BMW R100RT REVIEW - Will this often maligned bike ever be retro cool?

[@keithad6485]

In Australia in the 1970s and 1980s, it was a thing much talked about with bikers to ride around Australia. about 20,000 plus kilometres. Amongst those who did this, it was widely agreed that only BMW would do cos of its legendary reliability. Never did the round trip myself but did do some very long distance riding on my RT. Such as Victoria to Brisbane and back, over 2000 km there and back. Was getting 300 km from a tank of petrol. At one point on the Pacific Highway, and at night with almost no traffic, I reduced my speed to 80 km/h. The range was astonishing, got 480 km from the tank instead of 300km, the reduction from 100 to 80 made that much difference.

[@jimewen2251]

I've had around 20 larger tourers, either Guzzi or BMW. The RT was, without doubt, the best (with the Guzzi Calfornian a close second). I rode my RT from Edinburgh to Bol d'Or non-stop, save for a couple of hours sleep in a field half way down France. I got in tow with a few Laverda guys at Class and ran with them, rarely less than 100mph, for more than 100 miles. I was terrified, but the RT was sublime. For me it is the perfect tourer, much better than the lard-arse 'tourers' on today. BMW R100RT, I salute you!

[@bigberthaontour]

That’s a great tribute. I find most people’s RT stories are about long meaningful journeys…no one talks about “that incredible spin round the block on an RT!”

[@robwhite461]

Haha When I bought mine, it was from a dealer, I took it round the block came back said no thanks he said take it on the hi way for a 20km spin, I came back said how much deposit you want, had it for 40 years now!

[@nigelmackenzie7888]

I ran an 1978 Gold R100RS in similar fashion to the south of France. Set off from North Yorkshire to Dover ay 4pm then rode over night to Paris Breakfast and a quick nap later and then back on the bike to to Lyon at 100mph the whole way chasing Renault 5 Gordinis and Rabbit Golfs until the engine blew its oil over my right shin LoL care of the engine breather valve . A litre of the most expensive oil in France and it was back on the road to Lyon . Non stop two up and 100mph where we. stopped at Lyon because I had double vision. Rode the next morning on the route Napoleon through the mountains to Nice and the Cote D Azur. What an epic ride. Fast unflustered and relatively comfortable. R100RS in its element. I aim to do the same this next spring on my 1974 R90s.

[@robertscheinost179]

I have an '79 RT with 38,000+ miles on it. It looks like the bike in the video, same color, too. Out of my 7 BMW's that I presently own (from '73 to '80), I have to say that this bike is my favorite. Maybe it's my age (70) but the /5, /6, and dual shock /7's are the bikes that own my heart. Some day the younger generation are going to realize what gems these bikes really are. I ride all my bikes out at least once a month, not only to keep my sanity in this crazy world but also to spot any mechanical issues that pop up and that rarely happens. Thanks for the video!

[@captainpugwash6889]

Are any of your old boxers for sale?

[@stuartmorton1279]

Test rode one in 1980, loved it, but as a 19 year old, couldn't afford one. Just bought one as an early 63rd birthday present and still love it. She's a keeper.

[@keithad6485]

Glad to see you realised your dream. Well done.

[@mikekemsley1531]

My 1st big BMW was a 1981 RT. I was initially put off by the old geezer looks but my friend who was a dealer at the time told me to just try it out. I rode for a couple of dozen miles and was uncertain about the effectiveness of the fairing so I stood up on the pegs. It all made sense. I bough it and put about 120k miles on it. 600 mile days were a dawdle. The seat was way more comfortable than the Corbin I later had on an 84 RT I owned. The stock seat allowed you to ride on the passenger pegs and slide back and forth relieving butt cramp. I rode all over the west coast. The only bike I liked better was a Leverda.3C but that wasn't as comfortable on long miles.

[@mikegreenfield5102]

R65 with RS fairing was my all year round workhorse along with my best ever bike, Laverda 3CE.

[@keithad6485]

I owned a 1981 green R100RT in the 1980s. A few weeks ago, I just bought the identical year and colour! little bit of work to do to it.

[@simonfletcher3982]

No issues with wind noise / turbulence at all on my '83 RT, but I'm 5'10" - maybe that makes the difference. I have tilted the screen right back and my helmet is out in the airflow, a little bit like it was on my 100S. If I tilt the screen up more towards vertical, I get that 'negative airspace' feeling as if you are being sucked / pushed forward. For my money the RT fairing is a thing of beauty and sitting behind it at post-legal speeds is an absolute joy.

