The BMW R1100GS page 1
BMW R1100GS

THE BMW R1100GS

Page 1

Background

The 1994-?? R1100GS

The Oilheads

Now click to see the bigger picture! A   new generation of boxers first appeared in 1993 with the R1100RS. Everything changed including the engine which featured oil as well as air cooling. Although previous models also had both air and oil cooling they are called airheads. The new generation relies more on oil cooling and has smaller cylinder fins. For this reason these new generation boxers are often referred to as oilheads.
The oilheads introduced new high-tech features including: They also had refinements to previously incorporated features e.g.

Telelever and Paralever

Now click to see the bigger picture! The oilheads (except the R1100S) have no real frame but use the engine and gearbox as stressed members. At the front they feature Telelever suspension and at the rear paralever. Click the image on the left of the very similar R11RS to see it enlarged.
Telelever is BMW's very successful patented front suspension. It separates steering and braking forces and virtually eliminates "brake dive". You have to look closely to see that it is not conventional telescopic forks. Pivoting on the front of the engine is a triangular subframe. This is attached to the steering and front suspension (single shock absorber). Take a look at the telelever drawing of an R1100RS.

The rear suspension uses paralever as on previous models but with the shock centrally mounted between the rear wheel and the engine. Bolted on to (and pivoting on) the gearbox is a rear subframe which attaches to the rear suspension and seat assembly. The rear wheel remains fixed by 4 lugnuts.

R1100GS

The R11GS was the second oilhead, launched in 1994. It:

The features that distinguish the R11GS from other oilheads are:
[ Beam me up Scotty! ]

Specifications

Engine

Type:
Displacement:
Bore x stroke:
Cylinder head:
Crankcase:
Crankshaft:
Lubrication:
Horizontally opposed twin with four valves per cylinder
1085 cm³
99mm x 70.5mm (3.9 x 2.8 inches)
Chain driven high cam/pushrod, screw gapping
One piece aluminum casting, separate gearbox
One piece forged steel, two plain main bearings, split shell big ends
Wet sump, high pressure, cartridge filter, oil cooler, splash feed gearbox
Power:
Torque:
Red line:
Rev limiter:
Compression:
Cooling:
Engine management:
Catalyst: 		80 bhp (60 kW) DIN at 6750 rpm
71.6 lb.ft (97 Nm) at 5250 rpm
7500 rpm
8000 rpm
10.3:1
Air and oil
Bosch Motronic 2.2 with fuel cutoff when coasting
Standard or optional (depending on country)

Transmission

Gearbox:
5 speeds
  • First 4.16
  • Second 2.91
  • Third 2.13
  • Fourth 1.74
  • Top 1.45
Clutch:
Drive:
Final drive:
Final drive ratio: 		180mm dry single plate with diaphram spring
Enclosed shaft with two universal joints and integral torsional damper
Spiral bevel gears
3.0:1 (33:11)

Electrics

Battery:
Alternator:
Charging system:
Headlamp: 		12V, 19Amp/h
700W
14 V, 50 Amp
Single H4 55/60W quartz bulb

Dimensions

Capacity: metal tank
plastic tank
Capacity when warning light illuminates:
Fuel:
6.3 US gallons (24 liters/5.3 Imp gallons)
6.6 US gallons (25 liters/5.5 Imp gallons)
1.2 US gallons (4.7 liters/1 Imp gallon)
95 ROZ (85 MOZ)
Length:
Overall Width:
Wheelbase (unladen): pre-96
96 onwards
Ground Clearance (unladen):
85.4 inches (2189mm)
35.9 inches (920mm) (over mirrors)
59 inches (1499mm)
59.4 inches (1509mm)
7.8 inches (200mm)
Weight distribution:
Unladen weight (dry):
Unladen weight (wet):
Gross weight limit: 		50:50
495lb (225kg)
536lb (243kg)
992lb (442kg)

