Leading link for R1150R ..What mods ??

I know about the adaptor that moves the ball joint.....but what I want to do is install a Leading Link unit.... Do you still use the ball joint ? or is that removed ?

Is it possible to take off the front end of the R1150R and install a Triple Tree from a R100R...then use a Leading Link Unit for a R100R...Will it work ?

I just finished looking at a R1100RT...and the steering stem is way different...so that is not going to work...

Doing a leading link on a telelever BMW is possible and has been done. Most commonly the exisiting telelever shock is replaced by a solid bar. This gets rid of the suspenion that came with the bike but allows the ball joint to still be a pivot point for the leading link down tubes. From there the leading link is fabricated to whatever design one desires.
The more common method of trail reduction on the telelvers is moving the pivot location (ball joint) to kick the fork tubes forward. Typically a redesigned bridge takes care of this although other options are doable. If anyone thinks they want to do this on their own it is a little more complicated than at first glance. Care must be taken that the upper pivots of the fork tubes do not max out as this could cause a failer which would do nothing for the old fun meter.
.

That was exactally what I wanted to know.... I just could not understand how you could do away with that lower pivot....the solid bar is the answer... Thanks.. it was bugging me.

Joel

Hi, I have just finished making and fitting an under engine "cradle"  etc so I could attach a Velorex sidecar to my 2002 r1150r. I am now wondering if I should change the telelever to leading link. Has anyone any ideas /designs for this? Are the advantages worth the trouble? Thanks, joe (Ireland) 

Posted by: @joe-goodfellow

↑

Hi, I have just finished making and fitting an under engine "cradle"  etc so I could attach a Velorex sidecar to my 2002 r1150r. I am now wondering if I should change the telelever to leading link. Has anyone any ideas /designs for this? Are the advantages worth the trouble? Thanks, joe (Ireland) 

Joe, leave it to an olde Irishman to revive a 16 years old forums thread.  

If you can find a Wasp manufactured "UNIT" branded Leading Link, especially since they are made in that British country to the East of you, then putting a Leading Link on the front of your '02 R1150R would be a good thing.

If you can NOT find a "Unit" branded Leading Link, then what in tarnation are you going to do...have one made ? Are there any Leading Link fabricators on the Emerald Isle ?

Joe, I would suggest looking at both options, just to see what is available. I can check with MY guy here in the "colonies", that would be Chuck @54vintage, as he WAS a huge fan of the R1150 bikes (more GS than R), to see "IF" he has a used Leading Link front end for your '02 R1150R, but...shipping it to Galway, Ireland may cost more than the Ireland national GDP.

In the colonies, we have a few choices for moving that ball joint on the Telelever, to reduce trail, to make it easier to steer.

Hi Flying Monkey, I thought you were coming to Ireland. Scared I would drink you under the counter? 😀 

Posted by: @joe-goodfellow

↑

Hi Flying Monkey, I thought you were coming to Ireland. Scared I would drink you under the counter? 😀 

Yes, Joe, I am scared, as it turns out the history books indicate that you are a member of the Fighting Irish, and I come from a long line of the Loving Scottish, which is why there is a "sea" that separates Scotland from Ireland.

Also, I have been asking that pub you frequent every afternoon and evening if they can import some Beer from Australia, and they have yet to reply to me...those wankers.

All I was asking for is a case or two of this...

Hi Joe,

I tried the kit from DMC that cants the forks forward, and didn't like the feel with my 1100GS.  The front tire started to deflect over sharp bumps.  Not sure how that would affect your bike.  I ended up going with a modification designed by the French sidecar builder Dedome. The Telelever is shortened 45mm, and the fork bridge is lengthened the same 45mm.  This keeps the same rake, but changes the trail through the steering head angle.  

The pieces were fabricated in the states from a Telelever and fork bridge purchased off ebay.  

Here is a nicely written thread on the subject: https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/trail-reduction-and-steering-axis-dedome-claudes-leading-links.1748021/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic

I have no first hand experience of a leading link on the BMW.  I did own a Ural with Leading link, and was surprised at the accuracy and "sportyness" of the steering. If that feeling is the same on a BMW with leading link, and the goal is sporty riding on twisting roads I would sure give it a strong think.