Don't You Hate it When

I was mostly done for the day working on the bike (1988 R100 RT), and thought---I really should run the new electrical wire connector for the ignition/bean can from the top of the engine down through the inner timing cover. That won't take long. I purchased a replacement wiring harness from Euro Motoelectrics and their connector is wider than OEM. The only way to fish it through was to remove the starter. And, I couldn't figure out how to remove the starter rear bolts without removing the transmission. To avoid completely removing the transmission, I thought I'd just move it back about an inch (FYI, the swing arm is removed--as is the battery tray.). As I was putting things back together, I realized the transmission had shifted and was resting on the neutral switch. Damn, those neutral switches seem to leak if you look at them wrong. So now, I'm hoping the neutral switch I just replace doesn't leak.

Two steps forward, one step back.

Thanks for listening. I feel a bit better after venting.

Oh yeah

Oh yeah, sometimes the simple jobs turn out the hardest. When things like that happen I try to remember that it only took BMW about a half an hour to assemble the bike at the factory. Makes me feel better, NOT so, I am lying. LOL, St.

Unbelievable, a couple of days ago I was going to start a thread entitled exactly this... and never got around to it. I am glad you did.

Just returning from Bikeweek... after 50 years of going, I think I am done with that.

The highlight for me this year was test rides... I did a lot of them, everything from Kawasaki KLX to BMW R18.

One thing that I hate about test rides at events like Daytona is they are group rides... staggered formation, no passing, lots of beginners.

And it *never* fails that the rider in front of you sees the great sense of weaving back and forth in their to do... I don't know what, test the tires?

Matt PArkhouse had a look at my bike at the 2019 rally and his guess at my starter gremlin on the R65 was the neutral switch. I have yet to dig into that little task.

@88BMW Jeff,

“ And, I couldn't figure out how to remove the starter rear bolts without removing the transmission. ”

Do you actually need to disturb the transmission, in order to remove the starter? I am under the impression, that remove img just one T bolt is necessary, not the whole transmission.

ten

LOL, I have to say it has been at least ten years since I had a starter out, for the life of me, I don't remember the steps needed. So, I can imagine what it will be like if I have to do one now. Learn all over again, LOL, robust starters thank goodness I don't have to do it often.

Along with remembering it takes 30 minutes or so to assemble a bike on the assembly line, it is also good to remember most of BMW's engineering goes towards making it assemble fast and cheap, not to be worked on after the sale. That is what mechanics get paid big bucks for.

Us fools who do our own work, well, we are last on the list of priorities LOL. St.

The starter has two nuts at the rear and one bolt at the front. There's not enough room for a box-end or open-end wrench to remove the nut. While I could get a socket on the nut, I could not get any attachments on to remove it without being where the transmission is. Now there might be tool that would have fit in that space, but I did not have it. So, the transmission needed to be moved.

Steve is right, manufactures have the luxury of assembling their vehicles in the most efficient manner and order. However, that luxury doesn't exist when we're working on it.

88bmwjeff,

Got it, thanks. I had to remove the manifold box last year, and recall that it was a challenge to get those nuts/ bolts out. And I forget what magic combination I found that worked.

I seem to recall have a similar issues a number of years ago when replacing the crankcase breather. I managed to get the one difficult nut off...I ended up using a 1/4-inch drive set up...might even have had a swivel on the socket. The trick when going back together is to reverse the orientation of that bolt/nut. Shouldn't be a problem next time around.