Hello All...

[Buggs]

Hello to all....

Found the site via Ride magazine as looking to purchase a R1100S.

Have been ridding for many years, live in east kent and had mostly sport type bikes in the past. An R6, R1, ZX9R, Firestorm and currently ridding an original CBR600 to name but a few.

However due to comutting every day around 80 miles into London, feel it is time to get a shaft drive.

Have to be honest and say that i never thought i would look at a BMW bike but after ridding a few and seeing many friends buy one, i can now see the attraction and advantages. Especially after a recent 140 mile trip mostly on Motorway, which left me with a few aches and pains.

Has anyone got any tips on buying a R1100S and running costs like servicing. Do you have to use BMW or are normal bike shops happy to work on them.

Love the look of the Boxer Cup replica but dont think budget will run that high.

Any hints and tips would be most appreciated.

Many Thanks
Buggs

[big rob]

Hi Buggs, welcome to the site

You can't go wrong with an 1100s, great bikes, i've owned mine for 6-years and have put 43K on it.

Servicing is fairly straight forward you can do most of it yourself, you'll get lots of usefull help & advice from other Trixters.

Keep us posted on your search for a 1100s

Rob'n'Gail

[JoeC]

Another one for Kent welcome.

Recently got rid of my S (now on a GS) but they are really easy to work on although I have not tackled the valves yet.
Whereabouts in The Garden are you? I am in Sidcup.

[Buggs]

Hi JoeC

I am down in Sittingbourne and thanks for the welcome..

[Gromit]

Hi Buggs - welcome to our merry band.

All Boxers are very easy to work on - only slightly awkward bit is getting to the battery (it lives under the rear of the fuel tank). Apart from that it's no great problem - valve clearances can be done in less than 30 mins (try that on a VFR!) and balancing the throttle bodies, once you've had a bit of practice, is a simple affair.

As to dealer servicing - there are a few independent BMW guys out there now (some are ex-BMW employees I've no doubt), Jap & German in London being a good example.

As to buying an 11S, they're getting quite cheap now and represent a lot of bike for the money. Go for one which has at least 15k on the clock (it'll be nearer run-in) and has been kept clean. Finish isn't brilliant but apart from that they're a safe buy.

Enjoy it!

[timbox2]

Hi Buggs, welcome to the site

You can't go wrong with an 1100s, great bikes, i've owned mine for 6-years and have put 43K on it.
Rob'n'Gail

Must be all those wrong turns you do Hows the digestive stock Gail

Sorry Buggs, bit of a hijack there, welcome from me too

[sussexgirl]

Hi Buggs,

I just bought my 1100S last week. I absolutely love it! I'm not used to sports bikes at all, but I think the riding position is very comfortable. It's a very easy to ride bike.

Mine came from a BMW dealer (South London Motorcycles, in Caterham), so it came with a 1 year warranty and had been fully serviced etc, prior to buying- which meant a new rear disc, new tyres front and back and some other bits and bobs I've forgotten.

Most of the ones I was looking at were around the *gulp* £5000 mark, including panniers, ABS, heated grips. But they gave me a good part ex for my old bike and were quite happy to bargain a bit.

I guess it depends where you are in terms of servicing- I've had 2 other BMWs and never found the servicing costs excessive- they don't need servicing as often as some other bikes and I haven't had any problems with rusty exhausts, which threatened to be an issue for my little Honda.

[Bender]

All we need now are some Kent/Sussex ride outs.

I can't do Sunday mornings as a rule (Except the ACE Cafe BMW Bikes Day)

But Sunday pm are usually OK...

Let's put some suggestions along with meeting places in the 'days out' thread...