The New And Improved Unofficial R65 Forum V2
Technical Discussion => BMW Technical Q&A, Primarily R65 => Topic started by: DgM on July 18, 2012, 07:53:34 PM
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I wrote earlier post - haunted gearbox - as shift lever was moving in spooky manner. Then I attached a pen to gearbox case, attached a card onto frame so pen would write upon it, and rode a mile. Shift lever moved in spooky manner. Arriving home I examined card. Sure enough, line just over 1/2" long drawn by pen. Shouldn't be any movement, as engine is solidly mounted to frame. Movement of engine in relation to frame pulls on gear lever, making gear lever appear to be moving on its own. Engine mounts on left side seem solid enough, mounts on right side iffy.
Anyone out there have a frame that cracked? Or is my engine case cracking? Or just twisting?
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Which direction is the shift lever moving, in an up and down motion, as in during shifting?
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The shift lever moves down, as in downshifting, anti-clockwise when looking from the left. Engine seems to be revolving around transmission output shaft...
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My first thought is those funky anti-vibration dampers guys were installing years ago. Get rid of those suckers! NOW!
So check to see if you've got solid spacers between the frame and engine. Guys have bent or cracked their frames cranking down the engine bolts with those things installed. It was a bad idea and don't know that they ever really worked.
It might be that all you need to do is source the correct metal spacers and all will again be golden.
But giving it more consideration, the engine shouldn't tilt even with those funky soft spacers. You'd better take a closer look and get back to us.
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I would have thought that a cracked frame, very loose mounts or anything else allowing that degree of movement would announce itself through substantially increased vibration levels.
I'd also be looking at gearbox to engine fixings and wear in the gear lever pivot.
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Engine spacers are solid, not those rubbery doo-dads. On straight smooth roads handling okay up to 60 mph, then bike gets wobbly, on grooved highway bike unsettled at almost any speed, 55+mph curves produce wallow, thought it was rear shocks. Handling symptoms of worn wheel bearings, super flexi frame. Engine should not be moving within frame at all. Transmission continues to shift beautifully. I believe the engine/trans is being torqued, lifting, twisting. Have to rig up manner to hold bike so centerstand is not support - as it is tied into engine mounts - and lift engine with jack. Of course this happens during prime riding season.
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I can't imagine it being too difficult discovering what's moving and where, especially with that much movement!
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Checked frame from front to back, top to bottom, unbolted engine from mounts, checked mounts, nary a crack anywhere. Short ride, trans shifts fine, shift lever still moving. If gearbox has internal breakage, would it continue to shift so well? I think not. So...how and what is twisting engine/trans combo? Seems like only thing left is swing-arm. If swing-arm bearings were in very poor shape, could swing-arm move, twisting engine/trans combo? I'm thinking right side swing-arm bearings allowing vertical movement, swing-arm ties to trans, twisting occurs. Don't have cut down socket to take swing-arm apart. Perplexed.
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DgM - The engine mounts solidly into the frame, and the transmission mounts solidly to the engine.
The swingarm won't affect the transmission or engine the slightest.
If the engine rotates in the frame, there's something wrong with the mountings - either the engine, the through-bolts, or the frame lugs.
And if the engine/trans aren't rotating in the frame, and the shifter is working all by itself, there's something weird going on in your transmission.
We need more data to sort this out - just not enough to go on here! I'm sure as soon as you're able to give us something concrete, you'll have figured out what's up.