Timely post for me anyway, as I have my top end job completed and my RT is running pretty well now. My next step is to install new (to me) forward fairing bracket and dashboard. The dashboard appears to be riveted to the fairing or something. Don't know as I have not removed enough to see exactly how all that is put together. Love to see your tool in action.
There are two types of rivets. The copper rivets that hold the dash to the fairing, and the plastic ones that hold the windscreen to the fairing by going through the copper ones, IIRC. The tool is for the plastic ones. BMW has a special tool for the copper rivets, which I sadly do not have, sorry. The tool consists of two anvils, one of which supports the shaped portion of the rivet while the other side screws down onto the unshaped portion, shaping it in the process. When it's properly shaped it looks like one of those grommets used to secure tarps with and holds the dash to the fairing.
Here are the usual options for the R100RS fairing. I'm unsure if this applies at all to the RT. #1 is my preferred option. Cheap, 30 second install and removal, reusuable, sturdy and they do the job looking like they should be there. They're an autoupholstery fastener available from car shops and just push straight in. I've used them for years. #2 is a common choice. Nut and bolt. Tedious, takes forever to install/remove, can crack the screen, but doesn't need the copper rivets. #3 is oem. Tedious little sucker unless you really know how, or have the right tool. Not cheap for what they are, and from BMW dealers/suppliers only I'm guessing. The copper rivet can be installed and flared on the bike using a countersunk bolt/nut like shown. Easy as pie.
the stock rivets are crap. I used same exact (looking) rivets from McMaster Carr catalog, about a 1/3 of price of stock, and 10x easier to use with a simple rivet gun. part # 90219A330 http://www.mcmaster.com/ pack of 20 4$ (thanks Rapid Dog)
+1 on 1 . They also help fix the mandatory broken middle hole on the dash ... normally centre right .. to go with the broken hole on the windscreen. Now if they only invented a good windscreen gasket that you don't rip off three grommets every time you take it off.
After a long long time with a r65 with a totally discharged battery, yesterday i changed the battery and i went over the charging system to test one by one all the system Regulator, diode board,stator, housing, rotor, brushes... etc. everything was ok but with no AMP reading. So as i have another r100 i started to interchange one by one all the parts until i found again that everithing was ok but no charge. So i called a friend and he tell me that i only need to do is to polarize again the system and i only need to put a little positive current on the rotor. And that was it. 5 hour of work fixed in a few seconds.
Yes. Part number??? I have never seen a lawn and garden battery fit that DIDNT need the battery box altered juts a bit. Please share. Are you sure your battery box is stock and not altered?
If I'm not mistaken this is a procedure we did back in the '50's for Generators not for Alternators. I hope an electrical genius straightens this out. I'm certainly not one of those. It had to do with the Voltage regulator and I don't think it applies to the Airheads. Anybody?
I looked at an '86 R80 today that has some corrosion on the aluminum: the owner lives near the ocean. Do the wheels, lower fork legs, engine cases, etc clean up well? There's another bike FS locally that looks better and has lower mileage but is $1,000 more. But if the aluminum doesn't respond well to TLC it may be worth it.
See the first few pages of my build thread, another bike that lives near the ocean: http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=593047 It can be done and an easily maintainable finish achieved. Lotsa work the first time, though.
Does anyone have a decent replacement for the battery straps? Having 3 /5's, it seems most all of my straps have dry rotted or will soon need replacement. Any ideas welcome.
I don't know if you're familiar with www.bmwhucky.com but I got some battery straps from him for a resto project. He's a pretty good parts source. ...also, bungie cords/duct tape are pretty effective at most anything. *edit - I forgot to mention, Hucky's parts are discounted from the list price unless otherwise noted. The battery straps are marked $18.50, but ended up being like $11
How about some big honkin' zip ties wrapped completely around the battery box and battery? It's worked on my LS for a couple years now.
That works good, done that before. The bigger the better then you can release/reuse them. That's holding a much bigger battery in the garden tractor and that thing takes much more of a beating with me than most airheads ever do.
In the header there's a suggestion for great places to get parts, so here's mine... BMW bayer in Germany (google them). The service is exceptional, fast postage (to Australia anyway) great advice and I don't think there's a part they don't have. I can't recommend them highly enough.