'd really like to install a set of crashbars. The thought of having a mishap and having the bike fall over on one of those beautiful cylinders is very distressing to me. When it comes to crashbars, I'm a bit overwhelmed by all the different options out there, and I'm clueless about cross-compatibility (if it exists) between this bike and the other R models. If anyone could help point me in a good direction, I'd be most appreciative!

I have a lot of experience with the Honda CX/GL line but I am totally ignorant about oilheads, and I'm eager to learn all I can. I've been told "may Chris Harris guide you" and I plan on checking him out on YouTube. I've noticed that the bike has rubber brake lines; not sure if they're the original or not, but visually, they're in good shape. That being said, when a bike is 30 years old, I treat its rubber with suspicion. Should replacing them with stainless steel brakelines be a top priority? I also plan on getting my Hall Effect Sensor inspected, as I hear that they didn't have good temperature shielding for the wiring and are prone to failure when it rains. Anything else I should be sure to investigate?

Thank you all so much!

 

[52184]

As a former R1100RSL owner, all I can say about crash bars is that I’ve never seen any sold or mounted on the R11RS bikes, and, umm, I think they’d look really out of place on that ride. Run the valve cover protectors and enjoy riding the bike.

Regardless of miles, your rubber brake lines are due to be replaced. Spiegler is your friend on those. On the Hall effect unit, major issues with those really weren’t prevalent until the R1150 series, but not a bad idea to have it checked anyway. Heat is a major enemy of that wiring but your bike has very low miles, so not so many heat cycles.

These are some of the best bikes BMW built, IMHO, so enjoy the bike and give it the exercise it deserves!

Best,
DeVern

 

[m_stock10506]

That sounds like a great bike, but we can’t believe it until we see pictures. Yes, the brake hoses should be replaced. Spiegler would be my choice as well. I also have to disagree about the hall sensor wiring. All of the 1100 bikes left the factory with the wrong wiring in the HES harness. The wires are covered by a sheath so the damage is usually hidden. The response is either replacing the entire plate with wiring, or repairing the harness with the proper heat rated cable. If the mechanic is going to replace the fuel filter, that would be the time to do it, and a new alternator belt at the same time.

 

[robsryder]

I purchased a set of the ZTechnik (National Cycle) engine protection bars for my 94 R1100RS, similar to those shown below, except mine are silver / grey. These mount using three points on the cylinder head and appear fairly sound. My desire was to have protection for the cylinder head and have a place to mount some lower LED aux lights. Elsewhere there is a similar thread on this topic. As I recall there were some photos showing the results of having a crash with these bars affixed - there was protection (as I recall).

I chose to remove these crash bars and they reside in my basement. I had the BMW head protectors and I found that these were adequate for my needs; I have owned the 94 R11RS since new. I found an alternate method of mounting some lower LED aux lights.

Link to ZTechnik website -

Z7105-002 Powdercoated Steel Engine Guards

ZTechnik’s Engine Guards are carefully designed to allow clearance for oil changes or valve cover access, so they don’t need to be removed for routine maintenance. Engine Guards attach to the motor mounts – not the engine cases – for the best protection.

www.nationalcycle.com

 

[robsryder]

A company (European, I think) also make some R1100RS crash bars. I don't think that I've ever seen a set of these "in the wild".

CRASH BARS HEED BMW R 1100 RS (1996 - 2001) - silver | eBay

HEED Poland. Crash bars for BMW R 1100 RS manufactured from 1996 to 2001. They have 4 mounting points per side and provide protection for the engine. Crash bars can't be used with the motorcycle model with full fairing.

www.ebay.com

 

[robsryder]

On my 94 R1100RS I replaced the rubber brake lines with some braided stainless steel lines with black outer cover some years ago. I obtained the brake lines from SpieglerUSA. Easy to install and work well. I will note that the 94 R1100RS was prone to having a leak develop in the handlebar-mounted master cylinder. I replaced my master cylinder with a new BMW unit some 15 years ago. That is when I also replaced the front and rear brake lines.

High Quality Brake Lines | Custom Brake Lines | Spiegle

Spiegler USA use only the finest materials available for our brake line components and we develop, design, and manufacture the lines in our Dayton, OH

spieglerusa.com

 

[robsryder]

Here is a link to a prior thread on mounting aux lights on a R1100RS. I have some photos showing my mounting locations for aux lights.

1994 R1100RS driving/fog lights

I'm seeking info from anyone who has added driving or fog light to a R1100RS. Bought a new to me 1994 in June of this year and would like to add some extra lights. Let me know any ideas. Thanks

forums.bmwmoa.org

 

[robsryder]

I finally found the link on the previous thread on the R1100RS crash bars. I found a couple of other similar threads that may be of interest. With respect to the ZTechnik crash bars on the R1100 bikes, pay careful attention to Anton's comments.

New engine guard

Got my new engine guards, I wanted these for a while now. I recommend these (or anything similar) to anyone with a boxer engine, I think these should be a must for these bikes. Especially after seeing a review on the newer bikes even the guy pointed out that these bikes don't come with any...

forums.bmwmoa.org

Other similar threads -

Engine protection bars for r1100r...??

I hate the term "crash bars", so what I would like to find is a set of "engine protection bars" that are made for a 1999 R1100R.. no luck, so far I've found none made for this model...any ideas..?? I just am afraid of bashing stuff up in a "laugh-in" low-no speed tip-over.. all ideas /...

forums.bmwmoa.org

Which 2011 RT engine "crash bars"?

