1999 Bmw R1100s
1999 BMW R1100S
CYCLE WORLD TEST
Better Backroad Beemer
THE SUN IS DIPPING INTO A MOLTEN SKY ABOVE THE mountains edging California's Mojave Desert. Running across the desert basin's floor in the slanting light, a 100-mph sagebrush slideshow paints shifting outlines of the new motorcycle along the roadside. In black relief are flashcard cutouts of a sportbike capable and comfortable enough to make short work of a continent. In a few hours, home to witness a waxing moon chroming the Pacific, it's obvious a new attitude has been added to this Teutonic Twin, a machine handed over only a few days before on the Atlantic Coast.
The progeny of BMW's R9OS bahnstormer has arrived. appearing in ccntuiy-eiiding trim as the new RI 100S. The sixth iteration of the Boxer since its rebirth in 1993, the S is the most potent BMW Twin ever built. Leaner, meaner and dressed to kill, the RI IOOS brings both chassis and engine upgrades to the sporting show.
BMW insists the new model is not intended as a pure sportbike, but the slinky shell of the I 100S encapsulates a motorcycle whose sporting mission is more narrowly focused than any previous Boxer. With essen tial make-up unchanged (shaft drive, 500-plus pounds), the new 1 100S is admittedly no match for a Japanese 600 (at half the price) in either a drag race or a canyon fight. But as a long-distance-at-high-speed weapon. the S has been honed according to the enthusiast's mantra: less weight, more power, sharper steering, with styling more out of Milan than Munich.
BMW introduced the 1100 to the moto-press at the end of June, coin ciding with the opening of the "Art of the Motorcycle" exhibit at the Cugguthum Museum in New York City (it within 1000 miles go) We had an opportunity to ride the bike over some of the most scenic backroads of the Berkshires, dancing between the borders of New York, Massachusetts and Connecticut. Rain-soaked laps at the Lime Rock circuit in Connecticut's northwest corner let us evaluate the handling traits in a low-traction environment. Cycle World then put the lash to the new Boxer, hammering it cross-country to our offices southeast of L.A.
The heart of the 1 100S, BMW's icon-status, 1085cc, air/oil-cooled, four-valve opposed-Twin, has had output upped nearly 10 percent. Higher-compres sion forged pistons with 2mm-higher domes bump compression to 11.3:1 from the RS's 10.7:1. The forged pistons allow redline to climb to 8400 rpm from 7900 rpm, and a plate-type air filter and reshaped intake tract improve breathing. A new 2-into-l-into-2 stainless-steel exhaust with integrat ed catalytic converter provides 70 percent of the power boost.
On the CW dyno, the new S produced 87 horsepower at the rear wheel, up from 80 bhp on the last RS we tested. Peak torque is up fractionally to 65.3 footpounds, but arrives 200 rpm later (5700 rpm). The fuel-injected Twin's Bosch Motronic engine-manage ment software has been recalibrated, and oil-pump capacity has been increased 350cc to handle the additional thermal loads. Magnesium valve covers and alternator shave a few pounds from the engine, which has been mated through a new hydraulic clutch to the much smoother-shifting six speed transmission from the K1200S.
Though it still serves as a stressed member of the chassis, the Boxer's more powerful heart has some outside structural help The single-sided Paralever swingarm no longer pivots through the engine, instead attaching to a new welded alu minum subframe mounted to the rear of the powertrain. Up front, the 1100 sports what BMW has labeled the "Light" Telelever. The unique A-arm front suspension bolts to a new chill-cast aluminum frame, and the front suspension components have been lightened. Machined (instead of cast) slider tubes give the S an upside-down-fork look.
A new single-tube gas shock serves as the Telelever's damper, allowing only for rebound adjustment. The single rear shock has a 40-position spring-preload adjuster, plus variable rebound adjustment. Steering geometry has been quickened slightly, with steering angle steepened 1 degree and trail reduced by .4-inch. Wheelbase remains a stretchedout 58.1 inches.
Beyond the tranny, another welcome addition from the Kbike are the gorgeous five-spoke alloy wheels. The dual front 305mm brake rotors bolt directly to the rim's spokes, and are pinched by four-piston Brembo calipers. The rear brake is a two-piston/276mm-rotor affair, and BMW's excellent ABS II system remains an option, adding $1500 and 15 pounds to the base S-model.
