Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire looked at a Road King tonight...while wearing a mask

My Beemer R100 GS/PD had heated handgrips. Because of poor build quality and design issues that was the worst motorcycle I ever owned, other than those heated handgrips, they were awesome in cold weather

One thing I can say with certainty . . . once you experience shaft drive, you will be very hesitant to go back to a chain. I had three Moto Guzzis, before I bought my R1200RT. Shaft drive is the way to go.

That BMW R9T looks like a heck of a fun ride.

Well I like something that I can buy parts for and can find factory trained mechanics to do the technical stuff.
About 4 years ago The Harley Davidson dealers around here decided they would not work on 10 year old bikes. I bought a Honda Gold Wing and rode that for two years. It was 952 lbs and I decided that was
to much. I traded in on a new Milwaukee 8 to see what all the hype was about. Now I am 65 and would probably look for a smaller "adventure bike" next time.
I love Harley Davidson bikes but brand loyalty only goes so far. Before I would spend $28,000 on a 900 lb bike I would shop for a sports car.
whelennut
The Lead Wing did have some sweet heated grips.
The seat was heated and there were vents coming off the engine also.
whelennut

What I like about my Indians is the lack of vibration. It's nice to look in your mirror and actually see what's behind you. I've tried to like a sportster several times, but just can't.
The softail deluxe though has my eye. If I didn't have too many irons in the fire already I'd find room for an '18 or newer model. It's the only HD I've ridden that really fit me and my riding style.

The BMW R100? I've had 3 GSPD's from 1990-1995 and one 1988 GS. Possibly the most simple, robust, reliable motorcycle ever built. My 1993 PD had 145,000 on it when I sold it. Other than the circlip mod to the transmission output shaft which is a known issue that most have taken care of, what other design issues were there? Worst motorcycle you've ever owned? First time I've ever heard that from anyone, ever.

Well, I was getting off two years and 45,000 completely trouble-free miles on a hard-ridden KLR 650, drove that Beemer for another two years and 45,000 miles.

1) Starting from the front: heavy fiberglass fairing with windshield noisy and too far out. On a 700 mile day to the 95? Nationals in Silverton I was developing a pressure sore from the noisy wind blast to the front of my helmet.

2) Clutch piston seized twice. Dealership was 100 miles away in Austin, rode it there for warranty fix the first time like that, the second time I sold the bike.

3) French speedometer failed as expected, just out of warranty, for most of the last year of ownership I used the tach as a Speedo.

4) Lock on little top of gas tank compartment broke.

5) Fiberglass fuel tank abraded against the frame, to the point of almost leaking.

6) Electronics under gas tank would get wet in the rain and bike would cut out. NOT a good feeling in highway traffic on the Loop.

7) Studs pulled on left cylinder, case had air bubbles from faulty casting, this was in Colorado at that same Beemer Nationals, bike still ran, rode it home weeping oil the whole way, cases replaced under warranty.

8) Bolts holding transmission to engine insufficiently torqued at factory, some of mine fell out before first service.

9) Speedo cable entered transmission through the top, encased in a rubber plug. I never touched it. Water got into transmission.

10) Ridiculously flimsy tail/brake light assembly failed several times, I was riding with neither working a number of times and didn’t know it, I would pull out over, take it apart and reset the contacts.

11) U-joints on paralever drive shafts failed as expected at 25,000 miles, replaced under warranty, second one was developing play at 45,000 miles when I sold the bike.

The last straw was when a buddy rode down from Austin to go out riding, I went to start up the bike and the clutch piston seized again

That Beemer was a wedding present to myself, the last motorcycle I would ever need, keep it forever and all that. Got so I couldn’t trust it to ride around the block, let alone as my daily driver.

Two years earlier, when I parked the KLR, I had drained the carb, filled the crankcase with oil and pulled the battery. In no time at all that morning I drained and replaced the oil, put in a new plug and dropped in a new battery. That KLR fired right up on the first touch of the starter button just like it always had.

Sold that POS Beemer and never looked back.

I'd really advise you to stretch a little & get a newer model with the 103, or even a 96" engine.................on a stock bike, there's enough performance difference to matter & improved suspension & handling as well. There are lots of REALLY good deals on bikes right now.

My 2012 RKC


My 2011 Superglide

Dunno if it applies but I wouldn’t own a motorcycle I couldn’t pick up, by myself, from a completely tipped over position. Yes I know how to pick a motorcycle up.

I just have this fear of folks discovering my skeletal remains at an isolated scenic overlook along some lonely desert highway, next to my tipped-over motorcycle 🙂

Just get a duel sport.

Buying it on yer wedding day.... suspect you affronted some Bavarian wenches and never made amends

This is the sad truth. If you buy a 10 year old HD, get used to the phrase “Discontinued and not superseded” because it’s gonna be written in italicized print after a lot of your repair parts. Plenty of sequin t-shirts and glassware, though.

When it comes to repair/maintenance, there’s 2 choices: Wrench on it yourself or find a reputable “Custom” shop. The latter can be hard to come by.

Like I said, I’ll never get rid of my ‘02 RG, but I’ll never buy HD again.

It was a ‘94, BMW was winding down production of the old “Airhead” boxer twins in favor of the new “Oilhead” twins which they still make today.

Consequently there was a big demand among traditionalists for the last of the old-style “gummikuhns” (rubber cows), the Paris/Dakar version was the gee-whiz uber-cool one.

Story was that BMW opened a third shift to meet demand, Said production lines staffed by Turkish immigrants and that QC went down the tubes.

It was a nice-looking bike, but that heavy, poorly designed fairing was mostly for show. The nine gallon gas tank gave a useful range but also had abrasion problems.

Cylinder studs pulling under load was not that unusual in the dual sport R100 versions. IIRC BMW created the R100 motor merely by hanging bigger jugs on the old aluminum R75/R80 engine cases. In the low rpm/hi torque/running hot situations as is typical off-road the R100 studs could pull.

The speedo and speedo cable problems were just related to actual old technology (as opposed to pretend old technology on HD’s).

The paralever drive shafts, with two u-joints along their length, were and are designed to prevent the back end from rising and sinking due to torque effects when accelerating/decelerating. Unfortunately the taller suspension on the Paris/Dakar flexed these joints beyond optimal range, hence the predictable failure. Worked fine on the street bikes.

The Beemer I came to envy was the earlier R80 (R75?) GS, an earlier dual-sport Beemer. Smaller jugs not as prone to pulling and a regular bulletproof drive shaft, regular gas tank, smaller functional KLR type fairing. THAT was the Beemer to own

Agreed... I had a 96 cid Ultra Classic and that was a dang good engine..

ON GUARD!

This downturn should get rid of turd dealers.

I utilize 2 good ones. Doc's in Shawano and Appleton HD. Both have full machine shops and will work on anything - all the way back to 1903. Doc especially is a mechanical whiz. I've bought bikes from both, parts from both etc. Doc is one hell of a nice guy and invests a ton of revenue back into his customers. His shop parties are outrageous.

snagged a 2006 this morning. I think I got a good price. Well maintained, stored at a Harley Dealership during the winter, bought it off a guy in the high dollar part of town.

I pick it up tomorrow

That's how I feel about my '97 Heritage Springer. Evo motor. Tricked out to exactly the way I want it. Has never leaked oil. Paid off 21 years ago. What's not to like?

Congrats