BMW R80GS was the first of the adventure bikes - the one I've just acquired is 33 years old - a two owner bike, been in the existing family for the last 27 years. It had a ground up re-furb four years ago - is a runner although been on a SORN for a long time now. Collecting it on Satirday morning to be delivered to a bike shop for a full service and an MoT. It comes with a shed-full of bits including much coveted BMW(Krauser) panniers......
www.flickr.com/photos/67389469@N02/9692554887/in/set-72157635418286395
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Very nice. Not particularly my taste (always fancied the R100RS) but certainly looks to be worth keeping.
I've changed a couple of the "horses" in my stable recently; sold wifey's Sportster and acquired this little beauty from a friend in the USA;
tinyurl.com/m6au5tz
1979 FLH ElectraGlide, last of the 1200cc motors; like yours, it came with a load of spares and extra bits, including a windscreen. Full service history back to 1992 including all receipts, factory manuals and a host of other related literature.
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I rode a similar beast in 1975. It was horrible I have to say. Good luck anyway and don't lean too far......:-)
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JHC Harley - that's what you call a proper Harley !! Nice looking machine !
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A mate owned one back in the eighties. He fitted a bigger fuel tank as he was into long distance stuff. Went away for a week leaving the bike double chained to the railings outside his flat and came back to a burnt out wreck with a fair bit of damage to the front of the building too.
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Do I recall you've mentioned this before??
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>> Do I recall you've mentioned this before??
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Do you mean me or RP?
I think I did mention that I was buying the Glide, but can't remember putting a pic up though I might have added the e-bay link. It ended up being a bit of a wait to get it (favourable shipping rate) so the old grey cells probably forgot!
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>> Do I recall you've mentioned this before??
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If you mean me, probably. I couldn't remember whether it was here or on a bike forum.
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Yes RR. You Sir. Not complaining though just surprised I remembered.:-)
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>>BMW R80GS was the first of the adventure bikes
I like the colour, but I still prefer the R60 (with Earls type front forks). Something of a classic IMO.
Do you know when and why did they raise the height of the cylinders, or is it my imagination?
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Not sure - these cylinders seem much longer than on my other GS !
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Collected and delivered to the local bike shop courtesy of a friend with a trailer. Even the hardened owner of the shop was cooing over it and immediately scuttled it away under cover from the drizzle that was gracing Anglesey first thing. Full service, change all fluids and an MoT hopefully by next weekend - got it insured for just over a £100 notes via Footman James - has breakdown cover and a 6000 per annum agreed milage.
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My uncle is just selling a mint looking 30yr old R65 which he's enjoyed for a while but at 86 he thought it was time to give up the risks of moving such a heavy machine about.
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Interesting things weight on bikes - The R80 weighs 183Kg - the same as a Honda 250N of the same era, which weighed the same as a Triumph Bonnie (Meridan) the same as a Triumph Street Triple, the 1200GS weighs in at around 220 Kgs....(all wettish weights) - It feels as light as a feather when I was handling it today. Today's Hinckley Bonnie weighs 230kg.
I may have been tempted with that one Fenlander.....if you'd have mentioned it earlier ! :-)
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Very nice bike; I owned a 1981 model in the early 90's, still think it was the best all-rounder I ever had.
I can understand your uncle's point of view though, they are sods to put on the main stand.
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He had several of the type (600/800/1000) when in his 50s and this R65 was something of a last fling at this later stage of life. As much as anything it was the fear of dropping it when creeping about at walking speed that worried him.
Nice looking in something of an understated way.
Harleyman you mentioned the R100RS....
An unlikely but true fact is that Mrs F (to be at the time) did the "stunt" riding for the BMW TV ad for that bike. In the old days of HJ there was a photo uploaded somewhere from the filming.
