Anybody gone from an oilhead to an airhead?

[sagerat]

So the garage has three bikes: '75 R90/6 with 84K on the clock; '04 GS with 18K; and my Ural Tourist sidecar with 10K (true K's at that: kilometers so it's actually 6.6K mi).

The understanding wife has occasionally mumbled about three bikes sucking up beaucoup floor space. The Ural will always stay as it's a year-rounder driver. (Sidecars are fun in the snow.)

The GS has always been my long-distance in short timelines tourer. And a semi-daily rider. The /6 has been mostly a fun day and half-day tripper.

I sometimes toy with hawking the GS due to the $$$$ for maintenance and keeping the airhead. I could throw a flycatcher windscreen on it and just deal with the loss of heated grips and electric plug-ins, returning to the land of fleece and heavier gloves.

Have I lost my mind?

[OscarMayer]

tough decision you've got there. Sounds like a well rounded collection.

Any chance you can trade in the wife? 'kidding.

My experience is only with a R75/5, but I'd assume that the GS would be the wiser choice as the keeper. However you'd probably get more money for the GS than the R90/6.

And with that money you can get the Motorrad Elektrik (http://www.motoelekt.com/) 400W upgrade to the charging system of the R90/6 and add your heated accessories, etc.

Still a tough decision. Too bad you can't keep 'em all.

G'luck.

[manicmechanic]

Got one of each. Love 'em both. What is the question? Answer - bigger garage?

[easter85]

I went from an Airhead to an Oilhead and back to an Airhead. Actually I never sold the Airhead; but I sure got rid of that Oilhead. I had a 1996 or 1997 R1100 RT. I can't remember exactly which year now; but, I took one trip on that Oilhead and I was done.

Reasons:

Dangerous mirrors. With the tail trunk you were literally blind to the rear. I almost got run over from behind by a driver on I-10 who fell asleep at 85 mph in a Dodge pickup. I never saw him coming. Luckily for me he woke up and locked up his brakes.

Ran like crap. I understand there is now after many years there is a fix for it aftermarket.

ABS was always having to be reset. Had a reset button on the dash it was so bad.

Goofy turn signals. Do you really need 3 separate buttons to operate the turn signals?

Steered like a truck at low speeds.

No way to move your legs around. They fit in the only area allowed by the shape of the plastic.

To much plastic. Way to complicated.

All about style and not about function.

A cross between a sport bike and a touring bike. I have a Ninja. I know what a sport bike is. That 1100RT was a poor sport bike and a poor touring bike in my opinion.

Very uncomfortable for the rear seat passenger. I took my grown daughter for a ride on it and after 10 miles she made me go back and get the Airhead.

After that bike I have never bought another new BMW. Believe me; I want to buy a new BMW but they do some really dumb things when they design a new motorcycle. i.e. a muffler that runs through the left saddle bag. Give me a break. Also when they came out with the oilhead cruiser and the CL1200 touring bike. 61 horsepower and short mufflers that stop under the passengers feet. What are they thinking?

I want a bike with fenders that fender and a muffler that extends to the rear of the motorcycle and is down low out of the way. I want a bike that is all about function like the old /2, /5, /6, and /7. Just more power and better brakes.

In the 1960's after college I went to work for Volkswagen. By 1968 here in the South the VW Beetle's with A/C, the engines were lasting about 20,000 miles and coming apart. The Germans instead of admitting they had a problem blamed it on the consumer. They don't call Germans "square heads" for nothing.

[Stuff2C]

Have I lost my mind?


:bikes yes :bikes

[Oznay]

You could upgrade your electrics,and install your own bar warmers,which could cost'bout 30 bucks for the warmers,plus maybe a couple of hours of your time,add hand guards,and you'll be smiling..

[fracture]

I would have to agree with easter85. Although I have never owned an oilhead, I have ridden several in my search for a bike to replace my airhead.

I was not impressed with the oilhead. Yes, at low speeds they steered like a truck. The engines vibrated more than my airhead. Maybe they needed a synch job, but I was not taking any chances. When engaging first gear, the gearbox clunked so loudly that people standing on the corner looked to see what it was that made so much noise.

One oilhead I rode surged so badly I needed a seatbelt. Yes, there are aftermarket fixes for this but why not build it right in the first place? For such an expensive bike I expected more refinement.

On the other hand, the R1200RT might be the one. After a test ride, it appeared to be everything I want in a bike. But I am not willing to spend nearly 20 grand on a bike that still may have problems to be sorted out.

