BMW, sources of information?

Hi folks.

Well, as I have mentioned in another thread, old fart=dom has claimed me
at last. :-|

I bought the 1998 R850R, complete with enormous windscreen and heated
hand grips....... I love the heated hand grips!

Anyhow, I really really like the thing, but I don't want to throw _too_
much money at it.

It would look, to me, that there are many parts and options from other,
similar and related BMW bikes, that could/should/might fit onto my bike.

Can anyone point me to any useful sources of information about the
interchangeability of BMW oil-head parts?

regards,
CrazyCam

 

Sheesh..... you waited for old-fartdom to claim you before indulging in the
fabulosity ;-) of heated grips? Tsk Tsk CC! (Oh, that's right, you live in
Sydney... maybe they're not quite so essential there! Gotta say, braving
a -6C morning in Canberra without heated grips isn't 'hard' - it's just
plain masochistic!)

betty, middle-aged fart
and heated grip fan

 

In aus.motorcycles on Fri, 23 May 2008 18:18:01 +1000

Look, it's more about not realising what you are missing.

It's like realising that waxed cottons are crap - you don't realise it
till you put on your first Dri Rider Alpine.

I figured a fairing and decent gloves were all I needed, even in
Canberra (or Ballarat[1]) in the winter. Until I got the Norge, and
now I'm a heated grip convert for sure!

Zebee

[1] a friend swears he heard 2 Americans talking on the plane "Why
would anyone call a town Ball A Rat"

 

Ask the same question on message board of boxerworks.com

 

Nah, there's more to it than that (see below)

<snigger> Yebbut - that's assuming you've been riding for bazillions of
years <evil grin> and had to be tough to survive the pre-DriRider Alpine era
coz there was nothing else...

For us riders-come-lately (especially those of us poor buggers already in
the arthritic zone when they get their L's!!!!!) it just seems SILLY to go
with the "Pffft, WIMPY GRIPS!" school of thought! You'd be surprised how
many Canberra-based instructors still scoff at the idea of heated grips....
These buggers KNOW how good heated grips are, but refuse to give in. (I

Well, you know Yanks...... (shit, this isn't cross.posted to another of '
the colonies', is it? Or even worse, to that "irritating and self-important"
Blighty???)

betty, ex-Blightean
(wish I could say 'convict',
but that would be classist
these days anyway, ha ha!)

 

www.motobins.co.uk
good supplier of bits, plus an active forum with a good signal to noise
ratio.

Moike

 

Yeah; I was only ever in conditions that warranted the use of heated grips
twice when I had the R1100GS (and I only remembered to use them ONCE) but I
can add my vote that they are god's gift to cold motorcyclists!

 

Everything fits everything Cam. ('specially if you've got a few hammers!)
What sort of things are you thinking of?
Have you got panniers or ABS?

 

Now go and buy yourself a heated jacket liner and feel the love.

Boxer (using a heated jacket liner and heated grips for hte past 10 years)

 

.... and try here. http://www.ibmwr.org/r-tech/oilheads/index.shtml

I haven't needed to peruse their oilhead info, but their airhead stuff
is gold.

Moike

 

cruise control?

Nev..
'07 XB12X

 

I'm a heated seat (and grip) old fart^W codger meself. Trouble is my
pillion wants to steal the seat and install it in the lounge. No
class, these pillions.

Mr H

 

Pfft; I hear even cows get them!!

 

I had to go somewhere fast this morning near Beaudesert still in the
dark , with a wet suit and full leathers tucked in behind the fairing
was comfortable but the temp gauge underneath dipped down to zero in a
few places and below near Canungra. BBRRRRRR
still the stinker has a new water pump all done today so if I get
another call it will be in full comfort ( only 50k away but bloody cold)

 

Didn't get panniers with bike, although it has the mounting rails for them.

No ABS.

My thinking is that, if I knew what bits fitted from other models and
years, I could simply keep an eye on wreckers, and possibly acquire
replacement parts relatively cheaply.

The mounting rails for panniers look different from those I had on the
K100, which is a pity, 'cos I really found the "police" or City panniers
very useful, but there doesn't seem to be any more modern equivalent.

BTW, Procycles did offer a pair of new panniers, with all the badges and
bits and pieces, for just over $850, but I don't want to spend that kind
of money for something I may never use.

I have ordered a Ventura rack for it, though, since the rack also gives
Angie a greater sense of security if she's on the back, and it solves
the carrying capacity problem too.

The wee shock/spring unit in the front suspension on my bike doesn't
look great...rust spots all over it, and I dunno how long these things
last, so, if it wasn't a fortune, I might get a replacement of that
should one turn.

Similarly, should a Staintune system turn up, second hand, I could be
interested.

Also, I'd like to wire a switch into the lights circuit, with the proper
switch gear.

For a long-term bike, it would be useful to know how major a drama it
might be to graft in either and engine or gearbox, or even both.

I am so impressed with the bike that I suspect I'll be owning it for
quite a while, assuming I live that long.

regards,
CrazyCam

 

Boxer wrote:

...and heated sox and heated knickers.

It would still be cheaper than my current plan for surviving winter,
imitating the chooks and flying north.

regards,
CrazyCam

 

there is a BMW forum that may help

 

I haven't had much luck with wreckers but there are on-line sources like
munich-motorcucles and motobins as well as the ozbeemers mailing list.
My philosophy was; when in doubt ask Al Pennykid!
The panniers are fantastic; the best I've used. Just buy the right one and
leave it on. It won't get in the way and you'll always have a secure place
to lock your helmet, carton of beer, mardi-gras costume etc.
Make sure you've got the little bracket mounted behind the pillion's footpog
that they mount onto.

That's not a bad price actually.

Get a low muffler if you can. It only looks slightly worse and it allows
you to have a full-sized left pannier instead of the standard cut-down one.

Mine just had a big toggle-switch mounted on the dash. Earlier Ks had
similar switchgear to the 1100 but your 1150-era may be a little different.
Either way BMW OEM (or motobins etc) is worth asking first. They may just
have the switch to put into the switchblock.Good luck,
Clem

 

There are two BMW forums. Does that make me twice as helpful?

Nev..
'07 XB12X

 

Bloody youngsters - nothing wrong with Belstaff!