My 2022 R1250GS Adventure Megamoto

[Hann]

Pondering this SwingArm issue while waiting for mine to be delivered (SwingArm and bike).

Have you already sourced an RS or RT swingarm?

 

[Smartbazza]

Reggie has had his wheels on three bikes now with no noticeable offset.

Barry

 

[r1happy]

Pondering this SwingArm issue while waiting for mine to be delivered (SwingArm and bike). Has anyone actually done this swap and confirmed that it does bring the wider wheel into line?

I realise that e.g. the S/A on an R1250R with its correct wheel will be in line and that the wheels are aligned on a GS with its different wheel offset, which means the final drive units must be in a different location on the 2 models. However, that could be achieved by a S/A with a different angle (sideways), or by mounting the S/A offset in the frame. So the question then is, do all these boxers have the same S/A mount position in the frame and hence the S/A differs in order to provide a different offset to the wheel, or is the S/A the same and the frame made with a different S/A mount position?

A lot more complicated to explain than grasp I think. Anyway, the proof is whether changing the S/A does move the Final Drive unit (and hence wheel mount plane) and bring the wider (R/RS/RT) wheel into line when used in the GS?

I ran an RS swingarm on my 1250 Rallye. It has a distinct kink towards the near side before it straightens out that the GS one doesn’t have. My dealer had an RS & GS side by side and the difference in the swingarms was immediately visible. After fitting the RS rear wheel I used a plumbline to check and it was definitely in line.
The swingarm mount position was exactly the same as the swap was done by my dealer in less than an hour.

 

[r1happy]

Reggie has had his wheels on three bikes now with no noticeable offset.

Barry

The RS rear wheel has a different offset by 14mm to the right than the GS so they are not in line but still rideable. That’s why the swingarm on an RS is different.

 

[r1happy]

Photo taken of my 1250 Rallye fitted with an RS 6” rear waiting for a 190 rear tyre arriving, on GS swingarm. Plumbline is from the centre of the rear light. White mark indicates centre of wheel. No doubt that the wheel is offset to the right. That’s why I checked with dealer and they fitted the RS swingarm. They measured it after the swap and wheels were in line.

 

[Skid06]

I have a RS swing arm if anyone's interested

 

[Smartbazza]

The RS rear wheel has a different offset by 14mm to the right than the GS so they are not in line but still rideable. That’s why the swingarm on an RS is different.

I am agreeing that the offset is real and should be solved by changing the swingarm. just highlighting that it’s hard to pick out without measuring and It doesn’t effect Reggies crab style cornering!

Barry

 

[Smartbazza]

Photo taken of my 1250 Rallye fitted with an RS 6” rear waiting for a 190 rear tyre arriving, on GS swingarm. Plumbline is from the centre of the rear light. White mark indicates centre of wheel. No doubt that the wheel is offset to the right. That’s why I checked with dealer and they fitted the RS swingarm. They measured it after the swap and wheels were in line.

That’s a proper old school visualisation! Like it

Barry

 

[Skid06]

I am agreeing that the offset is real and should be solved by changing the swingarm. just highlighting that it’s hard to pick out without measuring and It doesn’t effect Reggies crab style cornering!

Barry

It does effect it, slightly and not in a dangerous way, it drops into left corners slighly quicker, did it in 2013 on my first LC and still use it along with TTX Ohlins so i could lower the ride height slightly, would never go back to a 19 front, also have same setup on my Africa Twin but 19 front instead of 21 along with TTX

 

[BiKenG]

I am agreeing that the offset is real and should be solved by changing the swingarm. just highlighting that it’s hard to pick out without measuring and It doesn’t effect Reggies crab style cornering!

Barry

Wheels being out of line has surprisingly little effect on handling. Indeed some bikes have been produced with wheels slightly out of line - not by 14mm though.

That difference is easily determined without measuring. The wheel offset is cast into the wheel and the GS rear is marked -32.5 while the R/RS/RT are marked -46.5. So simple maths tells us that the latter are offset 14mm to the right compared to the GS, so to bring them into line, the wheel mounting surface (i.e. Final Drive Unit) must be shifted 14mm to the left.

 

[BiKenG]

Photo taken of my 1250 Rallye fitted with an RS 6” rear waiting for a 190 rear tyre arriving, on GS swingarm. Plumbline is from the centre of the rear light. White mark indicates centre of wheel. No doubt that the wheel is offset to the right. That’s why I checked with dealer and they fitted the RS swingarm. They measured it after the swap and wheels were in line.

What that does show us is that your rear number plate is offset to the right and that will undoubtedly cause horrific handling issues.

 

[BiKenG]

I ran an RS swingarm on my 1250 Rallye. It has a distinct kink towards the near side before it straightens out that the GS one doesn’t have. My dealer had an RS & GS side by side and the difference in the swingarms was immediately visible. After fitting the RS rear wheel I used a plumbline to check and it was definitely in line.
The swingarm mount position was exactly the same as the swap was done by my dealer in less than an hour.

Great, thanks. That's exactly what I wanted to hear as I have already sourced an R1250R S/A that is even now wending its way to me.

A matching 17" front wheel is proving to be more troublesome to locate.

 

[r1happy]

What that does show us is that your rear number plate is offset to the right and that will undoubtedly cause horrific handling issues.

Typical BMW quality control!!!!!

 

[Reggie353]

Took advantage of the good weather at the weekend and put my Rallye screen on and went for a lovely run to the Strangford Ferry with a few friends. Bike is now well run in and I’m loving it. Big weekend ahead. Will report back next week.


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[Reggie353]

1008 miles in 3 days last weekend doing Mizen Head to Malin Head. Irelands most southerly and northerly points. Superb trip, great weather and avoided motorways for the whole trip. Highlight for me was Molls Gap. Stunning road.

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[Reggie353]

3788 miles and loving it. Blast to the North Coast at the weekend for some R&R.

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[Reggie353]

Now I have 8500 miles on my bike. Did 3021 miles in France over 16 days. Thought I would change it from full touring mode to “super Moto”. Short screen fitted and custom Rally seat.

Hopefully weather is better tomorrow for a spin.

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[Hann]

Reggie, just wondering, what is BMW`s reaction to your bike when you take it in for service or warranty claims etc?
Would they honour any work required that may be a result of your many modifications or maybe related in some way (or so they claimed...) to the changes that you`ve done?

 

[Reggie353]

They never mentioned anything. It has been in twice and even sat in the showroom for 3 weeks last winter.

Everything that I have done has been TUV approved or official BMW.


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[Reggie353]

Sneak peak of my plans for 2023. Gold wheels, bespoke Motografix graphics and HP mirrors. More upgrades to follow.


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