kollfinn Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 I am thinking of buying a 1100rt 1996. Euro 1500.- (in Greece, it is normally cheaper here) Kms 144000. At the photos is looks very nice, the only I can see is the throttle handle are missing. What can that indicate? Are there much that should have been changed during 144000 kms? What is the easiest to look at for signs to be wrong? Thank You. Link to comment
TEWKS Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 My opinion only, if it’s not in ride off condition with that many Kms, and for that money, I’d look elsewhere. Now, I’m not saying the bike is completely worn out but generally, things start needing replacement around that time. Any pictures of the bike you can show? Link to comment
kollfinn Posted January 2, 2021 Author Share Posted January 2, 2021 1 hour ago, TEWKS said: My opinion only, if it’s not in ride off condition with that many Kms, and for that money, I’d look elsewhere. Now, I’m not saying the bike is completely worn out but generally, things start needing replacement around that time. Any pictures of the bike you can show? Link to comment
kollfinn Posted January 2, 2021 Author Share Posted January 2, 2021 1 hour ago, TEWKS said: My opinion only, if it’s not in ride off condition with that many Kms, and for that money, I’d look elsewhere. Now, I’m not saying the bike is completely worn out but generally, things start needing replacement around that time. Any pictures of the bike you can show? I send 2 pics, can you see them? 1 Link to comment
David13 Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 That's high mileage. You might hold out for one with lesser miles that might benefit you. However, you know when you buy a used vehicle you will need to do some things to it to keep it going, and there isn't much there that can't be replaced. Also, you need to realize that if you want to do something like this, there comes a time when you must do it, or never do it. Any used vehicle comes with a risk to buying it. dc 1 Link to comment
Hosstage Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 When buying an older (or just plain old) bike like that, for me it is best to be very familiar with the model line, what it needs to keep them running, unless you are very handy with tools, research, and have good local resources for info and parts. I am very familiar with Harley Davidsons, and a bike of that year and mileage would not scare me if I found it in good shape for a very good price, as I have the knowledge and resources to know what I'm getting into. An older BMW would not be in my wheelhouse (yet), as I am not familiar with them, nor have local resources. But, that's just me. 1 Link to comment
szurszewski Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 A 90,000 mile oilhead RT for $1800 here in the US is good deal if it's in good shape, but just the start of time and money if it's not. If you're going to pay someone else to work on this bike, I'd say it's not the best choice. If you're familiar with the oilheads and can do the work yourself and can get spares readily for good prices, you could potentially get a lot more miles from it. Is it just missing the rubber grip on the throttle tube? That's what it looks like from the pics, but it's hard to tell. You can replace that with aftermarket (the BMW replacement includes the tube and is expensive to really expensive if you have heated grips). If there are heated grips, see if they work - when they fail they sometimes will burn the rubber part of the grip, which is maybe why it's no longer there. At that mileage it should have been through many 10k services (the regular interval for basic services) as well as several major services for things like valve adjustments and changing the in-tank fuel filter. If it hasn't had a clutch replacement it could very well be ready for one soon. (Though some do go many more kms on the original clutch.) 1 Link to comment
Miguel! Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 BMW, like any equipment manufacturer, evolves their design to mitigate idiosyncrasies that they discover over time. I think 1996 was the first year of the R1100RT. I have a 2001, the last year. I don't recall specifics but some of the newer R1100RTs had design upgrades to fix design flows. I "think" the ABS and transmission/clutch fall into this category but do some research on this forum. There is lots of info on the site. My 2001 bike has 108K miles/174 kms. I have a professional mechanic works on things that require either specialized tools that I don't own. He tells me just keep gas and oil in it and it'll keep running all day. He maintains a lot of the police motorcycles in the area including state police bikes. I often see R1100RT-P (Police version) at his shop with 180K-200K miles. He said they run great. He's been maintaining R1100RTs for > 15 years and really likes them. Big things that have been done in hte last decade are clutch replacement and rear brake disk. Otherwise, it's been maintenance items. Generally I do all the fluid changes and electrical upgrades which is pretty simple. I leave the throttle syntonization and brake service to my mechanic. If you can find someone who is familiar with the R1100RT, have them look it over. Others with much more experience than mine will chime in Miguel 1 Link to comment
Lowndes Posted January 5, 2021 Share Posted January 5, 2021 Kollfinn, Welcome to the site and Happy New Year!! About 4 years ago I purchased a '99 R1100RT, same color, with about 30K miles. I've done the maintenance on it and one or two minor upgrades. From my very limited experience there are several things you might consider about this bike. I would be very hesitant to purchase ANY bike that is not rideable or at least running. Riding it is preferrable. If that bike will start consider putting it on the centerstand making sure the rear wheel is clear of the ground, start it, let it warm up for maybe 1 minute maximum, then cycle it thru the gears while listening to the engine, trans, drive shaft, final drive, and rear brake. Any clicks, grinding, noisy bearings, etc, are what you listen for. Check the wheel bearings by lifting each wheel off the ground and pushing the top of the wheel side to side looking for any play or movement. Check the tires for date codes, if any are over 3-4 years old you will need to replace them immediately regardless of wear or tread left. If the original shocks (2) have not been replaced, they will need to be and that can be expensive. Let us know what you find!! Link to comment
Miguel! Posted January 5, 2021 Share Posted January 5, 2021 One other thing to consider is the brake lines. Many recommend replacing the rubber brake lines with stainless steel brake lines. This of course will require a full brake fluid change as well. Miguel 1 Link to comment
Lowndes Posted January 5, 2021 Share Posted January 5, 2021 Kollfinn, Mine is not as pretty as yours or Miguel!'s but the throttle bodies are clean and the injectors are new!! Also did the HES rewire. I would think your bike has had that done already. Some people don't like the stock seat. I replaced mine with a used Corbin seat. MUCH better. https://photos.app.goo.gl/ghR9gUJjwmfpX2TYA Link to comment
Miguel! Posted January 6, 2021 Share Posted January 6, 2021 3 hours ago, Lowndes said: Mine is not as pretty as yours or Miguel!'s but the throttle bodies are clean and the injectors are new!! https://photos.app.goo.gl/ghR9gUJjwmfpX2TYA Actually, bike is beautiful and in pristine shape and soooo clean, even under the seat! Thanks for the photos and inspiration. Miguel Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now