Questions from a newbie

[cswett]

Had my first brief ride today on my new (to me) R1150R. What a kick. Can't wait for the weekend.
Couple of questions, if you will indulge me:
1) Will my Battery Tender Jr. work on this bike? It has the stock battery.
2) I've had a BMW K75 for a year, and a Suzuki Boulevard 800 for a year before that, so I'm not a total newb. But when I start out in first gear, and I give it enough gas so it won't stall, I accelerate a bit faster than I'm used to, like first is a higher ratio than the bikes I've been riding thus needs more gas. It almost feels like I'm starting in second (which I'm not). Any tips on not jetting away too fast, but not stalling either. I figure I can feather the clutch a bit, but I'm guessing that leads to premature wear.
3) Is it my imagination, or are the mirrors awfully small. Don;t feel I'm getting much of a look backward, compared with the K75.
4) Is there an easy way to install an audible turn signal indicator (which I have done on my two vespas). Turn signal blinker on the dash is not very obvious, way smaller and dimmer than my K75, which I loved. I find myself riding with the blinker on, which is kind of disconserting.
Thanks in advance for the help. I'll try not to be too much of a pest.

[NAIAD]

Had my first brief ride today on my new (to me) R1150R. What a kick. Can't wait for the weekend.
Couple of questions, if you will indulge me:
1) Will my Battery Tender Jr. work on this bike? It has the stock battery.
2) I've had a BMW K75 for a year, and a Suzuki Boulevard 800 for a year before that, so I'm not a total newb. But when I start out in first gear, and I give it enough gas so it won't stall, I accelerate a bit faster than I'm used to, like first is a higher ratio than the bikes I've been riding thus needs more gas. It almost feels like I'm starting in second (which I'm not). Any tips on not jetting away too fast, but not stalling either. I figure I can feather the clutch a bit, but I'm guessing that leads to premature wear.
3) Is it my imagination, or are the mirrors awfully small. Don;t feel I'm getting much of a look backward, compared with the K75.
4) Is there an easy way to install an audible turn signal indicator (which I have done on my two vespas). Turn signal blinker on the dash is not very obvious, way smaller and dimmer than my K75, which I loved. I find myself riding with the blinker on, which is kind of disconserting.
Thanks in advance for the help. I'll try not to be too much of a pest.

1)Battery tender will be fine, you can buy a BMW style plug and use the accessory socket for a connection point if you don't want to wire another harness to the battery.
2) Just an acclimatization factor, that big twin needs a bit of RPM to start off, and feathering the clutch is what you're supposed to do on a motorcycle...the clutches are designed for that. Perhaps you've just gotten in a habit of releasing the clutch lever too quickly???
3) The mirrors are small...some riders change them to another BMW mirror, I think from a K12 bike...use the search function here and I bet you'll find some good threads about the swap, including pictures..
4) Instead of an audible device, you could try a Kisan signal minder. Plug and play thing for Beemer's (and others) which has a variety of features. Search for Kisan Signalminder on the web and check it out... One nice thing about my S bike is that it has factory installed signal canceller...the Kisan can do the same thing (and more)

Good luck! Enjoy that R, it's a helluva nice ride!

Cheers! Bill J

[AirForceDirt]

Had my first brief ride today on my new (to me) R1150R. What a kick. Can't wait for the weekend.
Couple of questions, if you will indulge me:
1) Will my Battery Tender Jr. work on this bike? It has the stock battery.
2) I've had a BMW K75 for a year, and a Suzuki Boulevard 800 for a year before that, so I'm not a total newb. But when I start out in first gear, and I give it enough gas so it won't stall, I accelerate a bit faster than I'm used to, like first is a higher ratio than the bikes I've been riding thus needs more gas. It almost feels like I'm starting in second (which I'm not). Any tips on not jetting away too fast, but not stalling either. I figure I can feather the clutch a bit, but I'm guessing that leads to premature wear.
3) Is it my imagination, or are the mirrors awfully small. Don;t feel I'm getting much of a look backward, compared with the K75.
4) Is there an easy way to install an audible turn signal indicator (which I have done on my two vespas). Turn signal blinker on the dash is not very obvious, way smaller and dimmer than my K75, which I loved. I find myself riding with the blinker on, which is kind of disconserting.
Thanks in advance for the help. I'll try not to be too much of a pest.

