Not XS (BMW) an electrical troubleshooting thread

You know Gary, I’ve known some really gifted mechanics over the years. Watching you take on someone else’s headaches, with bikes you’re totally unfamiliar with, and seeing you go straight to the heart of the matter, just impresses the heck outa me! Your trouble shooting skills are second to none, I bow to the master! :bow::bow2:
 
grizld1 said:
--what made the alternator belt fail twice?
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Good question!
My guess is first failure was just age miles, bike 18 years old 60,000+ miles, then bad tension setting, a few things point to ham handed mech work. Noted; an "extra" brand new belt found in the tail compartment, along with THREE tire repair kits, SIX CO2 cartridges AND a spark plug based tire inflator.....There is some evidence bike has been run extensively on "backroads". Mostly dirt, mud, stones in normally inaccessible places, belly pan, valve cover, scratches, and scrapes. stone chips on rims etc. Baffle is cracked at muffler can exit. This may be from vibration, or mebbie backfires from fuggled sensor...
baffle.jpg

Will prolly make a stainless sleeve and weld it in.
No signs it has ever been crashed.
 
Mailman said:
You know Gary, I’ve known some really gifted mechanics over the years. Watching you take on someone else’s headaches, with bikes you’re totally unfamiliar with, and seeing you go straight to the heart of the matter, just impresses the heck outa me! Your trouble shooting skills are second to none, I bow to the master! :bow::bow2:
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Even a blind horse finds the carrot now and then.

PS compression 178, 175, plugs dry and tan. Motor should be good to go another 70K....
 
Gary
Be nice to the clutch, be very nice. If yours is anything like a 97 it is unbelievable what it takes to replace it. Look it up.
I showed my buddy in his manual what it takes. He said if it ever needs a clutch it's for sale. If he cannot find a buyer it will become a mailbox holder.
 
Now that is sure true! I've done plenty of those R1100RT clutches back in the brief day of "Cop bike maintenence" as well as the "recalls" . Clutches (supposedly dry lol) and tranny bearing recalls too.
Cop bikes split in half are No Fun!
 
On my airheads I always thought they started with a battery and built a bike around it. Now it looks like they start with a clutch disk.

When we had all the Tupperware off of my friends bike he realized it all would have to come off to change the battery. Since he didn't know how old the battery was it got changed.
 
GLJ said:
On my airheads I always thought they started with a battery and built a bike around it. Now it looks like they start with a clutch disk.

When we had all the Tupperware off of my friends bike he realized it all would have to come off to change the battery. Since he didn't know how old the battery was it got changed.
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And that right there is when the Tupperware becomes the Tupperwar...BTDT with the ST1100s..will prolly be doing it again soon...
 
Late 90's BMW factory "Oil Head" servicing instructor in the LA facility said to a class room of tech students in my presence.
"Don't think you are going to make flat rate, you won't. BMW flat rate is figured in a laboratory environment on new bikes. If you want to consistently make flat rate, be a Harley Davidson Technician"
It was So true.
 
gggGary said:
There is some evidence bike has been run extensively on "backroads". Mostly dirt, mud, stones in normally inaccessible places, belly pan, valve cover, scratches, and scrapes. stone chips on rims etc.
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Bet it saw a trip or two to Alaska.....
 
My 1964 R60/2 had a 2-piece Krauser full fairing. The upper was the aluminum piece you saw on about half the BMWs running around. The lower was the rare piece. It was also aluminum. It rested on top of the tank, and slipped down over the front downtubes of the frame. A bar with a captive nut went behind the downtubes, and a vented aluminum plate fit over the fairing and was secured to the bar with one bolt. That's right, folks. Remove one bolt, set plate and bar aside, lift fairing from tank, done.

I strongly suspect that leadership of BMW's design department was infiltrated by an evil dwarf from the darkest depths of the Black Forest, who saw a Honda Goldwing, chuckled with glee, and commanded his henchmen thus: "Like that--but more so, more so!"
 
Back together, It lives! 125 miles today.
grumpy likes it.jpg

Grumpy likes it! High of 50, heated grips, I don't have the heated seats hooked up yet. Was quite comfortable.
Has lowered angled floorboards, bar risers and a sargent seat. There's 4 seat heights you can set, actually backed it down one from the highest setting. I have a line on a backrest for it but it might not be needed. Electric adjustable (aftermarket) windshield was very quiet if it is raised high enough to be in my line of vision. A good trade off at 50 air temp. Linked ABS brakes, you really don't even need to use the foot brake. Turn in is a bit "reluctant" no where near as eager as Madness setting up for a corner. Rear tire IS a bit squared off. Plenty of power for a solo touring ride. 6 speed, it's turning about 3200 at 60MPH indicated but you need to grab fifth for acceleration on secondary roads.. You can tell it's a twin but vibration was never annoying. For having sat two years it ran "fine", after some fresh gas and miles it runs even better.
The tupperware isn't really that bad, with practice mabbie a half hour to remove? Gas lines have aftermarket stainless steel no drip disconnects, handy! Guess I need to title, license, and insure it.
 
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