Advice please! On 2004 R1150R

Topics related to the ownership, maintenance, equipping, operation, and riding of the R1150R.

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JDay
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Advice please! On 2004 R1150R

Post by JDay »

Hey Gang,

First time posting on the board and just getting into motorcycles. I am looking at a 2004 BMW R1150R with 15K miles as a starter bike. It is in PERFECT condition, not a scratch, ding,or dent. Brand new tires and after market wind guard--something German made, high end he said. The gentleman is asking $4,400USD for this beauty.

Any advice on price, or questions I should be asking and things I should look for would be very appreciated.

Thanks!
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Re: Advice please! On 2004 R1150R

Post by sjbmw »

Hi,

You do not mention if the bike has ABS. Which will affect the value somewhat.
2004 had both models for sale, with, and without, and the ABS models were more money. (at least 500 more but my memory fades, as I own a 2004 non ABS model, purchased new in August 2003.)

15k mikes is LOW. Bike is barely broken in. Good thing there.
kbb.com will give a ballpark starting point, but its just a starting point. non-ABS: https://www.kbb.com/motorcycles/bmw/r11 ... ype=retail

What I would look for:
Maintenance history: Did the owner do all the service? or a local dealer?
Are there any records?

Were there any recalls serviced? Google the recall history on the bike, and confirm they were addressed.
(The bike did have a recall on the fuel quick disconnects in late 2004. )

Get a list of the make and model of all the after market upgrades, and google them.
See what the used parts market says about their worth.
beemerboneyard.com sells used parts, they are a decent barometer.

Ask about any final drive issues. All BMW's in these model years had final drive failures that took the BMW forums by storm in 2005....
The % of failures did not correlate to the size of the internet explosion, but my bike did have new re-shimmed front bearings done years back.
see what the owner's opinion of that is, if they were the owner back then.

Sounds like a great bike.
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Photoguy
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Re: Advice please! On 2004 R1150R

Post by Photoguy »

All great advice above!

IMO, it's not a bad price and it's certainly in the range. As has been said, check the pricing guides and look around for similar bikes for a sense of the market which I think is really the determining factor, and the seller may have done the same to set his price. Depending on the particular circumstances you'd likely be able to make a lower offer, and who knows? At the end of the day I think you'll find a price that's right for you and not sweat a few hundred either way, at least that's how I'd approach it.

Not sure where you are and I think local markets probably differ, but I just picked up mine a few weeks ago in the Boston area. Seller was asking 4400 as well. Bike had some additional aftermarket items, ABS and I was satisfied with the service history. I offered 3800 after some research and soul searching and he accepted. There are undoubtedly similar bikes that have sold for less and probably some that have sold for more. Bottom line was that the price was satisfactory for me (and obviously, the seller too). I rented a U-Haul trailer for $15 and brought it home.

I'm on my second 11150R and I think it's really a great do-all bike. It has some cool technology, rides well and has a big fun factor. It's also a little different from most bikes on the road, which for me anyway is a big factor- I never felt part of the HD crowd, the V twin knockoffs are ...well, knock-offs. Sport bikes aren't really my thing and that doesn't leave many other choices, at least for what I'm looking for. There are probably bikes designed to do very specific things better but I've not encountered any shortcomings with the R.

Hope it works out for you, and welcome to the board-

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Kirya
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Re: Advice please! On 2004 R1150R

Post by Kirya »

It is a heavy bike for getting into motorcycles. I would start from something lighter and less powerful and I probably should stop my post there.

Price wise: it depends where you are. Used marked in US is under tremendous stress of cheap and new motorcycles. $4.4k can buy you a lot of a bike these days, older r1200rt and r1200gs are approaching that price point today.

ABS wise: ABS is more a hassle than good for such aged bike. Bike had to be annually and expensively serviced for that ABS module to function on 14th year of service. I would opt for the 2004 bike without ABS or budget for that module to be removed soon.
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peels
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Re: Advice please! On 2004 R1150R

Post by peels »

buy it. replace all fluids immediately, especially if ABS. do all maintenance. take time to learn properly. Do not go out squidding.
2002 R1150R. Helmets save more lives than loud pipes.
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Re: Advice please! On 2004 R1150R

Post by RadicalR1150R »

I agree with peels.. Jump on it ." Buy It" Just take it slow, the learning I mean. If your taller than,say 5'8" you've an advantage in being able to touch your foot to the ground when stopping & or holding the bike up..
And yes. as stated above, change all the fluids. You can learn everything you'll need to know about that, & much much more, right here from the talented members on this forum. you'll learn where the oil gets put in, let out, what size wrench to use etc..
Good Luck..welcome too..
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Re: Advice please! On 2004 R1150R

Post by BadToTheBown »

It's a heavy bike for a starter, not too powerful (an opinion for sure, just keep the revs down), if it has ABS, I don't see a down side, enjoy the bike...
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Re: Advice please! On 2004 R1150R

Post by sykospain »

Before you shake on the deal, which I and the others in general think you should, considering your report of the unmarked condition of the bike, look the guy squarely in the eye and ask :-
"Is there a spline-wear issue in the clutch ?"
Watch his eyes like a hawk. You can tell he's lying if he says :-
"What do you mean, spline wear ?"

