I have had my Black 2002 R1150R 6 mos. now. I haven't seen a bike yet except maybe the new RT that has more overall appeal to me. I have logged close to 5000 miles. Problem, my legs are uncomfortable and my butt gets sore quick. Hmm anything to do with tapping 62 yrs. I've test ridden the RT (1150) and the riding position is ideal. I guess I'm wondering to modify the R (Bar backs, lower peg kit and either a Russell or Bailey seat). PS my wife liked riding my 1991 GS better with a Corbin seat. She felt she could still snuggle. I liked that aspect too.
Someone at Bob's mentioned that the lower pegs can scrape in corners (really?) I'm 62! Also with the seats. My wife doesn't like sitting that much higher than me on the passenger seat. OK am I just an RT wanna be or trying to make my R my bike the perfect all around bike without all the plastic. PS the Corbin seat was too firm that's why I'm considering Russell or Bailey?
Butch
R to RT
Moderator: Moderators
RT
Butch,
A gentlemen on this board (and many others) has produced what he calls an "RTLite" from his 1150R. He has a custom seat, lowered pegs, small fairing, many other mods. It looks good. Seek out his advice. His name is Paul Mihalka and here he goes by Oldfart I believe. He is on other boards, such as SportTouring. If you are trying to make your R an RT than this is the guy to talk to. If you want an RT then I would go get one.
A gentlemen on this board (and many others) has produced what he calls an "RTLite" from his 1150R. He has a custom seat, lowered pegs, small fairing, many other mods. It looks good. Seek out his advice. His name is Paul Mihalka and here he goes by Oldfart I believe. He is on other boards, such as SportTouring. If you are trying to make your R an RT than this is the guy to talk to. If you want an RT then I would go get one.
Jamie
Butch -
I traded in my R for an RT about a year ago. Before I did that, I had made my R into a "mini-RT" with Parabellum windshild, Gen-Mar bar risers, side cases, Sargent seat, etc etc. The modifications I had made to the R effectively "fixed" what I considered to be the ergonomic "ills" of the Roadster.
What I found was that I really wasn't concerned with the ergos as much as about creature comfort on the highway. I really wanted the calm behind a full fairing and the superior 2up comfort and handling (wife never liked riding the back of the R). For these reasons, I have been extremely pleased with the RT, plus the fact that I now have GPS, XM radio, etc. I have ridden the R1200RT and it handles much better than my 04 R1150RT, but I love the styling of my bike and will not switch (and when I do, it may be to an FJR!)
Good luck.
I traded in my R for an RT about a year ago. Before I did that, I had made my R into a "mini-RT" with Parabellum windshild, Gen-Mar bar risers, side cases, Sargent seat, etc etc. The modifications I had made to the R effectively "fixed" what I considered to be the ergonomic "ills" of the Roadster.
What I found was that I really wasn't concerned with the ergos as much as about creature comfort on the highway. I really wanted the calm behind a full fairing and the superior 2up comfort and handling (wife never liked riding the back of the R). For these reasons, I have been extremely pleased with the RT, plus the fact that I now have GPS, XM radio, etc. I have ridden the R1200RT and it handles much better than my 04 R1150RT, but I love the styling of my bike and will not switch (and when I do, it may be to an FJR!)
Good luck.
Last edited by BobFV1 on Sun Oct 09, 2005 9:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
Bob
2006 R1200GS ADV "Five Charlie"
2006 R1200GS ADV "Five Charlie"
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dallara
Ditto to BobFV1...
Hey, BK...
I have to echo BobFV1's sentiments here, exactly.
I originally got my R-1150-R with the idea that it could somehow be all things to me... A sport bike... A good around-towner/commuter... A good cross-country sled... Etc., etc., etc. Just thought I would get all the necessary accessories to be able to swap and switch stuff around as needed to better perform each task. Stuff like Sargent saddles, system case mounts and rack, Pirate's Lair backrest, "Ricky" bars, a few different windscreens, cat eliminator, Neptune can, full Laser exhaust (too), Wunderlich tail and rack bags, Marsee & BMW tank bags, Throttlemeister, GPS and radar detector mounts, electrical plumbing for powering XM radio and my Ipod, etc., etc., etc....
And, hey... It's all worked great. But the R-1150-R is still very much a "Jack-Of-All-Trades", but sad as it sounds, still a "Master Of None." It can "do" just about anything, but some things it does far better than others... And one place, IMHO, that it is stretched the most is in doing long distance work.
Oh, don't get me wrong. It'll do it, and give ya' its very best at it... Just like a good horse, but it doesn't necessarily like it. It's biggest failings in mega-miles tasking is fuel capacity, weather protection, and folding you legs pretty tight.
