Little things, greater satisfaction

[CycleRob]

I'm one of those guys that sees room for improvement in all things mechanical. Less weight, multiple functions, better efficiency, increased reliability, better safety and new functions. I also try to do those things using the resources, materials and tools already in my workshop. Something good from Nothing at all.
These little changes individually in some cases may not qualify for their own posts, but together they make good sense to me and they may even motivate or guide you to adopt a few if you recognize the value or improvement. I'll let the pics do most of the talking. You'll see.

Click Thumbnails below:


In this next one, vibration isolation was the primary concern as it seems to have been identified as the most probable cause for SBDS (SuddenBatteryDeathSyndrome) that kills the stock battery, without warning, right about it's 2nd birthday.



My favorite of all those mods was shortening the ridiculously long exhaust clamp bolt. Every time I see it I like it . . . . a LOT.

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[owldaddy]

Hey Rob, have you checked the wire ties?
Looks like your on your way to doing for the F800 what you did for the R1150R. Making them better machines. I'm sure you will iron out all the wrinkles on that F800ST.

[CycleRob]

owldaddy,

Wire ties? Yes! There was only one. The horn wire was taped to the main harness a couple inches from where it came out of it, forcing the short remaining loop to bend sharply at the plugin on the horn with steering movement. Cutting the tape band made it longer, floating freely and better, of course, and makes me wonder WTF these people are thinking! Obviously they didn't turn the steering both ways (with their tape in place) and based the tape restraining loop installation on just the straight ahead looseness criteria.

FYI: There aren't many wires in the one front harness with the CAN-bus system. Appears to be less than ½ the amount on the 50R which had 2 fatter ones, yet there are more total functions occurring with the engine and the full featured instrumentation. I just looked, that lone front harness is about 5/8ths inch (15.9mm) in diameter. That's progress. The electrical tape tightly wrapping the individual component power wires is a very tough, very sticky, vinyl cloth like tape that is hard to cut, even with a sharp knife. I sure would like a couple rolls of that tape.

Speaking of little things, greater satisfaction . . . I'm really liking the newest generation designs where light weight visually appears to be the top priority. Simple, lean hand controls like a dirt bike that are easy to remove with just 2 screws. Even the rear brake caliper looks like a slimmed down anorexic version of the 50R. The exhaust is 2 flowing gold tinted satin SS headers and a satin SS muffler. No CatBox. The catalyst is undetectably inside the front of the muffler. Both mag wheels/spokes look minimalist thin and are much easier to clean & wax. The heated grip wire is not visible at all inside the handlebar and tomorrow I take it apart to see just how it is attached.


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[CycleRob]

What's it like? I'm finding out as I dig deeper "under the hood" and swap some of the Farkles from my 50R.

The headlite' nitetime illumination is superb. It even fully illuminates the peripheral sidelines into the woods, much needed on sharp corners at nite. Driving lites that were necessary on my 50R were put into cold storage . . . . not needed unless I'm on roads as tight as 129 thru the Dragon. Everything on and of the bike has placed weight and simplicity as a high priority. My F800 engine sidecover bolts have an 8mm hexhead with a T-30 Torx inside it! See it in the center of this pic:


Talk about weight reduction . . . with dual functions! It's the first time I have ever seen those type of bolts. A little thing, yes, but indicative of the clever, extra effort, designed-in weight frugality and bright thinking also applied in areas you can't see. My bike gets better fuel economy, routinely 64 +/- 1 MPG, than any 600+cc single cylinder bike streetbike. That does not happen without some very deep thinking and engineering expertise. Doing so with precise fueling and throttle response is nothing short of a miracle!

Look at the blue painted screw in the center of this pic and the minimalist, robust steel, NO CABLES quality around it. The synch is done once at the factory and won't need adjusting for years. Also note the sheltered out of the weather, and from being bumped, the quite small TPS on the right side.


Now look at the WFO (WideFriggenOpen) position:


They even solved the troublesome heated grip wire problems with a very simple low/no cost solution. The grip wire no longer goes through the inside of the handlebar. It's a big 360 degree circumference loop inside the throttle that winds to a smaller (loose) loop when turned towards full throttle.


This exterior heated grip wiring allows the handlebar to be filled with nail spikes and RTV goop to really smooth out the vibes in some upper RPMs -AND- the use of a standard, slightly higher (and/or narrower) handlebar, with an available 4" brake hose extension the one likely needed extra expense.


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[sweatmark]

Great ideas for those little things that add durability and security.

We'll tackle each and every one for our F800S.

Can't wait to dig into the bike!

Thanks, Rob.

