BMW Airhead Tools, Parts and Other Information

 

The early /5, /6 & /7 BMW forks were actually quite sophisticated. After all, BMW was the first manufacturer to use a sliding fork front suspension.

 There are other web sites that explain methods of alligning the two fork legs. This is important.

What other things can be done to hopefully improve the front suspension?

Springs

Oil

Damper changes

Fork Braces

Triple Clamp changes

Steering Damper

 

There are many options when looking at springs. Some are listed below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BMW  Airhead Fork Information

2005

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BMW 36mm Forks  1970- 1980

 

/5,/6,/7 

 

 

 

Recommended

 

 

 

 

TYPE 1-C

 

Spring

Spring Rates

 

 

Preload

Fork oil

Oil amount in CCs

Make

Model

BMW Part #

Free length

Soft - Lbs

Soft - Kg

Hard - Lbs

Hard - Kg

Inch

MM

 

Change

Rebuild

BMW

Early

 

530-542 mm

18.48

0.33

26.88

0.48

 

 

4W - 5W

265

280

BMW

Late

31 421 231 358

543 mm

18.48

0.33

42.56

0.76

 

 

4W - 5W

235

250

BMW

HD

31 421 232 017

567 mm

26.32

0.47

41.44

0.74

 

 

 

 

 

Works

280X

 

127+381mm

34

0.61

60

1.07

 

 

 

 

 

Works

280XH

 

127+381mm

40

0.71

60

1.07

 

 

 

 

 

Progressive

11-1101

 

 

35

0.63

45

0.80

0

0

 

 

 

Race-Tech

FRSP S264380

425mm

44.8

0.8

44.8

0.8

 

 

 

 

 

Race-Tech

FRSP S264385

425mm

47.6

0.85

47.6

0.85

 

 

 

 

 

Race-Tech

FRSP S264390

425mm

50.4

0.9

50.4

0.9

 

 

 

 

 

Race-Tech Emulator

FEGV S3301

 

 

Must make an adaptor

 

 

10W

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use heavier springs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BMW Brembo 38mm  All BMW '85 on EXCEPT (GS/PD/R/Mystic)

 

 

Recommended

 

 

 

 

TYPE 5-C

 

Spring

Spring Rates

 

 

Preload

Fork oil

Oil amount in CCs

Make

Model

BMW Part #

Free length

Soft - Lbs

Soft - Kg

Hard - Lbs

Hard - Kg

Inch

MM

 

Change

Rebuild

BMW

Standard

31 421 452 205

472-488 mm

30.24

0.54

43.12

0.77

 

 

4W - 5W

320

 

BMW

HD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works

3100

 

 

34.00

0.61

60.00

1.07

 

 

 

 

 

Works

3100H

 

 

40.00

0.71

60.00

1.07

 

 

 

 

 

Progressive

11-1130

 

 

 

 

 

 

0

0

 

 

 

Race-Tech

FRSP S293880

377mm

44.8

0.8

44.8

0.8

 

 

 

 

 

Race-Tech

FRSP S293885

377mm

47.6

0.85

47.6

0.85

 

 

 

 

 

Race-Tech

FRSP S293890

377mm

50.4

0.9

50.4

0.9

 

 

 

 

 

Race-Tech

FRSP S293895

377mm

53.2

0.95

53.2

0.95

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Race-Tech Emulator

FEGV 3501

 

 

Adaptor required

(29.0 x 21.3 x 15 tall)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BMW  Airhead Fork Information

2005

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BMW Showa 41mm  R100R, R80R, Mystic  1992-1995

 

 

 

Recommended

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring

Spring Rates

 

 

Preload

Fork oil

Oil amount in CCs

Make

Model

BMW Part #

Free length

Soft - Lbs

Soft - Kg

Hard - Lbs

Hard - Kg

Inch

MM

 

Change

Rebuild

BMW

Standard

31 422 312 706

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

410

420

BMW

HD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works

3416

 

 

34.00

0.61

60.00

1.07

 

 

 

 

 

Works

 

 

 

40.00

0.71

60.00

1.07

 

 

 

 

 

Progressive

11-1509

 

 

 

 

 

 

0

0

 

 

 

Race-Tech

n/a

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15W

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Race-Tech Emulator

FEGV S3801

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BMW  R80GS ('83-'84) , R80RT, R80RS '83-'84, /7 "81-'84

