Return to oilhead boxers after 10 years adrift

[elemental]

New board member here.

I'm going to buy an R1150R, mainly for commuting duties, in the coming weeks. Currently ride a Triumph TBS, but haven't had it long, previously a 95 Speed Triple, previously a Hayabusa, previously a R1100GS, which I did over 100,000km on over 5 years (including a year riding and camping in Oz and NZ). Before then a stack of Jap bikes; next year I'll have 25 years on two wheels under my belt.

The R11GS was great, but it kept eating gearboxes, which got pretty old at 3k a pop. No FD issues with it, I abused it and crashed it a lot on dirt tracks and in the sand down under. I'm a European 2-kid family man now and want to get out of the commuter train and back into regular all weather riding, instead of poncing about on fine Sunday mornings over the same scenic route. As I'm buying right before winter hits and everyone packs their bikes up, I hope to get a good deal, but it's a double edged sword as I need to get rid of my TBS. Have an appointment with a dealer tomorrow to see about trading for a 2004 R in that grey/blue 'SE' paint and murdered out metal scheme, which appeals to me. Plan to ride over winter whenever no snow is falling, as I did with my GS, so it's Goretex, heated grips and Hippos for the next six months.

My old GS had a very sweet Staintune system on it, which polished up like new even after a lot of filth was thrown at it, and it sounded just right. So I'll be splashing for one of them when funds allow. Does the R need that beige plug/relay to run the Staintune? I vaguely remember something about that from my GS.

All my mates seem to be giving up bikes as they get older, I'm 41, but I'm determined to find a way to ride again every day, so a one hour each way 90% highway commute is my answer. Is the R1150R the right bike? Don't know, but anything is better than waving goodbye to the years of liberation, laughs, discomfort and pain that bikes have given me. I won't go so far as to fit a topbox, even though it would be a Good Idea for my use, I ain't that old yet. Maybe next year. In the meantime, I'll let my beard grow and focus on cage dodging.

Thanks for listening.
Ride on.

Andy

[riceburner]

Hey Andy,

Where in EU are you? UK? Which Dealer?

The R-R is a good bike for an all-weather commute, My Rockster has served me very well for the past few years. Gets a bit chilly though without a screen/fairing so bear in mind that keeping your core temps up (heated gillet) is a great compliment to the heated grips in the worst of the weather.

One of the things I love about the BMs is that they're an all-weather bike from the off - not a lot of pre-prep that you need to do (apart from checking the anti-freeze, natch ).

One thing I would say you need to be aware of is that if the bike has Tokico callipers (look at the hidden side of the calliper), then the weather seals will last about a year (if you're lucky) before filling up with white corrosion crap and will start gripping the pistons. Just something to be aware of.

Also be warned that the dealerships tend to be used to servicing clean, non-abused bikes... so you might get some interesting comments if you use the bike like it was designed to be used.

[elemental]

Hi Riceburner
Thanks for taking the time to reply. I'm in the proper Europe, mainland, central, mountainous, Swiss. Originally UK though.
Heated vest could well be an option, I have a pretty good Rukka jacket, but the lil' flyscreen doesn't look like it does much deflection, as you say. The GS was OK for wind chill mitigation, but the dash area is much higher I guess. The RT doesn't do it for me personally, purely from a vanity perspective, I know they would be better suited to weather work.

Good tip on the Tokico calipers, thanks. I'll check them anyway and keep my eye on them. The idea is to revert back to doing my own work again, not for financial reasons so much, more for the whole Zen and the Art of Motorcycling thing. I had a good shop deal with my GS back then. It was their highest milage one at the time and the only one that was used year round, I suppose that has changed a bit nowadays, there's so many of them around. But they encouraged me to do some stuff myself, probably didn't want to get their hands dirty on my old beater, but it means I know my way around the oildheads now, or used to at least.

The one thing I've noticed about the Rs for sale is that plenty have decent milage on them, definitely encouraging. I hope they fixed the chocolate selector forks. They have become cheap enough not too worry too much about cosmetics, but salty, seized bolts are no fun, and I have a warm, dry cellar with a bike lift for maintenance, so no excuses on my part.

[elemental]

So I bought an R1150R this week. Picked it up fairly cheap but needs the 40k km service done and I'll swap out the tyres to Pilot Road 3s as soon as I can. The PO had it sprayed matt black (tank, beak and seat surround/rear plastic). So I'll never be able to sell it again. Has the heated grips and cases, plus center stand. Test ride was in the pouring rain on a pitch black evening in an unfamiliar area, so that was fun. Felt good to be back on a boxer motor. Picking it up at the weekend and going to ride it on the commute route for a couple of weeks before my indy mechanic takes it in for the service and rubber.
I think it has the low seat so I'm going to see if I can swap that with someone for a normal (medium) one.
Obligatory pic (from PO advert)
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0BwjAPI ... 05GbWhmakE

[gregor]

My bike has Tokica calipers- thanks for winding me up. No seizures after 10 years and 23,000miles.

