@SirDrifto maintenance was done by the dealer according with the owner's manual till the book got full. Nothing broke, the headlight and windshield had to be replaced because it got hit by a rock. Greatest bike ever owned so far
This was my first motorcycle. I still have it and love it. Very little maintenance required. Not going to find anything better in this price range honestly. Highly recommend!
Elid, I may have a chance to get one of these with about 20,000 miles. What is the maintenance like? Other than oil changes, what are the main things about maintaining one? Thanks for any direction.
@@almccallie4314 I had a ‘94 RS that I just sold in June. I only put 5,000 miles on it and sold it with 60,000 miles on the clock. Oil changes at 5,000 miles: great, transmission, engine. Valve clearance at 5,000 miles and brake fluid annually.
@@markmath2883 Thank you Mark, good information. I just found a 2009 R1200GS W/5K, in museum quality. I haven’t even ridden it yet. Hopefully will have luck like you did with the RS. Happy New Year.
Just picked one up myself. A 94 with way too many miles, but I love it. Nicely bridges the Classics with the more modern Boxers, it feels both old and new at the same time.
Nice to see an RS review. I’ve had mine for 22 years. Bought new in ’99. Couple of corrections; no, you can’t adjust the foot pegs for height, no the grips are not adjustable for height either, but you can move them fore and aft and adjust the wrist angle. Also, I’m pretty sure you were referring to the K1200LT, there is/was no R1200LT. The RS can be fitted with heated grips, that’s the far left switch of the three; switches up and down for hi and low heat. As far as range, if I fill up as far as it’ll go, I’ll get around 200-210 when the reserve light goes on, then it’s 1.1 gallon till dry. Mostly highway gets me about 44 mpg, so I think we can safely say max range is around the 250 mark. You might be able to squeeze a bit more out of her, but you’ll be sweating bullets by the end. Enjoy your RS!
Man, you SEE this bike, you SEE the adjustable things one by one. I guess he got a very luxury model, maybe he lives on Heaven Continent, where BMW is spoiling those riders. We in Europe need to order such options, or pay a fortune, if only we are allowed to enscribe to such miracle machines. Would it be that? He is spoilt to the bone and he has no idea, cause there he only sees the special editions? Lucky bastard, then.
I bought my 2002 R-1150-RS and put 130,000 km on it, until arthritis in my hip made riding long days very uncomfortable. In Jan. 2021 I had a hip replacement, which removed all pain, and in Feb. I found another 2002 R-1150-RS with only 23,000-km on it for $5,500 CDN! Barely broken in, and it looked like it just rolled out of the showroom! It came with ABS and BMW System Cases which I never had on my first bike, and I added cylinder head protectors. I loved my first R1150-RS, and this one is exactly as I remember my first bike. Sporty performance; excellent handling in the twisties; great seat for long days in the saddle; adjustable bar position, and seat height; adjustable windscreen height; the suspension is somewhat adjustable and is set-up for sporty riding, and gives anti-dive braking when used hard to help with stability, especially while entering a corner. I've done almost all the maintenance, which is easy to do. The reliability has been exceptional, as one would expect from a manufacturer which designs bikes that are well-engineered, and uses top materials and components. Over-all a great bike for everything from day trips into mountain back roads, to cross continent rides.
I bought a 1992 model that had been stood unstarted for 8 years for £800. Sadly the owner had died and his son just left it in the garage. I threw some fuel in and s new battery, it started first time and appart from a very expensive clutch rebuild, nothing went wrong with it for a hundred thousand miles when I sold it for £800. I went around Europe, i raced it around the back roads and it's one of the best bikes I've ever owned. Thanks for the review
I have a 1993 R1100RS with 280,000km on it. Only motor work has been to replace a weeping head gasket where the front oil gallery started to weep oil. Got mechanic to replace the clutch at the same time and we found the old plate still had 50% of it's meat left. Very reliable and ate km's(miles) for breakfast. Easy to do 500-1100km days.
@@Skedawg88 I am the previous owner. Had the bike since 1995. Bought with 5000km on it. Only use the clutch when coming to a stop in first and on about 50% upshifts. All the rest is clutchless changes with rev matching.
I recently bought one in France, mainly because I only had a very low budget. I think it's a very efficient bike with honest performances. Suspensions are fantastic.
I rode one of these when they first came out but way beyond my means. The ride was stunning and cornering almost telepathic. I loved it. I would have later Beemes eventually but they never matched it.
We have people in the club with over 450,000 miles on these, mine is almost at 100K miles now and planning a trip with 1000 mile round trip with it this summer.
My 2nd BMW and first RS, although mine was a '03 - last year of rhe 1100 before the bump up to 1150. With the OEM hard panniers and top case, it was my commuting vehicle for years. Replaced with a K1200RS, and that with my current, a R1250RS. Love love love the BMW RSes.
They're great machines. I have an 1150RT and and 1150GS and they have a lot of character and old school Euro charm. They ride beautifully and handle superbly. The RS is a gem and the 1100RS was the first R259 as well, it broke a lot of new ground for BMW . Thanks for the video.
I just want to come here and say thank you for making such an AWESOME video about this bike. I just picked up a '94 turquoise one with only 19k miles on the clock; it's immaculate and truly mint condition. Your video was instrumental in my decision to buy it. I loved all your commentary and all the information you shared. Thank you!
@@RedboneUnincorporated I paid $2500 for mine. It ended up needing a couple of minor repairs (sidestand switch, neutral indicator switch), but otherwise has been just incredible. In the last month, It has taken me over 2000 miles and to some of the most incredible views I've ever seen!
@lukaspriest that is awesome!! I am super excited to start putting in miles on mine. Hopefully I will not need to do too much too it, but I will find out soon!
@@RedboneUnincorporated These are awesome bikes! Mine has been just an absolute joy. Plenty of power, awesome handling, and a smooth ride! The only thing I'm not a super big fan of is that classic "agricultural/tractor" feel of the transmission....whenever I shift up to 2nd or 3rd gear, I get a "notchy" feeling in the shift lever. I've done a lot of reading and it sounds like this is quite normal, and a result of BMW using "stepped" shift dogs in the transmission. Once I learned that, I was able to stop worrying that there was something wrong with my transmission. My tranny is clean as a whistle. Now I'm just sad that it is becoming winter and the riding season is coming to a close, sigh!
