BMW R1200R R1150R/T F800 K1200R R1100R/T R1250R RnineT Message Board

Just a quick note to say hello. About 10 years back I had an 2004 R1150R silver but sold it for financial reasons. Then last year, when i could no longer resist the urge, I bought a 650GS and while i had lots of fun on it remembering my love for riding, my heart belongs on a 1150 so I bought a 2004 R1150R red one this time and couldn't be happier, even the cold has settled in it seems. Got it from a great guy who took excellent care of it.

First thing I need are bar risers and a taller windshield. Open to suggestions...??

Thanks!

Jennifer

Welcome back! It seems we have some things in common: like you I got an "R" 10 years ago (a red one) and then after a few years sold it and rode a different bike in the interim. I always missed the BMW though and picked up a 2003 (a black one) this past summer. Couldn't be happier to be riding one again, and this board has been very helpful in figuring some things out.

I can't recommend a particular set of risers but wanted to say that my bike came with them already installed and between the bar risers and lowering the pegs, the bike has 'opened up' in terms of riding comfort where it felt just a little cramped before.

Thanks photoguy, funny about the similar history. Does your name mean you are into photography as well?

My new bike has a great Sergeants seat, but it is a little tall. i can't quite flat foot the bike where i could before, but it is good enough. I just need the handlebars a bit closer so I am not leaning forward putting strain on my neck. I found some offset ones I am going to try.

jdinero2010 wrote:Just a quick note to say hello. About 10 years back I had an 2004 R1150R silver but sold it for financial reasons. Then last year, when i could no longer resist the urge, I bought a 650GS and while i had lots of fun on it remembering my love for riding, my heart belongs on a 1150 so I bought a 2004 R1150R red one this time and couldn't be happier, even the cold has settled in it seems. Got it from a great guy who took excellent care of it.

First thing I need are bar risers and a taller windshield. Open to suggestions...??

Thanks!


Jennifer

Similar story here too! Had a R1150R five years ago and just fancied another as there was a lot of good things about it so I bought a rockster this time...

Yeah, I'm a food photographer which helps explain my lack of mechanical abilities

It seems that the pull is strong, as there's a few other newer riders here as well.

Welcome back. I bought some for a R1200R at Creative Cycle Concepts for around $60. 1" up and 1 1/4" back. Very nice. I'm 5' 6".

https://bmwmotorcycleaccessories.com/

And...they don't seem to carry them now. Rats. Their part number was MT 513-062M if that some how helps.

MT = Moto Techniques

Welcome back! I'm 5'6" and have the Sargent seat as well. I don't mind not being able to flat foot the bike for the exchange of this comfortable seat. I sold my MT risers to someone on this board years ago. It made me too upright especially on the highway.

Welcome back!
Regarding Windshields, this Givi universal came with the 2002 R1150R. I believe this is the model, or it's the AF-49:http://giviusa.com/my-motorcycle/bmw/r1 ... eld-detail

Here's a couple pics, one with and one without the adjustable top section.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/SbUrcNAf9iEm5MiT8

https://photos.app.goo.gl/pGoyau4bEZrf5AL98

Not the best looking Shield out there but it sure works well with quite a bit of height adjustment.
I have a cool little blue tinted bubble shield too. The Givi works so well it stays on full time now.

Ride on!

This should be perfect timing for you since I just got my first BMW this past July, a 2004 R1150R ABS in Silver. It had only 5,100 miles on it and was bone stock except for an LED tail light. I immediately starting researching and getting stuff to make it more comfortable for long trips. Here's a list of my upgrades and impressions of them. All of these have been purchased in the past few months, so the info should be current. In gereral order of necessity, IMO. Hope it helps you.

The Ztechnik tall (20") windshield was the best option in my research. A lot of companies aren't making their accessories for these models any longer since they are getting older. A lot of old threads on this board mention items that are no longer available, but this one still is. It fits, looks, and works great. I highly recommend it. A long-shaft ball-tip allen wrench will make the installation easier as the bottom bolts are a bit difficult to get to. I got it through Sierra BMW and their service was quick and flawless.

The wind hit me at about nose-high with that windshield and I wanted it to hit more fore-head level or higher, so I recently added the Puig Clip-On windshield visor. Now wind hits at about the hairline and that's perfect for me. I'm 5' 11" and have the Sargent seat also.

Wunderlich has a foot peg lowering kit that's excellent. I have long legs and felt really cramped on this bike. The kit includes all the hardware bits and pieces to lower and extend the rear brake and shifter levers too. It seems pricey but considering all the stuff that's included it's not so bad.

The Sargent seat was a necessity, IMO. Nice that your bike came with it.

The Kaoko Throttle lock was the cencensus winner in the reviews I read, and I'm happy with it. My right hand needed some relief on long hauls.