Frame

Frame: Three piece (front and rear sections with load-bearing engine)

Suspension

Front: BMW Telelever
Single gas-filled shock absorber with progressive coil spring
7.5 inches (190mm) travel
Preload adjustment (five steps)
Rear: BMW Paralever (single-sided swinging arm)
Single gas-filled shock absorber with coil spring
7.9 inches (200mm) travel
Preload adjustment (continuously adjustable by handwheel)
Rebound damping (continuously adjustable by screw)

Brakes

Brake pads:
ABS: 		Resistant to fading in wet
FAG ABSII - standard or optional (depending on country) with ability to turn off for offroad usage
Front brakes: Twin 12 inch (305mm) floating discs
Twin four-piston Brembo calipers with angular pad wear compensation
Rear brakes: Single 10.9 inch (200mm) disc
Single two-piston Bremo floating caliper

Tires and wheels

Front wheel
Front tire:
Rear wheel:
Rear tire:
2.5 x 19 inch patented cross spoke
110/80-19 (tubeless)
4 x 17 inch patented cross spoke
150/70-17 (tubeless)

Ergonomic adjustments

Standard fittings *

[ Beam me up Scotty! ]

Performance

Performance

Top speed (solo):
Top speed (two up):
50-74mph in third (80-120kph):
50-74mph in fourth (80-120kph):
50-74mph in fifth (80-120kph):
37-87mph in fifth (60-140kph): 		121mph (195km/h)
114mph (184km/h)
2.9 s
3.8 s
5.2 s
10.4 s

Fuel consumption

Constant 56mph (90km/h):
Constant 75mph (120km/h): 		51 US mpg (61.3 Imperial mpg/4.6 l/100km)
39.8 US mpg (47.8 Imperial mpg/5.9 l/100km)

[ Beam me up Scotty! ]

R850 GS

For model year 1999 BMW released its GS model fitted with the 850cc engine.

This was mainly to address the needs of novice riders in Europe. Restrictors can be fitted to limit power to the new European limit for some novices of 33bhp. However, some of those who have ridden the 850cc GS prefer its smoother, freer-reving engine.

Visually the R850GS is distinguishable from the R11GS only by the tank decals. The official specs and performance for the full-power 850cc and 1100cc bikes are identical (including weight) except for:

Specification

Capacity:
Bore/stroke:
Power:
Torque:
Final drive ratio:
848 cm³ (11GS - 1085 cm³)
87.5mm x 70.5mm (11GS - 99mm x 70.5mm)
70 bhp @ 7,500rpm (11GS - 80 at 6,750)
77Nm @ 5,000rpm (11GS - 97 @ 5,250)
3.2:1 (11GS - 3.0:1)

Performance

Top speed (solo):
Fuel consumption:
185kph (11GS - 195kph)
5.7l/100km @ 120kph (11GS - 5.9)

[ Beam me up Scotty! ]

BMW Accessories

Now click to see the bigger picture! The image on the left shows an R11GS fitted with many of the BMW accessories. Click on it to see the bigger picture. (Note that what is an accessory and what is a standard feature varies from country to country).
The following order came from the Owner Survey, favorite first.

  1. Heated handlebar grips
  2. Black plastic saddlebags, 25 liters on exhaust side, 31 on other side (1)
  3. ABS (2)
  4. Multivario tank bag , up to 27 liters (1)
  5. Black plastic hand guards
  6. Rider's Information Display (RID) (2)
    comprising four digital displays:
    • clock
    • gear indicator
    • oil temperature
    • fuel level
  7. Topcase, as K-series, 35 liters (1)
  8. Catalyst
  9. Metal engine bars (3).
  10. Foam grips
  11. BMW alarm (4)
Notes:
  1. For further details of luggage and some alternatives see customizing, luggage .

  2. ABS and RID are extremely popular - most owners have them. However in the survey they were treated as features not accessories.

