R1150 RS and RT -- is one inherently smoother than the other?

[another David]

(and can these engines ever be made to run smoothly)

 

Can anyone tell me if, all things being equal, the engines on these two bikes should be able to attain the same level of smoothness? Or are they in "different states of tune" (and what does that mean?), which precludes any useful comparison?

 

Also, are 1150 motors rougher than R1100 motors? If so, why?

 

One of the reasons I ask is that, regardless of the proximity to a tune-up, my RS has never delivered the kind of smoothness I've read about here and other places. (And, yes, I know that my interpretation of someone's written word about his/her impression of a motor vs. my thinking about my experience with my bike is not a great foundation for, say, rules, but it's not bad for conversation.)

 

It could be as simple as never having gotten a throrough tune-up, but I think the guys at my shop do a decent job. I do wonder, though, if "that's all there is" and "they all do that", or if I'm somehow missing out on Boxer Nirvana.

 

Thanks.

David

 

'04 R1150RS with 27k and counting...

[T__]

(and can these engines ever be made to run smoothly)

 

Can anyone tell me if, all things being equal, the engines on these two bikes should be able to attain the same level of smoothness? Or are they in "different states of tune" (and what does that mean?), which precludes any useful comparison?

 

Also, are 1150 motors rougher than R1100 motors? If so, why?

 

One of the reasons I ask is that, regardless of the proximity to a tune-up, my RS has never delivered the kind of smoothness I've read about here and other places. (And, yes, I know that my interpretation of someone's written word about his/her impression of a motor vs. my thinking about my experience with my bike is not a great foundation for, say, rules, but it's not bad for conversation.)

 

It could be as simple as never having gotten a throrough tune-up, but I think the guys at my shop do a decent job. I do wonder, though, if "that's all there is" and "they all do that", or if I'm somehow missing out on Boxer Nirvana.

 

Thanks.

David

 

'04 R1150RS with 27k and counting...

 

David, I can’t comment on the difference between the 1150 RT & RS as I haven’t ever owned an RS.. I can comment on the 1150 vs 1100 smoothness.. In my limited experience my 1100 was much smoother than my 1150.. My old 1100 was also much smoother than both of my friends 1150’s..

 

Part of that could be due to the different engine computers as my 1100 had the 2.2 Motronic & my 1150 & my friends 1150’s have the 2.4 Motronic.. The 1100 was very easy to get a smooth running engine with a TPS adjustment & pulling the CCP.. To get even close on my 1150 I needed to install an aftermarket fuel control unit (the Teclusion 259 unit).. I just couldn’t cheat the TPS on the 2.4 system (it has learning ability) & playing with different CCP’s or removing it completely seemed to give me weaker spark maps that didn’t leave the engine operating smoothly across the entire operating range.. With the aftermarket fuel controller the 1150 is much smoother as far as fuel control goes but still has a lot of vibration harshness in some ranges & feels a bit noisier..

 

Part of the difference could also be in the transmission differences.. The 1100 had the 5 speed with the “O” ring tightened gears so is was whisper quiet & didn’t rattle like my 1150 -6 speed does.. The shifting is better on the 6 speed but the sound quality isn’t as good..

 

Obviously the larger pistons & more power in the 1150 makes it a bit harsher right from the get-go.. It seems the 1200 was even worse yet as BMW went to internal balance shaft to smooth those babies out..

 

Personally, I would gladly trade the 1150 engine in my 1150 RT for the 1100 I had that was totaled.. In fact I even liked the older 5 speed better except at 80+ mph.. I bought my old bike back from the insurance company & if I ever have engine problems with my 1150 will see if I can install that engine..

 

Twisty

[ShovelStrokeEd]

No difference between an RS and RT except for tupperware.

 

Yes they can be made smooth but, for how long and over what range of RPM becomes the big question. Vibration has never much bothered me so I rarely worrry about it until the fillings stop popping out of my teeth. A twin, regardless of configuration is going to vibrate more than a four. It is a fact of life one learns to accept.

