S bars

[robbob100s]

Hi Guys,
The reconstruction of my "77 R100S coming along, I have determine that the bike as Std. U.S. bars on it for now.
Will I need to use Euro S bars with an BMW S fairing? Is there room for the U.S. bars? Thanks Robert

[rocketman]

The S bars work much better and look better with the S fairing, an uprght seating position with that small fairing does not really work in that you need to be tucked in a bit for it do anything (in terms of being a fairing). the way the top of the fairing comes back and the cutouts are really not suited to taller bars. If it will actually work? :dunno
but I think it would mean having the bars at an odd angle at the very least.

RM

[barryg]

There was a batch of R100S's that came into the states as a touring model S. They came with USA bars, extra gauges mounted on the top of the triple tree and no fairing. Dealers usually added the Luftmeister fairing. Your's might be one of those.

[9842]

I have an S style faring I got from JC Whitney on both of my 75/5's with us bars and love it. Don't have to lean over and the weight is of my wrists. When on the highway at 70-80 mph I lean over on to the tank bag and it feels great. Works for me and I think it looks great too.
later Brian
9842

[bikerfish1100]

There was a batch of R100S's that came into the states as a touring model S. They came with USA bars, extra gauges mounted on the top of the triple tree and no fairing. Dealers usually added the Luftmeister fairing. Your's might be one of those.

unless i'm mistaken, those bikes with Luftmeister Windcrammer fairings and extra gauge pods off the bars were the short lived T models. nothing about them would have made them an S, tho. engine badge should have just been either /7 or plain R100- but do not believe they ever had an S designation on them.

[6659]

I have the standard touring bars on my R100. They seem to work just fine. If the wind bothers me enough I will go to Parabellum since they make a taller shield.

I tried to upload a photo but I just can't seem to transfer it.

[AnnapolisAirhead]

unless i'm mistaken, those bikes with Luftmeister Windcrammer fairings and extra gauge pods off the bars were the short lived T models. nothing about them would have made them an S, tho. engine badge should have just been either /7 or plain R100- but do not believe they ever had an S designation on them.

I gots one o' them. T'is not an S.

[bikerfish1100]

I gots one o' them. T'is not an S.

right. and my thoughts are that what barryg described is a T, and not an S variant. an S sort of needs an S fairing (and bars to fit the rairing, etc) to make it an S- as there are really very few other distinguishing characteristics during that era (motor, exhaust, trans, etc)

[bfuriousb]

Indeed, standard US Bars will work with an S-fairing if the handlebar is rotated downward in the handlebar clamps. In the standard riding position, the brake and shift levers will interfere with the sides of the fairing. By rotating the handlebar downward just enough, the levers and cables can run just below the sides of the fairing. If rotated too far, the handlebars will hit the tank when turning. Also, it goes without saying that being able to adjust the handlebar position based on comfort and personal preference is gone in this setup. Consider getting S-bars or euro bars to avoid the clearance issue. (These types have a much lower rise than US bars.)

I did an s-fairing installation in a piecemeal manner (bought the euro handlebars a couple of months after installing the fairing), but I wish I had done it all at once. The new bars change the riding position to be more forward and make it feel like a new bike. It felt like a rocket those first few days.

-Will
R80/7 "S"

[barryg]

These bikes were featured in Cycle World mags back in '78. They were imported by Butler and Smith on the west coast. Bikes were as I stated, badged as R100S. Twin disc front,rear drum with snowflake wheels. One article shows bike being riden sans fairing. This article goes into great detail about the import, uncrating and setup of the bikes. The other article is a more standard type article evaluation of the bike with Luftmeister fairing installed. I'm sure over time a lot of these bikes were converted to the more common S type setup. Bikes are in the book Cycle World on ON BMW 1974-1980. Just another one of the oddities of the history of BMWs being imported to the US.

[robbob100s]

I'm hoping that it's an S. The seat, on the motor badge, the ser. number, all tell me is an S.
The story that I got was that the o. owner had taken off the S fairing in favor of the full sized one.

Could it be that I was mislead!!

Any way to tell for sure, the bike is very clean and 16000 on the clock.
I just took off the pods on the fork tubes and rerouted the cables. They were all over the place. 40mm 40mm
Robert

All I every knew was wrong!!

[bikerfish1100]

I believe the only functional differences (other than badges) between a /7 and an S of that vintage was dual disc in front, (probable?) disc in rear, seat, and 40mm Bings. RTs & RSs would have had same setup as the S. beyond that, it was just cosmetics (fairing, bars, gauges, paint offerings, etc.)

Butler & Smith, as the importer, was doing some weird stuff from time to time, so i guess an S configured as a T would not be unheard of. don't think it was anything BMW was sending out from the factory.
i had a friend that bought a brand new R90S, setup with a Luftmeister, all color matched to Daytona Orange. :dunno

[robbob100s]

This how it looked when I brought her home, spring this year. Robert

[barryg]

Good for you. Ride and enjoy. :thumb