2004 R1150RT pulling to the right

[thefishruler]

lf I pull the spacer out of the rear wheel will it hurt anything? And will it make a difference?

[szurszewski]

No and probably not - just make sure your lug bolts thread in all the way (check with the wheel off to see how far they thread, by hand, into the hub if you're at all unsure). The stock bolts for the bike will be fine with or without a spacer, but BMW has the same bolt type in a handful of lengths for different bikes...and you never know what might have been done between the factory and now fifteen years later. 

 

[dirtrider]

4 hours ago, thefishruler said:

lf I pull the spacer out of the rear wheel will it hurt anything? And will it make a difference?

Afternoon  thefishruler

 

Depends, it will move the rear tire closer to the swing arm, if you have a wide tire in the sidewall area it might touch or rub (depends on the rear wheel off-set from the factory as there  is a big +/- specification on where the rear wheel centers as nominal.

 

If your motorcycle has a radio then removing the rear wheel spacer might make just enough difference to make you happy. 

 

If your motorcycle doesn't have a radio then removing that spacer (while being a move in the correct direction) won't make enough difference for most riders to even feel.

 

If you don't have a radio then just start adding weight (lead is best) to the bottom (inside of the glove box) until it rides straight. (probably be somewhere between 5 & 8 pounds).

 

As  szurszewski mentioned watch the wheel bolt length if you remove the spacer.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Warren Dean]

I added in 12# of lead shot to the glove box and pulled the spacer on my '97 and I can ride it down the highway hands free for as long as I want. What a difference!

[thefishruler]

Thanks for the information , what I did I put my tool kit in the glove  box which weights around 5 lbs and it made a big difference

[AndyS]

If you do searches on this, you will find many hours of (pointless) reading. 

[Warren Dean]

From what I have read about it, it is pretty hit and miss on this issue. I must have gotten lucky...which is just fine with me. 

 

[Selden]

On 6/30/2020 at 12:21 PM, thefishruler said:

lf I pull the spacer out of the rear wheel will it hurt anything? And will it make a difference?

 

I tried with and without the spacer on my R1100RT, and can't say I noticed any significant difference. Perhaps there are individual differences from one bike to another, or perhaps some riders notice PTTR more than others. 

 

I can't resist: ride with both hands on the handlebars, and you shouldn't notice the PTTR. 

 

[Warren Dean]

2 hours ago, Selden said:

 

I tried with and without the spacer on my R1100RT, and can't say I noticed any significant difference. Perhaps there are individual differences from one bike to another, or perhaps some riders notice PTTR more than others. 

 

I can't resist: ride with both hands on the handlebars, and you shouldn't notice the PTTR. 

 

 

Maybe....

[szurszewski]

2 hours ago, Selden said:

 

I tried with and without the spacer on my R1100RT, and can't say I noticed any significant difference. Perhaps there are individual differences from one bike to another, or perhaps some riders notice PTTR more than others. 

 

I can't resist: ride with both hands on the handlebars, and you shouldn't notice the PTTR. 

 

 

38 minutes ago, Warren Dean said:

 

Maybe....

 

 

Or just keep your RIGHT hand on the grip, and carry a really BIG mug of coffee in your left hand...

[Warren Dean]

4 hours ago, szurszewski said:

 

 

 

Or just keep your RIGHT hand on the grip, and carry a really BIG mug of coffee in your left hand...

 

Like an electrician.     Good idea!!!

[dirtrider]

17 hours ago, Warren Dean said:

From what I have read about it, it is pretty hit and miss on this issue. I must have gotten lucky...which is just fine with me. 

 

Morning Warren

 

It really isn't hit or miss, It is as simple as adding the correct amount of weight to the L/H side of the motorcycle to off-set the drivetrain weight & offset the fuel tank right-wing weight  that is inherently right of tire centerline.   

 

A rider can do that by simply adding (enough) weight to the glovebox (non radio motorcycle), of if a radio motorcycle then adding less weight to the outside of the radio box. 

 

Or move the rear wheel  to the right as far as possible then add weight to the glove box area to balance the motorcycle. This can be done by removing the wheel spacer (if, no tire rub results, and/or new rear brake pads clear on 1150 motorcycles), still more rear wheel movement to the right can be gained by shimming the swing arm pivots to move the swing arm & final drive to the right (will probably still need some weight in the glove box on a non radio motorcycle but not as much). 

 

The variable is: there is no "set amount" of weight to use  as it is dependent on (IF) the motorcycle has a radio & dependent  the amount of OEM +/- offset in the final drive build & in the swing arm centering. 

 

On the BMW 1150 the nominal rear wheel tracking offset is 3.5mm right of centerline but the actual offset can be as high as 9.0mm either side of that & still be within specifications. THAT is a lot of possible variance between motorcycles. 

 

 

[Warren Dean]

26 minutes ago, dirtrider said:

....THAT is a lot of possible variance between motorcycles. 

 

 

 

And that is why I said it was hit or miss, referring to the results some people get.

 

Good info, as usual. Thanks.