It's never easy, is it? R1100S or Sprint ST 1050

[opistho]

All of the other bikes in my previous thread fell through for one reason or another, and the spouse has granted me some bonus cash to spend on a new ride. So I've narrowed it down! I'll be using it for occasional running around town, commuting in the summer. I'll sometimes do solo and 2 up trips that probably won't exceed 4 hours per day. Once per year I'll do a 2 week long cross-Europe roadtrip. No track days.

Pick my bike!

Bimmer is 5 years older but half as many miles. Same price on both, no panniers with either. Both in excellent shape.


2000 R1100S ABS and Heated Grips, 14k miles
£3700

https://cdn.blocket.com/static/1/images_full/26/2616964170.jpg



-+=OR=+-


2005 Sprint ST Abs and Heated Grips, 27k miles
£3700

https://cdn.blocket.com/static/2/images_full/46/4685667721.jpg

[MarJay]

Ridden the Sprint before. It's a very upright bike, very stable, and rather fast. A bit like a rocket powered armchair.

Never ridden the beemer, but would be tempted to go for one just because they were so highly regarded and I've never owned a beemer.
____________________
British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[Knightsy]

Down to which engine you prefer imho.
If I was given the same choice, I'd probably go for a beamer.
For the shaft drive if anything.
____________________
09' Versys 650 | 07' FJR1300A

[Slacker24seve...]

[j.silvs]

Like the look of the sprint with the underseat exhaust and single swing arm.

I would pick that

[opistho]

[Knightsy]

[j.silvs]

Oh yeah lol.

I still stick to my first judgement

[P.]

I'm gonna have to say Sprint. Looks like it can hustle as well as just chew miles like I chew pizza.

[j.silvs]

Has black wheels = faster

[MarkJ]

I have a 2005 Sprint ABS, cracking bike, the comments about it being a rocket powered armchair are correct I got it as a do it all bike: the Mrs loves being pillion on it, it's sporty enough to hustle along, looks good. I couldn't cope with another sports bike on the road, but didn't want an upright bike either.

I've never ridden the Beemer though, so can't comment on that.

<tef>

One potential downside of the Sprint: Triumph made a balls up with the brakes on the early sprints of that shape - they put some brake pistons in that would 'stick' to the seals, they weren't coated in something-or-other that pistons normally are (not sure what, I can't remember). You'd clean the seals, and gradually over a couple of weeks the brake lever would need more and move travel to bite the discs as the seals were sticking to the pistons, until it would get to the point where you're having to pump the brakes before braking for a corner.

To remedy this, there are two things that really need doing:
Changing the brake pistons. Later Sprints got the 'good' pistons. Good pistons are a dull silver colour, crap ones are shiny gold. You can buy some 675 calipers and fit the pistons from it (it's what I've done) if you don't want to buy new.
There are two master cylinder sizes - 14mm and 5/8 (5/8ths of an inch = 15.8mm) You ideally want the master cylinder with 5/8 stamped on so the pistons are moved more. I don't have this yet, but would like to change to it in the future as there is still a bit of lever travel with the 14mm master cylinder.

If you change the brake pistons you'll need to bleed the lines again - a problem with the ABS bikes as you need dealer software to activate the ABS unit to bleed the properly. Potentially more money. You can buy some software and a data cable to do this yourself, but it's about £60, the software is called Dealertool. I have it, and it's good It also lets you do other diagnostics, balance the throttle bodies without a vacuum gauge etc.

</tef>

TLDR: 2005 Sprints can have spongy brakes, check for silver pistons and '5/8' stamped on the master cylinder.

[BigDan1190]

Or, just buy a 2007 model, thats cheaper and has less miles... for example, the one I'm selling

[opistho]

[c_dug]

I'm a constant advocate of the r1100s on here, my dad has one which I have spent time on both riding and pillion, I rate it very highly.
____________________
I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[arry]

Another 1050 owner here

It is a great bike. Most of the time I'm riding with the wife on the back nowadays and she's really comfy, as am I as it's got a lot of room on it.

The engine is great. It makes good noises and the overrun sounds wicked. I love the blue back-lit dials at night. The headlight is reasonable. The little cubby-hole in the fairing is useful.

