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Considering another AirHead

40427

New member
Hi all;

I finally made a deal to sell my 2012 Burgman ( buyer is flying in on Tuesday :clap )
So i have been pondering the question ; is it really time to hang up my helmet or just get another airhead .
Suddenly a 1995 R100RT shows up on my radar and I get all gooey feeling inside again.:heart:heart

I have owned R80's in the past and always wondered about getting the big brother.
Any thing in particular to look out for ??
The bike has 30k + miles and the seller tells me a good story about maintenance and care.
I believe, if memory serves that 1995 was the last year of airhead production and wondered if they were just thrown together with left over bits when production was ending or can i expect a good old horse like my older R80's :bow

Thanks for input.
 
In 97 I bought a 95 R100RT (actually they called it an LT because it was loaded). The PO had messed with things like jetting, etc., and it ran bad. Once I put back to stock it ran sweet. It gave many happy and trouble free miles and I still regret selling it. From what I understand, in 95 they began putting the circlip back in the transmission. I do not know when they started, if it was at the beginning of the run or middle, but I think you can find that out with a little research. The only weak point in the bike is the starter, but that is true of all airheads that have a Valeo starter instead of Bosch. There are also fixes for this too, just do a bit more research.

Wayne
 
I have a 1990 R100RT with over 82k miles that had many owners before me each year I had to do some thing to it carbs,coil, starter,clutch,tiers,and repair oil leaks. I enjoyed doing all this myself and the bike has never failed me and does not burn oil.
Cheers Bob
 
In 97 I bought a 95 R100RT (actually they called it an LT because it was loaded). The PO had messed with things like jetting, etc., and it ran bad. Once I put back to stock it ran sweet. It gave many happy and trouble free miles and I still regret selling it. From what I understand, in 95 they began putting the circlip back in the transmission. I do not know when they started, if it was at the beginning of the run or middle, but I think you can find that out with a little research. The only weak point in the bike is the starter, but that is true of all airheads that have a Valeo starter instead of Bosch. There are also fixes for this too, just do a bit more research.

Wayne

The seller told me he had replaced the starter and a diode board , the bike has had a spline lube not too long ago, and frequent oil changes including the transmission and final drive.
He is out traveling on the bike now , when he gets back home next week he is sending me some pictures.
 
If you don't require mind blowing acceleration, then buy it. Airheads require a little more hands on mechanic work than later bikes, but they are so easy to work on there is no need to pay ridiculously expensive dealer hourly wages. I have an R80 G/S and it's my favorite bike, not fast but reliable, but I do tweak it a little more often. Valves, carb sync once or twice a year ( mainly just check), oil changes, 2-3 set of tires per year.
 
I like this statement

I like this statement:

" He is out traveling on the bike now , when he gets back home next week he is sending me some pictures. "

Also, remember a week has 7 days, it will just seem longer!

I purchased an airhead some yrs ago, it felt like the seller was interviewing me! That also was a good sign. Since then I have become hooked to say the least on airheads. I have ridden the new bikes but enjoy the simple airhead ride. And I have found a friendly community.
Good luck and keep us posted.
Best regards,
Kurt
 
I sort of regret selling my last R80 just over a year ago.
I had developed a severe problem with my left arm that caused my ability to use the clutch almost impossible. The prognosis from two doctors , a sports medicine therapist and an xray made it seem worse than i thought. So I decided to sell it and bought a Burgman.:blush
I acted too hastily, as i have been able to get some relief of the pain and lack of movement by visiting an acupuncturist, and working with my Chiropractor.

The riding position of the Burgman made my back hurt no matter how i tried to sit up straight.
Finally got an MRI on my back and it was a mess. Have been going through Spinal Decompression Therapy for several weeks and am amazed at how much better i feel. Still have to go see a surgeon next month to appease SWMBO :deal

Now that the Burgman is sold , I started to rethink my motorcycling life .
Not in to big HP or speed ,
not too comfortable with a lot of high tech stuff, and like a bike that weighs no more than 2.5 times my own weight :laugh
I do enjoy a little maintenance so I thought another airhead might just do the job , especially since I am now an official real old guy /sunshine rider:blush
 
I acted too hastily, as i have been able to get some relief of the pain and lack of movement by visiting an acupuncturist, and working with my Chiropractor.

