BMW R1150R

The best all around bike for me handles very well in the twisties and love the character of the boxer engine.

I bought the bike after a full power Vmax. Been riding continuously for last 23 years and owned all sorts. This BMW had only 6k on the clock and came with all the extras. I fitted handlebar risers and removed the exhaust Ypiece as it constantly caused the engine to backfire on overrun (no I didn't have any air leaks, there just wasn't enough back pressure)and refitted the catalytic converter. After 43000 miles I changed the rear shock for a Hagon. Much better as the BMW shock had worn out and can't be serviced. Economy is excellent, average is 50mpg, best is 70mpg on a French motorway run. Servicing is easy and cheap. Handling is brilliant. I originally fitted engine bars but had to remove them as I ground them on corners. Brakes are the ABS servo assisted version and they are unbeatable. Incredible. Comfort is brilliant, I've done 1000 miles in a day on this bike, not just on motorways. It's now 8 years old and still looks immaculate. Tyres last approx 6000 miles. Brake pads 30,000miles, service every 6000 miles oil & filter. Dont know how much as I do all servicing myself. Faults? Had both coils/plug caps replaced early on as BMW had a bad batch of non-Bosch items. That's it. Never let me down. Never come back from a trip without feeling glad I bought it. Previously if a bike lasted 1 year without me getting bored of it, it was doing well. I've had the R1150R for 6 years, and don't want to change it. Ifyou want to see what it's capable of on the twisties, check out Jenko's Playtime on youtube. On the rare occasion I've been into a BMW dealer I've found them to be helpful, and they have confidence in their product, but as soon as they realise you're not going to buy all the Ewan & Charlie gear, and change the bike every year, they lose interest. If progressive riding on a quality motorcycle is what works for you, then the BMWR1150R is ideal. If you want cheap speed thrills, get a track bike. If you're a blatant poser buy a Ducati (don't forget your AA cover), and if you want to be a badass buy a Harley with matching bandana. Me, I'll stick with the BMW.

The BMW R1150R bike has tons of character, you know there is an engine thumping away beneath you, something I like! The engine can be felt slightly through footpegs and bars but nothing to worry about (no white finger!). The gearbox takes practice to get snatch free changes but I am getting better all the time(pre-load the lever slightly before changing and knock power off a tiny bit)The stretch to the handlebars is not ideal and I will be buying risers. The seat height is tallish I am 5'8" and can get both balls of my feet on the ground. The bike is so drivable and easy to manage that paddling around is not neccessary and I get my feet up as soon as I can and use throttle and back brake to manouvre. The heated grips have two settings and are fantastic. The brakes require one finger! two for panic stops! With the engine switched off it needs more force so be careful when moving around in garage or confined places. I have come from Suzuki GSX750 in early 80s to a 1956 Sunbeam for last 5 years and this feels so easy to ride, so smooth and torquey and solid handling it's a good job I was not put off by reading some other reviews. It draws admiring glances when parked up and I will be getting spanners out for maintenance as soon as service parts arrive. Word of caution before testing or riding one,'check tyre pressures''. It is easy to be new fangled and overlook vital things, I checked fluids and functions but not tyre pressures. The bike had done 30 miles only since last MOT and I rode it 240 miles home from purchase with 6lbs in front and 12lbs in back, should be 32 and 36 respectively! I put strange handling down to'character'' nearly fainted when checked them next day. Bike was transformed with good air. Buy one you will not be dissapointed!

I have had my 2004 R1150R for its whole life. 20,000 miles on it of around town riding. One new front tire and two rear tires. No other maintenance issues. Runs all day and gets great gas mileage. 45 city 55 highway, even at the speeds I travel,

The BMW R1150R is reliable .... very reliable, 75,000km from new and no problems as yet.comfortable, handles superbly, surprisingly quick.

A complete roadster, all rounder!The dealer gave me the 1150R demo bike, while my Fireblade got a service, and I never took it back. Good on metal roads, fully loaded 2 up touring, nifty jaunts on country roads.

comfy to ride. heated handles would be a great bike, only that it breaks down too much, and repairs are very costly. no mercy at all. My bike was new, but nevertheless had to be towed to garage three time, within the first 5 years and 12000 km. costs of repairs $3000

I had an BMW R1150 R for two years and really loved every minute of owning it. I bought it second hand and the guy I got it from had had it for 3 years from new. I paid half what he paid when he bought it new, so they do depreciate heavily in the first couple of years. After two years I managed to get back over 90% of what I paid so it gave me excellent value for money.It was extremely reliable and comfortable to ride, though it did use quite a bit of engine oil despite having less than 10,000 miles on the clock. It retained its superb finish and looked as good when 5 years old as it was when new, testament to how well these are made. I averaged 55 mpg, though I did not ride it anywhere near as hard as it was capable of being ridden, that said it was plenty fast enough, particularly on the motorways when you want to make up some distance. I would have no hesitation in recommending one of these bikes with the only proviso being that they are a big heavy bike, particularly if like me you are only 5'9.

Very beautiful and classic BMW motorcycle. With every BMW bike should have, telelever, paralever, ABS, boxer engine. Good looking and not too heavy. Good looking, even better than the new one R1200R. Great power in low RPM, and much fun when riding over mountain road, stylish and everlasting.

Good bike solid bike,good fuel consumption para lever suspension makes for solid feel, love the boxer twin great low end grunt.

Very happy with the BMW R1150R(1), with just a few minor niggles.BMW panniers are expensive and can't accommodate a full face crash helmet, better to use Givi luggage.The accessory socket is smaller than cigarette socket, so most accessories will need to have their plugs changed (chargers, sat.nav etc.)