Test ride into the darkside...

[Semper Gumby]

...on a 1990 BMW K1 today and concluded that I don't fit.  Too cramped on the footpegs and the handlebars are too far away.  Dawgone thing is really fast though.  The weight is intimidating in the corners but it didn't mind being flicked around.  The turnsignals are annoying what with the LH one on the left the RH one on the right and the cancel for both on the right bar.

In the end after a 60km ride I was happy to get back onto my R65 and sit upright behind the draggy Luftmeister.  

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

It might have turned out to be your "winter" bike, too.  [smiley=flamethrowingsmiley.gif]

[Semper Gumby]

My problem is I want the 60 amp alternator.  I want the "more horsepower" so I can go twoup with heated gear.  I want all of this without CanBus.  ABS would be COOL.  I want fuel injection.  It would be really nice (and really expensive) to call up Russel and get a double winged wonder with electric heat!

I think the early K-bikes fit the bill.  Just not the K1.

Hey -- If the K1 is fuel injected then why does it have a "fuel enrichining circuit"?  The same Choke lever on the LH handle on my R65 rests upon the bar of the K1.  Perhaps the fuel computer is not as good on the early K-bikes....

What I really need is a 1991 or 1992.  (I think)

[Bob_Roller]

The 'enrichener' is just a throttle stop, it moves the throttle at the throttle body, to give a high idle when cold .

You only need it for 20-30 seconds or so, then push it back .

After you get used to the turn directional set-up, it's not awkward, that is, until I get back on the R65 and the switches are not there !!!

[Semper Gumby]

What was really nice is how rock solid the K1 was at any speed!  The speedo was in KPH...<snip>.  Hunkered down behind a tiny windscreen is not the way to travel about the country though!

[darrylri]

So why aren't you looking at a late 90s oilhead?  The RSes are particularly inexpensive these days.  Make sure it has a 1997 or newer trans.  However, the 02 models came with the "whizzy" power assist brakes; I'm guessing you won't like those (nonlinear response, a lot less power in the front brake when the key is off).  And they're a lot lighter than the K bikes, and not as buzzy.

BTW, what's the fear of the CANBUS?

[Semper Gumby]

Stamping CANBUS on something is like stamping AIRCRAFT on others: it makes accessories really expensive...  

Hey Darryl - Particularly expensive to buy or to keep running?  Explain please!  (thanks in advance)

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Hey Darryl - Particularly expensive to buy or to keep running?  Explain please!  (thanks in advance)

He said IN-expensive, Bill.  Slow down in your reading!  

[darrylri]

I thinkk you can get an R1100RS for under $5k.  The maintenance is very similar to an airhead, excepting you need two sets of feeler guages.  The throttle setup is different, too, but there are lots of tutorials on the net on how to get them set, and otherwise they use your old friend, the Twinmax, to balance them.  Oh, and you need a alternator belt every 36,000 miles.

Just as with the airheads, what weak points there are, are well known, as are the fixes.  

And you get double the HP, modern brakes, great suspension, 800 watts and radial tires.  

I have 209,000 miles on my R1100RS.  It hasn't been completely trouble free, but what difficulties I've had have come after it had 150,000 miles on it.  I had a 2002 R1150RS that I put 86,000 completely trouble free miles on.
Regarding the CANBUS, what is there to buy that says CANBUS on it?  I bought a Fuzeblock for my R1200ST, so that I could add accessories without worrying about the CANBUS.  The extra socket I put up on the dash was then trivial to add.  I also put a flashing brake light and a real horn on it; that wasn't any different than doing the same thing to an Airhead.

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

You make it sound pretty good, Darryl!

[darrylri]

The thing to avoid for the home mechanic is the 1150s with the "Whizzy Brakes" (power assist).  Those have two brake circuits and apparently you need to have BMW's service computer to verify that a flush of the lower ciruict is correct.  

People don't like them for their functional properties, also:  nonlinear response at the lever, and very reduced braking (or, alternatively greatly increased lever travel and effort) when the key is off (like when pushing the bike around the garage.)

If you get a bike with the CANBUS, you may want to invest in a GS-911 tool, which lets you read and reset the stored fault codes.  But you don't need this for an 1100 oilhead.

[Bob_Roller]

I've got an '02 R1150R and it doesn't have the assisted brake system .

I don't have ABS, don't know if that makes a difference or not .

I've seen 1150's for sale in the Phoenix area for $5-6000US .

I almost went after one bike, 32,000 miles (52,000km) and needed a clutch replacement, price was $3000US .