review and confession... (a bit long)

I appear to have gone totally hatstand and purchased something in
keeping with my new status as a grandfather.

Just before I went to the GP I somehow won a BMW K100RS on Ebay and my
brother picked it up while I was away.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200140578391&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOIBSA:UK:11

I reckon the price was pretty fair for what it is, I'm not 100%
convinced (or concerned) by the claimed mileage, I've got mot certs
going back to when it first came over from it's original home and they
seem to confirm that it's low mileage. The clutch cable broke as they
loaded the bike onto the trailer but the guy handed over a new cable
along with a new throttle cable, new braided hoses, a new air filter
and a new fuel filter so that didn't matter.

It took me an age to fit the new clutch cable and in the end it was
routed where I wanted rather than where the original went because that
would have involved removing miles more clutter than I wanted to do. I
gave it a spin around the block and then gave up for the day so I
could see the other new addition...

Today was try it out day and it's actually a fucking riot to ride. The
fairing isn't huge but if you duck your head down there's absolutely
no wind noise or buffeting so that's nice after the 10R.

The brakes are totally fucking rubbish. They're Brembo items but
they're very much 1980 standard and it's a big old unit to slow down.
I'll be fitting the braided hoses as soon as I get an afternoon spare
and changing the fluid in the rear one as well.

The handling is a bit vague to put it mildly. It's got decent Pirelli
tyres on it and I gave it a bit of abuse to see if I could provoke
sliding and all it did was wallow. I can cope with wallowing because
as long as you don't shut off mid corner it's never going to get
worse.

The engine is a belter. It pulls really well from all points in the
rev range and I managed to red line it in top when I gave it a top
speed run. It was just into the red and was indicating a touch over
230 kph which isn't bad for a 24 year old bike. I took my hands off
the bars at 200 kph and there was no wobbling at all even though I
still had the panniers on it.

The big decision is whether to use it for the Elephant. I know I'll
probably drop it on ice but if I use throwover panniers then nothing
major should happen. It's got a foad tank compared to any Jap sports
bike and at the speeds we'll be doing the cold will get me before it
runs out of fuel.

Overall I'm pleased with it. I wouldn't get rid of the 10R and ride
only a big tourer because the lack of excitement would do for me but I
can see it being used quite frequently when I just want to **** about
or cart camping kit around.

Let the piss taking commence.

 

Changing the fluid is a good idea, as is fitting the braided hoses - if the
one's you have are both full length with a double top bolt, rather than 3
hoses (top and 2 bottom) as these just make it more difficult to bleed.

What would make the biggest difference to braking performance is to fit some
modern pads. Great advances have been made over the last 10 years in pad
materials, so don't be tempted by "old stock", though I'm sure other will be
able to suggest their favourite brands for this model.

 

The ones supplied are only from where it splits into two onwards, both
fairly short. I'll have a look at getting the top one before I do the
job but I doubt if I'll be bothering going for the two long hoses
option.

Going by the mileage and old test certs the existing pads will be old
ones so I'd be replacing them when the hoses are changes. I expect
Burnt will have some ideas because he's done a lot of miles on one of
these.

I shan't be bothering with HH pads or the like because it's not a
bike to play the late braking game on and all I want to do is stop
feeling as if I need to throw out an anchor whenever I want to stop.

 

Didn't you find the tyres had gone down Andy?.



--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19

 

Yeah, I also had to read the blurb a couple of times to ensure I
wasn't getting carnivorous fish with the bike.

 

I think you'll find that Pannias was an Assyrian King from around the time
of the Argonauts - so that's a little before this bike was built!

 

<fx: stage whisper>
Looks like we hooked another one then
</fx>

Welcome to the dark side...

Oh, and I'd check the valve clearances on it, pronto. 'cos if it
_really_ is an '84 you bought the only model that can't run on
unleaded. There, however is an easy fix for that...
..
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All you've got to do is fit an unleaded head from a later model...

