Author Topic: K1100RS vs. K100RS 4V  (Read 12055 times)

Offline The Mighty Gryphon

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K1100RS vs. K100RS 4V
« on: November 08, 2017, 01:13:52 PM »
Due to the untimely demise of Moby Brick I am in need of another RS K bike.  Presently shopping both K100RS4V and K1100RS models. 

I have noticed that Kelley Blue Book shows a slightly lower value for the 1100 vs. 100 four valve.   Not sure why.   Would like to hear from owners of both bikes, especially 1100's as to reliability and any issues with the 1100.  As I have pretty intimate experience with the K100RS through 16,000 miles and a complete restoration I am mostly interested in feedback on the k1100 drive train, be it in an RS or an LT.

I like the styling of the 1100(I retrofitted an 1100 fairing to the Moby Brick) and would probably do it again if I get another 100.  Other than that, what are the advantages to the larger engine.  My research so far says that the 1100 has about the same power output, has lower mpg(?), and after 1993 has a type 2 ABS.  Otherwise, these bikes are within a coin toss of each other as far as I can tell.

Comments from actual 1100 owners on drive shaft failures, fuel economy, and experience with ABS 2 issues will be welcome.
  • In my garage in Marilla, NY
  • '91K100RS White/Blue
Current:
'91 K100RS16V "Moby Brick Too"

Past:
'94 K75RT "Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS"
'92 K100RS16V "Moby Brick" (RIP, deceased in a vehicular assault)
'94 K75S Special Edition Dakar Yellow "Cheetos"
'89 K100RS Special Edition "Special Ed"

Offline kris

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Re: K1100RS vs. K100RS 4V
« Reply #1 on: November 08, 2017, 06:26:23 PM »
Gryph, can you explain the nature of Moby's ailment to us?
  • In The Hammer!! Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
  • 1986 K100RT (Heinz) 2004 Kawasaki Concours (Eddy) 2007 Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 (Linda) Previous: 1968 Honda CD175 1973 Kawasaki S2350 1975 Honda CB550K
"I got bike fever bad!!"

Offline Filmcamera

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Re: K1100RS vs. K100RS 4V
« Reply #2 on: November 08, 2017, 06:50:09 PM »
A terminal case of female KIA driver I believe.

So I guess Moby Brick was K.I.A  :musicboohoo:

http://www.motobrick.com/index.php/topic,10567.0.html
  • San Jose, Costa Rica
  • 1991 K100RS 16v ABS1, 2018 Triumph Street Triple RS 765
Poserbricker

Offline The Mighty Gryphon

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Re: K1100RS vs. K100RS 4V
« Reply #3 on: November 08, 2017, 06:58:30 PM »
Butt-F'd by a Kia doing 70+mph.  DOA

Now, I need to hear from K11 owners.
  • In my garage in Marilla, NY
  • '91K100RS White/Blue
Current:
'91 K100RS16V "Moby Brick Too"

Past:
'94 K75RT "Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS"
'92 K100RS16V "Moby Brick" (RIP, deceased in a vehicular assault)
'94 K75S Special Edition Dakar Yellow "Cheetos"
'89 K100RS Special Edition "Special Ed"

Offline Laitch

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Re: K1100RS vs. K100RS 4V
« Reply #4 on: November 08, 2017, 07:05:57 PM »
Butt-F'd by a Kia doing 70+mph.
AKA Creamedcycle.
  • Along the Ridley in Vermont.
  • 1995 K75 89,000 miles
I wept because I had no radials until I met a man who had no splines.
https://tinyurl.com/RillRider

Offline Filmcamera

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Re: K1100RS vs. K100RS 4V
« Reply #5 on: November 08, 2017, 07:10:30 PM »
TMG you might find some good stuff here http://k11og.org/forum/index.php I have used it quite often since the 16v is so similar to the K11

 
  • San Jose, Costa Rica
  • 1991 K100RS 16v ABS1, 2018 Triumph Street Triple RS 765
Poserbricker

Offline Martin

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Re: K1100RS vs. K100RS 4V
« Reply #6 on: November 08, 2017, 07:24:10 PM »
Gryph now is the time, Royal Enfield or a Ural outfit.
regards Martin.
  • North Lakes Queensland Australia
  • 1992 K75s Hybrid, Lefaux, Vespa V twin.

Offline The Mighty Gryphon

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Re: K1100RS vs. K100RS 4V
« Reply #7 on: November 08, 2017, 07:44:56 PM »
Gryph now is the time, Royal Enfield or a Ural outfit.
regards Martin.

