BMW R1100S

I’m looking at one of these for touring. Anyone got any advice or experience of them?

would you get the boxer cup rep model?

i really like the look of the s, the underseat pipes too!,

Most common bike to break down according to our blogger, Smokey who’s a recovery man. He picks em up everyday he says.

Well, I wouldn’t base your decision solely on that. There’s clearly a lot of owners riding around the world on them, but there’s always more sides to any situation like this than meet the eye.

I would think if there were any problems with the R1100s it would be common knowledge as they have been around for years, but then I am biased I would be surprised if its the 1100 or 1150 BMW’s with the problems,the 1200’s seem to be having “teething” problems with the canbus technology (simpler and more reliable ?) not sure why you would want to go to the “sports” model for touring? unless you are only doing short trips there are other models more suited (RS,RT,GS) I can say after 3 years of beemer ownership,that I am still happy with mine, I’ve never been stranded and I can still walk at the end of the day.The BMW boxer range is “different” they are not sports bikes in the normal sense, and they have their own way of doing things,they are not “better” or “worse” just…different! if you are fixed on the R1100S then try and get the factory luggage and the factory heated grips you will grow to love the convenience . If the mileage is low (less than 15-20,000 miles) then you will need to check the oil level,a lot as they use oil untill they are run in (mine is almost at 50,000 and hardly uses any oil)in the end you need to decide what you are going to use it for and how much you are going to ride it, you have to live with it not any of us and you have to decide if its the bike for you.Fot touring my 2 cents go’s to the RT (surprise surprise)

I ran an X plater from new for 46000 miles over 3.5 years. It blew rear drive seals three times and was finally scrapped after the 2nd gearbox disintegrated.

It was a good bike masked by agricultural controls. It rattled, shook and had the worst gearboxes I’ve tried.

But it was good for touring - comfortable yet pretty sporty. The suspension is great as it doesn’t pitch or wallow nor is it affected greatly by weight carried. Brakes are ok and the engine is handy but ultimately 90bhp isn’t gonna move a 220kg bike very fast.

Check the build quality too as the forks will bubble and the ally will corrode like all other bikes. Basically I never saw any BMW build quality in evidence.

Would I buy another? No way. For the money you could do much better mate. And remember that no-one will touch them except dealers. Very important if you are going abroad.

I’d buy a common Jap bike that will run forever and can be fixed anywhere. What about a 2/3 yr Bandit 1200 or XJR1300?

But good luck, as I say there is a good bike trying to get out.

age isn’t the factor here its condition and luck of the draw,I have a friend who uses his RT, with the same basic mechanics as the S, for his daily comute,and in 8 years and almost a 100,000 miles has had no major failures ,and there are people who have had problems in the first 5000 miles …go figure.I do all my own maintainence and except for the tuppleware removal its as simple as it comes, if not looked after they will suffer in much the same way as jap bikes, BMW build quality is OK but not the paragon of virtue some would have you believe, cost wise you can get a very nice jap bike for the same money as they are cheaper to start off with and depreciate more. the question is do you like it ? 90HP is going to move you more than fast enough to lose your license and don’t forget that 90 is around on tap almost throughout the rev range not just at the top of it! but as I say its horses for courses you can tour on any bike as long as you find it comfortable, and the main thing is do you like it? asking people on a forum will omly get you confused if the funds are there and you like the style/riding experience then go for it! don’t worry about needing more power through town the winners are usually scooters , and on the motorways its the bikes that go furthest on a tank, on the tracks…well you’ll beat some but not the track/sports bikes thats their forte

Try one out Matt that’s gonna be the only answer I reckon.