Down here where I live I have to ride a minimum of 200 miles just to get to where the good riding is... So I inevitably tried turning my R-1150-R into a mini-RT. It worked okay, but let's face it... Swapping windscreens, etc. on an off, along with other accessories to make a bike fit the different billings is a a pain, even though I tried to make my stuff swap quickly and seamlessly. It just eats up more time...
Hence, I am going to probably be investing in a dedicated long-distance mount (most likely a Yamaha FJR-1300) for those rides where I need to cover lots of miles in a hurry, with as few a stops as possible, and in the most comfort possible. Still, I plan to keep the R-1150-R (hell, it's paid for, and is nearly painless to own and maintain...) and allow it to get back to what it does best - staying naked or near so, and being a great around-town bike, hooligan mount, and close-to-home lake road apex strafing platform.
I will say that if I could only have and afford one motorcycle that I have not found anything on the planet better than the R-1150-R, but...
I can afford more than one bike, so the Roadster is going to have a stable-mate... or two... or twelve.
If what you are seeking is an RT, save yourself some $$$$$$ and just go ahead and get one. It is toooooooooo easy to spoil the R-1150-R's styling, personality, character, and zest by trying to turn it into something it never really was intended to be...
Just my two pesos...
Cheers!
Dallara
I have to echo BobFV1's sentiments here, exactly.
I originally got my R-1150-R with the idea that it could somehow be all things to me... A sport bike... A good around-towner/commuter... A good cross-country sled... Etc., etc., etc. Just thought I would get all the necessary accessories to be able to swap and switch stuff around as needed to better perform each task. Stuff like Sargent saddles, system case mounts and rack, Pirate's Lair backrest, "Ricky" bars, a few different windscreens, cat eliminator, Neptune can, full Laser exhaust (too), Wunderlich tail and rack bags, Marsee & BMW tank bags, Throttlemeister, GPS and radar detector mounts, electrical plumbing for powering XM radio and my Ipod, etc., etc., etc....
And, hey... It's all worked great. But the R-1150-R is still very much a "Jack-Of-All-Trades", but sad as it sounds, still a "Master Of None." It can "do" just about anything, but some things it does far better than others... And one place, IMHO, that it is stretched the most is in doing long distance work.
Oh, don't get me wrong. It'll do it, and give ya' its very best at it... Just like a good horse, but it doesn't necessarily like it. It's biggest failings in mega-miles tasking is fuel capacity, weather protection, and folding you legs pretty tight.
Down here where I live I have to ride a minimum of 200 miles just to get to where the good riding is... So I inevitably tried turning my R-1150-R into a mini-RT. It worked okay, but let's face it... Swapping windscreens, etc. on an off, along with other accessories to make a bike fit the different billings is a a pain, even though I tried to make my stuff swap quickly and seamlessly. It just eats up more time...
Hence, I am going to probably be investing in a dedicated long-distance mount (most likely a Yamaha FJR-1300) for those rides where I need to cover lots of miles in a hurry, with as few a stops as possible, and in the most comfort possible. Still, I plan to keep the R-1150-R (hell, it's paid for, and is nearly painless to own and maintain...) and allow it to get back to what it does best - staying naked or near so, and being a great around-town bike, hooligan mount, and close-to-home lake road apex strafing platform.
I will say that if I could only have and afford one motorcycle that I have not found anything on the planet better than the R-1150-R, but...
I can afford more than one bike, so the Roadster is going to have a stable-mate... or two... or twelve.
If what you are seeking is an RT, save yourself some $$$$$$ and just go ahead and get one. It is toooooooooo easy to spoil the R-1150-R's styling, personality, character, and zest by trying to turn it into something it never really was intended to be...
Just my two pesos...
Cheers!
Dallara
Last edited by dallara on Mon Oct 10, 2005 3:13 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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MikeCam
- Centurion Moderator!
- Posts: 2216
- Joined: Sat Mar 19, 2005 8:05 pm
- Location: Conway River, Virginia
Ditto
I think Dallara has hit the main points directly and well.
I love the R. I also really liked the K-RS and the R-GS and the Z1000. But when I flipped a coin to sell and keep the single bike, it was the Roadster that stayed.
(Oh, yeah, I really love the K-R now too!)
Since I don't have to ride any distance to get twisties and mountains, I can forgive the lack of RT-ish qualities. Since I am only 5'6" with a 30" inseam, I don't get the cramped feeling that many normal sized riders report.
And I really like it both naked and with various combos of the bling, glitz, and farkle: raked, RT windscreen; GS hand guards; K-RS mirrors; GPS; tank bag&pads; cargo cover; Storm cases on R1100 rails; JCWhitney top box; custom rack; sporty pipe; sheepskin seat cover; etc, etc, etc, and etc.
Still, after considering the cost/value discussion from the other post I can attest that there is a BMW 'value pricing' that defies simple feature by feature comparison. Some wish to pay it and others do not.
