I restarted the project on March 1, 2019 after acquiring this bike in January 2015. My 1977 R100RS rebuild project halted work on this bike as I wanted to complete the 1977 RS in time to attend the 40th anniversary rally hosted by Todd Trumbore. I finished assembling this bike on September 30, 2020, so the build took about 18 months to complete.

I did a 10 mile ride as part of the first engine start before completing the project. It’s now early October and I’ve ridden the bike 200 miles as I break it in. One of the first trips was to get coffee with some “scooter scum” friends of mine. It’s a public unveiling, if you will.

I like to name the bikes after Muppet characters based on the bike color. I mount a Muppet figure on the bike so there is someone to talk to on long trips. And, if they talk back, it’s time to stop for the day and take a rest. 🙂

My wife’s 1973 R75/5 is Grover.

The first year 1977 R100RS is Gonzo.

And my wife’s 2002 F650GS is Elmo.

A little over a year ago, I sold my R1150RS that I put 110,000 miles on. It was named Cookie Monster. So I’m naming this bike Cookie Monster Too, and transferred the figure to the top of the master cylinder.

Project Documentation

I posted descriptions, pictures and YouTube videos of all the work I did. I also put together some summary documents that ought to make it easy for you to find information you are interested in.

These two documents are organized pretty much in the order I did the work.

• 00 BMW 1983 R100RS Disassembly Down To The Frame
• 00 BMW 1983 R100RS/RT Assembly From The Frame Up

This document is organized by parts fiche category.

• 1983 BMW R100RS->RT Build: Project Index

All the pictures and YouTube videos are combined into these collections.

• FLICKER Pictures: 1983 BMW R100RS Rebuild And Conversion To RT
• YouTube Videos:    1983 BMW R100RS/RT Rebuild

Video: Pre-Build Walk-Around

Here is a walk around video I took before starting the project.

VIDEO: 1983 BMW R100RS Pre-Build Walk-Around

What Before Looked Like In Pictures

The bike had been loved in the early days, and then neglected outside for awhile before I bought it. Here are a couple before pictures

Video: All Done Walk-Around

Here’s a walk around video after I completed the project.

VIDEO: 1983 R100RS All Done Walk-Around

What Done Looks Like In Pictures

I mixed some themes from earlier RS bikes for the paint work. I painted the front brake  calipers with a paint that replicates blue anodized aluminum as a tribute to the first year R100RS which had blue anodized calipers.

I borrowed the idea of using white wheels that Hans Muth introduced on the R65LS. To my eye it makes the bike seem lighter.

I used the two-tone paint scheme from 1979 that combines Dunkel Blue (Dark Blue) with Hell Silver. But again, in a tribute to the 1977 R100RS, I had the painter apply matte clear coat to the Hell (Bright) Silver as the 1977 clear coat was all matte since it was a single color; Silver Blue. I like the contrast.

 

 

One other deviation from the 1979 two-tone paint scheme I made was to paint the seat cowl in Hell Silver instead of Dunkel Blue. Combined with white wheels and the chrome pipes, I think it  makes the rear of the bike more cohesive and integrated.

Here is a video walk around of the completed project.

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VIDEO: 1983 BMW R100RS All Done Walk Around-Meet Cookie Monster Too

Thanks To Those Who Made This Project Possible

I want to thank a number of people and businesses for suppling parts, knowledge, tools, and services. All of these folks work to support keeping airhead bikes on the road. If you need work done, or parts, consider giving them your business.

Person	Company	Supplied	Contact
Clem Cykowski	BMW Denver, Former Owner	Advice; Used Parts	None
Dan Neiner	Cycle Works	Airhead Tools	www.cycleworks.net
Rick Losh	Denver Pinstripping	Pinstripes	www.denverpinstriping.com/about/
Norman Schwab	Euro MotoElectrics	Electrical Parts; Airhead Parts	www.euromotoelectrics.com
	Foothills BMW, Colorado	Parts	www.foothillsmotorcycles.com/
Gian Sticherman	Heritage Stickers	Airhead Stickers & Decals	www.heritagestickers.eu/
Matt Parkhouse	Long Time Mechanic	Advice; Airhead Services; Replace Rear Main Bearing	[email protected]
Robert Fleischer (aka, “Snowbum”)	Long Time Mechanic & Airhead Website	Advice; Airhead Technical Information	www.bmwmotorcycletech.info/technical-articles-list.htm
Randy Long	Long’s Mechanical Services	Machine Shop, Rebuild Heads	(610) 286-5870
Dealership	MAX BMW, New York, Conneticut	Parts	www.maxbmw.com
Mike Galindo	Painkiller Customs	Painting	www.facebook.com/painkillercustoms/
	Powder Coating Specialities	Powder Coating	www.powdercoatingspecialties.com/
Tom Cutter	Rubber Chicken Racing Garage	Advice; Transmission, Suspension Parts; Cylinder Machining Services	www.rubberchickenracinggarage.com
Don Wreyford (aka, “Radar”)	Self, Airhead Extraordinaire	Advice, Tools, Assistance	None
Bill Lambert	Self, Airhead Extraordinaire	Made Me A Set Of Transmission Tools	None
Larry Stoner	Stoner’s Beemer Stash	Used Parts	[email protected] (951) 813-1704
Terry Vrla	Terry Vrla	Speedometer & Tachometer Repair	[email protected]
Tom Johnson	The Bolt Guy	Stainless Steel Hardware Kits	www.theboltguy.com/
Bud Provin	The Nickwackett Garage	Advice, Parts	www.thenickwackettgarage.com/bmwtwin/
Stephen Gaulin	Toaster Tan	Top Brace	www.toastertan.com/

In addition, I received numerous Emails from members of the Airheads Beemer Club and the Micapeak airheads mail list (with information, advice and support. Thank you all.

Revisions

2020-10-21  Fixed incorrect link to Flickr picture album.