I think I know why they're soft... BMW wheels

[lionlady]

I hit a 4" diameter landscaping timber at 80 mph on Friday. It was rolling/tumbling along in the fast lane of I-95. I had just enough time to grip the bars firmly, "lighten" the seat, and aim to hit it square.

The bike bucked over the timber, the bars bobbled left right, then the bike continued in a straight line. I almost couldn't believe it. But I could tell there was something wrong. Nevertheless, I was able to smoothly stop the bike on the shoulder of the median.

The wheel bent/cracked, letting the air out of the tire, but the tire remained ON the rim and intact. If the rim hadn't flexed, the tire likely would have blown off the rim with the force of the impact, and I would have lost control. The paralever arm transferred the impact to the front shock absorber, rather than the forks taking the main force.

Doesn't look so bad...


Well, maybe it is... that crack goes THROUGH the wheel.



I have a used wheel on the bike now (a ferro blue one, not so bad), while waitinig 2 weeks for a new white wheel. The folks at Kawasaki of Rocky Mount, NC are amazing! Thank you Lorenzo!

I can't help wondering what would have happened if the "weakest" point had been the tire seat against the rim. If having "soft" rims means I keep control of the bike, but have to replace the wheel, so be it. Hardware is cheaper to replace than "software" - me.

P

[sweatmark]

Glad you're ok.

That's a pretty good whack on the rim. It's one thing to never get the darn white wheel clean, but something altogether different to see it crack in half like rotten PVC.

Maybe our Edition 80s are blessed with an experimental "soft wheel" safety feature.

[bobw]

Great job on riding! Glad you're ok.

Safe travels

Bob

[boxermania]

First I'm glad you are OK as you were born again......I had something similar happen to me a few years back while driving my 88 M3. I ran over a truck's driveshaft !!!!! smack in the middle of the highway at a spirited pace....after the hellatious racket and the subsequent adrenaline rush I managed to stop and survey the damage. Nothing appered out of order, like busted crancase, rediator smashed....

Ultimately the end result was that I had lost pieces of the bead on 3 rims and the tires never separated, proceeded home at a more restrained pace.

[iowabeakster]

Great to hear the software is OK. Man, you had to of hit that thing hard. Good riding Lionlady!

[Hollywood]

I have to ask....

Whats with the bell?

[lionlady]

I have to ask....

Whats with the bell?

It was given to me... Here's what I was told:

The Legend of the Bell
Have you noticed that small bell on some people's bikes and wondered why it was there? It's more than just decoration - It has a specific function.

As we all know, life has many mysteries that have no apparent solutions. One of these is Evil Road Spirits. They are the little gremlins that live on your bike. They love to ride. They're also responsible for most of your bike's problems. Sometimes your turn signals refuse to work, or the battery goes dead, the clutch needs adjustment, or any of several hundred other things go wrong. These problems are caused by Evil Road Spirits.

Road Spirits can't live in the presence of a bell. They get trapped in the hollow of the bell. Among other things, their hearing is supersensitive. the constant ringing of the bell and the confined space drives them insane. They lose their grip and eventually fall to the roadway. (Have you ever wondered how potholes are formed?) The bell has served its purpose.

If you have picked up a bell of your own, the magic will work. But if your bell was given to you, the power has been doubled, and you know that somewhere you have a special friend helping to look after you.

So, if you have a friend that doesn't have a bell, why not give them one? It's a nice feeling for the recipient to know you personally cared. The bell, plus a good preventive maintenance program by the bike's owner, will help eliminate the Evil Road Spirits.

[Beaze]

Well heck, send me one a.s.a.p.! Can you hear it when you're riding?

[lionlady]

Well heck, send me one a.s.a.p.! Can you hear it when you're riding?

Rarely.

The bell in the pic is the same one I had on my f650CS when I DIDN'T get creamed by an 18-wheeler that was over the centerline, on a twisty road in WV - crashed the bike, though.

Second time I've avoided total catastrophe with that bell. PM me your address.

P

[boxermania]

lionlady

Nice story, I'll have to remember that.

You can praise the bell for this time too........

[Ansink66]

Hello LionLady,

That must have been some impact on that front wheel. Glad to hear you’re okay!

I like that story about the bell. Maybe I buy one myself.


Greetings from Holland,

Emile