I badger BMW now and again to see if they have a copy of the film/video and they claim not... but somehow I think they must. It would be one to save for the (not on the horizon yet) grandchildren.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Sat 21 Sep 13 at 17:21
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My inital interest in the R100RS was sparked by LJK Setright's waxing lyrical about them in the 1970's editions of "Bike" magazine.
As it happens I had just been browsing e-bay looking at them prior to reading this. Might still be tempted to buy one as a long-distance mile muncher once my Sportster's sold, there seem to be a fair few about at reasonable prices.
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Might still be tempted to buy one as a long-distance mile muncher once my
>> Sportster's sold, there seem to be a fair few about at reasonable prices.
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I thought Harley's were supposed to munch the miles?
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>> I thought Harley's were supposed to munch the miles?
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They do, but preferably summer miles. The new 'un's in cosmetically very good condition and I plan to keep it that way; got a son in Scotland and a daughter in Gosport, autumn and winter visits to same involve a fair bit of exposure to salt so I figure a BMW would stand up to it better.
If you've ever tried cleaning an Electra-Glide you'll know what I mean. ;-)
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>> If you've ever tried cleaning an Electra-Glide you'll know what I mean. ;-)
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Sitting in a cafe in Southend with a mate who had a heritage Soft tail Classic. On the appearance of a solitary drop of rain he was off like a bat out of hell, I could barely keep up with him going home.
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I'm not that bad! Don't mind riding in the rain but it's the salt that wrecks everything as you well know.
Beemers being shaft drive is another advantage. Spray bike with ACF-50 and forget.
Last edited by: Harleyman on Sat 21 Sep 13 at 20:56
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Still at the bike-shop - they've been busy. Unusual this time of the year. Never mind, hopefully I'll get it in the new month...!
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Called to see my bike this afternoon - they were working on it when I peeped in the work-shop...shop owner clearly loves it (for those who have heard of him, think Ogri..) as he was still cooing over it. Reckons it should be ready by lunchtime tomorrow......
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Passed its MoT with no advisories - Needed a new battery - a giant Varta made in the "Vartaland" - change of all fluids all for an hour's labour - bill was £174.00. Rode it home with a red tax disc (2008 !) using my VEL Act exemption (!). Well, where do I start...? Arkwright's till side stand ?? - stalling it 3 times before I rode out of the yard....? once I was mobile it was revelation....light as a feather, front disc brake felt as if made out of balsa wood, as I wobbled down the main road....eventually figured out the gear change, really vague. It goes where you point it, loads of low down torque, gearing clearly biased towards off-road stuff...it has plenty of grunt, at one point I caught myself laughing out loud. I'm going to love this baby...
The bike is fitted with the optional voltmeter and I was pleased to see it punching out a healthy 12.5 volts on the run.....
Couldn't take it out for a run today because of the tax thing...have to wait now.
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www.flickr.com/photos/67389469@N02/sets/72157636222167456/
A then and now photo - the original Adventure bike parked next to my current 1200GS representing thirty years of "progress" - the latest is the acme of state of the art computer controlled motorcycling (electronically managed engine, brakes, electronics and suspension) - I admire the 1200GS road conquering capability, but there is more to love about the small one....!
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The cylinders appear much lower on the older 'bike.
I've always wondered why they did that?
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This was something that was mentioned by my wife when both bikes were alongside yesterday - I intend to measure them, the lengths appear different but I reckon this is an optical illusion - I'll measure them later - what I know suddenly remembered on the earlier bikes the cylinders were slightly offset to each other. Big problem on the original GS was that if it was ridden off road in a deep rut that the cylinders would ground it..
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Think you're starting to realise (if you didn't know already) why I prefer 60's/70's Harleys to the modern stuff.
Like your GS they've got soul/character/callitwhatyoulike and are wonderfully uncomplicated compared to today's offerings, even if they do need more owner input.
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I think I get where you're coming from. I'm not a biker but 25 or so years ago when I was working in Brazil I had one. Not sure yet what it was other than it was a Honda, sort of off-roadish one with a 200 ( or thereabouts ) engine. Off-White/Cream paint if that helps to identify it?
