Bloody typical - R850R starter motor failed

jonothan · Sep 7, 2007

I'm thinking of selling my much-loved silver 2003 R850R - I'm only really hanging onto it for sentimental reasons as it was my first big bike and my first BMW. Anyway today the started motor started making some very odd noises and I think one of the bearings or bushes within the starter has failed. It's meshing fine so I think that the flywheel is fine.

Well, as I cannot bring myself to let it go unless it's working perfectly, I've had no choice but to order a new one at just shy of £200.

It is a very easy item to fit, I reckon, but I wondered if I really had to disconnect the battery first with that latter task being such a palaver, what with it being buried beneath the tank as per the 1150/850GS.

Ideas?

J

ianboydsnr · Sep 7, 2007

yes disconnect the battery, removing the tank should be quick and easy :thumb2

cookie · Sep 7, 2007

yes, disconnect the battery.

no, don't buy a new one. get that one fixed for £65/85ish i reckon. look up someone in your area who does repairs.

Loiq · Sep 7, 2007

get it all to bits and fix it yerself...

It's the road to all that is perfect about motorcycle ownership, wheel the beastie into the kitchen if it raining and start dismantling it with inappropriate tools. Bought down the market I find it best to use imperial socket set for metric bolts rounds em off nicely no sharp edges.

Then spread out into dinning room, living room, conservatory spare room spreading oil and gunk all over the house till finally, working you have no idea what was wrong and putting it all into boxes and hiding the evidence in the shed for about 20 years :augie

go on you know it makes sense :blast

If anyone asks what it is all you need to say it's early stages of a restoration your doing for a friend cos he's abit thick.... :augie

ianboydsnr · Sep 7, 2007

Lo-IQ said:
get it all to bits and fix it yerself...

It's the road to all that is perfect about motorcycle ownership, wheel the beastie into the kitchen if it raining and start dismantling it with inappropriate tools. Bought down the market I find it best to use imperial socket set for metric bolts rounds em off nicely no sharp edges.

Then spread out into dinning room, living room, conservatory spare room spreading oil and gunk all over the house till finally, working you have no idea what was wrong and putting it all into boxes and hiding the evidence in the shed for about 20 years

go on you know it makes sense

If anyone asks what it is all you need to say it's early stages of a restoration your doing for a friend cos he's abit thick....

Kenny · Sep 7, 2007

I think from his post he already has ordered the new one !!

ALWAYS disconnect battery when doing electrics

Steptoe · Sep 7, 2007

contrary to all the other opinions

You don't have to disconnect the battery. I never do. Just make sure the main feed to the starter motor doesn't touch anything. The wiring is thick and stays where it is, so it's not so fraught with danger as it sounds .

Deleted account 220427002 · Sep 7, 2007

Steptoe said:
contrary to all the other opinions

You don't have to disconnect the battery. I never do. Just make sure the main feed to the starter motor doesn't touch anything. The wiring is thick and stays where it is, so it's not so fraught with danger as it sounds .

yea i removed mine without removing the battery 3 times :augie

jonothan · Sep 8, 2007

Well, it's all fixed now - the new starter motor arrived today (thanks, Motorworks, great service).

I decided that, as the battery was the original one and now getting on for four years old, I'd change that too seeing as I'd have to get to it to disconnect it.

It's all done now and working perfectly - though I'm two hundred quid lighter.

Had I read Steptoe's post earlier, I might've risked just changing the motor without disconnecting the battery.

Still, I'm pleased it's all working properly again. Thanks for the advice, all.

J

Bloody typical - R850R starter motor failed

jonothan

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ianboydsnr

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cookie

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Loiq

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ianboydsnr

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Kenny

Trustworthy Scouser AND

Steptoe

What a waste.

Deleted account 220427002

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jonothan

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