[@keithad6485]

I agree with the RT fairing looks, beauty and german beauty!

[@chopperenduro6590]

Back in the early 90's l got a used 1979 R100RT w/1800 miles , almost identical to yours in the video but mine had an oem leather tank cover , had to buy one new carb as l couldn't get it cleaned out enough to run perfect but once put on it purred & l fell in love with my new Beemer & rode it year round in lndiana 4 seasons . I rode that bike all over the U.S. with my dog on the gas tank , mant times we would ride to a river on a hot summer day for a swim to cool off then cruise the back roads to dry out , she loved it as much as me . One summer l took off west solo to the AMCA meet in Davenport lowa for the weekend then continued out across the plains to the Rocky Mountains , pitching my tent each night & firing up my single burner coleman stove to fix some grub , at this point on this trip l decided l was going to do a 1000 mile day which l did & even got 4 hrs of sleep on top of a picnic table while l waited out what l thought was tornado warning weather , raining & wind so hard l had a good lean into the wind to make progress . Botton line is l have nothing but good things to say about a older R100RT , rides like a Cadilac , reliable , comfy , l would buy another in a heartbeat & l already have 12 or 13 bikes now . Glad l found your video brought back some real good years/memories .

[@bigberthaontour]

Dog on the petrol tank…living the dream. Thanks for sharing your airhead memories!

[@majorscope]

Don't remember any wind issues on my RS with raised screen travelling at 90mph for several hours in france, usually in the wet. I still have an R80 and RS both 1980 heavy flywheel. Great bikes. Huge shame so many have been cannibalised.

[@bigberthaontour]

RS is still my favourite of the fairing bikes. Works much better than the RT. Set of K75 bars makes it comfortable too. I had one for 10 years and loved it but wanted change

[@keithad6485]

Seems to be the thing to by an RT and turn it into a cafe racer. Just bought a complete fairing for a project I have in mind. Cost was less than I thought it would be probably cos of the cafe racer fad.

[@ReferenceFidelityComponents]

I had one and it was a fantastic bike if flawed in a few ways. Handling wasn’t the best and cast wheels could crack plus wheel bearings gave out regularly. They did require constant fettling. Wind noise was not that bad but yes, the vortices flow does push on your back. Their saving grace was that lovely engine and their long distance comfort.

[@keithad6485]

And keeping me dry while riding in the rain. Just tips of my shoulders got wet.

[@MaartenHartog]

Nice video, brings back memories. One thing though: when discussing engine sound, you might consider not adding music...

[@bigberthaontour]

Thanks for the feedback, I do appreciate it. I'll keep that in mind for future edits

[@Titan500J]

I personally like the looks of this bike. Ive been really riding some since the late 60's but never had the money to buy a BMW until a couple of years ago. Now I wish I would have done it earlier. Thanks for the video

[@bsimpson6204]

I ran one for ten years in the 80’s, it’s built to car quality meaning you can ride it through winter and it’s just shrugs off the salty roads, it’s simple too, really easy to work on, cruise at 100 mph plus speeds no problem.

[@bigberthaontour]

@@bsimpson6204 bmw engineering of that era was something else!

[@reinmansmith]

Having owned both R80 & R100 RTs over the years, the BMW RT is one of the most capable bikes to cover distance on. As you say they’re viewed as boring but they are simply great at what they were designed to do. However my forever bike now though is my R100RS (which is your bikes close relative with a number plate only a couple of digits different!) and the RS is truly the best of the best, a design that has never been bettered 👍

[@ianross225]

My first BMW in 1984 was a 1979 R100RT. Eventually I traded it for a K100RT in 1986. I regretted it. The old heavy flywheel, RT was a great thing. My only issue was in crosswinds where it was lethal! I had a 1981 R100RT in 1990 but despite better brakes it didn’t cut it for me.

[@bodylinksosteopathic1486]

I have done over 70 000 miles on my 81 twin shock. I have a friend who is approaching half a million miles on his. Just buy a taller screen from Moto works or moto bins in uk. Super comfy. Super nimble. Super tractable in wet or on rough roads. I loved mine but have now upgraded to a 1200rt which pretty much does the same thing as the air head but is has modern refinements

[@keithad6485]

Thanks for the tip on motoworks and motobins with the high screens, I prefer them.