[Don_Eilenberger]

Twisty wrote:

Part of that could be due to the different engine computers as my 1100 had the 2.2 Motronic & my 1150 & my friends 1150’s have the 2.4 Motronic.. The 1100 was very easy to get a smooth running engine with a TPS adjustment & pulling the CCP.. To get even close on my 1150 I needed to install an aftermarket fuel control unit (the Teclusion 259 unit).. I just couldn’t cheat the TPS on the 2.4 system (it has learning ability) & playing with different CCP’s or removing it completely seemed to give me weaker spark maps that didn’t leave the engine operating smoothly across the entire operating range.. With the aftermarket fuel controller the 1150 is much smoother as far as fuel control goes but still has a lot of vibration harshness in some ranges & feels a bit noisier..

 

Interesting discussion since I'm struggling with getting my R1150RS smooth enough that I can ride it. When I got it - it apparently had been sitting on a dealership floor with fuel in the tank - for 5-6 months. And I dunno how old that fuel was when it went on the floor.

 

I did multiple valve adjusts and TB syncs (with a TwinMax) to no avail. The valves were about perfect when I started and absolutly perfect when I got done. No real difference.

 

What I finally found was unplugging the CCP made it vibrate a LOT less - like a non-twin-spark 2003 a fellow club member has and was kind enough to let me ride.

 

That gave me the hint - so last weekend I spent some quality time draining the tank, replacing the fuel filter, and cleaning the remains of brown gas out of the tank (it was about the color of Bass Ale.. - and that was after going through 2 tanks of fuel..)

 

That helped. Quite a bit. I ended up putting a jumper across 87-30 - which is the same as a yellow (and apparently lime-green) CCP... which the dealer's service manager said they used when they couldn't get cruisers to run right. Better - and almost rideable - but not as good as I'd hoped for.

 

Some conversations with Paul Glaves revealed he had similar problems with his 1150.. but found it was very sensitive to fuel, and apparently fuel quality.

 

That got me thinking that the biggest reason for the vibes is probably a very lean mixture.

 

Last night - on the way to a local club meeting, I needed gas, so I got Sunoco Ultra-94. One of those changes I could feel before even leaving the gas station. Paul had mentioned this - he could tell if he got good gas or bad gas before he went 40 feet.

 

So - I ordered a Techlusion TFI1032-259, and will be playing with the mixture a bit to see what can be done. The 259 keeps the O2 sensor "in-loop" but does some offsetting to tell the Motronic that the mixture really isn't getting richer so the Motronic doesn't try to lean it out again.

 

My hope is - this will smooth it out, and your posting reinforces that hope..

Twisty

[T__]

Don,

 

 

- “so last weekend I spent some quality time draining the tank, replacing the fuel filter, and cleaning the remains of brown gas out of the tank (it was about the color of Bass Ale.. - and that was after going through 2 tanks of fuel..)”

 

You might have to pull the fuel injectors & test their spray pattern & quantity injected. With that much sour fuel in it the injectors might be partially plugged or spraying an odd pattern..

 

“That helped. Quite a bit. I ended up putting a jumper across 87-30 - which is the same as a yellow (and apparently lime-green) CCP... which the dealer's service manager said they used when they couldn't get cruisers to run right. Better - and almost rideable - but not as good as I'd hoped for.”

 

I tried about all the jumper configurations on my 02 1150 RT & while the olive green configuration did help the surging issue (in the light throttle low load range) it had issues in other RPM/load bands.. Same with just pulling the CCP completely, it forced open loop but didn’t run as clean in some areas of the RPM/power band.. Finially returned to the Pink CCP configuration & it ran better three except in the light throttle closed loop mode.. The Teclusion fixed (well at least modulated) that area..

 

“Some conversations with Paul Glaves revealed he had similar problems with his 1150.. but found it was very sensitive to fuel, and apparently fuel quality.”

 

Yes, those large piston boxers seem to be real critical to lean fuel ratios & 14.7:1 seems to be too lean for them in some operating areas. .Therefore gas with alcohol really stands out..

 

“That got me thinking that the biggest reason for the vibes is probably a very lean mixture.”

 

“Last night - on the way to a local club meeting, I needed gas, so I got Sunoco Ultra-94. One of those changes I could feel before even leaving the gas station. Paul had mentioned this - he could tell if he got good gas or bad gas before he went 40 feet.”

