Soon to be BMW R1100R owner

[LillMange]

Hello fellow R1100R owners

Today i'm heading off to the dealer to pay the deposit on a 1998 BMW R1100R. So far they have been very kind and the bike is going through their "used bikes test" as well as vehicle test/approval. The plan is to pick it up next tuesday and by then they will have given it the 90'000 km service + new fluids all through.

Right now i'm happy, but still sceptical, things can turn on you and life is surprising in negative ways sometimes.

But (!!) hopefully I will soon be able to spread joy all over this forum with questions, answers, pictures and stories! Sometime this summer I will get my motorcycle drivers license, and I am really forward to it!

Have a good day

Regards
Magnus from Sweden

[LillMange]

Picked up the bike on saturday. It was beautiful and luckily the manager at the dealer had managed to get hold of the tank bag that the previous owner had forgotten to hand to them when they took in the bike a couple of months ago.

Well, I had a short test drive in the neighborhood around the house, the sun was shining and it was warm. The bike felt great and i'd say it has a good enough power to weight ratio for me, that feels good.

I'll post some pics as soon as I have figured out how to do it.

Have a nice day everyone!

//Magnus

[joelh]

Congratulations on the new bike. I am getting to know mine also, They are great rides and real headturners. Hope you have many happy miles.

[libertynh]

My second year with mine. Gets compliments from folks who don't even like bikes in general and those who know them well. Very forgiving ride.

[bowyorang]

Working on my third year with my 99 R1100R. Awesome bikes!

[Oaktree]

I've been riding my 2000 R1100R for almost 12 years and 152,000 miles. I have (almost) nothing but good to say about it. Hey-after living with someone for 12 years, you can't help but to have some disagreements... But, I love her with all my heart ennyway.

[Woland]

Grattis Lillmange! It's a real special feeling having a boxer between your legs

[LillMange]

Thank's all!

I had my first longer ride on the bike this saturday afternoon. It was a beautiful, warm and sunny day outside Stockholm. Started out by placing out cones in a very tight slalom course to get the feel of the handling of the bike in veeeery slow speeds. It surprised me that this big of a bike was so easy to handle around the cones, that's a big +.

When we felt satisfied with the slow speed handling practice we fired up and headed out on the roads. Mostly squirmy rollercoaster like roads suitable for speeds around 40-70 km/h. I also like the handling of the bike on these kinds of roads, and when you need it, just shift down and hit the high revs and get that awesome torque and acceleration.

Have to get out as often as possible so I can get my license soon!

Have a great day all.

Regards
Magnus, Sweden

[LillMange]

Hello

Finally I'm able to show you guys the bike, just click the following link.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/76608913@N ... /lightbox/

Those are pics from the day the bike was brought home and the day after that. I had to clean the bike on the drive way after the smart move of driving the bike onto the back yard to turn it around, on a slightly muddy lawn.. I'm used to dirt bikes, but I wont do that with this BMW again.

Good evening all.


//LillMange

[red99ryder]

Nice looking bike , i wish mine had that two tone tank . mines all black and yours reminds me of the old toaster BMW

[hamio]

Three years with my '96 R1100RTL. I've really enjoyed it. Good luck with yours and congrats!

[LillMange]

Thank you guys.

I received my license may 18 felt really good!

Since then I've been riding my bike every now and then in both sunny and rainy weather and I really like it on many planes. Now I'm fairly sure of what my needs are regarding the specs of my bike and I'm now thinking of what modifications to to do during the upcoming winter season (sorry but it's true, at least for us in Sweden!). I have no definite plans but I'm thinking:

1) Find, buy and install another front fender / mudguard, probably from r1150r, custom painted to match the rest of the bike
2) Lose the cat and muffler and replace it with something that gives the engine less breathing resistance and me more full and distinct sound.
3) Lose the big wind screen and replace it with a small one. Or maybe some kind of dingle fairing thing.
4) Lose the side bag mounts and install some discrete and good looking mount for top box instead.
5) Repainting of some parts that are in dire need of it.
6) Something to raise the riding height (I'm 196 cm tall), maybe switch the link for the rear suspension, the GS link is shorter and should do the job according to some people.
7) Switch the handle bars for something that is slightly wider, maybe raise it slightly aswell.

Any other ideas? My vision is a bike that is more "street" and less adapted for long touring rides but with the option to switch back to full touring style when needed, without doing a full rebuild of the bike. I have used the bike mainly for joyful shorter rides on the weekends and for commuting to work through the city. I'm thinking of using back pack and top box instead of side bags for the every day commuting, there are some advantages of not having such a wide rear Some of the desired mods are evidently for over all apperance and impression

Rome wasn't built in one year, the same goes for expensive modifications to your motorcycle. So I'm thinking these mods will be executed over a few years starting with the ones more directed towards big change in looks and impression (gives the greatest ego boost). Or, what do you guys think? Am I a disgrace to the BMW owner community for thinking these thought?!