  3. BMW engine bars must be removed to change the oil and filter! However they do not use the potentially weak area around the footpegs like a few aftermarket alternatives. (Some of which have to be removed to check the valve clearances).

  4. The BMW alarm was withdrawn for unspecified technical reasons during model year 97. It could be a coincidence but the few owners that had them reported several problems.

  5. The survey also has a list of least favorite accessories. Some accessories score quite highly on both the lists! For example for some owners BMW saddlebags are neat and good looking while others find them small and odd-shaped internally.
[ Beam me up Scotty! ]

Model History

BMW slowly evolves models during their life, the R11GS is no exception. Some of the major changes are listed by model year.(1)

The first bikes

appeared at the beginning of 1994 available in:

Now click to see the bigger picture! Now click to see the bigger picture! Now click to see the bigger picture!
Marakesh red Avus black Alpine white
and had yellow seats (with black as an optional alternative).

There is also a no cost black option - black front wishbone and engine covers. The red model has the black option, the others do not. Look under the tank for the black suspension strut and black engine (except cylinders). The picture of a 97 model offroad (by coincidence also red) shows the black option.

Changes during model year 94

Changes during model year 95

Changes during model year 96

Now click to see the bigger picture! Now click to see the bigger picture! Now click to see the bigger picture!
Marakesh red Avus black Kalahari yellow

Changes during model year 97

Also a new oil control valve installed from black engine number 41956271 and silver engine number 41959303. It was an attempt to make oil level more consistent but at best only a partial success. Best advice to put on sidestand immediately after engine switch off and leave overnight before checking still applies to all R11GS models.

Changes during model year 98

Now click to see the bigger picture!
  • revised tank decals
  • new sidestand with larger foot
  • improved sidestand switch
  • aluminum wheels are now anodized
  • revised piston design - to reduce oil consumption

1998: The 75th anniversary edition

Now click to see the bigger picture! To mark the 75th anniversary of the first BMW bike, the R32, limited editions are available of all oilheads.
As you can see from the picture, (click on it to see a bigger version) the R11GS 75th Anniversary model is Marakesh red with Alpine white stripes. Included in the price were:

Changes during model year 99

Click here to see the bigger picture!

Click here to see the bigger picture!

  • R850GS launched. Very few changes in official specifications from the R11GS.
  • In Europe colors - red, black and Kalahari yellow.
  • In US, Kalahari yellow replaced by white (as image on left).
  • Final limited production two tone paint job available at extra cost - silver metallic/Dakar yellow (as image on left).
  • New tank decals.
  • Gearbox revised (again).
  • ABS II updated to reduce initialization problems especially in cold weather.
  • Front right brake caliper fitted with black allen headed bleed nipple. (It is part of the pressure bleed system used at the factory to pressure fill the brake system from the bottom. Dealers are supposed to remove it and install the standard bleeder. If not, see your dealer.)
In August 1999 the final R11GS rolled off the production line in Spandau, Berlin. It had been the most successful model of the GS models with 39,104 examples produced since September 1993. The R850GS continued unchanged.

R1150GS

In September 1999 (i.e. the start of Production year 2000) the R1150GS began its production run. It is a major revision of the R11GS and features the following differences. The following parts are shared by the R1100GS and R1150GS and so are interchangeable: Impressions of R11GS owners when test riding the R1150GS: All in all, a nice evolution of the R11GS. You can jump off the old one and feel straight at home on the new one.

Country variations
All US 49 State R11GS have as standard both catalytic converter and carbon canister. They meet the strictest emissions guidelines BMW expect any time during the current engine's production life. This includes new regulations to come from California's Air Resources Board.

The specifications for other countries vary.

Production Year Notes
  1. Production for the new model year starts after the annual works holiday in August. The production model year runs from September to August e.g. model year 98 runs from September 97 to August 98.

    However there is always a delay between production and registration. So not all bikes registered during that period are from that model year. For example some 98 models were registered during October 98 which falls within model year 99.

