New Guy with R100R

backfill · Oct 5, 2012

I am new here. A while ago, I bought a 1992 R100R with 46,000 miles that had been sitting for about 6 years. It came with BMW hard bags, a sargent seat as well as the stock seat, a S-type fairing with the low and a higher screen, low bars, and fork springs. I am assuming that the extra springs are the stock ones and that the ones in the forks have been replaced, but I am not sure how to tell. It also has two front disks, braided steel lines and heated grips which still work, front and rear fender extenders and fork leg covers. Although i have no history for the bike, i appears to have been well maintained.

It is in good condition with the original Amethyst (which everyone but BMW calls purple) paint with pin striping. Since it is an air cooled, two valve, push rod dinosaur, I am calling it Barney. When I brought it home, the first words out of my wife's mouth were "you are going to paint it aren't you?" The colour is growing on me.

The down side is that the VIN was changed by the State of Maryland. Google is my friend so i found out that the VIN was changed if the bike was rebuilt after an accident or was a theft recovery. I have had this bike apart and see no evidence of an accident; the paint code on the frame matches the tank and side cover colour and the ignition key fits the steering lock, seat lock and bags. Given this, I think it was a theft recovery.

It is now running and on the road. I replaced fluids, battery, tires and cleaned the carbs, adjusted the valves, gave it a good cleaning and fired it up. It is still hard to start, but syncing the carbs should help. It is so much fun to ride that i feel guilty because I am not riding my other bikes.

I was working on it last winter, but ran out of time before spring. So although I changed the oil in the rear end, i have not lubed the drive train. Given that everything else appears to have been done, i was not too worried about it. But it is on my to do list for this winter.

The BMW dealer gave me the wrong crush washers for the engine, transmission and rear end drain plugs, so it is dripping a bit. The washer diameter is too large. I bought some copper washers from an automotive store, but i have not tried them yet. The seals at the bottom of the push rods are leaking a little bit, so that is something i will have to deal with in the future.

I love looking a the photos of the other airheads on this forum, so i have posted some of Barney. It is overcast here today, but I will post better photos when i have time. I am looking forward to participating in the discussions about airheads.

cheers,
Phil

Biebs · Oct 5, 2012

Very good looking bike - but and there is always a butt the valve covers are from an older bike not the right covers for a 92. Someone else will chime in on this just pointing it out. May have been replaced - accident serial # change

JimX · Oct 5, 2012

valve covers are correct......nice bike you got there....

Disston · Oct 5, 2012

Yeah, at some point in the '90s the peanut valve covers were used as a selling point maybe. It was only certain models.

I'm not sure about this but that drive shaft might be the one that runs dry, no oil. You should have or you can buy a Clymers or Haynes manual.

If the push rod tube rubbers are just barely wet and get dust sticking to them but they are really not leaking very much leave them be. It's an awful lot of work to fix something that doesn't need to be fixed unless they are really, really leaking.

Sounds like somebody changed the fork springs.

I think it's a weird color but I've seen worse. They had another color that was chartreuse. Be thankful you didn't get that one.

My bike is black. The way they should all be.

Welcome to the asylum.

Rapid Dog · Oct 5, 2012

...so jealous I am...

squish · Oct 5, 2012

disston said: ↑

I think it's a weird color but I've seen worse. They had another color that was chartreuse. Be thankful you didn't get that one.
QUOTE]

Really I don't remeber a high viz-ish yellow green BMW

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Bluethumb · Oct 5, 2012

BMW sells a tool for seating the pushrods seals, but you can make one easily. Buy a length of stout PVC tubing or better a length of metal tubing about 12-18 inches long. Buy a diameter that is a little larger diameter then the pushrod tube. If you look around a good hardware store, you'll easily find an appropriate piece of tubing. Slice away half of the tubing about 4-6 inches up the length of one end, forming a long scoop, if that makes sense. This allows you to place this "scooped" end against the rubber seal and use a rubber mallet to lightly tap the other end, hoping seating the seals. If you're lucky, re-seating the seals will stop the leaks. If not, you'll still have the tool you need to seat the new ones when you replace them.

I hope I've described it well enough so you can make one. Maybe someone has a picture they can post.

