My R80 feels.... well.... FAST!

[RonKMiller]

Who woulda' thunk that just paying a leetle bit more attention to the float level could make such a HUGE difference in performance? :laugh

Dang, this is one smooth runnin', powerful bike! YES!!:thumb:thumb:thumb:thumb:thumb:twirl:twirl:da nce

[jforgo]

Excellent! A bit more fiddling paid off!

Airheads have a much nicer power delivery and curve than paper specs alone might suggest. Maybe that is why they are sort of a cult bike - you have to actually ride a well running example to appreciate them.

[mymindsok]

Congratulations!

Now you know how these bikes are supposed to run. MAGIC!!! :heart

[scjack]

Happy to hear that you've solved the mystery. The airhead twins don't have the power of a V-Max but they are quick enough and a lot of fun to ride. I've owned, airheads, K's and oilheads but my favorite of the bunch are the airheads. These bikes have a soul and personality that stirs my passion for riding.

[RonKMiller]

Excellent! A bit more fiddling paid off!

Airheads have a much nicer power delivery and curve than paper specs alone might suggest. Maybe that is why they are sort of a cult bike - you have to actually ride a well running example to appreciate them.

Boy howdy, ain't that the truth!

When I first saw the specs of 37.1 horsepower at 6500rpm and 33 ft. lbs. of torque at 5000 rpm I thought - hmmm, well, that's just the way it is... :rolleyes

I can't help but think they under rated this engine. The power delivery is soooo linear, and it pulls just effortlessly. Very entertaining to just keep it in 3rd gear in the twisties and let it flow. The speed you can carry through turns is deceiving. Time for some sticky rubber, some new rear shocks - and then go find some squid to eat for lunch. (down hill, of course) :D

Now that I've got the carbs balanced spot on it is literally almost as silky as my LT.

I'm in lust! :rocker

[sfaulkner68]

...so, the bronco has some buck again! Congratulations! Go ride it and don't hesitate to post more pics of that great bike!

[G_Thomas]

Just out of curiousity, when was there a 37 hp R80? Could it be that you are reading KW as HP on that graph? 37 KW = 50 HP, which is what I would expect an R80 to be. Or is this one of those special de-tuned models that BMW made for various markets?

[RonKMiller]

Just out of curiousity, when was there a 37 hp R80? Could it be that you are reading KW as HP on that graph? 37 KW = 50 HP, which is what I would expect an R80 to be. Or is this one of those special de-tuned models that BMW made for various markets?

Rear wheel horsepower and torque from an old Cycle Guide Road Test dyno run. But, I agree - much more like 50hp from my "seat o' the pants" dyno. I did see close to 140 on my compression tests, so it ain't no old gray mare.

Mine's an 8.5:1 CR. I don't know if they produced any other USA CR ratios - but DO know that mine was the last of 101 models imported in 1979 to the USA.

For a single rider that can keep it in the sweet spot around 5K - and use the full throttle - it motates nicely. :german

Effortless is the best word I can find to describe the feeling. Very telepathic, you don't need to think about it - just focus on the apex!

[G_Thomas]

Sweet. I noticed my floats are in need of adjustment too. We'll see if I get such great results.
BTW Crazy how 13 HP gets eaten between the flywheel and the wheel!!

[RonKMiller]

...so, the bronco has some buck again! Congratulations! Go ride it and don't hesitate to post more pics of that great bike!

LOL! As we say here in The Old Pueblo: Yippie Aie Yea K-Y! :evil :laugh

[toooldtocare]

Nice. My first BMW was an R80, followed by oilheads, more airheads, a K bike, even an F bike, but the R80 is still one of my favorites. She will give you many miles of enjoyment.