1100 models and ULEZ exemption

[Steptoe]

A customer with a 1997 R1100RT has recently been exempted from london ULEZ charge using the BMW certificate of conformity.....

He was knocked back originally by TFL as it didn't show the NOX emissions.
So he got back to BMW and asked them to add the emission data needed by TFL for exemption (same as supplied on the certificates for the 1150).

BMW obliged ( he said it looked like someone at BMW had just typed an additional line on the paperwork ) , and bingo, his old 1100 is now exempt with no expensive special test required

 

[Brodie13]

A customer with a 1997 R1100RT has recently been exempted from london ULEZ charge using the BMW certificate of conformity.....

He was knocked back originally by TFL as it didn't show the NOX emissions.
So he got back to BMW and asked them to add the emission data needed by TFL for exemption (same as supplied on the certificates for the 1150).

BMW obliged ( he said it looked like someone at BMW had just typed an additional line on the paperwork ) , and bingo, his old 1100 is now exempt with no expensive special test required

Would I be wrong in thinking that now all BMW R1100RT models become exempt?

 

[adventuredon]

You'd need to check and register your reg number on their database. And hope your CoC query lands on the same guys intray..
A mate at work has a guzzi breva I think, 2003 model. He has contacted Guzzi who will supply a certificate for the emissions for £75 but an as stated version when it left the factory, no guarantees it'll be good enough. He has chosen to book into a specialist garage to get their version " we'll get you through the NOX emission's for £175". its all smoke and mirrors...

 

[GORILA]

When I made enquiries with Riverbank test centre about my R1100GS, they said they could get it to pass by fitting a catalytic converter. This would cost £300 on top of the £175 test fee.
They didn't think it would pass without this conversion. I asked why the 1100 models would be any different to the 1150 models which pass the emission requirements. They said that the bmw emission figures were optimistic at best.
I was discouraged from not paying for the cat. If the bike fails the emissions test and they then have to carry out work to pass it, you have to pay a £75 retest fee!
I am interested in hearing from anyone else who has managed to get an R1100GS or similar through. I thought bmw were unable to supply nox figures for 1100 models.

 

[Seamaster]

Please correct me if I am wrong but I thought the standard exhaust on the 1100GS contained a catalytic converter?

 

[DrFarkoff]

Please correct me if I am wrong but I thought the standard exhaust on the 1100GS contained a catalytic converter?

Only if fitted with a Lamda Probe

Most 1100s have a CO potentiometer rather than Lamda control

 

[Rich C]

Only if fitted with a Lamda Probe

Most 1100s have a CO potentiometer rather than Lamda control

Apologies for a mini thread hijack....

My 96 1100 was a Swiss market import. It has an O2 sensor in the exhaust. I often wondered if it had a CAT or not. I never get the typical CAT smell from it however. Do you think this therefore has a CAT?

 

[DrFarkoff]

To be honest I am only recalling what my foreman told me when I worked at the BM dealership

If it had a lamda fitted then it had a cat fitted

 

[GORILA]

Indeed my bike has a co pot. The original exhaust has no lambda connector. Years ago I seem to remember that you could buy cheap gas analysers from Halfords etc, but I don't see them for sale any more.
It would appear the only way of checking your nox is via the expensive Riverbank test!

 

[GORILA]

Well, encouraged by what Steptoe said about his customer I decided to enquire about my 98 R1100GS. I contacted the homologation department at Bmw motorrad but as expected they replied to say that they can't supply nox figures for the age of this bike.
That is that then. Need to decide whether to get rid of it, before blinking Sadiq extends the ulez zone to the M25 or spend a small fortune to fit a catalytic converter...

 

[Oliverte]

I'm about to try and get my 2000 R850GS through using CoC.

I've just emailed bmw uk... hoping I don't need to spend 450 at Riverside!

