K11 Owners Group

owrstrich · Last edited by owrstrich on Sun Nov 18, 2007 11:43 pm; edited 1 time in total

more later... got to go get this thing installed...

owrstrich
_________________
yeeeeeehaaaaaaa...

rydor · Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 11:19 pm Post subject:

Congrats Johnny Smile

I know you've wanted one for months

BlackHoof · Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 11:39 pm Post subject:

Cool new handling improvement device.

Just what exactly did you tell them was the
weight to build this shock for, if you don't mind
me asking....
_________________
Kent

'93 K1100LT- Blurple Colored
Lucky # 887
'27 Bugatti Replica/Kit Car-Dark Purple
'05 Suzuki Brugman/Russell Seat...

owrstrich · Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 11:41 am Post subject:

humm hoof... you will get that info in 21 more minutes...

our rear shock has been slowly poooooping out to the point where we were bottoming and topping regularly... the back end has been constantly unsettled... so i called works with all the info to place the order... front fork springs in stock... rear shock 2 week delivery...

i really needed them by the nov 16th because i got this old independent german wrench who on the nov 17th... the day before ho goes back to germny for 4 weeks... is going to replace my steering head bearings and drop in the works fork springs in attempt to alleviate the 40mph wobble we suddenly got after getting a new front tire...

i wanted to get the rear shock on there before taking it to the old german so the suspension is proper for him... other than its hideous looks and occasional jb weld... i want it to be straight for him...

i called works on monday and they said the shock required beyond normal engineering for my solo weight and our combined weight which was taking longer than expected... they sent the front spring on monday which i received on tuesday... so i was thinking the rear shock will have to wait and the old german wont have the benefit of having a proper rear suspension when he does the work and looks at the wobble...

well... we get back on the 16th and there was the box... they did it... just like they said... works got it to me on the 16th like i had requested...

this may not seem like a time for rejoicing... but i gotta tell you my experiences lately with bmw shops and tire manufactures and other manufacturers left me feeling a little indifferent to those whos lips are moving to hear themselves talk...

i got the reak shock on last night... in the hotel parking lot... in the dark... but since i have exceptional mechanical skill is was a breeze... other than proper torque on the bolts we got it adjusted... what a difference on out little test ride... so now im off to the old germans place... ill have him torque the rear shock bolts and do all the other work... avon has agreed to send me another front if i still have the wobble after all this...

we will keep you informed as to how all this works out...

hoof... i called them many weeks ago... they wanted to know % of 1 up riding and % of 2 up riding... rider weight and passenger weight... riding style and % of slab... they said they took the oem weight plus 70 for the bike... they said its engineered to the closed 20lbs... thats when i suggested i weigh the bike as its ridden 100% of the time... the actual weight was just 20lbs off of their oem + 70 number... so they know their chit about what to use as a rule of thumb...

the bug eye brick... as pictured on the scale... with a full tank of diesel... 4 bug eyes and r b r light bar... tank bag full of layers of gear... side bags with 4 full water bottles each and basic survival gear... the bung full of tools... and the top case full of whatever she puts back there... 1500lbs on the scale... fyi... the works experience has been a good one for a change...

cai

owrstrich
_________________
yeeeeeehaaaaaaa...

owrstrich · Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 3:56 pm Post subject:

wow...

i pull behind this dingy building in the industrial part of long beach ca...

slam... a dead bolt is thrown open.... a steel door creeks open... i hear from the dark space... in a broken english with german accent... i heard your brick from the front...

im thinking there aint no way anybody heard the brick from anywhere... roll it in he says... the overhead opens and there stands a tall lanky man in the dark... i roll it in... all the way up front... thats good he says as the bike is under a 40w light bulb hanging from the ceiling...

he says take all the bags off... put it on the center stand... i do and he walks over where i can see his face and he says this is the best k bike... i look around at the 20 something bmws around the darkeners in various states of cannibalism... he syas i restore bmw... i like making them perfect...

im thinking yeah... my bike is not and will never be perfect... chit man... its got bug eyes for heavens sake... he walks around front and says whats this... i say driving and fog lights... he mumbles something like ads on while shaking his head... i hand him the steering head bearings and the fork springs... he touches the handle bars and says the bearing is loose and is notched... he rolls the front wheel and says its straight but the tire is flat...