 

That is strange as Sunoco 94 has alcohol in it.. Also, both alcohol containing fuel & premium fuel are slightly harder to ignite so should be worse in the lean-critical boxer twin.. It should have run worse but not an immediate response.. Alcohol is a great fuel system cleaner so I wonder if the alcohol in the gasoline was helping the injectors self clean..

 

“So - I ordered a Techlusion TFI1032-259, and will be playing with the mixture a bit to see what can be done. The 259 keeps the O2 sensor "in-loop" but does some offsetting to tell the Motronic that the mixture really isn't getting richer so the Motronic doesn't try to lean it out again.”

 

Actually the 259 doesn’t keep the 02 in loop (it really can’t).. It only keeps the 02 in loop below 1500 RPM’s & I believe above 4500 RPM’s.. But the Motronic doesn’t seem to use the 02 above 4500 so that is a moot point.. If it used the 02 for fuel control the 02 would keep pulling any fuel out that the Teclusion added so it wouldn’t gain anything..

 

The ONLY way that Teclusion could use a real 02 signal is if it were a wide band 02 (the BMW 02 isn’t).. I know their advertising is slightly misleading there as it does keep the 02 hooked up & does use it (the 02) for sure below 1500 RPM’s.. If you look at the way a narrow band 02 works it is really is more of a switch than a sensor.. Once you get either side of 14.7:1 it quickly looses it’s oxygen sensing resolution.. Therefore the only signal from that 02 that the computer is able to use is, is the 02 above or below .450v & how many times does it cross over that .450v toggle point per time period.. What that basically means is: you really can’t cheat that 02 signal easily.. If you try to cheat that 02 signal by sending a signal to the computer or adding injector pulse width the narrow band 02 will just go to the rich side or .450v & stay there.. If the computer sees that it will keep pulling the added fuel back out until the 02 goes lean again.. What the Teclusion does is intercept the original 02 signal & block that.. Then it sends it’s own fabricated 02 signal to the computer so the computer thinks all is well with the fuel/air ratio.. I’m not criticizing the Teclusion operation just stating the way it has to work.. Basically when the Teclusion takes control between 1500 RPM’s & 4500 RPM’s the engine can’t be running in CLOSED LOOP.. It can be running in CONTROLLED LOOP but not closed loop.. Closed loop means the 02 IS the fuel controlling factor..

 

 

 

“My hope is - this will smooth it out, and your posting reinforces that hope..”

 

My 2002 1150 RT does run much better with the Tecluison in operation.. I still think you have other issues though like injector spray pattern or ??

 

Twisty

[Don_Eilenberger]

Don,

 

You might have to pull the fuel injectors & test their spray pattern & quantity injected. With that much sour fuel in it the injectors might be partially plugged or spraying an odd pattern..

I've given thought to this - and almost did it several times.. will probably do it before the Techlusion gets installed.. New injectors are really pretty pricey, so I'd look to get these ones cleaned. There is a place near me that has done a reasonable job on K bike injectors for me..

 

I tried about all the jumper configurations on my 02 1150 RT & while the olive green configuration did help the surging issue (in the light throttle low load range) it had issues in other RPM/load bands..

 

It seemed about half-way between the pink and no CCP in vibration level.. and it does allow me to actually shift at a reasonable RPM (>4k) without shaking me to bits. I'd guess different bikes will react differently.

Same with just pulling the CCP completely, it forced open loop but didn’t run as clean in some areas of the RPM/power band.. Finially returned to the Pink CCP configuration & it ran better three except in the light throttle closed loop mode.. The Teclusion fixed (well at least modulated) that area..

I haven't tried putting the pink back in since I cleaned out the rotten gas. Should probably do that..

“Some conversations with Paul Glaves revealed he had similar problems with his 1150.. but found it was very sensitive to fuel, and apparently fuel quality.”

 

Yes, those large piston boxers seem to be real critical to lean fuel ratios & 14.7:1 seems to be too lean for them in some operating areas. .Therefore gas with alcohol really stands out..

 

 

“Last night - on the way to a local club meeting, I needed gas, so I got Sunoco Ultra-94. One of those changes I could feel before even leaving the gas station. Paul had mentioned this - he could tell if he got good gas or bad gas before he went 40 feet.”

