'95 r1100rs

[Sportrider]

I'd welcome any recommendations or criticism of this bike. I'm thinking of buying one as my intro to the world of oilheads. I now own a '78 R100/7 -- a bike I dearly love. Mostly, I'm looking for a more modern, more comfortable and better braking bike for short weekend rides in the twisties and even longer, touring-oriented rides.

The bike i'm looking at has about 30K miles and is about $3,750.

 

[REBECCAV]

I'd welcome any recommendations or criticism of this bike. I'm thinking of buying one as my intro to the world of oilheads. I now own a '78 R100/7 -- a bike I dearly love. Mostly, I'm looking for a more modern, more comfortable and better braking bike for short weekend rides in the twisties and even longer, touring-oriented rides.

The bike i'm looking at has about 30K miles and is about $3,750.

I have a 1996 R1100RS that has been a great bike for me. Before the oilhead I was riding a 1975 R90/6 and the oilhead is a huge leap forward in handling, brakes and fun. Plus more power and more protection for l-o-n-g days in the saddle.

I'd say that a 30K bike for $3750 is a great deal. Have you ridden it? Do you love it?? If so, I'd say go for it and let us know how what you think.

 

[Sportrider]

I just took a test ride. Great handling, awesome performance and braking. black paint and in really nice shape. i think i'll buy it.

One thing that will take getting used to is the seating position. it feels like some of the sportsbikes i have owned. it's like you're squatting as opposed to just sitting as on the r100. my legs, which at 5-10 are not that long, felt a little more folded up than i'm used to. i wonder if this would be a problem on a long trip? the owner was shorter and had the seat adjusted all the way down, so maybe a little tinkering could make it better. i guess i'll find out!

one other thing: the ABS lights began flashing when i turned it off and re-started it. then i did it again and they went off. should i worry?

 

[kbasa]

I just took a test ride. Great handling, awesome performance and braking. black paint and in really nice shape. i think i'll buy it.

One thing that will take getting used to is the seating position. it feels like some of the sportsbikes i have owned. it's like you're squatting as opposed to just sitting as on the r100. my legs, which at 5-10 are not that long, felt a little more folded up than i'm used to. i wonder if this would be a problem on a long trip? the owner was shorter and had the seat adjusted all the way down, so maybe a little tinkering could make it better. i guess i'll find out!

one other thing: the ABS lights began flashing when i turned it off and re-started it. then i did it again and they went off. should i worry?

It needs a battery, by the sounds of your experience.

You know that the seat is height adjustable, right? It might have been in the low position.

There are barbacks available for those bikes, as well. We've got a set on ours.

 

[Sportrider]

dave,

the guy said he replaced the battery less than a year ago but the bike has been sitting. could sitting cause flashing abs lights?

as for the seat, well, i'm hip to the adjustment issue. re-read my earlier post.

paul
(your north coast neighbor)

 

[cjack]

dave,

the guy said he replaced the battery less than a year ago but the bike has been sitting. could sitting cause flashing abs lights?

as for the seat, well, i'm hip to the adjustment issue. re-read my earlier post.

paul
(your north coast neighbor)

The sitting is the cause of your needing a battery. The battery is the cause of your flashing ABS lights.

 

[kbasa]

The sitting is the cause of your needing a battery. The battery is the cause of your flashing ABS lights.

Jack's got it right, 'blue.

If it's been sitting, you'll want to change the brake fluid ASAP, too. They're susceptible to master cylinder issues if they're not carefully maintained with regular fluid changes.

 

[gardner17756]

I purchased a '95 R1100RSL after asking a similiar question as yours this spring. I paid $ 4,300 for the bike which I thought was a good deal because it came equiped with head protectors, BMW hard cases and tank bag, a Corbin seat, and a new Michelin Pilot rear tire. I didn't realize the value of these extras until after the purchase. I have put 6,000 miles on the bike which had 26,000 miles on it when I purchased it. The longest ride in one day was 700 miles. I have noticed that my legs are bent when riding though that is not a problem. I am 5'10" and ride with the seat in the highest position. A set of Ohlin shocks were recommended. Now that I am comfortable with the bike I am seriously considering that purchase.

 

[JimMoore]

$3,750.

Buy it. Hell, you could part it out for that much.

 

[Voni]

Or you could ride it a third of a million miles like I have!

more here:
http://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?t=20442

Here's to as many sMiles for you.

Voni
sMiling

 

[kbasa]

A set of Ohlin shocks were recommended. Now that I am comfortable with the bike I am seriously considering that purchase.

You won't regret it. Order them from someone like Ted Porter at the Beemer Shop so they get set up appropriately for you.

 

[bikerfish1100]

there's some reasonable likelihood that your battery is perfectly fine. if you hit the starter too soon after turning the key, the ABS will go into that "alternate flashing light/non-functioning mode". you need to wait a few seconds for the system to initialize itself (or something like that). those of us who have been on ABS equipped bikes for a few years take this as second nature- but if this is a new thing to you, you might not have waited long enough- maybe 15 seconds or so is all it takes.
does that sound like what you did?

 

[drummer]

Buy it - that's a great price and it is just starting to be in top running order. All the reading I have done regarding this bike is that it should go thousands of miles past the 30K it has now.

 

[mtboulder]

I own a black '95 R1100RS. I really like this bike. A few comments:

- Try charging the battery. If it's only a year old it should fix the flashing ABS light problem. This is very common.

- It took me several years to learn how to get comfotable on this bike on long trips. Do a search on Master Yoda's Riding tips (or something like that). It has a lot of good info on correct riding posture that you will need to follow on this bike to have a chance at getting comfortable. Ride with the balls of your feet up on the pegs (vs the arch) helps a lot. You basically need to use the "sit up and beg" position.

- Consider upgrading the shocks to Wilbers or Ohlins $1300. You'll be glad you did.

- An aftermarket seat will help the comfort thing a lot. You should be able to get one on ebay or this flea market here if you keep looking for around $300 used.

- This bike has the infamous M94 tranny which means that if it hasn't been rebuilt yet it will likely need to be at some point. Tom Cutter or Anton are very good at rebuilds. Symptoms are slipping out of 2nd or 3rd gear. Check out the RS link below

http://www.bikersoracle.com/rs/forum/

- The clutch usually doesn't last long on this year and BMW made some design changes to the clutch, pressure plate, etc and sell this as a kit for $350. I had to replace my clutch and rebuild my tranny at 20K miles. If yours isn't slipping it may be fine for a long time to come.

- My RS had a terrible surging problem that eventually I added a Techlusion $250 to fix.

- Ride with the windshield in the total down position. This is noisy (these bikes tend to be noisy anyway due to the fairing design) but on long trips it is the most comfortable as you do not have wind bobbing your head around.

- A ligther full face helmet like a Shoei vs the slightly heavier flip up helment makes a big difference on comfort in this riding position.

I bought a Geezer Glide last winter (R1200RT) and I still own the RS. Most days I still take the RS instead of the RT since I really like riding this bike.

Good Luck

 

[Sportrider]

yikes, mtboulder. you trying to scare me away from this bike or what? i don't relish the thought of replacing a tranny right away or installing a $1,300 shock. ditto the other upgrades you mention. i was under the impression new bmws came with all the good stuff. why else would you guys be paying so dearly for them?

hmmmm.

my trusty airhead is looking better all the time.

 

[mtboulder]

Sorry AlmostBlue,

I didn't mean to change your mind on this. I'm guilty of providing too much information here....I'm bad, Get the bike it'll be fine and you'll love it.

 

[guitardad]

I ride a '94 R1100RS, and I love it. It's a marvelously adjustable bike - add some barbacks, and combined with the adjustable seat you'll have a hard time not finding a comfortable riding position. I'm 5'8" with a long torso and short limbs, and the middle seat position with barbacks about halfway back fits perfectly.

When you rode it, did you notice any "skipping" in the transmission? It will feel like the power just cuts off for an instant, or like the transmission "skips a tooth." You'll want to try different combinations of up- and down-shifting into 2nd and 3rd, then rolling on a little throttle. If you weren't looking for this behavior, see if you can ride it again, and look for it. If you feel it, you've got the "classic" oilhead transmission failure, and a rebuild is in your immediate future. It will be around $1000, so factor the price accordingly. But if you don't feel it, then snatch that bike up!

For a little more info about the transmissions, click here.

 

[lazygoodan]

Buy it Now!

I think if you ask around, you'll find that 20K for a trans rebuild is awfully early. Ask Voni, and her husband Paul. Or Anton L at www.largiader.com

I've had mine for 4 years of trouble-free riding. Easy to maintain (except for fuel filter). Try charging the battery to get rid of the ABS light flashing.

People who own these bikes tend to ride them a LONG time, so they know just about everything that could possibly go wrong. It's doubtful you'll ever encounter most of these issues.

I added the Ohlins -- great improvement. I use stock seat, w/ sheepskin for long trips. It's just a good all-around bike that does everything pretty well. In order to keep my martial status, I am limited to one bike. This one works great for me.

 

[cjack]

yikes, mtboulder. you trying to scare me away from this bike or what? i don't relish the thought of replacing a tranny right away or installing a $1,300 shock. ditto the other upgrades you mention. i was under the impression new bmws came with all the good stuff. why else would you guys be paying so dearly for them?

hmmmm.

my trusty airhead is looking better all the time.

You want to hear some stuff about what can go wrong with your airhead?

 

[bikerfish1100]

Buy it - that's a great price and it is just starting to be in top running order. All the reading I have done regarding this bike is that it should go many tens of thousands of miles past the 30K it has now.

fixed it for ya