No-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!  I thought I had it narrowed down to two choices...
  • In my garage in Marilla, NY
  • '91K100RS White/Blue
Current:
'91 K100RS16V "Moby Brick Too"

Past:
'94 K75RT "Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS"
'92 K100RS16V "Moby Brick" (RIP, deceased in a vehicular assault)
'94 K75S Special Edition Dakar Yellow "Cheetos"
'89 K100RS Special Edition "Special Ed"

Offline Laitch

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Re: K1100RS vs. K100RS 4V
« Reply #8 on: November 08, 2017, 07:56:41 PM »
Otherwise, these bikes are within a coin toss of each other as far as I can tell.
From Phil Hawksley's bmbikes.uk site:

K100RS 16V = 519lbs
K1100RS = 590lbs
  • Along the Ridley in Vermont.
  • 1995 K75 89,000 miles
I wept because I had no radials until I met a man who had no splines.
https://tinyurl.com/RillRider

Offline koapono

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Re: K1100RS vs. K100RS 4V
« Reply #9 on: November 08, 2017, 08:44:28 PM »
I am the owner of an 85 K100RS and a 94 K1100LT, they are both wonderful bikes and neither have given me a serious problem other than wear and tear items. The 85 has 206,000 miles and the 94 has just turned 100,000. Having said that they are two different animals!
The 85 on bias-ply tires and RS bars needs to be muscled into turns and requires a bit more rider input while the 94, equipped with michelin PR's radials and wider bars seems almost effortless to ride. The fairing/windscreen on the 94LT is a work of aerodynamic art and can be tweaked to provide airflow by adjusting windscreen height.
I love both bikes and will never part with the 85RS (mine since 89) but since I acquired the 94LT the 85 doesn't get ridden much.
Mechanically, neither has let me down. I do my own wrenching and each bike gets an annual going-over during winter months.
I did remove entire ABS from the 94LT due to constant faults and need to replace "brain", installed stainless braided lines throughout and never looked back.
If I wasn't emotionally attached to the 85RS and could own just one I'd pick the LT without hesitation. I've been x-country several times and done the USA 4-corners on it. It has been a joy to own and ride.
My $.02
cheers
  • prince george, VA (25 miles south of richmond)
  • 1994 K1100LT

Offline The Mighty Gryphon

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Re: K1100RS vs. K100RS 4V
« Reply #10 on: November 08, 2017, 10:46:46 PM »
Laitch, wow, that's a lot of extra weight on the K11!

Kaopono, Thanks, that's the kind of opinion I'm looking for.  My situation is a bit different in that I am comparing a 16v  K100RS to a K1100RS.  At first glance, the only difference between them is 100cc and the lower fairing panels.  Engine output specs seem to be similar with little advantage to the larger K11. 

Moby Brick, being a 16v had the wide wheels and radial tires, and yes, it handled a lot differently from my K75's with narrower bias ply tires.  This was most noticeable on rain grooves which are becoming more prevalent in the areas where I do most of my local riding.

You mention the ABS, was it the ABS 2?  I have heard that the early versions had issues and were harder to bleed.  Unless I get a '93 K11 I am looking at the ABS 2.  Having lived with three bricks with ABS 1 I feel pretty comfortable with it, and have been able to resolve the few faults that came up with minimum fuss.

I am curious to hear about exhaust cracking.  My old RS came with a Remus exhaust, and I had learned that there were 3 exhaust failures in the first 4 years and 16,000 miles.  The loud sound of the remus was annoying, so I replaced it with an exhaust from a late 80's K100 that worked very nicely with no negative change in engine performance.

The drive shaft on Moby Brick had 126,000 miles on it and was in excellent condition right up to the end.  I hope to be able to salvage it as a spare.  On the other hand, there seems to be a fair bit of u-joint failures on K11's, with a number of failures occuring in less than 100,000 miles.
  • In my garage in Marilla, NY
  • '91K100RS White/Blue
Current:
'91 K100RS16V "Moby Brick Too"

Past:
'94 K75RT "Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS"
'92 K100RS16V "Moby Brick" (RIP, deceased in a vehicular assault)
'94 K75S Special Edition Dakar Yellow "Cheetos"
'89 K100RS Special Edition "Special Ed"

Offline Martin

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Re: K1100RS vs. K100RS 4V
« Reply #11 on: November 09, 2017, 01:44:29 AM »
Mmmm  Royal Enfield Continental GT, Royal Enfield in British army spec, Royal Enfield in RAF spec or Ural outfit in desert camo. Decisions decisions oh where do you start.
Regards Martin.
  • North Lakes Queensland Australia
  • 1992 K75s Hybrid, Lefaux, Vespa V twin.

Offline alexis291

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Re: K1100RS vs. K100RS 4V
« Reply #12 on: November 09, 2017, 04:46:37 AM »
I can share my experience of my K1100RS, though not with super-high mileage. Mine currently has 50,000 miles on it and I bought it with 30,000 about two years ago. Apart from the usual service items, I have had to replace front disc bobbins, final drive seal (the hub was pitted so this required a few attempts), and yes – the exhaust. I have had header pipes break off twice, and a second-hand replacement system I bought was cracked across the collector. Another weak point I think is the aluminium T-piece connecting the front brake hoses, which is fitted below the front mudguard and therefore collects all the crud and water which comes off the front wheel. When mine developed a leak it was fortunately on my driveway as it resulted in a sudden, total front brake failure. There don't appear to be any good secondhand ones available and you can't get them new. I fitted a T-piece from an LT. not a big job but something to be aware of. When I bought the bike I was anxious about the driveshaft after reading all the problems people have written about on this site, however mine was perfect when I removed it when I got the bike and the same when I inspected it recently. I use mine to commute 600 miles a week in all weathers and it is perfect for that. The fairing keeps most of the wind and water off and it pulls happily in any gear from 2000 rpm. The only thing I don't like about it (a bit) is that the bar position leans me forwards a bit too much, putting weight on the wrists. This might not be a problem for everyone though. Overall I would say it is pretty good, with the main frustration being that the inevitable occasional need to replace parts unexpectedly on a bike that age can be difficult sometimes due to the time it takes to get them.


