R100RS -looked like a spaceship 40 years ago !
- Thread starter BOBAD
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Edward
Registered user
Would look even more so when they beam down the front mudguard.
There was a dealer in Leicester years ago that sold BMW. I remember seeing couples on RS and RT machines in matching riding gear and helmets and thinking how sophisticated it all seemed, obviously this was before I'd ridden an airhead. I quickly realised, after my first ride, that it was in fact all an illusion.
Style over substance? Maybe. BMW were certainly very successful at enhancing the capabilities of what was, by then, an obsolete engine. Notwithstanding Stepper's opinion, the 90s was a very capable two up, long distance fast road cruiser and styled to attract attention. The 100rs took that a bit further with the full, frame mounted fairing. Not much could beat it for long distance, high speed touring in relative comfort. As ever ... Wish I'd kept mine!
Yep. Compare that fairing with the crappy fibreglass Avon fairing I had on my Triumph in the '70s......the BMW did come from a different planet.
solidstate100
Registered user
Since very early childhood that faired in headlight on the RS and RT has been my favourite style motif on any motorcycle, ever. I am a sucker for it. Love it.
BOBAD
Registered user
There were metallic strips running horizontally across the headlamp cover which looked very like the heated rear window set-up of cars of the period and drew lots of comments at the time. The elements weren't heated electrically as many people thought; what happened was that heat from the headlamp would warm up those metallic strips and prevent misting. Perfect solution to what could have been a big problem, but BMW had it covered.
I did many thousand - mile a day trips throughout Europe on that bike and although it was true that the engine was agricultural it never once let me down and that fairing was very, very effective.
solidstate100
Registered user
Aye I still think my RT was one of the best bikes to tour on because of that fairing which (personaly speaking of course) has never been bettered - peerless protection.
fayeslane
Registered user
Don't think Spaceships have front mudguards
So how do they keep the shit off the windscreen?
A weekend in St Tropez
I've always been drawn towards the RS. Rose tinted specs? Very possibly.
No doubt this article had something to do with it.
Let's get some perspective - on today's super advanced £12k+ bikes, with your pre-programmed satnav, a Roadside Assist (or whatever) card in your pocket, a mobile phone and with a much-enhanced road structure, how would you feel at the prospect of a weekend trip from London to the South of France?
I've always been drawn towards the RS. Rose tinted specs? Very possibly.
No doubt this article had something to do with it.
Let's get some perspective - on today's super advanced £12k+ bikes, with your pre-programmed satnav, a Roadside Assist (or whatever) card in your pocket, a mobile phone and with a much-enhanced road structure, how would you feel at the prospect of a weekend trip from London to the South of France?
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BMW have probably never bettered the first RS and RT bikes...
But they keep churning out 'the new, improved model', and the consumers keep buying.
And so it goes.
But they keep churning out 'the new, improved model', and the consumers keep buying.
And so it goes.
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So how do they keep the shit off the windscreen?
Forcefield...bit obvious as every spaceship has one !
Yes they have..........................with lots of things, most of which have brakes!
Enjoyed mine immensely for the 14 years I owned it...
The problem with the RS is what do you do with it? Its a phenomenal road burner. the fairing transforms a mediocre bike into a tremendous long distance bike as long as you keep to the motorways.
My 78 RS would pull into the red line in top gear and show well over 130 on the speedo (I know there's a margin of error here) without a doubt its the best air head engine i've ever had or ridden.
The problem came with anything off the main roads, I just couldn't get the bike to hustle round the bends, mainly I think the rough having bars narrower than my shoulders and that "Hands in a bucket" sensation.
I have a local road that I've used for nearly 40 years to get the hang of a bike. The RS always felt like it wanted to kill me on. My other 78 R100 has the same suspension, obliviously no fairing, and wider bars and feels great on that stretch of road.
If you have some long haul riding to do then an RS would be great. I sold mine to a Frenchman (nobody in the UK wanted to buy it at) who was very pleased with it - apart from a loose rocker box cover and him not understanding the airhead charging system.
Got this from him when he got home:-
Bonjour Rob.
I made it back with no prob. Needle on 90 most of the time and I sliced through the French highways like a knife in fresh butter!
A few issue still:
- My boots are all shiny courtesy of a rare option you omitted to mention; The shoe oiler!
Small leaks from the head cover gaskets I presume. Do I need to tighten more the cover;?
- A red warning light when idling. Even after 8 hours at 5500/6000 rpm the light was still on. It stops just above 800 rpm ??
Other than that, nada. It's an amazing job you did on this bike, it grow on you each mile, and the mid range power and sound is very rewarding!
Congrats and many thanks
Fred
My 78 RS would pull into the red line in top gear and show well over 130 on the speedo (I know there's a margin of error here) without a doubt its the best air head engine i've ever had or ridden.
The problem came with anything off the main roads, I just couldn't get the bike to hustle round the bends, mainly I think the rough having bars narrower than my shoulders and that "Hands in a bucket" sensation.
I have a local road that I've used for nearly 40 years to get the hang of a bike. The RS always felt like it wanted to kill me on. My other 78 R100 has the same suspension, obliviously no fairing, and wider bars and feels great on that stretch of road.
If you have some long haul riding to do then an RS would be great. I sold mine to a Frenchman (nobody in the UK wanted to buy it at) who was very pleased with it - apart from a loose rocker box cover
and him not understanding the airhead charging system.Got this from him when he got home:-
Bonjour Rob.
I made it back with no prob. Needle on 90 most of the time and I sliced through the French highways like a knife in fresh butter!
A few issue still:
- My boots are all shiny courtesy of a rare option you omitted to mention; The shoe oiler!
Small leaks from the head cover gaskets I presume. Do I need to tighten more the cover;?
- A red warning light when idling. Even after 8 hours at 5500/6000 rpm the light was still on. It stops just above 800 rpm ??
Other than that, nada. It's an amazing job you did on this bike, it grow on you each mile, and the mid range power and sound is very rewarding!
Congrats and many thanks
Fred
