BMW R100RS (1980): Diode board...

[Amos]

I think my diode board (rectifier) vibrated loose. The battery looses charge while riding for the last month or two, but the other day when I went through a long left turn, It suddenly charged again at a happy 13.8V. When gooi-ing a right again, it stopped charging. So I take that it is loose. Haynes BMW manual states I need to take off the whole fairing to get to the diode board. Is it really necessarry? As far as I understand the diode board is somewhere in the front of the engine.

I could also keep on turning left during breakfast runs, but it might turn my pillion a bit purplish-green.

[DaveS]

Take it to the dealer and let them sort it out. Bavarian is in your neck of the woods.

[Amos]

If I don't find the fault, I'll go there for sure. The fun about the old machines is in the working on it yourself. Only mechanicals and electrics to keep you entertained. No electronics to spoil the fun.

[Richard H]

Amos, I think that the RS would really cramp your working space to get to the diode board - and that is why they recommend removing it.

http://www.airheads.org/content/view/299/98/

If the board is U/S, then consider getting one of the aftermarket ones that all the Airhead riders in the UK and USA replace with. If you have the cash, then there is an OMEGA 400w whole replacement generator/diode board etc. available that fixes what BMW should have fixed years ago.
(It costs about $500US!)

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