Become a saddo... Enjoying Airhead ownership...:)

Wrigsby1

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I have had a few near misses with Airhead ownership before but always stuck to my starting point of Oilheads and on...

Now i have an R80RT up and running i am having a ball... riding it over my 1000 V Strom as its fun and stops me riding at full tilt all the time and annoying the tourists...:D

How has this happened...? :D I am even now looking at R100RT's and thinking ... hmmm, upgrade... and wondering if it's worth it or stick with the R80...:D Jeez, I'm only 45...:blast:rolleyes:

The Strom is a great bike and has it's own character but these old 'uns are very catching, "engaging" and "characterful"... I am truly fecked...:rob

Amongst othet things i have just ordered new needles and needle jets as these seem to play a big part and are effected more by wear... What is the feeling regarding valves on 80's... Mine has 70k and dropping an ex valve doesn't seem a good thing so is it worth the change now??

:D
 
Aha. Caught you!! You'll find that the R80 engine is much smoother than the rather raw 100 and performance is similar. There's really no advantage in moving to the R100RT except for willy waving and you've obviously grown out of that :clap
 
Old Man said:
Aha. Caught you!! You'll find that the R80 engine is much smoother than the rather raw 100 and performance is similar. There's really no advantage in moving to the R100RT except for willy waving and you've obviously grown out of that :clap
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Better to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow...:D The RT does pretty well as it's so light and easy next to modern bikes... Bit like a pushbike with a few bits added...:D Mind you, the satnav might have to be used to work out how far out the sppedo is after all these years...:D

What's really weird is BM fairings and effectiveness go's Airheard RT, KRT/LT, oilhead etc last... Don't know about the 12's but the old ones work so well...
 
I aint so sure that the 800 is better and smoother than a 100
It definately aint faster or quicker
It will be lighter by about 2 kg at a guess
But
My tip would be if its OK why swap it for a maybe OK bike :thumb
Jaber used to take his off tarmac and was OK with it
Never dropped it mind :clap:clap
 
800 is definately smoother than the 'lumpier' 1000cc but ( IIRC ) only about 10 bhp between them.
Be careful, once you start doing the heads etc...it becomes additive !!! :D

Mick, you got that pink suede seat yet ? :D
 
With age, comes wisdom.

Airhead RT's are lovely, I've had my '83 100 since December and it's fab.

Let's see a picture of your RT. There's a picture thread on the RT pages. It's good to add a few olduns among the shiny machinery pictures.
 
Kenny said:
800 is definately smoother than the 'lumpier' 1000cc but ( IIRC ) only about 10 bhp between them.
Be careful, once you start doing the heads etc...it becomes additive !!! :D

Mick, you got that pink suede seat yet ? :D
Click to expand...

My seat at mo is Baboon red = had a virus since sunday :eek: :eek:
The bike seat is still in thought - I like the idea of tassles too
Maybe make a Davy Crockett special - if theres enough buckskin roadkill :D
 
If its a mono 800 rt then its one of the most insipid bikes bm produced. If you are enjoying riding it then anything else will blow your socks off. The 1000cc engines have so much more grunt. If you can find one in decent condition then a 81-84 twin shock 100rt is a much better bike. Try and avoid 81 machines, they had a few cycle parts that were unique.
 
I found the 80 RT to be a bit 'revvy' - I was constantly loking for another gear.

My 100GS is higher geared and I suspect the 100RT is the same; it makes for more relaxed cruising.

Nice bikes. I sold mine because It wasn't getting used after I moved to GS' :blast.

Bob.
 
Hello my name is Mark and I have been wanting a 100rt for years now :blast and I am only 36. Can someone advise me if there is any help available I have tried electro shock aversion therapy I have been publicly ridiculed by riders of modern trendy machines i can even tollerate the hours of talking to boring old farts that seem to appear out of nowhere when you are just quickly poping to the shops. ffs I have even been known to pack a thermos in the panniers :rob please help as i fear that if I develop any more airheddian traits my family will fully disown me and make me live in the garage full time (rather than allowing me indoors to sleep as they do at the moment) :blast:blast:blast
 
Nice snaps

Always have a quick look at UKgser site at lunch to check out tips for my gs...I had a quick gander at your flickr site...lovely snaps Mr Nimrod...as a former member of her majesty's press I hope I can recognise nice pictures...were you paid for the portraits? Were they published? Did you go to out to snap the Sillitoe's off you own back?
Whatever... nice pictures.
(like the shot of the two old boys in Boston...)
 
Rob Farmer said:
If its a mono 800 rt then its one of the most insipid bikes bm produced. If you are enjoying riding it then anything else will blow your socks off. The 1000cc engines have so much more grunt. If you can find one in decent condition then a 81-84 twin shock 100rt is a much better bike. Try and avoid 81 machines, they had a few cycle parts that were unique.
Click to expand...