I have a 1994 R1100RS, bought it from the original owner two years ago. He bought it in Germany from the dealership where he worked as a BMW tech. He brought it with him when he emigrated to Canada in the late 1990s. It had 47K kilometers (29K miles) on the odo when I bought it, only 49K kilometer (30K miles) on it now. It is a sweet bike to ride on curvy back roads.
These are definitely undervalued right now. I also have an 96 R1100rs and put about 25k miles on it. Yours is actually an R1100rsl. L standing for lower fairing. The L is much more rare, as BMW stopped having the fairing wrap around the headers. There's so many modern amenities on this bike - 3rd generation abs, floating brakes rotors, telelever suspension, paralever drive train. I recommend keeping it on a tender when not using it much, as a lower battery will cause an abs fault on startup. If that happens, restarting the bike usually clears it. I like the looks of the bike in almost all angles, but there are some viewpoints in the front of the bike that I wish were 'better' looking. I'm thinking about changing out the front fender for an r1150rt fender to get ride of that downward look and make it more curved.
To add, the most common ABS issue is due to the ABS self-checking right as the bike starts, triggering a low-voltage error (since the voltage is going towards the starter motor). There is a bypass fix that changes up the timing on this test to allow for more consistent ABS test passage and good instructions on installation. Typically, I just do as Lars advised and keep the battery topped up as well as I can. The other most common catastrophic issue is the Hall Effect Sensor. The sensor itself is fine, but the wiring insulation can give out leading to the bike being unable to start in the rain as the wires lose insulation, touch while wet, and cause a short or similar. My fix was to pre-emptively re-insulate the HES's wiring. Videos on rewiring this entirely exist as well.
At 52 I finally got my bike license, came across one on Facebook marketplace needing some work. Quite a bit of bang for the buck 🤓 I told the missus RS stands for really safe 😂
I recently bought a 97 r1100rt. I was pleased to see that the previous owner was a mechanic. He had serviced the final drive/paralever. That's a part that requires maintenance or it might fail. He'd also installed new pivot bearings in the final drive. However, the ABS does not work. I'm considering either having the ABS module rebuilt. Modual Masters in Idaho will do for $350. After 27 years it's due some attention.
I own two, a 94 and a 95. One is set up for touring the other for the city and local work. A couple suggestions: One, ditch that factory muffler and cat, put em away in storage. Get a duel exhaust if you can find one. I have a duel on one of mine and an open single on my other. The duel sounds better. Two: hunt down a factory windshield. They look better, won’t crack and do just fine blocking wind. Plus you can crank it down and get wind on a hot day. Three: Get a set of touring pegs that bolt to your heads. They flip out and you can rest your feet on them on long hauls. As for longevity, my buddy has three R1100RTs (same engine), one has 376k miles!
I just picked up a r1150rt a week ago. Have ridden it every day commuting to work and love it. Haven't touched my sport bike since. It's been sitting in the shed.
My 2002 R1150-RS HAS an adjustable windscreen! I prefer to ride 95% of the time with the screen at it's lowest position, as the fairing isn't as large as the RT and I get better air cooling when its hot outside. Even at the lowest position, the fairing takes most of the blast off my torso, so long rides are not tiring. I only raise it when its cool, or raining, which is a rare ride for me anyway. The smaller fairing means the bike is also lighter, easier to work on as the fairing is far easier to remove for things like tune-ups, air filter & battery changes. I have the BMW system cases which provide plenty of luggage capacity for a few days overnight stays, but can be removed for the majority of my rides that aren't overnight. The RT looks strange without its cases, as the RT styling has them faired into the rear of the bike. It also has ABS.
Were you talking? I need a drool bucket - that bike is gorgeous!!! BMW was making sports/touring bikes B4 the market decided touring bikes were the next big thing. Surprised @ the air/H2O set-up.
Great video,on my second rs which i bought 2 years ago.my first was aquired brand new in 96 which l toured france and spain.My current rs is a 96 also has 46000mls on it and runs and looks like new.Both my bikes are in the black and silver colour scheme which l really like.Chris harris is a us mechanic who l follow alot as his video,s are gold as far as maintaing these bike.That is a lovely rs you have,but please change your brake lines asap as standard bmw line do not age well.Ride safe.
I have an R1100RT, owned from new in October 1995. Still use it often (I have a Honda CRF250 Rally for local running around and the gravel roads). With the usual just short 20 miles to town and back on twisty back roads usage I get 40 ±0.5 MPG (US).and normally fill up at 240 to 260 miles. Touring at 75 MPH indicated I plan the stops for 275 miles. I was once on a group ride with slower bikes and got 330 miles on a tank, but that was topped off to the limit at the start and running on fumes at the end. It just amused me to go the whole weekend without filling while some others refuelled twice. I've only got 80k miles on it as there have been some periods where it was in storage while I lived abroad etc. Prior to that I had Hondas: XL350, XR250, CBX400, CBX550F2, XR600. Then I saw a used 1984 R80RT and decided to trade the CBX550 on it as I was getting sick of high revving buzzy 4s. LOVED the bike, but it was just too slow, and with mostly short city commuting (lots of starts) I just couldn't keep the battery charged. Got a used 1986 K100RT in Jan 1988, which I used for 8 years. That was a real touring rocket ship, but not economical, and again buzzy, and slow pickup in the lower gears with all that engine rotating mass. I rode the first R11000RS demo bike that came in. PERFECT. Wow! Took it back to the shop and said "When they make an RT version, my name is on the first one". Two years later they did, and I got one of the first batch of five that came to NZ. And still have it, still love it, I don't like the sucessors as much. Here's a pic from this time last year. pbs.twimg.com/media/F1TcutLaIAAygfU.jpg
@@aaron___6014 I actually wanted the light green (my K100RT was an iridescent light green) but from the first batch of five R1100RT in NZ two came to Wellington and one was red and one was blue and I liked the blue more. The dealer actually put my bike on display at the official launch event a few weeks after I got it (and detailed it for free :-) )
I found a '96 example for marginally less than the price described (which made sense given the marginally higher odo). The feature richness for the money is genuinely insane and the amount of good documentation from high-mileage owners can allow for high-mileage bikes.
Excellent review. Subbed. These old beemers really do have a soul. If they are in great shape, it is a real pleasure to ride them, do touring, enjoy comfort and do maintenance..
just bought a 94 with 24k miles, like new but the fuel supply in the tank was destroyed with fuel stabalizer they used before parking. i have the part coming and can't wait to see how it goes. it definately fires and runs with a spritz and am so excited as i havn't owned a bike since 1990. see you on the freeway :})
Great bike, I still have mine with 250,000Ks on it and still going well. The screen is adjustable, just turn the triangular knob above the speedo and tacho! Great review, Cheers!