 

(36mm)

 

Recommended

 

 

 

 

TYPE 3-C

 

Spring

Spring Rates

 

 

Preload

Fork oil

Oil amount in CCs

Make

Model

BMW Part #

Free length

Soft - Lbs

Soft - Kg

Hard - Lbs

Hard - Kg

Inch

MM

 

Change

Rebuild

BMW

Standard

31 421 241 657

539-551 mm

 

 

 

 

 

4W - 5W

220

220-230

BMW

HD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works

250X

 

 

34.00

0.61

60.00

1.07

 

 

 

 

 

Works

 

 

 

40.00

0.71

60.00

1.07

 

 

 

 

 

Progressive

11-1110

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

25.4

 

 

 

Race-Tech

n/a

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Race-Tech Emulator

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BMW  Airhead Fork Information

2005

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BMW  R80GS '87- 95, R100GS '86-'95, R100PD '89- '95)

 

 

 

Recommended

 

 

 

 

TYPE 4-C

 

Spring

Spring Rates

 

 

Preload

Fork oil

Oil amount in CCs

Make

Model

BMW Part #

Free length

Soft - Lbs

Soft - Kg

Hard - Lbs

Hard - Kg

Inch

MM

 

Change

Rebuild

BMW

Standard

31 421 458 079

445-450 mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rt-430

Rt-450

BMW

HD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lft-400

Lft-420

Works

250X

 

 

34.00

0.61

60.00

1.07

 

 

 

 

 

Works

 

 

 

40.00

0.71

60.00

1.07

 

 

 

 

 

Progressive

11-1110

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

25.4

 

 

 

Race-Tech

n/a

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Single side compression damping

 

 

 

 

 

Race-Tech Emulator

FEGV 3802

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BMW R65 ('79-'84)

 

R45, R65, R65LS (R80ST?)

 

 

Recommended

 

 

 

 

TYPE 2-C

 

Spring

Spring Rates

 

 

Preload

Fork oil

Oil amount in CCs

Make

Model

BMW Part #

Free length

Soft - Lbs

Soft - Kg

Hard - Lbs

Hard - Kg

Inch

MM

 

Change

Rebuild

BMW

Standard

31 421 237 232

490-502 mm

 

 

 

 

 

4W - 5W

190

190-200

BMW

HD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works

 

 

 

30

0.54

48

0.86

 

 

 

 

 

Works

230XH

 

 

34.00

0.61

60.00

1.07

 

 

 

 

 

Progressive

11-1125

 

 

 

 

 

 

0

0

 

 

 

Race-Tech

n/a

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Race-Tech Emulator

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BMW 1970 - 1980 Front Fork Spring Rate/ Preload Calculator

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cut and paste your springs into the chart below 

 

 

 

 

 

A good "laden SAG" start point would be about 2 1/2".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To achieve this take 1/2 the weight that will be on your front tire, with you on the bike, as your 'Laden Sag" spring  value.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use your spring column from those listed below and slide that value into the Laden SAG row.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Look at the "0" spring value row, and that is the necessary Preload spacer that is needed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A good "Free SAG" start point would be about 1 1/2". This is the amount of SAG for the bike without rider.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Too much preload can overpower the rebound function of your fork damping system.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring Rate in lb/in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inches of

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Compression

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preload

1 1/2"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preload

1"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preload

1/2 "

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

0"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1/2"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Free SAG

1 1/2"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LadenSAG

2 1/2"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 1/2"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4 1/2"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5 1/2"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6 1/2"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7 1/2"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8.5"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9 1/2"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Actual spring rates using Works dual rate springs

 

 

 

 

 

Racetech

Racetech

Racetech

 

 

280XH

280XH

280XH

280X

280X

280X

 

BMW

BMW

Progressive

FRSP

FRSP

FRSP

 

 

3"

3 1/4 "

 3 1/2"

 

3"

3 1/4 "

 3 1/2"

 

/7 later

/7 HD

11-1101

264380

264385

264390

 

 

0

0

0

 

0

0

0

 

0

0

0

 

0

0

0

 

 

20

20

20

 

17

17

17

 

9

9

17

 

22

24

25

 

 

40

40

40

 

34

34

34

 

19

19

35

 

45

48

50

 

 

60

60

60

 

51

51

51

 

29

32

52

 

67

72

76