Difference between revisions of "BMW R100R"

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That was no hardship either. Using the lump's low center of gravity to roll around those steep-walled and skinny Metzelers was like riding a Weeble that won't fall down. The steering lock is exceptionally useful (feet-up one lane U-turns), I could travel in comfort for 170 miles before reserve, and the whole semi-trailie, semi-retro idea began to gel. Furthermore, I got well into R100R style riding, what the police call "making good progress", and reached home as ruddy faced and refreshed as I did on the last RC30.1 stayed warm, if not dry, in snow via its two-heat grips — like a hot bath — while the engine looked after my legs. Plonking tiresome rucksacks in the boot and a happy pillion on the back (which slowed performance to that of a hot-hatch) actually damped the suspension and gave more feedback from the faultless but rather isolated Metzelers. I was in danger of becoming a convert.
That was no hardship either. Using the lump's low center of gravity to roll around those steep-walled and skinny Metzelers was like riding a Weeble that won't fall down. The steering lock is exceptionally useful (feet-up one lane U-turns), I could travel in comfort for 170 miles before reserve, and the whole semi-trailie, semi-retro idea began to gel. Furthermore, I got well into R100R style riding, what the police call "making good progress", and reached home as ruddy faced and refreshed as I did on the last RC30.1 stayed warm, if not dry, in snow via its two-heat grips — like a hot bath — while the engine looked after my legs. Plonking tiresome rucksacks in the boot and a happy pillion on the back (which slowed performance to that of a hot-hatch) actually damped the suspension and gave more feedback from the faultless but rather isolated Metzelers. I was in danger of becoming a convert.


The one flaw in this riding technique is that whatever you do on this bike requires big handfuls of everything (throttle, clutch, steering) but a gentle touch. Compared to a flyweight Jap' which responds to microscopic input, those levers and controls are brutish, and the brakes are no exception. The twin disc four-piston Brembos are very powerful by boxer standards (the R100GS has one twin-piston caliper) but their potential hides behind a lever that's easy to use with two fingers but really needs four. The span is too wide with much of the lever action not even getting pad to disc. When at last they bite there's more front-end dive than stopping and the wheel pulls in whatever direction it's pointing. The faster your speed, the better the brake/fork combination becomes (best on a BMW yet in fact) but coming to standstill is often a messy business. Dive, rebound, lurch, much paddling and bashing of shins on protuberances.
The one flaw in this riding technique is that whatever you do on this bike requires big handfuls of everything (throttle, clutch, steering) but a gentle touch. Compared to a flyweight Jap' which responds to microscopic input, those levers and controls are brutish, and the brakes are no exception. The twin disc four-piston Brembos are very powerful by boxer standards (the R100GS has one twin-piston [[caliper]]) but their potential hides behind a lever that's easy to use with two fingers but really needs four. The span is too wide with much of the lever action not even getting pad to disc. When at last they bite there's more front-end dive than stopping and the wheel pulls in whatever direction it's pointing. The faster your speed, the better the brake/fork combination becomes (best on a BMW yet in fact) but coming to standstill is often a messy business. Dive, rebound, lurch, much paddling and bashing of shins on protuberances.


The rest of the good kit is very good. Mirrors distinguish Skoda from squad car at all revs; the headlight melts Shellgrip (but needs adjusting with even the most undernourished of passengers); the console is a bit placcy but ergonomically pure; the panniers only leak a tiny trickle; and the toolkit, bulb kit, puncture kit...everyone knows about that stuff. Tragically, though, road salt rubbished the alloys almost overnight. At 900 miles, a bike that hadn't even been launched to the public it was so new, looked a hard year old. And it wouldn't tickover anymore. Nor would it start in the mornings, not since Bruntingthorpe's test strip where an [[BMW R80GS|R80GS]] also went rough and dozens of [[:Category:Japanese motorcycles|japanese bikes]] in between didn't.
The rest of the good kit is very good. Mirrors distinguish Skoda from squad car at all revs; the headlight melts Shellgrip (but needs adjusting with even the most undernourished of passengers); the console is a bit placcy but ergonomically pure; the panniers only leak a tiny trickle; and the toolkit, bulb kit, puncture kit...everyone knows about that stuff. Tragically, though, road salt rubbished the alloys almost overnight. At 900 miles, a bike that hadn't even been launched to the public it was so new, looked a hard year old. And it wouldn't tickover anymore. Nor would it start in the mornings, not since Bruntingthorpe's test strip where an [[BMW R80GS|R80GS]] also went rough and dozens of [[:Category:Japanese motorcycles|japanese bikes]] in between didn't.
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