Newbie- Adjusting ride height on 2001 R1100R

[AKirkpatrick]

Hi all, am a newbie - and just picked up a 2001 R1100R, delighted with it.
Only issue is that the previous owner had it lowered, and ride height too low for me, Am 6ft 2".
Works performance shocks on front and back.
I've found the preload nut on rear shock, am assuming i tighten this i.e move up towards the spring to raise the ride height ?

need to rebuilt centre stand (waiting parts) so when i get them in a day or two. Am going to adjust ride height.

Appreciate any thoughts/advice - as its my first time doing it

Many thanks!
Andrew

[omg1010]

Hi Andrew,

the R1100R has an adjustable saddle. Remove the saddle and you find a piece of metal with two rubber nipples. Same is fixed with 2 screws and can be mounted in 3 different positions/height ...

Or has the previous owner mounted shorter dampers front and rear? If that is the case these cannot be adjusted but need to be replaced by those with the original length.

Tightening the preload nut on the rear does not increase the ride-height. You just increase the preload which lifts the rear by a few mm's only. You can lift the rear of your bike by approx 1.5 cm's by mounting the paralever of the R1100GS which is shorter than the one of the R1100R.

Best regards
Oliver

[AKirkpatrick]

Many thanks Oliver for the quick response. i took seat off and checked but no plate with screws as you described. I took pics but cant upload here, will get picture hosting site and post URL so as you see.
Previous owner had a russell seat installed, i'm thinking thats why it doesnt have the 'raise seat' option
re: the rear shock, its a works performacne shock and looks like it can be adjusted - again i took and picture and can upload url tommorrow.
will post the pics so as you can see. good idea re: r1100 gs paralever, didnt know that.. good option.

all the best

Andrew

[omg1010]

Andrew,

have a look at the photo in this auction http://cgi.ebay.nl/BMW-Sitzbankverstell ... 0397481426 which shows the seat adjuster which I was talking about. It is the upper part in the photo. If your bike does not have it I'd suggest you look for it at any of the salvage specialists like for example www.beemerboneyard.com

And with regards to the rear damper some are in fact adjustable (in length) like those from oehlins. But the damper will have to be removed to adjust the length. This has nothing to do with the preload adjustment (Some dampers have a screw and some have a hydraulic preload adjuster ...).

Best regards
Oliver

[AKirkpatrick]

so i done the adjust but the shock shaft bottomed out i.e i only got about 1cm of an increase.
showed bmw tech the bike and he reckons that if i go back to stock shocks - it'll get me about 3 inches extra in height.
Thats next step.. go back and install stock shocks.
think they are a SHOWA type of shock

my ques is - is it specific to R1100R or can i search for the shocks from any of the R1100 series of bikes ? Going to try to research now - but thought id ask here .

Once again -many thanks for you feedback

Rgds
Andrew

PS Oliver - hard luck to bayern today! i have friends in regensburg and they are 'gutted' about the result.

[omg1010]

Hi Andrew,

some of the shocks are different. For example the shocks of the R1100GS are longer than those of the R hence cannot be swapped. I think those of the RT are "harder" than those of the R due to the higher weight. Check out the part numbers at http://www.realoem.com/bmw/select.do?lang=en and you get an idea which ones are identical.

Brgds
Oliver

P.S. I am not a typical German: I don't like beer, I don't like coffee and I hate football. Hence not a prob that bavaria had no luck ...

[raceratb]

I'm 6'3, get yourself a set of Vario foot pegs, it really helps. other than that i had bill mayer customs make a much taller seat which also helped. the other thing that you can do is get a shorter link of a r1100gs, it will raise the back up a bit and its cheap.

[omg1010]

I think if the previous owner had lowered the bike by using "shorter" aftermarket shocks, it would not be a solution to lower the footpegs. I think the best solution would be to buy some used stock shocks (original length) or some aftermarket shocks in the original length.

Brgds
Oliver

[AKirkpatrick]

Thanks for the advice guys.

What i have done is i have sourced a set of stock shocks - got them from another member on this site , lowkey. a great guy + everything arrived on time and in good condition.

so plan is to put these on + send the (lowered) works perf shocks back to be rebuilt to the stock height.(i can install these when the stock shocks see there day )

also ref. center stand- the one that came with the bike definitely wont work. is too short actually impacts with the gear shifter and wont fit into key/recess in exhaust for the center stand to slot in to.
So i've bitten the bullet and had to buy a new one direct from Germany. ( for spoke wheels)

Will install stock shocks and new center stand - and the bike will be back to factory condition/ride height.
Hoping to get done once stand arrives in approx 2 weeks.

and i'll be a happy man!

Thanks again + talk soon
Andrew

[omg1010]

Good luck Andrew. Changing the shocks is not a big deal providing you have the right tools ... Have a look at this http://home.comcast.net/~emoto1/WrenchingRearShock.html

Same is for installation of Oehlins but most of it applies for the stock shocks as well.

Kind regards
Oliver

[xsbank]

The stock shocks are sprung for an 'average' rider and are arguably the poorest quality equipment on the bike. Get your Works shocks fixed and get them back on the bike - night and day.

[omg1010]

I would not agree to that statement. The stock shocks are not bad at all. Maybe a bit on the softer side but not bad at all. They get worn out after some time - like all other shocks - and the possibility to overhaul them was not foreseen. However some specialists are able to overhaul the stock shocks and even adjust them by changing the spring ...

Sure, Oehlins, Wilbers and alike are better but also more expensive ...

Best regards
Oliver