Magna vs R11R

[webmost]

I have been riding 50 years; mostly Hondas. I have seldom owned a car. Sunday, I bought a 1996 R1100R with 75k on the clock. This is my 4th BMW boxer. There are two other bikes in the garage, counting the project bike. After 4 days commuting, a couple of short freeway jaunts, and assorted errands, I keep thinking about my 1983 Honda V65 Magna, which I sold five years ago.

On either bike, when you take off, you feel like that mail bag that gets snagged off a pole by a speeding express train. Of course, the Magna had a quarter more ponies, but the R1100R has slightly more torque. And in typical Jap style, those Magna ponies are measured at incredible RPMs which no one in the real world is ever going to achieve, whereas the Beemer gets its torque down where you can really grab a handful in ordinary everyday life.. Same weight, same short wheelbase, same mission.

Now, the Magna and ran smooth as stone washed silk. The boxer can't do that. The R1100R handles as solid as a rock. The Honda can't do that. BMW handling and ABS brakes are jaw dropping, it's true. The Magna was smooth and polished, as Hondas typically are. The Beemer, on the other hand, has quirks and clunks typical of a Beemer. Like that odd noise when you start rolling and the ABS engages, and the odd inability to run at all with the kick stand down even in neutral, and the stiff shifter.

Ergonomics are in doubt: This R11R, you tuck your feet up under you like a roosting chicken. I can't see how that's going to work out in the long haul. She does sport a Russell seat, and those are wonderful accoutrements.

She has an oil leak up front. Maybe the oil sight glass; maybe farther forward. I will clean all that mess off this weekend and shine her up as best I can to get a good look at her. Those funny ears do mar the appearance.

Haven't named her yet.

[pinecone]

Great write-up. She'll tell you her name if you listen. Photos

[philbytx]

Welcome,
BMW's are great, quirky bikes...and also a doddle to work on

For starters, have you tried raising the seat to it's highest position?? I'm 6'2" and have no problem with the riding position. I've ridden my R for 2/3 hours or more at a trot without a problem. Oh! and I'm not some flexible 20 year old either, I'm 61......no Spring Chicken (or a roosting one either ).

With the oil leak, if it is on the forward end of the crankcase (on the bottom under the plastic belt cover) try cinching up the bottom allen bolts on the crank case. They tend to get a little loose.

[webmost]

As a matter of fact, I fiddled with the seat last night. Found there were three places to bolt on the front seat bracket. It was bolted on the lowest. I set it to the highest. Then I fiddled with the seat lock. Got that to work. Lock bracket under the Russel seat had apparently been installed wrong for a long time. Works great now. Been working here at home all day, so I haven't been out to test it; but I have high hopes she'll be way better..

As far as the oil leak, I'm waiting for an hour or so when I can spray degreaser and pressure wash the bottom end, so I can see what's weeping. Have to ride Annie, the R1200CLC, down to Front Royal tomorrow to see a client, so I probably won't have a chance to fool with this until Sunday.

Couple questions:

She lost her starboard chrome bar end weight somewhere along the line. The OEM part seems exhorbitant. What's a good alternative?

She shifts very stiff. Will not downshift unless she needs to. Needs a bit of throttle to shift into first from a stop. Is this a sign she needs a spline lube? Dunno what oil's in the tranny. Probably try some Lucas there first.

Any alternative air filters?

Seems to idle a bit slow: around 900. That suits Annie, but I think this engine would be happier around 1200. Probably go into first easier, too. What speed do you fellers set your idle? No, I'm not apt to buy an overpriced TwinMax for this. I have a pretty good ear.

What's a doddle?

[hawkdad]

You are so right about the eastern bikes.... most of my life I've either raced motoX on various japanese bikes or ridden in-line twos/fours in various models... Honda 750 four... Yamaha's two's and fours... but........

Now I have my beemer and there is NO WAY... I'm going back to the 'wind'em up and let'em go' bikes...

I've been draggin knees and screaming thru the mountains and valleys for over 25 years and not a single Japanese bike has made me back off.... faster... than my R did two nites ago...

my son not so slyly reminded me... 'if the rock and roll is too loud.... then you're too old'.... maybe back then I would have ridden that wheelie into 5th gear.... and maybe I am getting too old...

As fussbudgetty (is that a word?) as these Bavarian bikes are... there's no going back.... everything else is second best....

Last week when I was on a quest to find a K&N oil filter... some fool kid said ... 'well maybe it's time to upgrade to a Harley...' I told him.. 'uh... I don't think I'll be downgrading...'

Thanks to the great folks here on this site... I'm lovin my BMW... like you... I stil haven't figured out her name yet tho?....

I'm thinking... Mistress....yeah... that sounds good.... Houyhnhnm..... Mistress.....


Ok.. now I have to go get a plate next week...

Welcome to the group.... you'll like it here...

[philbytx]

Otay....here's a coupla thingys for ya !!

