BMW Twins, Fours and 8 Valve Twins
I guess here I'm looking at a period of fundamental changes in BMW's bikes, which until the late seventies had been based on the traditional flat twin model.
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Setting the scene, the mid to late seventies had the R90/7 as BM's flagship. A very fine bike, and probably one of their best ever. It was superseded by the R100 range, and while retaining the 90's virtues it showed the ageing motor as being at its limit of development. That said, the model range was still popular, and it included the R100RS, with its full sports fairing.
I think that model in particular started to draw a new generation of riders towards BMW. It was certainly not a sports bike in Japanese/Italian terms, but it looked very modern, was very usable, and would attract riders who were starting to get bored by the Japanese companies race for bigger, more powerful weapons. It sold well, and as with all BMW's there are plenty still around.
That engine problem still needed to be addressed though, and BM's first answer was to produce their own four-cylinder lump. Before it appeared, there was plenty of speculation about what format it would take. Would it be a flat four like the Gold Wing of the time, or maybe a V4 like the later Pan European? In the end it was definitely flat, and certainly a four, but not what anyone expected. |
BMW R100RS |
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BMW K100 RS |
The "Flying Brick" was born, an inline horizontal four, retaining the shaft drive. The first fours were 1000cc 8 valves, and I think they were fuel injected. They have steadily developed through 16 valve and 1100cc variants up to the latest 1200 engine in the K1200LT. It is mostly a smooth engine, though I am told that some models have an annoying vibration period that just matches the UK legal speed limit, and rather forces you to go faster. Unhelpful if you wish to keep your licence, so that must be why BM owners are always off to Europe where they can speed in peace! |
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There was a little brother, the K75 triple, which had none of the vibration problems and seems to have been well received, but the larger engined bike always sold in greater numbers.
Having only briefly ridden one Brick, an ex-police bike, I can't comment with a great deal of authority, but I did like it and found the thing incredibly solid for its age and mileage, and still extremely smooth. A fairly cast iron proposition if you are buying used on a limited budget, but spares when you do need them can be a bit pricey. BM owners tell me that there are low cost suppliers for many parts, but when it gets to replacing electronics and so on, be prepared for some acute wallet cramp. |
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Despite the advent of the "Brick", the old flat twin refused to lay down and die. Riders still wanted to buy them, but some serious work was needed if the lump was to keep up with ever tougher emission requirements. Enter the R1100 twin range, with its new four valve heads, state of the art injection system not previously featured on the twins, and a catalytic converter. The chassis came in for some attention as well with the new "Paralever" front end. Initially this took a bit of stick over some apparent handling problems, but was quickly sorted. |
BMW R1100RS |
The engine has continued to develop, and now comes in 1150 and 1200cc variants, powering some seriously good machines, which retain all of the BM strengths, and could never be mistake for anyone else's bikes.
At this point we are in the late 80's and early 90's, and my main impression of the new twins comes from a "Bike" magazine article of that period. Bike had dragged Mike Scott, their old editor, out of retirement, and sent him across Europe on an R1100RS. As travelling companions he had a posse of fast lads on sports bikes with him. He might have had the heaviest, least powerful, and theoretically slowest bike there, but in the real world where it counts, nothing was faster A to B over a distance than that BMW. Was it down to Scotty being more mental than anyone else? Possibly, but as I recall it, he had got on the BM after a long period of not riding at all, so if he was still quicker than the rest that says even more for the bike.
Do they have faults? Well in my view they have one big one, which is their sound or rather their lack of one. Even a Honda Cub sounds better than your average BM. If Yamaha can make a parallel twin that sounds like a V twin, why can't BMW's engineers do something with their engines? And I'm not talking loud here, just more interesting. The new generation twins sound particularly dull to me. Remus are said to do some good sounding aftermarket pipes, and I am told that the new 1150 engine in the latest GS model sounds rather less flatulent. I haven't heard one yet, so the jury's still out for now.
Lottery choice is tricky. I think either of the RS models from the late 70's and early 80's, the R100RS or the K100RS, in that pale silvery blue. And maybe an R1100RS as well!
March 2001 - At last I got a ride on a twin, an R1100GS. What a hoot! Certainly it needed some adjustment in riding style after a sports tourer like my CBR thou, but once settled in I loved it.
Handling is very confidence inspiring, even in the intermittent damp and greasy conditions I had to put up with. I was particularly impressed with how much feel there was in the power delivery. I could feel exactly what was happening at the back wheel, which made it very easy to "make good progress".
Apart from the fact that I kept stalling the thing, I had no trouble - The shaft drive and suspension are so sophisticated that I completely forgot about them. Since I am a bit short in the leg, I was worried about getting a foot down at junctions. In practice I found I could easily get both plates on the deck, though the Paralever means the front doesn't dive when braking, so when I halted at junctions my feet were inches off the ground until the suspension settled. Must have looked funny though!
The engine is very strong at real world speeds, and is obviously very punchy out of corners. Sat up in the tall seat you can see for miles, which helps you get the most out of the road, your positioning etc. It is still too quiet for my tastes, though the 1150GS out with us certainly sounded a bit more rorty. Other than that I can't fault it, and would buy one like a shot if I had the cash.
August '02 - Having also now ridden two 1150's, I am still impressed.
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