What should I ride 1150RT or What?

[mreisz]

I recently purchased a 2004 R1150RT; I am 5'6", 29" inseam, 180 pounds, healthy 70 year old. Of all the bikes I had over 20 years, my favorite was this one. I sold it after I dropped it 3 times in a parking lot because it is top heavy. Now 11 years later, I decided to buy a similar 1150RT again and see if I've learned enough from riding several other bikes to handle it. (Suzuki V-strom 650, Bonneville) So I am considering a low seat from Sargent and boots with thicker/higher soles and higher heels and lots of practice in parking lots. I have no issue riding at moderate or higher speeds. Love the bike on curvy roads.

I need advice because it is still a lot to handle maneuvering it in my garage to park next to the car and some parking lot issues. I find turning around in tight areas difficult. The top heavy character is getting me down. Should I be on some other BMW? I like having the fairing and the electric windshield. What do helpful riders suggest? Thanks, Mel

 

[jsouth]

I'm a couple of inches taller than you, but have the same inseam, and am about ten years younger. I ride a 2000 R1100RS. I do have it on the middle seat position, because it is more comfortable for me on long rides. I have not dropped mine, but have come close once or twice in six years and 28,000 miles of ownership. But anyone can drop a bike (and I have dropped others), especially at slow speeds.

Do you have the seat in its lowest position?

I have found that a little training helped me A LOT in slow speed maneuvers. A friend loaned me a video: https://www.ridelikeapro.com/store/dvds/new-ride-like-a-pro-dvd/
It has given me much more confidence as long as I practice once in a while so that the skills are fluent when needed.

A few specific slow speed techniques from the video:

• feathering the clutch, modulating speed with the clutch not the throttle

• keeping weight on the pegs (not seat)

• weight OPPOSITE the turn at slow speeds

• steering big time with the handlebars at slow speeds

Best of luck in finding a solution.

 

[mreisz]

Thanks, All advice welcome.

I will definitely get this video and possibly the book as well. I have heard of them. I will also check out the RS. If I go with a different Boxer I may need to raise and move back the handlebars for the comfort of my wrists. Thanks for the help.

I do have the seat on the lowest position. I am not sure the seat height or my height is going to change the top heavy issue. What do others think. I have also heard of spending around $1500 to lower the bike with Wilbur shocks. Is that a good idea?

 

[jsouth]

I will also check out the RS.

The RS is essentially the RT with a slightly more inclined forward (sporty) riding position. It won't make a difference in the top-heavy feel.

 

[m_stock10506]

While the two bikes - RS/RT are similar, the RT is about 70-75 pounds heavier. Smaller tank and less body work I suppose.

Are you having issues dropping the bike at slow/parking lot speeds, or standing and maneuvering walking the bike. One thing to keep in mind about the Ride Like a Pro training - a lot of the technique involves keeping the clutch in the friction zone. That's great on a wet clutch bike, but the dry clutch single plate BMW doesn't do well with a lot of this.

If your issue is losing it sometimes just as you come to stop, remember to always keep the front wheel straight ahead. If you turn the bars as you stop you will quickly lose the bike.

 

[mreisz]

Thanks!

While the two bikes - RS/RT are similar, the RT is about 70-75 pounds heavier. Smaller tank and less body work I suppose.

Are you having issues dropping the bike at slow/parking lot speeds, or standing and maneuvering walking the bike. One thing to keep in mind about the Ride Like a Pro training - a lot of the technique involves keeping the clutch in the friction zone. That's great on a wet clutch bike, but the dry clutch single plate BMW doesn't do well with a lot of this.

If your issue is losing it sometimes just as you come to stop, remember to always keep the front wheel straight ahead. If you turn the bars as you stop you will quickly lose the bike.

My problems are with both slow speed and standing/maneuvering walking the bike. Your point about keeping the front wheel straight may help me as I come to traffic light and other stops.

 

[bikerfish1100]

My problems are with both slow speed and standing/maneuvering walking the bike. Your point about keeping the front wheel straight may help me as I come to traffic light and other stops.

To add to that advice, keep your eyes up and looking forward, never down.

 

[flhfxd]

Buy yourself a Harley Sportster. Great bike. Light and nimble. C of G isn't challenging at all. Looks cool, goes fast enough and best of all, they're abundantly available at good prices.

 

[PAS]

I'm 5' 10" 175# with a 32" in seem (at 67). I have an 03 R1150RT (26K) and it too is a handful at slow speeds especially with the power brakes. It is for sale. Wonderful when going down the highway! BUT I'm not getting any younger.
I also have an 81 R100RT (169K) that puts a bigger smile on my face when riding and is easier to handle. Each to his own and what ever works for you.
Best of Luck to you! Where are you located?

