It lives!

Dewi Sant

Veteran
Location
Lancashire, England
Name
Guess?
I've not ridden my bike (as in motorbike - BMW R1200R) since last August. This has been the first winter since i started riding bikes many moons ago (1967-ish) that I've taken any of my bikes off the road during the cold, damp months. It was mainly due to me getting older and feeling the cold a bit more, especially after my heart attack and having to take blood thinners which makes me permanently feel cold. Added to that my reactions are a bit slower now so at the end of last August when the bike was due a service and the insurance and road tax were due I made the decision to leave it for a while.

I've spent the last few days doing a few jobs on it and left it overnight with the battery on charge, I insured it last week and taxed it this morning then went down to the garage and fired it up for the first time in 7 months. I'd forgotten what a wonderful sound a 1200cc flat twin boxer engine fitted with an Akrapovic titanium exhaust makes. I'm just sat here having a bit of lunch then I'm off to see if my bike gear still fits and go for a little ride out somewhere. Might even chuck a camera in my top box :)

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Dewi

You have one 2 many 2's in there

I had an R850R, (but the older model - never had an "Hex-head") - best colour

It was a good bike - I'll find an image

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Probably one of the bikes I never fell off!!!
 
Wow! I'd forgotten how incredible this bike is. :) Just got back with a grin from ear to ear. I took a few photos which I'll post up later.

Bill, Freudian slip - I WANT a 12,200 cee cee bike :)

I had the 1100 version of the earlier 'R' back in the early 2000s, it took me on quite a few bike tours. I stupidlly swapped it for the R1100S which was the worst bike i ever owned - great to ride but it was so unreliable and lots of things fell off.. It even caught fire one day at a biker's meet & I just managed to pull the main fuse before it went up in flames. In retrospect I should have let it burn! I got rid of it shortly after and spent a few years with Hondas, Yamaha and even a Harley before returning to Beemers in 2011

The R1100R

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and the R1100S

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It actually made it to Switzerland in 2004 - and back again! I've got a (bad) photo of it at Lake Geneva to prove it ::)

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How to pack a bike on tour. Leaving our hotel at Chamonix

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I've got a 2004 BMW R1150R and the winter was so nasty here in the U.S. Northeast that it has been on a battery tender in my garage since November. We got more snow last week and a surprise few inches yet again in the New York metropolitan area yesterday. Ugh.
 
Thanks Dewi,

I always fancied an S - BMW made some beautiful Bikes

But the most fun I have ever had was on a F650GS - a weekend, (Friday to Sunday), in Wales "up the valleys" on a BMW off road course - it was in the early days of Charlie Boorman and he was there - (contrary to what his TV persona may be, he was a really nice guy)

The only problem that I had was that a fell off on a forest track and the guy behind me, (who if I may say was following too close), ran over me - I was OK but called him a P1llock which went down well.

I had a R1150GSA at the time - tried it off road - but it, (sorry I), wasn't great - after it's been down a few times it impossible to pick up when you are cream crackered.

The only Bike I now ride "out here" is an R80 from 1985, lovely Bike but I suppose I now only use it a few times so the insurance works out at about £20 a ride - in France there is no such thing as SORN, if the Bike is registered you have to insure it and insurance is at least 2 times the UK.


(PS - like mine, your paving slabs needed weed killing!)
 
Ah, but we've had a nice new driveway laid since then, Bill. :D Yes, Beemers are heavy things to pick up off the floor, mine have been dropped once or twice. There is an easy-ish way to do it though without giving yourself a hernia. I've been looking at R80 /100s with a view to making a cafe racer out of one - something like this: I think they look superb stripped out. Something for a winter project later this year maybe.
 
Ah, but we've had a nice new driveway laid since then, Bill. :D Yes, Beemers are heavy things to pick up off the floor, mine have been dropped once or twice. There is an easy-ish way to do it though without giving yourself a hernia. I've been looking at R80 /100s with a view to making a cafe racer out of one - something like this: I think they look superb stripped out. Something for a winter project later this year maybe.

nice - but they cost a fortune - I have a restoration that I have started in the Barn loft …….. a 75/5 or a later 75 - my memory is not great these days - all painting done by dream machine - frame and all other bits power coated …….. the pieces are all over the place ……. new tyres on the spoked wheels, (same wheels as a R90S) …….. cannot remember what I did to the engine, (nothing I think) ……… I also started an R80ST which I never really finished …… but managed to sell that before we left the UK.
If you ever need any airhead bits I have got boxes full in that I have has a few R80G/S's, R80ST's and similar as well as a few paralever GS's …… I've still got a "mint" R100GS PD …… 1996 I think …….. one of the last …. if you are ever interested……… unusual colour scheme…… not many sold .. really low miles ……. it is one that I imported from Germany a few years back …….. I'll never ride it …. but the 100PD is one of my favourite Bikes …….I had a few R100GS PD's


