Considering buying R1100RT or R1150RT

Happy Wanderer, I appreciate your comments. Believe me, I have been having a lot of second thoughts very similar to what you have shared. However, I am not really much of a mechanic. I used to change the oil on my cars when I was a lad but I have not done anything like that for years. I really don't think that I am up to removing the entire back end of a motorcycle (tools, technical know-how, patience).

Actually, a friend of mine has put his '04 R1150RT up for sale. It has 25k miles. It is pretty much bone stock. No auxiliary lights, stock seat, no additional bells or whistles. It does have the standard cases and a top case. I test-rode it today. It's difficult not to like it. The contrast in power and smoothness to my '83 RT is amazing. The six-speed shifts well (the 5-speed on that '97 R1100RT shifted rather clunky). I did notice a ticking sound in neutral that went away when I engaged the clutch. Anyone know what that might be causing that? Secondly, at the very least it needs the 24K service. Knowing full well that this is way out of my $5K budget I am willing to make an exception to help out a friend in need. With what I have shared, what would you be willing to pay?

so sorry...

really sorry, but since no one's said it yet..there's nothing more expensive than a cheap BMW motorcycle. ..or whatever the famous aphorism is.

and once again, sorry to have to say it.

but if i were to tell you my sob stories (read: time in the shop, and $$$) on used bikes...

"really sorry, but since no one's said it yet..there's nothing more expensive than a cheap BMW motorcycle. ..or whatever the famous aphorism is."

I feel your pain. I don't even want to think about the amount of $$$ I have sunken into my '83 RT just to keep it on the active duty list. If the bike did not have so much sentimental value I should've found it a different home a long time ago

Actually, a friend of mine has put his '04 R1150RT up for sale. It has 25k miles. It is pretty much bone stock. No auxiliary lights, stock seat, no additional bells or whistles. It does have the standard cases and a top case. I test-rode it today. It's difficult not to like it. The contrast in power and smoothness to my '83 RT is amazing. The six-speed shifts well (the 5-speed on that '97 R1100RT shifted rather clunky). I did notice a ticking sound in neutral that went away when I engaged the clutch. Anyone know what that might be causing that? Secondly, at the very least it needs the 24K service. Knowing full well that this is way out of my $5K budget I am willing to make an exception to help out a friend in need. With what I have shared, what would you be willing to pay?

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The 2004 R1150RT is a nice bike. It would be on my Yes list. Buying it from a friend is usually a plus. I would ask your friend if he did the 24k maintenance. Another plus if he did. As for a price, I would check out Craig's List and surrounding areas for the going price in your area. Print out all the 2004 R1150RT you can find. If there is a disparity of price, you can show them to your friend and try to come to a gentleman's agreement on price.

I don't know what the ticking is in neutral. Maybe someone else can comment on it. It may be nothing. But, I would get an answer before you buy it. Maybe Email Anton.

I agree the '04 is the best of the 1150s. It has all of the updates (transmission, alt belt drive, 2-spark, maybe a few more).

My personal preference is for the 1100, though. The five gear ratios are perfect. The splines are not problematic. ABS2 isn't bad. They're pretty tough bikes.

But they're all old now. The styling is a bit more dated and the engine management isn't as sophisticated. The rear tire is non-standard (although the 1150 rear tire is a bit out of fashion also).

AntonLargiader said:

I agree the '04 is the best of the 1150s. It has all of the updates (transmission, alt belt drive, 2-spark, maybe a few more).

My personal preference is for the 1100, though. The five gear ratios are perfect. The splines are not problematic. ABS2 isn't bad. They're pretty tough bikes.

But they're all old now. The styling is a bit more dated and the engine management isn't as sophisticated. The rear tire is non-standard (although the 1150 rear tire is a bit out of fashion also).

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Anton, pretty good rundown. Ive read the Motronic's part of your site but can you remind me what the important engine management differences are? Also, Does a 24K mi 04 rt need the spline lube?

I don't know the intricacies of MA2.2 vs. MA2.4 but 2.4 runs different injectors, better spray pattern I think (more holes), and of course adds 2-spark later on. I think they run a bit better.

Splines are no different. No changes from beginning to end of the 2.4 bikes.

I also should have mentioned that all of the 1150s benefit from the changes that were made as the 1100 series advanced: the improved CCV and throttle cable setup for instance. You need a '98 or later 1100 to get this.

Roger 04 RT said:

Does a 24K mi 04 rt need the spline lube?

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The recommended spline lube interval for oilheads is 40K miles.

This is my take , coming from a new BMW/RT owner.

