Should I buy an R1100 RS

[gpcrane]

Found an R1100 RS with 74K miles on CL for a mere $1800.  Oh the dilemma.  Garage space, extra expense, or a sportier bike with more power.  Do I need two motorcycles?  I can't (won't) sell the K75s.  Do I save my money for other toys?  First world problems indeed.

[Scud]

The R1100 engine is very nice, the price is good, but not a "steal" as these bikes are not highly sought after. It should be a good workhorse. Find out why it's for sale - what is the current owner worried about?

As for how many motorcycles you should own - there is a scientific formula. Y is the number of motorcycles you should have.  X is the number of motorcycles you currently have. 

The formula is Y = X + 1.

[HYPERR]

I always loved the RS incarnation of the oilhead; to my eyes along with the S model, it is the best looking of the Oilheads.  They never sold very well new because if I recall correctly, once you add the bags, it priced out higher than the RT (which came with the bags standard).

As for your question: "do  you need two motorcycles?", you are asking the wrong guy as I have six currently.   :riding:

I have an Oilhead as well; needless to say, it's very different from the K75S.  It's not like you are getting a similar bike; so to me, it would be easy to justify the purchase.   :yes

[gpcrane]

Hey Scud, I think that Y=X+1 formula applies to more than just motorcycles, but you are correct none the less. 

The bike is at a dealership, I took it for a ride and liked it a lot.  The ABS fault was flashing, not sure why.  I keep an eye on CL for good deals on bikes and this is one of the best prices I have seen.  I have seen nice looking K 75's going for $3 and even $4K.  I think they are smoking crack asking that much.  I paid $2K for mine 4 years ago and feel that was a fair price.  For some reason there were a few 2 valve K100's going for less than $2K but all had over 100K miles.  From what I have seen anything with less than 100K miles in good condition fetches over $2.5K.

Thanks, Greg

[gpcrane]

Hyperr, you are a bad influence.  I like you already.

You are right about the feel of the bike, it's nothing like the K75.

[rbm]

Actually, Scud's formula is slightly wrong.  He's assuming "human desire" is linear; it's actually non-linear ("the more you get, the more you want").  The real formula is Y = X^1.2+1. :eek:

[gpcrane]

Robert,

Are you suggesting the law of diminishing marginal utility does not apply to motorcycles?

Anyway, I may have waited just a little too long.  I just called the dealer and the bike may be sold.  Waiting to hear back as I type.

[Laitch]

That looks like an RSL, gpcrane. Chris Harris has an interesting, concise description of them in the first couple of sentences introducing this video.

[HYPERR]

That looks like an RSL, gpcrane. Chris Harris has an interesting, concise description of them in the first couple of sentences introducing this video.

What Chris Harris is talking about is from people starting up the bike, leaving the "choke" lever on, and letting it run at first idle for a long time for whatever reason.  Usually it is a result of being distracted by something else, such as a phone call and the bike sits there at fast idle for a very long time.  That would be ok with the K bikes but with the Oilhead which is essentially an air cooled bike as far as the cylinder barrel is concerned, gets super hot.  I can see how with the belly pan like on the RSL, it would make the situation worse.

There really is no reason to sit there and let the bike warm up.  It's best to get going right away. 

EDIT: Why is the muffler purpled anyways?  I can't imagine a muffler getting that hot?

[gpcrane]

I love Chris Harris.  I always watch his videos before I work on my bike, and I always use some fucking copper anti-seize.

[Scud]

Actually, Scud's formula is slightly wrong.  He's assuming "human desire" is linear; it's actually non-linear ("the more you get, the more you want").  The real formula is Y = X^1.2+1. :eek:

If you have one bike, then according to the formula you need two.

Then, when you get your second motorcycle, your X=2, and therefore, you need 3.

Then, when you have three, your X=3, and therefore, you need 4.

You get the idea. The answer to the formula is always one more than you currently have.

[Gio]

+1 .... the formulae are all wrong due to lack of empirical evidence, so the answer is yes!

Gio

[Bonzo]

I'm probably in the minority here, but I found the oilhead engines to be a little umm... bland.

[Scud]

I'm probably in the minority here, but I found the oilhead engines to be a little umm... bland.

Not at all in the minority (unless Gio and I are in it with you). Note the Moto Guzzi V11s in our signature lines. If you want character, go get yourself one of those 1100cc pushrod twins - fabulous riding experience.