I started to rethink my motorcycling life .
Not in to big HP or speed ,
not too comfortable with a lot of high tech stuff, and like a bike that weighs no more than 2.5 times my own weight :laugh
I do enjoy a little maintenance so I thought another airhead might just do the job , especially since I am now an official real old guy /sunshine rider:blush

How about a mid-seventies or late seventies airhead? I, too, had ideas of not riding again after I gave up my 2 BMW's (/2 & /6) back in the early 90's as I had several small children, and an average of 2 "close calls" per week riding to work each and every day. 20 year pass, and my last graduated from college after a Div. 1 football scholarship and lots of work put him through school. After HE graduated, and then had time for himself, HE purchased an old BMW and then enticed me to get back into it. HE succeeded and now we BOTH ride together. What a joy! I thought I was too old, but I "got it back" and found I was able to ride and enjoy! I also like doing the repairs as long as they aren't rushed, or on a trip!

Go ahead! Get one! You will thank yourself and us!
 
Several years ago I sold my first Airhead...a 1971 R 60/5 and regretted ever since.



The thought of getting another airhead was there but the timing was not right. Then 2 months ago this 1978 R100/7 came available and I snatched it up. Glad I did. I am really enjoying the journey of bringing it back to life.



My suggestion...GO FOR IT!
 
Several years ago I sold my first Airhead...a 1971 R 60/5 and regretted ever since.

The thought of getting another airhead was there but the timing was not right. Then 2 months ago this 1978 R100/7 came available and I snatched it up. Glad I did. I am really enjoying the journey of bringing it back to life.

My suggestion...GO FOR IT!

They just don't get any better than those two!!

Never made anything better!
 
I am not in any hurry since it's getting cold here now and i do not like cold :p

It's fun looking around at what is available, I know the right one will come along.
 
If the price is reasonable I would go for it. I have an 81 R100RT and love it........... 165K and going strong!
 
Go for it. You will never regret it. My son has the same bike and he is happy with it. Dad's deal to son: I'll buy it and you ride it. He was an experienced mature adult rider at that time. He commutes to work 100 miles per day and last year rode it from Mass to California. It never missed a beat.
Used bikes always need something but on the Airheads it's not difficult to do the needed repairs or bring them back to like new and original condition.
As for me, I'm happy with my 71 r60/5.
Adirondack Bob
 
...and I still regret selling it.

Ok, Wayne... I think we're gonna have to start charging you for every time you lament having let go of a nice airhead...:stick
Neat old RSs and RTs... you're starting to make me jealous with all of these lost treasures!:beer
 
Ok, Wayne... I think we're gonna have to start charging you for every time you lament having let go of a nice airhead...:stick
Neat old RSs and RTs... you're starting to make me jealous with all of these lost treasures!:beer

I do not want to hijack this thread, but I suffer from the dreaded ?The Grass is Greener? syndrome. It causes me to do dumb things such as sell and buy bikes, only to realize later that I made a mistake. Bad thing, it is about to bite me again. I am thinking of selling my R1200R to get something lighter, easier to handle. :scratch

My list so far over the past 48 years that I have been riding.
64 Ducati 250 MKIV Scrambler (new)
67 Honda 305 Scrambler (new)
73 Yamaha TX 650 (new)
74 BMW R90S (used)
75 Moto Guzzi 850T (new)
78 Honda 750F (new)
78 BMW R100RS Motorsport (used)
79 Triumph 750 Bonneville (new)
86 R80RT BMW (new)
87 BMW K100LT (new)
89 BMW R100RS (used)
95 BMW R100RT (used)
97 BMW R1100RT (new)
2001 BMW R1100RT (used)
2001 Ducati 750 Monster (new)
2001 Ducati 900 Monster (new)
2004 BMW R1100S (new)
2005 Harley 1200 Sportster (new)
2007 BMW F800S (new)
2007 Triumph Scrambler (used)
2012 BMW R1200R (new, still have)

Wayne
 
An impressive list of bikes you owned Wayne! At the least you can say you have ridden them all... And contemplating your next move is not necessary bad, this keeps things interesting...

