Which Steering Head Bearings for R50/2 ?

[Hoof]

Tried that - UK man had no idea! - just posted on the packs

[Rob]

I didn't realize you were in the UK.
In that case, email Vech. I'm sure he ships worldwide, or can help you get quality bearings locally.

[Kurt in S.A.]

Try Mark Huggett. He's Vech's "equivalent" in Europe.

https://www.bmwbike.com/#nav-sub3

Kurt in S.A.

[Hoof]

OK Thank you - I have now found Mark Huggetts diagramatic parts list it seems excellent. Thank you for pointing me to his site.

I have asked him for the dimensions of the taper bearings.

This has all arisen because I was given a brand new set of taper bearings (no dimensions marked on them) when I bought the bike..... but I am not using a hammer until I'm sure they are the correct replacement size for the R50/2

Best wishes

[Hoof]

The answer (below) from Mark Huggett who developed and produced them over 30 years ago for BMW's and probably a deserves a medal for the improvement.

They are not a standard size which is why the dimensions are not widely listed.

Although automotive bearings are common these are not on the shelf of the 'corner bearing shop' - waste of time searching! - ie people just buy the bearings sourced from Mark and they will be a quality product as they were made for the job.

I quote Mark :- " The dimensions are 51 x 34 x 12 which is non standard therefore you will not find them by any bearing supplier. Our part number for a pair or set is 31 42 2 000 000 which consists of 2 complete bearings for one motorcycle steering head"

Thanks to everyone.

[Rob]

I suspect Hucky's and Vech get theirs from Mark, then.

I wonder where I got mine back in the eighties? Sidecar Restoration of St. Louis?

[Duane Ausherman]

With this tenacity Hoof may learn something that we don't know about these bearings.

[Hoof]

TENACITY - the quality or fact of being able to grip something firmly

Well what did I learn? - there was a desolate place where I spent 2 years with a "Black Hand Gang" from whom I learnt a lot about mechanical things of all description. As the spares only came in once a year they had to make everything on site.....now they had tenacity!

Over the bar there was a Shield with the image of a crossed hammer and condom... and beneath it the inscription "If You Can't Fix it, F*** it !

So, I learnt that the hammer most useful when gripped with tenacity!.............

[Duane Ausherman]

I spent a season "on the ice" (on Antarctica) and we got a shipment once a year. Pretty much the same philosophy with fixing things. We had some very good mechanics and machinists.

[Hoof]

Please to hear from another OAE Duane... Most guys have never stuck to a steel pole or seen solid mercury!

and ....Yes the 'mechanics' in Antarctica were excellent -
The guy who looked after our generators could fix anything - when the balloon tracking Radar burnt out he fixed it; including rewinding the transformers by hand. He later made a mechanical system which linked to an atomic clock signal so the cycles were precise and kept all the instruments on time...That in 1971.

PS When your C130's flew in to Halley you even had better trash than we did! - Lobster tails in the emergency rations too!