Add up all the weight-shaving for `99, and BMW says a non-ABS 1 100S tips the scales 22 pounds lighter than the 1 100RS. Our ABS-equipped testbike checked in at 513 pounds dry-still no featherweight, but from the 32-inch non adjustable seat you don't notice the pounds. The saddle has been narrowed significantly toward the tank, making it easy to get both feet down.
David Robb, BMW's Director of Motorcycle Design, was on hand for the RI 100S introduction, and said the design staff spent a lot of time studying riders on the bike. This has paid off, as you feel more a part-of, rather than perched atop, the 1 100S. Honest-to-goodness solidly mounted clip-ons position you in a slightly sporting forward crouch-aggressive but still sport-tour comfortable. One ergo-aggro is the mounting of the passenger pegs, which can interfere with the rider's heels when he's trying to tuck-in and get on the balls of his feet for serious cornering. Scratchers will want to remove the brackets, a simple two-bolt procedure.
In person, especially in black, the bike is beautiful (red and our testbike's yellow are the other color options). The first visual impressions are of an airy, architectural nature. The bike has a waspish look, aided by a narrowed waist, fantastically functional mirrors-as-antenna and the insect like, exoskelatal look of the bodywork.
"We were looking for a flowing, complete body," Robb explains. "The `part lines' are not where you expect them." The 1 100S looks taut, with the bodywork's graceful and complex curves strung atop exposed polished-aluminum hardware. "The technology is down low, and up above you've got a very light, flowing body," Robb continues. The 1 100S is still a large motorcycle, but espe cially in monochromatic black its presence shrinks.
It also shrinks once rolling. The combined attention to the enveloping ergos and reduction of weight from the front of this motorcycle become apparent once underway. Telelever has always done an excellent job of providing a light front-end feel, iso lating cornering and braking forces normally transferred to a traditional steering head. On the 1 100S, that responsiveness has been honed. The lack of mass, combined with the new clip-ons, gives a much more direct feeling to the steering, providing feedback that belies the bike's over all mass. That light feel does not come at the expense of stability, however, which is impressive. Tear into the tight stuff, and the shaft drive is the only reminder of the bike's touring heritage-and the Paralever linkage has tamed most of that, though abrupt throttle chops and ham-fisted re-applications can still upset the chassis.
At Lime Rock, after an hour of wet on-track lapping, the sun thankfully broke through on our return south to BMW's headquarters in northern New Jersey. Nothing like hitting dry pavement on familiar roads after an hour on an ice rink. The 1 100S is perfectly capable of knee-dragging shenani gans, the first BMW that seems a willing accomplice in such antics.
Much of that motivation comes from the tweaked Boxer mill. As torquey as ever, BMW has added "edge"-a grininducing powerband that gives you reason to chase revs up the tach. With slightly less weight and more power, hard numbers are oddly unchanged. The 1 100S ran through the quarter in 11.82 seconds, and pulled 139 mph (our last RS posted an 11.84 quarter and also went 139 per on top). Abundant big-Twin torque gives the 1 100S real-world grunt, and the fuel injection worked seamlessly from sea level to over 7000 feet.
The biggest leap for the S is in the gearbox. The extra cog is cer tainly welcome, but overall, the borrowed K-bike gearbox is such an improvement that it changes the whole quality perception of the bike. Cement-mixer noises have been exorcised, along with that wincing before dropping it into first at stoplights. At times on the 1 100S, the only notice of first gear's engagement is the dis appearing neutral light.
There's no forgetting this bike is still a Boxer, tugging right if you blip the throttle while stopped. Once under way, vibration is really only noticed through the footpegs, and that fades above 80 mph, as the 11 OOS comes into its element on either side of 100 mph. The familiar and almost pleasant Boxer thrum pervades, but with an extra gear, and relatively tall gearing for a sport bike, the 1 100S honors its ancestors by inhaling asphalt. -
For extended off-interstate journeys, especially for those with a sporting bent, few bikes would make a better cohort. Wind protection is excellent, and the R1100S is dead stable, even heeled over, at triple-digit speeds. After nearly 4000 miles of very hard running, the 11 OOS simply broke-in, getting stronger with each passing state line. Fuel economy never dropped below 40 mpg, ridden by guys who have corpo rate gas cards.
Like all BMWs, options will be plen tiful, including a conventional handle bar, a higher windshield, hard luggage, a power socket and heated handgrips. Traction fanatics can opt for a 5.5-inch rear rim (opening the possibility of pop ular 180/55 sport rubber to replace the rather wooden, stock sport-touring fare), a steering damper, true rearset footpegs, a sportier suspension setup (stiffer, with an additional inch of ground clearance), black engine covers and a chin spoiler. A remarkably low-effort centerstand is standard, and never threw sparks.
