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R 100 RT RS Fairing?

G

grumpyone

Guest
The fairing on the RT 100 we just got has boots I assume the RS and others do also. They are rubber boots (cups) the forks go through on each side that keep out the water and dirt. These actually do any good or are they needed at all????
Ours are old and cracked and handle bars turn with binding because of them when sitting still and we wonder if they arent haveing an ill effect on handling as it does not handle as well as the R 80 with out a fairing on it.???
Could be our fork and fork oil causing the problem but the boots seem to be screaming were making a problem here???
Thanks
Jim and Esther
 
I've ridden for twenty years without the boots, they don't do a lot(except for falling out, being a pain to renew) if they worked well the k-bikes would of had them instead they have scoups to help bring in air.
 
grumpyone said:
The fairing on the RT 100 we just got has boots I assume the RS and others do also. They are rubber boots (cups) the forks go through on each side that keep out the water and dirt. These actually do any good or are they needed at all????
Ours are old and cracked and handle bars turn with binding because of them when sitting still and we wonder if they arent haveing an ill effect on handling as it does not handle as well as the R 80 with out a fairing on it.???
Could be our fork and fork oil causing the problem but the boots seem to be screaming were making a problem here???
Click to expand...
I don't know that they're causing any problems other than the obvious rubbing. You can get new ones for ~$14 each. I have a set waiting to go in right now.
 
If they are old cracked and shot just cut them off and throw them away and forget you ever saw 'em.

I had an '83 R100RT that I put up with them for about 20K miles and then was doing some front end work and took them off. I rode that bike for another 40K without them and was happy the whole time. I never wanted to put them back on and when I sold the bike they went with it uninstalled. I currently have a 1986 R80RT that I just bought a few weeks ago. The boots were already loose when I got it and had slid down the forks. I needed to change the fork oil and put in some new springs so I went to the extra trouble of taking the forks off and removing the boots. Mine looked good and weren't cracked so I hated to cut them off but I would have if I hadn't needed to do the other work anyway. The bike is perfect without them.

Don't worry another second............just cut and toss.

astroturf52
 
tghsmith said:
I've ridden for twenty years without the boots, they don't do a lot(except for falling out, being a pain to renew) if they worked well the k-bikes would of had them instead they have scoups to help bring in air.
Click to expand...

You need a little history lesson.

The very first K-bikes indeed had the same rubber boots.

But, since BMW missed the American market about as far as it could be missed with the K-bike, the boots were actually removed under a recall and replaced with the scoops.

Problem was the superheating of the gas tank because of fuel returning from the fuel injection fuel rail. This might have been ok in moderate Germany, but proved intolerable in hotter areas of the USA.

Problem was both fried driver legs and vapor locking fuel systems. Not Airhead problems, of course. You'll note no current BMWs have gas tanks in contact with rider.

The boots DO NOT affect Airhead handling when properly mounted. Original poster needs to service/restore his front end.
 
service and restore front end

Kent you said to service and restore the front end. I am assuming you mean you feel the problem is in the front end (forks) and not the boots at all???
If this is correct understanding ? Your also mean you would buy and replace the boots and not just leave them off completely???? What would be the ill effect of not having them on at all??
Thanks for all the help.
Jim and Esther
 
Myself I like having the boots on my RT. I ride in the rain and found that they stop spray from coming up over the front of the tank when going thru large puddles. I found that without the boots, I would get wet. With the boots in place, I would get less wet. They also help in windy conditions as they block off an area that wind can catch and cause problems with front end stability. Plus, I just like the look as it gives the front end a finished look.

That is my opinion, just don't tell my wife I have one. :D

:ca
 
the memory is the first thing to go, I perfomed that k bike recall a bunch of times!!!
 
grumpyone said:
Kent you said to service and restore the front end. I am assuming you mean you feel the problem is in the front end (forks) and not the boots at all???
Click to expand...

Yeah, it's just hard to imagine those things causing steering problems.

One possibility is the fact that BMWs of this era came from the factory with steering bearing grease that with age turned to the opposite of a lubricant. When it happened on my '84 it was pretty exciting as the bike actually strongly resisted being steered. I mean turning left at a city intersection.

I'd put the boots in for the rain reason previously suggested. Surely keeps out dirt, bugs, etc., too.

I just use lots of 3M weatherstip adhesive to keep them in and it works. The black version probably looks better. FWIW, the original BMW service documentation suggested about three evenly spaced drops of the adhesive they recommend--it must be super stuff but don't think it's available in USA.
 
Tossed boots

Well we tossed the old well worn out boots and will probally get some new and more pliable ones when we replace the fork seals this winter or whenever they need them. Right now we are correcting the steering and fork alignment problem. It is slight but i dont like it. I think the head bearings are ok they turn real free but no looseness in the steering head that I can feel.?
Thanks and keep on truckin or is that bikin? I forget
Jim and Esther
 
I found the gel type Crazy Glue works well for gluing those boots into the fairing. I did scrape a little of the paint away along the top edge of the fairing hole and took my time fitting the boots. Then ran a slight beed of the glue under the upper edge of the boot. They have been in there for 2 years and 20,000 miles now and seem to be holding up just fine.

:ca
 
RS boots/gaiters

Interesting thread......for years I had my gaiters rubbing against the (often) loose boots. Super glued the boots for about 5 years. When they got REAL old & raunchy....cut 'em off....all of a sudden the steering was light & flickable........still have the BMW gaiters......forks are clean & smooth:D
 
84 R100RS fairing/fork cup

I just sent my 84 RS fairing out for a repaint; bought new fork ÔÇ£cupsÔÇØ but would like to know how to install them without tearing (read, having to rebuild) the forks apart in the process. Suggestions? Thanks
 
hill3779 said:
I just sent my 84 RS fairing out for a repaint; bought new fork ÔÇ£cupsÔÇØ but would like to know how to install them without tearing (read, having to rebuild) the forks apart in the process. Suggestions? Thanks
Click to expand...
Drop them down out of the top clamps.
 
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