1) Might work if you have the connector adapter for the power socket (on the transmission case)
2)The R has a lot of low end torque, so you just get used to it pulling away quickly. You'd have to work kinda hard to stall it and you'll feel it well before it does. Don't be afraid to let it drop a little low on RPM because it'll hold itself together well.
3)The mirrors are small. Tiny even, and totally useless if your as tall as I am and wear an aerostitch. I don't remember what mirrors people replace them with, but I've heard people put the square BMW mirrors on it from a K-somethign or other.
4)No point in putting an audible turn signal indicator as you wouldn't hear it over the engine and wind an other traffic noise without it being retarded-loud. Either remember your signals (pretty easy with a bit of brainpower) or put a Kisan on it. The signal cancel button is pretty easy to hit and if you just absentmindedly push it every so often, you'll know your not riding with the signals on. People will say "Oh, don't push the signal paddles so much because they'll get gummed up and you'll have to change the whole handlebar control side." In response to that: If you aren't riding a GS or through mud and muck and poo all the time, it won't be an issue until you've had the bike for a long long time. believe what you will, and now you have your options.

Lastly-welcome to the club, and enjoy the ride.

[boxermania]

+1 on the prior posts

The mirrors are not too good and too far in. A lot of users have gone to the K bike mirrors, the ones one generation back from the current. They can be obtained from Chicago BMW with a 20% discount. Do a search, not difficult at all and a world of difference.

Welcome aboard and enjoy your ride.....

[Boxer]

Hey, I'm with you on this "AUDIBLE" turn signal idea. If I had that thing going, "beep, beep, beep,beep..." inside my helmet, I'd definitely be more prone to cancel it in a timely manner. Some of our engineer types should be able to come up with something like that. Couldn't it be a Blue Gum...errr Blue Tooth or whatever they call it?

I tell you I'd buy one in a heartbeat,... except I already just make that sound with my own mouth, along with the blinker anyway. I do like my Signalminder. But rarely does it "self-cancel because I find it easier to just cancel with the same button and with me "beeping" like that in my helmet, I never leave it own for more than 20 miles or so.

[wncbmw]

This thread has a picture of my bike with K12 mirrors on it. You can get them used at CyclesRecycled or Beemerboneyard. Did it for the looks but immediately appreciated the greater field of vision.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=16257&p=147429&hili ... rs#p147429

[towerworker]

Back in '03 when I bought my first r I remember riding down Rt 29 in Virginia. A guy in a truck in front of me kept giving his left signal. It would go off for a bit and then he'd hit it again. This went on for several miles. I finally looked down and realized my left signal was on. I canceled it and gave the guy a wave-----he flashed his emergency flashers and then went on. I then got into the habit of occasionally just hitting the cancel switch just in case I forgot from an earlier turn.

My current bike has the Kisan signal minder which does that for me (among other things) but I still have the same habit of canceling my signals from time to time. In time you'll train yourself to cancel and won't even think about it.

Wayne

[Photoguy]

I then got into the habit of occasionally just hitting the cancel switch just in case I forgot from an earlier turn.



Wayne

+1. I'm always hitting the cancel button... just out of habit. It seems easier for me to do than trying to see if the turn signals are on.

As an aside, I had a friend help me with my car's turn signals one time. He stood at the back while I hit the switch. i asked if they were working. He said "They're working...they're not working...they're working...they're not working"

Ba-da-boom.

[rdsmith3]

The K mirrors are much better than the stock round ones






I am always hitting the cancel button for the turn signals, but I sort of remember that DJ Downunder had a problem with his cancel switch falling apart.

[towerworker]

Photoguy,

Not to change the subject but I for the first time looked closely at your avatar. I couldn't count the number of times I did just that. My dad used to wonder how I survived childhood.

wayne

[NAIAD]

FYI, I noticed in the new Aerostich Catalog an audible turn signal device...perhaps that's what you're looking for...

Cheers! BJ

[jfbarron]

You worry too much.

When your battery croaks get a PC 680 Odyssesy, end of problems.

Click the turn signal cancel button often.

Run it hard. The front end will pop up once in a while. You'll run the wheels off the Harley guys. The Jap guys will snicker untill you push them through the corners at warp 9. Tell them you can chat again when they are 45.

The smart ones will nod. The dumb ones will moan about this and that and how great their back breaking bike is. The punks will chump you off. They'll get over it....

You are riding one of the most incredible bikes ever made. The mere thought of that should make you smile. Look around-what do you see?

People that wish that they were you?

That's what I see.

What a rush!