Beautiful bike. The R100R is an awesome airhead. All of the simplicity of an airhead. All of the latest technology and updates - tubeless tires, oil cooler, paralever, double disc brakes. But none of the headaches of the paralever GS's. Congratulations, you've got a great bike! I'm jealous.

red bud · Oct 5, 2012

yea, the color grows on ya, i call it easter egg color

Horsehockey · Oct 5, 2012

I've never done it but I've heard it said that some owners have wrapped a few turns of thin wire at the top end of the pushrod seal...at the mating point of the top of the rubber with the steel collar on the pushrod tube. By jamming that wire in, you gain (theoretically) additional sealing pressure at the engine case. Can't hurt to try it as a way to put off doing the seal replacement job.

Jamie · Oct 5, 2012

That's a great looking scoot!

Disston · Oct 5, 2012

squish said: ↑

disston said: ↑

I think it's a weird color but I've seen worse. They had another color that was chartreuse. Be thankful you didn't get that one.
QUOTE]

Really I don't remeber a high viz-ish yellow green BMW

Click to expand...

I got the color wrong? There was a really weird bike color that was sort of pinkish? We have one here in Maryland I hate to tell you he's one of my best friends in the club.

I think the purple one that belongs to Backfill is growing on me. I might get used to that one. Why don't you park it in front of my house, I'll let you take the R90 home.
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R100RT Mark · Oct 5, 2012

backfill said: ↑

I am new here.....

It also has two front disks.....

It is now running and on the road. I replaced fluids, battery, tires and cleaned the carbs, adjusted the valves, gave it a good cleaning and fired it up. It is still hard to start, but syncing the carbs should help.....

The BMW dealer gave me the wrong crush washers for the engine, transmission and rear end drain plugs, so it is dripping a bit......

Phil
Click to expand...

 Phil,

Nice. My daily rider is a 1993 R100R.

The 1992 R100R had a single front disk as standard. Twins discs may have been an option (memory going), but they are certainly a common upgrade.

Not sure what you mean by drive train. Unlike the monolever bikes, the drive shaft on the paralever bikes like the R100R does run dry. The transmission/gearbox and final drive are wet. Do not put off changing these oils. Condensation/water ingress into the transmission is not unusual and running an emulsified oil can wreck a transmission in just a few miles takes moment to change.

I really do not think there is much in it, but aluminum crush washers tend to be a little softer than their copper counterparts and seem to seal better. Some people say that you can re-use copper crush washers more easily if in a pinch. I say, dont get in a pinch.

Weeping push rod tubes are not uncommon. Replacing them on both sides is a long mornings work and easy if you are organized and follow the script.

Most would advise you to check the timing and valve clearances, change the plugs and do a quick carb overhaul (i.e. leaving the throttle shaft alone if the butterfly seals OK, clean keeping any carb cleaner away from the throttle shaft o-rings, replace all other o-rings, check floats, check diaphragms, check float valve operation, new float bowl gaskets) and then get to carb adjustments/sync.

97oilhead · Oct 6, 2012

Phil,

Barney is looking good, love the S fairing. Glad your registration went through.

My '95 R100R is my favorite Airhead. I am NW of London, so if you are riding down this way or feel like meeting up send me a PM.

Nick

backfill · Oct 6, 2012

Thanks all for your kind words and great suggestions.

I agree with others - I think the peanut rocker covers are stock for the R100R. The 90s RS and RT had the squared covers, but I read somewhere that the R was a retro bike so it got the peanut style covers.

I have a BMW shop manual for this bike. Is it helpful to get the Clymer/Haynes manual for it as well?

If the drive shaft on the R100R is dry, does this mean that there are no splines to lube? I have read so much about lubing splines on a BMW airhead that i assumed that Barney would need it as well. If not, it is a good thing I didn't tear into it last winter! That would probably also explain why I couldn't find anything in the shop manual explaining how to lube the splines.

One of the first things I did was change the engine, transmission and rear end (final drive?) oil - this was done before riding it at all. I also changed the plugs and cleaned the carbs, but didn't replace any carb gaskets. I guess that should be done this winter. I will do that before trying to sync the carbs.

The pushrod seals are oozing a bit, not dripping but enough to get the oil pan messy. Because if this, i bought a new oil pan gasket thinking this was the problem, but haven't installed it since I determined that it is the seals. I spoke with the mechanic at the nearest BMW dealer and he offered to use the special BMW tool to reset the seals. He said it only takes a minute and he would do it for free. I will watch him do it the first time, then make a tool like the one that Bluethumb suggested. That certainly sounds like a great alternative; if that doesn't work I will try wiring them like Horsehockey suggested.

RedBud, nice bike! How do you like the fairing? A local guy was selling a white Windjammer fairing for $60 that he took off of a R100R, but I decided not to buy it. I thought it would look like a scoop of vanilla ice cream floating in a cup of grape soda. Besides, I have the little S type fairing which does a pretty good job of keeping me out of the wind. However, I might think differently now that the cooler weather is here.