I'm a sportbike/roadracer guy. Only thing I've ever owned are sportbikes. Due to the rising gas prices I figured it was time to start commuting to work via bike, but my 900RR was hardly a decent year round mount. So I sold the RR for $2500 and bought a 105K mile 2000 R1100RT for the same price.

I wasn't the slightest bit concerned about the high miles. It is a one owner bike and the previous owner had a thumb drive listing every single maintenance item he had performed since new. He was a meticulous electrical engineer and treated it like a family member. And after searching online I discovered that you can buy a low mile engine in the $600-$800 range, so if I do have a major catastrophe I'll just drop a "new" engine in her.

So far I couldn't be happier. Yeah, it's a huge transition from a 900RR sportbike but the daily commute is a joy now. I've put 2000 miles on her since mid-February and even though that isn't much for you Beemer guys it has been smooth sailing throughout.

Only downside is that my family said I have made the transition to "old guy" now.

After 15 months, I am just now wrapping up a a partial restoration of a 1995 RSL.

I looked for an RSL for several months and was shocked by how much people were asking for trashed bikes. Then I found what I thought was a solid bike for the fair price of $2500--still more than I wanted to pay.

When I got home and began to pull it apart, I discovered that one of the 2 previous owners had left it idling and burned up the right side of the bike. The wiring harness was a melted mess, along with the back of the dash panel, RID, upper fairing and so on. The right side fairing had been replaced, but the rest of the repair work was shoddy.

I was mad, mostly at myself for not pulling a panel or two to see what I was purchasing and at first I thought I had just purchased a $2500 parts bike.

Fast forward--the rest of the bike turned out to be in good working order--motor, gearbox, final drive, ABS; all the other critical components and I went ahead with the project and found out how quickly the $$$ add up for a partial restoration.

Be careful of deals that look good on the surface; literally.

The RSL will be finished in the next week or so.

"The recommended spline lube interval for oilheads is 40K miles."

Ok, I am getting a bit confused. Another contributor on this thread made it sound like the '97 R1100RT, that I first considered, needed this done at 30K. I passed on this very nice bike for fear it was going to need a grand worth of work as soon as I bought it. So which is it? 30 or 40? Or is it different for the 1100's vs 1150's?

There is no factory spec for the spline lube interval. Paul Glaves recommends 40K to 50K in this thread. He's written about it more recently and just says 40K.

Ok, I am getting a bit confused. Another contributor on this thread made it sound like the '97 R1100RT, that I first considered, needed this done at 30K. I passed on this very nice bike for fear it was going to need a grand worth of work as soon as I bought it. So which is it? 30 or 40? Or is it different for the 1100's vs 1150's

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The recommended mileage to lube your splines is 40k. But, if you have an older bike with low mileage, it sometimes pays to do the spline lube sooner then 40k. If I was to purchase the 97 R1100RT I would probably do the lube at 35k to be on the safe side. Some people have gotten to 40k only to discover that they waited too long. Then you are looking at a $2,000 to $3,000 bill to replace the input shaft.

Since you use a mechanic, I recommended finding a bike with 40k plus miles with the spline already lubed, or find another bike with lower mileage (10-25k). In the long term, this would save you more money.

Just be patient. In the next month or two you will see a lot more bikes come on the market. In my opinion, I think you will find a better bike for a better price.

cjbunltd: Here is the kind of bike you should be looking for: 99' R1100RT (15k miles) for $5285 . I would buy this bike. The only thing missing is heat grips and a better seat.

@23217, thanks for clarifying. Thanks also for the link to the bike. It looks nice. I will continue to watch the listings for something in my region. The '04 belonging to my friend is nice but despite my good intentions is really more money than I should spend. I may revisit it if he becomes desperate to sell. I did happen upon a '02 R1150RT that has potential. 36K miles. $6250. I still need to do my due diligence on it. I am reasonably certain it will need the spline lube. I guess that is a critical piece of maintenance kind of along the lines of the timing belt on my old Porsche 944. It is a very necessary and expensive maintenance item for those and something owners will sell their car before doing just to avoid the expense. Any knowledgable buyer wants to know when the last one was done. Getting back to BMW oil heads, is there any other critical maintenance items I should be concerned about?

I did happen upon a '02 R1150RT that has potential. 36K miles. $6250. I still need to do my due diligence on it. I am reasonably certain it will need the spline lube. I guess that is a critical piece of maintenance kind of along the lines of the timing belt on my old Porsche 944. It is a very necessary and expensive maintenance item for those and something owners will sell their car before doing just to avoid the expense.

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Here are my comments of paranoia: The 2002 R1150's seem to have a very high rate of failure of the input shafts. This guy may have just done the spline grease job and discovered that the shaft is not long for this world. When I was looking I avoided 2002 models. No matter what the price was. Some people have had good luck with the 2002 models, but I would prefer to avoid this year.