 

Old bikes with low mileage have very old rubber parts which may have
dessicated and will sooner or later start to crack: brakes hoses (and
this is probably one reason you don't like the braking power), but also
all kinds of seals and gaskets (forks, electrics, air box...), not
speaking of the tyres (but these can also be a lot younger than the bike
itself).

The bike per se is fine, though...

 

Well... I'm of the opinion that it's a fucking heavy old barge and I'd
much rather that I didn't lock the front wheel up too often. I've not
changed many brake pads on these since I rarely brake on my commute...
closing the throttle scrubs speed fast enough.

Actually a decent set of braided hoses, rebuilt calipers and new pads
pretty much did it for me.

The K series is a fantastic bike for pottering albeit a little on the
tall side and effing heavy. I'm not convinced it's the right bike for
riding on snow since the last time I rode one on snow I fell off
twice...

If you are convinced that you need to take it I've got a set of front
crash bars somewhere but these don't have all of the fitments.

 

After my first boxer (R80ST) I traded up to one of those in 1988. D
plate maroon one.

Fine bike but ultimately rather short on character - I was doing about
70-80 miles a day and was bored, despite - or perhaps because of - it's
amazing competence. I ran it for a year then shifted it to buy another
boxer (the R80RT I have now); twice the fun, half the speed.

It's ability to pull top below 1,000 RPM, uphill and two-up is one thing
I have missed though.

 

of modifications to make it almost worth owning.

Fit an unleaded head, on a 1985 bike? So BMW with all their
engineering expertise couldn't see the future that far ahead enough to
realise that unleaded was the way things were going? The Japanese were
fitting unleaded heads from 1971. And they call these things the
"ultimate riding machine...(if you can find 2 star petrol)"...haha.

 

Would those be the wonderful BMW ones that stop you scraping the sump or
cam cover but transfer the forces to the main crankcases with hilarious
consequences? <Snigger>

 

Having previously owned a boxer it's a much nicer bike to ride but the
advantage of a boxer is that the old ones are gaining in value. I've
not bought it as an investment, it's just a cheap hack that I'll use
for a couple of years as an alternative to sports bikes.

I've had a look at the cost to change and it's not too bad. Apparently
it's an easy job as well so I'm not worried.

There's probably something (snake oil or similar) that can be added to
the fuel to avoid problems and if the mileage is genuine then it's
worth doing.

 

It's use the K, use the FZR250 or use the 10R. I think I'll go for
comfort and potential slipped discs tvm.

It's got crash bars fitted so that removes one potential problem.

 

Or, alternatively just use unleaded fuel in it and worry about valve
seat recession another time. I did several thousand in one without
using any additives and it didn't need the valve seats changing or come
to that shims changing that often.

Oi! Bonwick, I've got a tool so you can replace valve shims without
removing the cam shafts which you're welcome to borrow. Come to that
I've got a selection of shims you're welcome to borrow as well. Plus the
tool for changing the oil filter.

If you plan to service it drop me a text/whatever and I can lend you the
necessary tools if you like. Might even turn up to point and laugh; but
not in the next two weeks.

 

Taking the head off isn't a hard job but there's plenty of faffing
about.

Millers do an additive "VSP Plus". Thing is I don't fancy the chances
of you not drinking it after you've had a coupla beers.

 

Umm, no they take the forces to a rubber mounted engine mount and
another rubber mounted plate. Can't see how they would cause any
problem since they are completely rubber mounted.

 

On Sun, 02 Sep 2007 21:13:28 +0100, wrote:

snip.

I think we both know that is the path I'll be following.

I'll service it before it gets a decent run but that'll probably only
be an oil and filter change. I really need to do a few hundred miles
on it to see if any probs rear their ugly German heads before I decide
if a full service is needed.

 

Well twelve bolts gets the cam cover off and looking at the pictures you
can prolly do this without taking the plastic off. Then it's just eight
clearances to measure and a little fucking about but not much if they
need changing.

Then you really should grease the drive shaft; about 30 minutes tops.

Plus change the air filter and fuel filters; another 30 minutes or so.

That's pretty much all it needs, well except for a change of coolant and
brake fluids.

 

Castrol Valvemaster/Valvemaster Plus should do the job nicely.