1997 BMW R1100R - front tyre scuffing rhs. This is on a bike I may buy. The tyre is well worn and will need to be replaced. I am concerned that the suspension may be out of alignment . What should I have checked?

The tyre could be worn like that simply because the previous owner liked right hand corners more than left or his common journey had more right hand bends.

But it could be a sign of something more serious.

It could be that the frame is bent at the steering head.(Or the swing arm is bent or swing arm bearings/bushes worn out)

A wheel alignment test should verify this.

It could also be a front suspension fault i.e. un-even adjustment of suspension settings (if it is adjustable) or incorrect fluid levels in the forks, or a bent fork tube
.
To check the steering head raise the front wheel up off the ground, grab the forks and pull back and forth. If you can feel movement then they are not adjusted properly.
Now turn the steering from side to side. The movement should be smooth and not notchy.
If any of these symptoms are apparent then the steering head bearings need adjusting/replacing.

To check the the swing arm bearings/bushes raise the rear wheel off the ground.
Grab the rear wheel and try to move it from side to side.
If there is movement the bearings/bushes are worn out.

To check the wheel alignment,place the bike on a level flat surface,loop a long piece of (thin) string around the back tyre(at about the 5 or six o'clock position viewed from the left).
so you have two pieces of equal length, long enough to reach past the front wheel.

Now pull the strings to the front of the bike.

Now position the front wheel straight ahead.

Now kneeling(or sitting on the floor at the front of the bike), place a string in each hand.

Now looking to the back wheel move the strings together until the string just touches the front edge of the rear tyre on each side.

Now holding that position, check the distance between the string and the edges of the front tyre to see they are equal.
If the gap is not even the bike has a twist,bend,missalignment somewhere.

If this seems a bit difficult you could try taking it to your local dealer where they can check it for you.

An experienced mechanic can perform these checks pretty quickly.

It usually takes me about half an hour maximum.

I hope that you find this information helpful
regards Andrew porrelli