1970s & 80s BMW R100Rs. Yay or nay?

[Motu]

I'm 21, and I have a general disdain for modern bikes.

I've never been into modern bikes, regardless of the era. In the '70's I was riding bikes from the '50's, in the '80's I was riding bikes from the '60's, and in the '90's I was riding bikes from the '70's. In this century my main bikes are both 1987. In 1987 I would consider both these bikes worthy of my contempt....now they are cool.

I wanted to get back to the one bike that does it all, not several bikes honed for one application. The Airhead does this very well for me...although I've done some mods to suit my porpoises. Very reliable, and very ridable.

[F5 Dave]

The same guy who buys a hell unreliable 70's two stroke designed with a ruler and a square, . . .

Spend some money on that. RD400s are waaay cool, but if you rebuild them properly, replace cracked manifolds etc & perhaps splash out on some Hagons for the rear you'll have a great bike that can scratch or munch miles with ease. They are only unreliable if they have an induced problem.

[swarfie]

Who the fuck would want an ugly old slow piece of BMW shit?

Hey Bro...The Beemers not slow...just its current rider

I've just restored a '76 R90S and LOVE it. Absolutely smooth as a babies bum at wotever cruising speed ya want to sit on Handle ok, brake ok and no shortage of boogie when its needed....but then all my bikes are old ones

[Ender EnZed]

I'm 21, and I have a general disdain for modern bikes.

Have you ever had a proper ride on a decent modern bike? If not, you're seriously missing out.

[Kickaha]

I've just restored a '76 R90S and LOVE it. Absolutely smooth as a babies bum at wotever cruising speed ya want to sit on Handle ok, brake ok and no shortage of boogie when its needed..

How much oil does it leak?

[Yamahardman]

Have you ever had a proper ride on a decent modern bike? If not, you're seriously missing out.

I've ridden a 89 vfr400 nc30, and a '06 yzfr6 (on many occasions), braking is really great, and engines are real fast once i get over the "oh wait, i have to bring it past my usual bikes redline to get this thing stoked properly" factor, but I'm not used to them at all, they're stiff feeling, i feel like i have to wrestle them to get them down in a corner. I ride loose, soft, well worn in bikes, that have at max, like 3 inch wide tyres, and I love it! They're so easy to throw about! haha

[Yamahardman]

Spend some money on that. RD400s are waaay cool, but if you rebuild them properly, replace cracked manifolds etc & perhaps splash out on some Hagons for the rear you'll have a great bike that can scratch or munch miles with ease. They are only unreliable if they have an induced problem.

It's on schedule for a rebuild, i'll hopefully be getting Robin Atkins in Tokoroa to do it, (fingers crossed). He growled me for suggesting I put spannies on it, reckoned I'd go slower without the torque, haha.

[Voltaire]

I too like the way skinny tyred bikes turn into a corner so easily.

[Ender EnZed]

I've ridden a 89 vfr400 nc30, and a '06 yzfr6 (on many occasions), braking is really great, and engines are real fast once i get over the "oh wait, i have to bring it past my usual bikes redline to get this thing stoked properly" factor, but I'm not used to them at all, they're stiff feeling, i feel like i have to wrestle them to get them down in a corner. I ride loose, soft, well worn in bikes, that have at max, like 3 inch wide tyres, and I love it! They're so easy to throw about! haha

That's not even remotely near enough to give you an accurate perspective on modern motorcycling. Maybe have a go on something with wider bars that feels more familiar to you.

Old bikes are cool but it sure as fuck ain't because they ride better. Don't go living out your Dad's fantasies just because you're imagining that the alternative involves wearing a power ranger costume is all I'm saying.

[Gremlin]

I'm 21, and I have a general disdain for modern bikes. Its like you've got 4 main catagories to choose from/ 4 main typecasts to fit into when you buy a new bike.

1. Supersport/ Sport- skin suited, graphics helmeted, younger person
2. Adventure Tourer- older person riding a swiss army knife of a bike
3. Motorrad- crazy hooligans
4. Cruiser- cruiser rider/ 1%er prospect/ 1%er

It's ironic that you immediately typecast others... and yet you're right into the classics while rubbishing the modern bikes. Each to their own...

FWIW, I own an adventure tourer, bought it at 27. It's a BMW too.

Life's short, buy what you want, worst case, you don't like it, sell it and buy something else.

[Voltaire]

BMW's are old mans bikes.

[Motu]

BMW's are old mans bikes.

That's why I didn't like my first BMW, I was only 27 at the time, far too immature for such a bike. I was 55 when I got my 2nd BMW, and suddenly it's perfect.

[F5 Dave]

I'm only 45 so I'll probably have to wait till I'm 70 when S1000s are considered for old duffers.

anyway, don't mention the war. Think I did once but I got away with it.

[Yamahardman]

That's not even remotely near enough to give you an accurate perspective on modern motorcycling. Maybe have a go on something with wider bars that feels more familiar to you.

Old bikes are cool but it sure as fuck ain't because they ride better. Don't go living out your Dad's fantasies just because you're imagining that the alternative involves wearing a power ranger costume is all I'm saying.

R6's are quite modern, my gb has clip-ons and rearsets, and the riding position isn't much different, just the suspension feel and the lack of half a mile wide tyres. The power ranger factor isn't a put off at all, It's a matter preference. I can ride faster on my gb than I can on a r6. So does a r6 ride better than my gb? Yes, but not when I'm on it.

Also, my dad never rode, nor did he ever want to, he's a car man, raced rally and whatnot.

[fatbarstard]

had a r100gs for about 10 years, travelled lots of ks trouble free. regular fettling will give you an enjoyable
experience for life.
bmws slow? not at all. a well ridden bmw on the road to akaroa can & has given triumph 955i riders a real curry up though more open roads will reverse that!
an r100 bmw will travel at 150 kph all day if you want to but that will have a bad effect on your demerit points.
you would be able to pass a truck & trailer by rolling on the throttle in top gear while two up with rally gear onboard.
the low center of gravity & skinny tyres make boxer bmws a lot of fun to ride & spare parts are easy to get.
would recommend one as a bike for a good all round bike for any type of riding.