2004 BMW Dual Sport reviews

I'm 6'1", 54yrs having owned ZZR1100, Blackbird, GSXr1100, VFR800, FJ1200 to mention but a few. I bought this BMW with 23kkm on the odo. I've managed to find very good you tube directions to do complete service on her. May I add that I'm not a mechanically minded rider but servicing this bike is a labour of love, quite therapeutic might I add. ito riding...She is heavy regardless! I do not believe this bike commutes well but she is an open road intercontinental joy. I've found many scary stories on the net about the ABS II and yes, I believe that its costly to repair. BMW however do warn that complying with regular servicing with circuit bleeding is a prerequisite. I have to say that this bike is one that you could virtually do most of the work on yourself...the only part that has a dark cloud hang over it is the seal in the clutch. I dread that day as its a major job. On idle, expect to hear that dry clutch sound like a 'thousand tambourines' but its apparently normal. Engine performance: Loads of usable torque makes for a very rewarding ride. Perfectly ratio'd gearing simply makes for great touring. She's not going to scare you performance-wise but these days I'm beyond that. I'm not quite sure what the Bavarian designers were thinking though with the tanksize. Fuel range is below par.... I get about 15-17km/litre which should give me over 300kkm per fillup but the fuelgauge is not linear and things get a little scary as she drops toward 1/4 full. I've subsequently learnt that on a long tour you need to plan re-fuels well but this is a very poor and obvious weakness by designers. The price of spare parts is reasonable but the actual cost of BMW agent servicing is simply shocking...learn to look after as much as possible yourself, its completely do-able and you'll have years of a high quality machine serve you well. Show less

This is the most comfortable seat on a bike that I've ever owned...and I owned a 1987 Suzuki Cavalcade 1400 LE. Highway miles just flow under the tires with ease and it handles the back roads with precision. At 65 bhp., you will need to downshift a couple of gears to crank up rpm. during passing. But the six speed tranny makes for easy riding up and down hills. Show less

I am 53 and finally was able to own the bike I always wanted. I was visiting dealers for about 1 year sitting on the bikes and leaving the stores depressed because I was not confident on a bike tip toeing. One night it dawned on me that when added my bags and gears the bike would sag a bit and it may actually lower it, so that was the key to my problem, with inseam 29/30 I was able to find a stock low seat right away on the craigslist and it kind solved the problem. Took a 6 day tour from Central CA to Portland Or, and was amazed by the comfort and performance. The seat is not perfect but every 2-3hrs a stop made the trip confortable enough. I had a foam pad underneath my behind and it made a world of a difference. I ride it for short rides 2-4hrs and it is a fun bike, because it has plenty of clearance for cornering despite, that I scraped my boot on the pavement a few times, I am not a hard rider but enjoy the twisties. I have owned a hondas 360-750's, hd sportster and I currently own an 05 MV F4-1000 witch is the performance bike but, mile per mile, the bmw R 1150 Rockster I think surpasses the fun factor. Show less

This is the second review I've posted for this bike. First one was July 2007, called Worth the Wait! I've owned this bike for 3 1/2 years and have put around 8,000 miles on it. I know that's not much, and I wish I could ride more, but I have a family and a demanding job. Like the title says, I'm STILL LOVIN' IT! How can you not enjoy riding such a superb machine as this? It's a beautiful machine, too. It's red and I keep it immaculate, so it gets a lot of looks. I'm in the middle of replacing the battery - wow, talk about open heart surgery! You damn near gotta take the whole bike apart to get to the battery. I hope the replacement battery lasts five years like the original lasted. And I pray I get it all put back together the right way! ;) I can't say enough good things about this bike. I feel lucky to own it. Will write again in a couple more years. Show less

I've had my used 2003 R1150R for over a year now and ridden it all over the roads of VA, WV, and MD and also roundtrip to Fl and have enjoyed all 12,000 miles I've put on it. Handles the twisty's fabulously and with a Sargent seat and a an Alaska sheepskin butt pad burning 2hrs of highway before a break is not a problem. Been 100% reliable so far, not a single issue, just required normal maintenance. Buy it - you'll like it! Show less

I purchased my '04 RT in January of '07 with 34,173 miles. As of this writing, I have put 10,000 miles on the bike in 10 months. Riding includes to and from work, to a 5,000 mile trip out west (Nevada) and back. This bike does everything I ask of it - from the power delivery, to the comfort, to the cornering capabilities, to the ease of maintenance. I enjoy this bike, and certainly don't mind riding to work in the rain. The weather protection is decent, and the Metzler tires that it's equipped with really grip the road well, even when wet. And speaking of wet, the heated hand grips are worth their weight in gold. The storage capacity is good, and I keep the necessary gear loaded, just in case Mother Nature decides to add a challenge to the ride. I don't regret purchasing a bike with 34,000+ miles. Show less

I have had my GS for about 4 months now and I love it. I love dual sport bikes because of the type of riding I do. I started with the KLR then bought a V-STROM because of my size I needed more power. After some modification on both the KLR and the Suzuki it just wasn't enough for me so I bought my GS. I cruise at 90 with out even knowing it. It's perfect for me. Show less

Hard to improve on this machine. The only thing I would change is the saddle height. I travel 40 miles a day round trip to work on this machine 95 percent of the time, the other 5 percent I feel like I'm missing something. Show less

This motorcycle turns heads! It is absolutely breathtaking to see going down the road. And...It doesn't stop there -- to feel it is like nothing you can explain. It will do whatever you want it to: cruise around -- slow and easy -- or take it to the limit...it floats and glides and goes into another dimension like nothing you have or will ever experience on any other motorcycle. Extremely smooth and comfortable...especially for those who are inseam-challenged since it has lowered shocks! This is an awesome motorcycle. Show less

I have been riding for more than 35 years and have owned all kinds of motorcycles from a Honda CL 160 all the way up to my 1997 Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Classic to which I added many extras to try and make it a touring bike. Now that I have the BMW R 1200 CL, it cannot hold a candle in comparison. The Vulcan is not nearly as comfortable even with a $400 custom Bill Mayer touring seat, and suspension wise, forget about it. I prefer the Vulcan for around town cruising and the R 1200 LC for longer trips and it really shines on twisty curvy roads, a delight to drive. The Vulcan cannot handle twisties like the BMW. There are so many finely engineered mechanical features on this model BMW, they are really too numerous to try and mention them all. I really appreciate the nice layout of the dash with attention to details like two tripometers, tachometer, and that classic looking analog clock (a nice old school touch.) The cruise control is easy to use and helps on longer trips. I haven't had a chance to use the heated grips or heated seat yet because I live in So. California where it will seldom be needed. I like the easy adjustment of the suspension system with just a twist of the knob you are ready for two up riding and another twist to go back to single riding. There is ample room for any junk you just have to carry around. I use the the top trunk for registration/insurance papers, leathers, jacket and would still have room for a few small grocery items (i.e. a 6 pack). I like the slighly less than roomy saddle bags and how they easily lock. Even with the CD stereo unit built into the right side bag there is still room to hold a helmet, gloves and small clothing items. The stereo system is not audiophile quality, but OK and I enjoy having the weather station at my fingertips. The controls are easy to use and accessible while riding and not becoming distracted. I can hear the system OK even at 70 mph, especially when playing CDs. Parked I can give a concert at tailgate parties! I was happy to find my R 1200 CL and purchase it as a pre-owned bike. The previous owner must have been a dedicated rider as the bike was very well maintained and I plan to keep her that way. I get a lot of compliments on the bike and that wild looking metallic blue really stands out in a crowd. I am very happy with this motorcycle. Show less