 

That is strange as Sunoco 94 has alcohol in it.. Also, both alcohol containing fuel & premium fuel are slightly harder to ignite so should be worse in the lean-critical boxer twin.. It should have run worse but not an immediate response.. Alcohol is a great fuel system cleaner so I wonder if the alcohol in the gasoline was helping the injectors self clean..

It ignites less easily, but also burns slower if I understand how octane works.. which may be the reason it smoothed out a bit. And I'd already run 2 doses of Techron through the bike.. these helped a little but not a lot.

“So - I ordered a Techlusion TFI1032-259, and will be playing with the mixture a bit to see what can be done. The 259 keeps the O2 sensor "in-loop" but does some offsetting to tell the Motronic that the mixture really isn't getting richer so the Motronic doesn't try to lean it out again.”

 

Actually the 259 doesn’t keep the 02 in loop (it really can’t).. It only keeps the 02 in loop below 1500 RPM’s & I believe above 4500 RPM’s.. But the Motronic doesn’t seem to use the 02 above 4500 so that is a moot point.. If it used the 02 for fuel control the 02 would keep pulling any fuel out that the Teclusion added so it wouldn’t gain anything..

 

The ONLY way that Teclusion could use a real 02 signal is if it were a wide band 02 (the BMW 02 isn’t).. I know their advertising is slightly misleading there as it does keep the 02 hooked up & does use it (the 02) for sure below 1500 RPM’s.. If you look at the way a narrow band 02 works it is really is more of a switch than a sensor.. Once you get either side of 14.7:1 it quickly looses it’s oxygen sensing resolution.. Therefore the only signal from that 02 that the computer is able to use is, is the 02 above or below .450v & how many times does it cross over that .450v toggle point per time period.. What that basically means is: you really can’t cheat that 02 signal easily.. If you try to cheat that 02 signal by sending a signal to the computer or adding injector pulse width the narrow band 02 will just go to the rich side or .450v & stay there.. If the computer sees that it will keep pulling the added fuel back out until the 02 goes lean again.. What the Teclusion does is intercept the original 02 signal & block that.. Then it sends it’s own fabricated 02 signal to the computer so the computer thinks all is well with the fuel/air ratio.. I’m not criticizing the Teclusion operation just stating the way it has to work.. Basically when the Teclusion takes control between 1500 RPM’s & 4500 RPM’s the engine can’t be running in CLOSED LOOP.. It can be running in CONTROLLED LOOP but not closed loop.. Closed loop means the 02 IS the fuel controlling factor..

 

Interesting... good point on the narrow band crossover.. and you're right - that is how they have to be doing it.

 

“My hope is - this will smooth it out, and your posting reinforces that hope..”

 

My 2002 1150 RT does run much better with the Tecluison in operation.. I still think you have other issues though like injector spray pattern or ??

 

Twisty

Entirely possible that the spray pattern is fooked up.. the fuel filter had significant resistance to blowing through it.

 

Will report back in a few weeks when I know more (going away for several weeks.. unfortunately not on one of the bikes..)

[T__]

Don, one thing I should have mentioned above.. When I bought my last 1100 it ran fairly uneven at lower throttle settings & off idle.. After trying a lot of things I finally got around to checking the throttle body by-pass air brass screws & found those pretty heavily carboned up so I cleaned the screw tapers & used carb clean to clean the carbon from the screw seats down in the throttle bodies.. Then I checked the hose clamps on the throttle body mountings & found those slightly loose so I tightened those.. Doing those two things sure helped the light throttle control & smoothed out the idle & low cruise (didn’t help the closed loop surge much though)..

 

I presume you have pulled the #5 fuse for a few minutes to allow the Motronic to re-set after messing with the CCP?

 

Twisty

[moshe_levy]

Not to belabor the obvious, but this is all relative, of course. I just came off of 9 years with a Sportster 1200. Imagine sitting on a paint shaker - that's glass smooth compared to the 'ol Sporty. I imagine I could be riding the roughest Oilhead in history and not know enough to complain!

