2003 BMW R1100S

[bikermice1]

Good day,

A friend knows someone that has one of these for sale with 75000 km
on the clock, in uk pounds i would guess the price would be around 3000 pounds ??

What i want to know is, would this be good for a used bike choice in the 1000 cc class.

Second, is there anything else i need to be aware of maintenance wise for this machine in the foreseeable future ?

What about the shaft ? would it need to be undercut at some stage, can it be replaced with new and what would it cost ?

[Richy CB1000]

All I know about BMW bikes, pain in the proverbial arse. I get sick of the nere do well's saying how good they are etc... Bloody unreliable, Clutch spline and drive spline issues, ABS issues, brake system issues, electrical issues, expensive parts.

I like the idea of a K75 or similar just I don't fancy fixing the bloody thing first. The only BMW I know first hand is the F650 (which is a rotax engine!) that thing worked well. I will not part with my money
on a BMW bike ever.

I seriously believe it's just a brand thing why people want them, they sucker me into looking at them several times but my head rules my heart in the end.

Only last week chaps 1100rs in for a clutch, £350 odd! Thing is it's only done 26K miles with a service history from BMW. They just seem hit and miss to me.

[c_dug]

My dad has done 50,000 miles on his r1100s and it rides like new, on the boxertrix forum there are a few that have done very high miles with no big issues.
____________________
I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[Timbo Foggins]

They're fine to do high milages and the shaft is nothing to worry about if you look after it. If you neglect it and it craps out then yes it could be a hefty bill to replace it. As mentioned the ABS pump can be another £xxx item if it goes kaput.

£3k is steep for that milage though, even 2.5 would be high for a standard non-SS model.

[Richy CB1000]

Did that era have the servo brakes?

[BTTD]

£3k is steep for that bike and mileage. If it's just had new discs, pads, battery, clutch, tyres etc etc etc, and is in stunning condition then it'll be much better value than a £2k bike needing a lot of standard consumables.

As noted in the somewhat negative posting somewhere above new clutches are expensive - it's a ball ache to get to them.
Changing plugs, adjusting tappets and balancing carbs is piss easy and quick as the cylinders stick out the side.

[bikermice1]

Thank you all for the replies, i appreciate the good, the bad and the ugly comments so i know what i'm buying myself into, it's just the bike looks right and seems comfortable, can't seem to sway my will..

This is the one i'm looking at:

https://www.gumtree.co.za/a-motorcycles-scooters/boksburg/2003-bmw-r+series/1001111546950910004291209

What do you guys think ?

Not sure if 3K pound is the norm in south africa, it might be that in south africa it's a normal price just not in the uk ?

I was thinking about an older r1 or suzuki gsx as well ?

[bikermice1]

Or how about this one ?

https://www.gumtree.co.za/a-motorcycles-scooters/durbanville/bmw-r1100s-abs-and-heated-grips/1001111980960910004059209

[Richy CB1000]

See you got me looking over ebay again! I'd be searching to get on on a lowly 850/1150R!

Love the looks, idea of one..... resist!

[slowlydoesit]

[bikermice1]

I'm looking for something reliable, that won't surprize me with any hidden costs after say 70 000 km's. upon the already 70 000km's it's done (i guess that is too much to ask but how far will i be able to go without any major issues if i drive the bike like an old man and not turn and burn on the highway.

I like this beemer, just need to know what i'm in for, and what exactly will have to be done if the shaft does decide to go, what it will cost, and when do they usually break, do they replace with new (or are they not available anymore new) or do they fix it ?

Can one switch off the abs if it gives problems, i hear people complaining here about shifting issues and the clutch expense ? Is this a common thing that needs to be replaced every now and then and when + - will i need to replace it on a bike that has done 70 000 km's.

I know an R1 or GSX is a different kind of bike and feel, however i like those 3 choices and need to decide between them. I like the comfortable ride the beem will give, however the power of say an R1 is also intriguing.

If the clutch goes on the beem, i assume it will be + - 300 pounds in the uk, the shaft, what could one expect ? problematic clutch/brake levers ?, anything else i would have to worry about ?

