K11 Owners Group

ljjohns

This issue has been raised on BMWMOA and Motobrick, but I thought I'd throw it out here as well.

Joel and I are battling recurring problem on a 1995 K1100LT, low miles, but was involved in low-speed, low side. There is a small amount of faring damage, limited to stress fractures and high-spot grinding. But really bike is in good shape.

In slow speed turns and slaloms, the bike falls into the turn and you have to forcibly correct out of it. Steering is not light at all when the bike is in motion. The behavior is the same at higher speeds. You have to physically hold the bike in a straight line. When bike is on center stand, steering is light, but still feels like it falls full lock right or left.

We replaced and rebuilt the forks, checked spacers on the front axle and replaced handlebars. Compared it to a well running K1100LT, the difference in effort is tremendous. (But the "well running K11" has a works shock and was set up for a long distance rider; the subject bike has a stock shock set on its lowest setting.)

The only thing I can think of at this point is to replace steering head bearings, but these bearings don't feel notchy at all. We are at a loss for a solution to this problem.

A response on BMWMOA suggested that the steering head bearings might be too tight; we tested the "flip-flop" with the front tire off of the ground and all seemed normal.

JO, on Motobrick, suggested that we need to play with the rear shock settings, looking for a "sweet spot." We're doing that.

Any other ideas?

Larry Johnson
El Paso Tx
_________________
1993 K1100LT (Washington)
1995 K1100LTSE
1996 K1100LTSE (parts)
2003 K1200LTC
1991 K75RT

Number 6 · Posted: Sun May 27, 2012 5:59 pm Post subject:

How about tires? I just replaced mines and it makes a huge difference in low speed maneuvers (training DMV course).

If bearings are OK, could something else be twisted? I guess you checked that the fork is aligned with the bike.
_________________
I am not a number, I am a free man.

94 K1100LT

ljjohns · Posted: Sun May 27, 2012 6:10 pm Post subject:

Thanks--did closely examine the tires and did use a fork alingment tool on the tubes (after dropping the gaiters). I'll update as we forge on.

Larry
_________________
1993 K1100LT (Washington)
1995 K1100LTSE
1996 K1100LTSE (parts)
2003 K1200LTC
1991 K75RT

Number 6 · Posted: Sun May 27, 2012 6:27 pm Post subject:

Is the steering smooth from left to right, no hard point?
_________________
I am not a number, I am a free man.

94 K1100LT

ljjohns · Posted: Sun May 27, 2012 6:31 pm Post subject:

No hard point. Thanks for pursuing this...

Larry
_________________
1993 K1100LT (Washington)
1995 K1100LTSE
1996 K1100LTSE (parts)
2003 K1200LTC
1991 K75RT

whyoldbill · Posted: Sun May 27, 2012 10:02 pm Post subject:

The rear shock gets my vote for the culprit. I wouldn't waste time trying to find the sweet spot. My old one didn't have a sweet spot that I could find. The RAM I bought is nothing but one giant sweet spot. I would have never believed a rear shock could make that much difference in a bike's handling if I didn't experience it firsthand.
If I didn't need it for my 80 mile round trip commute every day, I'd yank it and send it to see if it would help with diags. Beemered

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'02 - GL1800

The desired effect is what you get when you improve your interplanetary funksmanship - George Clinton

BobZ(IL) · Posted: Mon May 28, 2012 10:43 pm Post subject:

Might be worth ensuring rake/trail is in spec.
_________________
'93 K1100LT
'78 R100S
'05 R1200GS
BMWMOA, CRBMWOA, ABC, K11OG #997

Live well, do good work, enjoy the ride.

bmwblock · Joined: 26 Mar 2011 Posts: 5

Larry,

You still might want to check the steering head bearings. My 1991 K100RS had the exact same symptoms. The bearings felt fine untill I disassembled the front end. The grease was hardened and the races were notched. I replaced the bearings and races and the problem went away.

Dale

ljjohns · Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2012 10:09 pm Post subject:

Thanks. Since we are now dealing with another problem--the ignition key is frozen in the on positon--we are going to tear the whole thing down again to remove the ignition assembly, check the bearings while everything is apart, and also refurbish the fan.

This was a project that started back in January of 2011 when we thought that a couple of months would bring this bike up to superior standards. It appears that we were somewhat optimistic... Smile

But the learning has been invaluable and I still have the other bikes--the 93 Kll LT, the K 75 and the K12LT-- to ride while this enterprise continues .
Larry Johnson
El Paso Tx
_________________
1993 K1100LT (Washington)
1995 K1100LTSE
1996 K1100LTSE (parts)
2003 K1200LTC
1991 K75RT