Any secrets to getting all those miles out of it? Are there any parts that you would recommend changing because they might fail at a certain mileage? Electric or suspension?
I had a lot of motorcycles in the past. Then I discovered BMW. Had a K100, a r1100s, r1200gs and now a 2000 r1100rt. Before that a lot of Japanese bikes. All where good, the r1100rt is for my purposes perfect. The 1085 boxertwin is one of the most reliable engines BMW Motorrad produced. The r1100rt is a keeper. It is not the fastes motorcycle I have owned, but it is dropdead reliable. I had put some Tills injectors in the bike and it really makes a diffirence of night and day. Better pickup from low revs and more torque downbelow. No more KFR. I will never sell my bike.
@@paulglaus6161 There is a company in Germany named Tills. Those injectors are from the 1200 boxer with more holes. It will give you a whole diffirent riding experience. No more KFR and more pull from downbelow. Topspeed remains the same (210 km p/h).
@@vinjofin1972 You said that you believe that the “oilheads”, specifically the R1100R engine and transmission motorcycles to be some of the most reliable motorcycles made by BMW, even more than the “airheads” of the 70s - 80s, or the K-bikes? I have heard that the Oilheads are prone to problems with the clutch splines slipping?
"BMW R1100RS, the past, present and Future" is a '93 BMW promotion video, how they developed the 259 platform with a laptop on the tank and back where the luggage case is mounted. they even did off road next to the test track. it took them 4 years. The airhead is a pretty clever design having a cam shaft in the bottom parts of the cyl head to operate the the rocker arms to operate 2 valves each. You need steel flex brake lines, BMW doesn't sell the original brake lines anymore. I got one as well recently and acquired the 17 inch R1150RS wheels, front fork and brake calipers, bought the matching wheel spacer (from the R1150RS, it's a thinner one), i used the final drive house cover from a R1100R to fit the newer rear brake caliper for the R1150 wheels who have the disc mounted on the rim, but both variants will fit, the new wheel with matching caliper or the 3 spoke with it's caliper / disc. no calibration needed and you can use the same original "distance" rings, you find when you open the final drive. It would be wise to replace the fuel rail and pressure regulator, hal sensor and the internals of the tank (filter and hoses, 4 of them are inside, one is a short bended hose, around 40€). Also the 4 bearings and seals in the telelever wishbone (under the tank) require attention due to the age, a
Own a '95 model. Gearbox is partially broken, meaning the 2. gear is finicky regarding the shifting process. The gear forks (if that's what they are called in English) seem to bend or something. I have to be really considerate when shifting to gear 2. Also, the ABS sometimes doesn't start when battery voltage is only a little low. I believe it is due to a higher current draw when starting, having the voltage drop too low. I'm considering implementing a bypass relais for the starting process, so that the ABS only starts when the motor is already running, making sure the voltage is high enough. Otherwise, rides exceptionally well.
you can wire a relay into the power for the ABS unit that is activated by the power from the alternator.. therefore, the ABS test does not start until the engine is running.. problem solved...
Question. After you start the engine, there is a blinking red light. Is that ABS warning light, that stops blinking the moment you roll? Red lights make me nervous.
great video - I'm considering purchasing one of these but am wondering whether it's sufficiently nimble for some cautious lane splitting in the big city. Can you comment?
Great price point, I picked one up for 2K, you just can't ride it over an hour comfortably! I sold it and picked up an 81 R100RT that can go cross country!
This is one of those bikes that you love after time. You may need to look at it for a bit longer and then you start realising how great they are. I am thinking of getting the R1150rs. It is way easier to find it. :) Great video bro, enjoyed it. :) Drop by when you can, you may like my content. Cheers.
it is a R1100 RSL it has lowers not rs rsl. only the first year, red, , if you left then in the garge and forgot about it it could catch on fire. Great bike.
Back in the day they had the nasty habit to fall apart pretty quickly. It took BMW several recalls to correct all the failures, so if you get one make sure it saw all of the improvements. The later models are very solid though. However, in Germany there is an additional problem: if the ABS fails - and it does regularily - you have to repair it in order to get TÜV, the technical test every 2 years. This repair job is very expensive, mostly between 1000 and 2000€. In many cases this is well above what is reasonable to spend for an old bike. There are many R1100s in different variations below 3000€ here, but if the ABS light comes on and stays on, you can pretty much throw them away, which is sad.
No, it is not sad, the story is far more simple. Go to a BMW workshop and ask why these ABS units stop working. When I remember correctly, the problem is replacing the brake fluid using the wrong DOT number. That is what these ABS pumps can not stand, the wrong brake fluid. That is all. When you think you can ride on the wrong type brake fluid, you are destroying your own ABS unit. And the people complaining their ABS unit is so bad, well, they didn't read the workshop manual. Replace your brake fluid more often, that is always a good idea. It is an older generation ABS, those are sensitive. And oh yes, you must use exactly the brake fluid that is prescribed. Again, if I remember correct. Just bought an R1100RS, so I need to check this. But I do remember, that expensive problem can be prevented very easy, but when you are too late, it is often your own fault. Buying a bike, check if ABS is okay. And use the RIGHT brake fluid (5 is not the newer 4, it is another type). Ah, I think it is THAT, when BMW says DOT 4, you must not be so stupid to use DOT 5. It is not the same, you need to be very precise here. Believe me, not all mechano's are autistic enough, they think ah, 4, then 5 is better and here that is WRONG. For the ABS unit you must use the prescribed brake fluid and nothing else. Got that? Then you will never need to buy a new one, again. If everything goes normal..
So another guy shot me a message about a day ago and said the same thing. I went out and look and then realized the lever was just stuck from not being used. This whole time I thought the windscreen was fixed 🤦♂️
absolutely, the height increase options are great for the taller rider, its usually the opposite for short people, you can only do so much to bring the bike lower. In my opinion, find one that you could put some miles on it, see how you feel riding it posture wise, that will be the buying factor.
My ‘96 R1100RT fits me like a dream, I’m 6’6” and have a 34” inseam. The adjustable seat makes all the difference, I’ve never found a bike that fits me better.