[MattPie]

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r87/ ... MG9960.jpg

Hey, the head of that bolt looks like the same anti-torx head that is on the front lower shock bolt on my R1150R. Where do you get sockets for those and what are the really called?

[touchton]

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r87/ ... MG9960.jpg

Hey, the head of that bolt looks like the same anti-torx head that is on the front lower shock bolt on my R1150R. Where do you get sockets for those and what are the really called?

They are called external torx bolts. I bought an external torx socket set from Sears. It had 7 or 8 of the most common sizes. If you only need a single socket, look at Wiha tools. You can buy individual ones from them. http://www.wihatools.com/700seri/773serie.htm

[CycleRob]

After spending time dialing in a really wacked out OilHead TB synch on a customer's bike, I appreciate the fat/solid/strong construction of the tool quality, blue painted synchronization adjuster in the center of this pic:
(Click pic displayed for full sized photo)


Did you notice the rugged thickness of the TB housing upper and lower connecting shafts? Fat and strong as shown in this pic:
(Click pic displayed for full sized photo)


So solid and close together they are that the synch check is never mentioned on the service sheets. I'll check it someday with the differential green water manometer when it's apart for a valve clearance check. As you can see, there's only ONE synch adjustment bolt and ONE idle stop screw (out of sight on the black plastic throttle cable spool. The computer controls the 1,200 RPM idle speed using the idle control motor (ICM) to regulate the 2 throttle butterfly bypass port's air flow.

Add this as another little thing with greater satisfaction. Too bad it's so hidden inside that I have to call up the picture to admire the better road spray protection and simple sturdiness of the design.

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[CycleRob]

I gassed up today at a Texaco station. My tank fill up trip meter said 195.5 miles (314.6km) and it took, on the side stand - - filled (again) to the 12 O'Clock portion of the bottom red inner filler pipe end, 3.079 gallons (11.65 L). That figures out to 63.49 MPG (26.97 km/L). The OBC said 63 MPG (27.19km/L). That's pretty good agreement and the high 63.5 number means that this time I didn't do much superslab 70 MPH cruising (the speed limit on I-985). It was mostly 55 MPH (88.5 km/Hr) rides and less.

On the way back on a 55 MPH speed limit straight rural road I slowed a little then geared down to 2nd gear and took it WFO up to the red shift lite, just for kicks. Yeah! It sure is fast enough for me!! There is no pinging, running Regular grade fuel since new, 4,200 miles ago (6,759km).

BTW, I do NOT miss the OilHead. It seems so overweight and Low tech old fashioned now after the change-over to my F800ST. It gets up to operating temperature in 2 miles (3.2km), no matter what the weather. The F800 CAN-bus system and it's well tuned systems management has so far earned my analytical and critical appreciation.

All that sure qualifies as "Little things, greater satisfaction".

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[CycleRob]

Now that it's the worst part of winter here in the North Central part of Georgia (USA) I feel people need to know more about an important component of the F800 series bikes. The oil/water heat exchanger. They appear on most high cost Japanese SportBikes because of their contribution to engine life and performance. Not every bike has an oil/water heat exchanger because of the considerable extra cost. Most people call them an oil cooler, but that's not the only thing the oil/water heat exchanger type does. When the F800's plastic radiator's internal thermostat is closed until normal operating temperature is reached, ALL the coolant in the engine cylinder head and barrels pumped by the water pump passes thru the smaller diameter hoses to the oil/water heat exchanger and back to the cylinder head again. That warm-hot circulating water contributes tremendously to rapidly heating up the frigid engine oil coming from the oil pumped from the sump. It increases overall efficiency by minimizing the time of the cold engine oil's higher drag and diminishes the condensate/moisture content of the engine oil for bikes ridden less than it normally takes a hot engine to "burn off" those contaminates. That's the level of extra effort put into the Rotax F800 engine's oil/water Heat Exchanger. It is slightly finned in it's appearance, but that's just the outward look resulting from it's brazed together modular segments.



As the thermostat opens when the engine gets hot, the radiator coolant is increasingly directed thru the large diameter hoses to/from the finned radiator core to dump heat into the air, while a portion of it is still flowing thru the heat exchanger, either continuing to heat the colder engine oil -or- cooling it down if the oil temp exceeds the radiator's coolant temperature. When things get even hotter, the electric cooling fan revs up to dump both sources of surplus heat into the breeze.

Cool. Just don't call the F800 model's an oil cooler.