 

[beemerphile]

You could move backward in time to a well cared for monoshock ('85-95) R80RT or R100RT. The RT fairing might be the best air control fairing ever built. Add a Parabellum shield, remove the fairing mirrors and replace them with bar-ends. The fairing mirrors vibrate and can crack the fairing in a tipover. I say monoshock because of the ease of living with it (tubeless tires, electronic ignition, good brakes). I have a '92 RS that is a great joy to ride and it gets its seat time even though I also have a '13 R12GS Rallye. This fall the RS making the trip from Georgia to Maine while the GS sits in the garage.

I drove an 1150 to Inuvik and Deadhorse and though I loved it, it was a heavy beast. I rode airheads starting in 1977 but got away from them when the oilheads came out. I am in my middle 60's now and went looking for lighter bikes and ended up with another airhead. Loving it.

When I was into distance riding, I even modified my monoshock RT to accept a Heinrich tank and 4-piston front calipers...

 

[cycleman2]

I recently purchased a 2004 R1150RT; I am 5'6", 29" inseam, 180 pounds, healthy 70 year old. Of all the bikes I had over 20 years, my favorite was this one. I sold it after I dropped it 3 times in a parking lot because it is top heavy. Now 11 years later, I decided to buy a similar 1150RT again and see if I've learned enough from riding several other bikes to handle it. (Suzuki V-strom 650, Bonneville) So I am considering a low seat from Sargent and boots with thicker/higher soles and higher heels and lots of practice in parking lots. I have no issue riding at moderate or higher speeds. Love the bike on curvy roads.

I need advice because it is still a lot to handle maneuvering it in my garage to park next to the car and some parking lot issues. I find turning around in tight areas difficult. The top heavy character is getting me down. Should I be on some other BMW? I like having the fairing and the electric windshield. What do helpful riders suggest? Thanks, Mel

I can relate to a bike being too heavy with a shorter inseam, 30.5 ", 5 '11", age 68 and I give you credit for trying at 5"6". My current GL1500, is OK when its just me and no load, but load it up with a passenger and bags full, the total weight is in the area of 1400 lbs. In most situations the weight is manageable but there is always those slow speed situations where your left foot ends up on gravel or slightly lower than expected or the passenger leans the wrong way and it is all you can do to keep the bike from going over. On one of my previous bikes a R1100r, ( which is much lighter than the RT ) if I had the gas tank full, with a big tank bag, there was the odd situation where it would be hard to balance when coming to a stop or when stopped. In those conditions it was top heavy.

I've always found most BMW bikes too tall for me, and it gets worse when they are loaded up. The only exceptions I've found was a airhead R75/6 I owned and my current R1100s. The airhead weighed well under 500 lbs wet and the oilhead weights 502 lbs wet. When you add luggage etc onto these weights, the bike is still easily managed. I like the GS's but too big and heavy when loaded.

You could take some slow speed training, that will help a lot, but at 5"6" you have to be realistic on what bike height you can safely handle in all slow speed situations. I don't know if the 1200C, BMW cruiser, would work for you but it would likely have the lowest seat height of any of the BMW. Yes you can lower a bike a bit, but there is always trade offs and higher soles can make shifting difficult. Good luck on your search.

 

[EUGENE]

There has been alot of discussion on motorrad topic, Poll Sport -touring. This is about a light and smaller bike for touring. good reading. Start with the F800GT but more touring items on it.

 

[kioolt]

BMW has a webpage that they call a "seat height configurator". It can be found here. http://www.bmwmotorcycles.com/us/en...ent/seathight_conf/seats_start.html&notrack=1
On this webpage you enter various information about your height, weight, gender, etc. It will then show what they believe is a suitable bike for you. I tried this webpage and was surprised to find that the suitable bike for me was the K1600GT and that the R1200RT was not considered to be suitable for me. While the K1600GT is heavier it also has a lower seat height. I believe that I will still buy a R1200RT as my next bike anyway. I've been riding a R1150RT for 12 years now. I just like the feel of a flat twin too much.

 

[sdpc2]

I'm a lot younger

than you (55), but almost the same exact height and inseam-challenged. I sold my R1150RT, not because i had dropped it (yet), but because i was afraid that if i did, the plastic wouldn't hold up well, whereas my R1100GS has all kinds of protection on it. If you want to stick with a touring bike, i would suggest that you get an R1150R or R1200R and put a touring windshield on it (Aeroflow or something similiar). Probably almost 100 lbs lighter, and with the right windshield, nearly as good a tourer and much easier to handle.

 

[lawrencecarlson]

than you (55), but almost the same exact height and inseam-challenged. I sold my R1150RT, not because i had dropped it (yet), but because i was afraid that if i did, the plastic wouldn't hold up well, whereas my R1100GS has all kinds of protection on it. If you want to stick with a touring bike, i would suggest that you get an R1150R or R1200R and put a touring windshield on it (Aeroflow or something similiar). Probably almost 100 lbs lighter, and with the right windshield, nearly as good a tourer and much easier to handle.

