Bmw R850r

BMW R850R

Long-Term Wrap-Up

UGLY TURNS LOVELY

IF BEAUTY IS ONLY SKIN DEEP, CAN the same be said for ugly? After spending a year with our less-than-alluring long-term BMW R850R, we’d have to answer in the affirmative.

Let’s be honest: The new-generation Boxers look a lot better fully clothed (R1100RS/RT) than they do “naked” (R850/1100R). That’s all right, so do some of our favorite movie stars. And like them, our testbike made up for its appearance in other, more appreciable ways. Reliability, for one, because in more than 12,000 miles of service, our “R” proved as trouble-free as the proverbial Maytag.

Like most of the owners who wrote us, we outfitted our Boxer in full “grandfather touring” regalia. BMW’s accessory windshield ($409) and saddlebags ($726) were complemented by a supportive Corbin Gunfighter-plusLady saddle ($499 in burgundy Connolly leather, plus $179 apiece for two backrests, from Corbin, 11445 Commercial Pkwy., Castroville, CA 95012; 408/633-2500).

Though these mods made the R850 a much better commuter, they didn’t exactly elevate it to sport-tourer status, for a couple of reasons. First, packing enough clothing for a two-up trip was impossible, because the left-side saddlebag is half the size of the right-side bag, to allow room for the upswept muffler sourced from the RI 100GS. And second, with a passenger on back and the saddlebags loaded, the stock suspension was taxed; the rear shock is undersprung and the front shock is underdamped.

“I would have bought an R1100R, but I didn’t want anti-lock brakes. BMW should offer ABS as an option instead of as standard equipment.” -Rodger Childs, Killeen, Texas

We found solutions to these shortcomings, but they unfortunately weren’t cheap. Slipping on a Staintune muffler ($1125 from CBT Imports, 2490 Old Middlefield Way, Mountain View, CA 94043; 415/966-1183) let us mount the left-side saddlebag from an R1100RS ($353, or $108 for the larger inner half alone), while a pair of Ultrasport shocks ($1048 from Works Performance, 21045 Osborne St., Canoga Park, CA 91304; 818/701-1010) cured our handling woes while giving us a broader range of adjustability.

Quotes from the logbook

Don Canetwife loaded, the R850R?stock suspension felt a bit wailowy unless I was ultra-smooth with my control inputs. Otherwise, the bike is as solid as the day it was new.

Matthew Milesis any slip-on muffler worth $1125? Guess it depends on how much you value the extra storage capacity afforded by the larger saddlebag. Personally, I think BMW should have given the R850R a low-mounted muffler in the first place; this isn’t a GS, after all.

Brian CattersonFinally got around o the 6000-mile service. Setting valve lash is simple, and all the tools you need (except feeler gauges) are included in the underseat toolkit. Wish I could say that about my Ducati...

“I saw no reason to spend $3000 more for an R110OR-the 850 as plenty of torque and acceleration. Jut for $10,000 out the door, a fuel jauge, self-canceling turnsignals and tachometer would have been nice.” -Millard Schwartz, Santa Ana, California

Maintenance-wise, we did all the work ourselves, changing the oil and filter every 3000 miles (we used Fram filters from our local auto parts store) and adjusting the valves every 6000. At 7200 miles, we replaced the worn-out stock Bridgestone tires with a set of Dunlop D205 Sportmax touring radiais ($3 17/set from dealers), which are no less grippy and should prove longer lasting. Also, at just over 10,000 miles, with the rear brake pads wearing thin, we installed a full complement of Galfers ($108 from Giocar America Corp., 104 San Federico Ave., Santa Barbara, CA 93111; 805/967-2726) in the hard-stopping green racing-compound front and blue endurance-compound rear. That done, the bike should go another 12,000 miles easy.

Every new BMW is accompanied by a three-year/36,000-mile warranty, free enrollment in the company’s roadside assistance program and a well-equipped toolkit. We can’t imagine why. Truth be told, the only problems we had, we caused ourselves: Early on, a ham-fisted editor snapped off the hinged fuel filler cap ($57); and later, another scored a direct hit on a car bumper while taking evasive action in city traffic, necessitating replacing the same expensive left-side saddlebag we’d purchased previously.

Otherwise, we enjoyed the time we spent with our R850R, logging troublefree trips all over the southwest U.S. Our main complaints are the same ones we voiced in our original “Quick Ride” {CW, March, 1996), namely intrusive vibration at highway cruising speeds and a slight lack of power compared to the 850’s larger brother, the R1100R. Over time, we also grew tired of the hard-to-find horn button, the clunky clutch and the fuzzy left-side mirror, which mounts differently than its right-side counterpart. Each of these is a minor gripe, however, and should not dissuade would-be buyers from purchasing this affordable, functional and, above all, reliable motorcycle. We wish more bikes were as splendidly versatile as our R850R proved to be.

I traded a Honda ST1100 for my R850R. The bike presently has 4200 miles on it, and has been problem-free!” -Kenneth Miller, Houston, Texas

Who knows? A few more months and we may even have grown to appreciate its looks. Nah-probably not.

SPECIFICATIONS

List price(1996) ... .............. $8990