In The News

EasyRiders Columbus Motorcycle Show 2005 (Under Construction)

Winter Pre-Start Procedure

If your bike has been sitting for several weeks, there might not be much oil spread around the engine.  To remedy this, and before starting, turn the engine over several times with the ignition off.   Put the bike up on the center stand and put the side stand down.  Pushing the starter button will turn it over without the engine starting.  Put the side stand up and start as usual.

The Stock Tool Kit (2002 and later):

(picture by David Nash)

Deal's Gap Information

RS/GT V. S Specifications

Hossack Design Web Page

Tony Foale's Article on Rake and the Hossack Suspension

Motorcycle-Tour-Web Sites

BMW Recall

BMW will recall motorcycles sold in the US from the 2000 through 2004 model years to fix a damaged seal and a possible leak in the fuel line.  This is for both K and R series.  The concern is that the fuel line quick disconnects fail after repeated uses.

The 7 Deadly Sins of Spring Riding
 
 1. Not canceling the turn signals.
 2. Not checking your back when stopping.
 3. Not being focused.
 4. Not preventing target fixation.
 5. Not having an escape plan.
 6. Not parking in first gear with the bike rolled forward until the transmission is engaged and thus letting the bike roll forward on the side stand.
 7. Not checking tire pressure.

K1200 S

Faster Handling

The combination of the wheels and tires spinning results in gyroscopic stabilization.  The lighter the combination, for a given size, the less the stabilization and the faster the steering.  Wider rims and larger tires produce more stability.  The GT comes with the 5.5 rear wheel and is more touring oriented.  To get faster handling, go with the 5.0 inch rear wheel and compare weights and profiles of various tires that may suit your type of riding.  Going to even lighter weight wheels would also increase responsiveness but may be very expensive.  

01/18/06

Knee Angle on Yamaha Sport Touring Bike

Inc. Magazine cover, October, 2003

Business Week Online, AUGUST 11, 2003

"We recently took four popular models on road trips to see what all the buzz is about. For comfort on a longer trip, the BMW won top spot. The Honda delivered the sharpest handling of the lot. Triumph's model offers the best bang for the buck. But for the most exhilarating mix of speed and road manners, the Yamaha edged out the rest.

The German-made BMW K1200GT ($17,990) tops the category in creature comforts and technical features, including unbeatably comfortable seat design, cruise control, heated handgrips and seat, as well as an adjustable windscreen -- which offered welcome relief when the skies opened on our three-day jaunt across Pennsylvania farm country. BMW's four-cylinder, 1200cc engine and its shaft drive -- instead of the normal chain drive -- provide plenty of oomph to get up to highway speeds."

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/03_32/b3845100_mz025.htm

The Right Octane

Most of the pumps around here put all three grades through the same hose.  Depending on the length of the hose, there may be a considerable amount of low octane mixed in with whatever grade you think you're buying.   

It seems that purchasing 91 octane would insure that you are at least at 89 octane in the tank. 

Pumps with a designated hose for each grade are a different story.

Low Speed Wobble

MCN had a letter to the editor in the new edition that suggests that head bearings need to be tighten on many bike brands with a low speed wobble.  The author describes putting the bike on the center stand and lifting the front wheel off of the ground so the wheel may rotate on its own (on the K, someone will have to sit on the back of the bike).  He states that the front wheel should not freely flop to one side or the other.  The key is to have the bearings tighten to the point that a slight effort is required to cause the front wheel to turn to one side or the other.  He has used this procedure successfully on many bikes with low speed wobble.

Since the front suspension on BMWs is different from other brands, the fix may be different but still due to loose bearings.  BMW has an TSB out for low speed turning problems related to the front suspension ball joints.

Misalignment of the Cruise Control Cable

This can happen is the tube to the cooling reservoir pushes the cable sideways when the fairing is on.  The result is intermittent cruise control function.

Left Lane Campers 

There may be several reasons for left lane camping.

Cruise control is a common one:  Drivers set it near the limit and feel no need to speed up or pull over as they are doing the limit or slightly above, albeit at a steady speed.

