image@sri-unix.UUCP (11/22/86)
Have you driven a monoshock BMW lately? Try removing your hands from the bars and see which way the bike goes (R80G/S's excepted). Answer: to the right. Every monoshock BMW I have ridden exhibits some right-handedness, some more than others. My own machine is one of the worst, maddeningly so. BMW will, if pressed, admit that there may be a problem; they replaced my swingarm, with a minor improvement. After sending a couple of engineers to California to investigate the matter, they reached no firm conclusions. It is my belief that the assymetry of the monoshock design, whether due to weight imbalances or structural offsets, induces this lopsidedness. It is ruining my enjoyment of my machine. After 22000 miles it's still bugging the heck out of me. Question: does anyone have any experience/insights/solutions regarding this problem? Caveat: the frame is straight on the jig. The forks are straight, the head tube is straight, the swingarm is straight. The rear wheel is offset three millimeters to the right, not a noticeable quantity if found on a twin-shock R100. I do not sit crookedly on the saddle. The bars are not off center. There are no offset accessories. Twenty pounds of weight in the left saddlebag straightens the bike out. Don't get me wrong: I respect and enjoy BMW motorcycles. But perfection in every detail? Phooie! -Henry Pasternack SRI International PASTERNACK@SRI-KL