In terms of comparison, the Ducati ST2 comes to mind first, and we can already hear the Ducatisti wailing about BMW copying the 916's sub-seat tailpipes. The somewhat stoic BMW folk begrudgingly admit styling was a factor here, but studiously explain it was the only logical place to route exhaust so as not to interfere with the optional saddlebags. Ducati couldn't manage this with the ST2, and it's based on the 916! Also, even with the underseat arrangement, and making tracks through blazing heat (108 degrees and 99 percent humidity in the hidden sportbike nirvana called northwestern Arkansas), seat temperature was never affected. Even the tools in the impressively complete underseat accoutrements (which also house a nifty flat-tire kit with CO2 cartridges) remained cool to the touch.
The new Ri 100S is a serious competitor in the "If I could only own one bike" category, sort of an upscale Honda VFR800. Prices weren't set at presstime, but expect it to slot cost-wise between the 1 100RS and 1 100RT-$ 15,000 ball park with ABS. Large bills, no question, but few machines can match this Boxer's all-around sporting and road-eating capabilities.
At the intro, BMW overnighted us at Blantyre, a five-star, Scottish-style estate in the Berkshires. Parked in the curving gravel drive, in front of the elegant, turn-of-the-century Tudor mansion, the R1100S looked perfectly at home. Few
bikes would-and still be as much fun getting there. The same bike hauled across the continent without a hitch, at high speed, in comfort and style. That alone may well be worth the cost of two supersport 600s.
EDITORS' NOTES
THERE ARE NOT MANY SPORTBIKES YOU could coerce me into riding across the country-at least ones on which I would maintain any illusion of being comfort able. Having done it on this new BMW, I guess a more telling inquiry would be: Would I do it again? Absolutely. This is not BMW's answer to the YZF-Rl. It's a state-swallowing machine that can do near-painless time on the interstate, and is actually fun tearing up roads without rest areas Few images are more enticing than an 1 100S in black, hard bags mounted, a willing passenger, matching leathers, and no par ticular place to be. The only reality check on this fantasy is the one you'd have to write; 1 unfortunately don't reside in the tax bracket to pull off this $20,000 daydream. The only defense (besides BMW's legendary longevity) is that the 11 OOS's prowess as a two-up machine, combined with its Sunday-morning peg-scratching abilities, could save you from buying two bikes. -Paul Seredpns~d, Associate Editor
BMW's POKER-FACED PRODUCT PLAN ners contend that the RI 100S is not a sportbike. I suppose that's an intelligent marketing move, as it might dissuade racetrack comparisons with Yamaha's YZF-Rl and Kawasaki's ZX-9R. Even with its upgraded engine and chassis, the Beemer wouldn't stand a chance against that competition. anyway.
-;"_";229;30];1];1]~;809]A more plausible match-up might be Ducati's ST2. Suggested retail price is in the ballpark, and both bikes provide comparable performance and weather protection. Unlike the Bologna-built V-Twin, though, the BMW's saddlebags are a costly option.
Where, then, does that leave BMW's popular RI I OORS, which remains fundamentally unchanged from its introduc tion five years ago? After all, the sexy S-model handles more responsively, shifts with ease and is more fun to ride thanks to its upper-rpm rush. Obsolete, I say, despite adjustable ergonomics and a cushier seat. -Matthew Miles, Managing Editor
So, WHAT ABOUT AN ANSWER TO OUR cover-blurb tease? Is this new Beemer the best sport-Twin in the world?
Depends on who's asking the ques tion. If your concept of best revolves around outright cornering capability. lap times and World Superbike titles, the 916 Duckatty is the ordnance you need. Value-for-money disciples swear fOr either of the Suzuki TLs or the Honda VTR1000, good choices all, especially the Super Hawk. And if you're looking for something a bit on the ball sy side, then belly up to a Buell.
What about the S? It's too heavy to be a real scratcher and way too expensive to be a bargain, but at least you get a dou ble-heaping of technology for your money. And thanks to a wide array of options, it can be made more sporty or more toury, your choice. Try the latter with a 916 or TLI000R. Call the S the ultimate in convertible sport-Twins. then.
Now, BMW, could we see something in an M-model Ri IOOS, say 50 pounds lighter and with an honest-to-auto bahn 100 bhp at the rear wheel? Just asking.
-David Edwards, Editor-in-Chief
BMW R11OOS
BMW of North America, Inc.