Have a great evening everyone!

Regards
Magnus

PS. Three new pics of the bike in the photo stream just because. DS.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/76608913@N ... otostream/

[omg1010]

Magnus,

a) don't change the front fender as the 1150 fender looks ugly in my opinion
b) don't change from the system case holders/system cases to some other system as the original stuff is the most discreet I know of
c) change the windscreen to some small fairing (although most fairings I know of are no longer in production!)
d) change the paralever joint to the one of the GS (which is 2 cms shorter). But beware, same will lift the back of your bike only by maybe 1 cm. If you need to rise the bike further you need to look into some other shocks
e) for the handle bars aftermarket risers are available ...

Brgds
Oliver

[LillMange]

Magnus,

a) don't change the front fender as the 1150 fender looks ugly in my opinion
b) don't change from the system case holders/system cases to some other system as the original stuff is the most discreet I know of
c) change the windscreen to some small fairing (although most fairings I know of are no longer in production!)
d) change the paralever joint to the one of the GS (which is 2 cms shorter). But beware, same will lift the back of your bike only by maybe 1 cm. If you need to rise the bike further you need to look into some other shocks
e) for the handle bars aftermarket risers are available ...

Brgds
Oliver

Hi Oliver!

You have a point with a), the original fender is not ugly. Maybe I will achieve the look I'm thinking of without switching front fender.
With b) I see what you mean, they are barely visible as they are. Thats a minor point here I think, but the mount/dismount of them are quick and easy.
c) Agree on that. I'll find something simple and good looking, where, I don't know right now
d) I think I'll do a simple calculation of what it will do to the actual riding height. I'll probably build a simple model in 3D with dimensions according to real life measurements. But another shock/spring unit is a good idea!
e) Risers are a good idea, simple and gets that job done. But to change the look more I think another handlebar will do I'll probably continue to surf the internet for references for another 2-3 months.

In a hurry, gotta go! Any one else have any comments on the proposed mods?

Regards
Magnus

[omg1010]

Hi Magnus,

check out this (in German) http://www.wuedo.de/deutsch/kat%20pdf/k ... 6_46_2.pdf Scroll down to Page 72 on the lower left side you find a dingle type CR11R. If I am not mistaken that is the only one still being made for the R1100R (post 1997 model). Cost is 199 EUR (unpainted). All the other dingle for this model are no longer being produced.

I have had this on my R1100R and I was satisfied. However you are taller than I am and there is no guarantee that this thing works for you.

With regards to increasing the height of your bike you need to raise the front and the back. If you only change the back you change the geometry of the bike (the shorter paralever joint is no problem). Maybe consider the shocks of the GS ...

Best regards
Oliver

[Duc750]

Magnus - Think about some city lids for the panniers - they make them nice and slim - slimmer than the cylinders I use them everyday for my commute and can quite easily do a week away with them and a tank bag. The left one becomes very small but fits my laptop perfectly


If you're looking for a more street/ sporty look consider going slightly lower not higher on the bars - look at Oliver's R1100 for that

[omg1010]

https://picasaweb.google.com/1003408169 ... R_20120601

[LillMange]

DUC750 I saw those slimming lids on the internet yesterday, they could definitely be something for me. For the last two days I've been riding back and forth to work with only a back pack (ruck sack), and all in all the ride feels more agile without stuffed side bags. Earlier this summer I physically found out that the rear end of the bike was too wide for my liking, nothing big but the right bag touched something sticking out from a lorry.

Oliver! Can you describe the difference in feel, handling and body position between the original parted handle bars and the bar you have installed on your bike right now? And I think I'm convinced now that there is no need for raising the bike to increase ground clearence, I don't need a higher bike, so that GS link mod wont happen.

Actually I'm already on the job of buying a LeoVince Evolution II from Wunderlich, I dont think I can wait until next season... This season wont end until the snow comes, I actually started practice driving earlier this year in temperatures around zero degrees Celsius and some days even with snow falling from the sky!

Even though I love the exhaust sound from the original system, I can't hear it while driving!!

Good night all.

//Magnus

[Duc750]

I have a remus can and link pipe on mine, sounds nice and goes nice too!

[LillMange]

I have a remus can and link pipe on mine, sounds nice and goes nice too!

I'll look into Remus immediately, the price of the LeoVince in the Wunderlich catalogue differs so damn much from what their sales rep here in Sweden offers me.

Wunderlich catalogue = 329 Euro
Swedish sales rep = 525 Euro .......

That kind of sucks.