in next months Ride mag

[BR11S]

Ben,
For what its worth here is my view.

Great bike as delivered from BMW but with time and experience a few mods make it so much better.
Hugger - essential - keeps the back end cleaner and looks good.
Y peice to replace cat. - mid range improvements.
Adjustable rear suspension arm - set it up just as you like it.
Ohlins - could not believe the difference but expensive even s/hand.
Boxertrix - all the info you could ask for.

BUT
Corrosion on front forks and front of engin even after sparying on various protection agents. S**T paint to meet EC regs?
Service costs - do it myself now.

Bern

[CharlieR]

Ben

I'd agree with BR11S points, don't have Ohlins but new shocks are top of my wish list. A slightly less restrictive exhaust works wonders too.

I'm on my second R11S and after 9 years I still think the 1100S is a great bike. Takes a while to get used to but they get underneath your skin and it all makes sense - now every other bike has 'stupid switchgear' in my mind!

It does whatever you want, tour two-up, scratch, bimble, commute. Never let me down, treat it like a car or pamper it, it's great, although the finish isn't as good as legend used to have it.

BWM dealer services are pricey, but easy enough to do most the usual stuff yourself.

Other posts mention depreciation as a negative, but I received £3k from my insurance company when my Jan 99 bike (45k miles) was written off at the end of 2006; £4,500 depreciation in 7 years doesn't seem too bad to me? And I didn't think for a moment about buying anything else, got another S straightaway.

All in all, it's a bit different but rewards those prepared to step away from the usual suspects.

And in full BoxerCup regalia it's still a 'cool bike, mate' according to the posse of hoodies I encountered in Manchester recently (who didn't give the MV parked next to it a second glance!) Pipe and slippers, my a*se!

[cc mac]

With regards to cleaning, if you leave crap all over it over a period of time it builds up and the bike will rot. I have seen some really tatty ones even in BMW dealers.
If it gets dirty then bite the bullet and wash it. It's quicker to wash new crap off. Mine is a 1999 with 50 odd thou on the clock and it still looks tasty. I am definately NOT an obsessive bike washer but I wouldn't like to own and ride a dog.
They will keep their looks if you look after them (apart from the forks).
As an all rounder they are in a class of one.

[eggcup]

I think its one of the best bikes to make IL4 riders vomit in their helmets when they cant keep up through the twisties 2 up its the only bike except perhaps the GS ADV that carrying the misses makes no noticable difference to the handling.
As for depreciation apart from Duc 888 ive never owned a bike that has'nt dropped through the floor on trade-in to the point where I just keep them now.
Its definately a bike for the long haul 2 test rides will not be enough you need at least a week of mixed roads to appreciate its virtues.
Yes most 1000cc IL4 will pull away on long straights but all corners have maximum speed and the BCR has given me the confidence to get close to my limits.
Only complaint is that the screen is not very good for 6' plus riders.
Lazer cans sound gorgeous and its easy to keep clean.
Mpg rarely goes below 47 and the best was 58 hunting for fuel.
best tyres Pirelli Diablo's.
Done 15000 miles without any trouble at all.
ian

[timbox2]

Hi guys,

yes, we are doing a feature on the R1100S for next month's issue.

If any of you would like to tell me the good and bad about R1100S ownership, I'd love to hear from you.


Thanks

Ben
RiDE

GOOD: Hugely confidence inspiring handling( Once you get used to front end).
Adaptable, tour, commute, scratch.
Nice looking, better from some angles(Rear 3/4)
Different to the norm, bags of character.
Deceptively quick, comfortable, Im 6ft and can ride it all day without any pains.
Qualityof finish, although seems to be a bit hit and miss,earlier ones seem better, mines 8 years old and still looks better than some 2 year old Japanese and Italian fare, plenty of people have thought mines an 07 as No plate W607, looks like WG 07
Easy to service, apart from some more major things.
ABS can give expensive problems, why I opted for bike without.

BEST OF ALL: The noise it makes( Full REMUS Race) The guys at Abergavenny Bus Station beg me to open it up when I leave, sorry occifers.


BAD: MPG could be better,though again very variable between bikes, around town can drop to low 30's, range not brilliant with 18 litre tank, 100 odd miles to reserve light
Can be heavy on Tyres, especially front, I destroyed a Conti Attack in 2K.
Mich Pilot Road 2's much better for bike.
Battery position a nightmare involving body and tank off for replacement(Fit an optimate lead for future).
Bad Vibes if Throttle bodies not synched regularly.
Switch gear??, Personally I love it now

[Phaedrus]

So when will this issue of RiDE hit the shelves? Only last night I was in the attic going all my RiDE (and BiKE) mags to dig out anything on the R1100S.

I only have Oct 95 - June 2002 (obviously nothing in the pre-98 issues ), and sporadic issues after that. I was hoping there'd be an ultimate buyer's guide somewhere, but no.

I do have one issue where there is what I'd call a token article - it's interesting, but IMO, lacks the depth that some of the early ultimate buyer's guides contained.

Is it an ultimate buyer's guide type of article you're planning?

Mark

[jltownshend]

I think 2002 was the year Bike had an 11S as a long term tester.