i said i got 40lbs in there... he checked... he said yes... 40psi but the tire is flat instead of round... he rolls the back wheel and says the same thing about the rear tire... i explained to him these tires have the dual compound and that they have always been that way... the front has 1k on it... the rear has 6k but lots o tread... he said doesnt matter... the tires must be replaced... he made me promise i would get the tires replaced next week before proceeding...

he proceeded to talk about tires... suspension... geometry... all kinds of bike engineering stuff... i took it all in... nodding my quickly spinning head... wow... what an experience... he said i get the bike back when its perfect... i asked when that would be... he said 10am tomorrow...

i was almost to my truck when i spotted a guy with a nekked k75 parked out back... wow... that thing was a beauty... i told him the guy inside really seemed to know his chit... he told me that guy was on the original k design team in germany and knew absolutely everything about the k75 k100 k1100 bikes... he was just tired of the booshee at the factory level so he moved to the dealer level and was caught up in even more booshee...

so now he is doing what he loves to do... restoring and wrenching on old r bikes and k bikes...

i walked back into the dark space to leave my phone number... dang... he already had it all apart... under that 40w light bulb... i told him i would leave my cell number so he could call me if anything came up... he said nothing will come up... come back at 10am tomorrow and your bike will be perfect...

we shall see how this unfolds... more later...

owrstrich
_________________
yeeeeeehaaaaaaa...

owrstrich · Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2007 11:34 pm Post subject:

i picked up the bug eye brick from the old german wrench today as planned......

1st the works rear shock really settled down the rear end... 1 up has a setting and 2 up has a setting... got ot all set up... the change for the better is profound... wow...

the steering bearings were notched and the grease was all dried up... i am amazed how much easier it steers now... those f ed up steering head bearings really had a negative impact on the front end... amazing change for the better...

the old guy did not install the works front springs... he checked it all out and said my front end was good... he had it all apart and even polished the tubes all the way to the top... he did replace that 7.5wt oil the folks in idaho put in by mistake... he used the 10wt oil i brought with me... i could feel the difference between the 7.5 and the 10... it was ever so slight but the front end is straight and true and tight the way it used to be...

however... i still have the front tire wobble... i have enough miles on it now to see a pronounced strip of rubber in the center that is wearing differently than the sides... exactly opposite as the tire that was replaced under warranty with a bad left side radial...

check this out... with the bike on the center stand the back tire will spin... but he pointed out that after it gets hot it rubs the swing arm... he showed me that the rear tire would spin when cold... then after a 1/4 hour on the slab it would not spin... it is rubbing ever so slightly and i can actually see the shiny line on the side of the tire now...

he said that this dual rubber compound concept isnt working for me... he said the sidewalls have given up... squishing the tire flatter than intended... causing the rub once it expands after some miles... it maybe because most of our riding is 2 up with loaded boxes... but he thinks its a tire problem... it was rubbing 1 up after only 15 minutes on the slab... he told me about the dual compound concept failing miserably years ago and he thinks it does not have much of a chance succeeding on heavier bikes this time around...

so... i have had a 100% positive experience... my first with a bmw wrench... im going back to the midwest for 3 weeks at christmas... im going to leave it at his shop... he is going to go through it with a fine toothed mustache comb and give me a priority list... he said its really in good mechanical shape does not foresee needing any work to speak of... except for poking out the bug eyes of course...

im having the house of handlebars install pilot roads on wednesday... http://www.houseofhandlebars.com/

crazy aint it...

owrstrich
_________________
yeeeeeehaaaaaaa...

BlackHoof · Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 11:09 am Post subject:

I love a good read...

Keep us posted on the mini series....

I'm sorry I called your bike hideous....

Happy T-Day, everyone
_________________
Kent

'93 K1100LT- Blurple Colored
Lucky # 887
'27 Bugatti Replica/Kit Car-Dark Purple
'05 Suzuki Brugman/Russell Seat...

owrstrich · Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 9:54 pm Post subject:

got new pilot roads installed this morning... then slabbed it to what has become our regular ride... the santiago canyon area... theres donkeys down in there you know...

i know new tires always feel good... but after the nightmare i have had with the avons... im back to straight and true and smooth at all speeds... i forgot what it was like to have a proper riding machine...

avon said they would send me another set of tires... but you know... this would have been my 3rd set since may... i just aint messing with them anymore... i can say they do stand behind their product... their service and interaction is good... its just there product that was not working for us...

owrstrich
_________________
yeeeeeehaaaaaaa...

rydor · Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 11:36 pm Post subject:

Glad the pilot roads work for you... it's a great tire imo.

Klinker · Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 12:51 am Post subject: