Advice on r1100r vs 1150 and HIGH mileage

[iplayforme]

I'm looking at both r1100r and 1150r bikes as possible entry into BMW ownership. I originally had been considering the GS 's but I'm 5'7" and I think that I'd be more comfortable to start with a shorter bike. I also think that most of my riding would be well served by the R. I want to travel including decent dirt roads. I'd not be opposed to swapping in wire wheels to get better tire choices. This would be my first big bike. I am set on a boxer motor.

I also like to do as much of my own work as possible. Question is to those that have experience with these bikes. Is one much easier to work on than the other. I am looking to get ABS, is one system better than the other. Essentially, other than esthetically, how do they compare, save the minor specs re CC and HP. I think those differences can be ignored.

As far as looks it's tough to tell. The r1100r sometimes looks decent to me and others kinda horrible. It does have some character to my eyes. The 1150 is a safer bet looks wise except for the horrible beak/front fender.

Finally, I've been talking to someone with a clean looking 1100 for sale. It has over 150k miles. Detailed records up to just under 100k when it changed hands. It looks clean and has nice boxes. Seems to have been cared for by the current owner. Question is who would consider it and who would pass. What can I do to see if the engine visibility getting tired. He says it still feels strong, no smoke, gets about 45 mpg. Will a comp test tell much. I'm not sure how to make up what I need to do a leak down test. Your thoughts would be appreciated. My guess is that even if it blew up I could part it out if I didn't want to rebuild. But I'd be proud to keep it going. Might even be fun to rebuild.

Thanks all very much in advance

 

[m_stock10506]

I'm looking at both r1100r and 1150r bikes as possible entry into BMW ownership.

I also like to do as much of my own work as possible. Question is to those that have experience with these bikes. Is one much easier to work on than the other. I am looking to get ABS, is one system better than the other.

You'll get plenty of opinions on both sides of this. IMO - The 1100 is easier to work on than the 1150. The 1150 has some refinements and some improvements that might not have been great. There are also some changes in the 1150 depending on the year, so it would help us to know more details. 5 speed gearbox (1100) vs 6 speed (1150). Single spark vs dual spark (depending on model year I think). Traditional ignition coil vs stick coil. In each case I find those 1150 improvements to be more troublesome than the simpler 1100. The ABS-II on the 1100 is pretty simple. Even if it fails, the brakes will continue to work perfectly, just without ABS. And, there's a 3rd party vendor that repairs ABS-II modules for a very reasonable price.

My bias? I ride a 2001 R1100RT with 159K miles. It's had a few component failures but they weren't terrible to fix. I do all of my own maintenance. It still runs great and I wouldn't hesitate to take it anywhere (except way off road).

 

[FD59]

+1 on the R1100 series.

But look @ 1997 or newer. They have the M97 transmission which is just a bit more refined than the earlier oilhead transmissions.

I love my 97 RT. However, if I found a good deal on an R1150 that was maintained well, I would take that also.

Anton has a ton of information over HERE.

Mack

 

[tsuintx]

I'm only a few weeks into my oilhead ownership, so take it for what ever it might be worth.

After doing pretty extensive research online, I decided that 1100 was what I wanted to get. Most of the things that tipped the scale towards the 1100 have actually been noted above. Nothing against the 1150s, just the way things added up for me.

And so far I've loved every single mile I've put on it. And the 78.5K miles it had on it didn't really concern me since the bike came from an enthusiast owner and with extensive records of maintenance and upkeep.

 

[roger 04 rt]

I'm looking at both r1100r and 1150r bikes as possible entry into BMW ownership. I originally had been considering the GS 's but I'm 5'7" and I think that I'd be more comfortable to start with a shorter bike. I also think that most of my riding would be well served by the R. I want to travel including decent dirt roads. I'd not be opposed to swapping in wire wheels to get better tire choices. This would be my first big bike. I am set on a boxer motor.

