It's aliiiiiive!

[CTHalk]

After months of being a sidewalk commando while my 2000 R1100RT-P waited, apart in my cramped heatless garage, while I tried to find a replacement tranny..... I rode it yesterday! I owe this wonderful exerience to a good friend who let me drag the pile over to his clean heated garage to finish the job. What had previously been a cold, cramped miserable process, became a fun, leisurely experience. There is a big difference between a cramped cold workspace, and one that is roomy, neat and warm! The bike runs and feels better than ever, even though it is now 'cold' here in CT. While working in my primitive space, I told myself I would never do another oilhead tranny replacement. I have changed that statement. I wouldn't hesitate to do it again in a clean one-car garage sized workspace (but hopefully NOT on mine!) I learned a lot during the process, and I think the next one would go much faster and smoother. I am glad I took a LOT of pictures during disassembly. I also bagged all fasteners in big zip-lock bags and labelled the bags. I also wrote each step down in a notebook as I went along. The only time I ran into any problems was when I had forgotten to take a picture, or had forgotten to label hardware (this because I was tired once or twice). I forgot to label some hoses going to the fuel tank (caused a moment of panic) but clear photos saved the day. It is a do-able job if you work methodically and chronical each step. Looking at it as a lot of small steps made the process less intimidating. I have to admit, before I started the job, I was nervous about it being a big hassle that I might have big troubles with. It wasn't. The only 'special' tools I needed were a couple of torque wrenches with different ranges, a good heat gun, and metric allen sockets. The ONLY hassle I ran into came from using a cheapie 'needle' torque wrench, which was very inaccurate, resulting in a stripped clutch bolt. Buy (or borrow) a good click torque wrench. DO NOT trust a crappy beam! I had planned to sell the bike as soon as it was done (because of the bad feelings the spline issue generated in me). Now I plan to keep it! I missed the 2006 rally because the bike was inop. I had taken it apart to lube the sticking splines the week before the rally. Glad I didn't just head out! I would have had to trailer it home. Ah well, maybe I can budget enough time to ride from here in CT to the '07 rally. Well, if anybody in CT is thinking of tackling a spline lube, I'd be happy to lend moral support! Hal in CT

[Mika]

...I am glad I took a LOT of pictures during disassembly. I also bagged all fasteners in big zip-lock bags and labelled the bags. I also wrote each step down in a notebook as I went along. The only time I ran into any problems was when I had forgotten to take a picture, or had forgotten to label hardware (this because I was tired once or twice)...

Congrats...post the pictures...Please.

[username]

oh man, finding a replacement tranny is always a delicate process.

pictures?

oh wait, do you mean *transmission?* :ha

seriously, congrats on getting it running, that's a sweet accomplishment! :clap

[wezul]

Schweet!
I dig RT-P's please get some pic's posted asap so we can see the mighty-mighty.

Peace.
Wez

[Djstephens]

+1 pictures please :lurk and Congrats!!!

[riderR1150GSAdv]

Congrats on the replacement!:thumb Piccies???? :lurk

[CTHalk]

Here is a link to some pics I took of all of the spaghetti under the black and white plastic. Wowza... lots of stuff to remember. It freaked me out at the beginning...seemed like lots of stuff. I used the 'pizza principle'... take it one slice at a time. We all know how easy it is to get through a large pizza if we pace ourselves! When you get there, click on the thumbnail, click on the picture, and click again for the large view. Hal
http://halkct.myphotoalbum.com/albums.php

[wezul]

Nice pics. I dunno what it is that I like about RT-P's, but I do dig them. Maybe because they are so personal, one-up only.

Cool! :bliss

[CTHalk]

I used to ride a '47 Harley. I put a fair number of miles on it with my girlfriend tucked in close on the big buddy seat. She was really comfortable on the bike, and would sometimes fall asleep with her hands in my jacket pockets and the zippers closed. The ride was almost like she wasn't there, unless I'd forget to wake her up before I put the bike on the side-stand. As I got older, and we parted ways, I stopped riding two-up. I have only had my wife out on a bike once, and she wasn't comfortable with it (nor was I). To me, a motorcycle is a solitary machine. However, my wife loves sidecar riding! Odd, because when we were first married, I bought a beautiful R60/2 to put a hack on so she could ride with me. She said 'no way, I'd feel like a monkey in the circus'....so I sold it. Years later I bought a Dnepr, and after seeing me and our daughter enjoying it, she asked to go for a ride...and loved it. She kept asking to go faster! Unfortunately, the Dnepr is a sloooow rig, so I sold it, and now I am looking for another older BMW to put a sidecar on. I have a Motorvation Spyder stashed in the garage. H.