I plan to install a set of engine "crash bars" on my 2011 RT, primarily so I can mount a set of amber auxiliary lights to go with the Denali DRL's I have mounted on the lower forks. I don't particularly like the idea of such bars mounting to the engine cases, but don't know of any that don't...

forums.bmwmoa.org

 

[lukaspriest]

Thank you all so much for your thoughtful replies! Here are some pictures at my friend's place before I took it home to my garage.

 

[lukaspriest]

As a former R1100RSL owner, all I can say about crash bars is that I’ve never seen any sold or mounted on the R11RS bikes, and, umm, I think they’d look really out of place on that ride. Run the valve cover protectors and enjoy riding the bike.

Regardless of miles, your rubber brake lines are due to be replaced. Spiegler is your friend on those. On the Hall effect unit, major issues with those really weren’t prevalent until the R1150 series, but not a bad idea to have it checked anyway. Heat is a major enemy of that wiring but your bike has very low miles, so not so many heat cycles.

These are some of the best bikes BMW built, IMHO, so enjoy the bike and give it the exercise it deserves!

Best,
DeVern

I will definitely have a chat with Mitch about upgrading to SS brake lines. On my old CX500, there was just a single line from the master cylinder to the non-ABS caliper, so it was something I felt comfortable tackling myself, but I think I'll leave it to a pro with the setup that this bike has. I absolutely LOVE that you shared your opinion as this being one of the best bikes that BMW built! Coming from my old Honda, this bike feels and drives like a DREAM. I just love it.

The one thing that kind of worries me a bit about this bike is that I've read that (some of?) these bikes had weak transmissions or something like that? Then I've also seen people say that the replacement transmissions that were used turned out to be even worse than the originals. Still, I've also read that people have put thousands upon thousands of miles on these bikes trouble-free. The transmission on my bike feels and shifts nicely, so it seems to be in good order.

I'm just excited to learn all I can.

 

[lukaspriest]

I finally found the link on the previous thread on the R1100RS crash bars. I found a couple of other similar threads that may be of interest. With respect to the ZTechnik crash bars on the R1100 bikes, pay careful attention to Anton's comments.

Reading this thread you linked with the information from Anton definitely makes me pause in my ideation of getting crash bars; I hadn't considered how they could impact the ability to corner. Thank you for sharing that!

 

[pauls1150]

Most Definitely get the Speigler brake lines, front and rear. ZERO drawbacks.
One of the often-ignored services is the spline lube at the junction of the center of the clutch and the input shaft to the transmission. Doing this is a major PITA, but it's cheaper than getting a replacement tranny or taking yours apart to replace the shaft. It's also probable (if it hasn't been done before) that the four pivot pins inside the driveshaft housing should be adjusted or replaced too.
Tell Mitch I said Hi!

 

[tangoalpha]

Nice looking scooter! Looks great in that color blue.

Thank you all so much for your thoughtful replies! Here are some pictures at my friend's place before I took it home to my garage. View attachment 97302
View attachment 97303

 

[tangoalpha]

On my 94 R1100RS I replaced the rubber brake lines with some braided stainless steel lines with black outer cover some years ago. I obtained the brake lines from SpieglerUSA. Easy to install and work well. I will note that the 94 R1100RS was prone to having a leak develop in the handlebar-mounted master cylinder. I replaced my master cylinder with a new BMW unit some 15 years ago. That is when I also replaced the front and rear brake lines.

High Quality Brake Lines | Custom Brake Lines | Spiegle

Spiegler USA use only the finest materials available for our brake line components and we develop, design, and manufacture the lines in our Dayton, OH

spieglerusa.com

I second the suggestion for Speigler stainless steel brake lines. They are the best investment you can make for you bike dollar for dollar.

 

[lukaspriest]

Thank you so much! Yeah, I LOVE the color of this steed, and getting some Spiegler brake lines is at the top of my priority list.

 

[pglaves]

Thank you so much! Yeah, I LOVE the color of this steed, and getting some Spiegler brake lines is at the top of my priority list.

You can order Speigler lines from Tom Cutter at the Rubber Chicken Racing Garage.

Rubber Chicken Racing Garage

Rubber Chicken Racing Garage - Quality work, classic touch

www.rubberchickenracinggarage.com

 

[MCMXCIVRS]

My 94 RS in the same colour but with the lower fairing has had those same cylinder head protectors on it. They do a good job of preventing damage to the valve covers in a tip over, so I would say don't bother with steel bars. Anything more serious will result in greater damage anyway.

I also replaced the brake lines with Spiegler ones long ago.

 

[lukaspriest]

Thank you @pglaves and @MCMXCIVRS ! I think I'm resolved to just skip the crash bars. I'm excited to give this bike ALL the love. Coming from an old Honda GL650, I still can't get over how fast and powerful this bike is - it just blows me away.

​

 

[fbt80]

HES/Hall sensor, Tons of posts on this topic, but you are looking for bare wires from missing hardened wire insulation...study this connector from my old HES.
Problem is this issue may be anywhere down the wire where you can't see it. Just replace it if you see any hardening of the insulation at the connector. New versions have silicon insulation that doesn't harden.

 

[lukaspriest]

HES/Hall sensor, Tons of posts on this topic, but you are looking for bare wires from missing hardened wire insulation...study this connector from my old HES.
Problem is this issue may be anywhere down the wire where you can't see it. Just replace it if you see any hardening of the insulation at the connector. New versions have silicon insulation that doesn't harden.

I purchased a new HES unit from EuroMotoElectric - I got the "EnDuraLast" brand and my plan is to get it swapped out. I'll then probably get the other one rewired and keep it as a spare or kick it down to someone else who needs one. I'm a big believer in "parts karma."