As for me, I am suffering the opposite syndrome... I have an R60/6 and a R90S and wouldn't want to miss either one... I cannot let go...I have never ridden a nineties Airheads so no advice here... But my next bike would probably be another airhead...:) go for it!
 
I say go for it. There weren't all that many Airhead RT's made, and much fewer monoshocks. The RT's are light enough to be an all around everyday do whatever bike - a far cry from the current LT or (gasp) a GoldWing. Since you already had an R80, you are aware of the occasional fiddling these need.
I have RS's, and RT's, and the RT's are my favorite all around. A naked one around here costs months of riding season
 
I do not want to hijack this thread, but I suffer from the dreaded ?The Grass is Greener? syndrome. It causes me to do dumb things such as sell and buy bikes, only to realize later that I made a mistake. Bad thing, it is about to bite me again. I am thinking of selling my R1200R to get something lighter, easier to handle. :scratch

My list so far over the past 48 years that I have been riding.
64 Ducati 250 MKIV Scrambler (new)
67 Honda 305 Scrambler (new)
73 Yamaha TX 650 (new)
74 BMW R90S (used)
75 Moto Guzzi 850T (new)
78 Honda 750F (new)
78 BMW R100RS Motorsport (used)
79 Triumph 750 Bonneville (new)
86 R80RT BMW (new)
87 BMW K100LT (new)
89 BMW R100RS (used)
95 BMW R100RT (used)
97 BMW R1100RT (new)
2001 BMW R1100RT (used)
2001 Ducati 750 Monster (new)
2001 Ducati 900 Monster (new)
2004 BMW R1100S (new)
2005 Harley 1200 Sportster (new)
2007 BMW F800S (new)
2007 Triumph Scrambler (used)
2012 BMW R1200R (new, still have)

Wayne

Yikes- it's worse than I thought! Just kidding, of course- that's a great bunch of bikes you've enjoyed over the years. I have a few regrets of my own, mostly my old Triumph 750 Bonneville (76) and a BMW car ('84 533i? this was a really fun car). I have a few I don't miss so much either, though I'm glad I had them to experience.

Back on topic, I'd say go for it as well. I'm enjoying my new to me RS.
 
Thanks for all the encouragement /enabling :bow

But sadly I have decided it's really time to hang up my helmet and find another hobby to replace motorcycling.
Truth be told I have been wrestling with this for the last three bikes, I just don't enjoy riding that much anymore and have some real serious back issues. Riding only exacerbates the back problem, I have spent a ton of money going through spinal decompression therapy to hopefully avoid major back surgery.:cry

So i will be placing an advert in the flea market soon to sell off a bunch of good serviceable gear.
 
Try something different with your back and shoulders

I am not a doctor but I had issues with my hands and shoulders that felt like torn rotators and at times a broken wrist. I could not ride a mile and would have to stop to let the pain subside so I could turn around and go home. I had an MRI of my neck and found a narrow section that was pinching nerves and causing the problem, the cause of that was sleeping face down and lying in bed reading face down. I changed that behavior and after one week of the proper physical therapy to treat the issue I was back on the bike for 30-40 mile rides and after a full 8 weeks of the correct treatment I had no problem with 300-600 mile rides and on a variety of bikes from the stable.

Here's my hijack
1955 R 50, '62 R 50S, '65 R 69S(grey), '68 R 60US(original red project), '69 R 60US (Dover white), '71 R 75/5, '73 R75/5, two /5 bikes in progress , '75 R 90/6 X 2, '75 R 90S (restoration in progress), One /6 bike in progress '79 R 100S, '97 850R rework, '01 Kawasaki W 650 X 2, 04 GSA, 06 HP-2 Enduro, Thruxton, Bonnie SE, Scrambler and I have a deposit on the R Nine T. I've bought and sold a few in between and miss all.

I hope you try something different to see if you can sort out your back issue and get back on two wheels.

Good luck
 
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