2001 BMW reviews

I love this motorcycle. It has 80 horse power. Sure wish they had put another gear in it. No need to be winding it up so much when just cruising. I'd been happy to downshift to pass. Show less

My 2001 black with white pin stripe, as of March 2012, has 50,553 miles on it and has never had a problem. It has been a fantastic motorcycle for daily commuting, twisty road Sunday rides, touring and even seen a track days (yes, I said track day). I have ridden this bike over 5,500 miles from Chicago to the most Southern point in Mexico and Yucatan and back. I've done a few cross country trips all without problems. With all the miles my stock rear shocks were getting soft and saggy. A few weeks ago I did replace the front and rear with Ohlins shocks at $1,300. Shocks are a wear and tear item. I read a review here where the rider said the exhaust was too quiet for him. The stock exhaust is almost silent, yery stealthy! But I did miss a little rumble and wanted to make a few performance changes. I decided to drop 28 lbs. and gain better Bhp by changing the exhaust to a full Two Brothers Racing ($289) setup. I also added a Techlusion Tfi ($169) fuel/air tuner like a power commander. Right away the exhaust note blew me away. This bike rumbles like a Ducati with Termigonis! The weight loss and hp make a huge difference in "get up and go". I will say I love the increase in performance but when on long distance rides, I wish I had the stock silencer on it purely for the peace and quiet. The RL handled twisty curves with grace and now with Ohlin suspension, it feels surgically precise and I feel very, very confident in corners. The R1100RL can be a great all-around bike. It has the museum quality in it's throw back classic BMW styling with new technology performance. It's a great bike for shorter height riders as the seat has three height settings from 29.6-31. 5 inches. You do feel like rider and bike become one. I think everyone who truly rides should own 2-3 bikes. It's a fun bike, a commuter and long distance tourer. This bike is fun, but not as fun as a Ducati sport bike. Although, it will still have your heart pounding and put an ear to ear smile on your face! It is a fantastic city commuter. I have even ridden a suit and tie to work on this stylish machine. I added the Parabellum Scout faring so with side cases, tank bag and large BMW bag on the optional luggage rack, it will get the job done riding long distance tour bike, but not as comfortable as the new K1600GTL on long trips. This why I say you always need the right bike for the job. Some are more versatile than others. BMW does a great job at making a bikes that can have multiple uses. The R1100RL really does this well! This is one bike I don't think I will ever sell. Show less

I have a 2001 Limited Edition yellow/black checked R1100S-A. With Z-Tecknik pipes and a Wunderlich lowered seat. I truely love and enjoy my MOTO! Coming from someone who is vertically challenged(5'2")I was very worried when I first purchased this bike. The BMW's are so well balanced it has not been an issue at all. I owned it for 4 months and have put 2500 miles on her. I have taken her off road, and done some great day trips. This is the bike I will keep forever. Show less

I bought this bike new in San Diego and rode back and forth to Tucson, AZ (400mi) on a regular basis for a year. The bike handles great on the freeway at 90+ mph. I did a few detours onto the dunes at Glamis and the bike did great until I swapped the rubber to Metzler Tourances. Been in Tucson for 2 years now, put some knobbies on and regularly go off road with the bike. The body work handles abuse, I have dropped the bike many times and suffered no more than minor scratches, broken mirrors and broken indicators. This is truly an all around bike. It has enough power for solo touring (two up if you travel light), it handles great on the twisties (or rush hour traffic), and can handle some serious off road. Show less

Great handling bike. Terrific brakes and a serious touring look about it. I came from a 1991 Yamaha Venture 1300 ( with 101,000 miles and still running) so I am accustom to the top heavy feel. Drawbacks or sqwauks: The gas cover for the gas cap. Clumsy position you get into when the nozzle goes in. Some strange cupping on the front tire but Im running a Bridgestone battlax. Maybe thats how they wear. I figure the bike might be alittle heavy on the starboard side. So what, I'm having a great time going through the gears listening to the Ferrari type howl of the exhaust. Just watch those slow speed turns on lots with stones and a passenger on board. I just leaned the "Liquid Tank" over to the ground when my leg lost traction. Once it leans over just alittle too far its either a hernia or scuffed plastic. (Those black plastic guards work ok!) Ride on... Show less

Have had mine for 3 years and love it. Not a problem. But I wish that the Germans would go to Iraq with us! Show less

Mine is a '99 S, Mandarin Yellow, and my first BMW. I would describe the S as a very refined, versatile, high quality twin. Smooth and tourquey with more than enough power on top, EFI, ABS, heated grips, hard luggage... and it looks great too! (Well, maybe not with the bags) The only thing this bike doesn't do well is gravel roads, but riding around town or across the continent I can't think of a better bike! Show less

Bought the bike last year. It was the last one in Albany NY. Its a great bike and everyone loves it. Not a problem and it seems to get better as it breaks in. Show less

After owning a HD Springer and having a RoadKing on order, I decided to try something different. And am I glad I did. This is by far the most comfortable, responsive touring machine I have ever riden. The quality of materials, mech technology, brakes and styling are 2nd to none. Cant stay off the darn thing and am finding dubious reasons to take it out on the road, according to my wife. You haven't lived until you spend 4-6 hours on this baby. Show less

i now have 6k on the bike and it runs better all the time. A real highway cruiser. The bike is well thought out and very functional. The instrumentation is great with the analog clock. I had a Harley Sportster as a previous bike, I will never go back. Show less