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I didn't know you were such a BMW nut, Bill - quite a collection! I've always wanted a GS, alas my short hairy legs don't allow it. I'm only 5' 6" in my slippers - and they've got cuban heels. My R1200R is a factory lowered one, not many of them were made so I was lucky getting it. The old R1100R had, as you know, a 3 way adjustable height seat. I always thought it was a retrograde step not putting it on the later models, it was one reason I went over to Hondas rather than graduate to the R1150R, the seat was slightly lower on the VFRs and they were a bit lighter.

A photo of another of my Beemers, this is the one I had before the R1200R. I only had for about 6 months, it was nice bike but I missed a more powerful engine so when the lowered R1200R turned up I had to let it go. Got a good deal as well from Rainbow (large BMW motorrad dealer ion Rotherham) so i lost very little on it.

Also some photos from today, I stopped off at Lathom Locks for a quick photo call. Only had my ageing Canon A650 with me so the quality's not great I'm afraid, these were the best of a bad bunch.

The BMW F800ST

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And, today ...

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never seen an F800ST - is that the single cylinder Italian engine - the new F's are supposed to be good ....... by new I mean those produced in the last 8 years - just lost touch these days.
I still have an R90S and R100RS Motorsport as well as the R80 and the PD
 
never seen an F800ST - is that the single cylinder Italian engine - the new F's are supposed to be good ....... by new I mean those produced in the last 8 years - just lost touch these days.
I still have an R90S and R100RS Motorsport as well as the R80 and the PD

Yes, the F800ST is one of the newer-generation 800cc Rotax singles from BMW. I got to ride one at a dealer event a couple of years ago. Frankly, I think if I were buying a new BMW today, that would be it.

bmw f800 st - Google Search
 
Nope, it's a parallel twin with belt drive, Steve. A Rotax / BMW collaboration with more emphasis on the Rotax. Very light and it goes well but not a good pillion bike, and there are / were massive problems with the design of the rear wheel bearing housing which has a tendency to monumentally self destruct - usually just out of warranty, and it's very expensive. A great shame, as it's yet another BMW flawed design. They make great bikes to ride but they are very suspect in the reliablitly arena. http://www.dewisant-photography.net/y_ogb_BMW_ST800.htm

The final drive unit (shaft drive axle) of the R1200R has problems too, a carry over from similar flaws with the R1150. Initially the R1200 had a "filled" for life final drive unit, but within 6 months the warranty claims had already started! Eventually they suggested changing the oil periodically - but there was no proper drain plug, or filler so changing it was a real faff. Later models (like mine) had drain and filler holes machined but still they were getting warranty claims for blown seals. Problem? No breather pipe fitted so when there there was a build up of pressure it caused oil to leak past the oil seals. BMW's suggestion? Put less oil in! They reduced the amount from 220ml to 180ml. Worst case scenario was that when the F/D cooled down, moisture could be dragged inside as the pressure reduced thus contaminating the oils which = more failed final drive units and more warranty claims. I fitted a breather to mine, BMW did it on all new models a year later.

Then there's the fuel gauge. mine's just gone kaput last year. It's some kind of oddball design of fuel strip in the tank rather than the traditional float and potentiometer. Result as far as I can ascertain is a very high % failure rate, most within 10k miles. Mine went at 7k miles. Cost to repair? At BMW £340 thank you. D.I.Y? A new unit can be had for around £150 but they last about the same amount of time as the old ones, so a total waste of money. I do what I've always done anyway - i.e zero the trip meter and refill the tank between 180 and 200 miles. The only downside is that when the fuel strip breaks, the low fuel light stays on, and it's very bright but an in-line resistor puts it out and makes the fuel gauge show permanently full

As I say, great bikes to ride - but designed by idiots.
 
