will england :: motorcycle notes and tips
will england :: motorcycle notes and tipsHaving owned a K100RT and now a K1100RS, I feel that I might be able to add a bit of information to this question. First of all, check out the K1100 Owners Group at http://www.karlandsue.com/k11og/ Lots of good info about the bike, known problems, specs, etc. There is also lots and lots of info out there on the K100 - start with the tech pages at http://www.ibmwr.org/ktech.shtml then if you have specific interests you can surf or do a search into the list archives at http://www.bmwsearch.net/. Let's not talk about budget just yet because you can find either of the two models you're looking priced anywhere from $2500 for a decent runner to upwards of $9000 for a low mile, well taken care of example. Of course that same 9 large will put your ass nicely a K1200RS, too, but I degress. I also won't go into which one is a better buy because K100's will be cheaper than K1100's because the K1100 is one step up. Get which one suits your needs or your fancy and you'll be happy. If you're going to do any significant 2-up riding, the K11 is hands down the way to go. The extra power, bigger fairing and longer wheelbase makes it more comfy than the K100. Plus you step into a sportier machine with ABS. Both can be had with bags, trunks and all kinds of extras. Both can be made to work with a back rest - I had a trunk on the K100 with a backrest and I have a reynolds rack on the K1100 with no back rest. Denise never touched the backrest so I think it's a moot point. Miles are a very personal thing. I'd buy a 70,000 bike without blinking an eye. The motor isn't an issue, it's the rest of the bike. If it's been run and somewhat taken care of 100,000 miles isn't a problem. If it's been sitting then there is a lot that can go wrong. Machinery don't like sitting around so if you're on a budget of $3000, don't buy a $3000 bike - buy a $2000 bike and plan on spending some on upkeep. Hope that helps! John Virnig '96 K1100RS (November 24, 2002)
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