 

-MKL

[Don_Eilenberger]

Don, one thing I should have mentioned above.. When I bought my last 1100 it ran fairly uneven at lower throttle settings & off idle.. After trying a lot of things I finally got around to checking the throttle body by-pass air brass screws & found those pretty heavily carboned up so I cleaned the screw tapers & used carb clean to clean the carbon from the screw seats down in the throttle bodies.. Then I checked the hose clamps on the throttle body mountings & found those slightly loose so I tightened those.. Doing those two things sure helped the light throttle control & smoothed out the idle & low cruise (didn’t help the closed loop surge much though)..

 

BTDT with both. The screws and seats weren't bad at all, a bit of discoloration, but nothing ran off with the carb cleaner. The clamps are and were tight.

 

Dunno if I mentioned it - this bike was first owned by a gent named Joe Katz.. he used to own BMW of Daytona and is noted as one of the very best wrenches in the US for BMWs. He has retired, and spends a good part of the year going from BMW rally to BMW rally. I've found nothing mechanically wrong or misadjusted on the bike.. as I mentioned the valves were as close to perfect as I've ever seen, the inside of the valve covers had no buildup of gook or sludge on them. It appears Joe did maintain the bike well - but sitting seems to have caused some problems.

 

He sold the bike (apparently - a friend who saw him asked) because he didn't like the semi-linked brakes. Bought a new R1200ST without ABS/linked brakes.

I presume you have pulled the #5 fuse for a few minutes to allow the Motronic to re-set after messing with the CCP?

Twisty

Yup. Whenever I mess with the CCP and on the dual-plug - have to remember the throttle reset also after pulling the fuse.

[BeemeRandy]

I just traded in my 2002 R1150R (single-spark) on a 2004 R1150RT (twin-spark). The 1150R surged badly - in fact, I had just gotten a Techlusion R259, which I still have, new in box, and will probably offer for sale soon, because the RT is vastly smoother than my old R.

 

It sounds from the discussions I've read on this board and others that individual bikes, even of the same year and model, can feel and act very differently, but I think that in general, the twin-spark models do tend to be smoother running than older single-spark oilheads.

 

Randy

[Bob_Minor]

(and can these engines ever be made to run smoothly)

 

Can anyone tell me if, all things being equal, the engines on these two bikes should be able to attain the same level of smoothness? Or are they in "different states of tune" (and what does that mean?), which precludes any useful comparison?

 

 

David,

I rode an RS for a number of years and have ridden a number of freinds' RT's. I know exactly what you're talking about, I tried everything and could never make my RS as smooth as an RT. There are differences in the bikes beyond the tupperwear like the footpeg and handlebar mounts. These could have some effect but my guess is that the tupperwear itself may act as a big damper to quell some of the vibration. Something is certainly different that makes an RS feels "harsh" compared to an RT.

[GaryIF]

"Smooth" is a relative term. It's the same beast on both bikes. To the extent the motor is self-conscious and, therefore, affected by whether it's dressed or exposed....

[RBertalotto]

Do any of you folks have experience with tha San Jose BMW Twin Spark modification kit they offer for the singlev spark oil heads?

 

I had a 2000 R1100RS that I hated because of the vibration. I just bought (haven't picked it up yet) 2002 R1150RS and I'm hoping it's a little smoother than that "crack baby" R1100RS was.........

 

Thanks.......

[breyfogle]

Your results may turn out different, but most people who have owned both almost always say that the R1100 motor is smoother than the 1150 (assuming both are in an equal state of tune).

[SAAB93driver]

Your results may turn out different, but most people who have owned both almost always say that the R1100 motor is smoother than the 1150 (assuming both are in an equal state of tune).

 

I can speak from experience that statement is true. By 1150RS at the same mileage compared to my 1100RS vibrates more and my R850R was the smoothest of all of them.

[Don_Eilenberger]

And just as a followup - I got the Hudson Valley Motorsports heavy bar-ends.. and they ARE heavy (about 15oz each.) And they work. The frequency of the vibration is the same but the amplitude is less.. it makes the engine useable for comfortable cruising up to about 5,000 RPM... since I'm only doing under 4,000 in 6th at 80MPH, it seems these are worthwhile.

 

I now found I'm comfortable at 55-60MPH on backroads in 4th, where before I would usually upshift to 5th at around 50.

 

No affiliation except a satisfied customer..

