Son down (mildly)

R90S have been out of winter hack territory for a long time and only a
heathen would use one as such.

For starters I don't think the Italian carbs would take to nicely to the
shite on the roads.

 

<looks at sig>
I've been using the RS for a couple of days after getting it back from the
IoM. It is just so comfortable, the fairing is amazing and it keeps my feet
and calfs warm.
The Hawker Odyssey battery fired it up first time after sitting at the IoM
airport for 7 months. All I did was drain the bowls first. Once the discs
were cleaned off and the tyres given 4psi both ends it was back to normal.
Like most Beemers it is undergeared in top and 100mph is way too close to
the red line, cruising has to be 85.

You won't get a good low miles RS Mono under 2 grand. Plenty older models
around but they handle less well and have too many maintenance niggles for
my liking.

A K100RS is probably a better hack, certainly cheaper, it just needs that
fairing!

 

It isn't really the linking I didn't like, though I never want that on a
bike (1), but the sudden and over eager application the servo introduces.
Servo brakes on a bike are an insane idea, completely unecessary.

(1) I have no idea why anyone would want the loss of control input linked
brakes introduce

 

That's partially true for the fully linked system on the RT but I didn't
find it too bad on the GSA. I think there's a modification out there for
the RT to make it less abrupt.

Possibly, but then again people have been saying this about ABS, disk
brakes, brakes in the front wheel etc as well.

While I wouldn't buy a bike simply because it had servo brakes or linked
brakes, I don't mind them.

Not all of us are superheros on those lardy old barges...

 

But technology should contribute something or it's extra weight and cost for
nothing. Even a 6 y'o child can apply enough strength to make good
motorcycle brakes squeal the tyres.

Ride on ice/snow/gravel with linked brakes!

 

Yes, but weren't we talking about BMW brakes?

Done the gravel bit with partially linked brakes, didn't find that too
offensive. I'm not attempting this with the RT if I can help it, mind.

 

Which have been excellent since about 1987 IIRC!!

 

Hmmm,

My 91 R100RT (Mono) has probably the worst back (drum) brake of any
bike I've ever owned, including the NSU Quickly and the 350 Madras
Bullet!

Different rear shoes and even a new wheel made little difference.

However, the fronts are ok and even the rear can be persuaded to make
the rear tyre leave a feint black stripe down the road (the stupid
woman in the car in front decides to stop fast AND reverse towards me
just because a coach was filling the entire road ahead <sigh>. She
should have known I was 'enjoying' the Cornish roads, was two up,
fully loaded and towing a trailer ... ).

GWS to TOG Jnr, especially relevant as my 17yr old has just started
out on her 125 Skipper and may move onto my CB250 when she takes her
test.

All the best ..

T i m

 

<looks at sig>

My RS has a perfectly adequate rear brake which has never given me a moments
thought!

 

Is that a disk on the rear of an RS though?

Ok, I'd say my rear brake is 'adequate', it just isn't as good as most
other bikes I've ridden and maybe that's why I question it?

The only other bike I've ridden with a worse rear was my mates 1350
FLXLVXLFLX Harley .. (and I really thought the rear brake was
disconnected!) :-(

All the best ..

T i m

 

No it's a drum and should be identical. It is not overly powerful. I like
it that way.

 

Done that. Next question?

 

They're old bikes so they're winter hacks. Expensive and very nice
winter hacks but that doesn't mean they're something different.

I wouldn't want to go far on it, maybe to Germany once a year.

I wanted an R90S when they first came out in the '70s and they're
still a lovely bike to look at even if they're tired old beasts now.
It's a shame that BMW didn't bring out something similar to keep the
line going over the next few years but I think the price would have
scared most people away.

 

On Wed, 27 Feb 2008 14:05:11 +0000, Timo Geusch

snip>

I didn't find the K100 as much of a problem as I expected to when it
chucked down snow in Germany but it's a big old unit when you're
having to use your feet as skis.

I've not found it too much of an issue to throw it around through
bends over here but I was brought riding barges and it's like going
back to my youth again when it starts to wallow when you nail it on
twisty roads.

 

Yes but you do lots of crazy stuff anyway

 

Try a K1100LT like mine. I'm still impressed that a 15 year-old bike can
be so bloody good at what it does. Cheap to run, as well.

 

I've owned two R100/7s and an R80RT mono, and the back brakes on all of them
were perfectly adequate.

 

I'm quite happy with my manky old K100RS at the moment. My wanting an
old R100 is more to do with owning one previously and not quite
understanding that things have moved on a long way since then.

 

That's bad, because on these you *really* need the rear brake.

 

Hmmm, ok, let me rephrase this just to see if it's just me (or my
bike).

Although the rear brake on my 35k 91 RT seems to work, it seems it
might take much more (much) pressure to make it work than any bike
I've owned before?

All the best ..

T i m