Non- BMW owner Q: Why an oilhead?

[RichL025]

Greetings, all.

Been interested in a BMW as my second bike, still kicking around some other options, but I literally don't know any other BMW owners to ask these questions of....

And, er, I feel kinda silly asking THIS one, but here goes anyway.... "oilhead" just means the newer R bikes, right? As in I guess the older R-bikes were the "airheads"? Did they really not have oil flowing to lube the valve gear? Or do the terms just mean oil cooled as opposed to simple lube?

What's the functional difference between the Rs and the K-bikes? Oh, I know what the engine layout differenes are, I guess what I'm asking is -

Why did you pick an opposed twin instead of the flat-4?

Do the two bikes make power differently? Ie, more low-end power on the twin versus more top-end on the 4? (Just guessing here).

Thanks,

[kbasa]

Oh boy, Rich. You may have touched on the ultimate question for BMW owners.

To explain the nomenclature a bit, the airheads are the early air cooled boxers. Generally they're the ones built between the early 70s and until a few years ago. That engine design was also referred to as the R247 powerplant.

In 1993, BMW introduced the R1100RS, which contained the R259 motor, which differs from the 247 significantly. It makes more power, it has 4 valves per cylinder, it has a cam in head design that allows more revs. It has a big ol' alternator cranking out 700W, and it's cooled by oil and air instead of just air. It also has a pretty fantastic front suspension design called a telelever. The telelever breaks the braking and suspension functions in two via an A-arm scheme. Brake as hard as you'd like (ABS is there too!) and you won't get much brake dive, if any.

Kbikes are an entirely different setup. They were produced as triples and fours, but the engine is laid down "sideways" compared to Japanese multis. The crank is on the right side of the bike, and the cams are on the left and the motor is laying flat on its side, like a pancake.

I think your assessment is right on the power characteristics, the twins are torquier and more laid back to cruise on, while the Ks are, well, they're a multi, they like to rev higher. Get down to a dealership and try and score a test ride. Some folks like twins, some folks like Ks.

Personally, I'm a twin guy. We've got two oilheads and a hexhead, the evolution of the oilhead.

[RichL025]

Thanks for the reply, Dave.

My current bike (sportbike) is a twin also, and I prefer those characteristics over the inline-4, even though the japanese bikes have us beat hands down on overall HP (I have an aprilia).

I've seen the telelever front, didn't realize that they were initiated with the new engines.

The ABS intrigues me, but does this level of complexity make working on your own brake system a non-starter? Everytime I have to pay someone else to wrench on my bike I feel inadequate....

[Cliffy777]

Rich, I am on my second oilhead - rode jap bikes before.

The telelever suspension is great. Don't realize how great it is until I ride my brothers bike (Kaw 1000) or my nephews (Honda 750) and use their front brakes.

bought my first beemer, an R1100RL 3 years ago. would still be riding it but BMW made the financing sooooo attractive on the Rockster last year I had to get it. It has the new boxer twin with four spark plugs. I had a slight surging on my old bike - all gone on the new.

Ditto Dave on the test ride. Give Beemers a try!

[Montana]

Rich, the "level of complexity" is pretty much compartmentalized or modular. In other words, you wouldn't work on the ABS system, anyway, just like you don't work on black boxes on cars. Even the dealerships swap things out as a unit.

That said, you can still work on your own bike. I have to be careful here and not sound bitter about HOW MUCH I have had to work on my own bike. It's a 2000 R1200C with ABS.

That stated, the truth is, nothing else on the market rides like the BMWs with the telelever. I suspect those with the paralever are even better; the R1200C model line doesn't have the paralever (creates a parallelogram off the rear drive unit).

The BMW owners have all established support groups for the specific models and share tips, resources for less expensive parts, and how tos, with photos. Thankfully.

Excuse me, I gotta go home and plug in the loaner speedometer to see if this fixes my latest problem.

[gambrinus]

"Why an oilhead?" The simple answer is because the chicks dig 'em!! No, really they do....

Or you could go with the answer that they ride like nothing else out there. I've never been happier with a bike.


RW

[Rich]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by RichL025

Been interested in a BMW as my second bike/QUOTE]

Take it from me, if you purchase the right one, it'll soon become your #1 bike. Join the ranks, you're gonna love us. :p

[MarkF]

Originally posted by Montana

That stated, the truth is, nothing else on the market rides like the BMWs with the telelever. I suspect those with the paralever are even better.