It always pops up every so often as an alternative sports tourer, and there was a lovely write of of the BCR on the bike 440...I believe it was rated (by Steve Rose) as the best bike he had ever taken on it and was, at the time, the quickest...or nearly.

J

[ianbcr]

Mark it does say its out on the 23rd,dont know if its just for subscribers or both, Ride are trying to bring their monthly release dates more into line.If Ben picks this up he will put us rite.

[Phaedrus]

I do have one issue where there is what I'd call a token article - it's interesting, but IMO, lacks the depth that some of the early ultimate buyer's guides contained.

I take that back - I had a look again last night (Nov 2007 issue, article by Kev Raymond). It is actually a very thorough article. Still left me wanting more, though.

I think 2002 was the year Bike had an 11S as a long term tester.

It always pops up every so often as an alternative sports tourer, and there was a lovely write of of the BCR on the bike 440...I believe it was rated (by Steve Rose) as the best bike he had ever taken on it and was, at the time, the quickest...or nearly.

J

Yeah, I think Simon Hipperson had a long term 1100S - he took it to Scotland (from EMAP's place, I assume) and back in a weekend in one issue I have. He said it was great.

Wasn't it the 1150GS that Steve Rose raved about? He had one on long-term (with RiDE) and when time came to divvy out the next year's bikes, he opted for the GS again. And IIRC he actually bought one himself, too.

Sorry to sound dumb, but is that April 23rd for the mag?

Mark

[Gromit]

Best articles written on the 11S were probably by Tim Thompson in Bike magazine (he had their long term 1100S). RiDE articles are all-too-often littered with duff gen.

Also forgot to add to this - going back to 'normal' indicators on the Blackbird has been a total PITA after the superb BM system. Any journo who can't work out the BM system really shouldn't be allowed a pair of roller skates, let alone a 140mph motorcycle.

[ianbcr]

Mark,next time your in your newsagents,pick up this months Ride and go to the back page,all will be revealed.

[throttlemeister]

The BMW indicator system sucks and after 20,000km of use, it still sucks. It works, but that's about all. Worse, due to the system placement the horn switch is hard to reach when you are in sudden need for it. Given that the horn is typically used an urgent situation, it needs to ergonomically placed so that it is easiest to reach to reach with your thumb. It so happens that is where the left indicator switch is located. Having to push up is counter intuitive for a horn. Had they switched the two (and similarly on the other side) it would have worked a whole lot better. Indicator position is not critical, as long as you can reach it without moving your hand from the bar.

Similarly, a trigger type passing switch on the front of the switchgear housing works a lot better than the thing they cocked up now. You have to move your thumb all the way up, reducing grip on the bar. If you are engaging the passing switch while hitting an unforseen pothole, your hand could be slammed of the grip and jerk the bike out of control. Using a trigger type switch you can use with your index finger is a lot safer and a lot easier to reach and use.

BMW could definitely use a lesson or two about switchgear ergonomics.

[Gromit]

The BMW indicator system sucks and after 20,000km of use, it still sucks. It works, but that's about all. Worse, due to the system placement the horn switch is hard to reach when you are in sudden need for it. Given that the horn is typically used an urgent situation, it needs to ergonomically placed so that it is easiest to reach to reach with your thumb. It so happens that is where the left indicator switch is located. Having to push up is counter intuitive for a horn. Had they switched the two (and similarly on the other side) it would have worked a whole lot better. Indicator position is not critical, as long as you can reach it without moving your hand from the bar. BMW could definitely use a lesson or two about switchgear ergonomics.

Aaah... problem is that your 'intuition' comes from your being used to where the various buttons are on a conventional system. Your brain's conditioned into doing things that way, so that's what it expects.

Never had a single problem, even with the horn button. Trouble with the 'normal' system is that to cancel the indicators means (and I've got very large hands to it should be easier) that I take grip off the l/h handlebar. Using the clutch (as one often does post/pre indication) makes the situation even worse. Also it's difficult to use wearing thick gloves. I never use the passing switch - when overtaking, your road positioning should make allowances for other road users to make you visible.

After over 100,000 miles on BM's I've still yet to find a better system. Going back to the normal way has been a royal pain in the arse. I hate it.

As a footnote: A friend of mine rode my first 1100S only a couple of weeks after passing his bike test (he'd been riding about a month). Without the long term 'conditioning' of a conventional system, he found the BMW set-up, and I quote, 'so much easier to use - I don't even have to think about it; why don't all bikes have this?'

[throttlemeister]

Each to his own. I think the system sucks and will keep thinking that even if I ride BMW for the next 40 years. And it has absolutely nothing to do with conditioning. I don't mind the concept per se (it actually makes sense), but I very strongly feel the position of the various switches relative to each other is wrong and counter intuitive.

And just because you never use the passing switch (and I don't think anyone uses it for overtaking so why the hell is it called that?), but that doesn't mean others don't or that its position is good.

[Gromit]

And just because you never use the passing switch (and I don't think anyone uses it for overtaking so why the hell is it called that?).

We agree on that one - never understood it myself. Also using one's headlight in a full beam 'flash' (for whatever reason except to signal to a passing truck that he's passed) is an ambiguous action.

Now...let's talk about oil.