well first ride on the RS ..hmmm

jackassdave

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well first ride on the rs { and first ride ever on one} after coming off the shovel head and the triumph it was rather strange and to be honest not that good it felt rather heavy the bars felt really narrow and a bit alien to start with I didn't like it at all.a quick trip to Asda to fill up and oh well of again [ every said the bars were narrow to much weight on your wrists etc } and it felt like that to start with .
the longer I was out with it I started to relax a bit and settle in the more I relaxed the better it felt and after about half an hour I started to enjoy it , now im not a fast or a knee down rider in any way but I could see how easy it was to be able cover ground { not talking g about it in modern standards}.
by the time I got home I had really enjoyed it the bike ran like a dream felt good and even stable someone before me had spent a lot of money on it twin plugged new discs etc .
im still undecided about it as a keeper because id really like an older model {naked style} with drum brakes but I wouldn't be in a rush to get rid of it
 
Ahh, The RS - the original gentlemans express. They do grow on you, but in the end I preferred the RT to the RS, pretty much for the initial reasons you mentioned. I think there is a fairly standard mod you can do on the bars (K bike bars, I think) which can help. Either way, they look great with that faired in headlight, my favourite BMW design ever.
 
Ahh, The RS - the original gentlemans express. They do grow on you, but in the end I preferred the RT to the RS, pretty much for the initial reasons you mentioned. I think there is a fairly standard mod you can do on the bars (K bike bars, I think) which can help. Either way, they look great with that faired in headlight, my favourite BMW design ever.
.

to be honest I didn't mind the bars at all intact quite liked them I also had an rt great bike
 
The first time I rode a BMW, I was not impressed, clunky gearchange, iffy brakes etc etc. (And I was coming off a GT500 Suzuki!). Took it for a week down to Albany (Western Australia) and we finally bonded, that was in 1976 and haven’t been long without an airhead ever since.


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The first time I rode a BMW, I was not impressed, clunky gearchange, iffy brakes etc etc. (And I was coming off a GT500 Suzuki!). Took it for a week down to Albany (Western Australia) and we finally bonded, that was in 1976 and haven’t been long without an airhead ever since.


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.

ive had about 12 airheads but never an RS to be honest everyone said " the handlebars are too narrow " " its this and that " which put me off getting before now but I really enjoyed it
 
The first BMW I rode was an R100CS. I was so impressed I bought one. Wish I hadn’t sold it.
 
The RS grows on you, can feel awkward when you smart off but improves with a bit of speed.

Recently changed the the front master cylinder on mine to get rid of the wooden feeling at the lever, much better now, strangely I find the RS box the smoothest of my 3 airheads.
 
The RS grows on you, can feel awkward when you smart off but improves with a bit of speed.

Recently changed the the front master cylinder on mine to get rid of the wooden feeling at the lever, much better now, strangely I find the RS box the smoothest of my 3 airheads.

actually I thought this was pretty smooth as well
 
Really glad you're bonding with it Dave.

I test rode one once and I know what you mean about the bars. Someone on here perfectly described it as like 'riding a bike with both hands in a washing up bowl'...

Anyway... one day I shall join you and buy one*

*Assuming they haven't all been hipsterised by then!!
 
Never found the bars narrow, but I do have a short reach/arm length. All ergonomics can be sorted with a few aftermarket accessories. Its a lot lighter than a rt and great for touring never understood why it don't sell better. Don't follow the crowed get one you wont regret it. :thumb2
 
I had the same problem with my RS, too much pressure on my ageing wrists. I got some second hand bars from Motorworks, slightly higher and wider and it’s made a huge difference to me. No need to change any cables etc. I also removed the faring and I prefer the naked look.
 
Rode all over Europe on my RS back in the 1980's. Away for 4-6 weeks, two pair of jeans (one pair for riding, one for "best") one pair of boots. :D

Only pain the arse was the restricted turning circle due to the bars inside the fairing when riding in towns.
 

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Nice in ‘Gendarme’ blue - those were the days. Never ridden an RS but really liked the RT, possibly because it was a bit like sailing a boat :D
 
Really glad you're bonding with it Dave.

I test rode one once and I know what you mean about the bars. Someone on here perfectly described it as like 'riding a bike with both hands in a washing up bowl'...

Anyway... one day I shall join you and buy one*

*Assuming they haven't all been hipsterised by then!!

Don’t wait too long, an RS requires a flexible back!


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Rode all over Europe on my RS back in the 1980's. Away for 4-6 weeks, two pair of jeans (one pair for riding, one for "best") one pair of boots. :D

Only pain the arse was the restricted turning circle due to the bars inside the fairing when riding in towns.

I bet you e still got those jeans and can fit into them
 
Timeless looking bike. Still easy on the eye after more than forty years. Bought a '79 in '83 and only sold her in 2010. Big mistake. So easy to work on and service. Twin plugging worthwhile. Toured Europe every year with wife/kids on back. Narrow bars no problem after a while. Have to keep straight hollow back to keep weight off wrists. Don't expect the ATE's to stop you quickly.
 
Timeless bike . Fucking naff footwear, though steppers !

Mine took a few hard knocks while riding across europe.. :D and the boots and jeans survived and i didn't have a scratch. :D
 

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