[@BanjoLuke1]

I think it is ALREADY cool. Retro cool. Very, very retro cool. Power? Quite enough. Delivery? Gorgeous and smooth. Handling? Perfectly OK. Braking? Not bad. Overall? Utterly charming and delicious. I never owned one, but I rode one (and an R100RS and various other airheads). The R100RT is not perfect, but it is very cool. It is very retro cool. I prefer a big Guzzi of the era, but this BMW is still wonderful.

[@bigberthaontour]

@@BanjoLuke1 RS is cooler tho!

[@BanjoLuke1]

@@bigberthaontour RS is cooler than most machines ever made by humankind. It's on the podium alongside the Bialetti moka jug and the Citroën Ami 6. I'm not saying which of the three is on the top step.

[@davidl546]

Bought my 1982 r100rt back in 1999, in spite of a few ignition issues, a harness meltdown due to previous owner putting a screw into the harness and shorting it out, oh and an alternator upgrade, it's been a good bike. A few years ago, I purchased an mra windshield and it deflects the wind better than the stock screen. Of course it's not the only beemer I ride...

[@richardcrighton8079]

i had the R80/7. it was a masterpiece.

[@brianperry]

l owned a R100RS in the late seventies l always found the Bike a joy to ride. l wonder if some of the wind noise is generated by the close proximity of the rear view mirrors and the body of the fairing...The other observation is the 'bolt on wind deflector'... You may find of interest that ships have a wind deflecting system known as a 'Dodger' this is a fitting on the front edge of the bridge wings. It is so designed with a large opening at the lower edge for the wind to enter, narrowing at the top so the wind is channeled at a higher speed so deflecting the rush of wind over the top of the fairing. This system worked well on a Tanker ship... might be worth further investigation..

[@bigberthaontour]

That is interesting, I occasionally work on big ships so I’ll keep a look out for it! Great bike the RS, actually much prefer it to the RT!

[@douglasalexander4348]

Had a Goldwing, same turbulence. Now got a Yam Tracer. Same problem. Anything where you have an upright fairing a distance from you is going to have turbulence..Old cbr 600 sports bike no turbulence, because your closer to the screen. Well, that’s my very unscientific test done !

[@kwakkers68]

I'd much, much rather have a 100 than the current equivalent. So complicated, and they've lost the charm along the way. Not hard to see, if BMW decided to roll out a new version of the 100, with some sensible modern elements, and *minimal* electronics, it'd be very popular.

[@bigberthaontour]

Definitely agree. We recently reviewed the Guzzi V85TT and that was the closest thing to an old airhead we could find. Aircooled, pushrod twin, with just enough electronics to make it "modern"

[@jaapbruijn1300]

Right so. I ride my trusted 2008, 1200 GSA for already 86.000 km and I still love it. Minimal electronics and very uncomplicated. I will never sell it!!

[@frugalterrier8124]

I have an 85 R80RT with an aftermarket screen. Best fairing I’ve ridden behind. The only aerodynamic quirk I’ve run into is the bike’s susceptibility to lean in a strong crosswind, particularly two up. It may have something to do with low centre of gravity imparted by the boxer motor.

[@windmilljohn]

I changed my screen to an after market one. If I recall it was slightly taller and removed all that annoying buffeting and noise.

[@jurgentreue1200]

In the 1980s, the then editor, of Australian Two Wheels magazine, John Rooth, wrote a full test report article. He reckoned, the R100RT was the only bike he could fart at 80kph and still smell it.

[@bigberthaontour]

I wish had that info when I scripted this video 🤣 that is hilarious

[@bigberthaontour]

I haven’t got a sense of smell so that probs why I didn’t notice!

[@Michael-rh7ie]

Haa ....Roothy probably enjoyed it !

[@Peter-wc4kr]

I think you have underestimated the R100RT. It was and still is a great bike full of character that captures the sentimentality of present and many previous owners.

