03 R1150 RT fairing adjustable?

[hal26]

My Rt upper fairing is not perfectly straight. When I am riding and I look at the gauges they are very slightly off to the left as is the top of the windshield. In other words the entire upper section has somehow shifted down and to the left just a small amount. When looking at the straight edge under the tach/speedo,the edge below the left turn signal indicator/high beam indicatoros closer to the left handlebar than is optimum. I have owned it since new and it has never been damaged. Is there some sort of adjustment somewhere that I can make to straighten it up a bit? Thanks!

[lkchris]

Just a loosen and retighten thing, I imagine. Someone helps pushing it to where you want it while you retighten. If this isn't the solution, I'd look for bends in brackets. This is of course a "generic" answer, as it's been quite some time that I've worked with one of these and it was never for this sort of problem.

[dirtrider]

Evening hal26

 

The fairing isn't adjustable by design but you can shim the attachment points using washers.

 

If you have owned the bike since new & a crooked fairing is just showing up now it sounds like maybe a bolt or two has fallen out or something wasn't put back together properly (like a rubber grommet mis-positioned or left out or something put back together incorrectly)

 

Maybe even a bent or cracked bracket.

 

About all you can is go looking for the problem area & correct what isn't right.

 

[Clive Liddell]

My thought would be a bent front fairing bracket. If you look at this bracket (realoem or similar site) it will be shown that the whole bracket is held to the bike frame by three rear facing tubes. The lower two tubes are comparitively long while the upper central tube is a bit shorter and imo would be the main locating member.

 

With everything (including the wiring harness) removed I found it easiest to straighten my frame by bolting it in position to the bike and swinging the bike over against a well anchored and stout piece of timber "aimed" at the upper tube. With care the outer edge of the bracket could be used to "bump on" but it is then too easy to upset the angle of the mirror supports... DAMHIK.

 

Also, as some have alluded to above, it may be worth a bit of time when refitting the two side fairings to leave the tank mounting bolt and nut slightly loose to allow the fairings to find a comfortable fit wrt the mirror brackets and the other lower mounting screws. After then carefully removing the RH fairing the tank nut and bolt can be torqued up.

 

 

The advantage of doing it "in position" is that it is easy to take frequent sightings and measurements until you are happy.

[hal26]

Thanks guys for your helpful advice. I really do not want to get that deeply into it at this time. I suppose I will just continue to play with it and see if I can minimize it. I tried prying it with wood and rags without success for fear of busting the plastic....I don't know how it got this way since the upper fairing has never been removed and the bike has not been dumped!

[lkchris]

Perhaps from a push backwards?

 

Perhaps from dealership or other service?

[tallman]

Thanks guys for your helpful advice. I really do not want to get that deeply into it at this time. I suppose I will just continue to play with it and see if I can minimize it. I tried prying it with wood and rags without success for fear of busting the plastic....I don't know how it got this way since the upper fairing has never been removed and the bike has not been dumped!

 

IMO, prying w/wood is asking for a big problem.

Not that big a deal to take apart.

Then use string or laser to check alignment/striaght.

 

As mentioned, a bolt may have worked out and that led to problem.

Are you original owner, mileage, who did last maintenance, how long ago?

 

Whatever, prying, bending, stuffing, won't solve the problem and may break something leading to bigger issues.

Good luck.

[St0mp]

Thanks guys for your helpful advice. I really do not want to get that deeply into it at this time. I suppose I will just continue to play with it and see if I can minimize it. I tried prying it with wood and rags without success for fear of busting the plastic....I don't know how it got this way since the upper fairing has never been removed and the bike has not been dumped!

 

IMO, prying w/wood is asking for a big problem.

Not that big a deal to take apart.

Then use string or laser to check alignment/striaght.

 

As mentioned, a bolt may have worked out and that led to problem.

Are you original owner, mileage, who did last maintenance, how long ago?

 

Whatever, prying, bending, stuffing, won't solve the problem and may break something leading to bigger issues.

Good luck.

i agree do NOT USE WOOD. just loosen the screws that are holding on the part that does not look right. the plastic has little flex to it. try to adjust it it helps to have a 2nd person around to hold the bike or help push/pull the plastic in place. when i had to line up my fairing what i did was use a Allen wrench stick it where the screw should go and lean the Allen wrench the way you want to shift the plastic and tighten up the screw next to the hole that your wrench is in. if its so out of wack your allen wrench will not fit in. its not seated right and its going to be to far to bow in place. at that point just take it off and re seat it. i think its a good thing to take off the panels from time to time to clean and inspect the bike. but i by far call my self a bmw expert. im learning though:)

[hal26]

Thanks again guys! Yes,I bought it new. Other than the 500 mile service,I have done all maintenance myself. Bike only has 15K on it. I have 6 bikes so that's my excuse for the low mileage! Only the fairing side panels have been removed. No work has ever been done in the upper fairing area and the bike has never been dumped. I do however,have the largest Cee Bailey windshield available on it and perhaps running at very high speed into a strong headwind may have pushed the fairing a bit out of alignment. I would assume that I will need to remove the lower fairing to access any screws/brackets to adjust it....