Boxerworks.com

Hello all,

I'm glad to be here and i want to make some questions before i start looking for the right bike for me.
First of all i want to say that i want to make it cafe racer, so im gonna change some parts of the bike.. Also i live in Greece just in case to know, so to tall about european models..

Lets go to the point, im a fan of airheads and i want to build one, but im reading that (1) R80 runs smoother than r100, what exactly do they mean??
I also see talking about years (2) after '79 the r100 has less power than before.. Or i see in some models (3) have a small cooler in front of engine. this is oil cooler?? also im reading about brakes (4) i see some have disc in the rear wheel and double in front and for the end (5) is any actual diferense about monoshock or dualshock?? which one is better and why (i mean with less problems).
So my question here is: which bike i have to searching for?? r80 or r100?? and which year of constraction?? '79? after '80? there many questions that cannot be answered searching in the internet and watching videos in youtube. i would like to have an opinion from the specials..
Sorry if i had a big letter, or my engilsh werent the best ones, but im trying to find something that i will really enjoy and i will keep it forever build by my hands.

Thank you in advance,
Manolis.

1) Since the 1000cc machine has more reciprocating mass in the pistons and each power pulse is more powerful, it tends to vibrate noticeably more... but on the other hand it is noticeably more powerful.

2) Not so, both have a quoted max of 70bhp. On the machines post 1981, the peak power is a little lower in the rev range... strangely, the earlier engine develops peak power beyond the red line... which is probably not a brilliant idea. The Monoshock 1000cc machine (post '85) has a significantly lower max at 60hp.

3) Yes, it's an oil cooler... many people don't think it's necessary, especially on an unfaired bike, but it needs other mods if you want to remove it.

4) Brakes... ah, there's a subject.

Front - Machines up to 09/1980 used an ATM breaking system with floating calipers and a cable operated master cylinder under the tank, whether a single disc or twin dependant on the model. This system is notoriously difficult to keep working satisfactorily. From 09/1980 the ATM system was replaced with a Brembo two piston caliper which is much more reliable and probably a better brake. They are not interchangeable, the fork sliders are completely different. In 1985 with the monoshock redesign, the front brake was again altered. Brembo calipers were still used but they aren't interchangeable with the earlier ones and bigger discs were fitted. Arguably, these are the most powerful of all brakes fitted to airheads (apart from the 4 piston calipers fitted to the R100R/Mystic series right at the end of production). All of the different types were made with one or two discs. Needless to say the twin disc setups are more powerful but the single setups are pretty adequate.

Rear - the majority of machines have drum rear brakes with only a few models being equipped with a single disc. The disc setup is difficult to keep in good order and the simpler drum is normally reckoned to be a much better brake.

I've limited my discussion to r80 and R100 street models... there are other variations if you look at earlier machines or machines from the 'GS range or R45/R65s

Rob

Thank you so much Rob,
it was very helful. So you believe to go for r100 than r80 such as they dont have enough difference in the price.. Right??
And one more question monoshock or dual?? i imagine that dual is better cause its "dual".! is seems to me that ts better in cornering and more stable.. is that right?? or is in my imagination? hahahahaha
Thank you again...

ps. of course and you were talking for street models.. its going to be a cafe racer build..

I think it would be a waste of money to buy too nice of bike. Cafe racer makes me think of all new paint and finishes. Different wheels and controls. Different exhaust. Different air induction?

I'm not sure you will even need a bike that is currently running. You would probably want to go through the engine anyway.

Good luck with your project Manolis! Keep us posted please.

hi daz,
i will not change the wheels.. i will only paint, and change some of controls and maybe the front suspension with the brakes.. i will do it alone as much as possible, so i dont want to go deep in the engine..! im in the stage looking for a bike.. i want to test the bike and check it in the road before i start the project. i want to ride an old bike with so much history an age.. i just looking for the model with the less problems..

I think a bike after 1984 would be something to consider. Valve seat problems were corrected beginning with the '85 models. A downside is that from '85-ish to '94-ish, a circlip was eliminated from the transmission which may/may not contribute to problems...not a bomb waiting to go off, but a slow developing problem. The monolever bikes are said to have a better stiffness in the swingarm, so I wouldn't focus slowly on dual shock bikes.

Kurt in S.A.

It's a very subjective thing whether the monoshock bikes are better or the twinshocks for handling. They are certainly different. I have both but I wouldn't want to commit myself on that. The frame geometry is virtually identical but the monoshock models have an 18" front wheel in contrast to the twinshock models which are 19". The recommended tyres on the monoshock are slightly wider. The monoshock swing arm is very rigid and I believe there is little to choose between them in terms of handling. IN all, I would say the monoshock is more neutral in it's handling but the twinshock seems more responsive... I'm sure others will disagree.

In terms of looks, if you are going for a classic 'Cafe Racer' look the twinshocks are probably more likely to please, however, if you are thinking in terms of the more 'modern' bikes that are termed Cafe Racers these days, the monoshock might be more appropriate.

Rob

Thank you all again..
i thing i will go for twinshock.. So im trying to find a twinshock after '85?? i could find here in greece a r100t '83. but i dont know if its worth it.! i put the link to check by yourself.

https://www.car.gr/classifieds/bikes/vi ... mw-r-100-t

vidiasm wrote: ↑Tue Dec 01, 2020 4:16 am Thank you all again..
i thing i will go for twinshock.. So im trying to find a twinshock after '85?? i could find here in greece a r100t '83. but i dont know if its worth it.! i put the link to check by yourself.

https://www.car.gr/classifieds/bikes/vi ... mw-r-100-t

Hate to say this but you'll look for a long time... There are no post '85 twinshocks. All machines made after 09/84 are either Monoshock or Paralever rear suspension. Monoshock is a rigid single sided swing arm, Paralever is a single sided swing arm with a flexible joint at the swing arm/final drive joint. The benefit of the latter is that it reduces the vibration caused by uneven action of the Hooke joint at the gearbox end of the drive shaft.

The bike in the link would probably be suitable for what you want but I would be very wary about it's provenance... there are several things that suggest that it isn't/wasn't a R100T.

It looks like it'll need a considerable amount of work to put it in good order... it has the appearance of a bike that hasn't been ridden recently... but that may not worry you too much if you're going to do a lot of conversion work anyway. Certainly, I'd want to hear and see it running.

As to price, it's difficult to make any real comparisons because I don't know what prices these bikes fetch in Greece but, by British standards, that's WAY to expensive. For that sort of price I'd expect to get a clean stock airhead in good clean overall condition from a dealer. From what I can see, I wouldn't consider offering more than €2750 given that it is running and rideable. As a non-runner, probably €1750.. and even then, only if I wanted a non-runner.

Rob

Rob, if you check the prices in greece you will think that is a joke.!! this that i add here is the cheaper..!!!! For a good condition one they want more than 5k euro.. its ridiculous expensive.. Im serious thinking to check outside greece but i have to see how much are the taxes to take the greek numbers from customers office.. if i could find one with 2k euro here in greece i have been bought it from yesterday.. hahahahahaha.. they sell for spare parts r100 bike with 2k euro.!