!! Looking to Buy and NEED ADVICE..!! Clutch Chatter on a 1994 R1100RS,

[chat_vmax]

I am looking to pick up a 1994 R1100RS with 55k miles on her for 3900.00 .

There current owner sounds like a great guy and has been very transparent...

He produces a receipt for a 800.00 as he had the driveshaft replaced in 2006, [ about 9k miles ago ]

He says its a great bike he would take anywhere [ and I believe he is honest ] ..

BUT he tells of a rather annoying chatter from the clutch ONLY IN NEUTRAL AT A STOP WITH CLUTCH LEVER OUT and WORSE WHEN BIKE IS HOT He says many 1994 RS models do it..

If you pull the clutch lever in or when you put it in gear he says it goes away,, so when you are going down the road it does not do it..

He also tells me [ and i believe him ] that the previous owner says it always done it, and it has never gotten worse in the 13k mikes he has owned the bike,, he says there is zero slipping and zero shifting issue,,,

 

ADVICE NEEDED...!!! Should I steer clear of this bike or is this a quirk in this year, make, model?????

 

Thanks again board for your advice...

 

[OoPEZoO]

That neutral transmission chatter is normal for early oilheads. Its not actually the throwout bearing, but chattering of the internal gears. Its nothing to worry about, its just obnoxious. Here is some reading material if you are interested

 

http://www.largiader.com/tech/oiltrans/

[chat_vmax]

So its NOT the clutch but the transmission,,,,....Thats Interesting... and a bit scary.... BUT,,, can you quiet things down with different gear oils,,,??

 

 

[Anton Largiader]

Often you can quiet it down by a very careful tuneup, as the cause is the engine pulses shaking the input shaft.

[breyfogle]

So its NOT the clutch but the transmission,,,,....Thats Interesting... and a bit scary.... BUT,,, can you quiet things down with different gear oils,,,??

 

The rattly transmission in neutral is normal for early oilheads but these trannys have other problems. 50,000 miles is about the average point where internal problems begin to appear.

 

Before I would buy a '94, I would ask if the tranny has already been rebuilt or replaced. Many were done at very low mileage under warranty by BMW. If it is original, it may be fine for many more years but there is also a real chance that the bike will need a transmission rebuild in the not too distant future.

 

I would also ask whether or not it tends to jump out of 3rd gear under hard acceleration. If it does, .... walk away.

[chat_vmax]

im taking a pass...

BUT thanks fopr ALL the advice....!!

U guys are the best,,,!!

for 200 bucks more im looking at a 96 with 34k on her and she is local.....

[Bob_Minor]

With a '96 the transmission cautions still apply. In fact, the transmission on a '96, while not as noisy, is more prone to the gear slipping issue than a '94. A good rebuilder can make them better new (Tom Cutter did mine) but expect to pay well over $1200 for a rebuild and that's if you remove and replace the box yourself. '98 to 2001 R1100 oilhead transmissions are pretty much sorted out with failures being pretty rare.

[chat_vmax]

didnt get it,, someone got her,,

ok.. im looking for a RS,, ill post in the appropiate section

[blackyam]

didnt get it,, someone got her,,

ok.. im looking for a RS,, ill post in the appropiate section

 

Hi. You may also check out the R-RS board. Good luck!

 

I had a '97 R1100RS that was terrific; now I love my '02 R1150RS. Imho, the R11xyRS is the best all-rounder and most-underrated bike BMW produced.

 

---John.

[AndyS]

.... Imho, the R11xyRS is the best all-rounder and most-underrated bike BMW produced.

 

---John.

Apart from the R11xxRT !

[tallman]

didnt get it,, someone got her,,

ok.. im looking for a RS,, ill post in the appropiate section

 

Hi. You may also check out the R-RS board. Good luck!

 

I had a '97 R1100RS that was terrific; now I love my '02 R1150RS. Imho, the R11xyRS is the best all-rounder and most-underrated boxer BMW produced.

 

---John.

 

fixed

loved my '96 RSL

If I ever go back to boxers...