Gonna Keep This Bike........

[Ksbeemer]

Hello,

I think I finally have my '02 R1150R about the way I want it. Spent a few hours in the saddle today...and this is one nice bike. I have to say, I honestly did have doubts about keeping this bike.

To begin with, the seat was too high, got the low seat. Still too high.......Recovered the low seat, didn't like the stock covering at all; having the seat recovered seems to have lowered it a little more, a good thing. It really takes away a lot of the pleasure from riding, when you feel like you might fall every time you have to come to a stop. And, then there's that panic feeling when you go to put your foot down, followed by the urge to grab the front brake to stop as you pull up to a light, or stop sign and with the ABS brakes it stops alright, like you hit a brick wall!!!! And, I am not an inexperienced rider. Been riding off and on for forty plus years and even raced several years professionally back in the day. At times, it made me feel like I needed training wheels. Then, there is the clunky gearbox. Even my Harley (which I sold a few months ago) seemed to shift slick as butter compared to the Beemer.

Well, now after more and more time in the saddle, and a significant amount of it spent thinking, wonder what I could get for this thing on trade-in, all the while fiddling with the adjustability of the reach of the both the clutch and front brake levers, taking up the slack in the throttle cable, finding lot of good info here and having to actually work on the bike some (new battery, quick disconnects, changing the oil and filer, new grips, new windshield, cam chain tensioner......), it seems like today I finally found the sweet spot. I was on my way home near the end of a two hour ride and found myself thinking (finally) this is fun.....I like this bike.

These bikes do kind of grow on you. Hey, I fee like I ought to join some kind of I'm a Beemer Guy Club, or something.

Cheers,

[sjbmw]

congrats. there is a small adjustment period coming from chain/belt Vtwins/inline fours to a shaft drive 2 cyl boxer.

joining a local beemer motorcycle club is a good idea. lots of scheduled rides, and picnics, and fun stuff.
The BMW MOA or the BMW RA have chartered clubs in every state.
As an owner of an older model, I have found that having local connections to a BMW community of owners is invaluable.
There are mechanical brains/experience available that would be hard to find.

You don't have to be a member of a national org to be a local member of a chartered club, but the both the MOA Owners News, and the RA On The Level mags are both pretty good.

Google "BMW motorcycle club XX" where XX is your state abbreviation see what is local to you.




www.bmwmoa.org

www.bmwra.org

[Ksbeemer]

Well guys,

Went riding a few days ago and I got very frustrated...again...with my R-bike. The main issues are still the clunky unpredictable shifting and seat height issues. Really, some days it's fine and others, I feel like a novice just learning to ride. It just isn't much fun most of the time. I really do like the way these bikes handle and it's got such a classy look. If I didn't have to shift or stop (and try to reach the ground), it might be okay.

So, a few days ago, I found out the local Honda dealer had one of the new 2013 CB1100's. I just love that retro styling. Looks just like a 1970's Honda 750 (Anyone under Fifty probably doesn't know what I am talking about.), but with a ton of modern technology. Had to go see it and when I sat on it and hey...hey...IT FIT. I could actually reach the ground; the handlebars are in just the right place for a slightly forward crouched riding position (don't need no stink'in bar risers), just like all of the 1970's universal Jap bike used to be. I just couldn't resist. Ended up taking a significant hit on the Beemer, but I just got tired of working on things and changing this and then adjusting that and hoping to get it just right. Just didn't seem like it was going to happen.

I know quite a number of the members here probably don't remember who I am. I got back in the forum here lately after a long sabbatical because someone accused me of making comments about Rick Meyers seats that I never made. Got a couple of PM apologies, but the sting kept me away until just recently. There is a ton of good info here for beemer guys. But now I am a Honda guy. Nine miles on it and counting. Don't regret having the R-bike for a few years. It was a good, albeit unique experience. Best to all you.

Regards,

[sstein]

having being an owner of a CB 900, I love the look of the new CB 1100. It is tempting...
I'll stick with the R model for a while though.

[Buckster]

Love the CB1100. Never rode one. Enjoy!!