Speaking from my own experience... There are reasons they are forgotten. I had a very early one, 1993. The first generation using the than new 259 type boxer engine. I bought a one owner, low mileage example. But it did not have a maintenance history. In my experience this is mandatory for any Beemer. It is very hard if not impossible to get the early ones to run fine. All boxer Beemers suffer from 'KFR' (kurz fahr ruckeln - German) till BMW introduced the twin spark boxer engines in 2004. What it means is that the engine simple does not run smoothly below 3000 - 3500 revs. Also resale value is not too good. Most people who are in the market for a boxer Beemer look for the real touring version, the RT. Mine never ran well and I sold it with a huge loss. For sport touring I now have a VFR 750 4th gen, a much better and certainly as reliable a bike as the RS. But... I still have a beemer, I got smart and got myself a R1150RT, probably one of the best touring bikes ever. And I would recommend the 1100 S if you really want to ride a sporty Beemer... However I believe the Japanese build much better sport touring bikes that are certainly as reliable and durable as a Beemer. And do not forget that Beemers are indeed very reliable as long as they are properly maintained which is all but cheap!
R1100RS is not an Airhead. It's an Oilhead. I took delivery the very first US spec R1100RS (94 model year) in Munich in 1993 and put 159 thousand miles on it crashing it on a patch of diesel in Texas. It was a great bike. The longest day I ever did on it was 1329 miles in 22 hours. It was torture.
Before dipping a toe on one of these, Google their reliability...gearbixes, final drives, clutch input shafts, splines, ABS issues, smoking when put on side stand, front steering joints, surging, cam chains, camshafts, the crank position sensor (Hall Effect) that will leave you stranded without warning ...they are grenades with the pin pulled.
The only amazing motorcycle, is one I can buy for under $2000 This one seems to have 2x more horsepower than it actually needs, which means lower MPG. 450cc and 45hp seems to be around the sweet spot.
Topcases are evil. People put heavy things in it. Better have two cases, weight is lower. And a topcase can easily give you aerodynamic problems, try instability at high speed. No matter what nonsens other rides tell you, NEVER buy a top case. Unless you need it for a passenger back rest. The medieval bikers say pillion, now. Two watertight cases is great, and forget the top case, it is the worst possible spot for extra weight.
On my '95 RT (owned from new) I've done that and also the fuel lines and fuel pump. The only thing that has caused a breakdown (two years ago) -- and was damned hard for the (very good) mechanic to find was inside the cover on the front of the engine is a Hall effect (I think) crank position sensor. The wires, inside that hot part of the engine, had the plastic insulation break down and they shorted intermittently and then more and more. The outer protective cover still looked like new, but the insulation on the actual wires turned basically to dust.
@@BruceHoult yes, I have a new spare hall effect sensor I carry with me if I go on a long distance adventure.. maybe I should just replace it now - seems it is a known failure point... owned from new is very impressive !!!!....
@@BruceHoult Don't ya just love that mid/late 90s German bikes & cars "Soy based" wiring insulation ? Horrible issue on Mercedes C class cars of that era !
Just bought a 99 R1100R with 8,800 miles and had front brakes lock up. Combination of old brake fluid and bad lines. Replaced them and it’s a good as new.
@@milesinnz Rear wheel bearing/oil seal/o-ring are other items to take with you. Its a roadside repair to replace these items but the parts are hard to come by (and expensive to). And don't forget a laminated wiring diagram, the electrics can fail on these older bikes.
BMW are not reliable you are very lucky, fun to ride but overly complicated and when they break bring out your wallet. Own three all except for my r100rs are unreliable the electronics are unfixable even with a hex gs 911 . Stay close to home.
I have 94 R1100RS with 135000 miles, I live in Alaska, I did a 550 mi. trip on a nice rainy day... not a single problem
@@magatica05 has anything broken? What maintenance have you felt was needed. Very cool!
@SirDrifto maintenance was done by the dealer according with the owner's manual till the book got full. Nothing broke, the headlight and windshield had to be replaced because it got hit by a rock. Greatest bike ever owned so far
@magatica05 that is awesome!
I bought a 2000 model today with only 26,000 miles from the original owner.
This was my first motorcycle. I still have it and love it. Very little maintenance required. Not going to find anything better in this price range honestly. Highly recommend!
It’s amazing how well they ride for being a mid 90s motorcycle
Elid, I may have a chance to get one of these with about 20,000 miles. What is the maintenance like? Other than oil changes, what are the main things about maintaining one? Thanks for any direction.
Can't find anything more gooder, and you never not did find it anywhere ❤
@@almccallie4314 I had a ‘94 RS that I just sold in June. I only put 5,000 miles on it and sold it with 60,000 miles on the clock. Oil changes at 5,000 miles: great, transmission, engine. Valve clearance at 5,000 miles and brake fluid annually.
@@markmath2883 Thank you Mark, good information. I just found a 2009 R1200GS W/5K, in museum quality. I haven’t even ridden it yet. Hopefully will have luck like you did with the RS. Happy New Year.
Just picked one up myself. A 94 with way too many miles, but I love it. Nicely bridges the Classics with the more modern Boxers, it feels both old and new at the same time.
Just picked up a 97 today, rode it home and I was definitely not expecting the performance, very fun bike.
I just got a 94 today, mint condition, and I can't stop grinning.
Nice to see an RS review. I’ve had mine for 22 years. Bought new in ’99. Couple of corrections; no, you can’t adjust the foot pegs for height, no the grips are not adjustable for height either, but you can move them fore and aft and adjust the wrist angle. Also, I’m pretty sure you were referring to the K1200LT, there is/was no R1200LT. The RS can be fitted with heated grips, that’s the far left switch of the three; switches up and down for hi and low heat. As far as range, if I fill up as far as it’ll go, I’ll get around 200-210 when the reserve light goes on, then it’s 1.1 gallon till dry. Mostly highway gets me about 44 mpg, so I think we can safely say max range is around the 250 mark. You might be able to squeeze a bit more out of her, but you’ll be sweating bullets by the end. Enjoy your RS!
Man, you SEE this bike, you SEE the adjustable things one by one. I guess he got a very luxury model, maybe he lives on Heaven Continent, where BMW is spoiling those riders. We in Europe need to order such options, or pay a fortune, if only we are allowed to enscribe to such miracle machines. Would it be that? He is spoilt to the bone and he has no idea, cause there he only sees the special editions? Lucky bastard, then.
I bought my 2002 R-1150-RS and put 130,000 km on it, until arthritis in my hip made riding long days very uncomfortable.
