R1100rs

johnnyboy

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Looking at buying one of these and looking for any information on the bike in general. Previous owners; would you buy another one or steer clear. TIA

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I would look for as late an 1150RS as I could get. Preferably one which had the ABS removed. (Servo abs was a liability.) The older bikes may suffer from some degree of electrical gremlins as the wiring ages. The most common being the hall effect sensor.

I loved my 1100RS and only sold it because the riding position became a bit too sporty for my back. Some addressed that by fitting flat bars instead of the low ones. These were also rubber mounted and became spongy and vague after a while.

Other issues? I would look carefully at the exhaust fittings in the cylinder head. The nuts rust and can be a bugger to replace.

Great bikes though and well cared for, low miles are surprisingly common.

Like this one for example. I could be tempted! It's got ABS2 which was far more reliable than the dreaded servo abs. Or this one? High miles but appears to have been very well cared for.
 
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I would look for as late an 1150RS as I could get. Preferably one which had the ABS removed. (Servo abs was a liability.) The older bikes may suffer from some degree of electrical gremlins as the wiring ages. The most common being the hall effect sensor.

I loved my 1100RS and only sold it because the riding position became a bit too sporty for my back. Some addressed that by fitting flat bars instead of the low ones. These were also rubber mounted and became spongy and vague after a while.

Other issues? I would look carefully at the exhaust fittings in the cylinder head. The nuts rust and can be a bugger to replace.

Great bikes though and well cared for, low miles are surprisingly common.

Like this one for example. I could be tempted! It's got ABS2 which was far more reliable than the dreaded servo abs. Or this one? High miles but appears to have been very well cared for.
Thanks for that Peter. Are you saying the earlier 1100's should be avoided? I'm looking at a couple of mid 90's ones as they are priced within my budget (cheap!!) as it will be a second bike.

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Yes, I'd avoid the earlier ones 94 - 97/8. IIRC the gearbox was modified after 97-98 so something after that would be a better bet. Basically, I'd go for as late an 1100 as possible or as late an 1150, subject to the qualification above re the ABS on the 1150. The paint schemes on the later 1150s were very nice. (See the example here on Ebay.But I'd avoid that bike!) My personal favourite being a mandarin yellow and grey which, I think, was restricted to bikes sent to the US?

You could always put a wanted ad on here and see what's about?
 
I take it you've seen this one just about on your doorstep, John...?

 
Yes, was going to look at it on Wednesday evening but he messaged me to say it wouldn't start.

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Certainly looks good. Mine was a 94 and gave me no trouble. It may just be the battery? Worth a look, I'd say and that colour was quite rare. Usually with gray seats iirc?

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Bought a 95M plate in 01 to take the then new Gf camping in Normandy, my Thundercat just wasn’t up to fully loaded two up stuff. It had 8k on it when we got it, just over a year later it had 24k and I sold it for a Blackbird. I just didn’t get the whole package, lumpy engine, rough gearbox and far too many warranty niggles, including blowing both headgaskets the following year back in Normandy. Rode all the way home with oil misting onto our boots. Luckily the second years trip was a few weeks earlier and the bike still had a few days warranty left, but I put her up for sale pretty much straight after I collected her from the dealer. Would I have another……no, I‘d stick with a GS or maybe an R. Quite fancy an R…..
 
Bought a black 1100R/S in 95, sold it 01 with 120,000 miles, took the gear box out at 50,000 miles and had it rebuilt by Mick Barr, didn’t fail just noisy, heated grips where crap, front brakes where noisy due to floating disc bobbins, had a Corbin seat for extra comfort.
Bought a 1150R/S in 01 in silver no ABS, same bike just better all round, sold 60,000miles in 04 and bought a1200GS.
There is a guy on the forum who has an 1100RS as a second bike with about 200,000 miles on it, which he uses for track days.
For me they are/ where excellent reliable bikes.
 


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