  2. Individual changes are sometimes introduced piecemeal during a model year. This means that a particular bike may not necessarily have all the changes listed for its model year.

  3. An individual bike may have pieces from a following production year retro-fitted by a dealer or owner.

[ Beam me up Scotty! ]

Offroad Ability

The R11GS is not as agile offroad as previous GS models. Compared to them the R11GS is:
PROs
CONs
  • more powerful
  • fitted with Telelever
  • fitted with more durable shaft drive
  • fitted with improved electrics
  • better braked
  • heavier
  • fitted with a smaller (19 inch) front wheel
  • more road-oriented
  • more sophisticated
  • more expensive
Also, the R11GS "frame" can break when used very extensively and heavily off-road. However, only a tiny number of failures have occurred, mostly in Australia. For more information, see Frame reinforcing kit and also David Loone's R1100GS page . However, don't get too worried, in the unlikely event that you do break your frame BMW will replace it.

Now click to see the bigger picture! Despite this, the R11GS retains real offroad ability. Many owners take their R11GSs way offroad without problems and really enjoy doing so.

The ABS fitted to the R11GS can be switched off when offroad. However on certain surfaces some owners prefer to keep it on.

[ Beam me up Scotty! ]

Rivals

BMW R1100RT

An alternative bike many potential R11GS owners consider is the BMW R1100RT. They are mechanically very similar and both make excellent long-distance tourers solo or two up. S. Cary Littell Jr hosts the definitive R1100RT webpage.

Based on many posts from owners who own or have ridden both, here is a comparison of the two.

R11GS the triathelete:

R11RT the sports tourer:

  1. 535lb (243 kg) wet
  2. Cheaper
  3. Stiffer suspension
  4. Better in the twisties
  5. Accelerates better below 100mph
  6. More torquey engine (more midrange)
  1. 620lb (282kg) wet
  2. More expensive
  3. Softer suspension
  4. Better on long flat out straights
  5. Accelerates better above 100mph
  6. More powerful engine (more top end)
  1. More fun
  2. Buzzier when cruising (gearing)
  3. Lot of wind noise
  4. Seat height 840 or 860mm
  5. Stock seat slightly less comfortable
  6. Passengers don't complain much
  7. BMW saddlebags an option (1 x 25l, 1 x 31l)
  1. Longer range (more fuel efficient + tank 2l bigger)
  2. More relaxed when cruising (gearing)
  3. Quieter
  4. Seat height 780, 800 or 820mm
  5. Stock seat slightly more comfortable
  6. Passengers tend to prefer RT
  7. BMW saddlebags standard (2 x 31l)
  1. Real offroad ability
  2. Easier to maintain (fewer panels)
  3. Wheels difficult to clean
  4. Lane splitting easy
  5. Better in hot weather (more airflow)
  6. Legs free to move
  7. Uglier(?)
  1. Large vibration free mirrors
  2. Easier to clean (panels)
  3. Wheels can warp (keeping correct tire pressure essential)
  4. Lane splitting difficult even without saddlebags (can't see corners)
  5. Better in cold weather (fairing and heating)
  6. Legs more restricted
  7. Wider footrests
Standard:
  • Screen adjustable when stationary
  • Black plastic cylinder head protectors
Standard:
  • Electric screen adjustable on move
  • Fairing pocket
  • Warm air diffuser from radiator
  • Thermostat
  • Radio option (stock not recommended)

Some have suggested that an R11GS with large fairing (Aeroflow or Parabellum) is more fun and more flexible than an R11RT unless you just want to tour. The fairing can be easily removed for twisties and when going offroad.

Other rivals

There are several new rivals to the R11GS apart from the R1150GS and R1100RT. Here is a comparison of basic specs:
[ Beam me up Scotty! ]

Magazine Articles

American mags

English mags

German mags

Awards

What the Press says

A few quotes from some of the above articles.

