Found a pretty nice looking 2001 R1100S that only has 15K miles on it that I'm going to take a look at this weekend. They are asking $4200 for it. Anything in particular to look out for on these bikes? I've head a little bit about noises in the final drive assembly. Anything else that I should look out for? The last R series I owned was a R90RS. My last 2 bikes were K series so I don't know much about the modern R series.
I think they are pretty solid bikes but if they have the same final drive unit as the R1200GS pay special attention to it when looking the bike over.
I think the internet has amplified the issue but it is a real issue on some bikes, seemingly random and easily repairable if caught before it fails. If it fails completely, it's big $$$. So, basically, if it's tight and smooth you are good to go. If it ever gets a funny vibe... change the bearing before it falls apart.
People also have some issues with the front splines on the driveshaft on the GSs and I'd google as to what that is all about but IIRC it's more related to wear, lubrication and dirt so at 15K miles I'd say it's likely not an issue.
Thanks GPS.
It seems to agree with what I'm seeing too from the different boards.
I read up on the final drive and it sounds like a $3-400 if you aren't stupid enough to run it into the ground and destroy the whole thing. I can live with that. It really just sounds like a normal maintenance issue. I didn't see any mention of the front spines on the regular S model. Maybe extra dirt from a properly used GS models caused something there.
Solid bikes there.
I used to ride with guys who bought them in place of sportbikes. They had no trouble moving along pretty well with that motor and handled great even with a shaft drive. Once you get used to the BMW switchgear and toggle layout I think they're rocking bikes.
$300-400 for a potential repair wouldn't scare me off. If they're like other BMW's of that vintage it may have just stopped using oil at 15k. I think it takes some of them that long to bed in the oil rings. 
Plenty of life left in that bike if well cared for. Does it have service records?
In my time working on them I'd say the shaft spline and final drive problems were overblown by the forums, but it's been about 8 years since I worked on them, so maybe the problems have caught up with the hysteria. The only rear ends we ever saw with problems were comically over-packed GS guys.
Oilheads are generally pretty easy to work on, with the only exception being getting the bodywork off to actually get to the stuff to work on. I like the S models, and I almost bought one off my boss.
ABS or non-ABS? ABS bikes really like regular brake fluid changes, although not as much as the ones with the servo brakes.
Rear drive is similar, but not the same as on the 1200s. Still a tad fragile. Splines have already been mentioned, I would keep an eye on them but not tear the bike apart immediately because of them.
You'll be syncronizing the throttle bodies pretty regularly to combat surging that these bikes can be prone to, but you'll learn to live with it.
Finish can be so-so, so have a look at that. Some bikes have a good paint finish on the drive train, others started paint bubbles before they were out of warranty.
The Telelever front end takes a bit of getting used to due to the lack of "dive" when braking hard. I like it (I've owned three oilheads so far), others don't. Make sure you check both coilovers for leaks, I've had a front one go on an R1100RS very sudden. Not fun having oil all over your front tire.
My main gripe with the sportier oilheads is that the ergonomics don't suit me so I stick to the R/GS/RTs, but if the bike fits you they're great bikes.
In reply to BoxheadTim:
Since you are the resident expert on these bikes... I've sync'd TBs with just a 20' piece of clear tubing, ATF and a board with nails in it. I adjust the right side until they are "mostly even" at 3-5k warm. Every post I see in regard to these things says I need a GS-911 tool to park the butterflies first. ($399)
The bike seems just fine with an ol' fashioned sync at every oil change. Is this just the BMW rider's mafia trying to get me to squander more money on crap I don't need? Or am I missing a whole level of opposed twin control-ability and smoothness I can't even imagine exists?
I don't think these things were ever smooth at low-ish revs 
anyway, no matter how often you sync the TBs. It did get better with the dual-plugged 1150s, though.
That said, I don't recall having to park the butterflies on the 1100s and 1150s I owned. The 1200s may be different but I never owned one. These guys seem to agree with my somewhat hazy recollection. Heck, one of them even mentions the Morgan Carbtune, which is the same tool I used.
Edit: I'd probably get the GS-911 tool if I ended up with a bike that had the servo brakes. Those basically can't be serviced without having the tool to activate the brake bleeding mode and they really want/need the brake fluid changed annually if you don't want to replace the servo unit because of internal corrosion.
In reply to BoxheadTim:
The "whizzy" servos were gone after '06 on the GS bikes. My '07 has the new(er) ABS system and full system flushes are spec'd at every 12k mile service and the general forum consensus says 2 years. I guess they are not as fickle as the older bikes. I have to assume the '01 he is looking at has the older servos if it has ABS at all. That would be an important thing to check... google says it's $2400 for the servo/pump if it dies due to corrosion. Yikes.
I think 01 should actually still be the "normal" ABS-II, which you can bleed without additional tools. The "whizzy" servos weren't in production for that long and AFAIK only ever used on the 1150s.
The older ABSs seem to be more tolerant of abuse like not changing brake fluid, I think the fluid I drained out of my 1100LT recently was still the original fluid. Mind you, I can't tell if the ABS is working OK or not at the moment due to a dead battery.
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