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1977 BMW R100RS Restore Project

brook.reams

B Reams
1977 BMW R100RS Rebuild Project

Okay, I've yet to achieve the first of the 12 steps for recovery: Admitting You Are Powerless Over Your Addiction.

I see no problem in adding one more bike to "Brook's Garage" inventory of BMW Airhead projects. So, I've acquired a 1977 BMW R100RS with about 37,300 miles. Yes, I already have the 1983 R100RS bike project, but 1977 is the first year for this innovative machine from BMW. So, getting one has been on my "Lust List" for awhile. Now, it's in the last remaining storage space next to my car in our garage.

[Hey, maybe if I just sell the car I get 1/2 a garage for more bikes!!! But, I think that way lies divorce, so an even half dozen Beemer Bikes is the limit for "Brook's Garage".]

My intent is to complete a frame-up restoration of the bike, but when I start that, I haven't decided yet. Right now I just began assembling the 1975 R75/6 "S" project bike and the 1983 R100RS was next in line; but that was before the 1977 came home. I'll see what grabs me when I get the R75/6 "S" out of the shop.

The bike is a "10 foot bike": It looks nice from 10 feet away :):

<a title=""10 Foot" View" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/brook-reams/26291559501/in/album-72157666863178492/"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1602/26291559501_cfc3fbac45_z.jpg" alt=""10 Foot" View" width="640" height="480" /></a>

<a title=""10 Foot" View" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/brook-reams/26084920540/in/album-72157666863178492/"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1564/26084920540_1620de970c_z.jpg" alt=""10 Foot" View" width="640" height="480" /></a>

<a title=""10 Foot" View" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/brook-reams/25755040663/in/album-72157666863178492/"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1520/25755040663_beaa7d116d_z.jpg" alt=""10 Foot" View" width="640" height="480" /></a>

<a title="10 Foot View" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/brook-reams/25756270593/in/album-72157666863178492/"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1441/25756270593_64de28427a_z.jpg" alt="10 Foot View" width="640" height="480" /></a>

I've ridden it about 75 miles. It has dual plug heads, oil pressure and oil temperature senders and VDO gauges (not installed at present, so I'm not sure the gauges or senders still work), heated grips and is claimed to have the reinforced snowflake wheel installed.

The cosmetics need attention, and we shall see what surprises are inside in due course. Someone did invest in it at one time as evidenced by the modifications, but there are also signs of being parked and ignored as well.

You can see a slide show of the close-up photos in the blog I posted on my web site:

 
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Nice find Brook, looks like it will give you plenty to do. If you get it ready in time you could get it ready to ride to next year's R100RS 40th Anniversary Rally in PA.
 
Nice find Brook, looks like it will give you plenty to do. If you get it ready in time you could get it ready to ride to next year's R100RS 40th Anniversary Rally in PA.

Alan,

Well, I believe attendance at that shindig is by invitation only, and I'm not worthy. I have confirmed this bike is one for the California, Florida, Oregon market which means it has the 38 mm valves and pipes rather than the 40 mm. That said, it does seem to move ahead with authority.

Best.
Brook.
 
Brook, I might be able to get you an invite if you'd like. It is a limited Rally and will likely have a waiting list in a little while, but will absolutely worth attending if you are interested.

I went to the R90S 40th Anniversary Rally and it was fantastic. There'll be many of the same reprobates at the R100RS Rally and I feel it will be almost as spectacular.

IIRC, the snowflake wheels were an option for 1977 so would be model / year correct just comes down to preference.
 
A 10 foot bike, eh?
First off, nice bike! So beautiful!
2nd of all.... of course anyone may certainly do what they wish with their own equipment, but no way in heck would I touch any aspect of that sweet, vintage ride! Well, OK i'd make sure the motor, internals, and all critical parts were up-to-date or sure 'nuff up to snuff. But as far as what I would do to that... that'd be it, other than to ride ride ride it.

But that's just me. :wave
Enjoy that fabulous bike and have fun in whatever you choose to do with it, sir.
Oh, please post pix along the way tho.
 

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Thanks for the info. I sent an email to Todd expressing my interest in attending. I may attend with another riding buddy that also owns a 77 R100RS. We met when he wanted to purchase my 77RS, but I didn't want to sell. Subsequently he found his own 77RS, did his restoration, and we've since ridden to several rallys together. Next year I will have relocated from Ohio to NC and will be fully retired. I expect to have time to meander and take indirect routes to various locations. Thus, traveling from NC to Ohio and then on to eastern PA will be a nice ride in the early fall.