In Jan. 2021 I had a hip replacement, which removed all pain, and in Feb. I found another 2002 R-1150-RS with only 23,000-km on it for $5,500 CDN! Barely broken in, and it looked like it just rolled out of the showroom! It came with ABS and BMW System Cases which I never had on my first bike, and I added cylinder head protectors.
I loved my first R1150-RS, and this one is exactly as I remember my first bike. Sporty performance; excellent handling in the twisties; great seat for long days in the saddle; adjustable bar position, and seat height; adjustable windscreen height; the suspension is somewhat adjustable and is set-up for sporty riding, and gives anti-dive braking when used hard to help with stability, especially while entering a corner. I've done almost all the maintenance, which is easy to do. The reliability has been exceptional, as one would expect from a manufacturer which designs bikes that are well-engineered, and uses top materials and components.
Over-all a great bike for everything from day trips into mountain back roads, to cross continent rides.
I bought a 1992 model that had been stood unstarted for 8 years for £800. Sadly the owner had died and his son just left it in the garage. I threw some fuel in and s new battery, it started first time and appart from a very expensive clutch rebuild, nothing went wrong with it for a hundred thousand miles when I sold it for £800. I went around Europe, i raced it around the back roads and it's one of the best bikes I've ever owned. Thanks for the review
they didn't make the R1100RS in 1992...
LP pic
😮
False. No 92 model
@@milesinnz 1993 was the first model year but it's not impossible that a few might have been registered in late 1992.
one of the best bikes ever made ! Still riding on it. 110.000 km all you need is fuel, and a good maintenance.
I have a 1993 R1100RS with 280,000km on it. Only motor work has been to replace a weeping head gasket where the front oil gallery started to weep oil. Got mechanic to replace the clutch at the same time and we found the old plate still had 50% of it's meat left. Very reliable and ate km's(miles) for breakfast. Easy to do 500-1100km days.
Wow! The previous owner ( owners ) were easy on the clutch. I own a '94, my second. Great touring or everyday rider.
@@Skedawg88 I am the previous owner. Had the bike since 1995. Bought with 5000km on it. Only use the clutch when coming to a stop in first and on about 50% upshifts. All the rest is clutchless changes with rev matching.
I recently bought one in France, mainly because I only had a very low budget. I think it's a very efficient bike with honest performances. Suspensions are fantastic.
@@smb_a_channel agreed!
I rode one of these when they first came out but way beyond my means. The ride was stunning and cornering almost telepathic. I loved it. I would have later Beemes eventually but they never matched it.
They’re hard to beat
We have people in the club with over 450,000 miles on these, mine is almost at 100K miles now and planning a trip with 1000 mile round trip with it this summer.
I love how when it is started it sounds like a tractor. I need one of these now. Haha.
That's so true 👍 🤣
well,i dont think it was ever forgotten
My 2nd BMW and first RS, although mine was a '03 - last year of rhe 1100 before the bump up to 1150. With the OEM hard panniers and top case, it was my commuting vehicle for years.
Replaced with a K1200RS, and that with my current, a R1250RS. Love love love the BMW RSes.
Loving my 96 r1100rt I just got! Not disappointed at all!
They're great machines. I have an 1150RT and and 1150GS and they have a lot of character and old school Euro charm. They ride beautifully and handle superbly. The RS is a gem and the 1100RS was the first R259 as well, it broke a lot of new ground for BMW . Thanks for the video.
I have an R1100S the motor and the telelever suspension are great.
This is the bike I'm going to get when I finish learning to ride. I plan on taking long trips in North America.
This is basically my father’s bike with not as much bodywork. He owns a 96 R1100RT. I have a 2000 K1200RS.
I just want to come here and say thank you for making such an AWESOME video about this bike. I just picked up a '94 turquoise one with only 19k miles on the clock; it's immaculate and truly mint condition. Your video was instrumental in my decision to buy it. I loved all your commentary and all the information you shared. Thank you!
Thank you for watching!
Care to day what you paid?
I paid $2800 today for a 2000 model with 28,000 miles.
Mine isn't mint, but definitely 90$
@@RedboneUnincorporated I paid $2500 for mine. It ended up needing a couple of minor repairs (sidestand switch, neutral indicator switch), but otherwise has been just incredible. In the last month, It has taken me over 2000 miles and to some of the most incredible views I've ever seen!
@lukaspriest that is awesome!! I am super excited to start putting in miles on mine. Hopefully I will not need to do too much too it, but I will find out soon!
@@RedboneUnincorporated These are awesome bikes! Mine has been just an absolute joy. Plenty of power, awesome handling, and a smooth ride! The only thing I'm not a super big fan of is that classic "agricultural/tractor" feel of the transmission....whenever I shift up to 2nd or 3rd gear, I get a "notchy" feeling in the shift lever. I've done a lot of reading and it sounds like this is quite normal, and a result of BMW using "stepped" shift dogs in the transmission. Once I learned that, I was able to stop worrying that there was something wrong with my transmission. My tranny is clean as a whistle. Now I'm just sad that it is becoming winter and the riding season is coming to a close, sigh!
I have a 1994 R1100RS, bought it from the original owner two years ago. He bought it in Germany from the dealership where he worked as a BMW tech. He brought it with him when he emigrated to Canada in the late 1990s. It had 47K kilometers (29K miles) on the odo when I bought it, only 49K kilometer (30K miles) on it now. It is a sweet bike to ride on curvy back roads.
Looks in lovely condition for touring 👍
Yes indeed!
These are definitely undervalued right now. I also have an 96 R1100rs and put about 25k miles on it. Yours is actually an R1100rsl. L standing for lower fairing. The L is much more rare, as BMW stopped having the fairing wrap around the headers. There's so many modern amenities on this bike - 3rd generation abs, floating brakes rotors, telelever suspension, paralever drive train. I recommend keeping it on a tender when not using it much, as a lower battery will cause an abs fault on startup. If that happens, restarting the bike usually clears it. I like the looks of the bike in almost all angles, but there are some viewpoints in the front of the bike that I wish were 'better' looking. I'm thinking about changing out the front fender for an r1150rt fender to get ride of that downward look and make it more curved.
To add, the most common ABS issue is due to the ABS self-checking right as the bike starts, triggering a low-voltage error (since the voltage is going towards the starter motor). There is a bypass fix that changes up the timing on this test to allow for more consistent ABS test passage and good instructions on installation. Typically, I just do as Lars advised and keep the battery topped up as well as I can.