Nope, it's a parallel twin with belt drive, Steve. A Rotax / BMW collaboration with more emphasis on the Rotax. Very light and it goes well but not a good pillion bike, and there are / were massive problems with the design of the rear wheel bearing housing which has a tendency to monumentally self destruct - usually just out of warranty, and it's very expensive. A great shame, as it's yet another BMW flawed design. They make great bikes to ride but they are very suspect in the reliablitly arena. http://www.dewisant-photography.net/y_ogb_BMW_ST800.htm

The final drive unit (shaft drive axle) of the R1200R has problems too, a carry over from similar flaws with the R1150. Initially the R1200 had a "filled" for life final drive unit, but within 6 months the warranty claims had already started! Eventually they suggested changing the oil periodically - but there was no proper drain plug, or filler so changing it was a real faff. Later models (like mine) had drain and filler holes machined but still they were getting warranty claims for blown seals. Problem? No breather pipe fitted so when there there was a build up of pressure it caused oil to leak past the oil seals. BMW's suggestion? Put less oil in! They reduced the amount from 220ml to 180ml. Worst case scenario was that when the F/D cooled down, moisture could be dragged inside as the pressure reduced thus contaminating the oils which = more failed final drive units and more warranty claims. I fitted a breather to mine, BMW did it on all new models a year later.

Then there's the fuel gauge. mine's just gone kaput last year. It's some kind of oddball design of fuel strip in the tank rather than the traditional float and potentiometer. Result as far as I can ascertain is a very high % failure rate, most within 10k miles. Mine went at 7k miles. Cost to repair? At BMW £340 thank you. D.I.Y? A new unit can be had for around £150 but they last about the same amount of time as the old ones, so a total waste of money. I do what I've always done anyway - i.e zero the trip meter and refill the tank between 180 and 200 miles. The only downside is that when the fuel strip breaks, the low fuel light stays on, and it's very bright but an in-line resistor puts it out and makes the fuel gauge show permanently full

As I say, great bikes to ride - but designed by idiots.

Yes, you are 100 percent right, Dewi. What was I thinking? I actually know that, too. I typed that at work. I guess I was distracted. And you're right about reliability issues and design flaws with BMW. My gas gauge stopped working after I owned my bike for six months. At least it was replaced under warranty. And plastic fuel line clamps had to be replaced becuase they had a habit cracking... resulting in leaks that resulted in fires. I had to pay for my replacement because BMW never acknowledged the issue. $600, thank you very much. But BMW changed the design to metal clamps two years later. And, to replace the battery on my bike, one must remove the fuel tank. At least my OEM gel-type battery lasted nine years. I'm thinking about picking up a used Triumph Bonneville.
 
Buy an airhead

I married one, Bil (and if anyone tells her I said that, I may have you Killed :))

Steve, funnily enough I've been thinking along the same lines as regards the Triumph. I don't do any long bike tours these days, and probably never will again. My rides are just days out now so it makes sense to make a swap - I love riding the Beemer though which is the only thing stopping me doing it. A mate of mine has just swapped his Bonneville for a Triumph Tiger and he loves it but he misses the Bonnie
 
Ahhh, the F800ST. The beemer that ALMOST converted me. When I was in grad school about to graduate, I did research for over a year looking to upgrade from the kawi Vulcan 500 that got me to class everyday. I narrowed it down to the F800ST (preferably in that blue they had) or a yamaha FZ6. I drove the kawi almost 2 hours to the nearest bimmer dealership to see the 800 in person, and it only made me lust more. On paper, that bike is "me." My problem was the spec sheet and the price tag. There was no realistic way to own one the first year they came out without forking over $12,000. The FZ6, brand new, was $6,600 out the door with a full tank of gas. The little fizzer made more power, was easier and cheaper to fix, never broke down in the first place, and had been out longer so there was a good support network of forums and aftermarket parts.

I still look longingly at the ST's, but that fizzer now has over 51k miles on the clock and has yet to cause me a moment's fuss that I didn't cause. It's been relegated to an outdoor driveway under a soft rain cover, and it kills me not to have a garage to store it in. It's about time to finally hook the tender back up to it and see if everything still works.

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And as for bonnies, I've got a few friends that have them (or now a thruxton). That's really what I'd trade the fizzer for in a heartbeat these days. LOVE those things.
 
Good call on the Yamaha, Kyle, the F800 would break your heart. Lovley bikes but flawed in so many ways - not least of all the price tag. They could have taken the Japs on at their own game had a bit more thought gone into them. I went from a Harley Dynaglide to the F800 so it felt like toy to me at first. After spending some time around the F800 forums it became apparent that the bike had many issues with reliablity. there were ABS problems, warped wheels & brake discs, weak rear wheel bearings, failed headstock bearings - the list goes on.

You'll put a fresh battery and new fuel in your Yamaha and it'll fire up no problem, like Hondas (and most other jap bikes) they're bullet proof. I've had several Yams including a full power Canadian import V.Max - which was fun :)

Go on - get that FZ6 fired up and used, you know you wanna :D
 
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