Grumpy

[Ed Miller]

I guess I won't be riding the R65 for a while.  Wednesday I was riding home from work, and took a long route to go to Corvallis to pick up some stuff there.  When I got to the off-ramp from I-5, it wouldn't shift down to first, so I rode it all the way to Corvallis in what I figure is 4th gear.  It won't shift either direction.  An examination at one stop did not give me any clues, so my hypothesis for now is that spring in the shifter parts broke.  I was riding home fine in 4th, when about 4 miles from home the motor started cutting out.  Nice combination.  I limped to within a half mile of home, parked it out of the way for the night, and hiked home.  A neighbor helped me get it into and out of my pickup, so it's home in my garage waiting for me to begin the diagnostics.  

I am thinking the motor problem may be my right exhaust valve closing up, so that's what I'll check first.  

Back on my bicycle today.  It was too icy for the motorcycle anyway.

[Barry]

My bike only let me down once after I failed to tighten the points securing screw properly and they closed up leaving me without a spark and a 1.5 mile push home. It's what test rides are for - to learn how heavy your bike really is when being pushed up a long hill.

On reflection that should have been "I only let my bike down once"

[SCJJR65]

Yuck, bummer, dude.....

In times like these, it's OK to do the BMW (Bitch, Moan, & Whine) howl!   [smiley=bmw_smiley.gif]

Here's hoping the fix will neither be lengthy nor costly.  

[tvrla]

My bike only let me down once after I failed to tighten the points securing screw properly and they closed up leaving me without a spark and a 1.5 mile push home. It's what test rides are for - to learn how heavy your bike really is when being pushed up a long hill.

On reflection that should have been "I only let my bike down once"

I had a similar experience on a test ride - except I wasn't too bright back then. I lived on a bluff overlooking the river, and down about river level was a place called Swan Island. It was the original location of the Portland Airport, but at the time of my test ride was an industrial area. Of course - it died down there and it was a very long and difficult push getting it home! Turned out the fault that time was the condenser - only the second time a condenser ever caused me problems.

Ed, if you want to bring it up here, we could probably fix it in a couple hours.  

[montmil]

Ed, if you want to bring it up here, we could probably fix it in a couple hours.  

'Spokes is a true blue Airhead. [smiley=clap.gif]

The 8th Canon of the Airheads Beemer Club:
   Airheads like to share time, knowledge, parts, and camaraderie with other Airheads.

Ed, you gotta know 'Spokes is serious. Go for it. Eventually, you'll be able to pay it forward.

If this was some other forum, a helpful soul might volunteer to help load your bike and haul it to the $$$ dealer, if you'd just pick up his gas money.

[marcmax]

I learned about the Airhead sharing philosophy when I attended my first Airhead rally at a motorcycles only campground in the Smoky Mountains. Great spot but in the middle of nowhere.

Great time meeting new people and sharing stories. The next day (Sat) there were tech sessions showing valve adjusting, etc. What I would consider routine maintenance. A guy walked up and said for some reason his R100 wouldn't start.

Picnic tables were moved and a spot under the shelter was cleared for his bike. All the troubleshooting indicated a bad starter and the next thing I knew toolkits were brought out and somebody produced a spare starter out of their saddlebags. A short time later the bike was up and running. He was on his way with a note where to send the starter once he got his repaired.

[Ed Miller]

Thanks Terry!  I'll email you when I know more.  

[davidpdx]

It seems like I remember someone posting a link to a tool to deal with this problem. Anyone have the link? Might be worth having as driving home in 4th sounds possible but 2nd might not be.

[montmil]

It seems like I remember someone posting a link to a tool to deal with this problem. Anyone have the link? Might be worth having as driving home in 4th sounds possible but 2nd might not be.

I noted the discussion. Try Snowbum's site. That may have been the original source, IIRC.

[davidpdx]

Found it

http://bmwmotorcycletech.info/emergency-shifting-tool.htm

[montmil]

Found it

http://bmwmotorcycletech.info/emergency-shifting-tool.htm

Fast work, David.

Now, if we can score another cup of coffee for Ed, he can get to work.

[davidpdx]

A guy could get lost on Snowbum's site and never find his way back out. Lots of good info but you got to learn to read between the lines. IMHO

[Ed Miller]

I found the description of the tool OK, but don't have one. 4th gear wasn't bad for getting me home, but I never would have made it up my driveway in anything but first gear.  

It has been about 7 years and 40 some thousand milessince I had my gearbox rebuilt by Ted Porter.  He did replace the spring (pawl spring?) with what Snowbum says is the updated part.  

Right now it's till about 25 degrees F here, so I'm goin up in the woods to thin some more fir treesand get my workout before I don my insulated coveralls and mess with the bike.  I'm finishing my third cup of Irish Breakfast Tea now.

[davidpdx]

     Good luck on the trees and the bike. Is Irish Breakfast Tea anything like Irish Coffee? Sounds good on a cold day like today.