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Winter time maintenance list...


Marlen Padberg

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Marlen Padberg

The riding season is by no means over, but I have some maintenance to do this winter, so this is what my list looks like. I'm interested in whatever other suggestions you might have.

 

Dismount windshield and all body panels. Thorough cleaning (both sides) of all panels.

Engine oil, trans and final drive fluid change

Slight bend in the lip of the front wheel, so that has to go to a wheel shop for repair and true.

New front tire - it will be done by the end of the season (I have gotten 13,000 KMs out of it, so I'm happy about that).

Soapy sponge and thorough cleaning of the bike (undressed), inspection for anything unusual.

Exhaust dismantle and thorough cleaning with Autosol.

Grease side stand and centre stand pivots

Inspection of all electrical contacts, maybe a lick of grease if they look like they need it.

Brake pad inspection, and brake fluid flush.

Valve clearance check and semi-sphere swap if any adjustments needed.

 

I live by the adage - treat it well and it will treat you well in return. Its treated me well, so I owe it some attention... Anything else I should be adding to the maintenance list?

 

Marlen (in Edmonton, Canada)

43,000 KMs

2010 R1200RT

 

Edited by Marlen Padberg
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I just changed the alternator belt on my 2012 R1200RT AT 42K KM.

 

It was a little frayed and had a couple 1/4" spots on the outside rib where the belt had flaked off.

 

If that is not on your list or already done, I'd do that too.

 

Ride Safe.

 

Randy

 

Calgary, Alberta

Edited by RSH
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Marlen Padberg

I did the belt last winter. I'll inspect it, but it should be fine. My old belt was still in very good shape. I'll also be doing spark plugs.

 

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  • 1 month later...
Marlen Padberg

My winter time maintenance list just got longer. I got a little over zealous on some back roads and ended up gently tipping my bike over in a mud puddle. Left side mirror housing cracked, left side mirror glass broke, and the left side signal light is broken. Anyone have a good source for left side mirror glass and signal light? I glued up the mirror housing, and its in OK shape (small scuff on it, but I'll live with it - a long-term reminder to not get too adventurous or I pay the price).

 

Beemer boneyard? Anywhere else in north america?

 

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  • 1 month later...
Marlen Padberg

So far so good on my maintenance. Final drive and trans oil changed, both looked as good coming out as when I poured it in. Valves checked - all are within spec still, and spark plugs changed. I purchased a $9 14mm spark plug socket off amazon, and the best deal for spark plugs was a local supplier or Canadasmotorcycle.com. A thorough scrubbing (body work removed, both sides scrubbed). I even removed the gauge bezel and dash, and removed the little winglets beside the windscreen for a cleaning. I will need rear brake pads soon, and am replacing the broken mirror glass and signal light. Brakes bled, and the new front tire has come in (although I have to get the wheel straightened first).

 

Re-assembling body work, inspecting front brakes, then its time for front wheel attention.

 

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Marlen,

Do you have a gs911 to reset your service light? I have one however, I've never used it. This winter will be my 1st time resetting the service reminder.

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Marlen Padberg

I don't have a GS911. Other than resetting the service light and checking error codes (which I have none), I don't know that I could justify owning one.

 

A brief update on my maintenance:

Thorough cleaning, inspection and re-assembly mostly complete. The front and rear brake pads were due for replacement. I initially purchased a set from the local dealership, but for $355CDN for a set of brake pads, I was in shock. I did a bit of research, and have purchased a set of EBC HH sintered pads instead, the BMW branded pads will go back. I paid approximately 1/3 for EBC pads. Ouch.

 

Dropped the front wheel off at a wheel repair shop. The owner indicated aluminum's brittleness will require building up the bent lip with some new aluminum and re-machining and refinishing the wheel again to ensure its straight. That should be ready in a week.

 

After new plugs and checking the valve gaps, I have a ticking sound (when the bike is running) from the right cylinder. Not sure if one of the coils is not fully plugged in or what, but I am going to pull both plugs, inspect closely, swap them, re-seat coils, and check it out again. Not sure if its a valve tick, or arc spark that is making the sound. But it sure looks fresh and clean - probably almost as clean as the day it left the factory. Frighteningly clean!

 

Wheel comes back from the shop, new front tire, new pads front and rear, and it should be ready for another summer of thrashing.

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Marlen Padberg

Ok, I have a potential situation. Any for real BMW mechanics in the house?

 

Following re-assembly, I started my bike and the right-side cylinder made a ticking sound. Concerned me, so I shut it down, undressed it, and pulled the spark plugs to see if there was something unusual. Both looked good, I figured it was either a valve ticking or a plug coil arcing. Nothing to see there, so I took off the valve cover, and out falls a cam follower and circlip. Yikes!