I have a 2000 R1100RL. The only regrets I have are: I wish I had a GS and I wish I had 6th gear. I love this bike. I kept my Suzuki Bandit for almost a year after I got the Roadster. Funny thing is I only rode it a few more times. So I sold it! The telelever/paralever alows you to roll off the throttle or tap the brakes in a curve like no other bike out there.

MarkF

[srb]

RichL025,
I have an old airhead and I love the characteristics of a twin. I think Aprilia's are great. My comment is on the power characteristics of the K-bikes. It feels like a turbine, the power is always there. On a K you could probably take off from a dead stop in fourth gear. Since BMW allows test drives, you should take advantage of that and come join us.

steve
'79R100S

[RichL025]

Montana,
The BMW owners have all established support groups for the specific models and share tips, resources for less expensive parts, and how tos, with photos. Thankfully.

Excuse me, I gotta go home and plug in the loaner speedometer to see if this fixes my latest problem.

So, umm, is the vaunted reliablity of Teutonic engineering not always apparent???? Err, I guess I always had this mental image of BMWs haveing rock-solid reliability. Of course some things go wrong with _every_ brand, but I always assumed BMW was better than most.

Are they?

Also, where are these model-specific forums at? Google searches so far have only led me here.....

[RichL025]

Originally posted by sbrick
RichL025,
I have an old airhead and I love the characteristics of a twin. I think Aprilia's are great. My comment is on the power characteristics of the K-bikes. It feels like a turbine, the power is always there. On a K you could probably take off from a dead stop in fourth gear.


sbrick,

Really? Well, I guess it's good that I'm asking, because my assumption would have been the opposite - the K-bikes making their power up higher, the twins down lower. The great thing about my aprilia on the track is if I screw up and don't downshift enough, there's enough low-end grunt to get me going anyway, even if I'm in too high a gear (not that ever happens, of course.....)

Since BMW allows test drives, you should take advantage of that and come join us. Well, I defnitely plan on doing several test rides in the near future. Maybe riding both R and K bikes will answer my questions on the power delivery.....

Thanks everyone for the good info!

[DaveBell]

when you test ride a BMW, you will get a better picture if you ride in the rev ranges that it likes. I had an FLHP (Police Electroglide) for 60k miles, which is a lot of miles for a Harley rider, most of them being garage queens that their owners throw chrome on more than they ride them. When I got my Rockster, I wanted to ride it in the lower ranges (like 2000 rpm) and putt around. Then a Beemer owner down the road took me out on a "blast" (Harleys go on "putts"). I found out that the bike is totally different in the 3-6k range on the tach, and much more fun.

I love my Rockster. I commute to work and have almost 3k miles in a little over a month--planning on trading up to a GS in the future and doing the Iron Butt Ultimate Challenge (Key West to Prudhoe bay) sometime in the next 3 years.....

anyway, BMW's are known for long term reliability, I've talked to a bunch of Beemer riders who have over 100k on their bikes and are just considering them really broke in good.

Beemer riders seem to ride regularly and far--they don't just buy the leather clothes and stand around drinking beer and talk about riding while their bike sits in the shade with less than 5k miles in 2 years.

Enjoy.

[RichL025]

Dave,

I know what you mean about the "garage accesory" that some people conside rbieks to be!

Luckily the only harley rider/ owner I know commutes almost daily on it, and regularly rides it down to Fla or up to NY... so I guess he's atypical.

Some pretty heavy mileage you're doing already on yours - thanks for confirming my assumption about the reliability.

[Cliffy777]

8300 miles on my Rockster (purchased new July 8th of last year). This is a commuter bike - I don't have time for long trips so my miles come the hard way I guess. traded in my 01 with a little over 12k on it in two years. No problems with either bike. they work year round in Michigan. Love to run in the cold. Jan, Feb, whatever....

[edge51]

I recently switched from HD to BMW. I was not one of those HD riders that stood around drinking and talking about riding. I don't drink at all and standing around hurts my old back. I stopped keeping detailed logs in 1998 when I reached the one million miles on a Harley goal. I did sell my 97 Road King with 105k on it and traded my 2000 Road King for the BMW with 45k on it.