[stiglet]

Shaft is fine provided it's looked after. If it's at 70k and still not failed, likely hood is somebody looked after it in it's past (the spline nightmares you hear about mainly originate from insufficient lubing during factory assembly, which leads to failure much earlier. It's still going, so probably previous owner corrected this). I forget the maintenance schedule for the R1100 but for the earlier K bikes the spline is meant to be lubed up (chuckle) every 50k.

A lot of people just remove the ABS altogether. It's quite an easy thing to do.

Owned a K75 for a while now and although it's never failed me (commuting all year round, touring, etc) I do stick to the service schedules religiously and don't use cheap parts

[motobiker]

The ABS on these bikes is fairly robust - it works well without any problems so long as the Battery is in good shape - ABS start-up errors are nearly always caused by low voltage from the battery - a good warning sign that alls not well. Obviously if the ABS fails to engage this has no effect on the brakes. If it is low voltage.. more often than not a short ride will cure it. after about 1/2 mile. stop - ignition off. then start it up again and it should engage as normal. If not.. then the first check is the battery: is it on its way out?

By far the biggest risk second hand is the clutch - if this is getting towards the end of its life that is a big expense. You can test it by finding a hill - click into 3rd gear and nail it. Any slipping from the clutch and you know to factor a new one in - sooner rather than later. Here in the UK a new clutch fitted by a BMW dealer can cost over a grand - I paid £405 a couple of years ago at an independent. Its a 6hr job.

I think its this possible expense that puts a lot of people off and no wonder. Your bargain bike can rapidly become a money pit. There is no such thing as a 'bargain' 2nd hand BMW. if it is an apparent bargain then you can almost guarantee a big bill isn't far off. Many owners will offload a bike as soon as the clutch starts to slip - once they've got over the panic attack a dealership quote will give them.

I would only pay £3K for one of these bikes if its MINT, with useful upgrades (suspension) and needs for absolutely nothing. A recent major service and a new clutch is ideal. knock off at least £1000 for anything less than that and even then - be very very wary.
____________________
1999 R1100GS + 2006 F800S
(Nottingham)
Sooner or later opinions fade and the name on the tank matters not. I think that happens somewhere between 3rd and 4th gear. Enjoy the ride... everything else takes care of itself.

[hmmmnz]

im a bmw rider, and mine has proved it self to be the most reliable bike ive ever owned, but mine is an old air head, no fuel injection, no abs, no frills,
ive had trouble with the k series fuel injected bikes, mechanically they are pretty good, but the computer shat it self,
the paralever bikes have one mechanical issue, the drive shaft,
because its got 2 cv joints and isnt lubricated like the older mono lever bikes,
the shafts have to be replaced periodically and are considered a consumable part, the monolever are in a bath of oil and never need replaced,

saying that id own an oil head with out too much worry, but i can fix shit, if you have to pay bmw to maintain your bike, then i wouldnt get one
____________________
the humans are dead
I kick arse for the lord
Wiring Diagrams BIDNIP it bitches

[stiglet]

[bikermice1]

Thank you guys the info helps a lot !

Last question, for around 700 pounds uk more i can get a

2007 honda cbr 1000:


https://www.gumtree.co.za/a-motorcycles-scooters/sandton/for-sale-2007-honda-cbr-1000rr-r-39900-petrol-silver-17942-by-dealer-cayenne/1001114472800910235843409

Would this be a better deal ? (lower milage)

I know it's a dfifferent kind of bike however what do you guys think ?

I guess it's not going to be as comfortable as the beemer, however perhaps more reliable in terms of it's lower km/s and age ?

Also there is a ducati for the same price:

https://www.gumtree.co.za/a-motorcycles-scooters/east-london/2004-ducati-superbike/1001108719780910023407509

[c_dug]

Very different bikes, depends what you want them for really.

The BMW is a commuter, the 'Blade is a fun bike. Either will do the job of the other, but neither will do it as well as the other.
____________________
I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.