Image

Role Engine/Performance Steering/Handling Braking/Suspension Summary Closing Remarks
[ Beam me up Scotty! ]

What Owners Say

The following are stories from owners that have appeared on the BMW-GS email list. (Some of the stories have been edited down.)

Story 1

The R11GS is just so completely different from my previous Japanese road rockets that it takes time to adapt and appreciate it. The local BMW dealer understood this so he gave me an extended test ride.

Immediately I liked the comfortable upright riding position and the view you get ahead. I did not like its looks nor its weight and the indicator switches were a disaster. Riding it through town and then out onto the highway was easy but it somehow felt odd. Those wide bars, cylinders sticking out below you and some funny noises. Like nothing I've been used to.

When I got home at the end of the day I sat down and thought about it. "Yeah its not bad, I like it now more than I did before riding it. But still there's no way I can buy one. It's just too, well, weird."

Next day I hit the twisties. Wow, this bike really rocks! It is just so easy and relaxing to ride, leans to ridiculous angles and eats up bumps. You can ride fast without trying.

And it's practical. The large tank gives a good range and the RID instruments tell you all you need to know. And it has so many nice touches e.g. center stand, rack for solo use and full toolkit.

On top of that the ABS is so re-assuring. As I headed (fast) towards a hairpin I felt a slight pulsing from the rear end. "What's that?" I asked myself. Then I realized it's the ABS operating on the rear. "Oh" was my only reaction. I remained totally unconcerned and relaxed, completely confident that the system would slow me down enough to get round the hairpin under full control. There was none of the wide-eyed, dry throat panic and tension I would have felt if I had been on my bike in the same situation and heard the screech of the rear wheel locking up.

Then there's the BMW build quality and the way they hold their value. Hell, I was even starting to like the looks! But above all else I enjoyed riding it, it made me grin. It's a fun bike.

Yes, of course I took the bike back to the dealer and jumped on the BMW bandwagon. That was well over 18 months and 30,000 happy character-filled miles ago. Never regretted it. Not once.

Story 2

I've had the bike for 17,000 miles, put on one set of tires and brakepads at 11,000. Other than that, I have had no problem - I love it to death.

Story 3

The R11GS is an able offroader, grand tourer AND canyon carver. Several mags give it 'best dual purpose' but really it needs it's own category 'best all arounder'.

I like the riding position and use the original seat but many change to Russell or Corbin aftermarket replacement.

I use the stock shield even though the wind hits the average size rider in the face and upper chest. Many tourers opt for Aeroflow or Parabellum aftermarket replacements.

Too heavy to be a dirt bike of course, but I take it offroad with confidence. Really eats up speed bumps at the local mall.

Can't park it anywhere in public without attracting admiring glances and comments. The most fun "thing" I've ever bought.

Jesse bags make it a round the world tourer and perfect Baja bike. Removal of the rear seat and bar leaves plenty of storage room. Absolutely the best bike in the world for extended camping/touring.

Can't think of a better bike if you only have one. I have only been riding one year but I keep up with my friends on sport bikes on mountain roads.

I can't stop riding it - have 2 cars with dead batteries because of it!

Story 4

I was eating breakfast alone at a cafe one Sunday morning when a nice couple off a new red R11GS came in. I told him I've been eyeing his GS. He handed me his keys and said try it out. WOW!

Now that was 26,000 miles ago. I get lots of wind and it vibrates some. It eats dirt and gravel roads but loathes sandy river beds. As for the blacktop you can do it all - fun, fun fun!

Find a dealer that'll let you ride twisties for an hour or two - you gotta try one!

Story 5

The R11GS is tall, heavy and a bear if it gets too far off center at a stand-still. But once in motion, it's like a weeble-wobble - very stable with a comfortable center of gravity.

Without the saddles, regardless of the amount of fuel in tank, the bike literally balances on the center stand with both wheels off the ground. I personally cannot take my eyes off her whenever I wander out to the garage.