I had an R1100RT for a long time, very competent motorcycle, but I never loved it. Personally, I don't even think the K75 engine has much character, at least in the way it rides. However, the engine layout is so different to anything else that it has character just standing still - but underway it still has more character than an oilhead.

[F14CRAZY]

When I had my K75 in for a valve adjustment I got an R1100RTP as a loaner for the day. I had never ridden a motoboxer before.

I had the real deal experience, surging and all.

The sewing machine-like sound was kinda sorta cool.

Didn't like the vibration though.

[HYPERR]

Character is very subjective, and I actually don't know what it is...  As for the Oilhead being called bland, it is not uncommon; I've heard it quite often; then there are people who just love the Oilheads.
The K75 with its bavarian cream smooth engine has been called everything from bland to automotive to appliance-like.  People seem to either love or hate the K75 actually...

Out of my bikes, my two favorites are my K75S and my '96 Ducati 900SS with big bore hi-comp. pistons (944cc).  They are totally polar opposite in every way. 

[Scud]

Character is very subjective...

Out of my bikes, my two favorites are my K75S and my '96 Ducati 900SS with big bore hi-comp. pistons (944cc).  They are totally polar opposite in every way.

Agreed, character is totally subjective. I used to describe my 1100RT as a "sport-bike with a beer-belly." And damn you for mentioning the Ducati 900SS... I thought I was over lusting for one of those.

I think that having different motorcycles available improves your riding skills, stops you from getting too accustomed to the feel of one bike - and therefore keeps you more alert. I appreciate all the things that each bike does better than the others.

Back to the OP's question: I think that if you believe the R1100RS will do at least one thing much better than the K75s that you should consider it (or another oilhead if the one in question has been sold). If it doesn't do anything much better, then it will just sit in the garage while you always choose to ride the K75s. IMO, it might be better at two-up riding, but I'm not sure what else.

[rbm]

You get the idea. The answer to the formula is always one more than you currently have.

Understood that 100% Scud  My answer was tounge-in-cheek.  When you have one, you want another.  When you get the second, you want 2 more.  When you get those, you want 5 more.  And so on. It's human greed. That's how collections grow.

[HYPERR]

You get the idea. The answer to the formula is always one more than you currently have.

Understood that 100% Scud  My answer was tounge-in-cheek.  When you have one, you want another.  When you get the second, you want 2 more.  When you get those, you want 5 more.  And so on. It's human greed. That's how collections grow.

True, if I had the money, my garage would look like Jay Leno's lol.

http://www.motorcycle.com/events/jay-lenos-garage-76072.html

[Scud]

Got it - we're all playing with our fake math formulas - but it can be hard sometimes to know people's intentions when we just have the printed word.

So... GPCRANE... have we started you down the slippery slope of multiple motorcycle ownership? Jump in... the water's fine... I know I'm mixing metaphors, but I don't care.

What's your second motorcycle gonna be?   

[F14CRAZY]

At $1800 it seems like you could resell it pretty easily if you didn't like it that much

[TrueAce]

When does an analyst have enough data? An analyst never has too much data,........neither can you have too many motorcycles! The only limiting factors are (a) wife (b)money (c) riding time. My choices have been limited by those factors, but you can be creative to overcome (a), not so much (b). As for (c), I can always find the time, but not necessarily the energy to ride multiple bikes. At that price, I would encourage you to "add", and not worry about excess (or formula's)! 

[gpcrane]

In short I waited too long and fucked up.  I did consider the option of buying and selling for more later if need be.  Why did I wait too long?  My only problem with the bike was the riding position.  I have a fucked up knee.  On my K75 if I ride too long in one day I am on anti inflammatories.  The R1100RS position puts more pressure on my knee than the K75 so I know that multi day rides on it would be hard, and I want a better bike for trips with the wife.  On top of that I am a cheap bastard with a family and yes even $1800 on a deal of a bike requires a give on another side.  Up side is I have cash to spend on other toys now and this is not the first sub $2K bike I have missed out on and I know in time there will be another, maybe an RT.  I still have the K75 and keep up with my buddy with a K1600 and even force him to keep up with me sometimes.  Regrets, yes, but I have had worse.

Cheers all 

[Elipten]

Maybe it was a sign, and the other guy got a lemon.

[Laitch]

Maybe the other guy who got the bike found its air box full of Krugerands and that's why it was surging. :hehehe