/5 /6 and /7 Airhead Design Blunders

[Duane Ausherman]

I stayed out of this issue just to see what would turn up. The list of what was wrong should be many times longer. As a BMW enthusiast first and owner of a BMW dealership that had the most service business of any in the USA, I feel qualified to add to this list. There is no reason for me to do it here, as I have a website devoted to this very issue.

In 1962 I went to a motorcycle shop in Cleveland and looked at all of the motorcycles available. They even had the Panther on the floor.

From my background in farm machinery, it was obvious that the only machine that had a chance to go touring was the BMW. I have never put it on a pedestal and never will. They were made by humans, plain and simple. grammar, oops

[Steve in Golden]

+1 on both side and centerstands on /7s. What were they thinking when they designed the sidestand? Hard to deploy and does not securely support the bike. The '78 R100/7 I used to own ("The Mule") fell over one morning while idling in the driveway on the sidestand as I was putting on my helmet, getting ready to go to work. The manky factory sidestand did not let it lean over very far and the vibration from the engine, plus the fact that it was (stupidly) parked facing slightly downhill, caused it to fall over. CRAP! I was bummed.

The centerstand mounting system is lame too, the bolts that hold it on tend to bind on the bushings as one is putting it on or taking it off the stand, so the bolts tend to rotate when they should stay put. After a while that will cause the lugs on the frame the bolts screw into to strip out. Soon, the centerstand won't stay on the bike! Had that happen to me on a ride to Las Vegas on my '78 R80/7 I used to have, had to have an emergency repair done to it. I think they used heli-coils which worked for a while but eventually I had to have new centerstand mounting lugs welded on.

[Ken in Oklahoma]

. . . The '78 R100/7 I used to own ("The Mule") fell over one morning . . .

Interesting name, "the Mule", or at least coincidental. That's the name a lady friend assigned to my '77 R100/7 many years ago. It was my first airhead (and which I still have). The name was a bit unflattering, but especially in it's "Havana Gold" (i.e. brown) livery, I couldn't argue that it wasn't fitting. I have hauled a lot of things on that bike over the years.


Ken

[Steve in Golden]

"The Mule" was the name bestowed on it by its former owner. He posts here sometimes under the handle "Rapid Dog".

BTW Ken I see you figured out how to update your avatar, I like it!

[tsa]

I'd like to nominate the clutch actuation radial roller bearing as used in my '78 R80/7; which I discovered after it failed, as they do, and left me without a working clutch a long way from home.

The BMW design engineers not only 1) accepted the existence of such a poor bearing design, but also 2) chose to include it in their clutch actuation system, in a bike that was supposed to be good, at the time.

That's No:1 on my list, IMNSHO far above the others mentioned in this thread!

[moosehead]

Handlebar turn signal switch - from all models (boxer) 74-95

First, it was on the left side (/5 and /6 style)horizontal left and right (?) or was it up and down, my memory fading

Then, on the right side (/7 on) up and down

Then 80's version - on left side - horizontal left and right

Then into the 90's - on BOTH sides - left for left and right for right

Why couldn't they just have come up with one system and use it --like the Japs....aaaarrrrgh

[Ken in Oklahoma]

I'd like to nominate the clutch actuation radial roller bearing as used in my '78 R80/7; which I discovered after it failed, as they do, and left me without a working clutch a long way from home.

The BMW design engineers not only 1) accepted the existence of such a poor bearing design, but also 2) chose to include it in their clutch actuation system, in a bike that was supposed to be good, at the time.

That's No:1 on my list, IMNSHO far above the others mentioned in this thread!

Welcome to the forum tsa. From the looks of your post I can see that you're not a newbie. I mean you're not so humble and you are critical of our hallowed airheads. Methinks you'll fit right in.


Ken

[Ken in Oklahoma]

BTW Ken I see you figured out how to update your avatar, I like it!

Thanks Steve. I nearly sprained my brain, but I got 'er done. I've learned a couple things in the process 65 x 65 pixels isn't very much. And the people I thought were fuzzy from looking at their avatars, probably aren't.


Ken, naturally fuzzy in Oklahoma

[tsa]

Ken in Oklahoma wrote:

Welcome to the forum tsa. From the looks of your post I can see that you're not a newbie. I mean you're not so humble and you are critical of our hallowed airheads. Methinks you'll fit right in.

Many thanks for the warm welcome, Ken!

I like my airhead, despite some minor shortcomings. And also fettling it, including rebuilding the gearbox; which was something I knew was going to be needed sooner or later. Unlike the thrust bearing collapse, which took me by surprise.

I think the balance is about right; you look after your airhead, and it will remain your faithful friend.

[Steve in Golden]

BTW Ken I see you figured out how to update your avatar, I like it!

Thanks Steve. I nearly sprained my brain, but I got 'er done. I've learned a couple things in the process 65 x 65 pixels isn't very much. And the people I thought were fuzzy from looking at their avatars, probably aren't.


Ken, naturally fuzzy in Oklahoma

I'm feeling a bit fuzzy right now too, I'm ready for beer:30! Or something.

Actually I think 95 X 95 pixels is the max size for an avatar here on Boxerworks, the coolest place on the web. Yours is 93 x 92 pixels so pretty close to as big as it can be. Your avatar is being all it can be.