I also like to do as much of my own work as possible. Question is to those that have experience with these bikes. Is one much easier to work on than the other. I am looking to get ABS, is one system better than the other. Essentially, other than esthetically, how do they compare, save the minor specs re CC and HP. I think those differences can be ignored.

As far as looks it's tough to tell. The r1100r sometimes looks decent to me and others kinda horrible. It does have some character to my eyes. The 1150 is a safer bet looks wise except for the horrible beak/front fender.

Finally, I've been talking to someone with a clean looking 1100 for sale. It has over 150k miles. Detailed records up to just under 100k when it changed hands. It looks clean and has nice boxes. Seems to have been cared for by the current owner. Question is who would consider it and who would pass. What can I do to see if the engine visibility getting tired. He says it still feels strong, no smoke, gets about 45 mpg. Will a comp test tell much. I'm not sure how to make up what I need to do a leak down test. Your thoughts would be appreciated. My guess is that even if it blew up I could part it out if I didn't want to rebuild. But I'd be proud to keep it going. Might even be fun to rebuild.

Thanks all very much in advance

If it were me, I'd look for a low mileage 2004 R1150. Even if well cared for, 150,000 is a lot of miles and a lot of user maintenance. If it was a Paul Glave's maintained R1100 though, I might buy it.

 

[71243]

I have owned both a "99" R1100RS and currently an "04" R1150R "Roadster"

Both have and had ABS, never a problem, work great....just annoyed by the servo noise which is normal. I prefer the six speed of the 04. Do I really need it? Not really, but I do like it. The RS front fender & fork covers will fit the Roadster. I prefer the 3 spoke wheels of the 99, but the 5 spoke look fine. It's just that the 3 spoke are so much easier to clean/keep clean. I liked the molded/blended rear fender/turnsignals of the RS , but that is purely "looks" so.....

Is there a good/better/best?...IMO that is purely personal to what you may like in appearance. Very little difference in performance. Without the fairing the Roadster feels a bit cooler in warm/hot weather.

Not a great analogy/comparison I know....hope it helps.

 

[iplayforme]

Thanks for advice....need a bit more

Thanks for advice. Tomorrow I am going to look at a 96 1100gs because it's clean and relatively cheap. We'll see but really looks nice. Just been serviced at a local dealer and given a clean bill of health sounds like it could have the m97 but probably unlikely. My take from what I have read is the pre m97 make not be a deal breaker. Upgrades could be done already to improve existing trans. Has almost 100k on it which to me is good if maintained. Almost 10k a year. Asking just over $2k. They are seeming a rare find around here. Does have ads removed which I don't like but I can live with. I know I asked about the r but I do like the gs for my intended use. I want to travel far and be able to venture some

 

[Gruesome]

Not sure about the R's, but the (early) 2002 1150GS came with the non-servo ABS, single spark ignition and six-speed gear box. Except for the weight the best of all worlds.

 

[gsaddict]

Not sure about the R's, but the (early) 2002 1150GS came with the non-servo ABS, single spark ignition and six-speed gear box. Except for the weight the best of all worlds.

+1 ('00)

 

[FD59]

Thanks for advice. Tomorrow I am going to look at a 96 1100gs because it's clean and relatively cheap. We'll see but really looks nice. Just been serviced at a local dealer and given a clean bill of health sounds like it could have the m97 but probably unlikely. My take from what I have read is the pre m97 make not be a deal breaker. Upgrades could be done already to improve existing trans. Has almost 100k on it which to me is good if maintained. Almost 10k a year. Asking just over $2k. They are seeming a rare find around here. Does have ads removed which I don't like but I can live with. I know I asked about the r but I do like the gs for my intended use. I want to travel far and be able to venture some

If it has been taken care of I would grab it. I rode a friends 96 GS last year for an 1800 mile journey and loved it. That bike rolled 100K while on that trip and didn't miss a beat. I would be willing to head across the country on it today.

 

[visian]

Hey... welcome here, glad you found us.