Home of the righteous:  Many citizens feel a need to make others obey the law.  Doing the limit when the right lane is full is easy to do and regulates traffic to the “legal” speed (note that the “legal” speed is in the mind of the righteous driver and may be faster or slower than the actual limit).  Some of these drivers will match the speed of a vehicle in the right lane and create a roadblock.  Truckers sometimes do this when in traffic on the interstates.  This seems to be a common sense approach to keep traffic from continuously passing them and thus slowing their progress.  However, in reality, it slows down traffic and results in lengthening of the traffic jam and making progress slower for everyone behind them including fellow truckers.

The Hurry-up-itis traffic-pattern: Blockage of the left lane occurs when most of the traffic is in a hurry and does not want to delegated to the right lane.  In this setting, the majority of the traffic is in the left lane and there are large holes in the right lane traffic.  Speeds in the left lane are typically at or slightly above the limit.  In addition, speeds in the right lane are typically 5 to 10 mph slower.  Maintaining a safe following distance is often impossible in the left lane, as any holes will be filled by vehicles passing on the right using the large holes in the right lane.

Passive-aggressive personality:  This seems to be a product of the modern world.  It represents a seemingly non-aggressive expression of anger.  The driver is angry at the world and punishes the vehicles behind.

Interstate fear:  This usually affects older drivers who never quite got the hang of high speed driving on the interstate.  Their main concern is their own safety.   Driving slowly is one way to achieve this.  Avoiding those entrance ramps with vehicles "exploding" onto the  interstate is another.

Mental instability:  May be combined with any of the above or as the only factor.  Some riders just assume that all cagers are on drugs or are psychotic.

Reality check:   

1. Traffic moves faster, en toto, when slower vehicles allow faster vehicles to pass.  This includes truckers not forming barricades in traffic jams.
2. Once traffic becomes heavier in the passing lane than the slow lane, there is little to be gained by staying in the passing lane.  The ride will be more enjoyable and safer if you find a large hole in the right lane traffic and camp there.
3. When traffic is lighter, it moves in herds.  When a faster herd hits a slower one, traffic becomes more compressed and more dangerous to ride in.  You can pace yourself so that you stay behind in a right lane hole until the faster herd has moved through the slower one.
4. Passing on the left berm, when there is good pavement and no debris, is an option.  However, righteous drivers will become upset that you have usurped their authority and may try to punish you by blocking your path, using a squeeze play or speeding up to prevent you from passing.
5. Passing on the right is dangerous (“left side, right side; right side, suicide”).  Plan and make sure you have an escape route.  An open right berm is almost a necessity.
6. The K is capable of rapid acceleration.  This allows the use of the adjacent lengths of entrance ramps to pass on the right of traffic in the right lane.  The ramp must be clear of entering traffic.  In addition, a clear hole in front of the traffic you are trying to pass is needed.   Righteous drivers may get upset in this setting and try to prevent this tactic but it takes most by surprise.  Be aware that traffic in the passing lane may pull over into the hole you are headed for just as you are passing the slower right lane traffic.  Again, a clear berm with good pavement is needed.
7. Set an example by pulling into the right lane when you are not passing.  Being the fastest vehicle on the road does not give you a left lane camping permit.
8. Most interstates parallel older highways.  These bypassed roads are often more scenic and have little traffic.  Try using these when the interstate becomes stressful.
9. Try not to piss cagers off.  This brings about righteous behavior and a dislike for motorcyclists.
10. Don’t allow following traffic to get on the back bumper before you pull over into the right lane.
11. Avoid caffeine.  This drug will often cause aggressive riding and loss of common sense.  Combine this with a hangover from the night before, and you’ll lose some of your ability to absorb the environment and will prevent the natural high that develops from the motorcycling-induced release of endorphins.
12. Don’t ride when you are upset.  You are primed for road rage from the git-go.
13. Give up any need to control traffic around you.  You are not in charge.  In addition, you must adapt to the traffic pattern about you, not it to you.

01/18/06

Wunderlich's Version of the Hugger

New Tail Rack Luggage Plate to be Available Soon.

See Pirate's web site for availability.

Passenger Backrest by M Verholen

Custom K12RS with under-seat exhaust pipes!

See JUMA TEC for more pics!

