I completed installing the rear end of the motorcycle. The fenders and rear lights will come in another post. You can read about how I did that work in these chapters of the “Assembly From The Frame Up” document:

• 00 BMW 1983 R100RS/RT Assembly From The Frame Up
  • Install Sub-Frame
  • Install New Gazi Rear Shocks
  • Install Wheels

It’s beginning to look like a motorcycle again 🙂

 

I put together a page showing the order in which I am assembling the bike on this project. I will add to it as I go. In most of this document I link to other pages I posted, but for some work that is not particularly detailed, I show how to do the work in the Assembly page.

• 00 BMW R100RS/RT Assembly From The Frame Up

There is also a companion document that shows how I disassembled the bike.

• 00 BMW 1983 R100RS Disassembly Down To The Frame

I also have documented the project work on a Project Index page that includes a list of every document I published for this project organized by parts fiche major component number.

• 1983 BMW R100RS->RT Build: Project Index

Here is a link to the YouTube videos I’ve posted about this project on my channel.

• VIDEOS: 1983 BMW R100RS/RT Rebuild

Lastly, there is a complete archive of all the pictures on Flickr.

• Flickr Pictures: 1983 BMW R100RS Into RT Project

 

Previously, I replaced the swing arm bearings and you can read about how I did that here:

• 33 BMW 1983 R100RS Remove Swing Arm Bearings
• 33 BMW 1983 R100RS Install Swing Arm Bearings

Now I install the swing arm in the frame and then install the rear drive on the end of the drive shaft side of the swing arm. I show how I align the swing arm in the frame to reduce stress on the drive shaft when I install it. The rear drive mounts easily to the flange on the right side of the swing arm with four 12-sided nuts.

Here is a link to the procedure:

• 33 BMW 1983 R100RS Install Swing Arm and Rear Drive

And here is a video summarizing how I did the work.

VIDEO: 1983 BMW R100RS Install Swing Arm & Rear Drive

I had the swing arm powder coated and cleaned up and I refinished the rear drive that had been sprayed black with rattle can paint.

Here is the final product.

 

I decided to upgrade the fork top plate to a Toaster Tan fork top brace as I think it makes a sizable improvement in keeping the forks rigid and improves handling.

Installing the fork top brace is part of the procedure for installing and aligning the front forks, so did all of this work at one time. But, I broke up the documentation into two parts covering the Toaster Tan fork top brace and the front fork installation and alignment.

• 31 BMW 1983 R100RS/RT Install Toaster Tan Top Fork Brace
• 31 BMW 1983 R100RS/RT Install and Align Front Forks

I also made two videos summarizing the procedures.

VIDEO: 1983 BMW R100RS Install Toaster Tan Fork Top Brace

VIDEO: 1983 BMW R100RS/RT Install and Align Front Forks

Here is the finished product.

I’m going to rebuild the forks and I’m going to install the Race Tech Gold Gold Valve Cartridge Emulators.

This is the first time I have used them. I’ve heard that they make a significant improvement in handling and compliance compared to a damper rod design.

The stock springs can’t be used with the cartridge emulators so I install the correct Race Tech springs based on my specifications.

You can read all the details of how I do this work here.

• 31 BMW R100RS/RT Rebuild Forks With Race Tech Cartridge Emulators

And this is a video summarizing the work.

VIDEO: 1983 BMW R100RS Rebuild Forks with Race Tech Cartridge Emulators

I refreshed the wearable components using a fork rebuild kit I got from Tom Cutter at Rubber Chicken Racing Garage.

The damper rods have to be modified so there are six compression damping holes in the bottom of the rod. Race Tech supplies a piece of 3/4 inch PVC to make fork spring preload spacers to achieve the correct preload based on my specifications.

I repainted the fork lower sliders as they had a lot of stone chips.