BTW, the OilHead Boxer bikes have oil coolers that only cool, while the exhaust port area combustion chamber oil cooling passageways perform only oil heating functions. Because the cylinderheads, crankcase and oil sump are heavily finned, the engine oil in wintertime ends up being overcooled from the crankcase finning unless you keep the RPMs over 4,000. BTDT. My Boxer's add-on oil temp LCD display read about 168 degF (75.5C) on the 18 mile (28km) ride to work in 40F (4.4C) ambient. That would have been a bad thing for the engine if I had not installed the temp gauge and used the higher RPM's with oil 2 cooler tunnel blocking towels blocking normal air flow to boost the oil temp well past 212F (100C). The oil flow thru the 2 oil radiators is thermostatically controlled to open at 172F (77.8C), which is TERRIBLE (!) for winter riding, but a good starting point temperature for summer riding. That's how & why my airflow blocking tunnel towel solution came about.

Maybe now you can appreciate my respect for, and pride in, that little square Aluminum thingee on the bottom front of every Rotax F800 motor. That thingee, the pleasant stock exhaust note and the heat from my old Widder vest all contribute to the grin when I take that 22 mile (35.4km) "errands" roundtrip every week (or so) this colder-than-normal Winter.

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[sweatmark]

Rob,

Great insight on the elegant Rotax/BMW engine design. Makes you wonder how much each party contributed to its development!

Mrs. Sweatmark's F800S has sat far too long without any love. Got the battery volts back up via older BMW gel charger and SAE plug (not that $135 CANBUS charger ripoff). The next day I inserted key - and - in an instant the F800 motor was purring, ready to go.

Now the same long-term storage startup process for my Rockster is much different, and involves several motor starts before the thing finally kicks off grumpily. Makes the boxer look so mundane next to the advanced F800.

How I'd love to install an F800 motor in a Buell frame/tank for indestructible, smooth, reliable, and extremely sharp handling trackday machine!

[CycleRob]

This bicycle handlebar wrapping was installed mid-summer of 2009. I did it because I prefer larger diameter handgrips, which are easier to hang onto. The wrapping also dampens any vibration. The Neoprene rubber-like strip material has a very narrow peel-n-stick strip on it's underside, but it provides little retention force. The kit comes with white vinyl tape to secure the ends, but I scrapped that flimsy solution for a carefully applied section of Super Glue. Careful is not a strong enough word for what is needed when working with Super Glue (cyanoacrylate ester) and a flailing loose strip of Neoprene rubber. It bonds INSTANTLY, so you have to be right the first time!! Moving slow-n-steady is required if you want your skin to remain unattached to the grip -and- have the strip end exactly where it belongs. The glue bond is so strong, the rubber will tear elsewhere before the glue bond separates. The same goes for the skin on your fingers if you aren't careful enough.



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[touchton]

I would like the larger, softer grips as well, but how does this affect the heated grips? At best it would slow down the heat reaching your hands. But, I would think the wrap would act as an insulator and the heated grips would be less efficient. Do they still heat up pretty good through the wrap? Thinking a little more, I use the diameter and comfort of the grips 100% of the time that I'm riding. I probably use the heated grips below 10% of the time. Even if the heated grips are a little less efficient, this still appear to be a worthwhile modification.

[CycleRob]

Thad,
You're right about the percentages. The wrap is better than the excess heat capability. The grip heat is less intense, but so are the winters living in TN and GA. Before the wrapping was added on, in the slow-go traffic I would have to turn the grips to low twice or more during a long ride to prevent hand burning. After the wrapping, they get hot quickly too, but not often do they get so hot they need to be turned down to the Low setting.
For my under-dressed ride back home from the Bash, without my heated vest in a damp/foggy 63DegF, the grips were on high the whole 4+Hr trip home. They got pretty hot, but there wasn't many city traffic slow-gos.

Edit: For typos and better clarity.

[Buckster]

I have the Grip Puppies. I had them for a few years and the one started to tear after the Bash this year. I took it off and I really can't stand the stock grips! I ordered another pair and I just love these simple upgrades! The heated grips feel the same as stock only it does take longer for them to warm up. Also... less vibes through the grips.
http://www.casporttouring.com/cst/motor ... SMALL.html

[storman113]

Thanks for the great tips!

I really like the Grip Puppies. Very easy install, doesn't look like an add on. Vibration reduced quite a bit. Heat takes a bit longer to warm thru the stock grips and the GP's but it gets there. Only negative I have heard of was with heat on full on a dry day, they might slip. Only saw that remark once, but I'll keep it in mind.

Looking to order up the Tank Slapper. Like to protect the paint under the tank bag strap.

I installed 70mm risers with a bit of a tilt back and now don't have to hug the tank with the goods. Am able to use the whole seat now. Before never felt the seat hump!

Over the years I have tossed I don't know how many roll up canvas tool pouches, now I can't find one! Guess I'll visit a surplus store and see if I can find some small bit of canvas to make my own. Built a small tool holder out of 3" black pipe with end plate glued on and a removable cap. Fits between the SW-Motech bag mount and the bike with zip ties. Just perfect to slide in a tool roll, if you have one!!!

