2003 bmw reviews

I bought the motorcycle from the original owner in Colorado with 40 K on the odometer. This so far has been the best BMW I have ever owned I have owned five of them, I love traveling on this bike, it is one with road at 75 mph, all weather. With new Michelins , the grip is amazing. Reliable and quick with a heavy load rides so stable. I have added a Sargent seat, ohlin shocks, exhaust, ilium foot rest, and bar backs. Such a wonderful motorcycle. I’m very attached to the bike. Show less

I purchased my K1200 new at the end of 2003, and sold it at the end of 2019; I put approximately 40K miles mostly in Southern California. This is a superior performer in terms of power, suspension, and braking. The fit and finish was excellent, mechanically sound, no major repairs or issues other than routine service and tires. Compared to my current bike (2019 BMW R 1250 GS) the seating position is "sport" which means you are bent at the waist leaning forward with more bend in your knees. For shorter rides (say under 100 miles) this is not too much of a problem, for anything more you will experience soreness and minor muscle cramps. Heated grips and seat make it comfortable in colder weather. Fairing provides excellent wind protection. The generic "flaw" in this particular bike are the rear engine seals and the seals of the final drive train. At 40K and 16 years mine began to leak with the cost of repair equaling the net worth of the bike. Suggest you ask if the fuel line "quick connects" have been upgraded, this was a BMW recall item, if not replaced raw fuel may leak onto your engine. I used Bridgestone Battle AX, BT021 tires and found I was replacing the front tire every 5-6k even though I maintained proper air pressure. Side cases are air and water tight, with substantial volume, are locked, with a second handle that allows them to be easily removed and used as "little suitcases." This bike weighs about 680 lbs wet, at low speed turning the front wheel is less than nimble, once you get past 10 MPH the front is very responsive. Suspension is firm and tight. I considered a K 1600 GT but they are a larger (and more bulky) bike vs. the K 1200. I chose the R 1250 GS due to superior riding position, horsepower, substantial torque, ride modes, and ground clearance...and have not been disappointed. The K 1200 GT is a superior motorcycle, perhaps one of the last combining practical sophistication, refinement, and raw power. Show less

The BMW R1150R is a marvel of handling, quickness, and power. All of the reviews I read did the bike no justice at all. The bike I found using Cycle Trader is in excellent condition and delivers great bang for the buck. There were only 13 to 15 bikes of this model listed nationwide at any given time. The R1150R I found was within 100 miles of me and was about midrange in price. The Bike is fantastic, the dealership, not so much, but that is another story. Like all BM's, you think turn and the bike is halfway through. When I twist the throttle the bike not only moves, it jumps. The reviews said it would not win any races and was a bit heavy. Bull*&@3. This bike is definitely fast and light weight. The exhaust note, while not a Harley, has a bark and the tail pipe is stainless steel. The last BM I had back in '78, had a problem with rusty pipes. Hopefully, gone are those days. After reading everything I could on the R1150R, I am very, very surprised at the overall speed and agility. Show less

Cons: very top heavy and tricky to handle in tight quarters, difficult to maintain because of all the "tupperware". Pros: very smooth bike, extremely comfortable for long distance rides, can take a lot of hard riding and not even breathe hard love my K1200LT Show less

Cons: heavy heavy bike would not recommend for a new rider, repairs and maintenance are not exactly user friendly, top heavy difficult to handle in tight and close quarters. Pros: extremely smooth motorcycle, meant for hundreds of miles a day with no problems, the weight seems to disappear when at speed, "drive it like you stole it"! Show less

CONS: If considering a 1200LT you must have a minimum inseam of 32 inches. The Front seat is limited in its height adjustments and only go up from there. BMW does make a low profile seat that might get you an extra 1-1.5 inches but for an extra $300. If you ride 2-up; You might want to consider the passenger weight... Pref less than 175lbs. as they sit higher than you and the center of balance is high. You have to get rolling to a min of @ 7mph before the handling feels comfortable. Also, alot of parts to remove for services. PROS: Agile pleasure once rolling! All issues so far have been minor and inexpensive to repair for competent handy-person. (Owned from 25kmi-34kmi.-today) MODS: Added a battery disconnect. for winter/extended storage. Show less

I started riding again and recently bought a 2005 R1100S. It's a great bike for short rides. I started to do 300+ miles per day and got too sore after the ride. It could just be I'm not as young as I used to be. This past fall I purchased a used RS and 500-mile days are now followed by dinner and dancing with my wife. This bike has it all; looks, speed, handling and all day comfort. Switched to city lids and carry just enough for a quick change of clothes and snacks. If I had to choose just one bike, the R1100S would have to go. Show less

I have had my R1200CLC for just over 2 years, I am more than happy with the performance of this machine. I generally use the machine for touring this bloody big country I live in and I have to say its performance is fantastic. The comfort levels are great, to the point that my wife accompanies me on all my rides now, something that she wasn't keen to do on previous machines. The braking ability of this machine is phenomenal, especially when you live in a country where kangaroos and emus feature high on the road kill register. Economy (m.p.g.) is a plus, it can be some distance between petrol stations. I have fitted a towbar and now tow a Shadow Trailer when we go camping (Shadow Trailers are built in South Australia, check them out) and it can be fully laden and not be a drag on the machine. I applaud BMW on this machine. Show less

Got my '04 BoxerCup new. Street riding is way cool. Have about 10,000 mi on it now. The only part of the bike that sucks are the shocks. Although others have written about low power and feel of the assisted braking system, on a short track like Infineon, it works well enough to make RC51 riders give you an unsolicited high 5 after you beat them to the corners and execute -the pass. When you get it-you know what to do. The Grin Factor, it feels great. Show less

I am a police motor officer in NC and we just acquired a fleet of 2006 1150rt's. The bikes are amazing. I just got back from a two week motor school and took the bike through mud, sand and tons of low speed course work. The bike performed as good or better than the Harleys or Hondas. It's a little top heavy in the low speed tight turns but once you master that, it's a great bike. Performance is top notch, just wished it had a little more inspiring exhaust note. Can't imagine better brakes. Show less