Probably a dumb question

[Blake8098]

As the title says, probably dumb but still... what is the difference between a 1998 r1100rt and the equivalent bike in gs/adventure? Is it mostly just plastic? Are there other factors I’m overlooking? Yes i am fairly new to the motorcycle arena, Suzuki gsx650f back in 2010 for about 6 months, and absolutely new to bmw. 
 

also while I’m asking dumb ass questions... 80/20 50/50 yada yada yada tires on a touring bike, dumb as hell and I’m just gonna screw up my touring bike by running slightly more than just pavement? Or can I handle a bit more with the machine I have? I’m not talking crazy rock crawler, just a bit more than a highway here highway back kind of ride. 
 

thanks for any info, and most importantly the main question is exactly why the difference is between rt and more “dual sport” models of the time. 

[szurszewski]

apart from the plastic, or lack thereof, the GS and RT have different suspension (they both have the same basic setup, but different shocks and the GS/A has a lot more travel), different bars (RT are cast and not readily adjustable, where the GS/A are more like "regular" bars), different seats/seating positions, and different gearing in the trans and final drive (depending on which GS/A, exactly). 

 

The GS bikes are much easier to modify as far as luggage, bars, shocks, and such - the RT are pretty much they way they are.

 

If you can find them in a workable size, you won't hurt the bike with other-than-street tires, but you will likely damage a lot of plastic if you happen to slip on the gravel (or the pavement). The lack of travel and the geometry of the front end and bars make the RT not all that fun on bumpy roads, but it certainly can be ridden on them if you like. 

 

 

[Blake8098]

20 minutes ago, szurszewski said:

apart from the plastic, or lack thereof, the GS and RT have different suspension (they both have the same basic setup, but different shocks and the GS/A has a lot more travel), different bars (RT are cast and not readily adjustable, where the GS/A are more like "regular" bars), different seats/seating positions, and different gearing in the trans and final drive (depending on which GS/A, exactly). 

 

The GS bikes are much easier to modify as far as luggage, bars, shocks, and such - the RT are pretty much they way they are.

 

If you can find them in a workable size, you won't hurt the bike with other-than-street tires, but you will likely damage a lot of plastic if you happen to slip on the gravel (or the pavement). The lack of travel and the geometry of the front end and bars make the RT not all that fun on bumpy roads, but it certainly can be ridden on them if you like. 

 

 

Thanks for the response. I think I’m planning on fixing the rt up real nice and selling it to save for a decent adventure bike. Unfortunately I discovered adv bikes after I bought the rt... never new they even existed, thought sport ish bike Harley and dirt vike were it..  I think the riding style I prefer, after a good deal of YouTube videos, is a smaller cc adv bike

[szurszewski]

A smaller cc ADV bike the RT is definitely not

 

Fixing it/selling it to get what you want is certainly preferable to riding something you don't want; unfortunately for you right now ADV bikes are popular and old RTs are not - so be careful how much $$ you put into fixing it up as it may be hard to recoup. Your labor, on the other hand, can be counted as free and this forum can help you figure out about anything you need to figure out - if you're willing to do the work. 

 

If you haven't stumbled onto it yet, check out adventurerider.com (called ADV by most folks) for ALL things adventure. They even have a great fleamarket there for you to start window shopping that small cc ADV bike. The BMW F series has solid options for you 600-800ish ccs, but of course there are many other options. Maybe check out the DR650 - very popular and considered capable and reliable.

 

 

[Blake8098]

22 minutes ago, szurszewski said:

A smaller cc ADV bike the RT is definitely not

 

Fixing it/selling it to get what you want is certainly preferable to riding something you don't want; unfortunately for you right now ADV bikes are popular and old RTs are not - so be careful how much $$ you put into fixing it up as it may be hard to recoup. Your labor, on the other hand, can be counted as free and this forum can help you figure out about anything you need to figure out - if you're willing to do the work. 

 

If you haven't stumbled onto it yet, check out adventurerider.com (called ADV by most folks) for ALL things adventure. They even have a great fleamarket there for you to start window shopping that small cc ADV bike. The BMW F series has solid options for you 600-800ish ccs, but of course there are many other options. Maybe check out the DR650 - very popular and considered capable and reliable.

 

 

Yeah I still love the bike I have now. I’m in no hurry to sell, I’m just thinking ahead to what I might like more. the f series is in my future. 
 

and yeah I will definitely be doing all the work myself. Not gonna pay someone else to do it. 
 

 

[Blake8098]

2 hours ago, szurszewski said:

A smaller cc ADV bike the RT is definitely not

 

Fixing it/selling it to get what you want is certainly preferable to riding something you don't want; unfortunately for you right now ADV bikes are popular and old RTs are not - so be careful how much $$ you put into fixing it up as it may be hard to recoup. Your labor, on the other hand, can be counted as free and this forum can help you figure out about anything you need to figure out - if you're willing to do the work. 

 

If you haven't stumbled onto it yet, check out adventurerider.com (called ADV by most folks) for ALL things adventure. They even have a great fleamarket there for you to start window shopping that small cc ADV bike. The BMW F series has solid options for you 600-800ish ccs, but of course there are many other options. Maybe check out the DR650 - very popular and considered capable and reliable.

 

 

Is this the section of the forum for wrenching questions? 

[chrisolson]

5 minutes ago, Blake8098 said:

Is this the section of the forum for wrenching questions? 

 

13 hours ago, Blake8098 said:

1998 r1100rt

 

If we assume the 98 R1100RT to be your current bike, then the forum labeled " Oilheads " would be the appropriate forum for wrenching questions.  

[Blake8098]

Thanks

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

On 10/3/2020 at 1:03 AM, szurszewski said:

apart from the plastic, or lack thereof, the GS and RT have different suspension (they both have the same basic setup, but different shocks and the GS/A has a lot more travel), different bars (RT are cast and not readily adjustable, where the GS/A are more like "regular" bars), different seats/seating positions, and different gearing in the trans and final drive (depending on which GS/A, exactly). 

 

 

The engine tuning is also slightly different.  The GS engine makes more torque but less power; the reverse is true for the RT.  They did this by using different valve timing in conjunction with different intake duct lengths.  It was (and I guess still is) actually possible to buy the intake ducts for a GS and install them on an RT, resulting in a torque curve that was similar to what the GS had; it was a cheap (< $50) way to make an RT perform just a bit better everywhere under 6500 RPM, i.e. in the range where you tended to do almost all of your riding.

 

 

[WBinDE]

At least on the wetheads, the final drive gearing is taller on the RT than the GS. I believe the R1100 series used different transmission gearing to accomplish the same thing.  Either way, at any given road speed and gear, engine speed on a GS will be higher than on an RT