I'm confused. Whats the diference?

[VAL. H.]

Firstly thanks to those of you who have already answered some of my questions, most grateful


However I'm confused about the differences between the Airhead g/s GS's The more I read in this section the more confusing it gets and the more questions I find myself asking.

Firstly how come the aficionados say the g/s should be written in lower case when in all the leaflets and even on the bikes it's in upper case, though on the bikes it's written smaller than the numbers. Am I missing something here???

Ok, I know the difference between the Mono and the Paralever (I think). Paralever having the articulated bevel box. Correct? Anything else?

But:

Why's a Basic called a Basic if it's not the base model, and what's so special about it?

Am I right in thinking the Basic is available in both Mono and Paralever?

What is the difference between the various gs modes?

Which bike has the lowest seat hight?
IE; is there any specific model (Basic, Standard, Kalahari ?, PD and God knows what else) that is lower than the others?

Why am I asking about seat hight?

Those of you who know my better half Jill, will know she is not overly long in the leg. She currently rides and gets on well with the F650gs, but she wants to move up to a boxer. The 1100, 1150 are the bikes she hankers after, but realistically they are simply too big and bulky for her to man-handle in and out of the garage on her own. Although she would be able to ride a lowered version of these bikes, I would need to be there to get the thing out so she could ride it and quite frankly this would spoil the whole experience for her.

So we've decided to have a closer look at the Airheads. Although these are not significantly lighter they are quite a bit lower and less bulky.

Hence my plan to get hold of one. I've already established various methods of lowering the bikes and indeed have lowed a few different bikes in the past. But the most obvious thing is to start with the lowest bike in the first place.

Any answers to my question you Airhead experts can give is gratefully received.

Cheers Val.

 

[(RIP) Proff]

Lowest is the s/t smaller front wheel and 1.5 inch shorter back shocker
Can be g/s ified quite easily with suitable tyres.
Leave rest as standard [ lower]

Monos should have the g/s logo, all others G/S GS/// ad writers needed better proof readers

Basic was last airhead, only paralever, Kalahari was the South African variant a basic with big tank as standard
Ran alongside the 1100 GS and was bloody expensive in 96/97

 

[Sylvester]

Have you tried the R850 & 1100? Not GS'ers but low seat hight. The riding schools use them here because for a big bike they are manageable to move about and have a low seat hight.

 

[the civil one]

You too ?

you too can be an Airhead !

http://micapeak.com/bmw/gs/

 

[VAL. H.]

Lowest is the s/t smaller front wheel and 1.5 inch shorter back shocker


Can be g/s ified quite easily with suitable tyres.
Leave rest as standard [ lower]

Basic was last airhead, only paralever, Kalahari was the South African variant a basic with big tank as standard
Ran alongside the 1100 GS and was bloody expensive in 96/97

I've been looking at doing it this way, but it's very hard to find s/t's with spoked wheels.

I think I'm more inclined to get a Mono g/s and fit s/t rear shock and 19" front rim plus either swapping forks for s/t or putting lowering blocks in the g/s ones.
As with the Paralever I'd look at doing much the same, but wonder if the front rim from an 1100 will lace onto the Para hub?

Err I just had a look on the site Civil posted a link to. I'd forgotten about the s/t . Cracking looking bike but quite rear compared to the g/s.

Is it easy to get hold of the bigger tank, and at what price?


Cheers Val.

 

[VAL. H.]

Have you tried the R850 & 1100? Not GS'ers but low seat hight. The riding schools use them here because for a big bike they are manageable to move about and have a low seat hight.

Still very bulky bikes IMO and as you say not GS and can't really be ridden off road.

Val.

 

[BillN]

Val, sounds to me like you should look at and ride a 1985 R80ST, lower and neater to ride than the R80G/S........there are still a few STs around

Read this article, (link below), which I put on one of my web sites, it has the conclusion, "Though I'm sad to say it, the ST is much the better bike of the two, (ST versus G/S)"
I have had a couple of ST and they are OK for greenlaning as well as very good on the black stuff

http://www.bmwr90s.co.uk/pdfs/R80ST Mech & The Biker March 1983.pdf

Do not understand your point about upper and lower case....all BM models have always been written in upper case, i.e R80G/S and R80GS, in the 80s, the / was sometimes omitted, from the G/S which can be a little confusing when looking back, (the BMW price list of the 80s even referred to the R80G/S as the R80GS)

Why would you want a bigger tank?...but if you insist the paralever R80GS tank will fit the R80ST.......and is a good compromise between the ST tank and the Paris Dakar tank

Good luck

 

[John Armstrong]

The R100GS I recently bought had the rear shock adjusted so that his wife could ride it easily. When I bought it, he extended it back out

I would say the non PD airheads are a lot easier to handle, IIRC the extra fairing on the PD adds about 20 kg and it's fairly high up too and the fuel tank's bigger as well.

