BMW 450 enduro (merged) threadfest...

[Gearhead001]

Originally Posted by ScienceOfDirt

Might just want to get a Trailtech or something similar. It's not like BMW put the sensor on the correct wheel anyway.

I'm thinking of ditching mine for a real enduro computer, but I don't know for sure how the bike will act of it's not there. As soon as the warranty is up, I'm going to try.

I would be hesitant about permanently unhooking the original instrument cluster. The engine management module may need the cluster to operate properly. If you do remove the cluster, carry it with you for the first few rides in case something happens.

The speed sensor is on the back tire to show the actual mileage the drive train has traveled. I like it because when I see 65 miles, it is time to head back to the truck (fuel). The last 2 rides I have averaged 37MPG (74 miles). My riding bro ran 72 miles on his Aprilia which has the speed sensor on the front wheel. This tells me I spun the POS original back tire about 2 miles during that particular ride. My point is I can accurately tell how much fuel I have left (used) with the speed sensor on the back AND I will need a different speedometer/odometer to accurately run enduros (etc).

[andrewgore]

Raced this weekend on the 450. I was anxious to see how my body could handle the 40+ extra pounds of the 450 for a 1:45 long race, and the extra power . I had some mild concerns about the dead engine start as I had the bike in the high HP setting, and knew that sometimes it doesn't like to fire up right away. Luckily the bike fired up rather quickly (though not as quick as my 144), and I was able to get bunched up with a big group of guys in the first turn (nope, not my finest starts)

My riding was a bit off from the start. Maybe it was because I forgot my helmet, and had to borrow a friends...who had just gotten done with his own race. Either way, it's a particular issue with my racing. My brain needs a bit of time to process new terrain\obstacles and the first lap or two I'm usually still sorting out good lines and such. Unfortunately on the first lap I had a particular fall that really screwed things up for me. It was just before a sharp 90 degree turn that led to a downhill section. It woulda been fine if it weren't for a fact that if you blow that turn, you fall off into a small little ravine Luckily the bike caught on something and didn't slip down.

As the race wore on, I realized that I had been riding the bike improperly for too long. My brain has still been in 2-stroke mode. 0 Engine braking & low torque is what I have been used to, so the constant 100% throttle - heavy braking - 100% throttle was really destroying my upper body. Had I of been a bit wiser from the get go, I woulda kept myself with gentle throttle input & more fluid motions. But this is how we learn & improve eh?

The bike handled everything quite well. I thought that the bikes heavier weight would play a larger role in wearing me out, but the reality was, as long as I kept it rubber side down, the weight was a non-issue. I was geared probably a bit too tall for the course. I was running 14/48 and basically kept the bike in 2nd gear the entire loop. I kind of had to keep it in 2nd for the last couple laps as on one of my falls, the shift lever got spun up extremely high and sounded like it rubbed into the chain when I'd try to upshift. A bit more clutch work & trusting that the bike would chug to stupid low RPM levels and it actually worked better than the few times I'd drop into 1st gear. Towards the end I began riding it without using the clutch, and kept on the gas a bit more through things. This actually upped my speed quite a bit and reduced the fatigue on my body.


All this to say.....I greatly enjoyed racing this bike. I may just be making a push to unload the 144 a bit quicker now, as I think that the 450 will prove to be a very potent race machine. A bit more fitness work on my end & a bit more intense practice\training and things should be looking up.

And of course, only 2 pictures


Hill climb immediately after a long creek section. Where I'm at is about 1/4 of the way up.


Andrew

PS - I rocked my latest rear shock mount for this race. I like very much

[a1fa]

i burned in my saddle bags on the exhaust, and then i smeared the melting rubber onto my plastic.. any cure?

[ScienceOfDirt]

Originally Posted by a1fa

i burned in my saddle bags on the exhaust, and then i smeared the melting rubber onto my plastic.. any cure?

If you can't peel it off with a hair dryer, might try a ScotchBrite pad.

[andrewgore]

Checked my valves tonight. Plenty easy, but I'll post up some pics I took along the way. Kinda more pressing matter though, my shifter looks like this:



Any alternates available? BMW lists it as 70$. I have a YZ450F shifter laying around. The bend is right, the shaft appears correct, but the length is about 2" too short. Worst case is I'll cut\weld this one. Suggestions?