Anyway, what I'm getting at is that while I'm certain that bigger more modern stuff is much much better, I fail to see how they could be more fun than that was to blast around unmade roads and trails on that in the sunshine ! I've still not got around to taking a UK bike test. Never felt the urgency here but in that environment it was somehow perfect. Taught myself to ride it. Didn't seem very hard. Got the hang of it quite quickly anyway which may of course be a function of how simple a machine it was. Used it a lot back then when I wasn't in the company Ford Landau. Which is of course another tale I've no doubt wittered on about before...
Maybe I'll get around to bikes again one day.
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Sun 6 Oct 13 at 10:02
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I know I can fix a lot of stuff on this at home....! Just measured the cylinders they are identical in length but the modern GS is 23" whilst on its main stand whilst the original is 20"... The tech in the cylinders are completely different....
I was reading HM's comments and thinking, there were calls a couple of years ago for BMW to offer a back to basics GS - shorn of all but essential computerised jiggery pockery - The modern GS is a masterpiece if engineering though it weighs around 30 kilos more, despite evyrthing.....I love it to bit it does have as much soul as German machine will ever have....I love it.
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Only one thing will get me back on bikes. A 1966 T120 Bonneville.
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For good fun you can't beat off roading. Back in the day I worked as a Park Ranger, paid a fairly comfortable wage to ride round bridleways and woodlands on a Suzuki TS185. Brilliant little bikes, simple, light and rugged with little maintainance required other than daily chain cleaning. I'd love something similar now but the learner laws have killed off most bikes between 125 and 250cc, though I've got my sights set on a Kawasaki KLX250. Single cylinder 4 stroke, basic technology and light and slim.
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>>For good fun you can't beat off roading... Brilliant little bikes, simple, light and rugged with little maintainance required...
Just about to go and do a bit of that ! ( Except we don't have the luxury of engines ! )
No lycra or indeed leather required either !
;-)
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Sun 6 Oct 13 at 10:58
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Your Honda was probably a Brazil special, they've had a factory there for many years. The Honda off-road bikes are well regarded...
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Bought it from a guy in a Brazilian tannery for, well, not very much. Never broke while I had it, despite utter neglect on my part and taking it to places it probably wasn't intended for. Another bike I had the use of there for a while was another Honda, bigger this time with much more macho looks. "Africa" something on the petrol tank I want to remember maybe? Used to make me feel like it made me look I knew what I was doing ( which I didn't ) Big thing anyway. Much better on the really rough stuff but not nearly as much fun as the little one for some reason.
As you'll gather I'm no expert ! No doubt it was all highly dangerous but ignorance and the invulnerability of youth was bliss. More or less everyone I knew back then had a trailie as a toy. No helmets or leathers or the like. Just a couple of bottles of water in a small backpack and if upcountry another plastic bottle in there too with some spare petrol.
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Sun 6 Oct 13 at 21:20
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An Africa Twin is/was quite a beast and is still in circulation.
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Africa Twin, yes that was it ! Belonged to an American friend who left it behind and said I could use until he got back. I don't think he realised I knew nothing about bikes. Maybe he did of course but didn't care. He was from Los Angeles and never seemed to be quite with us. Anyway, I didn't break it.
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Has your uncle sold his R65 yet, Fenlander? If not, where is he advertising it?
Cheers H
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Finally - the V5 turned up today, nearly a month after I sent the stuff up for the change. I cocked up a bit by failing to keep the green slip to tax it, so apart from a tax exempt ride home from the workshop not been out on it. Taken one of the seats in to a local specialist to be recovered in orange vinyl (this was an option on the original bike today) cost about £75.00 to re-cover...guy who does them in Bangor said he had a mail order option on his website but was overwhelmed with work.....business opportunity I wonder....?
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BMW - R80GS - A classic. - Harleyman
