R65 BREATHER PIPES - EXPLANATION PLEASE

[Jeremy R65]

Gentlemen. I am still getting to know my new R65 and a few things look strange to me.  here is one. There is an overflow cum water drain pipe that emerges from under the fuel tank on the LHS (viewed from rear) but which stops, open ended, above the choke lever.  There is another pipe that runs from the top of the RHS pillion footrest mount, above what I presume to be the brake light switch, and up around the rear mudguard and then stops open ended near the tyre pump.  I cannot see the point of the latter one at all and was wondering if the two should be joined?  Advice welcomed.  Jeremy :-/

[donbmw]

The only two drain lines that are on all my bikes are the fuel tank drain and battery vent unless you have gone to a sealed battery.

Don

[Barry]

Mine's the same as Don's.

I don't recognise the one that runs from the top of the RHS pillion footrest at all.  Wet cell battery vent pipe if there is one will usually be on the left hand side.

[Bob_Roller]

A picture of what you have would be quite helpful, along with the model year of the bike .

I went out and looked at the bikes in the garage and the first is a fuel / water drain from the filler area of the fuel tank .

The second one is the battery vent, I've had sealed AGM batteries for so long, I forgot about the battery vent .

[montmil]

Be sure to add a hose to the tank drain stub. It's primary function is to collect and safely reroute gasoline that may splash during a fuel fill. Route it away from the engine, hot mufflers, headers. Through the years several Airheads have caught fire due to the drain line being awol. Another good reason to always dismount while fueling. A motorcycle can be replaced; your arse... maybe not so.

BTW, you may discover other small anomolies that we usually blame on POs. Previous Owners. [smiley=whistling.gif]

[Jeremy R65]

Thanks for that guys.  It is a 1980 R65. As it was not apparently doing anything, I have pulled the pipe out of the footrest mount that is shown in this pic.  Question - where should the fuel overflow pipe terminate? Mindful of Monte's point about self immolation,I suspect that it is not over the choke lever. Maybe a previous owner made the overflow go to the footrest, and I have merely to join the pipes again - but that dumps it on the brake light switch, which does not seem too clever either. I have a sealed battery with no pipe evident. Jeremy

[montmil]

Jeremy-   For my fuel overflow drain line, I sourced a small, nylon, 90-degree hose fitting from the hardware store. I never did like the vertical exit and most drain tubes are visible and kinda tacky looking.

A very short piece of neoprene tubing connects the tank pipe to one end of the nylon part. I found it necessary to sand off some of the barbed ends of the nylon component for a better/easier fit into the tubing.

From the tank, I ran the tubing back to the area of the pillion foot peg. I note in your photo that the hole in the peg's chassis bit shows the hole I used to secure the drain end. I did not enlarge the chassis hole but usded a short length of hard nylon tubing sold in hardware stores as a refrig's ice maker hookup. A snug fit; just right.

This places any fuel overflow aft of the engine and away from exhaust elements.

With a sealed battery, you can toss the loose tubing formerly attached to the battery's vent terminal.

[Jeremy R65]

Thanks Monte - I will do the same

[Tony Smith]

BTW, you may discover other small anomolies that we usually blame on POs. Previous Owners. [smiley=whistling.gif]

Some are lucky enough to have a PO

Others have the misfortune to have had an MPO  (moronic previous owner)

[Burt]

F***ing MPOs!!!  I have come across a few in my time.  I went to write a thread about a MPO of my K75C but it ended up being lost in space when posted.  Maybe he heard my swearing and somehow feared for his life.  Strangling him would be too kind!  

Oops, sorry about that chaps.  

Perhaps the tubing near the RHS is from the wet battery overflow drain line, possibly no longer in use.  Acid is not good for the frame paintwork.  

[Ed Miller]

BTW, you may discover other small anomolies that we usually blame on POs. Previous Owners. [smiley=whistling.gif]

Some are lucky enough to have a PO

Others have the misfortune to have had an MPO  (moronic previous owner)

Some of us (probably just I) have the misfortune to be my own MPO.  With my Triumph though, not so much with my R65.

[steve hawkins]

Jeremy,

Only just noticed, that you are just down the road from me.  I live in the much maligned Swindon town.

I would be willing to drop by for a cup of tea and give your bike a 'once over'. And answer any questions that I can.

Rev. Light

[Tony Smith]

And (just to prove I am a heartless bastard) you can tell him about why you are known as Rev Light .....:-)

[montmil]

And (just to prove I am a heartless bastard) you can tell him about why you are known as Rev Light .....:-)

[smiley=ROTFLMAO.gif]

[Jeremy R65]

Well, I met with Steve Hawkins and we had an enjoyable couple of hours talking bikes, BMWs and boats.  Rev Light?? He explained that; and it seems that my R65 has a rev light too - although I do not intend to illuminate it too often!