For now, I keep the airhead. Yes, it is low on power, old chassis, etc. But the ergos are perfect and I have had pretty good luck with my airhead. Very little to go wrong and relatively easy and inexpensive to repair.

[ccolwell]

I have to agree with Stuff2C. The oilhead, for all its faults and costs, is a much better motorcycle -- suspension, brakes, power -- and that's before you get to the heated grips. I've had 3 airheads and spent a bunch of time riding rented oilheads. If I could only have one of them, and no other modern bike, it would be an oilhead. (And, BTW, I really don't like oilhead GS's, top heavy and clunky IMO).

[67489]

Like easter85 I went from a airhead to oilhead, never sold the airhead just relegated it to the barn for a while. The oilhead was a '98 R1100RT. Beautiful bike and clearly far superior in technology to the '78 R80/7.

My reason(s) for going back to the R80 boiled down to enjoying the journey. My last trip on the R1100 was from Idaho out to CA to watch some historic motorcycle racing. The roads were mostly empty through Nevada (during a weekday) and I kicked the bike up to 110+mph slowing down only for towns. One stretch I did 2+ hours over 110. The bike performed without a hitch, burp, or wobble. I never had any trouble with that bike on that trip or the entire 3 or 4 years and 70K miles I owned it.

However, I'd felt for a while that here was some enjoyment lacking when I thought back to my earlier touring days. During this trip on the R1100 I decided to rebuild the R80 and take some short trips alternating between the bikes. It turns out that I prefer the 'feel' of the R80...the airhead motor. The torque curve, the vibration, the handling...the simplicity. It just feels like a good set of leathers and I get more pleasure out of a 400-500 mile day on it as opposed to a 500-600 mile day on the R1100.

I've since sold the R1100 and have regained a lot of the enjoyment I get from motorcycle touring. I don't go as fast or stop as fast, but I sure enjoy it more.

Per the heated grips...I acquired a heated vest and gloves - going from a full fairing to an S-fairing I new I'd need added heat. Last week I took a day jaunt leaving in the morning at 35 degrees (in Southern Idaho). The high temp for the day was 44 or so. Put 200+ miles on the bike and wasn't uncomfortable at all. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

[BMWRich58]

So the garage has three bikes: '75 R90/6 with 84K on the clock; '04 GS with 18K; and my Ural Tourist sidecar with 10K (true K's at that: kilometers so it's actually 6.6K mi).

The understanding wife has occasionally mumbled about three bikes sucking up beaucoup floor space. The Ural will always stay as it's a year-rounder driver. (Sidecars are fun in the snow.)

The GS has always been my long-distance in short timelines tourer. And a semi-daily rider. The /6 has been mostly a fun day and half-day tripper.

I sometimes toy with hawking the GS due to the $$$$ for maintenance and keeping the airhead. I could throw a flycatcher windscreen on it and just deal with the loss of heated grips and electric plug-ins, returning to the land of fleece and heavier gloves.

Have I lost my mind?

Well to me,I don't feel "oilheads" aren't anymore $$$ to maintain than airheads. One is old school and requires certain special needs and one has all the latest technology available to make my motorcycling hobby enjoyable,and also requires certain special needs.
I believe it's the lack of knowledge and understanding of the newer bikes that does more damage than harm to us.
If'n yur not afraid or intimidated by technology,and have an open mind,Oilheads can turn out to be good companions too!
Speaking of only BMW's ,I've owned 3 airheads,1K-brick, and 2 oilheads, and not in any particular order.
Each has had it's own up's an downs as in what I liked and disliked. But the more I understand the technology that is "built" into these bike's,the less I fear owning one. So it's the lack of understanding that makes or creates this fear....
I'ma hands on kinda guy,and I like to tinker. And yes, these later made/model bikes "do" have different needs and chances are it's gonna cost you some to keep these needs satisfied .
For instance,some of the things I love about the newer bikes is electronic ignition, fuel injection and the computer.
Maybe I've been lucky but I love the fact that turning a key to "on", pushing a button and "bam" the bike comes alive no matter how cold/hot,or far up or down in altitude you are. No carb priming,choke setting,adjusting spark advances etc. It just does it all by itself! All this electronic wizardry "working for me" making my life "Happy"!!! I know sh#t breaks and wears out,and things need tending too,but why get all excited, unless it's that we take for granted these little bits of gadgetry that make are lives so "enjoyable'.
I think We create our own "fears",when We "build up a trust" for these machines. And when they "quit making us happy" we get goofy....

[sagerat]

Thanks for the words of advice, guys.