Getting back to BMW oil heads, is there any other critical maintenance items I should be concerned about?

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1. The input shaft is the big one.
2. Some have failures of the HES (electrical). Usually you get little warning. Some people notice the bike "skipping" along with the odometer spiking. Later it will fail completely.
3. The rear wheel bearing can go bad with enough miles. When looking at a bike, shake the rear wheel at the 6-12 position and at the 3-9 o'clock position. If there is play, then it may need to be replaced.
4. The seal on the rear bearing will go bad with enough mileage. You will see lots of oil around the rear wheel. Some seepage around the final drive is usually okay.
5. The pivot bushing can go bad with enough miles. Not a big deal to replace.
6. ABS units sometimes go bad. You will see the lights flashing on the dash. If it cannot be reset, then there is something wrong. Sometimes older batteries can cause this too.

There are other items that can cause problems. Some other members might have a different list and add to this one. The big issue is the input shaft. I don't want to make you paranoid. Most people have a trouble free life with the oilheads. But, certain years are more reliable then others. In todays economy, you can take advantage of it.

If you find a bike that you like, sometimes you can find someone from a local club to look at the bike for you. Or, you can have a local dealer look at it.

As we move into May and June, the prices should start to come down. Most people get a premium for their bikes in March and April. Not many bikes are selling, so people will feel the pressure to lower the price soon. The same thing happen last year. You already have a bike, so you can take your time in finding the right bike.

23217, you have a wealth of knowledge. Thank you for sharing what you know. After reading the feedback on this thread and one that was referenced I am beginning to narrow down what I should be searching for. It seems if I cannot find a bargain priced '04 R1150RT, the next best alternative is a low mileage R1100RT between 1998 and 2000. It also appears I should broaden my geography and consider bikes that may require being shipped instead of ridden home. Thoughts?

cjbunltd said:

23217, you have a wealth of knowledge. Thank you for sharing what you know. After reading the feedback on this thread and one that was referenced I am beginning to narrow down what I should be searching for. It seems if I cannot find a bargain priced '04 R1150RT, the next best alternative is a low mileage R1100RT between 1998 and 2000. It also appears I should broaden my geography and consider bikes that may require being shipped instead of ridden home. Thoughts?

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Well, being a racer and half-arsed collector, I drive all over to buy my bikes. I bought an FZR400 from a guy in eastern South Carolina....drove 11 hours one way, threw the bike in my truck and drove home. But I've been accused of not being all there.

On the flipside, I sold a Daytona Special to a guy in California last year and he had the bike shipped to him from Kentucky. He checked all the shipping companies and best price he found was $600. Of course an RD400 Daytona is a pretty light bike.

23217, you have a wealth of knowledge. Thank you for sharing what you know. After reading the feedback on this thread and one that was referenced I am beginning to narrow down what I should be searching for. It seems if I cannot find a bargain priced '04 R1150RT, the next best alternative is a low mileage R1100RT between 1998 and 2000. It also appears I should broaden my geography and consider bikes that may require being shipped instead of ridden home. Thoughts?

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There are some things I am knowledgeable about. Other things not so knowledgeable about. But, there is always someone who knows the right answer.

Since you prefer to have a dealer service your bike, I would be looking for the most reliable years. The 2004 R1150RT would be my first choice. Second choice would be the 98-00 R1100RT. I don't know what state you are from, so I don't know how far you will have to look. I live in a city with a million people, so I looked 300 miles out. Bought a bike about an hour away. Took me 4 months to find the right bike. I passed on a couple good bikes. I held out for a great bike. Didn't have every accessory I wanted, but it was close.

I didn't start to see good deals until May/June of last year. The bikes I saw in Mar/April were over-priced and the selection was limited. In May and June the selection increased, and the prices got better. The key is to be patient.

If you choose to buy a bike from a distance, you might be able to get another forum member to look at the bike for you. They might find something that you will not.

cjbunltd said:

23217, you have a wealth of knowledge. Thank you for sharing what you know. After reading the feedback on this thread and one that was referenced I am beginning to narrow down what I should be searching for. It seems if I cannot find a bargain priced '04 R1150RT, the next best alternative is a low mileage R1100RT between 1998 and 2000. It also appears I should broaden my geography and consider bikes that may require being shipped instead of ridden home. Thoughts?

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Finishing up converting an 04 RTP to an RT. Down to having the locks keyed alike, painting the various tupperware parts, and acquiring a few last plastic pieces. The bike has 40,000 miles on it. Laid off so I am willing to deal. Also have a high mileage 02 RT coming out of the shop next week with new rubber and a 24K service done.

Jon