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  • UK
  • K1100RS 1995

Offline Laitch

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Re: K1100RS vs. K100RS 4V
« Reply #13 on: November 09, 2017, 10:41:57 AM »
Mmmm  Royal Enfield Continental GT, Royal Enfield in British army spec, Royal Enfield in RAF spec or Ural outfit in desert camo. Decisions decisions oh where do you start.
You start at its 27 HP, if you can start at all. :giggles
  • Along the Ridley in Vermont.
  • 1995 K75 89,000 miles
I wept because I had no radials until I met a man who had no splines.
https://tinyurl.com/RillRider

Offline The Mighty Gryphon

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Re: K1100RS vs. K100RS 4V
« Reply #14 on: November 09, 2017, 10:45:00 AM »
Alexis291,  Good input.  Like you, I commute about 550 miles a week, and up until last weekend my 16V K100RS was my favorite ride.  I had installed the K1100RS fairing on it because I really like the way it looked. 

As far as I can tell, both bikes have the same riding position and I was quite comfortable  on mine.  I understand that the 1100 is pretty smooth compared to the old 100's, but I never had an issue with vibrations on my RS.  It's not as smooth as my K75's but not bad.

I spent some time last night comparing the two bikes, and to be honest there isn't much different between them.  The 1100 has the same horsepower as the 100, but makes it a lower rpm's, and a little more torque, again at lower rpm's.  My 100 always felt eager to accelerate at any speed, but I guess that the 1100 would feel just a bit hotter. 

On the other hand, the 1100 is rated to weigh almost 70 pounds more then the 100 and has a lower hp/weight ratio.  0-60 times for the 1100 are 1/10th second faster than the 100.  The weight is a nagging issue for me since I am no longer as strong as I was a few years back and muscling nearly 600 pounds plus luggage could be a problem.

I understand the pipe breakage.  My 100 had three exhaust replacements back when it was new.  Both bikes have the same exhaust, so it's a tossup between them.  I put a late 80's K100 exhaust on my bike and it worked well and sounded nice and quiet.  I have heard that cracking can be prevented by putting a jubilee clamp around the pipes near where they go into the muffler.

I didn't know about the aluminum wye fitting for the front brakes.  I think the 100 has the same arrangement. 
  • In my garage in Marilla, NY
  • '91K100RS White/Blue
Current:
'91 K100RS16V "Moby Brick Too"

Past:
'94 K75RT "Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS"
'92 K100RS16V "Moby Brick" (RIP, deceased in a vehicular assault)
'94 K75S Special Edition Dakar Yellow "Cheetos"
'89 K100RS Special Edition "Special Ed"

Offline alexis291

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Re: K1100RS vs. K100RS 4V
« Reply #15 on: November 09, 2017, 11:14:43 AM »
Interesting. At my ability level I don't think I would ever notice the gnat's co*k of difference in performance between the two. It might be worth having a test ride on an RS if you can because I think it handles the weight pretty well and is quite manageable even at low speeds. Maybe not great for a lot of urban riding but I guess it's not really designed for that anyway.


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  • UK
  • K1100RS 1995

Offline ronink1100rs

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Re: K1100RS vs. K100RS 4V
« Reply #16 on: November 17, 2017, 11:03:56 PM »
Sorry to hear of you fallen K  :musicboohoo: Y ou cannot go wrong with a K1100. For me the K1100RS is a near ideal Sport Tourer in the same league as my Givi bagged Honda VFR (oh the blasphemy!!). It’s hard to describe but IMHO no one does sport touring like BMW and the K1100RS was a high water mark for BMW in that regard. The bike was more developed than its predecessors and even it was improved during its 4 year run. I see groups of these 20-25 year old bikes in Germany which tells me they are well built and well regarded. For BMW to get to that level they built up to it through development of the entire K-series. Your beloved K100RS led to the K1100RS so it would be reasonable to move up. It’s a 4-valve brick motor which has minor weak points (Hall Effect Sensor and various seals) but is mostly bulletproof and has great power. Brakes are mostly OK (I replaced my front rotors and master). Avoid a 93-94 with ABS I if possible.
Suspension is OK but Progressive springs and a YSS rear shock give the bike better handling with firmness to spare. The Paralever suspension works it magic and only asks for a periodic fluid change and spline lube.
Look for the nicest example you can find and focus on quality vs price. You won’t be disappointed.....

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