1982 BMW R 100 RT

1982 BMW R 100 RT sits at the top of BMW's touring lineup, the fully-faired flagship built for riders who wanted to cover serious distance without beating themselves up doing it. This is a bike designed around the frame-mounted fairing BMW pioneered, which means the wind protection stays put regardless of steering input, and long highway stretches feel calmer than the numbers on paper suggest. The boxer twin's low center of gravity makes it stable fully loaded with saddlebags and a passenger, and the shaft final drive means no chain maintenance breaking up your trip. It rewards patient, deliberate riding over aggressive cornering. The 1982 model carried over without significant mechanical changes from the prior year — buyers comparing it to a 1981 example should focus on mileage, service history, and condition rather than spec differences. Owners tend to be experienced riders, often coming from smaller BMWs or Japanese tourers, who want a machine built for continent-crossing trips rather than weekend blasts. Collector interest sits at a moderate level, with clean, well-documented examples drawing steady attention from buyers who value airhead simplicity and long-term mechanical reliability over outright performance.