[Ol' Jeffers]

Bike looks OK! Certainly different.
If that screen is a genuine BMW screen then one of these may appeal:

http://www.bikehps.com/acatalog/BMW_R11 ... reens.html

Or a Swiss supplier here:

http://www.motacc.ch/index.php/mra-sche ... nakedbikes

Made in Germany to a very high standard and bolts straight on to the original Beemer screen mountings.

Got an MRA VTNB on mine as I personally don't like screens that make the bike into a sailing dinghy!!

I'm one of the older UK bikers here and far too old to have to commute other than to the 'local' on a summer evening.

[elemental]

OJ thanks for the link. That VTNB was exactly the screen I was thinking of fitting, due to the various good reports here. Motacc seem to be only about 40 minutes from where I am. 200 notes though, sheesh. With that and the planned handguards and bar muffs and Bagster tankbag my budget budget is looking sheepish. I already have a black Aussie sheepskin from my old GS by the way.

I'm still a young buck at 40 odd. No local pubs worth commuting to in this place. We don't do summers either. I miss ol' Blighty. I want to move to Herefordshire or somewhere and live in a barn and potter around country lanes. Family wouldn't dig it mind.

[Ol' Jeffers]

Yeah.....£108 is steep for a screen but when you get it you can see the quality. I had one on my MT-01 as well.

[elemental]

I seem to have bought the wrong screen. I'm taking it back to the shop tomorrow, hope they will order the right one and take the other one back. Does anyone have the refno or partno for the r1150r vario screen which fits the original brackets? I looked at the links again but no part number.

On the plus side I have the handguards and they are ready to go, and using the bike the last couple of weeks has shown the bike to have the longer 6th gear which works well for my use.

Remus pipe with baffle in sounds good too. Just enough but not too much.

Loving the bike!

[Ol' Jeffers]

My MRA screen fitted directly onto the stock BMW sport screen mounts.
Here's a link to the manufacturers website:
https://www.mrashop.de/erp/catalog/navi ... 0%29&spr=D

[elemental]

Thanks. The one they sent was a universal fit screen with mounting kit. I took it back today and they phoned up Motacc for the right one. Motacc are wholesalers and don't sell direct. The specific one for the R1150R will come in tomorrow already. I fitted the GS handguards and my old sheepskin this afternoon. Hopefully I can go get the screen and fit it before my next commute on Friday. Then I'll be all set.
Thanks again OJ.

[sweatmark]

Andy, welcome to the family.

The R1100** gearbox problems did not carry over into the R1150** series, thankfully. We had an R1100R with the shift fork problem, and never a transmission issue with long-term R1150R Roadster and Rockster.

R1150 weaknesses are found in other segments of the drivetrain.

The flat black is appropriate for the utilitarian character of the R1150R.

Enjoy.

[sweatmark]

(duplicate post)

[elemental]

Thanks sweatmark. I managed to talk the seller down on price because of the respray, but I actually like it personally. I will post good pics when the screen is on. The gearbox feels quite agricultural, but I have this noted as 'character', and as long as it holds together I don't mind too much. I've only done a few hundred kms in the last week or so, but I am very happy so far. I received a voucher from some pals for my birthday so I might put this towards a 'normal' 800mm height seat (dealer wants ca. 250 dollars). Will try it as it is with the sheepskin first though, as this is a free mod and already eases the knee angle by half an inch or so.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Hey, elemental, welcome to the forum

I think the bike looks cool, and it looks like it may have originally had the "Ferro" paint scheme.

Maybe some of those "bar" decals on the tank? maybe not, but as is, pretty bad boy

John

[elemental]

Hey John, you're right, it was the yellow-ferro scheme previously. The 'blue' metal parts they had work well with the new clothes. I thought about cheering the black up with the bar decals too. Need to see how I go.

With the handguards (for warmth rather than bush work) and the new MRA VT screen which I just mounted tonight, it's ready for the winter. The only problem is that the snow is coming tomorrow, with minus temperatures overnight. Winter wheels fitted back on my old car tonight too, and I have to take the big car in on Friday to get its tyres done by the dealer, rather than taking the bike, so no riding til Monday now.

[Dr. Strangelove]

The yellow and black equals the fabled "bumble-Bee" scheme.