R1100s opinions

[dxhall]

Any opinions on how the ergos of a BMW R1100s compare to those of a Guzzi V11 LeMans?  There’s an R1100s for sale an hour or so away from me, and I’d hate to go that far to only find out that it kills my shoulder as badly as the LeMans.

[Dimples]

I was riding a black '99 R1100S when I decided to find my first Moto Guzzi-- '04 Nero Corsa. Once I owned the '04 Le Mans I almost never rode the BMW again. Eventually I sold it to someone who wanted more than I did. Both bikes were very comfortable compared to the Sport 1100 I now ride. My advice based on personal experience is only get the R bike if it's cheap and/or to satisfy your curiosity-- you only live once!

DD

[john fish]

Check here:

https://cycle-ergo.com/

Roomier than the Guzzi, I think.  I always liked the look of them but I would rather eat razor blades than own one.  I spent about 10 hours by the side of the road in West Virginia with my friend Dave when his R1100S blew up.  Tranny or clutch or final drive, I can't remember.  According to Dave, it's a case of "They all do that."

[LongRanger]

Well, they don’t “all do that.”

I owned a ‘01 R1100S. I’m 6’6” and found the ergos to be a bit cramped. But worse, the engine wasn’t very smooth above 4000 rpm, or about 70 mph, and the wind noise at that speed was pretty bad. That ruined it for me. Bike was stone-cold reliable and I put about 30k miles on it without issue before selling it for a F800ST. The F-bike ran circles around that R1100S — much better handling, quicker, faster, and for me, much more comfortable.

[Huzo]

I find myself on this one quite often..


I cannot comment on it’s comfort Vs a V11 because I haven’t ridden one, but if the V11 is anything like a Norge in the footpeg ergonomics, then you’ll find the BMW is a bit cramped in that regard.

[wirespokes]

I rode two 11Ss about 25K total. Totally reliable - just tires and oil I know other guys who have no problems with them. My only issue was the stock seat that may have only been good above the ton - otherwise I slid into the tank and my crotch went to sleep. A seat re-do fixed that. A set of Ohlins made the road disappear and I never had an issue with handling or brakes. Plenty of power too - close to 100 HP. Hitting an elk then tossing it over a 20ft embankment at 40 mph isn't advisable.

The weak point is the aluminum frame - a parking lot tip-over can shear off mounting tabs, especially with luggage.

Mine had a surging issue at low speeds that with careful tuning almost totally eradicated. It was so smooth in the upper range I'd be going 20 or 30 mph faster than intended just because I hadn't realized it was going that fast. I had a 50 mile stretch on the slab for the commute and could find myself doing the ton and not even know it.

Except for the seat, ergos worked great for me. It wasn't noisy, wind noise or otherwise. I'm 5' 10" and I was comfortable on it.

[lucky phil]

Any opinions on how the ergos of a BMW R1100s compare to those of a Guzzi V11 LeMans?  There’s an R1100s for sale an hour or so away from me, and I’d hate to go that far to only find out that it kills my shoulder as badly as the LeMans.

I've owned both and I'm 6'1" tall these days. The BM is a more comfortable position than the V11, more  of a "sit in" feel than the V11. The seat height to the ground is more though. There're a tallish bike. Nice bike, I'd like another one. I keep looking at HP2's second hand. I'd love one of those.

Ciao

[JJ]

Any opinions on how the ergos of a BMW R1100s compare to those of a Guzzi V11 LeMans?  There’s an R1100s for sale an hour or so away from me, and I’d hate to go that far to only find out that it kills my shoulder as badly as the LeMans.

I had a '99 R1100S, black, just like this one.  It's definitely a cafe-styled bike, and if you are taller than 5'8", it might be an issue on the ol' wrists for longer rides.  Just my humble opinion.  It was OK, as I recall, but it did not have the character / soul of a Guzzi Lemans.

[Tusayan]

The handlebars aren’t swept back enough for my taste and are a bit wide but otherwise I remember the ergonomics as being OK.

Harsh vibration when revved up.  This led to the use of counterbalancer on the 1200 that followed.  Very good stable handling but some have the weird and ineffective electric brake assist that causes a delay between pulling the lever and braking action.  Like a lot of BMW bikes it has some good points and some glaringly obvious engineering faults that you can’t quite believe made it into production.

[Travlr]

Any opinions on how the ergos of a BMW R1100s compare to those of a Guzzi V11 LeMans?  There’s an R1100s for sale an hour or so away from me, and I’d hate to go that far to only find out that it kills my shoulder as badly as the LeMans.

I've owned 2 R11S bikes and 1 V11 LeMans.  Your question is about ergos.  I had bar risers on all 3 bikes and found
them acceptable for long distances.  Either can be fitted with tube bars.  I also had lower pegs on 1 R11S and the LeMans.
I've found most bikes have to be fitted to you after purchase.

Otherwise they are fairly similar.  The R11S does have the advantage of factory hard luggage and more dealers.
But be aware the power brakes can be VERY expensive to fix. 

Mike