I love the R. I also really liked the K-RS and the R-GS and the Z1000. But when I flipped a coin to sell and keep the single bike, it was the Roadster that stayed.
(Oh, yeah, I really love the K-R now too!)
Since I don't have to ride any distance to get twisties and mountains, I can forgive the lack of RT-ish qualities. Since I am only 5'6" with a 30" inseam, I don't get the cramped feeling that many normal sized riders report.
And I really like it both naked and with various combos of the bling, glitz, and farkle: raked, RT windscreen; GS hand guards; K-RS mirrors; GPS; tank bag&pads; cargo cover; Storm cases on R1100 rails; JCWhitney top box; custom rack; sporty pipe; sheepskin seat cover; etc, etc, etc, and etc.
Still, after considering the cost/value discussion from the other post I can attest that there is a BMW 'value pricing' that defies simple feature by feature comparison. Some wish to pay it and others do not.
The Older I Get, The Less I Know.
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beekstersocal
- Lifer
- Posts: 424
- Joined: Sat Mar 19, 2005 10:01 pm
- Location: oceanside ca
I had on 02 R that I took a few trips with. One to deals gap and about 4 others with some friends with RT's. The average trip was about 2000 miles. I would also have to agree with Dallara on the long hauls, while certainly doable with the R, my RT does them much better. What really got me to thinking about the RT was during the trips with my RT pals, we caught more than our share of rain. On more than one occassion, we would pull over for gas after riding in the rain and the RT boys weren't wet at all.....I was drenched. That's not to say I don't miss my R, it was a blast in the shorter trips close to home. I came to the conclusion that touring is what I like best and the RT fits the bill.....for me anyway. BTW, I tried to make mine an RT as well; Parabellum Scout fairing, bar backs and I did get a Bill Mayer saddle which I liked very much. Got a used Rick Mayer for the RT. I ended up getting a pretty good price on a 04 as the 05 was already out and they were dealing to clear out the remaining 04's.
Hope this helps
Hope this helps
"In silence man can most readily preserve his integrity"
Meister Eckhart
Meister Eckhart
R to RT
I put 5,000 miles on a 2002 R bike before trading for the RT. I have no regrets as most of the weekend rides I have done with the RT (and now also GS) crew have usually run 800-900 miles. The R was my first ride after 30 years or so of not owning a bike. Now that I've put about 21,000 on the RT I wouldn't mind having an R for local riding. For the long haul there is no comparison in comfort, and the RT still manages to be a sporty ride.
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mistercindy
- Member
- Posts: 237
- Joined: Sun Mar 20, 2005 1:21 am
- Location: McKinney, Texas
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BK
R1150R
Thanks to all who responded. You confirmed what I felt was a reality check to having one bike do all. With a Yamaha dealer jsut 2 blocks away and the closed Beemer shop 75 miles in either direction, I find myself digging in my pcoekt for a deposit on the new FJR1300AE.
It seems strange that us BMW riders continue to buy them then keep after market folks in business to try to make it right and then stick to a rigid maintenance that my Yamaha serious riders say is non exisitent.
They don't look like a BMW, but crossing the line is getting awfully tempting!
Butch
It seems strange that us BMW riders continue to buy them then keep after market folks in business to try to make it right and then stick to a rigid maintenance that my Yamaha serious riders say is non exisitent.
They don't look like a BMW, but crossing the line is getting awfully tempting!
Butch
Rockster
I have a rockster with following modifications: All Wunderlich.de (santa cruz BMW): simple up 1'' bar risers, peg lowering, small rockster screen adjustable, GS 1150 handguards, OEM luggage mounts (no cases yet).
I had a Triumph Trophy before and I feel the Rockster is a much more convincing and solid ride. With my mods it can do everything I intend it to do, weekends, daily commute, business travel upto 200 miles etc. The RT is a sail to me which I hear does not have great handling in the wind and is (so they say) underpowered. Look at all the extra the weight. Less legroom due to all the plastic. A better tourer must be the old style K1200S or RS with the flat 4 zylinder. That would be a great buy as a left over. They ride like a plane without the obnoxiuos hibachi style bodywork. A true classic. But the new RT and new Ks, no thanks, don't like the styling at all.
I had a Triumph Trophy before and I feel the Rockster is a much more convincing and solid ride. With my mods it can do everything I intend it to do, weekends, daily commute, business travel upto 200 miles etc. The RT is a sail to me which I hear does not have great handling in the wind and is (so they say) underpowered. Look at all the extra the weight. Less legroom due to all the plastic. A better tourer must be the old style K1200S or RS with the flat 4 zylinder. That would be a great buy as a left over. They ride like a plane without the obnoxiuos hibachi style bodywork. A true classic. But the new RT and new Ks, no thanks, don't like the styling at all.
'04 Rockster