How I miss my old air-head. Or maybe they attracted a different kind of owner.I’m pulling the fairing off my new acquisition - a mechanically sound but cosmetically neglected R1100RS from 1997. That was the year it was last washed. If you have ever wondered what a “company bike” would look like, I’ll add some money-shots of filthy screws and rotten nuts. It was serviced regularly, although god-knows how Park Lane BMW managed to changed filters and fluids without disturbing the deepening patina of grime.
Anyhow, to the present and future.
I can’t free a couple of evil screws without damaging the fairing or tank: there’s one at the rear of the tank, where your knees sit, that just won’t budge. On the left side the previous owner must have snapped off the head in desperation, which is exactly what I resorted to on the right. There’s no way to get to the fuel lines etc. in order to remove the tank, but now it’s off, I’m still no wiser as to how this little bastard was supposed to do anything but annoy - it’s a phillips head, tapped into the fibre-glass tank, and the stud still spins tauntingly, as if there is a threaded backing tab.
So what’s the secret?
And don’t get me started on the daft little steel allen bolts in the front mudguard and fork covers: big mushroom head, tiny weeny allen hole, in the rainiest saltiest corner of the bike. You can’t even buzz them out without wrecking the plastic.
Now I’m into it, I can’t help but notice how rusty and crap-encrusted the shocks are. How difficult is it to change these? will I need special tools?
Advice, commiserations, encouragement, all gratefully received
