I think I understand why people are into BMW Airheads

**shrub** · 29th June 2011, 18:47

I'm well into stripping my 78 R100S in preperation for a rebuild, and I have had one of the best days in a shed for a long time. The bike was very well used and had been sitting in a shed for 10 years, so i was expecting the usual frustrations and annoyances from a 33 year old bike.

The fasteners were old, and I needed WD40 in some instances, but it was all cap screws and bolts. Everything was accessible, everything made sense and it was all really well made. I have been stupid enough to fuck with a lot of bikes, from early 70s brit bikes that cost me my sanity, many similar vintage jap bikes, and even a much loved 82 Le Mans, and all of them were hard work, frustrating and made me drink waaay too much beer. But the BMW feels like when the krauts designed it they knew ordinary and inept people such as myself would fix the things, and took that into account.

I know why people love them and if it is crap to ride I'll just pull it to pieces again.

**Blackshear** · 29th June 2011, 18:52

Good on ya mate, I'm too shit scared to pull anything other than my airbox and spark plugs out
(Especially the spark plugs, I made the mistake of checking to see if the overhead rad cap was secure, seeing as I had never yet seen it.)

**Voltaire** · 29th June 2011, 21:26

Originally Posted by shrub

I'm well into stripping my 78 R100S in preperation for a rebuild, and I have had one of the best days in a shed for a long time. The bike was very well used and had been sitting in a shed for 10 years, so i was expecting the usual frustrations and annoyances from a 33 year old bike.

The fasteners were old, and I needed WD40 in some instances, but it was all cap screws and bolts. Everything was accessible, everything made sense and it was all really well made. I have been stupid enough to fuck with a lot of bikes, from early 70s brit bikes that cost me my sanity, many similar vintage jap bikes, and even a much loved 82 Le Mans, and all of them were hard work, frustrating and made me drink waaay too much beer. But the BMW feels like when the krauts designed it they knew ordinary and inept people such as myself would fix the things, and took that into account.

I know why people love them and if it is crap to ride I'll just pull it to pieces again.

They are probably the best bike I have had for working on, did a gearbox swap once on the side of the road outside the BMW shop in England...with the tools under the seat. Like a 2 wheeled VW another easy to work of bit of Kraut engineering... Have fun...you can still drink beer .

**Laava** · 29th June 2011, 21:33

So it uses the same gearbox as a beetle?

**Motu** · 29th June 2011, 22:21

And I thought I was so smart to be able to work on an airhead,sounds like they are a simple bike for simple people.

**240** · 29th June 2011, 22:58

To the OP .Awesome mate !I am on my first beemer and one thing that stands out is the amazing attention to detail and quality eg.the tyre valves are cast into the wheel rim casting so its real easy to get to.Its not just a right angle adapter on the rim but the alloy "spoke" actually holds air ...very cool.
Lots of stainless steel hex screws and good stuff all over it.
I bought it new 6 months ago and I am enjoying the different approach that BMW use in its products.It ain't perfect (and this will sound corny and gay) but it's nice to ride something that feels like a piece of nice engineering.Don't know why I say that but the bike just feels that way.
I am a mechanic by trade and I reckon this thing will also still be running strong and still be easy to service 33 years from now like yours.
Not to say though that a Suzuki won't either as I also love Jap stuff ...and Harley..and Triumph ... and Ducati?....hmmmmmm not so much.
As I said before I am a mechanic.

**jaffaonajappa** · 29th June 2011, 23:02

Originally Posted by 240

To the OP .Awesome mate !I am on my first beemer

what model are you on?

**hayd3n** · 29th June 2011, 23:04

pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**Voltaire** · 30th June 2011, 07:07

Originally Posted by Laava

So it uses the same gearbox as a beetle?

Not quite, althought they both have seperate gearboxes.
I drifted into BMW via air cooled Beetles and Kombis......
The Beetle engine is a bit easier to pull apart and assemble and quicker to remove and install.

**shrub** · 30th June 2011, 08:44

I've been in the shed since 7.00 and still loving it. With every other bike I have ever worked on there have been extended periods with me staring at something and saying stuff like "how the fuck do I get that off/on?" and extended periods of practising yoga positions to get to a single nut, yet with the boxer it's like a lego toy only made of metal.

Now I need to figure out how I can make it look like a Thunderbird Sport so I don't need to pay for two regos....

**rocketman1** · 1st July 2011, 19:28

Good to hear there are some converts about.
BMW rule

**Conquiztador** · 2nd July 2011, 16:02

No pictures - it never happened!

**rastuscat** · 2nd July 2011, 17:07

The big GS's are like the Land Rover of the bike world. Industrial build, like a brick shithouse, but easy to sort out.

There is so much stuff on the interweb about each different model of beemer, coz their owners love banging on to anyone about them.

Love mine, and the one before, and the next one I don't even have yet.

Ho hum.

**cheshirecat** · 2nd July 2011, 17:24

Originally Posted by rastuscat

The big GS's are like the Land Rover of the bike world. Industrial build, like a brick shithouse, but easy to sort out.

Ho hum.

Except they don't enjoy the supremo of electrical inteligence - Lucas electrics, Prince of Darkness

**sidecar bob** · 2nd July 2011, 18:58

I have a few bits for these things if you need stuff.
I dont let much mechanical stuff go, because I race them, but have a bit of "non essential fo racing" parts if youre desperate.