My buddy with the 77RS replaced his stock charging system with one from Enduralast (450W) and he runs the high intensity halogen running lights. I was considering upgrading my charging system, but now I am considering use of LED lights with a total current draw below the stock 55W bulb. The headlight bulb is available from several sources including ADVMonster (draws 20W) -
http://stores.advmonster.com/h4-led-headlight/
https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...-with-flexible-tinned-copper-braid/2221/4993/

I also will be using LED running lights that draw about 10W each. There are several sources for such lights (links follow). The total of the LED headlight and running lights is below that of the standard bulb and the light output is very much brighter than stock. One needs to take care to aim the headlight and running lights so as to not blind oncoming traffic.
http://stores.advmonster.com/model-20-light-kit-with-harness/
http://stores.advmonster.com/model-21-light-kit-with-harness/
https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...aux-2in-modular-led-off-road-work-light/1699/
https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...d-10-watt-led-mini-auxiliary-work-light/1386/
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-Pair-Blac...ash=item2eebe074ab:g:DKIAAOSwezVWxfpP&vxp=mtr
 
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Turns Out This is a "CFO" Bike

Folks,

So, after getting some additional information from knowledgeable R100RS folks, I have verified that this bike is a "CFO" (California, Florida, Oregon) bike. That is confirmed by the "40" on the inside of the header-to-exhaust clamp and the "CFO" stamped into the engine case next to the VIN number. It's a 38 mm head and exhaust rather the 40 mm I had anticipated. That said, I've also learned that machining the heads to accept 40 mm valves is an option. Hmmm ... stuff to consider.

Best.
Brook.
 
Spoke Wheels

Are you planning to install wire wheels at some point, Brooke?

Rinty,

Well, likely not. I suspect my $$$ will end up going to other things that need to be done and I'll hit my budget maximum ;-)

Best.
Brook.
 
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I hear ya Brook. I'm consistant, all my projects come in over budget, just like the federal gov'ment. :thumb
 
Back when I was doing head work, I did several sets of heads on '77 R100RS's. Some had the small valves and some had the large valves. Converted some to the larger valves. Years ago BMW of Daytona had a '77 R100RS on display and I had done the headwork on that bike. Got a lot of pride seeing it on display, knowing I had done that work. Those had the larger valves. '77 was/is a unique RS. Ride and enjoy.
 
When restoring my 77RS one of the things that was a challenge was routing the control cables. Fortunately I am pretty close to Re-Psycle BMW and they also had a 77RS under restoration. I was able to examine that RS and determine the cable routing. I made photos of my cable routing with some annotation for future reference. I though that I'd previously made these available, but I couldn't locate the photos. So I'm uploading them again here (seems as appropriate a place as any...)

Front Cable Routing and Left Side Brake-Speedo-cables
 

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Left side brake-speedo-turn lock and Left side throttle-brake-clutch cables
 

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Right side throttle-brake cables and Right side throttle-tach cables
 

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Rob, you're going to have to stop posting this eye-candy. Darn bike is so clean it is making me jealous. ;-)
 
Picture 054.jpg
Picture 055.jpg
Back in the early 2000s this '77 RS was on display at BMW of Daytona. I did a lot of heads for them back in that era including this RS. I was proud of it and show it in this pic during Daytona Bike Week. In fact a couple of years earlier I was at the dealer during bike week and showed them a set of heads I had done and told them I could do the same for them. I told several people about. They scoffed at me. You won't get any work from them. A couple of months later heads started showing up from them on a regular basis. Loved doing BMW heads back in the day. R100RS's are beauful bikes. The early ones rated at 70HP were natural classics. I had several freinds who bought these as new bikes. :thumb
 
After I got my R100RS redone and back on the road I quickly realized that the rear-view mirrors were only useful for monitoring the gradual build-up of bugs on my shoulders. But I'd rather have a view of the traffic behind me. Nick Greear, the Colorado Airmarshal, made some stand-offs that allowed the RS mirrors to be extended to allow a better view of the road. I understand that Nick doesn't have any more of these stand-offs, but I've found some other threads and photos of alternate mirror extenders. I like the ones shown in the following link; other links to threads also follow -

http://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread...mirror-extensions&highlight=mirror extensions

http://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?57819-Mirror-Extensions
http://advrider.com/index.php?threads/r100rs-mirror-extensions.648011/
http://forum.boxerworks.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1238
http://www.wunderlichamerica.com/motorcycle/8160447.html
 
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