 

http://www.hvmparts.com/bmw.htm

[glockster]

I just came off of 9 years with a Sportster 1200. Imagine sitting on a paint shaker - that's glass smooth compared to the 'ol Sporty. I imagine I could be riding the roughest Oilhead in history and not know enough to complain!

 

-MKL

 

Moshe, I totally agree. 6 years riding soft tails and electra glides, I often wonder if these BMW folks are just friggin nutz!

 

What vibration do they speak of?

[RSL]

A couple of things to consider in re smoothness:

 

On my RS at least, there were no rubber vibration dampeners attached to the cylinder head, under the valve covers. Perhaps these rubber dampeners were not installed in RS bikes. Look on the cylinder head of your RS and see if the rubber thingies are there.

 

Although mechanically the same bike and engine, the RT weighs ~95 lbs. more than the RS. This extra mass, coupled with greater creature comforts in seat and handlebars, would tend to dampen vibration more on the RT. The vibration may be there, you'd just feel it less.

[Don_Eilenberger]

A couple of things to consider in re smoothness:

 

On my RS at least, there were no rubber vibration dampeners attached to the cylinder head, under the valve covers. Perhaps these rubber dampeners were not installed in RS bikes. Look on the cylinder head of your RS and see if the rubber thingies are there.

What rubber dampers? Can you point these out on RealOEM.com ??

 

TIA!

[SAAB93driver]

A couple of things to consider in re smoothness:

 

On my RS at least, there were no rubber vibration dampeners attached to the cylinder head, under the valve covers. Perhaps these rubber dampeners were not installed in RS bikes. Look on the cylinder head of your RS and see if the rubber thingies are there.

 

Although mechanically the same bike and engine, the RT weighs ~95 lbs. more than the RS. This extra mass, coupled with greater creature comforts in seat and handlebars, would tend to dampen vibration more on the RT. The vibration may be there, you'd just feel it less.

 

My RS has some rubber blocks under the valve covers, I don't konw if that is what you are referring to.

 

The RS has rubber mounted bars, the RT does not.

 

The R1150RS vs R1100RS in the foot peg area the 1100 had much softer foot pegs which could account for some of the perception between the 2 bikes. I think the R1150RT still has the softer footpeg covers.

[RSL]

A couple of things to consider in re smoothness:

 

On my RS at least, there were no rubber vibration dampeners attached to the cylinder head, under the valve covers. Perhaps these rubber dampeners were not installed in RS bikes. Look on the cylinder head of your RS and see if the rubber thingies are there.

What rubber dampers? Can you point these out on RealOEM.com ??

 

TIA!

Go on Hammersley website for the R1100RS, part no. 11 on the "Camshaft Supporting Bracket" parts drawing. They call it part no. "11 33 1 341 619 rubber buffer." $3.43 each.

 

I never knew of such a thing 'til recently a mechanic pointed that out.

 

And, if a given vibration is applied to one bike, it will transmit said vibration through that machine according to the specifics of its geometry, mechanics, etc.. If the exact same vibration is applied to another machine otherwise identical but for an extra 95 pounds, the extra weight will absorb more of the vibration. Has to, per basic physics. Granted, there are some differences & variables between RS and RT machines beyond the extra weight of the RT, but that extra weight has gotta make a significant difference in and of itself.

 

My RS has the rubber mounted handlebars, which I like. I'll add the rubber blocks to the heads, now that I know about them. The rubber mounts under the seat could probably use an upgrade, as could renewal of the foot pegs. Proper tuning of the engine would not hurt, either.

[Don_Eilenberger]

What rubber dampers? Can you point these out on RealOEM.com ??

TIA!

Go on Hammersley website for the R1100RS, part no. 11 on the "Camshaft Supporting Bracket" parts drawing. They call it part no. "11 33 1 341 619 rubber buffer." $3.43 each.

 

I never knew of such a thing 'til recently a mechanic pointed that out.

Looked it up on realoem: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?...fg=30&hl=17 - this goes on the outside of the head? Where? Photo would be very nice..