My reason for leaving HD is simple: Suspension. I am getting older and want to keep riding. My body can no longer take the constant jarring that the 1960's suspension on a HD gives it.

I considered many brands and many models as I searched. I rode most. My body screamed for a LT/Gold Wing, but my soul found them lacking. To be honest I found the Gold Wing more attractive than the LT. Had I decided to purchase that type of bike I would be posting now on a Honda board instead of here.

I gave a lot of thought to the K-GT but my back and neck are just to old for that riding position. Also the K bikes I tried felt sterile like all the Japanese models I considered.

The R1150RT gave me a natural riding positon, the suspension support I needed and a big performance leap ( both in power and in handling ) over the HD. It satisfied both my body and my soul. I need a motorcycle that provides me with the feeling of power and freedom. I also need a bike that can take me to where ever it is I want to go. The RT does those things for me.

[DaveBell]

I knew a lot of Harley riders that did ride a lot. I knew guys that wore out a lot of Harleys, but recently (since around the early 90's) a lot of folks bought a Harley, spent up to $20k on customizing the bike, didn't ride much, and I guess they'll move on to something else in the future. I keep expecting the Harley boom to bust and a lot of really nice cheap Harleys around but it hasn't happened.

Good luck with your BMW.

[lcarlson]

As others have noted, if you get a BMW you will likely find that your other bike becomes your "second" bike in fairly short order. I also have a couple of other bikes that I enjoy a lot -- a 2000 Buell M2 Cyclone and 2000 Kawasaki Vulcan Nomad Fi. When I feel like tearing around in a snarly fashion, the Buell delivers; when I feel like a leisurely cruise of a few miles or a few hundred, the Nomad is excellent. But my 2002 R1150R does it all --

[BradfordBenn]

Originally posted by gambrinus
"Why an oilhead?" The simple answer is because the chicks dig 'em!! No, really they do....

Or you could go with the answer that they ride like nothing else out there. I've never been happier with a bike.


RW

I second that one. I took Jennifer to the show room when I was shopping and as soon as I got on my R1150RT she came over and said it was a keeper. Course I wasn't sure if it was the bike or me:p

Also I have more requests for rides from women than I did with my previous bikes....

Of course like mileage, your results may vary.


On a serious note, go for a ride and see what you like. There are different models cause each person is looking for something different in their ride. The other thing to consider is how you plan on riding it. If you are going to be riding in commuter traffic you might want something lighter than a K and go with the Oilheads. If you are doing Long Distance Travelling on super slabs well a K1200LT might be a better fit.

It does not matter what you ride though, it is if you ride.

[RichL025]

What kind of mileage do you guys get from the oilheads?

Oh, and another newbie question - both the airheads & oilheads are "boxers", right? Boxer just refers to the horizontally-opposed twin config?

[DaveBell]

at around 3k miles, I'm getting 42 mpg. I was getting 40 mpg, and I'm riding faster. I think things are loosening up a bit.

Yes, boxers are horizontally opposed twin engines, and both air and oilheads are boxers.

[Mr. Frank]

Originally posted by RichL025
What kind of mileage do you guys get from the oilheads?


On my dual plugged RT I get around 45MPG on the highway. A couple of days ago I got 47 on a 200 mile run to and from Mobile. I'm guessing I could get close to 300 miles from a tank. Of course, I'd be stranded then.

I really like this motorcycle.

[knary]

Originally posted by Mr. Frank
On my dual plugged RT I get around 45MPG on the highway. A couple of days ago I got 47 on a 200 mile run to and from Mobile. I'm guessing I could get close to 300 miles from a tank. Of course, I'd be stranded then.

I really like this motorcycle.

Please note that the best mileage I ever got out of a motorcycle was while riding with Frank at a -umm- conservative pace. :D

My GS has dipped as low as 34 MPG and done as well as 47 MPG. The low number was mostly city riding mixed with forest road exploration - lots of stops and starts. I generally get around 40 to 42 mpg. Sometimes less. Sometimes more.

[Mr. Frank]

Originally posted by knary
Please note that the best mileage I ever got out of a motorcycle was while riding with Frank at a -umm- conservative pace. :D


It's all in the wrist. That run to Mobile was mostly between 60 and 70 with a little city driving.

In all seriousness, I think the dual plugged oilheads get about 2 mpg better than the earlier models.