Reading through the threads here on the airhead forum, the purchase price for Barney might have been a bit high. Even though it was not running when I bought it, Barney was in good shape and appeared to have been stored inside since the paint and plastic do not have the faded patina from too much sun and the bolts are not rusty. I paid $2000 for the bike with extras, bought tires, battery and new fluids. So far this has been a fairly inexpensive motorcycle purchase. I hope it stays that way.

bikecat · Oct 6, 2012

Welcome Phil ....

Nice bike. You will love the low end grunt!!! Get the carbs balanced, it will make the ride smoother!!

Bill Harris · Oct 6, 2012

a tool for seating the pushrods seals, but...
Click to expand...

No no no. That tool is from the old days and shouldn't be used anymore. It doesn't "reseat" the seals, it is designed to move the ring on the pushrod tube that presses against the seals. Used to be, that ring was a press fit. Sometime in the '80's it became brazed on to the pushod tube. The "tool" now moves the entire pushrod tube, loosening it'd fit in the head. At any rate, it is not a good idea because you end up pushing the ring against a worn out seal-- the ring then won't be in the correct position when you put the new seal in.

Better to go ahead and replace the worn pushrod tube seal. And checkthe proper distance of the ring in case someone has thwacked it with that awful tool.

And the bike has aftermarket (?) gaiters on the forks. Good deal-- I've never been a fan of nekkid fork tubes, exposed to stones and bugs.

If you want a fairing for poor weather, consider a Hannigan. It was originally designed and made in Canada, and is period-correct for BMW from the '60's to well past the '90's. Got one on my /5.

It can even be painted purple...

R100RT Mark · Oct 6, 2012

backfill said: ↑

I have a BMW shop manual for this bike. Is it helpful to get the Clymer/Haynes manual for it as well?.....
Click to expand...

Yes.

If the drive shaft on the R100R is dry, does this mean that there are no splines to lube?.....
Click to expand...

Yes and no. There are no final drive related splines to lube. There is a clutch input spline to be lube. You will find lots of debate online about if, when and how to do the latter.

One of the first things I did was change the engine, transmission and rear end (final drive?) oil - this was done before riding it at all. I also changed the plugs and cleaned the carbs, but didn't replace any carb gaskets. I guess that should be done this winter. I will do that before trying to sync the carbs.....
Click to expand...

If some tweaking gets the bike running as it should, no urgency to go back into the carbs if nothing is leaking. The normal carb cleaning sprays cleaners will attack o-rings (and diaphragms) and poorly sealing o-rings can cause some very odd running characteristics.

The pushrod seals are oozing a bit, not dripping but enough to get the oil pan messy. Because if this, i bought a new oil pan gasket thinking this was the problem, but haven't installed it since I determined that it is the seals.....
Click to expand...

As noted above, no push rod tube "re-setting" procedure on later airheads. A useful upgrade is to fit an oil pan, pick up, perforated plate and requisite dip stick from a monolever bike. It is deeper and allows a little more oil and more windage in the crankcase.

Reading through the threads here on the airhead forum, the purchase price for Barney might have been a bit high....
Click to expand...

A $2,000 purchase price is a great deal on any airhead.

So far this has been a fairly inexpensive motorcycle purchase. I hope it stays that way......
Click to expand...

Airheads are not "cheap" rides. They can go on forever with good and regular maintenance, parts availability is very good, but parts are not cheap and the opportunity for "farkle creep" is huge.

Disston · Oct 6, 2012

Bill and Mark are correct about the push rod tool compression tool. It was for /5s only, I thought. If used on tubes that have the attached metal rings the tube gets pulled out of the head. Sometimes the fit of the tube is ruined by doing this and then you have an oil leak from the bottom side of the head.

If it is done once it sometimes causes no problems but the rubbers will leak again and the tool will be used over and over. then you will have problems. Fix the rubbers. Replace them.

Bluethumb · Oct 6, 2012

Well I'll be damned! Learn something new everyday. I didn't know BMW updated the pushrod covers. Shows I'm certainly in the old school camp.

My mistake

Wirespokes · Oct 7, 2012

That's correct - don't try to tighten the pushrod seals by moving the retaining ring!!!!

Ride the bike a while and see if the pushrod seals still leak. They have a tendency to weep if the bike sits for long periods, but seal back up again with use.

I'd say you got one helluva deal! You practically stole the thing!

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