Sent from my SM-G996B using Tapatalk

 

[SimonD]

Anybody had any more joy or recent knowledge of testing at Riverside?
I'm thinking of picking up an 1100RT over the winter but as our lovely Mayor wants to expand the Ulez zone to cover most of Greater London soon I might be better served by spending a bit more on the 1150 - really don't want that servo but would like ABS.

 

[GORILA]

When I spoke to them they insisted that the 1100 models require a catalytic converter to pass the emission test. They charge £300 to fit a cat, £175 for the test and you still need to pay the ulez charge for the day of the test. Close to £500 in total!

 

[nick.ct]

Anybody had any more joy or recent knowledge of testing at Riverside?
I'm thinking of picking up an 1100RT over the winter but as our lovely Mayor wants to expand the Ulez zone to cover most of Greater London soon I might be better served by spending a bit more on the 1150 - really don't want that servo but would like ABS.

I've fitted an exhaust from an 1100RT to my 1100GS (to enable the use of a full size pannier) and it has the fitting hole for a sensor. Guessing therefore it has a cat fitted.
Might be a cheaper route that getting Riverside to fit a cat with the bonus of being able to fit full size panniers

 

[Pete.]

A customer with a 1997 R1100RT has recently been exempted from london ULEZ charge using the BMW certificate of conformity.....

He was knocked back originally by TFL as it didn't show the NOX emissions.
So he got back to BMW and asked them to add the emission data needed by TFL for exemption (same as supplied on the certificates for the 1150).

BMW obliged ( he said it looked like someone at BMW had just typed an additional line on the paperwork ) , and bingo, his old 1100 is now exempt with no expensive special test required

Very odd. When I tried to get a CoC for my R1100S 2004 model I was told that the cofC didn't have the required info, but the type approval did specify the NOX emissions. He supplied the type approval info by email FOC. I do believe I was the guinea pig for this as the guy from BMW asked me to come back and tell him how I got on, and thanked me when I told him it had been accepted.

I think they must have got fed up with supplying draft copies of the CofC to people who then presented the low-res draft to TFL and getting them accepted instead of stumping up £120 for the genuine hi-res version required for export.

As I understand it, if your BMW is newer than 2002 (i.e. if it's a 2-spark model) it's likely they will have enough info to get you an exemption.

I wonder if the 1997RT mentioned above had the NOX emissions detailed in the type approval somewhere and the guy from BMW copied it across. Unlikely they would have it from that era but you never know.

 

[Steptoe]

He supplied the type approval info by email FOC. I do believe I was the guinea pig for this as the guy from BMW asked me to come back and tell him how I got on, and thanked me when I told him it had been accepted.

I think they must have got fed up with supplying draft copies of the CofC to people who then presented the low-res draft to TFL and getting them accepted instead of stumping up £120 for the genuine hi-res version required for export.

.

The first low res drafts cost £40 (might have been£50) more than 3 years ago. BWM stopped charging after a few weeks. All four of my bikes had the basic low res document which I passed onto TFL back in May 2019, all were excepted without a problem.

 

[Pete.]

Did mine in March 2019. I'd attach a scan of the letter but I don't seem to have that privelege.

 

[SimonD]

An 1100RT is going to be '96-'00 and unless someone at BMW makes a convenient mistake the CoC won't be helpful. I'm not sure if they all have Cats but even if they do I haven't seen any evidence of one making it through the emissions test whereas there seems to be no problem with the 1150s either with CoC or testing.
I'm reading up on the servo brakes...........

 

[Steptoe]

An 1100RT is going to be '96-'00 and unless someone at BMW makes a convenient mistake the CoC won't be helpful. I'm not sure if they all have Cats but even if they do I haven't seen any evidence of one making it through the emissions test whereas there seems to be no problem with the 1150s either with CoC or testing.
I'm reading up on the servo brakes...........

You can fit an 1150 RT exhaust/cat/silencer to an 1100RT. Basically doing what Riverside charge you £500 for the pleasure of doing.

 

[SimonD]

That's useful to know, thank you.