[@keithad6485]

Never heard of the R100RT being maligned. Fairing was fantastic for keeping me dry from the rain. R models have the best foot warmers in the motorcycle world. Owned an RT in the 1980s. loved the look of the fairing and that of the RS. Very distinctive and very German. The RT and RS of those days had some minor shortcomings. Seat felt hard after riding any distance, fuel capacity was too low 300 km range. Always used ear plugs cos of the wind noise. Seat is hinged which means panniers have to be removed to lift the seat. To remove rear wheel and tyre, pannier frames have to be removed, a real chore. Minor gripes though. I prefer the high screen that the two piece screen seen in this vid. Recently acquired another 1980s RT and one thing on the agenda is to increase fuel capacity. Gonna get another tank and lower the interior frame hump, to start with. The purpose of the hump was to allow for front brake master cylinder mounted under the tank, this was later moved to the RH end of the handlebars. So the hump is no longer needed to be so large. This might add one or two litres or more. thinking of replacing the frame side covers with mini fuel tanks ala early Honda Lead Wing tanks. This is gonna be fun.

[@bigberthaontour]

Sounds like you have a big project on your hands! Big fan of the RS, somehow never quite gelled with the RT but could definitely feel its potential!

[@keithad6485]

@@bigberthaontour I owned a Defense engineering business a few years back and acquired quite a few skills with engineering and looking forward to the modifications project. I like the RS look too, but did not like the sore hands I got from riding any distance from having to lean forward which put pressure on my hands and wrists. This is why I bought an RT and sold the RS many years ago. When riding long distance years ago, especially in winter on very cold frosty nights, my feet never got cold cos of the standard and excellent foot warmers and, the RT fairing was fantastic for remaining dry whilst riding in the rain. Went for a ride two days ago along a lovely country road (it is autumn here in Australia) and suddenly the exhaust noise became louder, my first thought was, oh no, a hole in the exhaust, looked down, discovered the muffler was gone! retraced my path and found it on the side of the road. After it had cooled, cradled it in my lap and returned home. Went into town by car and bought some stainless steel M6 screws with spring washers and re installed it, and replaced the screws on the other muffler as well. Then of course, I had to test drive it and went for an hour of very pleasant riding in the country again enjoying winding country roads on a sunny day.

[@jimmyjakes1823]

Hey, I've got this bike! I love it, except that I have mixed feelings about the fairing. It's functional but it constrains the steering lock and the fairing's headlight aperture is freaking huge. It reminds me of a deep sea monster. Supposedly the German designer was thinking about this when he noticed the glass door on his oven had lines going across it, so he added lines across the headlight hoping it'd break up the space. I don't think it worked. If you want an automotive analogue, it'd be the anti cool Volvo 240. It doesn't look like anything else on the road, not in 1978 or now. For the bike itself, the engine is torquey, and the suspension soaks up everything. Wouldn't mess with that at all. Super comfortable bike with plenty of power for me and the big, understressed design is why these engines run forever. The only thing I'd change is adding modern brakes and uprated electrics. Another thing is that it's a big bike, but by modern standards it's not a heavy bike. It can do everything a modern tourer can do, and it's much lighter and mechanically simple to work on.

[@bigberthaontour]

@@jimmyjakes1823 yesss! The two wheeled Volvo 240. Perfect analogy!

[@Mike.Howard]

I had the '84 model in this exact colour scheme!

[@MichaelDaglish-i1y]

Beautiful. Says it all. Mike R100S

[@fostexfan160]

Lovely video. Some great shots. I have the RS 100. Almost finished its refurb. Just the diode board and seized calipers to go

[@bigberthaontour]

Awesome, after 6 months with RT I've got to say I much prefer the RS (had one for 10 years). Fairing works better and just an overall cooler bike! Enjoy!

[@sjtheroadshenanigansofabri6631]

All your Boxer Vids.....Reminds me of My R65 REALLY need to Rebuild her now She's VINTAGE

[@bigberthaontour]

Yes, rebuild her now what's the hold up! :-)

[@sjtheroadshenanigansofabri6631]

@@bigberthaontour time and money the eternal problem 🤣🤣

[@donnlarossa9173]

test ride from a perfectionist lol This bike can be ridden for a lifetime and great fairing protection and handling super and a light feeling with enough torque to get the job done. I have over 300,000 miles on these r 100's RT RS and S

[@bigberthaontour]

@@donnlarossa9173 Had all three variants too, RS is my favourite, nice mix of sportiness and handling. You?

[@donnlarossa9173]

@@bigberthaontour once i bought my first RS 1979 Ive had another 82 RS Boxer and R 1200 RS 2016 and 1989 K 100 RS still have it AND A FEW LT'S AND RTS BUT MY HOME IS RS!!

