Paris-Dakar............I'm developing an itch !!!
- Thread starter YellowRS
- Start date
Would it be a bit of a shocker after the oilheads
After going from a 1200 to an 1150 I would have thought the shock had already been sorted.
So true, doesn't get any better than an 1150After going from a 1200 to an 1150 I would have thought the shock had already been sorted.
Don't bother
Eh?
Because 1150gsa is better
yawn Roger chatterton has a beauty for sale on here.
Great bike for relaxed riding and loads lighter too, scratch that itch
Because 1150gsa is better
Roger chatterton has a beauty for sale on here.
Great bike for relaxed riding and loads lighter too, scratch that itch
Not really
Most bikes are better in reality, than the airhead GS
Airhead GS have a charm, but are underpowered, heavy (for what they are), have a crap chassis, suspension & awful brakes
If you're a lazy rider who pootles around with little input, they are ok
If you like to get a lick on & ride spiritedly then they are definitely lacking
I had a lovely PD with Ohlins, fork inserts & upgraded brake - it was still asthmatic & lacking in the handling stakes
Best to take off the rose tinted specs, because they are firmly rooted in the 1980's
They have huge character go for it.....
Not really
Most bikes are better in reality, than the airhead GS
Airhead GS have a charm, but are underpowered, heavy (for what they are), have a crap chassis, suspension & awful brakes
If you're a lazy rider who pootles around with little input, they are ok
If you like to get a lick on & ride spiritedly then they are definitely lacking
I had a lovely PD with Ohlins, fork inserts & upgraded brake - it was still asthmatic & lacking in the handling stakes
Best to take off the rose tinted specs, because they are firmly rooted in the 1980's
While most of that is spot on, I used to enjoy ragging the crap out of my PD despite it weaving through corners and having no brakes.
It was a great bike and I Wish I still had it, even though I could never quite get on with the "styling".
Loved mine would like the old girl back as a second bike.
Mine left me with 360000 miles on the clock and went on a 3 year round the world trip. Never missed a beat. Loved it and my 1150gs and 1200 twin cam.
Go for what you want and enjoy.
Mine left me with 360000 miles on the clock and went on a 3 year round the world trip. Never missed a beat. Loved it and my 1150gs and 1200 twin cam.
Go for what you want and enjoy.
i learnt to ride on 70's bikes. they were all* like that then
*except for the better italian bikes i couldn't afford. i had a suzuki T500 - "power without responsibility".
Not really
Most bikes are better in reality, than the airhead GS
Airhead GS have a charm, but are underpowered, heavy (for what they are), have a crap chassis, suspension & awful brakes
If you're a lazy rider who pootles around with little input, they are ok
If you like to get a lick on & ride spiritedly then they are definitely lacking
I had a lovely PD with Ohlins, fork inserts & upgraded brake - it was still asthmatic & lacking in the handling stakes
Best to take off the rose tinted specs, because they are firmly rooted in the 1980's
Having owned two airheads, I'd say if you really want on then go for an r80gs mono. The paralever bikes are less characterful, the 100gs is lumpy and barely offers any more power.
The r80 is the best of the breed IMHO, smooth, will cruise at 75-80 and are fun to ride thanks to the rear end rise of the mono back end.
Having been there and done it though, I can't see me buying another.
I'm now on my 3rd 1150GS and my 4th 1150.
Had a Mono, still didn't do it got me
BMW R1100 is the furthest back I would travel in the BMW range
Had a Mono, still didn't do it got me
BMW R1100 is the furthest back I would travel in the BMW range
Not to everyone's taste JB, but the mono was the best one to ride IMO. They are limited compared to the oil heads though and require more felting than riding these days. The mono is a great classic, but the paralever is a poor modern bike and not quirky enough to be a classic feeling bike ( if that makes any sense).
I love my gs mono, but it definitely does not have as much go as the 100 PD. It wouldn't help if it did, it's way to short geared for relaxed cruising much above 65mph where it's reving it's tits off. Even worse brakes and Handling is worse too - very twitchy at speed.
Beats the pd hands down in traffic or off road though and has more character. It's a keeper
Beats the pd hands down in traffic or off road though and has more character. It's a keeper
I love my airheads,
If I want to go fast I have fast bikes for that, far faster than an oil head, of which I have had many,
I love the interaction that you have with airheads,
The simplicity of them and how you connect to them on such a basic level, fix them and modify them, they are simple, much like me, they are the first bike that I have had into little bits without relying on a workshop manual,
They don't handle and are not fast, I need that, airheads and my moto guzzi's feel fast doing 80mph,
Of course I have other bikes, that are faster, better handling,
On second thoughts your right they are shit!
If I want to go fast I have fast bikes for that, far faster than an oil head, of which I have had many,
I love the interaction that you have with airheads,
The simplicity of them and how you connect to them on such a basic level, fix them and modify them, they are simple, much like me, they are the first bike that I have had into little bits without relying on a workshop manual,
They don't handle and are not fast, I need that, airheads and my moto guzzi's feel fast doing 80mph,
Of course I have other bikes, that are faster, better handling,
On second thoughts your right they are shit!
You just have to make the step back and treat them for what they were in their time. It's like old cars, boats, aeroplanes. What's the comparison with modern stuff other than evolution and development ?
I like the old stuff, be it the 100 or 80 GS or an aircooled 911 of a similar time.
Modern cars, modern bikes, modern houses, all a bit soulless and efficiently boring in a lot of ways, and predictable in most cases.
I like the old stuff, be it the 100 or 80 GS or an aircooled 911 of a similar time.
Modern cars, modern bikes, modern houses, all a bit soulless and efficiently boring in a lot of ways, and predictable in most cases.
I have to agree with JB on this one – and to answer the OP’s question, yes going from an oilhead to an airhead will be a shock – far more so then going from a 1200 to an 1150. The jump from airhead to oilhead in 1994 (IIRC) was possibly the most radical move that BMW have ever made and that includes the recent jump to WC power. I’ve owned 2 airheads and ridden many and JB is spot on – they’re slow and once going don’t stop well. The brakes are about as good as the headlight on an 1150 – i.e. almost dangerous. Airheads do have loads of character though and they’re interesting to ride. I’d have one as a 2nd bike. Model of choice for me would be the run out R80GS Basic – they just seem to ride much better than the earlier bikes. Good luck and let us know how you get on
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