The other most common catastrophic issue is the Hall Effect Sensor. The sensor itself is fine, but the wiring insulation can give out leading to the bike being unable to start in the rain as the wires lose insulation, touch while wet, and cause a short or similar. My fix was to pre-emptively re-insulate the HES's wiring. Videos on rewiring this entirely exist as well.
At 52 I finally got my bike license, came across one on Facebook marketplace needing some work. Quite a bit of bang for the buck 🤓 I told the missus RS stands for really safe 😂
Now that is persuasive 😂
That was ace. I am considering buying one and you really helped. Thanks big time!
@@Oggycrew great to hear!
Its in outstanding condition - nice german technology ;) - best regards from germany ;)
I recently bought a 97 r1100rt. I was pleased to see that the previous owner was a mechanic. He had serviced the final drive/paralever. That's a part that requires maintenance or it might fail. He'd also installed new pivot bearings in the final drive. However, the ABS does not work. I'm considering either having the ABS module rebuilt. Modual Masters in Idaho will do for $350. After 27 years it's due some attention.
The R/S was the first with telelever suspension. I was at the launch in Lanzarote in 93 and the ride with its anti dive was amazing
I never knew that. That is fascinating thanks for sharing
I own two, a 94 and a 95. One is set up for touring the other for the city and local work.
A couple suggestions:
One, ditch that factory muffler and cat, put em away in storage. Get a duel exhaust if you can find one. I have a duel on one of mine and an open single on my other. The duel sounds better.
Two: hunt down a factory windshield. They look better, won’t crack and do just fine blocking wind. Plus you can crank it down and get wind on a hot day.
Three: Get a set of touring pegs that bolt to your heads. They flip out and you can rest your feet on them on long hauls.
As for longevity, my buddy has three R1100RTs (same engine), one has 376k miles!
@@mxxkxxg what has broken on yours so far mechanically. Great suggestions btw!
I had the R1150RT, so very similar. Loved it for long trips and the one advantage for touring over the RS was the adjustable windshield.
I just picked up a r1150rt a week ago. Have ridden it every day commuting to work and love it. Haven't touched my sport bike since. It's been sitting in the shed.
My 2002 R1150-RS HAS an adjustable windscreen! I prefer to ride 95% of the time with the screen at it's lowest position, as the fairing isn't as large as the RT and I get better air cooling when its hot outside. Even at the lowest position, the fairing takes most of the blast off my torso, so long rides are not tiring. I only raise it when its cool, or raining, which is a rare ride for me anyway. The smaller fairing means the bike is also lighter, easier to work on as the fairing is far easier to remove for things like tune-ups, air filter & battery changes. I have the BMW system cases which provide plenty of luggage capacity for a few days overnight stays, but can be removed for the majority of my rides that aren't overnight. The RT looks strange without its cases, as the RT styling has them faired into the rear of the bike. It also has ABS.
The gearbox issue is only on specific gearboxes.. I believe pre -97 had some wear issues but after that they are fixed
Were you talking? I need a drool bucket - that bike is gorgeous!!! BMW was making sports/touring bikes B4 the market decided touring bikes were the next big thing. Surprised @ the air/H2O set-up.
Great video,on my second rs which i bought 2 years ago.my first was aquired brand new in 96 which l toured france and spain.My current rs is a 96 also has 46000mls on it and runs and looks like new.Both my bikes are in the black and silver colour scheme which l really like.Chris harris is a us mechanic who l follow alot as his video,s are gold as far as maintaing these bike.That is a lovely rs you have,but please change your brake lines asap as standard bmw line do not age well.Ride safe.
I have an R1100RT, owned from new in October 1995. Still use it often (I have a Honda CRF250 Rally for local running around and the gravel roads). With the usual just short 20 miles to town and back on twisty back roads usage I get 40 ±0.5 MPG (US).and normally fill up at 240 to 260 miles. Touring at 75 MPH indicated I plan the stops for 275 miles. I was once on a group ride with slower bikes and got 330 miles on a tank, but that was topped off to the limit at the start and running on fumes at the end. It just amused me to go the whole weekend without filling while some others refuelled twice. I've only got 80k miles on it as there have been some periods where it was in storage while I lived abroad etc. Prior to that I had Hondas: XL350, XR250, CBX400, CBX550F2, XR600. Then I saw a used 1984 R80RT and decided to trade the CBX550 on it as I was getting sick of high revving buzzy 4s. LOVED the bike, but it was just too slow, and with mostly short city commuting (lots of starts) I just couldn't keep the battery charged. Got a used 1986 K100RT in Jan 1988, which I used for 8 years. That was a real touring rocket ship, but not economical, and again buzzy, and slow pickup in the lower gears with all that engine rotating mass. I rode the first R11000RS demo bike that came in. PERFECT. Wow! Took it back to the shop and said "When they make an RT version, my name is on the first one". Two years later they did, and I got one of the first batch of five that came to NZ. And still have it, still love it, I don't like the sucessors as much. Here's a pic from this time last year. pbs.twimg.com/media/F1TcutLaIAAygfU.jpg
Awesome color. Mines black and boring.
@@aaron___6014 I actually wanted the light green (my K100RT was an iridescent light green) but from the first batch of five R1100RT in NZ two came to Wellington and one was red and one was blue and I liked the blue more. The dealer actually put my bike on display at the official launch event a few weeks after I got it (and detailed it for free :-) )
My R1150RS '02 with 223,789km is still going strong.
Amazing video. It's so hard to find quality content on these older machines. Where was this? Amazing scenery!
I found a '96 example for marginally less than the price described (which made sense given the marginally higher odo). The feature richness for the money is genuinely insane and the amount of good documentation from high-mileage owners can allow for high-mileage bikes.
Excellent review. Subbed. These old beemers really do have a soul. If they are in great shape, it is a real pleasure to ride them, do touring, enjoy comfort and do maintenance..
Thanks for watching!
Just sold my RS to friend of mine. Mine had a Wilbers suspension and Corbin seat; otherwise, exactly the same as yours.
just bought a 94 with 24k miles, like new but the fuel supply in the tank was destroyed with fuel stabalizer they used before parking. i have the part coming and can't wait to see how it goes. it definately fires and runs with a spritz and am so excited as i havn't owned a bike since 1990. see you on the freeway :})
I still drive that fabulous bike! It is "Deutsche Wertarbeit". 🙂
I actually have the 95 love it very smooth fast just a great bike all around mine was a one owner as well red just like yours
Best value for money!