[@flobeeonekinobee2353]

Another flaw is that awful radial roller clutch release bearing that falls to bits (heavy flywheel models) i did a mix and match with parts and used the much superior ball bearing from the light flywheel models

[@simonmcmullen8662]

In the process of buying a 79 RT in the same colour. Is there a knack for using the side stand? When sat on it, it's difficult to push the stand forward enough to use. Certainly it's so well engineered, remarkable.

[@bigberthaontour]

Hi Simon, The early side stands weren’t great. A lot of people struggle and I don’t even try to push it in place while sat on the bike. For me the best way is to step off the bike then retract the stand. Side foot side stands from Motorworks BMW are a highly recommended replacement. Very well build and easy to actuate, a lot of airheads have had them installed. Enjoy your awesome new bike!

[@petervanbavel7119]

I've had my 79RT since.. 80. the sidestand was too long and had to tilt the bike slightly right to snap up. had a first-class welder shorten it by maybe an inch. Much better. also modified spring arrangment so it doesn't automatically snap up. both mods prevent irritating parking accidents. stand is operated with the foot exclusively.

[@kimhorton6109]

I love the looks of the RT and have since I was just getting into touring. Their fairings are so well done the rain protection is great. I wish they had Honda’s shaft system. Change the oil and you’re good. No need to separate the rear wheel/ axle to get at the splines every 15000 miles.

[@keithad6485]

How is the Honda system better.I am curious.

[@kimhorton6109]

@@keithad6485 BMW’ shaft drive system requires periodically lubricating the slip joint where the shaft enters the transmission. You have to move the wheel and drive system back far enough to get to the front of the driveshaft and put that lube around the splines. I knew it had to happen but the K75RT I had didn’t come with a manual so I relied on the BMW mechanic at my dealer in Shreveport. He didn’t like working on older Beemers and told me the maintenance interval was 50k miles when it was 15k miles. I rode the bike from 42k to almost 85k miles before it failed. I was told at that point that a repair would cost more than $2500, more than I had paid for the bike. I moved to a used Honda ST1300 with about 40k miles. With the Honda system you drain and replace the fluid at 8K miles which happily coincided with the wear on the rear tire. That was back in 2005. My current 2015 Goldwing manual says the interval is 12k now. Much easier to ask the shop to do.

[@keithad6485]

@@kimhorton6109 Thanks for the information. I have bought a K75 and know I have to pull it apart to check, clean and grease the splines. Hope they are not worn away. I have an engineering background and if they are worn, my first thought would be to make a replacement part on a lathe then a shaper, old technology but very effective.

[@kimhorton6109]

@@keithad6485 good luck. There are company’s that rebuild shaft drives, not many though. To repair mine the shop would have had to pull the shaft out of the rear, make sure the transmission receiver wasn’t damaged and then mail off the shaft. All this would have left the bike sitting at the shop. I hope you enjoy your K75. I saw both coasts and both borders on mine. It was a super touring bike but was really top heavy.

[@1newbert]

I’ve owned 3 and loved them.

[@fonzitheman]

Greets from AUS. In my younger days no way I was into these 'old man' bikes lol,as like many I was into sports bikes. Bought a new Suzuki TL1000S when then first came out ,I was 27 then,loved the VTwin in the twisites. But some years later I bought a used BMW K100LT,was OK still at the time. But in 2014 I bought a '02 R1150RT,so much better than the K100LT and back to that Twin feeling..love that. Still have it,those and the 1100's are still decent bikes ,(though not a huge fan of the servo assist brakes of the 1150 and the early 1200's had too). But am defo looking at upgrading to either a 2017-18 1200RT or 2019-2020 1250RT. New is always nice but so expensive. Side note,older brother bought a new BMW R65 in 1984,which he still has today,not running and needs some work. He loved it so much he just kept it. He also bought the R80RT in 86 new,his fav bike but did sell it a few years later,needed the cash at the time. He now also has an old R100RS, 1977 model I think but guessing it was actually the R100S with an RS fairing cause the on the engine block it says R100S,I believe if it was the actual RS they also had that in big letters on the engine.

