Old Beemer first impressions

Finally picked up the R100RT and the first trip was a blat back from Crewe
to Luton. 9K on the clock (speedo replaced at 25K), no rust - stainless
bolts everywhere, generally pretty good nick. Feels agricultural after all
the Jap bikes I've owned though (two petrol taps to remember, indicator
switch awkwardly placed just under the headlight flasher and a sidestand
designed by some sort of retard). Happy(ish) with the performance atm. It
indicates just over 125mph as it nudges the redline and I could sit at 100
till the cows came home (or my arse dropped off). Problem areas are weeping
oil from both head gaskets, one of the panniers has a broken catch and an
unnerving feeling of being hinged in the middle when crossing cats eyes
during lane changes (though this may have been exacerbated by the rear tyre
pressure being low).

And all it cost to add it to my insurance was an admin charge (yippee!)

All in all quite pleased and harbouring newfound desire to invade Europe

 

They all do that, Sir.

 

They all leak at the head gasket Sir if this is a pre Mono RT.
At an indicated ton it will be slurping fuel BTW.

Go talk to a good tyre place about the options, you want something with very
good straight line stability. BT45's work but old tech and the fronts wear
badly.
Fixing the handling requires several things and some money

 

Rick wrote:

Go for the cheap stuff first

Torque the heads down as per Haynes w/shop man.

Check to make sure the leak is not from the rocker box covers because
they get warped very easily. Quick cure is two rocker cover gaskets.

Tyre pressures can cause issues even if only slightly out.

Check the torque setting for the swinging arm, it runs on taper
rollers( I think) and it has to be exactly right otherwise the bike
feels like there is a rubber band in the middle.

Check head race torque.

a front fork brace helps a lot.

are the tyres a matching pair?

Next step - progressive suspension fork springs or those anti
bottoming springs that San Jose BMW used to sell in the 80's ( I may
have a spare set of unused ones in the garage - yours for a low number
of beer vouchers if I have)

Then rear shocks -

Thats about as far as I would go as to be honest its late 60's early
70's technology and any more is cost prohibitive buy a newer better
bike.

OH and balance the carbs, it will not handle any better but it will be
smoother. It will probably need doing, they always need doing being
cable operated and with such long cable runs they tend to stretch.

Boxerboy

 

Jerry designed it in the 30s to invade Poland, so fill yer boots

 

The bike already has a progressive suspension mod and fork brace but thanks
for the offer

 

In message

Are you suggesting that my plan to replace the shocks on the 80 mono and
65 twin-shock with Ohlins when the originals give up the ghost might be
a little over the top?

 

Poland, surely?

 

AFAIK it does make a difference, but you're still talking Olde School
frame technology. Of course if you want to get the frame strengthened at
the same time, by the people who did the Paris-Dakar bikes for BMW, the
outcome might be slightly different.

 

Sounds like a fairly typical example of an R100RT. Cruising it at 80-90
is better advised: it'll be a lot less stressed. Once you get used to
them, they make brilliant budget tourers. They'll do anything any modern
Pan Euro, FJR13, GTR14, etc will do in terms of transporting two people
and a shedload of luggage in comfort to the ends of the earth.

They just won't do it as quickly.....

 

O

In my opinion yes unless you have a low price source for said Ohlins.
There comes a point where the amount spent for the additional small
improvement is out of proportion to the benefit. However its your
money and if spending that much makes you happy then do it. All I am
saying is if it was me I would not as I think its overkill and you
could probably get greater benefit spending the extra in other areas.

As Timo says frame bracing would be a useful way to go if you are
that serious. The twin shock R65 is a really sweet handling bike as
BMWs go, I had one for 3 years and did 78,000 miles on it and loved it
to bits. If the chance arises I would buy another one for the stable.
Unfortunately I am currently exceeding the number of toys that SWMBO
sanctions so buying one is not an option. Anybody want to buy a fender
12 string acoustic?

Boxerboy

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, boxerboy

Nah. Virtually worthless, they are.

How much?

 

Yeah, you need a Guild.

--
_______
..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (b.rogers at ifrance.com)
\`\ | /`/
`\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2, IBB#10
`\|/`
`

 

Guilds are nice.

 

Mercers? Haberdashers?

Phil

 

Seemstresses, by preferemce.
--
_______
..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (b.rogers at ifrance.com)
\`\ | /`/
`\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2, IBB#10
`\|/`
`

 

Assassins.

 

Shh. I'm trying to keep that quiet.

Phil

 

Mincers?
--
Dave
GS850x2 XS650 SE6a

"It's a moron working with power tools.
How much more suspenseful can you get?"
- House

 

"Not so much a Guild as a movement"

Phil