The New And Improved Unofficial R65 Forum V2
Technical Discussion => BMW Technical Q&A, Primarily R65 => Topic started by: clonmore1 on October 11, 2011, 12:17:25 PM
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What's the general feeling on fork braces?
A worthwhile addition on a "65"?
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Most experts say that the triple tree and triple clamp on the R65, negate the need for a fork brace, it's a much 'beefier' design than the larger bikes had .
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Thanks Bob
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Agree with Bob and in addition unless it is a perfect fit or adjustable a fork brace can introduce alignment/stiction problems.
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Note that some of the "other" Airheads have a steel plate for the top triple clamp. This is not nearly as good as the cast and machined chunk of aluminum we R65'ers enjoy.
Spend the fork brace money on something else as it'll be wasted on the R65.
Monte
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If you are running the standard front fender then you effectively have a forkbrace there - especially when coupled with the beefy 'triple trees' or yokes as we like to say in 'Olde Blighty'.
I am running a fork brace however, but then I have a non-standard front mudguard/fender.
a Tarrozzi item that even gives my gaitors something to grip on.
Rev. Light
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I put a universal/adjustable fork braces on my R65, removed it after a while. As It did cause problems with the alignment.
About the R100 vs R65 triple clamp:
First picture shows the R100 version while the second one shows the one from the R65.
The one from the R65 is more than 5 times thicker ;D
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Thanks to all for your advice & wisdom, appreciated as always!!!!
:)
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Steve, you managed to make an R65 look like one of the fastest things around. That's a great looking bike.
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Steve, What a great job you have done, a beautiful bike [smiley=bmw_smiley.gif] Dave 2
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Steve, what are those silencers that you have on your bike? and where did you get them? Thanks, Dave2
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The silencers come from a firm called 'Armours' in the UK. They are BSA styled items and are quite noisey without being too offensive.
Actually the old girl is in need of a 'refresh'. The powder coating on the frame has not stood the test of time - it was put on too thick and has subsequently cracked as the frame has flexed. Also, it has faded from its original colour. Not only that, but the powder coating on the lower frame rails does not like oil and has reacted to it.
Lesson Learned.
Oh and the fuel tank has a dent in it where my side stand collapsed......
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That just gives it that patina of gentle usage, Steve!
:D
Still a sharp looking bike from a couple steps away, I'm sure!
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Steve, I still think you have a sharp looking bike [smiley=bmw_smiley.gif] Thanks for the reference on the silencers. This is getting off the thread and maybe a new one should be started, but,
The powder coating on the frame has not stood the test of time - it was put on too thick and has subsequently cracked as the frame has flexed. Also, it has faded from its original colour. Not only that, but the powder coating on the lower frame rails does not like oil and has reacted to it.
How common is it for a powder coated frame to crack and or react to engine oil? I have been thinking of getting the frame powder coated but maybe paint would hold up better? Dave 2
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At the time I was recommended a local powder coater by the chap who blasted the frame.
However, when the frame, sub frame and swing-arm were returned to me I was so appalled at the finish I did not even bother to complain or have them try to remedy it - it was that bad. It was put on far too thick and had rippled in places. I made good with some emery and wet and dry where it was really bad.
The frame was originally going to be sprayed - but the local sprayer wanted to much and the wife put here foot down >:(
Just goes to show with these things though, if you do it right, you only have to do it once. ::)
Here endeth the lesson.....
Rev. Light
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Whenever I get around to painting a frame, this is the way I'll go - brush it on, smoothes out without brush strokes and hard as nails. About $30 for enough to coat several frames.
http://www.por15.com/
The frame on my RS had been powdercoated (who knows how long ago) and it's horrible! Flaked off in places with rust snaking along underneath. Took me quite a while peeling off the compromised coating, cleaning off the rust and touching up with rustoleum. One of these days it's going to need a complete tear-down.
