Two questions.

[daz]

1. I am considering having an engine shipped to me. Complete engine, transmission, and electrics. (I think this includes the starter). No carburetors. How much does it weigh? Slash 5.
Or how much does it weigh on a skid/pallet?

2. I am considering buying a 1984 R100RS. Does anything stand out as to that particular year or vintage? As compared to other airheads of the same vintage. I've owned an '88 R80 RT and newer and older R100 RTs. Never a 1984. Never an RS.

I've not even looked at this bike yet but I have the hots for it! I have to calm down before I go look at it. In other words, is there something I should inspect that I would not otherwise be cognizant of?

[Kurt in S.A.]

1. Engine (no transmission) weighs in the neighborhood of 150 lbs. My guess is that a transmission is around 40 lbs. Don't know how beefy the skid/pallet is.

2. The '84 is the last year of the poor metallurgy of the valve seats. The 1000cc bikes produced more heat, so the issue with valve face plastic deformation will crop up earlier rather than later. Probably 75K miles would be the point of needing to deal with it. Prior to the '81 models, the valve issues were more about the valves not the seats, but they still had problems with running unleaded fuel. After 1984, the valves/seats were fixed. The '85 on are single shocks. There's a mixture of rear suspensions post 1984, mono lever or paralever.

Kurt in S.A.

[Bamboo812]

The engine with all the clutch stuff and no carbs is around 120# a kick start transmission is 28#. 1984 is last year of the twin shocks. How many miles? Check the drive and rear wheel splines if they'll let you.

[ME 109]

Get the RS. Someone else will if you don't.

81-84 are the pick of the bunch, I reckon.

Where and how will you ride the RS?

The RS is suitable for those who ride like an old fart. It will also go where 75% of GS's go. Fully loaded for touring.



Any questions?

Mind you, buying any old bike can be fraught with danger....$
Do your homework and get a bike with a known history, as reliable as that may be.
Basically a service history would be good.

Oh and remember, if you don't buy an RS, someone else will.

[Rob]

And have 2 grand set aside for post-purchase issues. But you already knew that!

[khittner1]

RSes are beautiful to look at, but it'll be a dramatically different riding position than any of your previous bikes---frequently in a not-good way. It's amazing what a few inches (or less) of this reach or a few degrees of that angle can do for/to you. If it works for you, great. Be ready to spend some time/$ futzing around with bar-backs, K bars, windshield configurations, etc. before throwing in the towel and remembering why an RT or an S was a better idea. YMMV.

[daz]

The engine with all the clutch stuff and no carbs is around 120# a kick start transmission is 28#. 1984 is last year of the twin shocks. How many miles? Check the drive and rear wheel splines if they'll let you.

It has about 63,000 miles. Thanks for the weights.

[dwerbil]

Bought a '84 RS 11 years ago with 30k miles on it. It's at 100k now. Had to do a valve job 5k ago. Runs like a top again. The bike has never needed anything else other than basic maintenance. Go for it!

[Rob]

RSes are beautiful to look at, but it'll be a dramatically different riding position than any of your previous bikes---frequently in a not-good way. It's amazing what a few inches (or less) of this reach or a few degrees of that angle can do for/to you. If it works for you, great. Be ready to spend some time/$ futzing around with bar-backs, K bars, windshield configurations, etc. before throwing in the towel and remembering why an RT or an S was a better idea. YMMV.

If you are physically fit (yoga?) the riding position should not be a problem.

[khittner1]

Fitness? That'd probably help, but I think I remember a reviewer saying that a stock RS rider needed the reach of an orangutan to be a good fit. I had a monoshock R80 that I slapped an RS fairing onto back in the '80s. I pretty promptly swapped the RS stubby bar for an S bar (I had to run a bolt through the steering stop block to limit the S-bar's arc into the inside of the fairing), and that was liveable---and the bike was gorgeous in the R80's standard Colorado Red. But RS bars weren't much fun for me even when I was an infantry lieutenant, and they haven't gotten any better 30 years later when I'm carrying a basic load internally My RT is much more accommodating. As I said, YMMV. A lengthy test ride on either the candidate purchase or on a buddy's RS might be useful.