Straightning sub frame?

[MUSICMAN]

I bought my R1100 GS a few years ago from a close friend. He told me he dropped the bike a few times and one of the problems was a slightly bent upper sub frame, this is totally unoticable in handling but I'm not able to adjust my headlight because the adjuster is cockeyed and will not turn and I can't put the new adjuster on becasause it's off center.

So how do I straighten the sub frame?

Thanks,
Andy

[jdiaz]

I've never had any luck trying to fix one. Its such a pain to get off all the bits, that I just buy a new subframe so I don't have to take it apart again.

[83413]

Hey MusicMan!
If I didn't give you the new headlight adjuster parts, then I still have them in my go-raszh. The new sub-frame solution sounds good, but the price for one from BMW may be uncomfortable. Try the Beemer Boneyard in NJ. I got my K bike bars there.

Riding to eat

the Groovescooter

[flash412]

I dunno about erlhaids. But every time I ever bent a subframe on a /5 or R80G/S, I found that judicious use of carefully applied leverage with something like an old fork tube would straighten it. Generally, parking the bike next to a phone pole or tree and having a friend hold it tight to the pole so that it doesn't move around helps a LOT. If that don't work, kicking it can be pretty effective, too.

YSFMV

[kbasa]

Hey MusicMan!
If I didn't give you the new headlight adjuster parts, then I still have them in my go-raszh. The new sub-frame solution sounds good, but the price for one from BMW may be uncomfortable. Try the Beemer Boneyard in NJ. I got my K bike bars there.

Riding to eat

the Groovescooter

That's what I'd do too - buy a used one. The subframe holds the front wheel in alignment and a bend in that is a Bad Thing, regardless of whether you feel it not. When your tires wear, you may get strange things going on, or your tires may wear funny.

I can't remember - is the VIN stamped in the upper subframe?

You might want to try someone like Computrak as well. They do frame alignments using a theodolite and get even stock, undamaged frames aligned correctly. According to them, the only manufacturers that really seem to sweat frame alignment are BMW and Honda.