It handles really well for a bike if its size and it doesn't feel that heavy IMO. The only thing I will say - and this is more pronounced with the Pilot Road 3's I've fitted - is that it's a bit slow on initial turn in, it's not very eager and you do have to give it time to settle into the bend, but once it's over on its side and gripping it's really nice.

The panniers aren't that big inside. In fact they're pretty useless. They're also not entirely waterproof.

The chain needs adjusting a lot. Not because the chain needs adjusting, but because the eccentric hub thingy that you have to turn with a C spanner has a habit of getting stuck, meaning you can't adjust the chain, which is annoying. Regular unsticking by adjusting chain = no problem.

12,000 mile services are VERY expensive.

I'll say what I always say about it. It's a great bike, and I really like it. But I've not come to love it. Not sure why, but we've just not bonded that well - even though it does everything I've ever asked of it.

HTH

[Knightsy]

Guess it's time for me to throw my 2 pennies about the Trumpet.

NOTE: I'm still fairly new to the bike, so the following are more like a first impressions than anything else.


I agree with what others are saying about the engine. In fact, I'm convinced, that it's the engine itself is what racks up most of the positive reactions reviewers get from the bike. It's got the power, it sounds great and pulls well in any gear. It's without a doubt, a fantastic motor. The cockpit is informative and gives you tons of info ( but being a cynical cunt that I am, I'm half expecting it to die after the first rainy ride). The rest of the bike however, feels merely good in comparison.

In town, I found it to be about as manoeuvrable as bogged down Tiger tank, with a 3 point turn ability of a beached whale on its back.
Out and about, just like arry mentioned, a lot of initial push is required to lean the bugger.

However, once you lean the thing, it stays there, period.
The extra weight, which is a bitch in town, makes it incredibly stable on the open road, which in turn makes long,
fast trips down the motorways and A roads a piece of piss, especially with such a sweet motor pushing the lot.

Personally, I found it to fairly all right comfort wise. Minus the seat, which my bum seems to hate.


So yeah, TL;DR: 6/10 (potentially 7/10 with some comfort mods) from me.

[spnorm]

Having ridden both, a VFR800 is a much better bike than either of them (and yes, I am being serious).

The wheezy engine in the R1100S doesn't suit a sports tourer. The R1200S on the other hand is a cracking bike.

I test rode the ST1050 when it first came out and it just felt like a very poor quality VFR clone and the engine felt flat. My then 4 year/34k mile old VFR800FiY felt sooo much nicer on the ride home.

[Paris2]

Sprint looks good.

Beemer is ugly as sin.

That's my only reasoning for my vote
____________________
Current Ride: Daytona 600

[Old Git Racing]

Beemer every time for me.

OGR
____________________
2022 Tiger Sport 660 2019 Street Twin 2003 K3 gixxer 1000 1998 Srad 600 track hack

[multijoy]

[opistho]

[Clutchy]

That beemer is hideous, st all the way out of the 2.
____________________
Malaguti F12 Phantom-Dead, Suzuki AY50- Dead, NRG power DD LQ, CBR125.
*33 BHP restriction up on 10/12/14* Current bikes/car: SV 650 S/ MKIV GOLF
Guide to pass your test with no lessons!

[recman]

[opistho]

I have entered the twilight zone of motorcycle shopping. I now fully understand why people buy their bikes in the UK. Every purchase I've tried to make has failed miserably.

1. I was laughed at for calling about an average condition 1998 VFR that was for sale for £3000. "Hahaha did you really think I was selling it that cheap? Oh no, that's just to make the wife think I'm trying."

2. There is a sea of overpriced sportbikes with crushing insurance rates. 2002 GSXR 1000s go for £6000. As I recall, they were about £8000 when new ELEVEN YEARS AGO!

3. Bikes sold by 'Swedes' command a several hundred £ premium. Most every classifieds website has a checkbox for 'Svensksåld' which means it's sold by an ethnically Swedish person. I'm not a bleeding heart liberal, but (as an American) that's pretty crazy.


/rant


I may just possibly have an inside line on a sweet little (yet still comically overpriced) ride, but I don't want to jinx it.

[c_dug]

£6000!?!? Thats about £3-4000 more than they go for here!

Surely you can import a bike from here for less than £4000?
____________________
I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.