[BouncinBob]

I have both. The K is the real bike. Sometimes refered to as the dark side, you can leave but you will be back.

Biggest difference beside the power... the vibrations are different. The K is SMOOOOTH, the R is a twin. I could care less in spirited day rides, on trips give me the K. Also for high rev pull, my K12RS does not stop pulling right to the rev limiter.

Running big sweepers K12RS with an R11S following. Running to the tops of gears coming out of the turns up to 140 mph. We were dead even, both had the same pull out of the turns (we were not running easy so this does not compare low rev pull) but the guy on the S said I pulled away at the top of each gear.

The R is easier to work on, don't have to take all the tupperware off. Especially valves, K is a pain if needing valve adjustment as you have to pull the timing cam to replace the shim. I've adjusted the valves on the R at a rally in the campground while drinking my coffee. May not be the most current tech, but sure is easy. Of course the K first had 2 valves needing adjustment at just over 75k miles.

[BouncinBob]

Originally posted by Dave Bell

anyway, BMW's are known for long term reliability, I've talked to a bunch of Beemer riders who have over 100k on their bikes and are just considering them really broke in good.

Enjoy.


Yes. I had 78k on my K when I totaled it this spring. I was and am sad. I was really looking forward to exceding 100K on the clock and many more. Never had anything more serious than a pinion seal go, and fork seals (all under warranty).

Good news, the replacement K12RS has 7,400 miles on it. An 02 put in service 8/01. Poor neglected bike. Why is low milage good? Ahh, I get to look forward to surpassing the mileage on the old one and braking 100K in a few years. Kinda like riding a frustrated almost virgin.

[Montana]

Just my opinion, having owned a K and an R:

Most Ks are bulletproof

Most Rs are reliable

Airheads are easiest to work on

Oilheads have some new, cool technology

Some models have known issues (K1200LT rear end failure)

Some have known high-maintenance issues (R-RT alternator belt)

A for engineering, D- for quality (my R1200C)

On the other hand, unlike a Harley, when things break on the cruiser it's still rideable - in 2002 I put another 5k on a bad transmission before it finally got replaced under warranty, and I'm still riding to work without a speedometer (it wasn't the sensor, it wasn't the gauge)

[112124]

Thank you all for your responses. About 2 months ago I bought a K1200 online. I'm in southern Cal and the bike was in FL. My son in Dallas, a Goldwing afficianado volunteered to get the K from FL to Dallas due to my time constraints. A week after he got it I picked it up and drove it the rest of the way in two days.

The second day was 980 miles and although I was tired at the end of the day I certainly wasn't aching. I was concerned ahead because of a disc/back problem. There was no problem at all. I was surprised but then this is my first experience with a BMW but very definitely not my last. My son is rethinking as well.

I have noticed now on LA and Orange County freeways what you are talking about regarding the Telelever frontend. I didn't know what it was called but I sure knew something was exceptional about it.

You can't describe to a non BMW person what it's like you just gotta experience it.

Thanks again responders for the education.

[Rad]

I’m a twin guy, had three Oil Heads. Someday I may own a K, but not right now.

Pros for the Oil Head BMW: ABS, Telelever, very easy to maintain the bike yourself other than the newest generation brakes and a great 3 year warranty to work the bugs out with in the States.

Cons: I think your typical Japanese bike is more reliable. My three Oil Heads have given me more trouble than my Japanese bikes did. Shocks that are toast in 15,000 miles or less. Not much power compared to the K. The power is ok for me ‘cause more than 100 HP gets me in trouble.

Why do I keep buy’n BMW’s? I really love the Telelever/ABS combo. It makes me a much better rider. Ya haveta watch out ‘cause you can develop bad habits it is so forgiving in corners. You can enter a corner to hot and roll off the throttle and not have the bike stand up and run wide….Wow! I also really like the BMW dealers in my area, great personalized service.

[lorazepam]

Why do I keep buy’n BMW’s? I really love the Telelever/ABS combo. It makes me a much better rider. Ya haveta watch out ‘cause you can develop bad habits it is so forgiving in corners. You can enter a corner to hot and roll off the throttle and not have the bike stand up and run wide….Wow! I also really like the BMW dealers in my area, great personalized service.

I agree totally Rad. I would add that I like the low end grunt that a big twin provides, and the added "character" you get with ownership.