I have heard that powder coating can be durable and not chip, but it must be applied not so thick, and all rust completely handled beforehand. I've heard some powdercoating can be touched up, but that's another issue I don't care for.
I believe powder coating was developed for a manufacturing environment due to quickness and ease of application, but for us individuals, there are better solutions!
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Very Interesting experience with powder coating, I'm beginning to think that in the long run paint is a better solution for restoration work because it is able to be refinished with relative ease [smiley=bmw_smiley.gif]
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The frames originally were gloss black with a yellow undercoat. That stuff was amazing! My 90/6 had a few areas where the paint had rubbed through or chipped and a little rust had formed, but it was a piece of cake cleaning it up. A bit of touch up paint and you had to look close to see there was a problem. The paint really endured!
Sometime in the early 80s (I think it was) BMW went to a semi gloss that didn't hold up - awful stuff! It definitely wasn't powder coat as it seems to just rub off. I think German regulations were changing about toxins or paints around that time and this stuff is horrible!
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Both suecanada and I are long time advocates of the POR15 chassis black paint and a paint brush!!
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How far will a pint of that stuff go? How much to do a frame?
Did you use the POR15 and the Chassis black, or just one. How did you do it?
I'm new to POR15, but I'm sold - as you can tell.
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The frame on my R65LS was in fair shape, but had a number of scuffed spots and several spots with light rusting. I just hand sanded those areas and used the Chassis Black and brush. They have a primer that is definitely recommended if you've got heavy rust and/or a fair amount of bare metal. The paint has lasted for 5+ years now and I still (if the lid is still sealed as well as I think it is) have half a pint left. I didn't re-paint the whole frame entirely, but I would expect you could get a whole frame done with a pint if brushing it on. Some spray guns have more waste than others, so maybe a pint would work with spray gun application too (it is too thick to work straight with many spray guns unless thinned).
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As I'm respraying and repainting my old girl the long and hard way - but still using a rust killer paint and undercoat - I was chatting to a guy who belongs to a custom car club. This POR15 is very popular with these guys as a one process respray for there expensive car builds. I guess that says heaps about how effective this stuff is.
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Thanks! The Chassis Black is the semi gloss - did it match the original color? And it evidently stuck ok to the bare areas if it's lasted five years now. I think brushing it on is the way to go.
The paint has lasted for 5+ years now and I still (if the lid is still sealed as well as I think it is) have half a pint left. I didn't re-paint the whole frame entirely, but I would expect you could get a whole frame done with a pint if brushing it on.
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While we're discussing frame paint, I'm doing the G/S this winter and will be using PJ1 'fast black' It's an 'epoxy' in a rattle can ( of course real epoxy paint as we know it, requires the mixing of two seperate components). It seems pretty tough, though. I've used it on fork sliders wth good results. I finished painting the swing arm last week. Stripped it mostly to bare metal, removing all rust, retaining a bit of original paint (heavily rubbed down) here and there, used 'acid 8' etch primer, undercoat. Looks a nice silk finish. And the great benefit of paint over powder coat, I can retouch it when neccessary.
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And the great benefit of paint over powder coat, I can retouch it when neccessary.
The original factory finish is paint, not powdercoat. And I don't get the idea yours was powder, otherwise you'd have complained about how much trouble it was to remove. And rather than feathering and blending the old covering, you'd have stripped it all.
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You've got hold of the wrong end of the paintbrush 'wirespokes' :) . My reply is not suggesting that powder coating has been applied in Munich,
I forgot to say, however, that the aforementioned PJ1 'fast black' 'gloss' paint', produces a finish which looks very similar to silk powder coating.
My G/S rear subframe does, in fact, have a nice, black silk powder coating, so, I am hoping this will match in quite nicely with the rest of the chassis when painting is complete. This may be a useful bit of info for other frame painters.
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Ah! I see the confusion now - it looked like you said you'd painted over powdercoat, when in fact you were saying why you liked paint better than powdercoat! :)