/5 /6 and /7 Airhead Design Blunders

[godot]

. What were they thinking when they designed the sidestand? Hard to deploy and does not securely support the bike. The '78 R100/7 I used to own ("The Mule") fell over one morning while idling in the driveway on the sidestand as I was putting on my helmet, getting ready to go to work.

I had a basically barn-find 1980 R100T that had two sidestands, the stock one in the usual position and another (decidedly non-stock) sidestand with mount welded to the frame further back. Don't have the bike anymore, (or a pic) unfortunately. It was my first airhead and my first bike over 500cc, so I thought it stupid to have two sidestands at the same time and removed the ungainly back one immediately. Later, I came to understand why somebody would do such a thing. Well, sort of.

Was this a common fix or just a one-off type of kludge?

[Scoots]

I haven't had to do too much work on my '89 R100RS, yet, but the pain in the a$$ that I have had to deal with was replacing the failed rubber diode board mounts!!! I still bitch about them!

[ME 109]

I haven't had to do too much work on my '89 R100RS, yet, but the pain in the a$$ that I have had to deal with was replacing the failed rubber diode board mounts!!! I still bitch about them!

Don't worry scoots!
There's far worse than that to come!

[Deleted User 62]

I stayed out of this issue just to see what would turn up. The list of what was wrong should be many times longer. As a BMW enthusiast first and owner of a BMW dealership that had the most service business of any in the USA, I feel qualified to add to this list. There is no reason for me to do it here, as I have a website devoted to this very issue.

Duane, you say you feel qualified to add to this list, and that you could increase this list many times over, but you do neither. Instead, you suggest we search for scattered bits of wisdom on a website primarily focused on /5 and earlier bikes? Is that what you would suggest around the campfire at Kens ? Go ahead, fill our puny little minds with wisdom, I dare ya! BTW; the page on your website "Why it may be hard to tune your BMW" under "Electrics and Tuning" directs to your homepage... I looked.

[Garnet]

: BTW; the page on your website "Why it may be hard to tune your BMW" under "Electrics and Tuning" directs to your homepage... I looked.

Another design flaw?

[Garnet]

BTW Ken I see you figured out how to update your avatar, I like it!

Thanks Steve. I nearly sprained my brain, but I got 'er done. I've learned a couple things in the process 65 x 65 pixels isn't very much. And the people I thought were fuzzy from looking at their avatars, probably aren't.


Ken, naturally fuzzy in Oklahoma

Nothing a trip to the barber won't cure.

[Duane Ausherman]

Tim said, "Duane, you say you feel qualified to add to this list, and that you could increase this list many times over, but you do neither. Instead, you suggest we search for scattered bits of wisdom on a website primarily focused on /5 and earlier bikes? Is that what you would suggest around the campfire at Kens ? Go ahead, fill our puny little minds with wisdom, I dare ya! BTW; the page on your website "Why it may be hard to tune your BMW" under "Electrics and Tuning" directs to your homepage... I looked."

My site has encountered a few glitches over the last few years. I haven't had the time to take it seriously because it is ready for some fixing and mostly addition of a lot of material that I have waiting to use. It may never happen though.

Most of the "design blunders" are dealt with on my site. Many of those are topics of other websites too. I would be surprised to find someone add in a blunder here that isn't quite well known already and a solution suggested on one or more websites.

I suspect that Ken brought this up just to stimulate conversation and it worked. It also gave some a place to rant.

Have you been to one, or more of Ken's rally campfires? I haven't been there for a few years now myself. If the subject is one that I remember something about, I am willing to go into detail. I have also given demonstrations of several subjects, but found that there isn't really very much interest. I theorize that those that care already know and those that don't just find such detail quite boring.

Tim, does this answer your question(s)? Will you be there this year?

[Deleted User 62]

Sure, you answered my question, but not THE question about " /5 /6 and /7 Airhead Design Blunders", oh well... I suppose we will have to wait until you update your website. I've never been to Kens place, probably never will (it's a looong ride, wet too) I think BMW design flaws are worth discussing, for the new members that may have never heard of these issues, and for some of us old codgers who may have forgotten. Also, as you yourself have said when someone asks a dumb newb question, "it's already been covered somewhere on the web or here, don't waste our time" when we both know the info on the web or in the manual can be, in fact, wrong. That's why some here don't mind repeating the same old stories. I can imagine you having better things to do. That said, I see your Butterheads, and raise you a snowflake wheel recall, a transmission circlip that was eliminated (and came back), /6 clutch pivot pins that can fall out and break things and Krauser bags that fall off. (most of that from your website)

[tsa]

godot wrote:

I had a basically barn-find 1980 R100T that had two sidestands, the stock one in the usual position and another (decidedly non-stock) sidestand with mount welded to the frame further back. Don't have the bike anymore, (or a pic) unfortunately. It was my first airhead and my first bike over 500cc, so I thought it stupid to have two sidestands at the same time and removed the ungainly back one immediately. Later, I came to understand why somebody would do such a thing. Well, sort of.

Was this a common fix or just a one-off type of kludge?

That sounds very much like the Surefoot (aftermarket) sidestand, that is fairly common at least in the UK. Google, and you should be able to see pictures on the web. Both airheads I've had had them fitted. Without going out in the shed to check, I think they are _welded_ to the (left) footpeg carrier, and not a direct bolt-on. Great in that they don't automatically swing up, just before you bend over too far to the left.

[Seth]

Anyone have an issue with Airhead alternators? Direct drive off the crank keeps the speed low so they can't charge at low rpm. How many have had broken windings (probably from crankshaft vibration). What about the electromagnet in the alternator that requires a working GEN light to start it off?