FWIW, my GS does not surge (it's a twinspark) and the tranny is pretty doggone smooth. I can ride it for long day after long day after long day...

The main drawbacks to the GS are those monthly payments and the $$ for maintenance. The GS cannot cross the dealer door without at least $300 leaving my wallet, it seems.

By contrast, if sum all the $$ I've spent on the Ural for tools, tires, oil, oil filters, sparkplugs and wires, and some additional farkles of PIAA's and heated grips, it's considerably less than $500.

We're just now getting ready to work on /6 and start dealing with the carbs, brakes, and front forks. Nothing major, just some delayed maintenance as I'm the third owner and owner #2 paid to have a lot of work done on it, including new rear spline, then let it sit for several years.

Once we get the /6 up and running to its potential, I'll revisit the issue. Owner #2 hit the trifecta on a driveway drop: dented the gas tank and cracked a Krause bag. Ouch.

Still, when I'm riding it, I just feel like I'm on what I think a motorcycle should be: light, nimble, and narrow. I only forget to turn on the dual petcocks occasionally. :dance

[ccolwell]

Better than me forgetting to turn them off!

[brooksie]

Back and forth...back and forth...
Depends on my mood and how much time I have to dedicate to a ride:

A nice relaxing ride on the back roads enjoying smells and scenery is heightened by the clatter of valves

A longer trip usually finds me suited up and on the oilhead, making miles go by
at a much quicker pace

Both are quite enjoyable! :thumb

[DADODIRT]

I own an 1150gs and a 75/6 and was only able to get myself on the airhead for abotu 50 miles this summer. On the other hand the gs added up over 17,000 miles this year. I know what my choice would be.
I am in the same boat as I would like to get a couple dirt bikes for me and my boys, but I can't imagine getting rid of one of the other bikes to do so.......

[Braddog]

The understanding wife has occasionally mumbled about three bikes sucking up beaucoup floor space.

Start worrying about this when the mumbling turns to yelling. In the mean time, keep looking for your next acquisition. :ha

Seriously, though, a financial decision is one thing, and downsizing just for the sake of space and....downsizing is another issue altogether. I only have airheads, 2 of them, and although I really enjoy riding those motorcycles, I really do want to "modernize". They're both 77's, I'd like to move up 20 years or so. Sadly, because of finances, this will likely require the sale of one of them. It sounds like your GS is a great machine. I'm betting that you'd miss it greatly if you went strictly to the airhead.

Some day, I hope to have more garage space for motorcycles. Hopefully that day will come before I have to leave all of our cars outside during a Minnesota winter. :bikes

[sagerat]

I've mentioned if we parked my Dad's car outside (he lives with us, which is really cool) we'd have more room in the garage for more bikes.

Dad, being a former rider and now a sidecar denizen, thought it sounded logical enough. :D

The wife did not.

[Dave_Faria]

Read thru the comments. I own a 78 R80/7 with 100k+ miles and was thinking abt selling it. My 2nd bike is a 2004 R1150RT with 38k miles. I can and have always done my own wrenching on the R80 and RT. Both bikes have stranded me. The R80 lost the splines on the transmission input shaft at 12k miles(50 miles from home) and the RT's crown bearing at 31k miles(200 miles from home). There is less you can do with the Motronics computer and the ABS brakes on the side of the road. You can always burnish a set of points on the road and the foot brake always works. I think the R80 will be around a while longer. The R80 will probably get a top end overhaul this winter.

[Easy]

I'd like to have an airhead with some updates. I don't know why BMW does not make an undated retrostyle version of the airhead with a sidecar. I'd be in line tomorrow to get one.

Munter Deutschland!

Easy :german

[Jamming]

Sag...I'm thinking about adding a Ural for the wife..wink wink...Is it fun?

Rog

[osbornk]

You always need to keep at least one airhead regardless of what you ride. I've had 2 Ks and now have an oilhead to go along with my old R80RT. The old black airhead draws more attention and comments than the other 3 combined. I've yet to find any BMW rider of newer bikes that didn't regret selling their airhead. Sooner or later, most of them have to go find another to put in their stable. Just something about them.

[sagerat]

Sag...I'm thinking about adding a Ural for the wife..wink wink...Is it fun?

Rog

Urals are ridiculous fun, but be prepared for your trips to take more time. One, the Ural is happiest at 50-55mph, although I have done 65mph coming down Mount Hood. Remember, while a Ural can go from 0-70mph, going 70-0 is an altogether different matter.

Second, at every stop be prepared for lots of folks coming up and asking tons of questions. We Foilheads (as Ural riders are known) call those Q&A sessions UDF or Ural Delay Factor.

