No Dealer nearby :-(

[tekxtc]

I am considering a used low miles 2003 R1150R. Unfortunately there is no dealer nearby. I wanted to know if this should be a concern. Not that I am mechanically challenged, but I have never done anything more that oil changes and brake pad replacement on Japanese bikes.

Thoughts?

Thanks!!

[stilldking]

I feel your pain as far as dealerships goes. The one closest to me is almost eight hours away in Sturgis, SD. So, if I have a serious problem, I'll have to put it in the bed of the pick-up and make a lengthy road-trip. How far is the dealership from where you live?
This site has been one of the greatest assets I've come across for maintenance info. My best advice is trust your gut.

JC

[tekxtc]

It is about 2 hours away, so not as bad as 8 hours as it is for you

[MikeCam]

On an 1150 you can do as much of the maintenance as you wish. Tools and skills matter. References and resources abound.

A dealer within 100 miles is not an unreasonable thing. The bike can be maintained at home and needs at best an annual visit to the dealer, bi-annual if you are really confident in your skills.

Routine maintenance consists of fluids, filters, and a few readily available parts.

[Airman]

I am considering a used low miles 2003 R1150R. Unfortunately there is no dealer nearby. I wanted to know if this should be a concern. Not that I am mechanically challenged, but I have never done anything more that oil changes and brake pad replacement on Japanese bikes.

Thoughts?

Thanks!!

I have an `03 as well and it has been pretty trouble free. I had a grip heater fail under warranty, but that's about it. I don't have any real compelling reasons to go down there and they're only about 10 miles from my house. BMW service is very expensive. So far there has not been any maintenance issues that I could not do myself. In a lot of ways it's a simple bike to maintain if you have help like you can get on this site and others on the internet. Some do not wish to do the brake service themselves if they have ABS, but it's doable if you want to take the time to learn the system. Even there, there are detailed accounts with pictures on the net to help you along. MAX BMW has a good parts locator for munbers and Chicago BMW sells OEM parts for 20% off list. I still enjoy going to the dealer to look at stuff, but it's optional.

[awagnon]

I would guess that the 1150R is one of the easiest bikes to work on. Routine maintenance (oil, filter, air filter) is a snap. Intermediate stuff like valve adjustment and throttle body synchronization can be learned either by watching it once or with one of several step-by-step instructions and videos which are available. More involved maintenance and repairs are not beyond an average shade tree mechanic like flushing the brakes, fuel filter replacement, or even a clutch replacement (which will unlikely ever be needed). In fact, I suspect you can do everything except change the tires, and probably could do that if you have the tools.