Many thanks Herr Twathead!

[red1]

Think that's his name, or it should be!

After replacing TB shafts found the left throttle cable was badly frayed. Ordered one from Motorworks as dealers don't stock parts any more and thought I'd make a start on getting things ready for the changeover.

Unfortunately some years ago, in the late 80's, Herr fucking Twathead was employed by BMW as Head of Fuckups, Design & Engineering Dept for new R1150. He then proceeded to design the worst piece of over complicated, piece of mechanical shit in living memory. Namely the throttle cable assembly. Not only did he design this piece of shit, he decided the best place for it would be hidden under the battery tray and that if you want to change a cable you would have to strip out the battery tray and dismantle the left hand switch assembly to release the choke cable to allow the box to be slid out. As a special treat there are 8 screws holding the switch together of which 4 are hidden from view. And you have to remove the mirror to get to one of them.

I'm allowing 2 days to get it back together! And the bastards off my Christmas card list!

 

[MikeO]

No need to remove the battery tray - this might help...

Click

Mike

 

[Udders]

It's not a choke cable either.

 

[red1]

It's not a choke cable either.

Correct, it just increases tickover speed.

 

[littleredrooster]

No need to dismantle the switchgear either, IIRC

 

[Fanum]

No need to dismantle the switchgear either, IIRC

Definitely not.

I would agree though, that Bowden box is a bit of a cnut

 

[red1]

No need to dismantle the switchgear either, IIRC

Couldn't see any other way of disconnecting cable at the switch.

 

[Mzokk]

I took out the battery box to do mine it needed painting anyway. Other it was all pretty straight forward though.

 

[Slipperyeel]

Think that's his name, or it should be!

After replacing TB shafts found the left throttle cable was badly frayed. Ordered one from Motorworks as dealers don't stock parts any more and thought I'd make a start on getting things ready for the changeover.

Unfortunately some years ago, in the late 80's, Herr fucking Twathead was employed by BMW as Head of Fuckups, Design & Engineering Dept for new R1150. He then proceeded to design the worst piece of over complicated, piece of mechanical shit in living memory. Namely the throttle cable assembly. Not only did he design this piece of shit, he decided the best place for it would be hidden under the battery tray and that if you want to change a cable you would have to strip out the battery tray and dismantle the left hand switch assembly to release the choke cable to allow the box to be slid out. As a special treat there are 8 screws holding the switch together of which 4 are hidden from view. And you have to remove the mirror to get to one of them.

I'm allowing 2 days to get it back together! And the bastards off my Christmas card list!

I needed a laugh and this worked! In fact i'm still laughing. You're in the wrong job Red1, you should be writing the Haynes manuals

Keep us posted with work on the replacement throttle cable

 

[littleredrooster]

Definitely not.

I would agree though, that Bowden box is a bit of a cnut

It just needs something that Dr. Shipman ran out of:

patience.


...and perhaps nimble fingers...

 

[MattW]

Think that's his name, or it should be!

After replacing TB shafts found the left throttle cable was badly frayed. Ordered one from Motorworks as dealers don't stock parts any more and thought I'd make a start on getting things ready for the changeover.

Unfortunately some years ago, in the late 80's, Herr fucking Twathead was employed by BMW as Head of Fuckups, Design & Engineering Dept for new R1150. He then proceeded to design the worst piece of over complicated, piece of mechanical shit in living memory. Namely the throttle cable assembly.

If you think that's bad, you should see the early 1100 throttle cable that he designed first.

I dream of a proper junction box rather than the daisy chained abortion that makes it impossible to properly balance the throttle bodies...

 

[red1]

5 stars to Motorworks. New cable arrived this morning.

Have had a look at getting it back together but unfortunately there's a repeat of a Jeremy Kyle show on TV this morning.

 

[Trullion]

If you think that's bad, you should see the early 1100 throttle cable that he designed first.

I dream of a proper junction box rather than the daisy chained abortion that makes it impossible to properly balance the throttle bodies...

I keep reading this but I have to say that, having had both arrangements, I prefer the earlier set-up. (Then again I prefer the 1100 to the 850, so maybe I'm a bit odd anyway). Dead easy to change cables and I seem to manage balancing the throttles ok. Admittedly as they stretch it can become a PITA to do an accurate balance, but the cables are supposed to be changed every 18,000 miles. How many owners bother, I wonder (rhetorically)? A new cable, cheaper than the three needed for the later set-up, makes a big difference in my experience. That said, I still dunno why BMW couldn't have produced a simple splitter like the one on the Triumph T140 I used to have. Just my view.

 

[MattW]

I keep reading this but I have to say that, having had both arrangements, I prefer the earlier set-up. (Then again I prefer the 1100 to the 850, so maybe I'm a bit odd anyway). Dead easy to change cables and I seem to manage balancing the throttles ok. Admittedly as they stretch it can become a PITA to do an accurate balance, but the cables are supposed to be changed every 18,000 miles. How many owners bother, I wonder (rhetorically)? A new cable, cheaper than the three needed for the later set-up, makes a big difference in my experience. That said, I still dunno why BMW couldn't have produced a simple splitter like the one on the Triumph T140 I used to have. Just my view.

Each to their own I guess
I think when everything is brand new with zero play in the throttle bodies etc, the single cable just abut works ok. However as soon as things get slightly worn it's next to impossible to get decent off-idle balance because you try to adjust the 'link section' for zero free play (while leaving the throttles on their stops) but any lash in either throttle body throws the balance out as the throttle is opened. Even worse, it's a non-linear relationship (again due to differing wear / tolerances in each TB) so you can't adjust it out throughout the full travel of the throttle.

I generally get it as good as I can at motorway cruising rpm (where any imbalance is going to be most irritating) and live with a small amount of buzziness above and below. New throttle body bushes and a new cable definitely improved the situation but it's still not perfect each side of my chosen 'set point' rpm.

One day I might get round to making up a cable with an ordinary barrel type splitter (venhill sell all the necessary bits) but it would mean doing without the choke (yes I know it's not really a choke...) as this uses the link cable to act on both throttles. That said,as long as you don't expect it to sit at tick over when cold (which I don't), then this probably wouldn't be a big problem.