BMW R1200R R1150R/T F800 K1200R R1100R/T R1250R RnineT Message Board

I've been working on installing new throttle cables today.
I ordered replacement cables from Chicago BMW about a month ago. There are 4 cables to replace. The main throttle cable: Part#32737692490. The high idle cable: Part#32737659683, The right TB cable:Part#32737692562. And the left TB cable:Part#32737692563.

The junction box has to be taken out from the right side. It rests under the ABS unit beneath the gas tank. If you don't have ABS it's a simple matter of loosening the battery support box and lifting it up to slide out the cable junction box with a quick release of the clip at the bottom of it. I don't know how you'd get it out with the ABS unit in place. The right bike frame member appears to be blocking the removal to some extent, but by lifting up the battery tray it made it easy.

When you go to order new cables, what they don't tell you is that the main throttle cable connection at the handlebar has been upgraded by BMW and the old one is obsolete, ( this may not be true of newer models of the RR. Mine is an '03) requiring an adapter kit for another $20 to make the new one fit. Apparently they've had some problems with the older style. The new style looks like the high idle side with the curve in the line. The old one was straight and the curve was part of the switchgear apparatus.

I'll try and get a few pics tonight to add to this post. Just been too busy today.

Phil:

This is probably a stupid question, but here I go anyway…….

How do you know when you need to replace the cables?

I'm with Gypsy - I used to have throttle cables that were a regular replacement item on bikes back in the seventies, but I've never heard of anyone replacing them on a 'modern' bike due to being worn out. What happened? Were they damaged? Most 'sticky' throttles I've come across in recent times have been due to dirt in the throttle tube at the grip, or at the other end on a stuck linkage, but never in the cables.

Tell us more.

That's a damn good question. And I don't really know the answer.
I just changed mine out because I have 56,000 miles on my bike and like anything else they WILL wear out in due time. My cables had started to get stiff. Maybe that was my imagination. I don't know. But the old ones coming off don't look bad to me. The junction box was filthy! Sand and crud in there, but it didn't seem to impede the movement of the pulley inside.

They are teflon coated cables and don't require oiling. In fact oil is said to degrade the coating and shorten the life of the cables. Cyclerob told me the most vulnerable point of the cable is at the end where its connected to the brass colored drum, which holds it in place. Paul Glaves also said in a workshop I attended, that the drum end is the only place you should put oil on it.

Not an answer to your question, I know. I think the truth is, these cables will last a long time before breaking. I just feel better knowing I have new ones that will take me at least another 56,000 miles.

I got my R in Spring of '05. It is a 2002 model with 19k on it. Throttle was stiff from the beginning and I thought I had to live with it. So stiff in fact that on day trip of about 300 miles my forearm would be totally cramped. Anyhow, I tried a different bike and it was much easier. I decided to change the cables over the winter so around August/September I went with cable lube for a short term solution.
I would not recommend lube unless you are changing cables soon. the effects did not last long and when I did take things apart it was a sticky mess. New cables in - problem gone. I don't know what was really wrong with the old ones. It'd difficult to replicate stresses and so forth on the bench.

Peter

Rifton,
Did they replace the main cable with the 'updated' version? It changes the set-up at the grip. If you now have a curve in the line at the grip like the high-idle side, with a black plastic adjuster knurl, then you have the updated version.
That may have been the problem. The parts guy at Chicago BMW said there was some problems with the old main cable connection at the grip.

I did a one for one swap with the picture. Picture is a 'before' picture. If you're saying that there is an update to this then I will look into it. A part number would be good. I believe when I ordered the cables they sent me the old part number.

Rifton,
This is the new cable set-up. The cable part number is the main cable listed in my first post above, ending in 490. The part # for the kit I won't know until I get it from them.



Apparently the additional $20 kit is proprietary and is needed to make the cable work.

I might also add, as an update to the cable installation. The 4 cables cost $111 with the 20% discount, plus the $20 for the upgrade kit. That includes $8 handling fee.

Now let me add something to the disassembly and reassembly instructions concerning the high-idle thumb screw. This was a real pain in the arse to take apart and get all the tiny parts back together with the new cable attached as it should be.
You don't see it on any parts fiche breakdown, but there are three very tiny little parts in there that will pop out on you and be lost forever if you aren't careful.
As you slide the thumbscrew up to take it out of it's slot, a tiny ball bearing resting on a tiny spring is situated inside a small hole. This ball bearing rests against a curved metal plate and rides on that plate as the high idle lever is actuated. That little metal plate is also subject to popping out.
I lost that little spring at first and after doing the impossible and finding that little spring, I put it all back together for reinsertion and the whole thing popped out on me again. The spring I held onto, but the tiny ball bearing and the metal plate went south making a dreadful tinging sound as they landed "who knows where".
I searched on hands and knees for an hour, eventually locating both parts. The next time I hung a plastic bucket under the work area in case it happened again.
After speaking with cyclerob, he also gave a good suggestion for a scenario as this. He said to lay out a clean white sheet under the work area and roll the bike onto it before starting. This would greatly simplified my task.

Thanks,
I have to get one of those. I wish I wrote down everythiing I did last year. I too went through that little ball bearing hell. After I found it and snugged everything back up I think I either read or figured out that there was a way to do that without taking things apart. It could just be wishful thinking.

Update on throttle cable install:

I got the upgrade kit today.


It was like building a plastic model. The old cable guide had to be cut off. It went all the way around the handlebar and I won't need it anymore anyway...So off it went.
The new one did not go all the way around the bar. It screwed into the same two holes the old one was screwed into.

