Scraping.....fairing?

[gottabmw]

Going around a tight right-hander - maybe a little too fast - scraped the fairing under the cylinder head. The only other thing to touch down was the outside sole of my boot. Looking at the bike, I wouldn't have thought that was possible. I wonder what the HD coming in the opposite direction thought.

[russell_bynum]

The normal order of contact on my RT (R1100RT) was:

Peg feeler

Lower fairing

Valve covers

 

Other stuff will touch down if your suspension is worn or you hit a bump/dip in the road...center stand, bellypan, etc.

 

Two thoughts:

1. After the lowers scrape, the valve covers are not far behind. At that point, you are out of lean and any attempt to tighten the turn (or if you hit a bump) will lever the wheels off the ground...with predicable results.

2. Usually, you can prevent stuff from dragging by being smooth, taking good lines, using proper body position, and setting your entry speed appropriately.

[David]

If you had an easy way to measure the difference in cornering clearance between an RT under acceleration vs. an RT under braking, you'd find a dramatic difference. So enter the corner slow enough that you can accelerate through it, particularly when loading the suspension via a bump or banked turn.

[Sellis]

The normal order of contact on my RT (R1100RT) was:

Peg feeler

Lower fairing

Valve covers

 

Other stuff will touch down if your suspension is worn or you hit a bump/dip in the road...center stand, bellypan, etc.

 

Two thoughts:

1. After the lowers scrape, the valve covers are not far behind. At that point, you are out of lean and any attempt to tighten the turn (or if you hit a bump) will lever the wheels off the ground...with predicable results.

2. Usually, you can prevent stuff from dragging by being smooth, taking good lines, using proper body position, and setting your entry speed appropriately.

 

--------------------

Russell

 

 

The frist thing that scraps on my R1100RT is the center stand, makes me wonder is my suspension is set up too soft!

 

Steve

[Kris]

 

The frist thing that scraps on my R1100RT is the center stand, makes me wonder is my suspension is set up too soft!

 

Steve

 

First thought is - YOU Need more preload.

 

But, it's worthy to review David's post also. If you're not entering the corner correctly - you're likely to set off all kinds of scraping alarms through the corner.

 

 

 

kris

[Sierra Smokey]

 

First thought is - YOU Need more preload.

 

But, it's worthy to review David's post also. If you're not entering the corner correctly - you're likely to set off all kinds of scraping alarms through the corner.

 

 

 

kris

 

On a hot summer day on SR-36 going from Red Bluff, CA to the coast, I went through a TIGHT right-hander and felt my right peg feeler and boot touch for just a second. Had lunch in Eureka a few hours later, was walking back to my bike and saw I had ground away a good chunk of the lower right fairing. I thought, "No way was leaned THAT far over!" I guess I was!

 

Yeah, preload... I had it cranked up to the max. Me thinks my 200 lbs exceeded the spring rate of the stock BMW shocks, and they bottomed out in the turn. Someday I'll get around to buying some nice Ohlins set up to my weight. For now, yes - better cornering technique and a little slower of an entry speed.

[Steve_Witmer]

The frist thing that scraps on my R1100RT is the center stand, makes me wonder is my suspension is set up too soft!Steve

 

You could also check to make sure you don't need to replace the retention springs on the centerstand. If those springs loosen up, you can get centerstand drag when you otherwise wouldn't.

[Smoky]

My centre stand scrapes in corners with bumps, if I'm riding two-up.

 

Doesn't happen very often when I'm solo. But quite often two-up.

 

I think it's the wife's fault.

[TowJam]

Yeah, preload... I had it cranked up to the max. Me thinks my 200 lbs exceeded the spring rate of the stock BMW shocks, and they bottomed out in the turn.

If you had it maxed and only weigh 200 lbs, your rear shock is likely to be toast. The stock shock will handle 200 lbs easily without being set anywhere close to max - unless you've decided to take up motocross.

 

Or are you just looking for an excuse to get those Ohlins?

[Paul De]

Yup the RT is porky enough that you will get the bellly pan if the preload on the rear spring is too low, or hit a dip mid corner. Hey, what do you want, its a touring bike that handles better than its weight says it should.

 

 

 

 

If you had an easy way to measure the difference in cornering clearance between an RT under acceleration vs. an RT under braking, you'd find a dramatic difference. So enter the corner slow enough that you can accelerate through it, particularly when loading the suspension via a bump or banked turn.

 

Even more so on pre Paralever BMWs. My short frame '71 R75/5 would spit you into the trees if you attacked corners with a fast entry and being even a moment late getting back on the throttle(after the apex). I made it a habbit to be on the throttle well before the apex on that bike to gain enough ground clearance to keep the valve covers from hitting ground and unloading your tires.

 

I haven't noticed this too much with my '99 RT with Paralever rear suspension,but have scuffed my belly pan under the conditions mentioned above.

[Sellis]

 

First thought is - YOU Need more preload.

 

But, it's worthy to review David's post also. If you're not entering the corner correctly - you're likely to set off all kinds of scraping alarms through the corner.

 

 

 

kris

 

On a hot summer day on SR-36 going from Red Bluff, CA to the coast, I went through a TIGHT right-hander and felt my right peg feeler and boot touch for just a second. Had lunch in Eureka a few hours later, was walking back to my bike and saw I had ground away a good chunk of the lower right fairing. I thought, "No way was leaned THAT far over!" I guess I was!

 

Yeah, preload... I had it cranked up to the max. Me thinks my 200 lbs exceeded the spring rate of the stock BMW shocks, and they bottomed out in the turn. Someday I'll get around to buying some nice Ohlins set up to my weight. For now, yes - better cornering technique and a little slower of an entry speed.

 

Yes, I think you are exactly right. Last time I scraped the center stand, I was loaded pretty heavy on a trip and did not adjust the preload! Guess I'm just lazy!

 

Steve

[Ken H.]

Without going into a big long dissertation at the moment, a lot of scarping can also mean your riding position might need some review/polishing. The goal should be to minimize the amount of lean needed to negotiate successfully and quickest any given corner.

[Sellis]

Without going into a big long dissertation at the moment, a lot of scarping can also mean your riding position might need some review/polishing. The goal should be to minimize the amount of lean needed to negotiate successfully and quickest any given corner.

 

I competely agree. Lee Parks in his book "Total Control" shows some great pictures on riding position. Also had a good narritive on riding position. I think they would be helpful for anyone trying to become a better rider. I am also the proud owner of a HD Roadking. I ran into a couple of friends on sport bikes when I was on the RK, I was telling them about a twisty section of WV road and we decided to go ride it, they were amazed that the RoadKing was not throwing sparks in the turns, The RK has a very limited lean angle! I just laughed at them and told them it was the rider

 

Steve

 

Steve