I have this problem............At least I perceive it as such. I hope you guys don't "Tar & Feather" me & run me out of town on a rail.....for what I'm about to say:

To preface:
I have had several BMW's in my years.
I started with a 1978 R100/7 to replace my 1969 Moto Guzzi V700.
After that (& I) met with the side of a 1961 Dodge Van one unfortunate day, I took the errant driver's insurance money and bought a very nice used 1981 R100rs.

I LOVED that motorcycle.........so much so that I never knew how much until many years after it was long gone. It met it's demise when another California sleeping driver elected to make a 3 point U-Turn directly across my path just as I arrived at the exit point to a curved blind tunnel. Although I was only going 25 MPH at the time.....it was sufficient velocity so that the impact of the front wheel into the sedan's right front door, bent the tin foil frame on the Beemer.

More insurance money & back to my local dealer for another steed......this time he sold me a low mileage used 1985 K100rs for a very attractive price since the PO had tried to custom up the Alaska Blue paint on the fairing with some big blacl & red triangular stripes.......a geometrical visual nightmare.......but I cared little what it looked like because it was a right price and it ran well.....

Rode that one about 80,000 miles till I had my head in my butt one day and found myself going WAY TOO FAST (easy to do on our K's) in a curvy metro industrial park (25 MPH speed limit) when I came sweeping around this big curve just changing into 4th gear at 85 mph, when I see a cage siting in the middle of my lane at a small intersection trying to peek out waiting to turn left.........A long slide it was...... dancing along on the pegs with the front wheel locked up before she finally fell out from under me and went on sliding down the tarmac before catching the front tire & flipping herself up in the air and down on to the opposite side.

I picked my bleeding self up off the grease spot that was there, righted the BM......started her up & slowly wobbled her back to my departure point........a bruised scraped & bloody mess.

Fortunately the other driver did indeed stick around and later I was able to talk his insurance co. into writing a fat check for his blocking my path........enough money for me to buy some shiny new pieces and put my trusty K back together once more. And a shiny new coat of Pearlescent White Glasurit to cover the ugly pre colors.
So.....the next week.... I find myself out on the freeway going 138 mph with a gal-friend on the back, panniers and all (no helmets) and I decide it's time to get out of motorcycling before my nine lives are counted up.
I sold the machine at a profit and retired from 2 wheeling untill I have my second childhood arrival 30 years later at age 65!
Hence I now have my new very used & refurbished K100rs......very much like my last one.

But.....It's not as wonderful as I remember when I was 36 years old and had herculean strength to "toss' it around through the twisties and lightning fast reaction times to be able to drag the pegs around those sweepers while leaving my friend on his Honda 1000 Hurricane light years behind in my dust!

The body & mind just aren't there!

So I find myself at 66 siting here in my Barc-a-Lounger" dreaming of the softer, gentler smoother, quieter days of my beloved R100rs.......My issue that I need your help with.

I now have a K100rs that I have about 5 months of hard labor and a gazillion US dollars invested in.....it's all sorted out, looking pretty....etc. Trouble is, I don't like it as well as I thought I would.
It feels too big, too heavy, too "beasty" with gobs of hard to control "lurchy-jerky" horsepower that I find myself no longer comfortably proficient to operate....... Just not comfortable at ALL for me.

Problem is....there's about a million of these 85's out there on the road for sale in very nice condition for about $2000 - $3000 dollars, here.

I long for another R100rs, at least an 81 or later so I have Nik-a-Sil durability. There are very few of those that are un-modified to be found. ....The nice ones are now going for nearly $10,000 or even more & here I sit on $2500 worth of K equity! What's a guy to do?????

I'm considering buying a standard 1982 R100 that I've found for $3800 and trying to gussy it up with RS plastic, etc......

I'm wanting opinions on .........."really"..... is there a lot of difference between the mechanicals, suspension, etc between a standard R100 and a real R100rs?
Will I be disappointing myself here or will I be happy with the finished add on build to the R100 naked machine?????

Or shall I just take my hard earned licks & losses, sell the K100rs for whatever I can get for it & step up with the big monies and buy a real unmolested & complete R100rs as originally configured??????

I think I already know the answer......because I always try to spend as little as possible to buy something "cheap" as with my current $500 junk yard special K and refurbish it ending up with a HUGE loss.

Would someone please tell me what to do????? I'm feeling sooooooooo Lost!

Regards, Ibj...
Someone

life is for living pal....let your heart have what it wants and sell up the K afterwards if you can.....given that resale is modest perhaps a very nice static display or inheritance for a treasured younger relative some decades down the track....the fact that you are enjoying yourself is the bottom line...never regret.

So, after I have dismissed the K.......or packed it away in storage to rust through yet ANOTHER fuel tank,,,,,,what shall I do about the R100rs I so want. Buy it or try to build it?

buy the best you can afford....this is not a dress rehearsal this is the only life you will have.....enjoy the shit out of it!!!!

