Bike buying - head or heart

[HisNibbs]

BMW air or even oil head? For a couple of K +, you should be able to get something pretty serviceable.

[D-Rider]

Bike buying - head or heart

Yes

[randomsquid]

for commuting it has to be head. and to me that means some luggaeg capability and some wether protection. the classic is a dullsville - honda build, shaft drive, faired and luggage.

Cheers, Will suggested the same and the idea is growing on me. They're heavy buggers though, but I've commuted on heavier beasts.

[randomsquid]

BMW air or even oil head? For a couple of K +, you should be able to get something pretty serviceable.

Hadn't occurred to me, I'll have a look about.

[randomsquid]

Bike buying - head or heart

Yes

Cheers Andy.

[MartDude]

BMW air or even oil head? For a couple of K +, you should be able to get something pretty serviceable.

Hadn't occurred to me, I'll have a look about.

Airheads are cooler (no, that's not an oxymoron).

You could also then buy my spare Krauser panniers.

[nicketynoo]

Have only just read this thread as I've been sunning myself for a couple of weeks. Hope I've caught you in the nicketynoo of time!
My advice is choose with your head this life cos you could always go with your heart ( what you would rather do ) in the next life!
Oh wait a minute

[randomsquid]

Airheads are cooler (no, that's not an oxymoron).

You could also then buy my spare Krauser panniers.

Those BMWs seem to, how shall I put this, hold their value well.
I've always fancied one with the weird forks.

[randomsquid]

Have only just read this thread as I've been sunning myself for a couple of weeks. Hope I've caught you in the nicketynoo of time!
My advice is choose with your head this life cos you could always go with your heart ( what you would rather do ) in the next life!
Oh wait a minute

There was a lot of sun then Nick? Have you considered a hat?

[nicketynoo]

Actually it was cloudy and windy ,but still warmer than England. A very pleasant break but you're right I could do with a hat as still managed to burn my head due to a lack of anything substantial covering it.

[HisNibbs]

Yes an air cooled one is more classic but if it's an every day commuter to ride and forget something like the following...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/99-BMW-R-1100 ... 3f46fdb7e9

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-R1100S-20 ... 3cf2c6dcee
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-R1100RT-A ... 51cbc3c994

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1998-BMW-R110 ... 3cf2ea546d

[randomsquid]

Yes an air cooled one is more classic but if it's an every day commuter to ride and forget something like the following...

Cheers for that Keith, any idea how robust these things are? I've heard they're the most reliable bikes ever built and also some of the worst.

[MartDude]

You should be fine with the R1100s. Avoid the 1200s

[HisNibbs]

They don't have the best reputation for reliability but I think it is more electrical niggles from new. Basic engineering is sound I think, some thing around 10 years old, well looked after with 40 to 50K on the clock should be a pretty reasonable choice. So the three I picked from ebay looked the right kind of thing. I've not given them a close look and you can easily pay more for a newer model but given what you said you wanted or didn't want, to do with it I reckond that might be a bit of a waste.

A bit of research indicates very early models had gear box problems, (95 ish) and that head gaskets, front wheel bearings and brake master cylinder are weak spots. Many owners are reporting high trouble free mileages and I think any good runner bought today will have had the warranty reclaim stuff sorted.

[MartDude]

John, if you should decide to explore the BMW route further, a friend here is contemplating selling his R1100S. From what he's told me, I don't think he'd expect more than £2K.