| MODEL | BMW R 100RS 1976 |
| Year | 1976 |
| Engine Type | Four stroke, two cylinder horizontally opposed Boxer, 2 valves per cylinder |
| Displacement / Capacity | 980 cc / 59.8 cu in |
| Bore X Stroke | 94 x 70.6 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 9.5:1 |
| Cooling System | Air cooled |
| Max Power | 51 kW / 70 hp @ 7250 rpm |
| Max Torque | 76 Nm / 7.75 kgf-m / 56 lb-ft @ 6000 rpm |
| Ignition | Battery ignition |
| Induction | 2 x Bing 94/40/105 - 94/40/106 constant depression carburettors |
| Start System | Electric |
| TRANSMISSION SPECS | |
| Lubrication | Wet sump |
| Gear Box | 5 Speed |
| Clutch | Dry single plate, with diaphragm spring |
| Final Drive | Shaft |
| CHASSIS SPECS | |
| Frame | Double down tubes, dual cradle |
| Front Suspension | Telescopic fork with hydraulic shock absorber, 200 mm / 7.8 in travel |
| Rear Suspension | Long swinging arm with adjustable struts, 125 mm / 4.9 in travel |
| Front Brakes | 2 x 260 mm discs, 2 piston calipers |
| Rear Brakes | 200 mm drum |
| DIMENSION SPECS | |
| Overall Length | 2130 mm / 83.8 in |
| Overall Width | 746 mm / 29.37 in |
| Overall Height | 1300 mm / 51.8 in |
| Seat Height | 820 mm / 32.3 in |
| Wheelbase | 1465 mm / 57.67 in |
| Ground Clearance | 165 mm / 6.49 in |
| Dry Weight | — |
| Wet Weight | 230 kg / 506 lbs |
| WHEEL SPECS | |
| Front Tyre | 3.25 H19 |
| Rear Tyre | 4.00 H18 |
| FUEL SYSTEM | |
| Fuel Capacity | 24 Litres / 6.3 US gal |
| Fuel Consumption | 4.8 L/100 km / 20.8 km/l / 49 US mpg |
| Top Speed | 200 km/h / 124 mph |
Photo: Jiřà SedláÄek (Frettie), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Späth Chr. (ChiemseeMan), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The R 100 RS was the star of the 1976 Cologne IFMA show: the first series-production motorcycle with a factory full fairing, shaped in the Pininfarina wind tunnel. Its 70 hp, 980 cc boxer made it the most powerful BMW of the day, but the fairing's main job was to keep the rider dry and relaxed at sustained high speed. That made the RS the first true sports-tourer, and it quickly became BMW's flagship.