Inexpensive HID low beam kit offered by Moto Gear 4 You

Autolamps HID Kit H7 4100K - Low Beam for K1200LT/RS/GT and R1150RT
Low Beam HID kit 4100K (bright white light) to convert your stock headlight low beam. Using an H7 HID bulb, integrated ballast/igniter and custom motorcycle wiring (extra long) with relay and fuse for safer installation. All parts used are Phillips brand. Price includes shipping to continental US. Installation instructions can be found at Moto Gear for You
Price: $299.50

New BMW Cruiser

Click To Enlarge

Wide forks, dual spark, smoother 5 speed!!  Replaces the current cruiser.

Available in October of this year.

Custom Tail on RS!

Imagine this combined with Pirate's Seat Cowling!! 

Stiff Throttle on 02 RS

My bike developed a stiff throttle at about 7,000 miles.  It was repaired by a local dealership to a lighter effort in September of 2002.  To monitor any future problems, the new throttle effort was measured in a crude fashion.  An inexpensive spring-scale for weighing fish was used to determine weight.  One-inch nylon strap was wrapped around the base of the handgrip next to the inner flange.  The weights required to move/hold-open the throttle were measured with the following approximate results:

Initial throttle response required 10 lbs.

Significant movement required 10-15 lbs.

Keeping the throttle set in one position required 2-3 lbs at all throttle positions.

A relatively low effort is thus required to hold the throttle at any given position.

Measurements of new motorcycles with this technique were recently performed.  Similar pulls were required for the K1200 GT, K1200 LT, and K1200 RS, all 2003 models with cruise control.  Additionally, the R1200 CL required a similar effort (the full dressed cruiser with cruise control). 

The R1150 RT, a bike without cruise control, had a lighter effort.  Initiation and continued twisting required 3 to 5 pounds less effort. This represents 30 to 50% less effort. 

The similarity between all bikes with cruise control, and especially that between the K bikes and the R1200 CL cruiser with cruise control, suggests that the cruise control set up requires, or has been arbitrarily assigned (as a "safety factor") a similar amount of effort and thus a similar amount of spring rebound.  Spring rebound is important because it shuts the throttle bodies when the cruise control is disengaged.  This latter observation is especially evident when comparing the K and R bikes with four and two cylinders and four and two throttle bodies respectively.  

The pull required to keep the throttle open at a given position was similar between the cruise control and non-cruise-control bikes.  However, the cruise control bikes required 2 to 3 pounds of pull while the non-cruise-control bike (the RT) required only 1 to 2 pounds. While the absolute difference was minor, it appears that opening and stabilization efforts are proportionally increased with the cruise control bikes.  Comparison between a non-cruise-control K1200RS is pending.  This may be the most telling measurement.

Low Speed Turning Problem

A service bulletin is out for owners with slow speed turning problems.  Check with you dealer for the fix only if you are having this problem.

Handling = Geometry + Wheel/Tire Weight

When at speed, for a given motorcycle geometry (rake, trail, etc.), the weight of the wheel/tire unit is related to straight-line stability and inversely related to the ease of turning.  This is because there is more gyroscopic mass with the heavier unit and less with the lighter unit.   Cruisers designed for touring will often have a heavy wheel/tire unit up front while those with a more sporty bend will have a lighter unit up front.

Higher and Wider Handlebars from Spiegler USA

New Luggage Rack from Best Rest

(Pictures courtesy of Bob Meador)

The New BMW R1150R Rockster

Click To Enlarge

Pirate's Seat Cowling Now Available!!

Causes of High Speed Wobble!

Yoga Master Riding Position (Total Relaxation in the Saddle)!

New Designs on the Way!!

A recent photo published by the Scottish BMW club shows a new design 2004 GS.  The bike appears more compact than the current model, leading to speculation about lighter weight and higher performance.   Speculation also includes an in the can catalytic converter and more hp with redesigned piston covers (hexagonal).

Could similar changes be in the offing for the KRS? 

See Spy Photo for additional information.

650 Soft Luggage on the K12RS (attaches using the provided straps plus one pair of Helen Two Wheels tie down anchors and two patches of Velcro Loop on the tail rack)

Side Cars for KRS offered by Swiss/U.S. Company ARMEC

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