I rode a 96 R1100GS to Alaska in 1998, came home and had transmission issues where the clutch push rod seal gets nicked during assembly and leaks gear lube on the clutch as well as really bad bearing noise. Got those fixed under warranty and traded it for an '00 1150GS. That 10,000 mile ride to Alaska told me that the bike really needs a 6th gear, imo, and the overdrive 6th in the early 1150s means lower RPM at highway speeds, so better mileage. The bike is essentially an R1150R with longer-travel suspension.

I am 5'8" but don't have issues riding tall bikes. However, you are wise to be concerned about this. My bike has Ohlins suspension, which makes it even taller. Perfect for whacking those bumps and potholes.

Mine now has 120k, it had a major go-through at 75k so that known issues like clutch slave cylinder and maintenance items such as wheel, pivot and rear drive bearings could be fixed proactively in the shop instead of in the middle of nowhere. During the go-through my tech told me there was just the most minor of hints of play in the drive shaft u-joints (I ride off pavement a lot), so I bought a new drive shaft and plan to replace it soon. The bike has been the model of reliability.

Never had any issues with bleeding brakes, stick coils or other headaches. Valves are the same on both bikes. The rubber insulation broke apart around the exposed area of the wiring harness, I addressed that with some woven split-loom... looks like factory!

More than one moto-journalist has told me the 1150 is the best bike ever made by any manufacturer, not the the 1100s are bad, but that 6th gear made all the difference for me. The 1100R will go down rough dirt roads just fine, however, if you're interested in that.

The biggest hassle has been wind buffeting due to the windscreen being so far forward. I wound up using Tobinators and an 1150ADV screen... now it's perfect.

I highly recommend Jesse Luggage and they often have scratch/dent sales for riders not so into cosmetics.

Ian

 

[cycleman2]

I've never owned a R1150 but have owned 2 R1100's, a 2000 R1100R and currently a 1999 R1100s.

The 1100's where a first generation model and the model years after 97 ( In my opinion ) are more desirable, because they had things sorted out by then. ABS is simple to maintain on this bike and bike is easy to do your own maintenance but 150 K miles is a lot of miles.

My advise is to find the best bike at the lowest cost, and one that is bone stock. Don't pay extra for mods that you won't use or mean nothing to you. Buy with your head not your heart. It sounds like you know what to look for so good luck in your quest.

 

[rxcrider]

Here is a quick check list that I gave a friend who went to look at a R1150RT.

- Rear wheel free play
- Tail pipe rust
- Air cleaner misinstalled
- Airbox oil drain at left rear above CAT - 1/4 turn - open w/ rag
- ABS function & lights
- Braided stainless brake lines? If not, do it soon
- Brakes & clutch bled? Fluid levels not high or low? (Clutch fluid rises with wear)
- Cylinder head and front cover leaks?
- drips or weeps around bell housing, gearbox & FD
- Front ball joint, boot, lower shock mount.
- Heated grips work high & low?
- right throttle body rattle (rebuildable)
- clutch rattle (if so, when?)
- sticky downshifts
- death rattle on left at cold startup
- sight glass weep
- running rough, surging, misfires
- pulls to the right?
- tires, front wheel bearing play or noise, brake wear
- missing screws & broken dzus fasteners
- cracked footpeg bracket especially right rear near luggage support (RT dropped on luggage issue)
- cracked bell housing at engine face (run away - wrecked hard if you see this)

 

[lawrencecarlson]

I had a 98 R1100R before my current R1150R, both bought new. From a functional standpoint, the 1100 was good, but the 1150 is better in pretty much every way, although the difference isn't huge (the addition of the sixth gear, though, is huge). I had ABS on the 1100, but opted to forego it on the 1150, since by then they had gone to the servo brakes, which I definitely didn't want.

The looks are subjective, of course, but for me there was no comparison: I could never convince myself that the 1100 was good looking, while the 1150 remains, for me, one of the most graceful, elegant machines that BMW has ever produced.

YMMV -- they're both fine bikes. Good luck.

Larry Carlson
Redding CT
2002 R1150R
2014 Moto Guzzi California 1400 Custom