[@bigberthaontour]

Enjoyed reading your bike history! Yes RS' had RS on the motor, but doesn't matter, still a beasty 1000cc to haul that big fairing'd bike along. I used to have an RS, rode it round Europe and absolutely loved it

[@fonzitheman]

@@bigberthaontour Not all my bikes.. Had a few others among them a 1981 Moto Guzzi V50 Monza, bought at around 1990,91. Had the lower leg fairing bits so made it look like more like the Mk3 850 LeMans, with some Staintune Conti's it sure sounded great. (So did the TL with some after market pipes ofcourse👍)

[@maxbrettargh232]

Nice vid!. I have the tall screen on my green '81 RT, angled to minimise wind noise. Buffeting by big trucks is more worrying for me

[@bigberthaontour]

It’s seems from the comments in this video that lots of people have very differing experiences and all found their own fixes!

[@maxbrettargh232]

@@bigberthaontour I found a low screen for mine which I might fit ;with deflector next summer. The tall screen has a thick embossed rubber bead which can obscure critical area of vision.

[@Hodado]

I swapped out the windscreen with a taller one,it looks hokey but helps with the buffering

[@bigberthaontour]

@@Hodado if it looks hokey but works that’s all that matters!

[@philippedesaintleger6574]

J'ai eu beaucoup de motos, mais celle-ci etait de loin ma favorite, d ailleurs j en ai eu 3...pour les vacances à 2 seule mon electra pouvait rivalisé en matière de plaisir

[@Dieselschlucker1312]

So, genau so sah meine RT aus. Nur mit Topcase. Der beste Tourer. Es gibt bis heute nichts besseres 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@bigberthaontour]

Kein Zweifel. Die Qualität zeigt sich in der Anzahl, die noch verwendet wird.

[@jdsalinger73]

RT is gorgeous.

[@andrewhayes4246]

I'm 5'9" and never had the wind noise.

[@bigberthaontour]

It’s actually my dads bike, he’s the same height as you and says the same thing! Must’ve been no lanky people about on the day they hired the wind tunnel!

[@bigberthaontour]

What about the wind wrapping around your back?

[@andrewhayes4246]

@@bigberthaontour I actually enjoyed being pushed along. Must be good for mpg! Funny about the tall people, I always thought most Germans were over 6 ft as that explained why all the oil heads and later were so huge!

[@touchingthecloth]

I'm 5'7" and regularly hear wind noise on my 1250gs tho not from the bike....

[@ftheis2001]

Hi Owen - what deflector are you actually using in the video? Thanks!

[@bigberthaontour]

“Motorcycle Adjustable Clip On Windscreen Windshield Spoiler Wind Deflector “ is the listing name on eBay. Hotsellinghome was the seller

[@paulreed3716]

Brakes are very good for the time and even now

[@bigberthaontour]

They're fine but pale in comparison to a modern bike

[@chrisbland8650]

@@bigberthaontour Bit of a pointless analogy to be honest.

[@mikedowning4603]

Hello - I've just enjoyed watching your video and it's made me wonder whether an old airhead might suit me. I particularly like the look of the R100rs but I've a couple of concerns as I've never ridden an older BMW. I have had mid 90s oilheads with Telelever/Paralever suspension which were great bikes, comfortable, stable particularly over white lines, tarmac banding etc, whereas other bikes like a Diversion made me quite nervous over such surface changes. How would you rate the airhead with the later oilheads in this regard and generally. Regards Mike

[@bigberthaontour]

Had lots of airheads, never ridden an oil head. My R100RS was an absolute favourite for touring, they’re quite agricultural but do the job great. Worth noting on the RS the riding position is quite cramped and tucked in but can be improved with K100 bars that just fit inside the fairing. The fairing is one of the best made, much prefer it to the RT but I bet I can find plenty of people to disagree with me! 🤣

[@mikedowning4603]

Thanks for your reply. The riding position was another concern as I'm 5'10" and pushing 70 - I had to sell my VFR because the bars were too low and pegs too high but I'm hoping the RS would be a bit more of a relaxed position. I expect the bars are clip on type rather than conventional handlebars and clap?

[@bigberthaontour]

@@mikedowning4603 they’re a handle bar, but there’s no upward rise on them at all. K bar add a bit of rise but it’s not what I’d call a relaxed riding position…more focused! Would defo try and find one to sit on if you’re not sure. Personally if I were to get one now I’d probably go for the r100gs. Lovely riding position and a bit of fairing!

[@mikedowning4603]

I'm beginning to think it's not for me. There's a 10k miler about 30 miles from me at £4k but the owner won't let me ride it even if I get insurance cover:( An R100gs sounds a nice option but so expensive. Makes me wish I kept my 1100gs but it was heavy and tall. I'm thinking of reverting to more modern, maybe a BMW f800st or GT or maybe a Guzzi V85 - I want to be chain-free!

