Classic touring

What have touring bikes ever done for us? Apart from their distance shrinking abilities, weather protection, reliability, sanitation – oh, maybe not… We look at two tourers, that have 45 years between them

Matt and Ross pitch two generations of German tourers to see if old bikes can still be enjoyable over distance

‘How can the equivalent bike be so large?” I ask Ross, my modern-bikeloving colleague. We are both looking at the brand new, £19,000 BMW R1250RT and alongside, its direct predecessor, a 1989 BMW R100RT. Though the R100 is one of the last, its design harks back to 1978 and further; so effectively they are 40 years apart. “I’m not sure; the new one has lots and lots of gadgets, more power; in fact more everything,” smiles Ross.

There have been touring bikes before – look at the Brough Superior with its effortless speed, or the Ascot Pullin with its enclosed bodywork. And look at how many millions of miles folk have managed on Enfields around the world. But BMW made the RT range to appeal to touring riders with a bike made specifically for them.

Both those you see here are designed for longdistance riding; though the R100 largely started it and the R1250 is the culmination of 40 years of evolution. Both share the boxer engine configuration, though the R1250 has more than twice the power. It also has, depending on which figures you read, 50kg (110lb) more weight – and it feels more. Besides that, it has more gadgets than a spaceship, whereas the R100 is, in this company, sparce; though back in the 1970s it was the bike for professionals and those covering miles. And it had a clock.

So are those of us who love old bikes missing out, or are modern bike riders just gadget junkies, wasting their money? We wanted to visit all three countries of mainland United Kingdom, but then the world went somewhat mad and closed. So we did the next best thing; we circumnavigated Norfolk, because I live here…

Our friend Gary Chapman took the photos on one day so we could cover the 226 miles with no interruption, trying to take as many different types of road as we could. Those of you who have visited Norfolk may know there are no motorways. This is deliberate, to prevent ‘incomers’. So we did venture out to Cambridgeshire to give the bikes a stretch. And our conclusions were not as you may think.

The coast road that circumnavigates the east, north and part of the west boundaries of Norfolk is one ancient route. No one designed it and no one planned the amount, the size or the weight of traffic using it now. But due to the fact the coastline is so popular with tourists because of its old-world charm, they can’t change it. Oh, and also this year you cannot really go abroad… So a bike seems the ideal choice. Nipping past traffic, no issue when it gets a little narrow, none of it is quick-enough to tire you, the sounds and smells of this rural idyll are directly ingested. There is no better way to see the countryside than by bike. It’s so good, that even a grumpy old git like myself waves to the ice cream-toting kids on the pavement. Kids love bikes, don’t they? Both old and new excel at this part of our journey. The R100 is comfy at any speed – apart from the tear in the seat that is making my bum wet – and the sound is quiet, conservative, yet different enough from all other vehicles that folk turn round to see. First and second gears are perfect for traffic, people crossing, hills and slow riding balance, as are the brakes. It is a most natural large bike to ride. The R1250 is just as good at slow speed. I’ve always been impressed by how BMW boxers hide their girth, but the RT is the master. It is larger though, and that weight is still present. So while easy, you find yourself a little more tense than on the older machine; it also feels taller (it is) and I found it less natural to get my feet down comfortably and confidently. One massive benefit though is the electrically operated screen – pop it down when negotiating towns and you have the same vision as a sportsbike – it’s so reassuring compared with the old bike. The screen is adjustable on the R100, but you need two hands and it cannot be done on the go – I may have tried… Past Cromer heading east and the road becomes slightly quieter, with the villages less busy. It gives you a chance to see how these big ‘ol barges handle B roads. The young pup is 20mm longer than the old master, with fatter tyres and electronically-adjustable

“Both old and new excel at this part of our journey. The R100 is comfy at any speed – apart from the tear in the seat that is making my bum wet”

suspension. It defies all known forces, behaving like an Eighties sportsbike but with comfort and manners. The R100 still handles well; but with older-style wheel and tyre sizes, older suspension plus no electronics firming the damping up or softening the ride, it’s not as supple, nor as accurate. But then it doesn’t cause any issues, once you get used to the engine braking of the Boxer and the way it likes to go in off the throttle and bring the throttle on gently once in the corner. Both handle well – especially the R100 considering its age (and the rivals it would have had in 1978 – Triumph T140?), though it is on modern tyres; but you can still tell it is from a previous generation. Either will hold their head high, though the new R1250 holds it up with shiny earrings and a posh hat. We cover quite a few miles now without stopping, using mainly A roads at 50+mph. The weather’s good today, which always makes things nicer, but as I knew the roads I thought about which bike I would bagsy beforehand. I chose the modern bike, as I spend very little time ‘cossetted’ on a bike these days; and I’m not disappointed.

This R1250 is an absolute weapon. The ‘Shiftcam’ engine has variable cam timing and 135bhp. Open the throttle where safe and you enter warp drive – overtakes are so ridiculously easy, and safe. Allied to the excellent handling and the RT is an armchair fitted in a jet fighter; almost. You see, all this speed, all these electronic aids (engine modes, ABS, traction control, electronic handbrake, cruise control) and excellent handling do bring a problem – one of conceit. It kids you into going faster, to pushing the handling.