Ram Mount Moto-X bar-mount phone holder works great if you want to use your phone as GPS or for music. I positioned it just inboard of the clutch reservior and that puts it in my line of sight but doesn't block the speedo, tach, or warning lights. Some people mount them in the center but I'd be in trouble if I couldn't see the low-gas light. I connected to ear buds via cord for a while, but recently broke down and got a Bluetooth comm system and love being cordless. Taking a phone call hands-free while doing 75 down the Interstate is kinda wierd, but it works great with my Schuberth C4 helmet and their integrated comm system. Damn pricey though.

Handle bars risers......There's lots of good options for those. Mine are Wunderlich, very solid and good hardware. Easy install, and it gets me a little over an inch of rise and about half that much back-set. Just don't try to go much more than about an inch and a half higher unless you want to invest in longer brake lines, etc.

The Grip Buddy neoprene wraps help with comfort and vibration, and they still transfer the heat from the heated grips. If you have smaller hands you might not like the larger diameter they create.

A Signal Minder not only helps keep me from driving down the road for miles with the turn signal still on, (after 40 years of riding I'd still do that). It also allows you to use the turn signal lights as running lights for visibility. Now my turn signals stay on all the time exept when I use them to signal a turn, (they flash off, instead of flash on). It takes longer to read the instructions than it does to install it. Super simple.

The front fender extender from Pyramid Plastics fits perfect and helps keep the engine and pipes clean. I highly recommend it.

Sparky Pegs hiway pegs add some options to your seating position. It's good to be able to shift positions on a long day. These attach at the spark plug locations and if you have short legs they're a going to be a bit of a reach. But, unless you have crash bars to mount pegs onto, they're the only option for hiway pegs, (that I'm aware of).

One last bit of advise....protect your hearing. I'm suffering from hearing loss after years of riding bikes, shooting guns, and drag racing. Tiny increments of damage aren't noticeable, but by the time you're 60 like me it definately adds up and there's no going back. Be safe.

HAPPY RIDING!

The detailed info above from Barista is all spot-on.
As to the issue of bar risers, the ones you already found that raise the bar up and pull it back a bit are the best, so long as you've checked that the wiring and the front brake and clutch hoses, are long enough.

When I transformed my 2nd Rockster into a really comfortable bike with no wrist- or neck-strain, including replacing the horrible straight Rockster bar with a Roadster one which is raised and angled back, I had to buy two new hoses because the OEM ones as fitted weren't long enough.

I also lowered the footpegs by replacing them with GS versions - but that was a load of hassle, re-engineering the fittings in a motor workshop took a day with help from an engineer. Were I to do the lowering from scratch again, I'd just buy the Wunderlich or Hornig or Verholen kits instead.

And the Z-Technik screen as recommended above is the business for these bikes.

Thanks everyone!

I bought my first "R" brand new back in Oct. 2002 (an '03 model). I put somewhere in the ballpark of 65,000 miles on it, then somehow got the idea that I needed something new so I sold in in 2011. The "replacement" bike never lived up to the high standards my "R" had set, however, and I missed it dearly as I tried to convince myself that the newer bike was just as good. Long story short, there's now an '04 1150R in my garage and it feels like coming home. Oh man have I missed this feeling! And with less than 20,000 miles on it, there's plenty of life left in the new (old) girl.

rydfly wrote:I bought my first "R" brand new back in Oct. 2002 (an '03 model). I put somewhere in the ballpark of 65,000 miles on it, then somehow got the idea that I needed something new so I sold in in 2011. The "replacement" bike never lived up to the high standards my "R" had set, however, and I missed it dearly as I tried to convince myself that the newer bike was just as good. Long story short, there's now an '04 1150R in my garage and it feels like coming home. Oh man have I missed this feeling! And with less than 20,000 miles on it, there's plenty of life left in the new (old) girl.

I could have repeated your story almost verbatim.I started with a '96, then to a '02 then away for a while on something else and back now on an '03.

Welcome back!

This thread has been around for awhile but I thought I'd chime in. Could be that you've still not solved the windshield problem. My ride - also a 2004 came with a BMW accessary shield - well made,well mounted. I picked the bike up in Saskatoon, Canada and rode it back to Colorado. I immediately realized the shield was too low for the way I ride - noise/bugs. I wasn't sure an extension would work but I liked everything but the height. I ordered a MRA X-creen clamp on spoiler blade from Twisted Throttle - went clamp-on instead of bolt on because I didn't want to drill into the shield for a number of reasons. It's not cheap -$162- but what isn't for motorcycles. I was surprised how much this worked for me - couldn't be happier. Occasionally I stand up to remember how much more wind I experienced before. It's adjustable as to height and angle. Because of the space between shield and extension there is zero turbulence. It's best to slightly tighten the tiny fasteners once in a while.