airhead parts - the dark secrets revealed

[DoktorT]

Originally Posted by Lomax

thanks for the advice. The clearance issue is with the bigger pipes the stand mounting bracket will not fit within 1/4 inch of the engine mount.

My latest thought is to take some flat stock and mount it between the front and rear engine mounts. Then mount the side stand to the plate.

You also have a good idea with moving the mounting bolt over more to the left side and using a spaced. I will look into that.

Marc

I installed a Brown on my 79 RS. The stock bolt will work, but leaves one thread unloaded on each side. Not long enough to add any extra washers or spacers. Also, after installing I was have all kind of issues getting into 1st gear. The shift lever was hitting the Brown mount plate. The later Browns have a nicely curved relief in the plate to prevent this. I massaged mine with a grinder to provide clearance and all is well.

[wirewrkr]

Originally Posted by DoktorT

I installed a Brown on my 79 RS. The stock bolt will work, but leaves one thread unloaded on each side. Not long enough to add any extra washers or spacers. Also, after installing I was have all kind of issues getting into 1st gear. The shift lever was hitting the Brown mount plate. The later Browns have a nicely curved relief in the plate to prevent this. I massaged mine with a grinder to provide clearance and all is well.

Actually, the later ones do NOT have a relief in them.
That has been an issue for several years now.
Browns was not real concerned and indicated to me when we spoke that there wouldn't be any changes made to this.

[DoktorT]

Originally Posted by wirewrkr

Actually, the later ones do NOT have a relief in them.
That has been an issue for several years now.
Browns was not real concerned and indicated to me when we spoke that there wouldn't be any changes made to this.

I'm just shaking my head in disgust. The manufacturer knows of the problem, but still sells it to the masses. Machine time ain't cheap, but that divot can be automated (CNC) and they could spit them out right at about 30 seconds machine time each. Manually it could be done by any journeymen in 5 minutes.

The have done it. Cruised around the Redmond rally last year specifically looking for Brown stands on /7's. Saw a few like mine, owner install with the ground out area. Then I saw looking near new, a chrome Brown with the divot requied perfectly radiused. I thought oh, good, they are making them right now.

Why would they revert back to WRONG?? To save $2 machine time?? Fouling the shifter can become very dangerous. It's not just engaging 1st, it also affects downshifting at speed in higher gears.

[wirewrkr]

Originally Posted by DoktorT

I'm just shaking my head in disgust. The manufacturer knows of the problem, but still sells it to the masses. Machine time ain't cheap, but that divot can be automated (CNC) and they could spit them out right at about 30 seconds machine time each. Manually it could be done by any journeymen in 5 minutes.

The have done it. Cruised around the Redmond rally last year specifically looking for Brown stands on /7's. Saw a few like mine, owner install with the ground out area. Then I saw looking near new, a chrome Brown with the divot requied perfectly radiused. I thought oh, good, they are making them right now.

Why would they revert back to WRONG?? To save $2 machine time?? Fouling the shifter can become very dangerous. It's not just engaging 1st, it also affects downshifting at speed in higher gears.

If it was chrome it was a copy, unless some crazy bastard spent the money.
Browns were not chromed. Luftmeister copies were.

[DoktorT]

Originally Posted by wirewrkr

If it was chrome it was a copy, unless some crazy bastard spent the money.
Browns were not chromed. Luftmeister copies were.

Yes, it had all the appearance of the Brown but chrome of the quality expected of good process. Luftmeister must have got permission/license to do their production. Sounds like that is what it was, then Luftmeister improved the design with the proper relief and chrome finish. In all other ways it looked exactly like the Brown.

Also, there would be no great difficulty in taking a brown, adding the relief properly on a mill and having it chromed.

[wirewrkr]

Originally Posted by DoktorT

Yes, it had all the appearance of the Brown but chrome of the quality expected of good process. Luftmeister must have got permission/license to do their production. Sounds like that is what it was, then Luftmeister improved the design with the proper relief and chrome finish. In all other ways it looked exactly like the Brown.

Also, there would be no great difficulty in taking a brown, adding the relief properly on a mill and having it chromed.

Luftmeister, Getting permission to copy something?
Ask Craig Vetter about that sometime.
Pack your lunch, you'll be there awhile.

[Lomax]

i have been looking at ways to mount my Browns side stand and have just about come to the conclusion that if I want it on the bike, the exhaust is going to have to go back to stock. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

Marc

[Beemerboff]

Have a non stock stand on all my bikes - the Browns on my R75/7 is the least satisfactory.

I have a right hand side 2 into 1 exhaust , so the Micky Mouse idea of clamping a structural support to the exhaust pipe was a non starter.

Wasnt hard to rig up a bracket back to the frame but remember it turns the opposite way srom what you would think when it is loaded, that is the LH end goes up.

My secong grouse is the light springand poor geometry on the stand - if I kick the stand down the frigging thing bounces back up again !

The best stand I have seen is the one on my G/S made by a inmate here and sold on the vendors forum.

The mounting plate for the stand is threaded for the engine mount bolt so the existing bolt is plenty long enough , and the front of the mount plate extends forward and is bolted to the pivot bolt for the G/S footrest, secure and safe.
The spring geometry and strength are better than the Brown too - clunks solidly down and up , with no hint of a bounce.

[brentde3]

Anybody know where one might find a replacement cylinder base o-ring for a 1976 R90/6 without resorting to ordering from a parts place? How about the cylinder stud o-rings? (I assume those are easier to find at an auto-parts joint.)

I've got NAPA and Advance Auto and various other hardware and auto-parts houses around. The nearest Beemer dealer is a four-hour round trip and I really don't want to wait for the UPS guy.

Thanks!

[wirewrkr]

Originally Posted by brentde3

Anybody know where one might find a replacement cylinder base o-ring for a 1976 R90/6 without resorting to ordering from a parts place? How about the cylinder stud o-rings? (I assume those are easier to find at an auto-parts joint.)

I've got NAPA and Advance Auto and various other hardware and auto-parts houses around. The nearest Beemer dealer is a four-hour round trip and I really don't want to wait for the UPS guy.

Thanks!

There is no cylinder base Oring on a 76.
If you've got one PLEASE shoot a pic and share!
BMW used just the stud Orings until mid to late 80, when they introed the base orings.

[airheadpilot]

Originally Posted by wirewrkr

There is no cylinder base Oring on a 76.
If you've got one PLEASE shoot a pic and share!
BMW used just the stud Orings until mid to late 80, when they introed the base orings.

There was, however, a base gasket on the older bikes. The base gasket was replaced by the base o-ring from 1981-on.

Andrew

[wirewrkr]

Originally Posted by airheadpilot

There was, however, a base gasket on the older bikes. The base gasket was replaced by the base o-ring from 1981-on.

Andrew

Not true.
The standard 76 to 80 models did not use a base gasket either.
There was one available from BMW to lower compression when pinging occurred. But not from the factory. Basically cylinder was glued directly to the case.

[Jim K in PA]

Originally Posted by wirewrkr

There is no cylinder base Oring on a 76.
If you've got one PLEASE shoot a pic and share!
BMW used just the stud Orings until mid to late 80, when they introed the base orings.

My '79 R100T with a build date of 12/78 has cylinder base o-rings. FWIW.

[wirewrkr]

Originally Posted by Jim K in PA

My '79 R100T with a build date of 12/78 has cylinder base o-rings. FWIW.

Interesting. My 80 R100T shortblock does not have the cutout for the orings. It has build date of 11/79
Here a couple of shot of what they are supposed to look like.
This first pic is a 93 GS block.

[wirewrkr]

1980 R100T Block, build date 11/79