Fork Gaiters

 The bike was originally released without fork gaiters, all the 1982 publicity shots have shiny stanchions. 

My first LS had fine 14 rib gaiters, quite slim and quite sharp on the concertinas. 

The realoem parts catalogue doesn't include gaiters. Some retailers have a bulky 11 rib version that looks like it comes from a R75/5 or similar. Motobins list this as "Code: 93900    BMW: 31 42 1 234 908".  This is more bulky than the 14 rib version, not as slim and the folds of the concertina are more rounded. 

With one of my fork rebuilds I found the 14 rib version in the parts catalogue for the R65 and R80G/S:

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=0348-USA-06_1980_2471_BMW_R_80_G_S&diagId=31_0318#31421241666

• 02 Ring 2 31421241669 $6.97
• 03 Rubber boot 2 31421241666 $16.90
• R 65 GS, R 80 G/S, R 80 ST (80-92) R 80 G/S Fork slider

The bulky version clamps directly onto the stanchion and slider. The 14 rib version clamps directly onto the slider but needs a neoprene ring at the top to make up the difference between the stanchion and gaiter. 

I prefer fork gaiters, I like the idea of protecting the stanchion from dust and stones. I think the 14 rib version looks much better on the bike than the thicker one, but maybe I'm just biased because of my history? :-)

11 Rib version on the left, 14 on the right. 

Starter Motor

 On a ride recently my bike started unreliably: there was a "click" from under the tank but no life from the starter motor. In each case I was able to get the bike started after a few attempts and moving it around a bit. I wasn't sure if the problem was the relay or motor itself, but neither has been serviced, ever, so I figured I'd replace both.

I purchased an Arrowhead starter for AUD219. This was less than twice the cost of overhaul parts for the original BOSCH starter. 

Shiny new Arrowhead starter installed.

Replacement was straightforward except for a couple of points. 

• There are two hex head bolts holding the starter in place. The one on the left side of the bike could be turned using a ring spanner, but the housing wouldn't allow this on the right. I had a socket that fitted, but to get access for this I needed to remove the airbox and battery, which was a nuisance. When reassembling it I used an allen key bolt, so this should be avoided next time. 
• There is a bracket on the leading edge of the starter under the timing chain cover. It has 3 bolts, two on the starter and one on the engine. One of the bolts on the starter is impossible to get off while the starter is in place, but the lower bolt, screwing the bracket to the engine, can be accessed using a 10mm socket from the front. 
• The relay I purchased had 4 connections and is appropriate for other functions on airheads, but not necessary on my bike. The correct relay has 5 connections. 
• Care needs to be taken removing the relay with a screwdriver because one of the connections is always live, and so can spark. 
• The crankcase breather hose was perished, clearly visible in the pic, and was replaced. 

LHS Spanner Access

After this was done with the original starter relay in place the bike didn't start, so I swapped in the relay from the other bike and it started sweetly, no problems. So, the problem from the beginning was the relay, not the starter itself. 

Shiny new Arrowhead starter installed.

Nearly-There Sportster

In the dusty archives is this road test of the LS from 1983. The scan is from the yellowed pages of "Two Wheels Road Tests: Full tests of the year's top bikes" and includes other bikes like the Kawasaki Z750GT and Honda CBX550.

The LS was new at the time and wasn’t necessarily seen as an improvement on the recent BMW models or the R75/5 from 10 years previously. It wasn’t seen as a cost effective way to purchase a motorcycle: it carried the premium associated with BMW but didn’t have the robustness of its pedigree nor the performance of its peers.

It’s been a while since I’ve seen a Z750GT or CBX550 on the road, though…

Access it here (file is 20MB).