Actually, by the year 2004, most US models of this bike had been sorted, regarding the misalignment of the clutch bell-housing-to-engine casing problem. Caused by a combination of ham-fisted assembly machining and / or the rare instance of a bike being dropped by the fork-lift loader at the embarkation dock during export to the USA.

These bikes last forever, if they're a 'good' one to start with, and not a Friday-afternoon-early-doors "Let's get this thing finished before we all head down to the local Stube" machine. Believe me, it did happen, even in the Fatherland with its "Let's all be pals together and work co-operatively, Management and Workforce" philosophy.

The bike is 14 years old, but that's a mere scratch on the outer surface of its hard-boiled façade, in comparison with lesser brands of the vintage, which by now would be a pile of worn-out rusty metal.
Just go for it.
This is the list of people I'd trust with my bike
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Re: Advice please! On 2004 R1150R

Post by sjbmw »

lol, that is funny. I remember the theories way back when that someone asserted that all the bikes with final drive issues were assembled on Fridays. That theory actually got internet legs.

I got a different theory, from a BMW Tech at the time: Bikes with drive failures are usually self serviced bikes, and what to look for was missed without a BMW checklist. I repeated that at a BMW club meeting, and almost got run out of town. But, I did get a final drive bearing installed for $125, instead of a 2k drive, so who really knows.

Paul Glaves wrote a MCN Article on the final drive issue, and I used to have the PDF, but a drive failure lost it. His article was exactly the issue what my bike had. If anyone has MCN back issues, I think it was November 2008. I would love to find that PDF again, the internet ate it.

After 53k, I have never even had the bike opened up for a spline check. Then again, Chris Harris made a video that bikes ridden with extra weight will not suffer from it. Let's hear it for the fay guy! Extra cake for a better running bike!

I final thing for the new owner: Google your local BMW Motorcycle club. If you buy the bike, go to meetings. you will learn a lot there.
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Re: Advice please! On 2004 R1150R

Post by kirby »

On the money sykospain. I just back from many 1000 mile 14 day trip to the east coast and back to CA and I'm closing in on 270K miles. Used about 1/2 qt oil. Stopped at a BMW club rally in TN and there were many new BMWs attending including the big! 1600s. Some were shocked? at the condition or my '04 rock!!(good!)
I had upgraded the injectors before leaving on this trip to the new 1200 type. My original injectors had been thru 4 ultra sound cleanings and I figured I'd try the new tech 1200s.

Subjectively I can feel little difference from the 1150 ones but they may? have sharpened the throttle response. The fuel mileage was down a bit which surprised me. Average went from mid 40s to low 40s. With a good tail wind at 80/85 mph I could usually get close to 50 mpg w/the 1150 ones. Same conditions just gave me about 45/46 mpg.

One other thing, after I installed the1200 injectors I put my electronic syn box on it and I have never seen a 1150 that was completely perfectly balanced at the high sensitivity setting on the syn box. I mean all the way from idle to 5,000 the needle stayed at zero. (checked the battery in the box 'cause I thought it was odd(bat good) but I'm not complaining. Today I checked the mileage w/o any load strapped on and it was 49.9 mpg. Close to 100 miles at highway speeds with some full throttle running).

That was what I was hoping for...hummm.

I will run them a bit more before I conclude anything. Could be the load I was carrying 'cause such a long trip required me to have more "stuff" and it may have effected the aerodynamics.

Great machine for what I do. "takes a licking and keeps on ticking"

You old guys will remember that jingle from the old timex watch commercials. Ha!
Last edited by kirby on Sat Jun 02, 2018 7:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Advice please! On 2004 R1150R

Post by swamper »

We have two R 1150 R motorcycles, (02 & 04). They have been excellent during our ownership regarding dependability over the past eight years, we bought them used. Maintenance has been fluid changes, batteries, brake pads and tires. Upgrades have been Russell Day Long seats on both bikes.
Your always going to hear the worst problems of a bike when asked on the internet. For this bike you'll hear problems with coil sticks, Hall sensors, spline wear, ABS, tensioners, etc. Most of these failures have been over exaggerated and are a small percentage of the overall number of 1150 R's on the road.
02R1150R,02R1150Rabs,04R1150R :D 02R1100S,05R1100S(BCR), :shock: (2)-S1000XR :smt003
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Photoguy
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Re: Advice please! On 2004 R1150R

Post by Photoguy »

^I tend to agree. In addition to being a great source of knowledge obviously, the internet also has a way of amplifying some things that probably don't deserve it. I remember trying to buy a replacement microwave oven a few years ago. At the last minute I thought I'd look at some on-line reviews. There wasn't a model or brand that tons of people had negative things to say about. It almost led to analysis paralysis! In the end, I bought what looked good was reasonably priced and had sufficient power and features for my needs....and it all worked out well. Not saying that you shouldn't research and try to avoid pitfalls but I think many can be exaggerated.

Take a trip over to the 'flashlight forum' you'd think that the only solution to having portable light was a thousand dollar, ultra rare metal, imported, military spec tube with a high tech bulb stuck in one end. Or the Rolex forum where anyone who washes their stainless steel watch with anything other than Dawn dishwashing liquid is committing some kind of sacrilege.