[Grandpa ripper]

Unpredictable or clunky shifting can be the clutch adjustment. Too late to make a difference in your case, but going through the steps to adjust it could have solved your one issue.
I own a Rockster which is a touch taller in the seat than the R model. At 6 foot and with relatively short legs, 32 inseam, I have no trouble. Better than my K100RS in fact and 12 years newer! Sometimes the width of the seat can make reaching the ground tougher. A friend had his stock seat narrowed on the advice of the upholstery shop instead of taking any more vertical dimension out. It worked great!

[Ksbeemer]

Unpredictable or clunky shifting can be the clutch adjustment. Too late to make a difference in your case, but going through the steps to adjust it could have solved your one issue.
I own a Rockster which is a touch taller in the seat than the R model. At 6 foot and with relatively short legs, 32 inseam, I have no trouble. Better than my K100RS in fact and 12 years newer! Sometimes the width of the seat can make reaching the ground tougher. A friend had his stock seat narrowed on the advice of the upholstery shop instead of taking any more vertical dimension out. It worked great!

I have to disagree. The clutch worked just fine. More than half of the time, the bike shifted just like it was supposed to. But...at least 25-35% of the time it didn't. Like I said in the original post, I am not a novice. I've ridden Hondas, Yamahas, Harley twin cams, Harley sprints, Bridgestones, BSAs, Suzukis, Kawasakis, Bultacos, and others I can't think of right now and....now BMWs. A number of them have very long throws, or require a very deliberate shift. I have never had this kind of problem shifting with anything but BMWs. I did develop a better technique as I became accustomed to the bike, but I have to say, "why doesn't BMW address this issue" when so many other manufacturers of motorcycles have figured out how build a gear changing mechanism such that the average guy can figure it out in the first couple of rides...sort of like when you get into most stick shift cars today, you rarely hear of anyone who knows how to drive complaining about gear changing mechanisms with any of the modern standard car transmissions.

The seat height issue is much more common with all of today's modern motorcycles, if you are shorter than about 5'10". I agree that seat width also makes a difference. I spent quite a bit of money changing seats, and recovering it, too, but I have a 27-28" inseam and just ain't built for most of today's single rear shock bikes. And, that's a shame (for us short guys), but that is just the way it is. In my humble opinion, most street riders don't need, or use 5-7" inches of travel, or more in the rear shock. Fitting the mono shock design to nearly all modern street bikes, reminds me of all of the people who buy SUVs today with all of the off-road bells and whistles and have absolutely no intention of ever taking the vehicle off road. People buy them (for whatever reason) so the manufacturers keep on building them that way.

I respect the BMW's as a brand and those who ride them. They are very well built, fit and finish is excellent and they are an elegant looking machine. As it has turned out, just not for me.

Best Regards,

[Buckster]

Give us a report on the new set of wheels after you have spent some time in the saddle!

[swamper]

That Honda looks like a nice bike, saw it at the Motorcycle show last November. Good luck with it. Seems like either a bike fits a person or it doesn't. I had a R1100GS and tried all sorts of stuff to make it work for me but in the end had to sell it as I couldn't make it happen. However this R1150R is really working well for me, I looked at the new R1200R but don't see any reason to change.

[RedRyder]

i felt the urge to respond to Ksbeemer posts about troubles with the R and how the factory should fix certain things and his purchase of the new CB. i have not ridden one, but did spend some time sitting and making observations at the motorcycle show about this retro honda. i don't get it... the single sided swingarm has proven to be the suspension of the present and future. the BMW telelever is an excellent tractable front end. the honda has an old fashioned rake angle and long wheelbase with an equally old fashioned tube steel double cradle frame with dual rear springs (which are somewhat adjustable). it is air cooled, weighs 20 lbs more than the R, less horsepower, and has a smaller gas tank which equals shorter range. the R has torque at 98Nm @ 5200 vs. 69Nm @ 5000 rpm for the honda. with that frame, suspension and old fashioned forks you can get an OK ride but it will be light in the steering head as you dive in the corners. if you have experience with 70's bikes and can recall that ride feel, then you know how to handle it. my guess is that most of us forgot and are happy to forget that handling aspect of the old inline fours.

this post might be interpreted as a rip on the CB, but it is not intended that way. just a reminder that the few small quirks that the R may have do not overshadow the great suspension, brakes, torque, huge alternator output, riding for distance and load carrying capacity that the R has.