I am removing my swing arm to replace a split boot cover, and I need some advice on how to remove the fixed pivot plate without damaging anything. It seems reluctant to move . Do I make a tool with stubs to fit in each hole and turn the plate, or can I use  a drift through the bearing from the nearside and remove it that way.Would doing this remove the bearing too if the stub shaft was tight on the bearing inner race. 
Are the bearings easy to remove as I might like to do them whilst everything is apart.
Thanks for any replies.
Bob

Have a look on here at about 2.24 for removing the fixed pivot plate:

I ended up using a lot of WD40 and an eighteen-inch pipe wrench to rotate it. It was well corroded in.

Bob,

For what it's worth - here's a couple of pics of what the beastie looks like once removed. You can see the level of general aluminium corrosion that builds up and makes it stick firmly in place. If you can manage to rotate it a little and get some WD-40 squirted in, you may eventually free it up and get it out. Watch out though, it is soft aluminium and easily damaged by steel tools (as you can see in bottom pic - but fairly easily dressed out again).





The good news is - this is the hardest part of removing the swing arm. Worth applying a smear of grease before reassembling too.

Thanks guys, 
I may make a tool similar to a camshaft holding tool, time consuming but I want to remove the clutch actuating arm to clean and lube that too, and a general clean up around the back end as she is ridden as much as I can, so time is not an issue. If BMW had machined two flats on the plate we could use a spanner. That might be plan "B"
Thanks for the fotos Born again Eccentric, I expect mine to look like that.
Bob

Thanks Howard 64180 for the U Tube link , will try that first tomorrow.
Bob

I've just had a problem removing the same pivot on my K.
I had to resort to a bolt in the centre hole as per the video but used a slide hammer and it was still an S.O.B to get out.
One piece of advice and I speak from experience here. Only loosen the pivot on the left side because if it's removed all together,when the swing arm drops,it will make the right (fixed) side harder to remove due to the extra load on it.

Good luck.

If you disengage the clutch cable, YOU MUST TIE THE CLUTCH ARM IN AN UPPER POSITION
Failing to do that will damage the seal (#6) and this is a $50 part.
Just before removing the cable, use a tie wrap to keep the arm going down when you remove the exhaust.
I always remove the clutch cable before removing the exhaust. This way the clutch arm is resting on the exhaust and it's easy to tie it in this position or a bit higher.

If you remove your swing arm, it's a good time to remove the shaft #11and clean it. Pack the arm and bearing with grease before re-installing. You may find your clutch easier to operate after this treatment. Some members have installed grease nipples on the arm.

+1 that CF. Even with the exhaust still in place, the clutch push rod rubber cup can get stretched at the top and stain the point where it seals behind the adjustment bolt.
I found that I didn't need to remove my exhaust anyway just to grease the clutch splines.

My pivot plate was difficult but I was able to get a screwdriver in behind to lever all the way around to pry it off. Some PO had previously attacked mine with a screwdriver and hammer, probably thinking it unscrewed, but it just pulls out and can rotate freely.

Motorbike Mike wrote:....
One piece of advice and I speak from experience here. Only loosen the pivot on the left side because if it's removed all together,when the swing arm drops,it will make the right (fixed) side harder to remove due to the extra load on it.

Not only that but the angular weight will stress out the r/h bearing as the whole weight of the swingarm will be supported by just the top and bottom few races in the bearing.

Worth repacking the bearings with grease too. Here is a good discussion about that.

Don't overlook the effect of temperature differential with regard to this swing arm pivot removal.

I tried getting one of mine out in the afternoon and it wouldn't budge - fortunately I got called away and didn't get back until the next morning when the pivot slid out with the greatest of ease. It was then that I realized what a difference a few degrees can make. Previous afternoon that side of the bike had been in sun light. Next morning the bike was loosing heat to the cold air and the pivot would have been slightly colder than the gearbox casing.

Thanks to all for the replies, 
this will be my first foray into the "bowels" of the bike, so want to take my time and get it right first time. The hints and tips are especially welcome. 
I will remove the gearbox and do the clutch spline lube too, although my clutch action is very light It would be silly not to remove the actuating arm and its components for inspection and lubrication.
At least deliveries from motorworks are pretty quick if i need anything, as I am not that far away from them.
Thanks again
Bob

This is my swing arm pivot removal tool, an easy to make slid hammer that makes removing the pivot a breeze.  
 

For the fixed bearing plate, tere is a BMW tool 21-6-660, but it isn't man enough if there is corrosion holding the plate in place. Like Smithy, I adapted a slide hammer to hold an M6 bolt and a it removed the the pin very quickly. 

Mike

Right....
pivot plate now removed, via centre bolt and made up back hammer.....
nearside adjustable pin and nut heated via gun/ oven to try and break the thread lock , but to no avail . new pin on order from Motobins. 
Removing the clutch arm was fun... didnt fancy removing the exhaust, so as my clutch sidestand retracting arm was not fitted with a cable, I decided to cut the shortest piece of the arm so it could clear the exhaust and be removed. I then tapped the shaft out, whilst VERY gently pushing the exhaust downwards slightly.
The shaft was quite rusty as were the needle bearings.
I will cut the shaft down in length , and cut a new circlip groove in the shortened end to  keep the shaft from moving.
Swing arm bearings have been removed and will be cleaned and regreased.
I wanted to remove the gearbox, but i need to organise a support. I  have an RSJ across my garage roof which is ideal. Something for the winter perhaps. 
Thanks to all.
Bob