Andrew

[andrewgore]

First, clean your bike:


Prep the essentials:


Remove left panel:


Remove Right panel:


Remove air filter element:


Drain coolant:


This is teh drain bolt:


Radiator removal. There are 2 clips at the top, and 3 electrical connectors on the right hand side. I neglected to get pics of these steps, but yah you'll be here:


Remove coil:


Remove valve cover:


Move engine to TDC for valve check. I removed spark plug, put bike in gear and got the dots on the camshaft sprockets lined (dots in line with eachother...sorry no pic). You'll be here:


I don't have the handling skills to nab pics & check valve gap at the same time, so I'll just give you my results:


Adjust as needed. I'm kinda surprised that the 1 intake valve was off from the other, but still within spec, so we should be good to go.

And the thing I hate the most....Reverse these steps for reassembly.

Andrew

[andrewgore]

I had a shift lever that I had picked up for my 650X that had been in my spares for quite some time. It was off of a 2003 or so Yamaha YZ250 Splines matched up last night, but with how it was bent, it was too short & stuck out from the bike too far. Thankfully it is steel, so a little bit of vise & hammer action and we look like we're rocking.



I'll see how it works on the bike tonight.

Andrew

[ScienceOfDirt]

How many hours on the bike?

[andrewgore]

Between 10-14 hours. I'll have to double check when I get home.

[Some Dude]

Originally Posted by andrewgore

Between 10-14 hours. I'll have to double check when I get home.

The shifter shaft spline area gets stretched in the first couple hours of use, just about every G450X I've done a break-in service on needed the shifter tightened up. Best bet is to put a couple hours on the bike keeping an eye on any shifter shaft slop and then remove the shifter, apply some antiseize and then re-install and torque it down. From that point they don't tend to come loose again.

The stripping of the splines in your case was most likely due to not catching the loose shifter in time to tighten it up properly.

[Stagehand]

Thanks for the pics nad write up, Andrew. Now you have to do one that shows how to actually adjust one. The Rider's Association magazine would Love something like that with high res photos.

I havent checked the valves yet... Think I'm at 70 hours, +/-. Still runs like a champ, starts right up (second time, everytime ) Did another 5 hours on it yesterday, at Shred's place. (video upcoming)

I had the same loosening with the shift lever. TIghtened it up and it seems good now, but I didnt use the anti-seize. That might have been a good idea.

SHred and I were talking yesterday. I'm roughly at 7 hours, and bought a case of BMW oil after Max did the ten hour service. I now have 3 quarts left over, so I think I've used 9 quarts in about 60 hours... so thats a change every 6-7 hours, roughly. If it was a shorter interval, I dont usually change the filter, and I'm not sure how many of those I've gone through... but probably no more than 6.
Radiator flushed twice.
Air filters I am probably on the 6th as well, and have been seriously lazy, and just buying new ones. I feel a little dumb, but in the year I've had it, I barely remember buying any yet I easily recall the one time I tried to clean one

Next Race: July 10- Barbed Wire enduro.

[andrewgore]

Originally Posted by BMW Atlanta

The shifter shaft spline area gets stretched in the first couple hours of use, just about every G450X I've done a break-in service on needed the shifter tightened up. Best bet is to put a couple hours on the bike keeping an eye on any shifter shaft slop and then remove the shifter, apply some antiseize and then re-install and torque it down. From that point they don't tend to come loose again.

The stripping of the splines in your case was most likely due to not catching the loose shifter in time to tighten it up properly.

I'm pretty sure that the shifter splines got messed up in one of my several "slip-ups" at Sundays HS. Nothing like going to shift and wondering where the crap your shifter moved to

Looking to race again this weekend up in Hixton, WI. Just what my body needs, another 2 hour race. I am going to tweak my fork damping a bit. I'm thinking it was a shade too soft for me overall.

Andrew

[The Shred]

I didn't check my valves till 70hrs. The exhaust were both .009mm and the intake were both .0035mm. Looks like they're a bitch to adjust them so I probably won't till it needs some other work too.
I used red loctite on the shifter shaft the day I brought the bike home and it hasn't come loose yet!






Yesterday was a great day to have off. Weather was perfect and the trails were in awesome condition. I rode like a retard for the first couple hours because the film crew behind me was giving me a panic attack. After lunch I started to relax and we hit some power lines. Not long after my camelback ran dry my legs cramped up. I couldn't feel anything from my elbows down for about an hour so it was time to ride a little pavement to buy gator aid and water. Came back to ride more single track and was a lot smoother but not any faster.
Long day. Lots of exercise. Good company.

[KarlNum]

Originally Posted by ScienceOfDirt

Did you get the adjustable clutch lever, or just 2 brake levers using one for the clutch?

Adjustable Clutch Lever


Brake Lever

[willthespill]

Originally Posted by KarlNum

Adjustable Clutch Lever


Brake Lever

Are those Flexx bars by Fasst Co? How do you like them?