This picture has the inside half screwed on and the new cable end piece inside the cable track, which stayed on the handlebar throughout the operation.

You can almost see an edge of one of the tiny screws holding the inside piece on, up there just above the bright brass cable drum.

Then the outside piece fits over the fitted cable sheath.

And one screw holds the two pieces together.

I then proceeded to drop the little nut behind the switch gear clamp. I actually found it quickly but didn't think it was right since I couldn't see how it went back in behind the clamp. You can't see it to the inside of the clamp but there is a recess cut out where the nut slides in from the side and the screw grabs it from the front. THIS NUT WILL SLIDE OUT ONCE THE SCREW IS REMOVED.

All is done now but the complete reassembly of all parts and necessary adjusting and TB synching.

Now my next project is removing the clutch slave cylinder to clean it out good. Cyclerob says I will have to raise the frame!

Wish me luck.

The saga continues.
You must understand, I am no wrench. I just piddle around until it works.
Be that as it may, I learn a lot about the bike as I piddle.

I got all the cables installed and after suffering for several days with a horrible cold, which I have not completely licked yet, I ventured forth to the garage yesterday to make the pre-final cable adjustments manually before buttoning it all back up with the battery, tank, etc.
At first look, both TB butterfly valves were tapping shut fine. I adjusted the slack at the handlebar, then moved down to the TBs to get them at least tapping at the same time, as close as my ear could discern it anyway, and enough play to allow for fine tuning later. While doing this, I made the mistake of holding the right TB open to listen to see if the left one was tapping as it closed. With the right one held open, it gave way too much slack in the cable and the barrell end inside the junction box came out then reseated. However, when it reseated (partially) it left the actual cable wrapped over the outside edge/corner of the spool distribution disc.

I didn't know that's what happened at the time. I just knew the right TB butterfly would not close all the way, even with all the play put back in it at the adjuster knurl.
I played around with it until my head was about to explode again and broke down and called Cyclerob. (it is SO comforting to have Cyclerob just across town from me).
Cyclerob's best guess was that the ferrule inside the box had come off, the way they tend to do outside at the adjuster knurl. He suggested twisting the cable or the sheath a little to see if it would reseat. This did not work and this morning I proceeded to take the junction box back out. I immediately saw what had happened. I quickly placed the cable back in the track as it was suppose to be and now all is well in Boxer land...For the time being.



I posted this as a learning experience for everyone. If you replace the cables, you have to make damn sure you keep the tautness in the cable at all times, or it will jump track on you.

Thanks a ton for this info, Phil. I've been meaning to change out my stiff throttle cables for a while and now I can jump into it while saving myself many potential headaches.

Boxer

Your holding one TB butterfly open while turning the throttle has established a new "Don't do this" rule for people synching their TB's. If they do it, there's a good chance they'll derail their cable too, and a lengthy disassembly will be required to fix it.

It's always good to hear from you Phil, even Sunday when you called near the end of the Daytona 500.

Hi Boxer,

I am planning to replace the Bowden cables of my 2002 R1150R, read your throttle cable post only AFTER I got the cables from Chicago BMW.

These are what I have at the moment, exactly the same as yours.

The main throttle cable: Part#32737692490.
The high idle cable: Part#32737659683,
The right TB cable:Part#32737692562.
The left TB cable:Part#32737692563

Now, I need to get the $20 adaptor kit. I just checked the part fiche, can I confirm with you Part#32722333488 “rep.kit accelerator cable deflection” at $24.23 (before 20% discount) is what I need to make the revised throttle cable fit?

Thanks a million

The package that my kit came in has a different part number on it. That was done in Feb of 2007 so the part number may have been changed. Or what more than likely has happened, they have updated the kit since I got mine. My part number was:
32727691990

Hope this helps.

I replaced the cables on my RT at 45,000 miles "just because". The "choke" cable (which isn't a choke) doesn't really need to be replaced. I have a GREAT throttle cable replacement handout provided by Motorcycle Repair and Rendezvous of Salt Lake City (an inde Beemer shop) they provided during one of their weekly winter tech sessions. It was very helpful for me. I'm sure they wouldn't mind me emailing a copy if someone wants a copy. Just PM me your email address or tell me how to post it.

BTW, after changing cables, I think it's a good idea to save and carry the old main throttle cable on long trips. I had one friend who's RT lost the throttle cable on a trip while passing a truck. All of a sudden he was coasting. He tried to fix it on the side of the road, and might have if he had an old cable. It isn't easy in the garage, and much worse by I-15.

Thanks for the reply Phil.

I took a look at the MaxBMW part fiche again

32722333488 rep.kit accelerator cable deflection
32727691990 rep.kit accelerator cable deflection (D=45MM) - 12/2004 and above

Strange that your 2003 Roadster needs the later one, I will check with my local BMW parts counter on which one I should get for my 2002 model.

Hopefully they will have this small piece of plastic part in stock, the last time I asked for 4 pieces of wheel bolts and ended up flying in the bolts from half a globe away.

Some interesting finding, I spent a few minutes with my vernier caliper looking parts with D=45mm around the right handle bar area.

The throttle tube where the throttle cable rest has a 45mm diameter, I guess part#32727691990 has to match with a throttle tube with 45mm diameter cam in order to have the correct cable entry angle as shown in Boxer’s photo, hence the D=45mm in the part description.

Got the kit from local beemer parts counter today.

2 pieces of plastic and 3 screws was found in the kit.

I guess I can ready to give it a go.


The conversion rate is US$1=SGD$1.35, that's US$31.70... ouch!