Short answer, the Ural Tourist was the best $8,200 I've ever spent and it is the last bike I'd sell. :heart

[Bob_M]

I had a 1996 R1100RT that bought new. The stars fell out of alignment and I sold the RT but was able to pick up a 1984 R100 that I found on the Nickle Adds. The oilhead was fast and very composed at speed. It was comfortable especially for my wife on the pillion, but it had to go.

The airhead provides me at least as many giggles per mile. It feels fast when it is going fast, and I can work on it. Now my boy rides the 84, and I have a 1982 R100RS that has undergone a frame up restoration with some electric and safety upgrades. I am confident of the bikes reliability, delighted with its looks and content with its performance.

It is still an old bike. My wife does not find the suspension compliant. One has to plan passes and shift for good acceleration. It does not have the ABS which is a good safety feature.

I am sorta a retro grouch and I like the old bike :gerg

[DougGrosjean]

I went R100rs to R11rs to other bikes (when R11rs was totaled we didn't have a local BMW dealer), then picked up an Airhead GS for long-distance adventure touring. Been to Colorado 2-up on Jeep trails with it, local NW Ohio trails, and Drummond Island in the Michigan's UP. Did my first Saddlesore 1k day on it, Toledo-DC-Toledo.

It (Airhead GS) has its charms; I've no desire to sell it or stop riding it. About 40k miles on odo when I bought in in May 2005, and about 80k miles now.

[plexiform]

Had a 1978 R100/7 - loved it but needed to sell for money while still in school, bought a used 1998 R1200c after graduating, hated it - sold it 6months after buying it - bought 1988 R100rs with 80k miles on it....still running strong...I'm happy with this decision.

[farmrmk]

I'm in the process now. '96 R850R is #1 currently. '73 LWB R75 /5 is going to be #1 in two weeks. Same reason, I need to sell something so the "Big Boy Toy" account is back to zero. I cut my beemer teeth on a K100 so the R850R was really neat, quick & agile. No ABS and no problems after 6K miles. But I'm an old man who wants to ride an old bike. I think the plan to use a mid-time Airhead is sound. Got 2 Triumphs in the garage ('77 Tiger - 1/2 way to a Cafe Racer rebuild, '79 T140E sold to my Brother but never picked up). Also restoring a 1941 Aeronca airplane (same garage) so the Airhead fits in my style. I like the idea of being able to perform roadside repairs without a BMW computer.

farmrmk

[robsryder]

So the garage has three bikes: '75 R90/6 with 84K on the clock; '04 GS with 18K; and my Ural Tourist sidecar ...

The understanding wife has occasionally mumbled about three bikes sucking up beaucoup floor space. ...

If my garage wasn't already jam packed with bikes, I'd advise you to dump that /6 (to me, of course :) ) But, what you really might need is just a more efficient scheme for parking the bikes in the garage.

Several bikes back, I thought that I was at my limit. Then I saw another bike at a great price. I figured out how to make room. Then a fellow (hi FritzC!) offered me his R75/5 at a great price, so once again I figured out how to make room. Then, a bike I'd wanted for 30 years became available (Honda 305 SuperHawk - at a great price), so once again I made room. But, no mas, no mas!!!!

I've already told my wife when I get too old to ride, that I'll get a Ural with a sidecar.

My 71R75/5 is my "newest" BMW. My oldest BMW is a 94 R1100RS. I traded in my first BMW (an 88 R100GS Bumblebee) for the oilhead. But, I quickly missed the airhead. Bought a GS/PD, then a /6, then a /7, and so on. [Did I mention that I'm a sucker for a great bike at a real low price?] Plus I like working on the airheads.

The biggest problem with the R75/5 that I purchased was that there wasn't much wrong with the bike :). I've not let that stop me from largely taking it apart. I just wanted to see how the /5 differed from the /6 and /7. Kind of interesting (at least to me).

Pack those bikes in the garage...

[sagerat]

If my garage wasn't already jam packed with bikes, I'd advise you to dump that /6 (to me, of course :) ) But, what you really might need is just a more efficient scheme for parking the bikes in the garage.

Pack those bikes in the garage...

I've got the GS aligned E/W then the /6 goes N/S just off the GS's nose facing out and the Ural goes N/S next to the /6 facingn in. I've got them far enough apart that I can climb on each bike.

Now if the garage would ever get above 40 degrees I could do the 10K service on the Ural and rebuild the /6 carbs and dink with the front brake pads and change the fork springs and oil. :thumb