[Mollygrubber]

Thanks for the great tips!
Over the years I have tossed I don't know how many roll up canvas tool pouches, now I can't find one! Guess I'll visit a surplus store and see if I can find some small bit of canvas to make my own. Built a small tool holder out of 3" black pipe with end plate glued on and a removable cap. Fits between the SW-Motech bag mount and the bike with zip ties. Just perfect to slide in a tool roll, if you have one!!!

Welding rod tubes make great tool tubes, dual sport guys use them alot, so they will definitely survive on a street bike.

[CycleRob]

I didn't want to start a new topic for this post because it fits here. I'm talking about those moments when you pass by, look at your bike standing there in the garage and really like what you see. My F800ST has what I call the latest generation engineering. It's brothers are the new K1200 and R1200 bikes that also have the CAN-bus electronics. Like my F800, they have newer, lighter frames, thinwall, brushed satin SS exhaust systems, minimalist wheel castings and engines compared to their older models.

The F800 Rotax engine hangs from the black Aluminum frame -and- a chunky lug of Aluminum that is one with the upper transmission/crankcase half also houses the swing arm pivots. You can see it in these pics:



That's an impressive design in that the one part serves 3 functions very strongly connecting the engine/swingarm/frame with a minimum amount of material and fasteners. The OilHeads also use a similar concept, but it is not as lean-n-mean as the newer designs. That dedicated thinking is applied throughout the bike. On my OilHead, I could look at the parts and see overweight or unused frame brackets and be tempted to cut them off. On the F800, everywhere I look I see a refined, optimized, modern design that cannot get any leaner. There isn't any fat anywhere! Even the sturdy thick plastic very lightweight belt guard assembly fully encloses all the vulnerable debris entry points with 3 specially formed parts that are held in place with only 5 bolts. The individual parts also tab together and are easy to remove when needed, which is only to remove or replace the belt at 25--50 thousand miles.

Yes, making the newer generation BMW bikes lightweight and sassy looking obviously had a high priority. That light weight combined with the advanced engine management system is felt while riding in that it makes the engine seem powerful at any RPM. I'm very pleased with the handsome engineering results . . . every time I see it standing there in my garage.

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[CycleRob]

A signal light assembly is such a simple thing. The new generation single screw signal lights on the F800, R1200 and the newest K1200 models are one really brilliant, minimalist design. Since the left front signal stopped working last summer and set the "LAMP" display warning, I decided to "service" the other 3 yesterday to check/clean the same vulnerable bulb contacts. I just wanted to prevent another signal dysfunction and was in the mood to take something apart. Naturally, I had to go further than just removing the outer lens and the bulb like the 1st time. That's when I realized what an absolutely brilliant minimalist design the assembly was. 4 plastic parts and 1 screw make up the whole thing. Nothing like the multi part metal/plastic multi screw systems of old. It appears to be a finely crafted yet very simple common sense puzzle. It also looks like that assembled puzzle will break away from the base stalk in the event of a tip-over or crash, sparing damage to the plastic bodywork's mounting surface.

About the F800 signal assembly design, here's a simple explanation, but the best way to understand the whole thing is to take one apart and study how each part cleverly holds the others snugly together with an absolute minimum of necessary parts. The outer black housing slips onto the stalk mounted to the bodywork by a single small bolt-n-nut through the base tab. Then the reflector lens's forked end bracket fits into a groove on the stalk, holding the outer housing in place. Next, a tang on the end of the lens fits through the reflector into a slot that tightens the connection between the stalk and the outer housing, making it seem like one single solid part. At the other end of the lens is the single screw that holds the whole lens/reflector/housing puzzle together AND sturdily attached to the base stalk. It's all weather tight too! I took 4 macro shots of mine with the intent to show how cleverly the parts interlock during the disassembly/assembly sequence and how it is all held on and held together with just one tiny screw. When I looked at the pics on the desktop computer, 3 of the 4 pics were just too blurry. Must do a do-over.

Yeah, I know what you're thinking. How can somebody get so amped-up over a signal light? Easy. To me it shows a serious effort to make every part/assembly as efficient and lightweight as possible at a brilliant, innovative level. Looking it over, that thinking appears to be applied throughout the bike. I'm sure I'll find more wizardry in the 12K service about 1,400 miles from now. Very different from what has always been, which was 4 or 5 screws, metal brackets and a considerably heavier signal light assembly.

BTW, my ST is an excellent cold weather bike. The automatic idle control that's always at 1,200 RPM, lower leg wind protection from the bodywork and mild engine heat emanating from that system.

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