Unless you're an experienced offroader, I'd take that in VERY slowly. It handles much differently than a lighter enduro (duh!) and sudden deceleration causes skidding. But udder'n'dat, my bike seems flawless and is pure joy to ride.

Story 6

I have a 95 R11GS with 2,000 miles (all city!). As a former Honda owner who attempted to drive long distances while balancing on my wrists, I have found the R11GS to be quite a thrill. It's primary purpose in my life right now is as an urban assault vehicle and it works perfectly. No more worrying about Chicago potholes swallowing another wheel, and the roads are wide enough that pretty much one car and one bike can move along during rush hour.

I'd like a bit more wind protection for the quick trips in and out to good roads but other than that it

Story 7

In the two months since I bought my R11GS I have done about 4,800 miles. I use it for commuting from the high desert where I live, to Pasadena, 80 miles away. About 60 of the miles are freeway and the other 20 miles are street. Going home, I take the mountain route (when it is not raining or snowing) and have about 40 miles of twisties and 40 miles of desert highway. These are the best parts of my day!

The R11GS is an amazing motorcycle. You have the power and speed needed for the freeway/highway as well as cornering ability with balance. When you want to split lanes because traffic is moving intolerably slow, the bike is steady and stealthy. If you have a hankerin' for offroad, the bike is built for this also (albeit, you better have more aggressive tires than what comes with the bike). The ride is about as smooth as you are going find for a two-cylinder bike. Typically, my ride is about 1.5 to 2 hours in the morning and about 1.75 hours in the afternoon. My rear, however, does not feel like it has been on a motorcycle seat for that long!

Story 8

After riding pure dirt bikes and pure sport bikes for years, I always kind of looked down on the GS style of bike. Finally, as I drove by Ginas BMW in Iowa, I decided to try a test ride on a R11GS.

Gina let me have her black R11GS demonstrator and said "Keep it under 4500 rpm and out of the mud."

As I threw my leg over the 'monster' it felt strange... the GS reminded me of my dirt bike, nice wide bars, good seat height and neutral balance. A two finger clutch and easy to read gauges made me feel right at home. BUT then I looked down and I saw those funky cylinder heads sticking out!

When I fired it up, I got my second big surprise. When I blipped the throttle the bike torqued SIDEWAYS.....!

I was nice to the bike for about 10 minutes. As I got more and more comfortable with it my smile got bigger and bigger. It:

Great Urban Assault Vehicle!!! But what was it like on the open road? I headed up toward Coralville to a nice set of twisties. No Problems!! This beast could lay right down through the apex of the curve, roll the throttle on about apex exit and BLAST. It didn't even mind that there were big rolling lumps of asphalt right in the middle of the curve. The suspension just soaked them up and kept my line.

The cruise back to Ginas' was about 30 miles of Interstate 380, a steady 75 mph and a 30 mph crosswind were taken in stride.

Gina had a Marrakesh red one on the showroom floor. I told her to get it ready. I rode it home a few days later.

I have since done some 'fire roading' with it. It has done some 2 track jeep trail camping. It has cruised 500 mile days on the interstate and I have had loads of fun with it in my daily commute to work. Sure, I've nicked the cylinder heads and I've scraped the skid plate. I expected that.

As for getting the GS serious offroad... I won't do that, I didn't spend $14,000 US to smash it. I have a XR400 that is much cheaper, not to mention easier to pick up. As for my VFR, I traded it and have never missed it. The GS is by far the best motorcycle I have ever owned.

More Stories

There are more stories and thoughts of owners on their R11GSs in the owner's survey.

[ Beam me up Scotty! ]

High mileages

The R11GS, like all BMWs, is capable of doing very high mileages. The following are stories from owners that have appeared on the BMW-GS email list. (Some of the stories have been edited down.)

