Any Beemer riders here?

Downeaster

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I put that DRZ I bought, foolishly thinking I could still have fun in the dirt, on craigslist this morning.

I've gotten a response, offering to trade this 1995 BMW R1150R for it. I'm assuming even-up as he has it listed for the same price I listed my Zuke for.

I don't need another road bike, but I must admit, this has piqued my interest. Grab it? Run Away? Problems known to this year/model? Things to watch out for?
 
I had a 1000cc airhead, much different from that bike. Having said that I just did a quick search on google for known problems for that model and all I found were owners saying how much they love them. Fuel injected, shaft drive, tele lever front suspension, comfortable and reliable. I personally think BMW’s are great machines, and they seem to go forever. I’ve mentioned this before, but when I had mine, I used to go to vintage bike shows and the show would be full of pristine British bikes, but the parking lot was full of old BMW’s that are still daily drivers.
I know when I had mine, it was my commuter bike!
 
I have a 83 R100RT. Your question is tough to answer. Not sure why but the oilheads have not kept their value. A good friend of mine has one a 2003 I think, it's a RT. He bought it 2 years ago from a Yamaha/Kaw/Suz dealer for $2300. It only had 25,000 miles on it. He likes it for the most part. His only problem with it is ride height. Plus the weight due to the height. He has no complaints about how the bike runs or rides going down the road. I helped him do a bunch of service work to it last fall. I personally would not want it. Service is a pain. Like all BMWs if you need OEM parts they are very expensive. We replaced a couple of small Timken type bearings in the rear para-lever. Bearings were almost $100 each. If the bike is something you want to ride for a few years it could be a good deal. They are a nice riding bike. If you do trade for it make sure the clutch and trans works perfect, you would not believe what the manual says you have to to do to get to them. Now if someone wants to trade you for a airhead I'd go for it.
 
I've had 2 BMW bikes in my past. Both over 30 yrs ago. A /2 and a much newer /7. Either one could have been handed down to grandkids without rebuilds and with just routine maint. Well the /2 loved to eat generator armatures for some reason. Didn't have it long enough to find out why.
 
Thanks for the input.
I really don't need a second road bike and the more I read about BMW maintenance and costs, the less interested I am.
 
A $15,000 bmw bike for a $5000 suzuki drz 400 model even up? Go look fast but may be too good to be true.
 
they did have a few minor probs , ign lock falling apart ,fuel pump and hoses stuffing up etc , fairly cheap fixes except tank is prone to rust $$ over all good bikes but undervalued mainly due to the fact they are not a airhead (bmw fanatics)
 
Another feller swears he has cash in his pocket, including delivery fee if I can run it 150 miles down-state tomorrow. I think I'll go that way. I can use the cash to pay for some toys I put on the credit card AND buy a couple of more toys that are on my "Oooo, Shiny!' list.
 
Another feller swears he has cash in his pocket, including delivery fee if I can run it 150 miles down-state tomorrow. I think I'll go that way. I can use the cash to pay for some toys I put on the credit card AND buy a couple of more toys that are on my "Oooo, Shiny!' list.
 
Another feller swears he has cash in his pocket, including delivery fee if I can run it 150 miles down-state tomorrow. I think I'll go that way. I can use the cash to pay for some toys I put on the credit card AND buy a couple of more toys that are on my "Oooo, Shiny!' list.
Good choice.
 
That is the first year for the oil head. It would be a R1100R not a R1150R. I had 2 oil heads a R1100Rt and aR1150GS. A lot of them had rear drive problems. The I sold the RT they had to replace the rear drive (85K miles) and I replaced the the drive on my GS.
 
Well, some guppi...uh..."nice feller" agreed to pay my asking price plus a delivery fee, so I trucked it to him this morning. Done deal, nice crisp hundies, everyone is happy. Especially the toy fund.

Judging by how many replies I had and how quickly they piled up, I may have under-priced it a tad. Don't care, it's gone and the cash is still here.
 
I put that DRZ I bought, foolishly thinking I could still have fun in the dirt, on craigslist this morning.

I've gotten a response, offering to trade this 1995 BMW R1150R for it. I'm assuming even-up as he has it listed for the same price I listed my Zuke for.

I don't need another road bike, but I must admit, this has piqued my interest. Grab it? Run Away? Problems known to this year/model? Things to watch out for?


DE G'day,

I have had Beemers since 1977 along with other stable mates.

My advice-go for it.
Superb engineering, longevity, ride it across the continent, change the oil and filter and ride it back again.

I have found if you look after your frau she will serve you well.

My advice grab her now before some other bastard defiles her, LOL.

GeeDub
 
That is the first year for the oil head. It would be a R1100R not a R1150R. I had 2 oil heads a R1100Rt and aR1150GS. A lot of them had rear drive problems. The I sold the RT they had to replace the rear drive (85K miles) and I replaced the the drive on my GS.

G'day,

My current Beemer is a R1100RS 1994, man two years ago what a dream bike.

This year......Rider Information Display decides to keep resetting every time you turn on the key, found one of course in the Good 'ol USA and when I converted the price to South Pacific Pesos (AKA Australian Dollars) worked out pretty cool.
Then the ABS Module decides to commit suicide............New part USD4200, WTF.

I have found several on Evil Bay not made a choice yet however, in the hundreds of dollars, (heart rate much lower).
Will have to read the manual to see how to replace this......hopefully more to follow.
GeeDubya
 
So..........what ya gettin next?

Being a confirmed gun-toting deplorable, I'll start with some ammo and a red dot for my AR. The rest will get stashed in case something interesting comes along, 2 wheel, 4 wheel, shoulder-fired, something for my tool box...whatever tickles my fancy. (And I ain't had my fancy tickled in a long while now...)
 
When I was a boy, my pals all had posters of Farrah Fawcett on their ceiling but I had one of a BMW R100RS on mine. I didn’t have the dough but I sure had the desire.
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On a recent trip to Germany, I stopped a bike shop in a small Bavarian village and....there she was! They had a 1978 R100RS for sale - only 5500 euros (around $8-9K CDN) which is waaaayyyy too much for me.

My perception parallels that of others in that the airheads were really fine bikes AND they stayed together but the more recent models have everything but durability for some reason. The problems seem to be largely bearings and other fairly simple stuff but parts and service prices are simply stupid - and that kills it for me.

Pete
 
I had a 82' Rt100.... reminded me of my fathers 60' Buick LeSabre.... great bike to eat asphalt from point A to point B.... wife and I cruise along... I did a stretch in Ohio at 85mph for hrs.... but.. it was soulless... not a around town bike.... not a around the back roads of Wisconsin bike.... I sold it to a buddy.... gave him a deal.... he had for a year.. I bought it back.... same price... but... it wasn't.. " fun "... sold it... now.. I got my " road bike ".... a 71' Ambo.... yes.. it shifts like a tractor.. prods along with wifey at 70mph.... accelerates like a diesel electric with 150 coal cars.... but.. it's fun....
 
You have an FZ that Beemer would have just sat. good call.
The user groups are good, lots of engineers and DIY solutions to "Ve are the factory you are wrong" type issues.
AFAIK BMW is the best when it comes to rain protection. But with my long legs the behind the engine foot position sucks.
 
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