 

The real crux of the situation is that I can't find the semisphere that goes in the cam follower. The semisphere is swapped out to adjust the valve gap. It would appear the semisphere fell out and ran with the oil down into the sump. I drained the oil, and didn't spot the semisphere, and it wasn't attached to the magnet in the oil sump. So I'm wondering where it went - I'm going to inspect the valve springs again and see if I can spot it there.

 

I'm thinking about the flow of oil. If the semisphere went down into the sump, then the only things down there would be the oil pump pickup (which has a screen in it, I believe), and the oil drain plug. I'm concerned that the semisphere might get caught in an oil galley or somehow restrict oil flow. I'm thinking I need to go fishing with a magnet via the oil galley or the oil plug. I don't think there's an oil pan per-se.

 

Thoughts? If I can't find the semisphere, would that be concerning? I don't know what size semisphere I need, so I would need to go and pick up a few, try them, set the valve lash, and return what I don't need, I guess.

 

I'm going to get a magnetic pickup tool and do some fishing. Hopefully I can find the semisphere. Any other thoughts on the matter? What else can I do?

 

*nervous*

 

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Marlen Padberg

All good... Found the semisphere! It was lodged here:

 

KqKd8dYHaLUgKL2h6

 

Re-assembled everything, and it started like a top again. Whew!

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
Marlen Padberg

I'm expecting a phone call from the wheel repair shop. I'll have a very close look at the wheel once its back. Curious tho - each manufacturer has a maximum wheel runout spec (runout is the variance one way or the other as the wheel spins as measured by the lip of the rim). Does anyone have any idea what BMW's maximum runout spec might be for an RT cast wheel? I'll ask when I go to pick up my wheel. I haven't read anything about a runout value in the manual, and haven't seen anything posted so far. typically its measured in thousandths of an inch. I've seen the runout spec for laced '70's honda wheels of around 40 thousandths. I expect BMW's cast spec would be tighter than that.

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Afternoon Marlen

 

I looked in my hexhead & camhead BMW dealer shop manuals & there is nothing listed for either lateral or radial run out so BMW pass/fail specs are undetermined.

 

On most modern alloy rim motorcycle wheels the general accepted spec is: maximum axial and radial runout of 2.0 mm (0.080").

 

My personal spec is a little tighter & I generally use: maximum (desired) axial and radial runout of around .75mm (0.030") or less but I won't quibble with 1mm (0.039").

 

Added: I did find the BMW 1150RT wheel runout specs in my BMW 1150 manual as follows---

 

Max. radial runout/lateral runout

Front wheel .............................. 0.5 mm (0.0197")

Rear wheel ................................ 0.3 mm (0.0118")

 

Edited by dirtrider
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What is the semishpere?

 

Afternoon freetime2247

 

 

The SemiSphere is a little domed cap that goes between the end of the valve stem & the rocker arm to allow the rocker arm to articulate & move the valve up & down.

 

The thickness of the SemiSphere controls the valve lash. There is a SemiSphere on each valve.

 

Semi%20Sphere_zpsdryggzbq.jpg

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Wonder how that fell out while performing the valve check?

 

Afternoon freetime2247

 

I don't think it fell out DURING the valve check, I would imagine it fell out after the valve check when the engine was started.

 

I think the clip holding the rocker arm on came off, then the rocker arm slid out & allowed the SemiSphere to fall out.

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  • 2 months later...
Marlen Padberg

Thats exactly what happened. I did some digging, found the semisphere (it didn't drop down into the engine), carefully inspected everything, put it back together, measured valve lash (its within spec), and put everything back. Its all good now. I've had it running, and commuted to work on it a couple times, so crisis has been averted.

 

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Thats exactly what happened. I did some digging, found the semisphere (it didn't drop down into the engine), carefully inspected everything, put it back together, measured valve lash (its within spec), and put everything back. Its all good now. I've had it running, and commuted to work on it a couple times, so crisis has been averted.

 

Congratulations. I have been there, lose a small part somewhere, then worry about 1) how to replace it, and 2) where is it now and what is it going to do. I dropped a screw in the fan housing on a Volkswagon Beetle once and had to listen to it rattle around for a few weeks until, IIRC, it finally beat itself to death.

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Don_Eilenberger
Thats exactly what happened. I did some digging, found the semisphere (it didn't drop down into the engine), carefully inspected everything, put it back together, measured valve lash (its within spec), and put everything back. Its all good now. I've had it running, and commuted to work on it a couple times, so crisis has been averted.

The manual does call for replacing the clips whenever they are removed.. one time use. Might be the reason yours came off if you reused it.
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