Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127563
eIMPRESSION e 1993BMWRll00RS The 1993 R1100RS BMW features the biggest displacement Boxer engine ever,_as well as four more valves, angled cylinders, a catalytic converter and an electronic fuel injection. • • ew enera Ion oxer unvel e By Kit Palmer n celebration of the company's 70th anniversary, BMW recently unveiled its first model of the "new generation" Boxer twin, the all-new sport touring RllOORS. And BMW didn't just introduce its new 1089cc, eight-valve, fuelinjected, Boxer twin any 01' way. Absolutely not, that just wouldn't be BMW's style. Instead, the German manufacturer invited dozens of motorcycle journalists from around the world to the sunny and warm climate and volcanic landscape of the Canary Islands for the unveiling. The press launch took place on the island of Lanzarote, one of the seven main ones that make up the archipelago that belongs to Spain and is located approximately 60 miles off the northwest coast of Africa. There, inside a giant lava cave-turned auditorium, BMW rolled out its highly anticipated and radically changed RllOORS Boxer. At first glance, the Rll00RS appears much more "sportier" than any previous BMW Boxer street bike. The new Boxer will be available in two versions, one with a full fairing and plastic fork leg protectors and the other with a half fairing - so as to intentionally show off BMW's "heritage" flat-twin engine - and "unprotected" fork legs. Both models are available in three different colors: Marrakech red with a charcoal grey seat; turquoise green metallic with a light grey I 28 seat, and pearl silver (which looks more like white) metallic with a greenish-blue seat. In our opinion, the silver (white) model looks the best, but the blue seat takes away some of its appeal. The next most obvious visual change is the downward angle of the two big aluminum-alloy cylinders. According to the new engine's developer, Dr. Burkhard Goschel, the main purpose of this design is really more for styling than anything else, but BMW also claims the new angle improves cooling efficiency around the output valves. "We basically wanted the motor to look a little different than the old Boxer engine," said GoscheL The valve covers have also been reshaped to give the powerplant a more modem look, as well as to accommodate two extra valves per cylinder. You have to look a little closer to spot two other important changes: Up front is BMW's answer to Yamaha's single-sided swingarm Omega suspension system found on the new GTSIOOO. BMW calls its system Telelever. It's comprised of three major components: a telescopic fork, a swinging arm and a single coilspring, oil-damped, Showa shock. The telescopic fork shafts contain fluid to lubricate the two tubes running inside one another, but do not house spring or damper components. These two fUllCtions are now controlled by the one shock, which, to our surprise, is non- adjustable. The shock is fitted between the swingarm and the front section of the frame, and the swingarm is attached to the sliding fork tube and the center section of the motor, via a swivel ball joint. When the fork tube slides upwards, so does the swingarm, thus compressing the shock. With this design, the forces of braking are now transferred to the swingarm's ball joint in the middle of the bike, rather than high up near the steering stem as on traditional systems. The end result is an anti-