BMWs in the Desert
I blew a shocker (original) between Kings Canyon and Alice Springs on
the Mereeni Loop. I did about 150km with no shocker working. I also had
oil leaking out of the breather on top of final drive on this rough road
(I also layed it over for the first time in some sand. I originally thought
it was leaking out if gearbox into final drive so I checked the gearbox
in Hermmansburg (Aboriginal community) and discovered gearbox 200mm low.
So I pulled the paralever apart in Alice to check uni joints. When I
pulled off lower paralever rubber boot 150mm oil leaked out of paralever.
I received new shocker from Melbourne, reinstalled paralaver with some
directions from my mechanic in Melbourne and decided not to try and replace
oil seal in gearbox, drained some oil out of final drive (I believe I over
filled it) and took some spare oil with me before heading up the Tanami
track.
On the day I was to leave (4 days after arriving in Alice Springs) I
had a flat battery. I had charging system checked out by a Auto elec and
by mechanic at Desert Edge motorcycles but no one could give me a definite
answer as to why except that Battery was OK. Advise from Melbourne mechanic
- replace voltage regulator. I rang around looking for Bosch equivalent
(serial number given to me by Melbourne mechanic) and tracked one down
at 4.00pm. Picked it up and had to use a file on a leatherman to open up
holes so regulator would fit properly, bought a battery charger and set
of jumper leads and headed up Tanami. Brother in law (R1150GS) sucked an
airfilter full of water on first river crossing (Pentecost River on Gibb
River Rd) so we took plugs out in middle of river and blew out water. Next
river crossing we covered air intake with cut down coke bottle and taped
to tank. Previously R100GSPD had plug caps siliconed onto plugs and I never
had a problem with submerging motor
Martin