Best thing is to try and see how she actually gets on / off one. BTW the side stand on mine self retracts, so that may make it harder if she relies on the stand being down to get onto the bike.

 

[nud1e]

Ok, I know the difference between the Mono and the Paralever (I think). Paralever having the articulated bevel box. Correct? Anything else?

But:

Why's a Basic called a Basic if it's not the base model, and what's so special about it?

Am I right in thinking the Basic is available in both Mono and Paralever?

What is the difference between the various gs modes?

Basic is the paralever R80GS with the g/s subframe. Built in 1996, it was constructed, as the last of the BMW airheads, from the parts bins, a common BM practice to get add value to an overstock of parts.

Why am I asking about seat hight?

Those of you who know my better half Jill, will know she is not overly long in the leg. She currently rides and gets on well with the F650gs, but she wants to move up to a boxer. The 1100, 1150 are the bikes she hankers after, but realistically they are simply too big and bulky for her to man-handle in and out of the garage on her own. Although she would be able to ride a lowered version of these bikes, I would need to be there to get the thing out so she could ride it and quite frankly this would spoil the whole experience for her.

So we've decided to have a closer look at the Airheads. Although these are not significantly lighter they are quite a bit lower and less bulky.

Hence my plan to get hold of one. I've already established various methods of lowering the bikes and indeed have lowed a few different bikes in the past. But the most obvious thing is to start with the lowest bike in the first place.

Any answers to my question you Airhead experts can give is gratefully received.

Cheers Val.

My '93 R80GS is no lower that my 1150GS, indeed it may be slightly higher. An acceptable mod for the paralever GS is to use the rear shock from a R80/100R and to drop the front forks accordingly. This lowers the bike by about 30/40mm, but makes it difficult to get onto the centre stand. The g/s are not so easy to mod at the front end. The seat could also be lowered, if required.
The major flaw with the GS is the sidestand which is in the wrong position for those of us with a shorter inside leg, 29/30 in. for me. This needs to be modified or moved to enable the sidestand to be lowered while on the bike, otherwise it means giving the bars full right lock, sliding to the left over the seat until the left leg grounds while supporting the weight of the bike as one swings the right leg high to clear the grab rail at the back of the seat - the is best not done on an adverse camber.
If you can get the sidestand down, it is possible to climb off using the left foot rest.
Another method is to use the engine protection bars. Having come to a stop, simply decide on which bars you want to rest the bike and lean in that direction until the engine bar grounds. Others will rush to assist you in righting the fallen beast - or so I'm told.

With the sidestand down, it is possible to climb on using the left foot rest followed by a fling to the right to leave the bike angled to the right and supported with the extended right leg, while the sidestand springs back.

Jill will soon develop the nessary upper body strength.

 

[(RIP) Proff]

grrrrr

"Though I'm sad to say it, the ST is much the better bike of the two, (ST versus G/S)"
I have had a couple of ST and they are OK for greenlaning as well as very good on the black stuff



100% agree

http://www.bmwr90s.co.uk/pdfs/R80ST Mech & The Biker March 1983.pdf

Do not understand your point about upper and lower case....all BM models have always been written in upper case, i.e R80G/S and R80GS, in the 80s, the / was sometimes omitted, from the G/S which can be a little confusing when looking back, (the BMW price list of the 80s even referred to the R80G/S as the R80GS)

arghhh don't open this can of worms again


Why would you want a bigger tank?...but if you insist the paralever R80GS tank will fit the R80ST.......and is a good compromise between the ST tank and the Paris Dakar tank

Good luck

Exactly what I use with the bigger seat as well

 

[VAL. H.]

Val, sounds to me like you should look at and ride a 1985 R80ST, lower and neater to ride than the R80G/S........there are still a few STs around

Read this article, (link below), which I put on one of my web sites, it has the conclusion, "Though I'm sad to say it, the ST is much the better bike of the two, (ST versus G/S)"
I have had a couple of ST and they are OK for greenlaning as well as very good on the black stuff

http://www.bmwr90s.co.uk/pdfs/R80ST Mech & The Biker March 1983.pdf

Do not understand your point about upper and lower case....all BM models have always been written in upper case, i.e R80G/S and R80GS, in the 80s, the / was sometimes omitted, from the G/S which can be a little confusing when looking back, (the BMW price list of the 80s even referred to the R80G/S as the R80GS)

Why would you want a bigger tank?...but if you insist the paralever R80GS tank will fit the R80ST.......and is a good compromise between the ST tank and the Paris Dakar tank

Good luck

Well I've just learned more today than I ever knew adout Airheads than I thought I knew before.

G/S = Offroad street. GS = Offroad Sport didn't know that!

The 'bigger tank' question is because Jill likes the look of the bike with the PD tank. Simple see

I'd forgotten about the R80st. Think I'll be looking for one of these as well, just the job I think.


Cheers for the heads up guys and thanks for your answers too.


Val.