Boxerworks.com

Hey all!

Back with another little story for ya.

Yesterday, I was on a trip to Olympia and back to pick up another GoPro to work with from a guy on Facebook Marketplace. Great guy, very forward, and very interesting personality. On my way back, I had a bit of a mini-disaster when my fairing mounting hardware decided it was time to give up and throw in the towel.

I was at about exit 122a (formerly non-existent on i5 northbound through south Lakewood) when suddenly I hear a metallic "ping" sound, followed by the immediate sagging of my fairing a good few inches. I immediately changed my destination to a closer location so that I could figure out the issue. It also happened to be a destination with a fantastic set of tools that I could work with to figure out an end goal to fix it or remove it entirely.

I arrived at my parents' house a short while later, but not after having to make an emergency zip-tie repair to at least keep the fairing semi-stable the last few miles. I removed the fairing and its pieces to find this lovely broken mess staring at me.



Quite strange seeing the bike without the fairing, as I've only ever seen it on. Let me tell you, though, I am excitedly shocked by the change! But first, I have to figure out this mess of a cable situation.



With the help of some schematics found on an old thread here and a bit of trial and error with a voltmeter, I was able to get the headlight harness separated from the gaggle of wires that came out of the fairing and reconnect it to the PCB inside, removing the white wires completely and stowing the harness for a possible (eventual) reinstallation of the fairing.

All things said, I'm supremely happy with the resulting look and appearance, and I had a really great time riding the bike for the first time without a fairing. And of course, the final look!

Before:


After:






I think, now, more than ever, I need to fix the ears.

Nicely done!

Your fairing looks like a Luftmeister. Most of what you need for the front turn signals is mounted in the fairing if it is.

I've been riding a naked bike all along--I'm actually looking forward to life behind a Lufty when Edgar is ready to go.

You may want some low Euro-style bars if the bike is to stay naked. The low bars will naturally lean you into the wind.

melville wrote: ↑Sun May 23, 2021 7:05 pm Nicely done!

Your fairing looks like a Luftmeister. Most of what you need for the front turn signals is mounted in the fairing if it is.

I've been riding a naked bike all along--I'm actually looking forward to life behind a Lufty when Edgar is ready to go.

You may want some low Euro-style bars if the bike is to stay naked. The low bars will naturally lean you into the wind.

It is indeed a Luftmeister! I had thought it was a windjammer, but having to take it off finally made me look at the place where the wiring connected to the fairing, and sho' 'nuff, Luftmeister had its badge mounted.

I'm torn between applying a new/different fairing or leaving as-is. I also think I'll end up keeping the bars as-is, as well, as I'm not particularly fond of the "leaned forward" body position.

As far as Turn Signals, I am thinking of going the way of Ryan from FortNine and getting some bar-end turn signals mounted.

Thoughts?

Will need to drill a hole in the bars to get the wiring out to the signals.

On my Luftmeister, the turn signals that were in the fairing are actually the pods that were originally mounted to stalks coming off the front forks. #11 in this image:

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showpa ... Id=31_0312

Kurt in S.A.

Are you going to fit a new set of gaiters? (I realise the old ones weren't doing much). If not, you will probably want to fit dust seals like those fitted to the contemporary RS models... if you don't want to be forever replacing fork seals that is...

Rob

Rob Frankham wrote: ↑Mon May 24, 2021 7:10 am Are you going to fit a new set of gaiters? (I realise the old ones weren't doing much). If not, you will probably want to fit dust seals like those fitted to the contemporary RS models... if you don't want to be forever replacing fork seals that is...

Rob

Have a link to a set you recommend? I was curious about this, as well, because yes, the old gaiters were literally useless. At least now the water has an escape path that doesn't depend on the wind.

I'm also curious to see if there is a way to put them on without decompressing the fork springs. I'm not wholly certain how the front forks interact with the triple clamp or the easiest way to get new enclosed dust caps on.

The /7 era had 11 ribs in the gaiters. An inexpensive type of gaiter would be something from a vehicle shock:

https://www.gorancho.com/

Search for RS1952 for the black ones. Might even be able to find a local retailer - NAPA, etc. Personally, I went with BMW parts when I had to replace mine.

Kurt in S.A.

Kurt in S.A. wrote: ↑Tue May 25, 2021 3:58 pm The /7 era had 11 ribs in the gaiters. An inexpensive type of gaiter would be something from a vehicle shock:

https://www.gorancho.com/

Search for RS1952 for the black ones. Might even be able to find a local retailer - NAPA, etc. Personally, I went with BMW parts when I had to replace mine.

Kurt in S.A.

Ahh, replacement gaiters. Any leads on dust protectors? I like the look of the bare fork shaft. But clearly, I wanna make sure to maximize the life of the seals. Something like this is what I have in mind, and what I think Rob was referring to, as well.

But I don't think they can deliver to the states, or if they can, if it's worth it.

I think he was talking about something like #4 in this diagram:

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showpa ... Id=31_0314

That would be a dealer item IIRC.

Kurt in S.A.

You really want gaiters. Bare tubes are subject to stone damage, which in a humid environment quickly becomes rust spots.

I have a /6 and a /7 that lived their lives on the coast, with gaiters. As much as I can tell, they are on their original fork tubes.

I have an RS with just 15K miles (RS have bare tubes), parked since 1985, that will need new fork tubes.

The Rancho gaiters will work--I have gaiterized a non-gaitered Yamaha with them.