2 year review

[Hoof]

I’ve had the 2003 R1150r for 2 years now. The best bike I’ve ever ridden.
There was 16,000 miles on the clock when I bought it & I’ve added about 12,000 since purchase. The bike was and still is in excellent cosmetic condition but I think BMW favoured design over mechanical robustness. My BM is now totally ‘sorted’ and I’d be confident in crossing continents on the machine.

Compared to every other BMW I’ve had there were about a dozen things I had to do;
Cut all the overtight cable ties that were damaging the wiring.
Insulated the shorting handlebar heater wires
Wondered at the painful fuel tank removal procedure
Shaken out all the peeling red paint liner in the tank
Replaced the potentially disastrous plastic ‘Quick Connects’
Renewed the ridiculous oil level window
Removed the potentially dangerous dodgy ABS module
Struggled to extract the hidden Bowden Box to change the cables
Replaced the leaky slave cylinder and seals that were causing clutch slip
Replaced the oiled up clutch with oil resistant longer splines version
Added a fender extender
Added bright dingle visible indicator lights
Added extra running & rear brake lights.
From reading the forum articles I believe these repairs to be common for this bike and without the forum; far more difficult to fix. Some of the contributed articles were absolutely excellent (e.g. Clutch Access for Dummies) and so much better than in the handbook. Thanks to all.
Time for me to become a full contributing member.

[riceburner]

Sounds good.

I have to admit I've never (touch wood) had any issues with the original fuel-line QDs.

[swamper]

Good to see you putting effort, time and dollars into the R bike. Not many do these days, to bad because they are great bikes. They ride just as good as the new models.
If your going to be keeping it for a long time the best money spent now that you have it squared away would be the shocks. We changed them out on all five of our 1150R/1100S models and they handle much better. Mostly Ohlins but have one R with TFX. Ohlins are no-longer available but can be found used sometime and have them rebuilt. Personally I've had a lot of problems with the TFX shocks which have had to be replaced under warranty after little usage. I'd recommend contacting David at Fast Bikes Industries and talk with him about new shocks for these bikes. I've been working with him on my Boxer Cup Replica the last month or so, good knowledgeable suspension guy. http://www.fastbikeindustries.com/

[riceburner]

How long do the Ohlins last?
I've always read that they need servicing every 20,000 miles or so, and (at the time) that was my annual mileage (if not more) and i couldn't afford to have the shocks serviced every year.
I do somewhat less mileage now per year so I'm considering better shocks.

[Hoof]

Most of the effort over the past 2 years was to remedy the built in problems of BMW installed bits...but recently I was in a BMW agency where they consider anything over 5 years an old bike! They don't even have the diagnostic testing equipment now for my 2003 R1150R but recommended a guy who does!
I'm not noticing any suspension problems as I guess my riding is not above average ...... I'll hold on the suspension till about 40,000 miles and keep an eye on things. .....but.... I immediately noticed an improvement with the new Michelin Road 5 tyres. Absolutely excellent ride compared to the Road 4s. I have great confidence in them. Pretty much unaffected by tarmac and white road lines too.

If built in obsolescence of parts by accident or design is the future; it will no doubt encourage some riders to buy new bikes every few years. Laws are creeping in (eg construction and use/compulsory ABS) that encourage those purchasers. I think however there will always be riders who get great satisfaction from working on and improving their bikes; knowing the machine is as perfect as can be to ride on highways inhabited by an ever higher percentage of careless drivers.

Thanks to all for help and advice.

[swamper]

Ohlins or any shock probably will need to be rebuilt around 20-25,000 miles. The OEM ones don't last that long, you can still ride them but they aren't doing much to enhance the ride. Ohlin's USA has a service for rebuild that has them back to original specs and are cost efficient. Just had a front Ohlin's rebuilt for one of our R bikes that I had bought used for less than $200.w/shipping. I had found a NOS Ohlins rear for that bike on E-bay.
For many riders worn out shocks aren't a priority because they haven't experienced what new well designed shocks can make. I've been riding for over 53 years now and fell into that category until the last four years. Bought the new 2016 S1000XR and it handled so nice I asked the dealer why was it so much easier to ride than my older bikes. He said put new shocks on one of the old R bikes and you'll know. So we did and the R came to life. So now we have put new shocks on all of our old BMW, or had some Rebuilt by Ohlins USA. Biggest mistake was letting Ted Porter talk me into buying TFX shocks for one of the R bikes when we wanted to buy Ohlins from him.
2002 R1150R New TFX (F&R), replaced under warranty so no miles on the replacements.
2002 R1150R (ABS) Rebuilt Ohlins front, New Ohlins rear, 1,500 miles, put on about 7 months ago.
2004 R1150R New Ohlins (F&R) 8,000 miles. 2 1/2 years old now.
2002 R1100S (ABS) Rebuilt Ohlins (F&R) 1,500 miles, rebuilt 1.5 year ago
2005 R1100S (BCR) Custom Built Ohlins by Fast Bike Industries (F&R), being built, should have them mid October.

[swamper]

I should have added this to the above.
If you like the way new tires feel so much better than the old worn out tires the new shock will do the same but about ten times better.

[Hoof]

Well Swamper - your 53 years experience has just about convinced me there must be something about shocks. I've never really considered them as so important. I'm going to look at these Ohlins for the 1973 R1150R which I ride most of the time now.

The rest of the BMW's I have (R90S, R26, R50/2) are put to one side for Sunday driving perhaps once a month so they can stay as they are, bikes of history with loads of bouncing around..... but who knows the R90S might be next in line if I notice a difference with the R1150 upgrade.
Thanks again - PS talking about shocks of another kind; I too have calculated my riding habit has stretched to 50 odd years now! I believe the machines are hallowed!

[riceburner]

1973 R1150R

I was born that year!

[Hoof]

Hmm - mixed up again - the R1150 is 2003 not 1973 which is my R90S

[swamper]

It's important to set the sag correctly. This will give the full benefit of how the shocks work with the bike. It's not just how the bike rides but how the weight transfers under braking or acceleration. The new shocks make for much better contact between the tires and the road with the right amount of weight on each tire with better contact, front and rear. I think that's why they make the bike track so much better in the turns.
If you can't find Ohlins another good choice I've heard would be Wilbers, but I personally have no experience with them.
I probably don't have to many years of riding left so I'm making my bikes the best they can be for those rides left. This year because of the virus has been the least amount of riding I've done in years. Still have about 6,000 logged, just bought the 1100S BCR last month and have managed to put on 1,000 miles. Probably put on another 1,000 when I put the new Ohlins on before winter closes the mountain roads, that's where this bike is the most fun to ride. Taking one of my R bikes out for a long ride today, probably the 02 ABS as I just got a new Sargent seat for it, but these darn wildfires have closed a lot of the good roads I usually ride on.

[Hoof]

Ohlins no longer care to make shocks for the R1150R - I've ordered Hyperpro

[swamper]

I knew Ohlins wouldn't make them anymore and no more stock anywhere. Hyperpro looks like a nice set up.

[swamper]

Make sure to post a review of the Hyperpro's. Re-installed the TFX replacements on our 02 and they just don't seem to give the ride that the Ohlin's do. Going to have to review this with Ted at the Beemer Shop and see what we can do to make them work better.

[swamper]

Just for the records here, I've contacted Ted at The Beemer Shop and he is getting me some Tractive shocks to replace the TFX that just weren't right for this bike.