[@thomaspotthoff3139]

It is a very Cool bike! I just picked up my older 1978 R100/7 Could that be "Cool"? Id like to think so...

[@robertscheinost179]

Yeah it's cool! The R100 7 is a great bike! Ride the bike and have fun and it will reward you with many good memories.

[@andrewhayes4246]

You do know the screen is adjustable right?

[@bigberthaontour]

Yep, played with the angles, and different height screens. No help for me unfortunately

[@williamskidmore3671]

And taller screens were available

[@bigberthaontour]

@@williamskidmore3671 I actually started with the taller screen but went down in size in the hope of removing the turbulence

[@chrisbland8650]

Buy an after market screen with a lip. Makes all the difference.

[@bigberthaontour]

@@chrisbland8650 definitely an option starting for scratch but got it sorted now with the wind deflector

[@douglasalexander4348]

How did you find this compared to the shorter screen rs ?

[@bigberthaontour]

Preferred the RS fairing massively. Far less negative issues. Still some turbulence but much reduced

[@bjkl1130]

Have you experienced side wind which cause the bike going side way?

[@bigberthaontour]

Not too bad, seems to handle that pretty well

[@kaikruger1176]

The only thing that has always bothered me about the RT is that the handlebars are bent towards the driver. Unfortunately, this leads to my wrists hurting after a few miles.

[@bigberthaontour]

Interesting, not really noticed it myself but we’re all built in different shapes!

[@andrewhayes4246]

That is interesting - I'm so thankful for the lack of neck pain from the riding position that I have never noticed anything like wrist pain. Still one heck of a good two-up tourer.

[@kaikruger1176]

Had 3 rt‘s in the last years and had to always change the bars. Know a lot of guys with rt‘s and no one has that problem like I have. Don’t know if it is the problem but..I’m 1,98m and not build skinny ;-) they feel like they could be perfect if they would be a few centimetres wider

[@1newbert]

Why is this bike maligned? I’ve owned 3. From my late 20s to my 60’s. One of the best all around bikes I’ve owned.

[@bigberthaontour]

@@1newbert just ask anyone who hasn’t owned one or only ridden one around the block…

[@podnolej7784]

I have exact bike but lost fairing do to accident

[@mattwesselhoff9219]

Good stuff. How tall are you?

[@bigberthaontour]

Thanks mate. I'm 6'4" (193) and I think Rich is around 6ft

[@Peter-wc4kr]

The bike is not at all maligned it is a classic from a bygone era of harden motorcyclist who loved long distance touring. Non of us are owners we are custodians of this truly wonderful machine.

[@bigberthaontour]

Deep

[@andikarkalake3750]

Sehr schönes Motorrad 👍👍👍👍👍

[@martenvdw4333]

Very nice bike💪

[@EvLoutonian]

Anybody got link to these wind deflectors?

[@bigberthaontour]

www.bikehps.com/acatalog/MRA_X-creen_Motorcycle_Screen_Flip_Spoiler_Air_Deflector.html

[@maxbrettargh232]

I added one to mine. It makes a difference

[@donnlarossa9173]

name of wind deflector?

[@bigberthaontour]

No idea sorry, was just a generic Chinese eBay one so if you can one that looks a bit like it then it probably is it!

[@paulreed3716]

Never had wind noise

[@bigberthaontour]

nor has my Dad, but he's 5'8"

[@jimewen2251]

Class = Calais!

[@kaleuclint]

Take the RT fairing off, fit S fairing and change bars…. It’ll still do 99% of what an RT does. It’ll also look better!

[@bigberthaontour]

Yeah nah definitely not going to do that to a perfectly good RT! Plus I have a Guzzi Le Mans which does 99% of what the S does and looks better!

[@MotoTvWoodsFarm]

🏍️💯💯

[@lagrange-munuzerezh9245]

j'en ai eu 3. je les regrette.

[@jackwood2328]

Can't be cool due to price new, plus: more than 2 pounds of plastic is uncool unless Ducati/MV Augusta. Forget it.

[@bigberthaontour]

@@jackwood2328 r6? Original fireblade? Rd500? Sorry mate, go drunk your home

[@marcob4630]

It's a typical German machine, reliable but also boring and too heavy in park-maneuvring. Italian bikes are by far more brillant and elegant in all!