You are comparing your present bike to a memory and it will never live up to that memory.
Move on, move up or maybe even sideways but the past is another place and best not visited.

never regret....you are allowed to make mistakes...to not do it will leave you without closure...perhaps ride one again and see if the spark is there....then you will know and confirm heart or head.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/BMW-R100RS-1983-For-Parts-Not-Running-/221252707124?pt=AU_Motorcycles&hash=item3383b06334

a little teaser

I would agree with what has been said already.
If you aren't happy with the K find something else. Life is too short to procrastinate.
I would throw away those rose tinted glasses and try to cadge a test ride on an R100RS before I part with any money. Maybe you have already.
I had an '81 version and, yes, I remember a great bike. But would I want one now? Not sure.
Even clunkier gearbox, diving forks and lumpy, tappety engine.
I have been thinking along similar lines recently since discovering that I'm inheriting some money shortly.
The child bride has said to buy whatever I like. But you know what, its not that easy to choose.
Have you sampled any of the newer, oilhead twins?
Nicer to ride than an airhead and readily available.

I agree with Comberjohn.
You say that the K isn't as good as you remember it. What's to say that the R will be as good as you remember it?

You'd be better to get a ride on an R and see how it goes before committing yourself.

Reminds me of a friend of mine who hankered after an RD350 like he had in his youth. He finally tracked one down and bought it. He went up and down the road a few times and said that it appeard to be down on power (from what he remembers).

It was then pointed out to him that he now had a Bandit 1200 with a race can and stage 1 dynojet kit, OF COURSE THE 350 WILL FEEL LESS POWERFUL !!.

It' amazing how your frame of reference changes.

In any event, you are better doing something rather than nothing, because you will regret the things you don't do more than those you do.

Some of us are twice as heavy as we once were too...

Ibjman,

My story was that we had a long hot summer in 1975 and 1976.

I acquired a very nice bog standard Honda CB500-4 in early 1976. I had to settle for it because I was too short for the CB750-4 that I really wanted.

Two long hot summers on that naked bike remain unsurpassed, travelled the length of the country, camping, scenic routes etc etc. It was perfect for it. The bike was a dream and never missed a beat in the time I had it.

Over 3 years ago I had another one for a little while. Yes, it as everything I remembered, turbine smooth, great handling, plenty of power, comfortable, right size etc.

But I remembered it was a naked bike and as such suited to certain weather conditions. I thought about it and decided what the heck, we will never get a long hot summer again so let it be or spend a fortune on fairing and luggage.

Instead along came the K100LT. Perfect. Plenty of power, torque, storage, handles well and full fairing.

Comberjohn will testify on the naked bike bit too. His drawers I mean fairing was up and down for a bit to the point where he can probably take it on or off blindfolded but I have a feeling it is staying on for now.

As for the RD350, yes very quick for what they were.- a hot two stroke that could do 30mpg, hole pistons at the drop of a hat [even if you could change them at the roadside as most would carry spares], wear out main bearings once a year and of course do impressive wheelies with a scream that would make your hair stand on end. Then there was a Kawasaki triple that was unbelievable, designed for American freeways with no bends, it could achieve 20mpg, wheelie in most gears, give it gas and it went like a scalded cat sounding like it was dragging about 50 empty tin cans down the road after it. Did I ever own one? No. Who wants to be burning juice faster than a V8.....

Find what suits you now and in my opinion the K ticks all the boxes. Cheap enough to have two.....one naked for fun and an RT LT RS for other days.....

Jayman. You ain't old, your crazy. If you want to punish yourself with massive K regret, go ahead. But you have invested in the K. You know the bike inside and out. Why get another whole new headache. Buy a K75s so you can stay in theme, and then save 100lbs of counterbalance. You won't be unhappy. Besides now that your frail, and feeble that 44 kilos less will be right up your alley and you still get, relays, airbox, ECU, ICU and Speedo issues to work out. A K75 will make you feel 10 years younger. STAY K.
Uncle jim

I saw a very nice 88 R100rs at the BMW International Rally for sale at a pretty good price of $3500. It didn't have much history, did have a noise in the right side cylinder that I didn't like and also had some minor damage on the fairing. I decided to let common sense over rule my heart and left it behind for some other buyer.

Today, I'm going to test ride an 81 R100rs from a local seller that has 65,000 miles on it and hopefully some verifiable history. It also has some minor damage on the fairing that I feel I can fix.
At the $2800 asking price......It is a dealer built "special edition" from San Jose BMW. I'm told it has an upgraded swing arm and super solid Billet machined triple clamp?  It seems in the photos to have a rear disc brake where I expected it might have a drum in the rear. ......I'm excited about this one.

I'll be interested to hear what others are thinking.  Any comments?

I hate to say it, but for me.....I think driving this will be a lot more comfortable for me that the 85 K100rs.

As a side note.....I was surprised to learn that in spite of MY perception, it's not much lighter than my K.