Absolutely
Just picked up a 2000 for $2800 with 28000 miles!!
Great bike, I still have mine with 250,000Ks on it and still going well. The screen is adjustable, just turn the triangular knob above the speedo and tacho! Great review, Cheers!
Any secrets to getting all those miles out of it? Are there any parts that you would recommend changing because they might fail at a certain mileage? Electric or suspension?
Great bike. Might not be looking that good, but I know it drives good. Here in Germany u see alot of old BMWs driving around..;-)
I had a lot of motorcycles in the past. Then I discovered BMW. Had a K100, a r1100s, r1200gs and now a 2000 r1100rt. Before that a lot of Japanese bikes. All where good, the r1100rt is for my purposes perfect. The 1085 boxertwin is one of the most reliable engines BMW Motorrad produced. The r1100rt is a keeper. It is not the fastes motorcycle I have owned, but it is dropdead reliable. I had put some Tills injectors in the bike and it really makes a diffirence of night and day. Better pickup from low revs and more torque downbelow. No more KFR. I will never sell my bike.
What kind of injectors did you put on your R1100RT?
@@paulglaus6161 There is a company in Germany named Tills. Those injectors are from the 1200 boxer with more holes. It will give you a whole diffirent riding experience. No more KFR and more pull from downbelow. Topspeed remains the same (210 km p/h).
@@vinjofin1972 You said that you believe that the “oilheads”, specifically the R1100R engine and transmission motorcycles to be some of the most reliable motorcycles made by BMW, even more than the “airheads” of the 70s - 80s, or the K-bikes?
I have heard that the Oilheads are prone to problems with the clutch splines slipping?
@@paulglaus6161 Clutch splines stripping is more a 1150 thingy.
Clutch splines are not engine mate 😂❤
Bought r1100rt last week.,thing gobbles miles..silly how it loves to go fast and smooth down highway..
They're such good bikes
Wonderful. Thank you.
"BMW R1100RS, the past, present and Future" is a '93 BMW promotion video, how they developed the 259 platform with a laptop on the tank and back where the luggage case is mounted. they even did off road next to the test track. it took them 4 years.
The airhead is a pretty clever design having a cam shaft in the bottom parts of the cyl head to operate the the rocker arms to operate 2 valves each.
You need steel flex brake lines, BMW doesn't sell the original brake lines anymore.
I got one as well recently and acquired the 17 inch R1150RS wheels, front fork and brake calipers, bought the matching wheel spacer (from the R1150RS, it's a thinner one), i used the final drive house cover from a R1100R to fit the newer rear brake caliper for the R1150 wheels who have the disc mounted on the rim, but both variants will fit, the new wheel with matching caliper or the 3 spoke with it's caliper / disc. no calibration needed and you can use the same original "distance" rings, you find when you open the final drive.
It would be wise to replace the fuel rail and pressure regulator, hal sensor and the internals of the tank (filter and hoses, 4 of them are inside, one is a short bended hose, around 40€).
Also the 4 bearings and seals in the telelever wishbone (under the tank) require attention due to the age, a
259 is an oilhead.
Own a '95 model. Gearbox is partially broken, meaning the 2. gear is finicky regarding the shifting process. The gear forks (if that's what they are called in English) seem to bend or something. I have to be really considerate when shifting to gear 2.
Also, the ABS sometimes doesn't start when battery voltage is only a little low. I believe it is due to a higher current draw when starting, having the voltage drop too low. I'm considering implementing a bypass relais for the starting process, so that the ABS only starts when the motor is already running, making sure the voltage is high enough.
Otherwise, rides exceptionally well.
you can wire a relay into the power for the ABS unit that is activated by the power from the alternator.. therefore, the ABS test does not start until the engine is running.. problem solved...
Well.. Did that work?
Question. After you start the engine, there is a blinking red light. Is that ABS warning light, that stops blinking the moment you roll? Red lights make me nervous.
Yes abs light
@@SirDrifto Thanks. Gonna get such a bike soon. Couple of weeks. It needs some TLC first. Yours is a great one.
You didn't mention the exact price paid / where / when ?
It'd be helpful to know !
Great test. Thanks
Seen one on sale, wish I could get it but summer is soon over and I need to repair the car
great video - I'm considering purchasing one of these but am wondering whether it's sufficiently nimble for some cautious lane splitting in the big city. Can you comment?
More nimble than you’d expect. Perfect balance of sport and touring
Great price point, I picked one up for 2K, you just can't ride it over an hour comfortably! I sold it and picked up an 81 R100RT that can go cross country!
Man, these cost only like 1500 euros in the Netherlands. I'm thinking of getting one!
Still hands down my favorite touring bikr
This is one of those bikes that you love after time. You may need to look at it for a bit longer and then you start realising how great they are. I am thinking of getting the R1150rs. It is way easier to find it. :) Great video bro, enjoyed it. :) Drop by when you can, you may like my content. Cheers.
it is a R1100 RSL it has lowers not rs rsl. only the first year, red, , if you left then in the garge and forgot about it it could catch on fire. Great bike.
Back in the day they had the nasty habit to fall apart pretty quickly. It took BMW several recalls to correct all the failures, so if you get one make sure it saw all of the improvements. The later models are very solid though.
However, in Germany there is an additional problem: if the ABS fails - and it does regularily - you have to repair it in order to get TÜV, the technical test every 2 years. This repair job is very expensive, mostly between 1000 and 2000€. In many cases this is well above what is reasonable to spend for an old bike. There are many R1100s in different variations below 3000€ here, but if the ABS light comes on and stays on, you can pretty much throw them away, which is sad.
No, it is not sad, the story is far more simple. Go to a BMW workshop and ask why these ABS units stop working. When I remember correctly, the problem is replacing the brake fluid using the wrong DOT number. That is what these ABS pumps can not stand, the wrong brake fluid. That is all. When you think you can ride on the wrong type brake fluid, you are destroying your own ABS unit. And the people complaining their ABS unit is so bad, well, they didn't read the workshop manual. Replace your brake fluid more often, that is always a good idea. It is an older generation ABS, those are sensitive. And oh yes, you must use exactly the brake fluid that is prescribed.
