BMW R100CS - Between the Hedges

I had been without a motorcycle for three years. I part-owned the Honda 400-4 but it wasn't entirely reliable and thus was rarely taken out.

I was fairly certain that I wouldn't go back to "mainstream" daily motorcycling. I'd used a bike as my primary transport since 1974 and had made my mind up a couple of years back to 'retire', using a car to get to work and having a special bike purely as a luxury - a toy to take out on nice days.

So what bike would I buy? In the back of my mind the decision had been made years ago. Way back in the 70's when BMW made the R90S I wanted one. I loved the little cockpit fairing with its clocks and the superb smoked paintwork. I loved the general finish which was so different to Japanese machinery. I also loved the way the Boxer sounded. In those days however BMWs were significantly more expensive than Jap bikes and I just couldn't afford one. The extra money could never be found. Then, when they stopped producing the "S", like many other bikers I was dismayed. Now whether it was in response to customer pressure or not I do not know but BMW later introduced the R100CS, which was pretty much the 90S reincarnated with an uprated motor and other improvements. In what was effectively a relaunch of a discontinued model the apparent retrograde step was justified by calling it the "CS" which means "Classic Sport". So once again I aspired to owning one of these but it never came to pass. After that, Boxers changed radically both in terms of design and engineering and I really much preferred the older ones.

When I found myself in the market for a "perfect toy" this surely had to be it.

I bought the R100CS in May 2002 from a dealer. I couldn't believe the condition it was in. I had mentally prepared myself for a restoration project, given that these bikes are now 20+ years old. What I got though was a very near perfect bike which had been lovingly cared for throughout its entire life. Far from restoration, all it would need was a little tidying up.

A number of improvements were made to the R100 in 1981. These included Brembo/Magura brakes replacing the old ATE type, electronic ignition instead of points, revised airbox and a host of other less obvious tweaks. My CS is one of the later versions. I have carried out a few jobs such as replacing a rear wheel bearing and brake shoes, changing all lub's & filters, adjusting steering bearing, valve clearances and carb balancing etc. and so far I'm impressed at just how easy this bike is to work at. Regular maintenance is a pleasure to do due to the accessibility of the bike parts. Availability of parts is excellent, with two major distributors (MotoBins & Motorworks) based here in the UK. I've bought spares from both and they are extremely helpful and pleasant to deal with. Ironic isn't it that it should be easier to get parts for a twenty year old BMW than for last year's Honda or Suzuki!

In contrast to the last one I owned, this Boxer was in very good running order and a real delight to ride through the countryside. It really was worth waiting twenty years to have a good one. Although I was more than happy with it, it was sold in December 2003 to a gent from Dublin. I still wonder if that was a wise move. The reason for the sale was to help me fund the purchase of a new Harley Davidson - which you can see on this site. I'd be very keen to hear from anyone else who has one of these lovely old Boxers to exchange thoughts and views about them. You can email me here.