IMHO, forget K&N's and stay with the stock air filters. They have been tested against stock and show no power gains and actually allow fine dust into the engine. So, unless you live in the Kalahari or West Texas ( ), they'll last a good 10/12k. I usually take them out, clean out the air box, check 'em and usually just bang the heavy crap out of them and then replace them at the next 6k service.
Mahle is the OE and you can buy them from Beemerboneyard but they are only a buck or so cheaper (if that) than buying the BMW stamped stuff from Hammersley or Chicago BMW. I buy a couple when I buy maintenance bits (crush washers, o rings, screws etc. and have a couple on the shelf at all times.
I do like Hammersley for their service.

The "stiff shifting" is a BMW trait.....It's straight cut gears like a bloody truck y'know !!
Now, try "pre-loading" the shifter (lifting it up slightly with your toe against the "stop") and then just "fanning", quickly and lightly pulling in, your clutch to change up. A reluctant First gear can be gotten into by double clutching - Pull the clutch in, try the gearlever and, if it is reluctant, then pull it in and try again...usually that get's it in every time

I would make sure you have the appropriate slack in your clutch lever and that you have it lubed nicely...this REALLY makes a difference. You can slacken off the adjuster, remove the lever and grease the pivot and pin plus the barrel nipple. While you are it, lube the barrel nipple and claw at the gearbox end (you'll see it on the RH side above the gearbox).

[The Meromorph]

She lost her starboard chrome bar end weight somewhere along the line. The OEM part seems exhorbitant. What's a good alternative?

I have two spare chrome bar end weights of my 2001 R1100R.
PM me if you want them.

[webmost]

Philbytx

You were right on about those inside front cover lower bolts. Loose as a goose. I cinched them up wrist tight, degreased the whole thing, and I'll check at the end of the day to see if she's still seeping. Hate to think of removing that front cover just to replace the gasket. Looks like the alternator pulley and all would have to come off, which means the Hall sensor would have to be set up, which means...

But as far as the shifting, no, this is not my first go round with a boxer, and I know about preload and all that. The clutch pulls easy as pie. All control cables appear to have been recently renewed. Stiff is one thing; but reluctant is another. When degreasing, I discovered that the rubber plug over the timing mark inspection hole is missing. From residue, looks like it was covered with duct tape long ago; but that disappeared. No idea how long it's been open. I'm wondering whether rain and or wash water have gotten in there on the clutch parts? Is there a drain on the bottom of that space? Could wash water get at the spline lube?

On a side note, I was in a Honda shop one day leaving a tire to get changed, when the guy in front of me starts complaining to the shop counter guy how his new Honda clunks into first instead of shifting smooth. Guy behind the counter was trying to tell him nothing's wrong, TADT. He wasn't buying it. First bike, no understanding "If they can make my car shift smooth, then they damn well ought to make my motorcycle shift that way too." I finally chimed in like so: "Your car is automatic. Your old cars, you shifted with your hand. But you shift your bike with your foot, and that's in a boot. If you didn't have to stomp and feel a clunk, you wouldn't have any way to know you shifted."

Wasn't convinced. Went away pissed. Maybe he eventually saw the sense in it later.

[philbytx]

Darn. Sorry, sound like I didn't describe the location well enough.
If you look at the bike from the front, and at the lowest point of the crankcase, there are hex bolts running HORIZONTALLY across, they are below the bottom front cover bolts.
The split of the crankcase is where I found the leak coming from and tightening these up has stopped it.
Does your bike shift down from 3 to 2 OK? If it doesn't this is generally a sign that you have an impending spline/gearbox issue.

Do you have the appropriate slack at both ends of the clutch cable?

You can try adjusting the idle speed using the BBS's......but, as your bike has 75k on it, I would lean towards removing and cleaning them and their intake passages as part of a total Throttle body clean, which would be part of a valve/TBS job. You would need to buy new O'rings for this job, so go to http://www.realoem.com, plug in your bike and build date and then peruse the schematic to order them all.

[webmost]

No, actually, that IS called the inner front cover. The black plastic thing (beautiful chrome on my R1200CLC) is called the alternator cover. So I tightened exactly the bolts you meant, being the lower bolts holding the front crankcase cover on. Thanks.

I also have a slight weep from the sight glass. Previous owner used synthetic oil, which has a way of eating seals sometimes. Possibly a drop now and then from the oil pressure switch.

I have her thoroughly degreased now. Am riding to Roanoke and back this weekend. 700 miles should tell us what's tight and what's not.

I'll pay attention to what happens shifting from 3 to 2.

Have not checked the clutch cable ends. Probably should, since it seems to have been recently replaced.

I cranked the flat brass screws on each throttle body a quarter turn. She should idle better now.

Not up for any TBS job right yet. Want to know her better first.

I have named her Acela, which is the name of the express train which whizzes past my office building doing about a buck twenty on the way from NYC to DC and back.

Thanks for your help.

Think I'm going to need some bar risers.