Again, if I remember correct. Just bought an R1100RS, so I need to check this. But I do remember, that expensive problem can be prevented very easy, but when you are too late, it is often your own fault. Buying a bike, check if ABS is okay. And use the RIGHT brake fluid (5 is not the newer 4, it is another type). Ah, I think it is THAT, when BMW says DOT 4, you must not be so stupid to use DOT 5. It is not the same, you need to be very precise here. Believe me, not all mechano's are autistic enough, they think ah, 4, then 5 is better and here that is WRONG. For the ABS unit you must use the prescribed brake fluid and nothing else. Got that? Then you will never need to buy a new one, again. If everything goes normal..
I have a’94 RS. The windshield can be manually raised and lowered-yours should also.
So another guy shot me a message about a day ago and said the same thing. I went out and look and then realized the lever was just stuck from not being used. This whole time I thought the windscreen was fixed 🤦♂️
@@SirDrifto You just push it in and it pops out.
The windshield can be raised manually.
Do you think this is a good choice for a taller rider too?
absolutely, the height increase options are great for the taller rider, its usually the opposite for short people, you can only do so much to bring the bike lower. In my opinion, find one that you could put some miles on it, see how you feel riding it posture wise, that will be the buying factor.
I'm 6 ft 5 and love this if that helps. The adjustable seat helps a lot to extend the viable height range.
My ‘96 R1100RT fits me like a dream, I’m 6’6” and have a 34” inseam. The adjustable seat makes all the difference, I’ve never found a bike that fits me better.
Speaking from my own experience... There are reasons they are forgotten. I had a very early one, 1993. The first generation using the than new 259 type boxer engine. I bought a one owner, low mileage example. But it did not have a maintenance history. In my experience this is mandatory for any Beemer. It is very hard if not impossible to get the early ones to run fine. All boxer Beemers suffer from 'KFR' (kurz fahr ruckeln - German) till BMW introduced the twin spark boxer engines in 2004. What it means is that the engine simple does not run smoothly below 3000 - 3500 revs. Also resale value is not too good. Most people who are in the market for a boxer Beemer look for the real touring version, the RT. Mine never ran well and I sold it with a huge loss. For sport touring I now have a VFR 750 4th gen, a much better and certainly as reliable a bike as the RS. But... I still have a beemer, I got smart and got myself a R1150RT, probably one of the best touring bikes ever. And I would recommend the 1100 S if you really want to ride a sporty Beemer... However I believe the Japanese build much better sport touring bikes that are certainly as reliable and durable as a Beemer. And do not forget that Beemers are indeed very reliable as long as they are properly maintained which is all but cheap!
Video says they went to a more powerful and engine with a 6 speed in 1999. I cannot substantiate this. Everything I can find says 90 hp, 5 speed.
My RS got 45-50 mpg. Range over 300 miles.
Shame about the abs initialization issues.
Tiny windscreen.
I'd guess larger ones are available ?
I added a Givi Touring windscreen to my Burgman 400.
Light years better than factory one.
Aeroflow was one option, wonderlich, was another.
R1100RS is not an Airhead. It's an Oilhead. I took delivery the very first US spec R1100RS (94 model year) in Munich in 1993 and put 159 thousand miles on it crashing it on a patch of diesel in Texas. It was a great bike. The longest day I ever did on it was 1329 miles in 22 hours. It was torture.
That piece of wiring tape flapping would give me the Shits, it needs tidying up !
Before dipping a toe on one of these, Google their reliability...gearbixes, final drives, clutch input shafts, splines, ABS issues, smoking when put on side stand, front steering joints, surging, cam chains, camshafts, the crank position sensor (Hall Effect) that will leave you stranded without warning ...they are grenades with the pin pulled.
I'm assuming you had a bad one?
@@SirDrifto had a couple, mainly repair them, good income stream😎
The only amazing motorcycle, is one I can buy for under $2000
This one seems to have 2x more horsepower than it actually needs, which means lower MPG. 450cc and 45hp seems to be around the sweet spot.
It’s true I’m always in the throttle
Pre load your shifts on most oilheads and the clunkyness goes away.
Yes, exactly. Press the shift lever up or down and THEN pull the clutch. It's much better.
The early ones had k1100 gearboxes that could not handle the boxer tourqe
Bull***, gearboxes between K and R types were never interchangeable.
Topcases are evil. People put heavy things in it. Better have two cases, weight is lower. And a topcase can easily give you aerodynamic problems, try instability at high speed. No matter what nonsens other rides tell you, NEVER buy a top case. Unless you need it for a passenger back rest. The medieval bikers say pillion, now. Two watertight cases is great, and forget the top case, it is the worst possible spot for extra weight.
I want to buy one if anyone has one for sale in New Forest I am
8:38 Be careful how you say things. I ride 300 miles, and not going to wake up the next morning. What the F650?!
That’s an RSL
Great bike but the 1150rs had a 6th gear
It's a pure and simple good handling touring motorcycle. Not a sports bike.
Beats a lot of modern bikes in handling, great in the twisties.
ps, 1k cost
Mate why are you saying everything twice,peeps don't have all day to listen to you,whip up the pace for Christmas sake
Super awesome video
IT's NOT an AIRHEAD! It's an OILHEAD!
make sure the original brake lines are replaced.. they disintegrate from the inside !!!! - age related not mileage related...
On my '95 RT (owned from new) I've done that and also the fuel lines and fuel pump. The only thing that has caused a breakdown (two years ago) -- and was damned hard for the (very good) mechanic to find was inside the cover on the front of the engine is a Hall effect (I think) crank position sensor. The wires, inside that hot part of the engine, had the plastic insulation break down and they shorted intermittently and then more and more. The outer protective cover still looked like new, but the insulation on the actual wires turned basically to dust.
@@BruceHoult yes, I have a new spare hall effect sensor I carry with me if I go on a long distance adventure.. maybe I should just replace it now - seems it is a known failure point... owned from new is very impressive !!!!....
@@BruceHoult
Don't ya just love that mid/late 90s German bikes & cars "Soy based" wiring insulation ?
Horrible issue on Mercedes C class cars of that era !
Just bought a 99 R1100R with 8,800 miles and had front brakes lock up. Combination of old brake fluid and bad lines. Replaced them and it’s a good as new.
@@milesinnz Rear wheel bearing/oil seal/o-ring are other items to take with you. Its a roadside repair to replace these items but the parts are hard to come by (and expensive to). And don't forget a laminated wiring diagram, the electrics can fail on these older bikes.
BMW are not reliable you are very lucky, fun to ride but overly complicated and when they break bring out your wallet. Own three all except for my r100rs are unreliable the electronics are unfixable even with a hex gs 911 . Stay close to home.