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Photo by Ellen Delis, Lagunas Ojos del Campo, Antofalla, Catamarca

I haven't been everywhere...
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Photo by Ellen Delis,
Lagunas Ojos del Campo,
Antofalla, Catamarca



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  #1  
Old 15 Mar 2005
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Hill climbs

Hi

Having some trouble getting the schwinehundt (R80G/S) up steep slippery slopes. Its got loaded panniers, tent etc on board.

Starts to spin the back wheel before hoisting the front, then throws itself sideways onto the road. I figure this is flywheel effect on one wheel. After doing this five or six times I gave up.

I am on the pegs leaning over the tank as far as I can during this tiring process. I can start with some momentum but as there are corners the momentum is lost. The surface is too loose to push the bike up running in first gear, just wheelspin and over it goes.

I figured I might be missing something. The hill I am trying to get up climbs for a kilometre or so and climbs about 400 metres, the track is a 1200metres climb over 7 kms.

I havent resorted to knobbies yet as its a 4-500km ride to get there, and my metz dual purpose rear was bald after 1000kms. Stuffed the rear main seal as well???

alec

[This message has been edited by simmo (edited 15 March 2005).]
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  #2  
Old 15 Mar 2005
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Reduce the preload on your rear shock. If there's too much, suspension won't compress. This will overload the rear tyre, causing it to spin rather than dig in.
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  #3  
Old 15 Mar 2005
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oh mate, just bin the thing, get something with a chain, power and less weight.

by the way i have a new bearing but now the final drive oil seal, not genuine BMW, refuses to keep the oil in. it takes 30 days for BMW to get one and then it will cost me 60US$.

BMW are great, they presumely build great touring bikes and then fail to support those who foolishly believed in their product.

not to worry it´s my birthday on thursday along with that irishman called paddy, we will be getting sloshed and attempting new versions of ´on´t ilkley moor you twat´

BA ain´t a bad place to be...cheap steak and .

oh, did you get up that hill yet ¿¿
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  #4  
Old 16 Mar 2005
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Quote:
Originally posted by simmo:
Hi

Having some trouble getting the schwinehundt (R80G/S) up steep slippery slopes. Its got loaded panniers, tent etc on board.

Starts to spin the back wheel before hoisting the front, then throws itself sideways onto the road. I figure this is flywheel effect on one wheel.

err, no, that's just what happens when you lose your balance. Normal off-road crash! btdt a zillion times.

Quote:
Originally posted by simmo:
I am on the pegs leaning over the tank as far as I can during this tiring process. I can start with some momentum but as there are corners the momentum is lost. The surface is too loose to push the bike up running in first gear, just wheelspin and over it goes.

I figured I might be missing something. The hill I am trying to get up climbs for a kilometre or so and climbs about 400 metres, the track is a 1200metres climb over 7 kms.

Have you tried reducing the tire pressure drastically - to say 12-14 psi? (Do NOT run on pavement over 30mph at that pressure) Pressure makes a HUGE difference. If your rear tire is spinning, and you're way over the front, that should tell you something - you need to get back over the rear to get some traction. If the front end is light that's ok, the front end can be guided when it's light, whereas if you don't have traction you're stuck.

Past that, it sounds like what you're trying to do MAY be simply over your abilities. Soft, loose ground on a steep hill is not easy, and takes lots of practice to ride well, especially on a big loaded bike.

Quote:
Originally posted by simmo:
I havent resorted to knobbies yet as its a 4-500km ride to get there, and my metz dual purpose rear was bald after 1000kms.
ONE thousand km on a dp tire? Say what?
Of course if the tire is bald, and you're getting wheelspin, and you haven't dropped the pressure, well, um, yeah, of course...

Quote:
Originally posted by simmo:
Stuffed the rear main seal as well???
Rear main seal going has nothing to do with all of this. It should last at least 100,000 or more km. I'm just replacing mine now after 150,000km and 18 years. If yours is leaking, just replace it. Don't forget to lube the splines while you're at it.

It's also possible that bike is just never going to get up that hill.

hope that helps a little,

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Grant Johnson

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  #5  
Old 16 Mar 2005
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An R80G/S has a tube rear tyre .. without rim locks ... I'd not let the pressure drop below 20psi as much less can result in tyre to rim slip = stem pulled out of tube = flat tyre needing new tube!

Spinnin rear = no traction on rear = put more weight on the tyre - move your bum back! If the front wheel starts to loft then move yer bum forwards. If you still have a spining rear then reduce tyre pressure. Don't try to accelerate - just tyr to keep the speed constant - start with some speed and let it drop back.
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  #6  
Old 16 Mar 2005
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Yep Grant 1000kms from an almost new rear. Most of the riding was on dry rocky roads up to 120kph, with a bit of sliding around under power, just ripped it to shreds. For those with maps its the roads between (Victoria) Mansfeild, Bright, Omeo and Licola via Dargo. The track that stopped me is the Billy Goat Bluff track off the Dargo Wonangatta road. Frank you have probably done it!

The track is too steep to sit back on the bike as it just does a huge wheelie and then flings itself onto its side.....this does seem peculiar to this bike, the old XT doesnt get all pear shaped when the front comes up. Watching pimply 4wd ers get up got up my nose...hell I was on the ultimate riding machine. Some solace was found later when a KTM525 rider said he had fuel starvation due to it being so steep.

I dont know if the shaft effect ...the rise of the shaft under power, is stopping the shock from working properly causing the wheel to spin more easily than on something more suitable.

The roads around here are very empty mid week and good fun, tar or dirt.

http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/resour..._2004/map9.pdf

I will attempt it again soon with a strong mate, Knobbies and low tyre pressures. That way we can push the bloody thing up if necessary.

And Grant the current rear main seal is 10,000kms old.......now leaking again. Easier to just keep topping it up for now, if I can I will get something else.....I am a bit sick of fixing this one and I cant seem to get where I want to solo with gear.

Bob, good to see that the BM is still performing to its usual high standard. I will have a few ales to celebrate your 21st with Ant and create a version of 'on' t ilkley moor especially for you, unfortunately its unlikely I will remember the words in order to pass them on later.
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Old 16 Mar 2005
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Well Alec, it seems to me that the cheap option would be to get your Ménière's disease treated and spring for a new rear tyre. Just remember not to drop your inner ear pressure below about 10 psi or your head might implode.
If that didn't work then the alternative would be to get a DR-Z 400 (or alternative real off road bike) with a large spirit level on the tank.
All the best,
Ewan.
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  #8  
Old 18 Mar 2005
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And I though the fly buzzing in my head was just that!
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