Ha, ha...:D It is an insipid 80 mono... :D I'm enjoying the change and the fact that I am not a speed possessed tourist baiting twat when riding it... I can put on the minimal bike gear and feel better for it...:D

Trouble is these old Airheads age very differently as to who is looking after them... Mine is insipid but i am looking for the bits to sharpen it up a bit... In the past I have nearly bought 3x R100RT's... One was a snowflake 2 tone paint job like DN but the fecker sold it to somone else... One was a pile of shite advertised though the Moaners Club... One was pretty sharp but was very tatty and overpriced...

Then... Should have bought an R100R but a "big move" came before it... Should definitely have bought a Mystic advertised up here for not too much that was spot on but I needed the cash for some building...:blast

I know a fair bit about them and have been reading a fair bit on the net but what makes the 81-84 bikes so good? What makes the mono's not so good... Tell me the basics and i will get it...:D I have had years around bikes and BM's but am just now reacquainting myself with carbs etc...:augie

Personally, I think the 1000 route will be the way to go or uprating "The Insipid"...:D

Ta:thumby:
 
The 80 is still I nice little bike but with the rt fairing they actually slow down in a strong headwind.

Build quality was the main issue with the monos they were built to a price, they also had the softest engines. In real terms they have the most potential, the gearboxes had all the mods done (I'm glossing over the the circlip issue) and the engines are softly tuned. Personally I never liked the handling they have a tendency to wag their tail at higher speeds but a lot of guys prefer them so its personal choice.

81-84 are the easiest of the twin shocks to live with. Apart from the heads not tolerating unleaded fuel they have electronic ignitions and 83-84 machines have the latest gearbox selector.

Heavy flywheel bikes are fantastic when sorted but come with loads if niggles that need sorting. There are loads of classic components that just weren't upto the job. The gearboxes are clunky, the clutch is a weak spot and they run points as standard. The swinging arm is made of rubber and the forks and brakes can be a nightmare. Sort them out and they are a real gem of an engine and obviously what bmw intended the airhead to be.

At the end of the day it's all down to personal choice, try and ride as many as you can and see what you prefer. silly comments about the monos aside I'd have anyone of them.

If you do turn yours into a 1000 you'll also need a 1000 bevel box and possibly a speedo to match it.
 
Rob Farmer said:
The 80 is still I nice little bike but with the rt fairing they actually slow down in a strong headwind.

Build quality was the main issue with the monos they were built to a price, they also had the softest engines. In real terms they have the most potential, the gearboxes had all the mods done (I'm glossing over the the circlip issue) and the engines are softly tuned. Personally I never liked the handling they have a tendency to wag their tail at higher speeds but a lot of guys prefer them so its personal choice.

81-84 are the easiest of the twin shocks to live with. Apart from the heads not tolerating unleaded fuel they have electronic ignitions and 83-84 machines have the latest gearbox selector.

Heavy flywheel bikes are fantastic when sorted but come with loads if niggles that need sorting. There are loads of classic components that just weren't upto the job. The gearboxes are clunky, the clutch is a weak spot and they run points as standard. The swinging arm is made of rubber and the forks and brakes can be a nightmare. Sort them out and they are a real gem of an engine and obviously what bmw intended the airhead to be.

At the end of the day it's all down to personal choice, try and ride as many as you can and see what you prefer. silly comments about the monos aside I'd have anyone of them.

If you do turn yours into a 1000 you'll also need a 1000 bevel box and possibly a speedo to match it.
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Cheers... That's a good gelling of all the info I have been getting to rattle round my brain... I only learnt recently that the mono 100's were converted to 32mm carbs and the same valves as the R80 as well and not just the US it seems...

Pricing up an upgrade kit and the rear bevel really makes it a sell the R80 and buy a R100 option... It always makes me laugh that when you get a new bike to mess with, you are immediately on the web etc looking at the possibilities...

Mine does get weezy at the top end with any resistance... And it wags with some bumps... Good to know it's normal...:rolleyes::blast

As to me referring to the weight earlier... There oldsters just "feel" lighter as the tanks are narrow and the weight is so low... After riding Oilhead GS's etc they are positively pushbike like...:D

Now back to trying to remove those stupid flat blade screw/bolts on the top of the carb slide to get the new needle in... What a PIA idea...:augie

:thumb

PS Thanks for the gearbox thread that has been a good help...
 
Rob Farmer said:
If its a mono 800 rt then its one of the most insipid bikes bm produced.
Click to expand...

my mono 80RT city ride, being taken out to the country for an insipid ride:
r80rt_zpsa3d984dd.jpg
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Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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