Author Topic: BMW R1100RT, R1150RT  (Read 7406 times)

guzzipete

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Re: BMW R1100RT, R1150RT
« Reply #30 on: May 29, 2016, 12:08:29 AM »
I own a 2012 R1200R. Actual displacement is 1170, not much larger than the R1150. I purchased it new and in 25k+ miles I have had only two problems. First problem was my fault, after market oil filler cap I purchased failed. Second problem, the rear shock failed at 24k. I have only one complaint, the throttle is really touchy at low speeds. Without judicious and careful use of the throttle, it is either on or off.

Rode it to Abilene, TX last year. Grandson's HS graduation. 5k round trip. Stock seat. No problems. Averaged 50+ mpg @ 70+ mph.

I had always wanted a BMW boxer. I knew about the servo brake problem, a friend had his go out exiting the freeway at 70+. I knew about the rear drive problem. BMW corrected those issues. Stopped using servo assisted brakes and punched a hole in the rear drive to help cool it.

On the R1200R forum I belong to, the biggest complaint is failure of the fuel sensor strip. The fuel strip reads the amount of fuel in the tank so the computer can display it on the dash. BMW corrected that by doing away with the gas gauge display and increased the warranty for the fuel strip for those bikes that have a fuel gauge to 12 years. Mine has not failed.

BMW changed over to a normal fork front end when they added liquid cooling. There was not enough room for the telelever and the radiator.

Offline daytonars97

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Re: BMW R1100RT, R1150RT
« Reply #31 on: May 29, 2016, 01:11:39 AM »
Just to be clear the question relates to the R1100/1150 RTs.  To my knowledge neither model experienced out of the norm FD failures., That arrived with the first 1200 models. Also AFAIK most of the shaft failures seem to have occurred on the R1150R models rather than the RTs.  And, no, I am not a BMW apologist/  Guzzis have more character. I am an old boxer guy and BMW lost it for me in 1995 when I bought my 1100RS. Great bike but an appliance as some would put it.  Never had a problem with it and no surging either.  And for the current asking prices a heck of a bargain.  Around 3K for a clean one with low miles and farkles? MMM... time for a sewing machine.
« Last Edit: May 29, 2016, 01:14:49 AM by daytonars97 »
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Offline cookiemech

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Re: BMW R1100RT, R1150RT
« Reply #32 on: May 29, 2016, 05:41:02 AM »
I have a 2000 R1100RT that I bought new, as well as a 1994 K75RT and 1995 K75. I will continue to maintain that the K75 design is the best and most robust that BMW ever made, or likely ever will.

That said, I am certainly glad that I have an 1100 rather than the 1150. A close friend, who commutes big miles (108 per day, every work day of the year; he uses a Ural when it snows) bought an R1150RT new (2002) and had plenty of trouble with it, from final drive to the stupid power brakes. He's a pretty good mechanic and gave up on it at about 82K miles (barely broken in for him).

The R1100RT is a fantastic long distance bike. With the right windshield for you, you can have a quiet, warm, high-speed environment or nearly the feeling of a naked bike on a hot day (with the shield down). It will achieve gas mileage in the high 40s on a trip and has a very large tank (BMW says 6.6; others say 7.1, but I know I've put more than 6.6 gallons in it when it was pretty low), so range is phenomenal.

Love that bike.

Offline sturgeon

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Re: BMW R1100RT, R1150RT
« Reply #33 on: May 29, 2016, 08:46:26 AM »
Slight veer to the left, in true Internet forum fashion, to clear up some misconceptions stated here.

Of the modern liquid-cooled boxers, the R and RS (essentially same bike +/- fairing and other cosmetics) have standard USD forks. The GS variants and the RT still have telelever front ends.

I've recently ridden both variations of the liquid-cooled boxers, and can't feel much diff in the suspensions. The dynamic ESA option can make the front end of a non-telelever bike feel pretty much identical to its telelever counterpart. The latest dynamic suspensions on these things have to felt to be appreciated. Really quite amazing.
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Re: BMW R1100RT, R1150RT
« Reply #33 on: May 29, 2016, 08:46:26 AM »

Offline timonbik

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Re: BMW R1100RT, R1150RT
« Reply #34 on: May 29, 2016, 09:32:08 AM »
Don't want to hijack the thread, but do any of these concerns apply to later 2004/2005 R1200 models?  From time to time (when my knees seize up or ache after a longer ride) I consider buying an R1200CL.  They can be had up here in Canada quite reasonable with asking prices of $5000-$6000 CDN for lower mileage units.
With regard to R1150RT I had occasion to test one of the first police models in Canada.  Was one of the worst M/C's I've ridden.  It was so bad I had BMW Canada pick it up and go over it.  It was lurtchy, with virtually no flywheel effect when shifting .  If order to shift smoothly you had rip through  the gears revving  the piss out of it, which one thing you can't do as a police officer without attracting a lot of attention to yourself.  When we got it back it was marginally better but still not suitable for city policing.  Don't get me wrong I AM NOT A HD GUY by any stretch of the imagination.  I recommended that we go with the F650 which we didn't get but the local parks police did.  Fantastic bike for municipal policing.
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Offline Vince in Milwaukee

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Re: BMW R1100RT, R1150RT
« Reply #35 on: May 29, 2016, 01:00:01 PM »
Thanks for the replies everyone.  This topic has really seemed to generate a lot of interest.  It seems that if I do buy one of these bikes, I will either get a reliable, trouble free machine or a PIA that will require time and $.  I'm hoping to find a one owner bike with all the maintenance records and not too far away (as someone said - Chicago).  I've also considered looking into one of the newer K bikes, but need to ponder what's been discussed here first.  Thanks!     
« Last Edit: May 29, 2016, 01:02:56 PM by Vince in Milwaukee »
1984 Moto Guzzi 850 LeMans III, 1986 California II
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1969 Moto Guzzi Ambo, 1994 BMW K75RTw/ABS, 1996 BMW R1100RT, and 1993 BMW K75

Offline Vince in Milwaukee

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Re: BMW R1100RT, R1150RT
« Reply #36 on: May 29, 2016, 01:02:00 PM »
Oh yeah, someone mentioned the Norge.  That is also on my list, but then we've got to go 2V or 4V, right? 
1984 Moto Guzzi 850 LeMans III, 1986 California II
Gone but not forgotten:
1969 Moto Guzzi Ambo, 1994 BMW K75RTw/ABS, 1996 BMW R1100RT, and 1993 BMW K75

 

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