It's easy to get hyper focused on the small details, and that can certainly be part of the fun of any hobby or interest. But at the end of the day I think it's also important to have an occasional reality check. For me, it's sometimes just saying it out loud to my wife, and before I'm through with the thought I realize how dumb I can be about some things. :lol:
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Re: Advice please! On 2004 R1150R

Post by Tundra Dweller »

So true. Also consider this is a proven platform with inumerable trouble free miles for most all owners.
If it were a first year model, like my 2008 Kawi Concours 1400 was, I would be concerned.
Example, mine gave me trouble than any Motorcycle I've owned.....never again will I be a beta tester.
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Re: Advice please! On 2004 R1150R

Post by swamper »

So true about the first year models.
02R1150R,02R1150Rabs,04R1150R :D 02R1100S,05R1100S(BCR), :shock: (2)-S1000XR :smt003
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Re: Advice please! On 2004 R1150R

Post by sweatmark »

JDay, let us know about your decision!

FWIW a few of us have been R1150R riders for 15+ years, longer still if you include all the BMW oilheads back to the 1990s. And we're still around because we appreciate the unique all-round attributes of these bikes, especially the R1150R.

FWIW 2 - last weekend I delivered my Rockster to its new owner after 13 years of ownership. And this morning I purchased a replacement Rockster, used, bruised, but lots of heart. Can't wait to start working on it and putting it to work.
Rockster#2, K1300S, S1000R (for sale)
dandeldesierto
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Re: Advice please! On 2004 R1150R

Post by dandeldesierto »

Well, the bases have been pretty well covered, but here's my $.02. I've been riding Boxers (mainly) since the early 90s, starting with an R90/6. I've had four oil-heads (3 R1100 s and one R1150R (current)) and about eight boxers total. Once you "get" the mechanical scheme (which really didn't change all that much through the oilhead days) it is obvious they're fairly easy to work on, very reliable, and fun, although not fast by today's standards. An R1150R is kind of heavy,possibly, for a newbie, but not prohibitively so, and it can be a very solid ride for almost any skill level rider. At the price point you're looking at; it's a no-brainer in my world if the bike is "as advertised". Just remember, if you want to stay alive on a bike, then every ride should be practice to make you a better rider.
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Re: Advice please! On 2004 R1150R

Post by CycleRob »

JDay,
I had a 2002 model for 7 years and about 63K miles. If you do all the work on your own bike it is one of the least expensive and most rewarding bikes to own. If you have it serviced by a BMW dealer it can be one of the most expensive bikes to own. It is a heavy bike but it is blessed with a low center of gravity because of the engine configuration. Being a new rider, when (not IF) you drop the bike, even from a standstill, it can do expensive damage if the engine does not have engine guards! Even if it does, replacement parts are expensive. Considering all of the above and the fact you may not have the mechanical experience or a loaded multi drawer toolbox, I do not recommend you buy that bike. :shock:
My recommendation is a new ($6,200, $6,500 with ABS, both + Destination Charge: $380.00) or clean/used Honda CB500F. Do not balk at that $6,200 MSRP as I consider it a good long term investment compared to ANY other alternative for a new rider. It is lightweight (414 pounds) very easy to ride, cheap to keep (Insurance and routine maintenance), has extremely reliable Honda quality, with enough power and all around performance to thrill/scare a new rider and still keep you pleasingly satisfied when you gain a lot of experience. Also if you end up not riding it very much it will be very easy to sell! BTW, If you have no riding experience at all I recommend you borrow a friends dirtbike, a small one, and ride it in an open dirt/grassy area to develop the skills you’ll need on the road.
https://powersports.honda.com/street/sport/cb500f

Edit: To update link
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Re: Advice please! On 2004 R1150R

Post by riceburner »

What CycleRob said. The best bike for a newcomer is a 500cc twin. You'll learn a huge amount about how to ride, look after, and enjoy owning a motorcycle and will be able to carry that experience for the rest of your life.
I genuinely believe that the vast majority of riding skill comes from riding small low powered bikes, not large bikes.
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Re: Advice please! On 2004 R1150R

Post by Sunbeemer »

I think that many of the above comments are mostly right, but you should factor in your physical ability, inseam length, agility and nimbleness, reaction time, and aptitude for learning muscle memory. If you realize from the start that this is not a "starter" bike and train at a pace that does not exceed your capabilities (many bike accidents result from over-confidence or complacency), then I'd say go for it. If you are impatient, clutzy, can't put both feet on the ground while sitting on the seat, and can't train your muscles to react without thinking (like playing the piano), then start with something less likely to kill you.
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Re: Advice please! On 2004 R1150R

Post by gregor »

As my fitness declines with age and chronic health problems, the weight and sheer size of the bike is getting to be a problem.
So ,yes get a smaller bike as a starter. I don't know what the US regulations for a learner are, but in the UK, they are complex and restrictive. A 125cc /250cc machine makes sense if you are a complete beginner, the low weight will make it so much easier to build confidence.
Enjoy.
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