But no matter how clever it is, and it is clever, you are still on a near-300kg motorbike, to which the laws of physics are still applicable. And every so often, you will overcook or under estimate that corner or situation; and you will have to get out of it. The brakes are phenomenal, utterly so, as is the ABS. But they can only do so much – your contact patch is the same size as any other bike. A quick mention must be made of the automatic handbrake; squeeze the front brake while stopped and it holds the brake on until you raise the revs and feel the clutch bite. Nice touch, especially two-up, but totally unnecessary if you can ride. It’s called clutch control and if you don’t have it, you sure as hell shouldn’t be on this bike.

Meanwhile, as I’m contemplating the meaning of life and ABS, Ross – that young whippersnapper – is rolling into, and out of roundabouts, bends and junctions on the old R100, looking as happy as Larry. Ross is tall, which helps on most bikes, but makes him look especially at home on these two. As I follow, I’m imagining Ross disliking the adequate-yet-lacking brakes when compared with the new bike; the lack of heated seat replaced by said split seat which ends in a damp rear; merely five gears, so no high speed/ low revs cruising; no cruise control; no stereo; no electronic screen and no snazzy dashboard to distract you. At the petrol station, I pull up, all smug, awaiting the millennial pouring of woe.

“Bloody hell, that’s not a 40-year-old design – it feels so modern,” says Ross. Damn. Didn’t expect that. “It isn’t a classic; it must have felt so modern back when it was new. It has softer suspension than a modern bike, but then the engine braking means that I hardly use the brakes, and you end up riding differently to a new bike, where you’re always tempted to ride harder, hit the brakes and turn in. This is more genteel!

“This morning I looked at the skinny tyres and thought they’d feel awful, but it goes where you want and feels like there’s just as much grip as the new bike. In fact it’s all so–civilised.”

What does he think us old bike folk put up with? He is, of course, correct. BMW got the R100 family spot on. It suffered from a very high price as a result of the Deutschmark being so strong, and from falling sales in the US, but they did many things so well.

They had a range – with the naked R100/7, the sportsbike with the R100RS and the tourer with the R100RT. They brought high quality, and when there was a problem they generally fixed it quickly. They used designers to design the bike, not engineers – this was a huge step. They used aerodynamics to make a fairing that helped high speed handling. The panniers were designed with the bike. They even had branded clothing. Big business ideas had found motorcycling.

Looking at Gary’s photographs I notice both bikes look around the same size, both width and length. In fact, because the R1250 wears its front fairing so low, it almost looks smaller.

The bars also look closer to the rider on the 1250, yet both are really comfortable, where you could drain a tank (20 litres on the 1250, 22/24litres on the R100), fill up and carry straight on again, without any numb bum issues. Mind you, the new machine will cruise well into naughty speed territory without the merest hint of vibes, though the enormous, TV-style dashboard gives you no excuse.

The R1250RT is a wonderous place for a pillion. There are huge grab rails, a heated seat, and the screen can be adjusted to suit. That perch is wide, comfortable and great for looking around at your surroundings. But by the time you have a weekend’s clothes, a full tank, pillion and rider, you have got a lot of weight aboard, making slow speed balance and manoeuvring a perilous affair.

The R100RT doesn’t need a speedo – you can tell what you’re doing. You can feel it; you can hear it. It feels most comfortable at 70-80mph and I don’t use the last thousand revs or so – it just doesn’t feel like it needs it, or indeed likes it.

That may be a trait of the later monoshock bikes from when the model was reintroduced in 1987. They adopted the R80 monoshock frame, wheels, brakes and other parts including seat unit and also had to use the smaller 32mm Bing carbs, instead of the earlier 40mm units. The compression ratio was also lowered on the monoshock bikes to help get through the emissions requirements. This resulted in peak power diving from 70bhp to 60bhp; but beneath the headlines were an increase in midrange, and many would say a delivery more suited to touring.

Whichever model you choose, keeping the carbs in balance and tappet clearances checked is key to a well-mannered engine, to good economy and performance. The later bikes are better behaved and have much better suspension and brakes, while the older bikes have the edge on looks and more power. Later ones tend to be cheaper too, which is why I have one…

“They used designers to design the bike, not engineers – this was a huge step. They used aerodynamics to make a fairing that helped high speed handling. The panniers were designed with the bike. They even had branded clothing. Big business ideas had found motorcycling.”

We didn’t have rain, but I’ve ridden both in the wet. The fairings do their job admirably, with the new bike ‘fairing’ better. Both pannier sets keep dry too, even if the whole of the internet tells me my old ones leak. They don’t.

Motorway 'testing' showed the smoothness of the new engine and the ability to fine tune the screen, but otherwise Mways are just boring sewers to me, made worse by my fellow man showing no thought or care to their fellow being. Just like being in a sewer, I feel surrounded by rats. But on a bike, while more vunerable, I also feel more able to escape and being higher than in a car, I feel better prepared. Yes, the R100 is comfy at a lower speed than the R1250, but both are happy up to and above the limit. Both are easily capable of quick acceleration for slip roads and both can pop in an overtake on the A roads.

The new bike is much quicker, but we failed to find a situation where that came in handy, other than smile inducing…