And, if a given vibration is applied to one bike, it will transmit said vibration through that machine according to the specifics of its geometry, mechanics, etc.. If the exact same vibration is applied to another machine otherwise identical but for an extra 95 pounds, the extra weight will absorb more of the vibration. Has to, per basic physics. Granted, there are some differences & variables between RS and RT machines beyond the extra weight of the RT, but that extra weight has gotta make a significant difference in and of itself.

I agree entirely - which is also why my R1150RS has less vibration noticeable with a full tank of fuel.. as the fuel level goes down the vibration level goes up. The fuel is working as a mass and damping out vibes.

My RS has the rubber mounted handlebars, which I like. I'll add the rubber blocks to the heads, now that I know about them. The rubber mounts under the seat could probably use an upgrade, as could renewal of the foot pegs. Proper tuning of the engine would not hurt, either.

Please take pics of the mount position for the rubber blocks.. these have me all aquiver with the hope they're the final solution to the vibe problem..

[RSL]

Well, Don, don't get too aquiver just yet, cuz a.) I don't have the little rubber thingies on my bike yet, so ain't got no stinkin pics yet, either, and: b.) The Hammersley drawing shows a pretty small hunk o'rubber that apparently fits on the front side of the end-play thingy. It's hard to imagine those little rubber thingies would make all that much difference. That said, I'm gonna get some anyway.

 

Here's another idea that might help with vibration: Get some stick-on lead weights for wheel balancing, and put them on various strategic spots all over the bike. F'instance, if the mirror shells can be separated from the glass, a lead weight stuck in there would dampen the mirror vibrations pretty good. Likewise to prevent "sounding board" effect on the large tupperware parts, etc.. This effect is what makes string instruments like violins and guitars louder than the vibrating strings would be alone. I wonder if the windscreen also makes vibratory noise, focussed directly in your face. Extra rubber added to the seat mounts would help. Exhaust wrap on the headers would dampen the "tubular bell" effect somewhat, and make the engine more efficient.

 

A square foot or two of Dynamat, cut into smaller pieces and applied to the underside of the tupperware, migh help a bit.

[Rags]

My RS vibrates. Bad news /good news: That's the only way I know I'm in 5th, since I wear ear plugs.

 

I just got back from a 3,000 miler and I have carpol tunnel in my throttle hand. I have 1/4" foam around my throttle handle and wear winter gloves with padded palms. My guess is the lean over riding position contributes to my discomfort.

 

I had the valves and carbs synched before the trip - still does it. This motor is no match for my K75.

 

And yes, it misbehaves on bad gas.

[russell_bynum]

This motor is no match for my K75.

 

If your yardstick for a smooth-running motor is a K75, you're going to be dissapointed by pretty much every other motor out there.

[Don_Eilenberger]

If your yardstick for a smooth-running motor is a K75, you're going to be dissapointed by pretty much every other motor out there.

Absolutely right.. I rode my K75S over to it's new/old owner (a former owner bought it back..) on Saturday and marveled over how smooth that engine really is.. electric motor like is the only way to describe it. If it only had the power, ergonomics and handling of the RS it would be one super bike.. since it didn't, I sacrificed the almost magical smoothness of a K75 for other attributes. So far I'm OK with the tradeoff - I can ride all day again without pain on the RS, it had gotten so that wasn't easy for me to do on the K75S (my aging the cause, not the bike..)

[Rags]

This motor is no match for my K75.

 

If your yardstick for a smooth-running motor is a K75, you're going to be dissapointed by pretty much every other motor out there.

 

Boy you got that right, Russ..

[russell_bynum]

If it only had the power, ergonomics and handling of the RS it would be one super bike.

 

No kidding. The front end on the K75 was terrible and anytime you pushed the bike in the corners, it looked and felt like you were riding a slinky. Of course, that's not to say that there haven't been some fast mofos riding K75's. <coughPAUL MIHALKAcough>

 

If BMW made a twin-cam three cylinder 900cc K-bike with R11XXRS chassis/suspension, I'd be all over it.

[Bob_Minor]

If BMW made a twin-cam three cylinder 900cc K-bike with R11XXRS chassis/suspension, I'd be all over it.

 

For about three years now I've been saying a K90 triple with a state of the art chassis and at the low end of 500lbs (or even less) would be about as perfect a motorcycle as I can imagine.

[Rags]

++++++1