Pretty good suggestion. I have the BMW Touring windshield (now sold as the ZTechnik R1150R Tall windshield) on my Beemer, along with factory hard bags and soft topcase, Sargent saddle, Ohlins/Hyperpro suspension & Akrapovic. I would tour anywhere on it, and it has a much leaner feel than the RT.

Larry Carlson
Redding CT

2002 R1150R
2014 Moto Guzzi California 1400 Custom

 

[mreisz]

Where?

I'm 5' 10" 175# with a 32" in seem (at 67). I have an 03 R1150RT (26K) and it too is a handful at slow speeds especially with the power brakes. It is for sale. Wonderful when going down the highway! BUT I'm not getting any younger.
I also have an 81 R100RT (169K) that puts a bigger smile on my face when riding and is easier to handle. Each to his own and what ever works for you.
Best of Luck to you! Where are you located?

I live in NH on the seacoast.

 

[rxcrider]

I have found that a little training helped me A LOT in slow speed maneuvers. A friend loaned me a video: https://www.ridelikeapro.com/store/dvds/new-ride-like-a-pro-dvd/
It has given me much more confidence as long as I practice once in a while so that the skills are fluent when needed.

A few specific slow speed techniques from the video:

• feathering the clutch, modulating speed with the clutch not the throttle

• keeping weight on the pegs (not seat)

• weight OPPOSITE the turn at slow speeds

• steering big time with the handlebars at slow speeds

Best of luck in finding a solution.

Slightly off topic, but important: This feathering the clutch trick is is relatively fine on a multi-plate wet clutch running after the primary reduction on the input shaft of the gearbox, but can be a quick death for our single plate dry clutches. This isn't to say never feather the clutch, just keep it to a minimum and keep the engine speed down. Feathering when needed should be in the form of a brief slipping engagement and then disengagement and coasting if full engagement at idle has you rolling too fast, not continuous slipping to maintain a slow speed.

 

[rxcrider]

You've got 30 years on me and I've got 5" and too many pounds on you, so take that into consideration. For low speed maneuverability with my feet on the pegs, I find the R11xxRT bikes very easy to ride. The only time I find them to be a pain is when I'm trying to paddle around in the garage or pushing back out of a parking spot. The girth of the seat and platics covering up so much of the cylinders make them much more awkward to push around from the seat than my R1100RS. Features like the wind protection and electric windshield can be pretty nice, but you definitely pay some penalties for them. Supposedly the low seat is also narrower and makes it easier to use your feet at parking space speeds. I'd take a class or somehow learn to improve (on your own, from a friend, watching videos...) your slow speed techniques so you aren't using your feet until you are near a standstill. I'd also see if someone near you has a low seat you can borrow for a day to see if it helps. As much as a smaller, lighter bike is probably a good idea, it sounds like you'll be giving up what you love about the RT to get there. Good luck

 

[Paul_F]

I'm a few months shy of seventy, weight 150 pounds, 5'6 1/2" with a 28" inseam and a Russell saddle that I ride in the middle position. The only grunt that I have with my R1100RT is getting it off the centre stand with the three bags on it. Quite doable, but more difficult than my K100. Slow maneuvers not a problem but then I did all my parking lot drop practising with my K100RT. Who knows, maybe you have already had enough drop practices with your former R1150.

I do slide into the gas tank when coming to a stop, but then the feet go down fine.

Even though the bike weighs a hundred pounds more than the K, I find the R1100RT more nimble at slow speeds than the K.

What kept me away from the R1150RT was the braking system.

 

[mreisz]

Thanks, All advice welcome.

You've got 30 years on me and I've got 5" and too many pounds on you, so take that into consideration. For low speed maneuverability with my feet on the pegs, I find the R11xxRT bikes very easy to ride. The only time I find them to be a pain is when I'm trying to paddle around in the garage or pushing back out of a parking spot. The girth of the seat and platics covering up so much of the cylinders make them much more awkward to push around from the seat than my R1100RS. Features like the wind protection and electric windshield can be pretty nice, but you definitely pay some penalties for them. Supposedly the low seat is also narrower and makes it easier to use your feet at parking space speeds. I'd take a class or somehow learn to improve (on your own, from a friend, watching videos...) your slow speed techniques so you aren't using your feet until you are near a standstill. I'd also see if someone near you has a low seat you can borrow for a day to see if it helps. As much as a smaller, lighter bike is probably a good idea, it sounds like you'll be giving up what you love about the RT to get there. Good luck

You are right about my not wanting to give up on the RT without trying to learn how to handle it. I have a real attraction to the boxer engine and its sound. So I am resisting going to the F800GT, even though I would fit that bike easily. I might even try a R1200R first, but I would miss the fairing. Time and practice will tell. Thanks, Mel