BMW R1100R (1995 - 2003) Review

Year: 2000

We're these biked rushed to market? Telelever enhances handling but bike is cursed by severe compromises. $$$$ repair costs.

Version: ABS version

Year: 1996

Comfort, reliability, build quality and serviceability are all excellent. Has just enough grunt to have fun but is quite a lump to manoeuvre around. I would certainly recommend this bike, particularly to a shorty...like me

Version: R1100rs se

Year: 1996

Annual servicing cost: £300

Still own it after 26 yes. Good for long distance rallies. ABS has never worked. 50+ mpg. Could be lighter for me now.

Buying experience: Private

Year: 1996

brilliant comfy all rounder once you get used to the crappy gearbox,not as bad as the 1150 6 speed version

Buying experience: bargain £1500 from a private seller

Year: 1997

Annual servicing cost: £100

Comfortable, Torquey, Handles way better than it deserves to!

Buying experience: bought from dealer 12years ago, was well priced when bought £2500 in 2011 for a 14 year old bike with 21k miles.

Version: R1100RS se

Year: 1996

Annual servicing cost: £410

Good solid long distance tourer, still capable of nipping around the lanes.

Buying experience: Private 24yrs ago

Version: 75th Anniversary Edition, spoked wheels

Year: 1998

Annual servicing cost: £250

Best: Very comfortable seat, shaft drive, easy (but often, 6500 miles) valve adj, torque. Worst: Heavy, very expensive parts, throttle return springs too stiff, could use a 6th gear, persnickety transmission. I would not recommend it to the average motorcyclist, you would have to be that special person.

Buying experience: I bought from a private seller, $2900. (his price) He had added a windshield, replaced the seat cover, changed all the fluids and installed new Michelin tires.

Version: R1100RS SE

Year: 1996

Now old. No equivalent available.

Buying experience: Private. No problems

Year: 1995

Annual servicing cost: £200

I bought mine in Sydney NSW in 2009. In 2018 after a couple of years storage I decided to rebuild her and her back on the road. I'm hooked on her.

Year: 1996

Only the transmission really stands out as less than ideal. The rest is pretty much perfect for what it is designed to be (an uber-reliable tourer with serious performance capabilities).

Buying experience: It's hard to buy a bad one, although I'm sure there are some about.

Year: 1999

Annual servicing cost: £100

Great all round bike, fun on twisty roads and can cruise long distances for touring too with the hard bags. Worst feature is the stock seat, I find it uncomfortable in as little as 60 miles. You hear some luke-warm comments about performance but mine really flies and is super torquey..

Buying experience: I've owned it for 6 years now and love it, I've not found anything that's motivated me to change. It does everything I want of it and still has style. I still get asked about it almost every time I stop for fuel, people seem to think it's a new bike with it's still somewhat futuristic look.

I keep thinking I ought to sell this bike, but every time I get close to it, no other bike matches up to this machine's all-round ability. It has impeccable handling, you can brake deep into corners, cursing the wobbly part-timer on the sportsbike in front of you as he slows you down through the turn. It even has a very loud hooter for urging the spotty oiks out of your way. Given the right kind of camber conditions, you can even hoik the front end up coming out of corners, certainly this happens frequently during spirited roundabout negotiation. A punchy heavy beast, a proper bloke's bike that you can also carry your missus on, not to mention a ton of camping gear. It's not a toy it's a 1/4 ton of bouncing (but in a controlled way), throbbing joy between your legs, a second willy if you will. And like the other one, it can most certainly be enjoyed with the missus sat astride it, or if you're more the solo type, then with just a twist of the wrist of course as well...

A great bike that hardly anyone knows about. Owned a GS1150 before this but pound for pound this is a better bike if you only ride on road. Doesn't have the kudos of the GS hence they are bargains. Bucket load of torque, brilliant b-road handling, perfect riding position, all day comfort excellent headlight, build quality better than post '99 beemers. Downsides - not exactly a looker, clunky gearbox, no span adjustment on clutch lever. Go and buy one and save £2k over a GS

Very reliable, tours well two-up with luggage. Fairly economical to run, if you avoid main dealers, 44mpg isn't that good for the performance. Cruises all day (literally) at fast motorway speeds. Worth fitting a screen. Worst point is gearbox, which makes it a pain around town. Heavy, but weight disappears on the move. Rear shock gets tired after 40,000 miles, replacing it transforms bike.