Subject: Woo Hoooo! world cruise on a GS!

From: [email-masked] (Dave Thompson)
Date: 8 Aug 94 01:37:48 CDT (Mon)

Well, I did it...   After weighing all the pros and cons of what bike
would be the best for a world tour,  I decided the PD is the way to go.
I was deciding between a PD, Honda Africa Twin (not sold in US), and a big 
dirt bike like an XR650L.  Thanks to all the informed people that replied to 
my posting and Bruce Leung for letting me check out his decked out PD.  
The reasons being reliability, self service-ability, comfort and huge gas tank.
I crossed out the R1100GS because it's a new unproven bike, isn't as well
armored or armorable as a R100GS, and the high compression engine requires 
high octane fuel which can be hard to find in some third world countries.

I was checking around for availability and prices of PDs.  List is $9090,
but if a dealer has one on there floor, they might part with it for as low
as $8340.  I'm told this is the last year they will be made... which is a bit
of a drag because I wanted to get this for a two year trip starting in the
spring of '96.  Also, I checked into European delivery which means that
you pay for it in the States and pick up a US model in Munich.  I've been 
told that BMW stopped doing this because of lack of interest.  However,
they will do this for an order of 5 or more bikes (not necessarily same bike). 
Motorad in St Louis, is getting together an order for European delivery,  
they have 3 for sure and need 2 more purchases.  I was told these people have
ordered R1100GS for pickup spring '95 in Munich.  Price is the same, but
of course this saves shipping cost which I priced at $800-$1000 on 3 day air
shipment via AA or Luftunsa (not including packaging).  I haven't checked
out surface shipping yet...

So, Monday this guy posts a note to a local news group selling a '92 BMW 
R100GS with 4800 miles at a reasonable price.  The market for newish BMWs in 
Champaign IL is next to nil, and so I ended up getting what I considered a 
great deal at $4200.  Unfortunately, the guy who sold it ignored basic 
maintenance.  After driving it five miles home, I got to work.  
The engine oil seems to be the only thing that's not factory original.  
The transmission and final gear oil looked like it was the original factory 
stuff by the amount of ferrous sludge in it.  Looking at the previous owners 
service receipts, it seems that the 600 mile check up (done at 932 miles) 
didn't include a transmission and final drive oil change.  I'll probably 
change the gear oil again this weekend to wash out all the extra particles.  
By the way, what do these blue and green paint dots mean?

This morning I adjusted the head bolts which were about a 1/4-1/2 turn 
off from what they should have been.  So then I turned the engine to TDC to
adjust the valve clearance, only I couldn't tell which side was on it's
compression stroke because all four valves were closed!  I turned the engine
360 to the next TDC, checked left side...closed, checked the right side... 
intake closed, exhaust open but only < .1mm.  Sheesh!

The bike runs great!  The height gives it a very different feel
from my R65LS.  It feels like a very light bike to control.  Dodging
water buffalo should be a cinch.  The R65LS front end feels heavier and 
responds more sluggish to turns.  Although I'm not big on high speeds cruising
and quick take offs, I like the extra power the GS has.  Lots-o-fun!  
For highway cruising, I think I still prefer my R65LS due to sitting
position.  This afternoon I went looking for a dirt road,  I love how 
the suspension and tires just grip the ground and glide over the bumps 
(I still have stock shocks on my R65LS).  I noticed that rough portions 
of the rpm spectrum seem to be gone.  On the R65LS 3200-3700rpm and 
4500-5500 rpm are a bit rough.  

I've been putting together a wish list and am looking for cheap suppliers:

9.x gallon PD gas tank. A dealer told me that BMW no longer sells this
	but it had a list price of $900!  This same dealer guessed that
	I might find one at a rally for half the price.  Is this true?
	Someone I talked to at Capital Cycle (not Hal) told me that
	there were a couple after market dealers of PD tanks in Europe
	and that they might try to get some in...

armor:
	bashplate - $125.00
	engine fairing
	center stand exhaust guard

kick start:
	These are standard on European GS models but not on US.  That's why
	all the GS and PD literature has pictures with kickstands.
	Cost is $450 for parts + outrageous estimates for labor ($200-$500).
	I might try to install this myself.

Darr or H&B expedition aluminum bags.  Thanks for the info Jim!
	~$480 + mounting rack.

extras:	bigger windscreen
	hand guards
	oil cooler bypass kit
	high altitude plugs (rumor has it this might help with bad gas?)

oops, time to take the bike out...
	
Dave Thompson 
[email-masked] (http://yahoo.ncsa.uiuc.edu/davet/)
'82 R65LS
'92 R100GS PD-to-be (traveling machine)

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