Last Airhead

[widebmw]

Airhead history.
Years ago on the BMW site in the history section they had a picture of the "last Airhead".
I think it was a 1997 R80GS Basic.
It went off the line on November 19th 1996.
It was part of a group of bikes that went to South Africa.

A sad day in history :cry

[widebmw]

I was wrong on the date, see the copy below.
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1996: The last 2-valve boxer comes off the production line

The last model of the classic boxer generation comes off the production line at the Spandau BMW motorcycle plant, the R 80 GS Basic. Thus on December 19th 1996, a chapter of German motorcycle history comes to a close after over 70 years. The final balance sheet: BMW sold 685,850 units of the classic boxer series worldwide since 1923. 467,000 of these had been built in the Spandau plant since 1969. There are now 1690 employees there producing up to 400 motorcycles per day.

[R80RTJohnny]

A sad day indeed. But how fitting that it be an R80GS. The lineage that bike started is unbelievable.

[GlobalRider]

A sad day in history :cry

Considering I would have bought a new R100 GS Paris Dakar in white/red (if available in 2003) over my new 2003 or 2004 R1150 GS Adventure, a sad day indeed.

[lkchris]

It is TOTALLY MISLEADING to suggest that somehow the Oilhead does not continue the tradition of boxer twins.

It's a boxer twin and is not water cooled, so what's the difference?

[R80RTJohnny]

I agree that they are both boxer twins. My question would be what are the similarities. One links to the past and the other to the future.

Please note that I currently have an airhead (I've had it for 18 years) and looking forward to acquiring a new R12RT within a couple of years. Funny as I still plan on keeping the airhead but feel that at 25 a new bike will be needed out of necessity - not out of lust. I could visit the BMW dealer as it's only a 10 minute walk for the office but never do. The new bikes do not evoke "Passion" like the old airheads. To me a /7 or later airhead boxer is much sweeter than the new offerings but they are getting old.

My only rationale on buying a new "boxer" is just that - the motor being a boxer twin. Just like the Harley faithful I'll buy it just because it's has the roundel somewhere on the bodywork.

[rbryson]

Everyone talks about airheads, flying bricks, and oilheads. I have finally figured out the difference between airheads and flying bricks. But, alas could someone define an oilhead. That is, why is it called an oilhead? If must be obvious to everyone except me. Thanks.

[Motor31]

Well, everything that is not a brick, airhead, GT or FX is an oilhead. :nyah

[lkchris]

One links to the past and the other to the future.

Perhaps the past ended and the future begain in 1969 when BMWs got electric starters.

As arbitrary as anything else here.

[BradfordBenn]

My understanding of what makes an oilhead is that the oil is used to cool the pistons where as the airheads are just using air.

[PGlaves]

'"Oilheads" have in essence two oil pumps driven by the same shaft. One is a typical low volume high pressure pump which feeds the lubrication circuits in the engine as normal. The second is a low pressure high volume pump which circulates rather large amounts of oil through chambers in the heads in the vicinity of the exhaust valves. This flow of oil cools the hottest parts of the heads - and incidentally the attached cylinders. Oil circulated passes through one or more oil coolers which is a fancy name for a radiator which contains circulating oil rather than a water based coolant.

Thus the name Oilhead

[lkchris]

Still no worries about "coolant" freezing or debates as to whether one can use green Prestone.

[GlobalRider]

Still no worries about "coolant" freezing or debates as to whether one can use green Prestone.

OMG! Do they discuss that as much as engine and gear oils and even those don't need discussing. That info is right in the BMW Owner's Manuals. :laugh