Aloha,  
I just purchased a 1988 BMW K100 RT from a motorcycle shop owner in Minneapolis MN.  I live in the great 808 (Hawaii) but Im planning to fly into MN and take my first solo cross country ride to Long Beach where it will be shipped to the 808.  In between, I plan to pass through Kansas City area, Denver and then through Moab on the way to Las Vegas where my daughter lives.  After a day or two there, on my way to LB.  As I said, this will be my first ever cross country ride and would like your suggestions and recommendations.  It will be on a 35 year old bike that I am told is in top shape and rides beautifully.  The only issues I am aware of are a cracked mirror and fuel level lights that do not turn off.  Thanks in advance for your input.  I forgot to mention that my adventure will be sometime next month mid or late JULY 2023.

Take the bike around the block a couple times.  If it starts readily and can can run well for a half hour it will be fine to do your planned trip 4 or 5 times. 

Having said that, how many miles?  And most important, what do the drive shaft splines look like where they meet the final drive. 

About the fuel lights, they will drive you crazy.  Put some tape over them.  It is important to know when you are in need of fuel because the fuel injection does not have a "reserve" setting.  When you're out of fuel, you are out of luck. 

I and many others use the trip meter to monitor fuel and plan stops even when they have a working fuel gauge.  A K100RT should get around 40mpg at highway cruising speeds.  Figuring stopping for a 4 1/2 gallon fill up that will give a comfortable safe distance between stops of 170-180 miles.  As you ride and see what you are using, you can adjust that distance.  Just remember to reset the trip meter as part of your refueling routine.

There is also a warning that you are within 25 miles or less of running out.  That is the howling that the fuel pump makes as it starts to cavitate in an almost empty tank.  When you hear that, you need to stop at the next fuel pump no matter what.

As far as your route, if you can take the extra couple days I would suggest taking one of the U.S. routes across the Dakotas through the Black Hills to Montana and then ride south to Moab through the Rockies.  The scenery and riding will be much nicer.  Aim for Red Lodge, Montana and take the Bear Tooth highway down to Yellowstone then down through western Wyoming and Colorado to Durango and then over to Moab.  Then, if you can, drop down to old route 66 and do some miles on it. 

Make the time, you might not get a second chance to do this ride.

Point-Seven-five wrote:As far as your route, if you can take the extra couple days I would suggest taking one of the U.S. routes across the Dakotas through the Black Hills to Montana and then ride south to Moab through the Rockies.  The scenery and riding will be much nicer.  Aim for Red Lodge, Montana and take the Bear Tooth highway down to Yellowstone then down through western Colorado to Durango and then over to Moab.  If you can, drop down to old route 66 and do a few miles on it.  You might not get a second chance to do that ride.

This.

Put electrical tape over the low fuel light. Reset the trip odo when you fill up and start looking for gas at 150 miles.

What island?

.75 and duck, thanks for sharing your insight and experience on when to gas up, it might save my okole out there...haha.  My yet to be seen bike has 11k on it.  Im sure the drive shaft splines are good but I will check it anyway.  I wish I could spend more time out there but I need to take as direct route I can to LA in order to help my step dad recover from his hip surgery after my ride.  Thanks again you guys!

Holy Mackerel, 11k!  It's brand new.  It still needs to be broken in.  I don't think you need to give the splines a second thought.

laipappy wrote:I need to take as direct route I can to LA in order to help my step dad recover from his hip surgery after my ride.

He's quite the empath if you are the one riding straight out for 2000 miles but he is the one who will need hip surgery afterwards.

Hi,

to this forum!


Bernie