Story 1

In the 10 months since picking up my GS I have done over 24,000 miles and she just gets better and better. She is my "horse" - my every day, do everything, commute/tour/carve canyons bike. FANTASTIC!!

Sure, I have minor complaints. But there's no bike on the market today which does everything, and I mean *EVERYTHING*, like a GS. I fully expect to do over 300K miles on her.

Story 2

The GS is a most wonderful bike. 129,000 miles with an excellent dealer, nothing but sMiles. (Warranty took care of a few small problems quickly and easily).

Story 3

My buddy here in Colorado has taken his 95 R11GS to Alaska, Copper Canyon and everywhere in between. He's done approximately 45,000 miles on it.

Copper Canyon the second time in the mud, waterfalls and rain was done two up with his wife on the back. In Creel, Mexico, I was on an Honda XR250R and he followed me into sewers, literally. He abuses the crap out of the bike. Examples:

Problems, well he needed to replace one of the BWM saddlebags. Went to Al Jesse bags because his riding style wasn't going to change. He just got back from 3,000 miles in one week to Corpus Chrisi. Now is this a testimonial to the R11GS or what? :-)

Story 4

In the 18 months since I buying my R11GS I have done 32,000 miles. Mine is: My R11GS is nearly perfect. It will be perfect when I can afford to fit a replacement Aeroflow screen with lowers.

The R11GS suspension and high ground clearance make urban assaulting lots of fun! Only problem is that the saddlebags limited lane splitting. So, I mounted a Givi 50 liter top case and removed the saddlebags making the bike is nice and narrow again. And the Givi has lots of room!

The R11GS is certainly comfortable. I did one long-ish trip on it, San Francisco to Phoenix and back as well as a couple of 800 mile days along the way. Great bike.

Story 5

I've done 36,000 miles in the last 17 months on my 96 R1100GS.

It's been a good ride. The only items I have had to replace on my bike, except for consumables like tires, oil, filters, fluids etc are:

I'm still using the original brake pads at 36K. One of the rear pads is a bit thin but still fine. I do ride the bike hard on the street. It gets about 5% offroad duty.

My bike is totally stock except for the addition of a Corbin seat, Piaa lights, and a Bob's Wrist Rest. The Corbin is just the front portion with a back rest. Nice for those long days. The PIAA 910's are excellent for finding those night critters. The Wrist Rest doesn't get that much duty, but is a nice addition. Oh yeah, I tossed the stock headlight bulb at Day 2 and went to 55/100W.

I've tried both the Bridgestone and the Michelin tires. My bike came with the Bridgestone Trailwings which were okay but didn't seem to last too long. The next 3 sets of tires were Michelin T-66's. Last long, handle well, make noise. I recently put a new set of the Bridgestones on as I was on the road and the remote dealer's prices on Michelins was astronomical and the Bridgestones reasonable. I'm not as confident on the Trailwing's though.

Story 6

I have had my R11GS 15 months since buying her new and have done 23,000 miles. She's been dealer serviced and they have never had to do anything extra, nothing other than what's in the schedule.

I'm on my third set of Metzeler Enduro 4 tires which I like except for the front tire cupping. Tried the Michelins and Avons when I rode some other R11GSs but much prefer the feel, steering, quiet and grip of the Metzelers. I never ride offroad.

Apart from that, the only thing I've had to do is replace some bulbs (one headlight and three rears).

A great allrounder - I'm very happy with her.

[ Beam me up Scotty! ]

Buying secondhand

An R11GS is usually a good buy secondhand even at high mileages. They are well-built and BMW has a good warranty and recall mechanism for updates.

Previous GS models suffered from poor drive shaft life and unreliable alternators/starters. The R11GS does not.

The original R11GS models had a number of failings but in typical BMW fashion most of these have been corrected by now so they are still a good buy.

Specific points to look out for:

Reference

[ Beam me up Scotty! ]
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    Updated the 03 January 2001