12k Service on 2022 R1250RTW Observations

[Boxflyer]

I just completed a 12k service on a 2 month old, 2022 R1250RTW with 12,000 miles.

 

Here are some observations from that service in no particular order.

 

1) Body panels and screws. 

   --As seen on other ShiftHead bikes, this bike was missing both screws that hold the LH and RH Fuel Tank Cover on that are right beside the locking Stowage Compartments.  Needed M5x14 without shoulder.

   --The screws on the Inside Side Panel, both sides, have been corrected from all the earlier WetHead series bikes.  These panels have the power plug socket on the RH side and the Radio buttons on the LH side.  Now they are correctly fastened with M5x17,5mm with shoulder screws for the FWD 2 screws and a M5x14,5mm screw for the AFT screw.  These panels are a second layer of plastic going to the C-clip nuts and should be the double shoulder screw vs what has been called for and installed on previous bikes.

   ---The Engine Spoiler on both sides has 3 ea. M5x16mm screws, without shoulders, and I think these should be M5x17,5mm for the top/aft hole and M5x14,5mm for the middle and lower screw.  These panels fastened without shoulder screws have too much allowance for play in correctly locating them.

   ---The Speaker Cover still has 2 screws holding it, but now has 3 metal spring clips that snap into rectangular holes in the front sun shield and need to be pulled pretty hard to unclip them.

   ---The Front Wheel Fender also has the same 2 screws holding it to the inner fender, but has 2 of the metal spring clips on each side holding the descending legs of the fender panel plastic.

 

2)  Cam Chain Tensioners

   ---The LH Cam Chain Tensioner has the Updated Tensioner installed as OEM.  Firstly, it takes a 19mm socket to remove/install it.  So you can tell externally if you have the updated CCT installed.  It has about 10mm more extension of the same floating piston as is installed on the RH side.  This is achieved by having a completely different threaded body part of the Cam Chain Tensioner.  The inside of the NEW LH CCT as a small step near the bottom of the cylinder where the piston slides in that keeps the spring loaded tip of the sliding part closer to the lower cam chain.  Both LH and RH CCT's have the exact same part number for the sliding piston, but on the LH side, it is stepped up about 10mm to make the internal spring exert more pressure on the cam chain during start-up.

 

3) Final Drive/Rear Brakes

   ---The rear splines were well lubed with something that looked like moly.  No rust, fretting, or resistance in separating the FD from the driveshaft.  The rear boot was well seated, well lubed with something that looked more like Lithium grease as opposed to the normal Stabarags that I normally find on the boot sealing surfaces.  

   --- The Service Campaign drains were already installed on this bike from the factory.  The inside of the Paralever was dry and there was NO evidence of rust anywhere, but there was a good seal on the boot and plenty of lube on the splines, so that was to be expected.

   --- The FD fluid was still shiny with metal suspended in the oil, so I would recommend more frequent FD fluid changes, like every 3-4k miles, until the fluid drains clear.  There is lots of "wearing in" with those gears, and no need to leave it to grind away on the gears and bearings.

   --- The rear brake caliper pins were almost dry with some shiny wear points already evident on the FWD primary pin.  This will lead to a bound up caliper on the pins and more rapid wear on the inner pad since most of the braking effort will be just with the pistons vs an easy slide of the caliper to have the outer pads squeeze the rotor.  A good amount of CRC Silaramic after cleaning the pins and receiving pockets is needed.

 

4)  GS-911

   --- The new Diagnostic Service version of the GS-911 would not allow interrogation of the TPMS system on the bike.  Due to rim damage, I mounted a spare front rim with the old style "little log" TPMS and I could not program the bike to clear the big red triangle on the TFT from the lack of input from the front rim.  The rear tire continued to report PSI accurately, but now the rapid warning system was no longer functioning. 

 

5) Spark Plugs

   --- The OEM plugs (LMAR8AI-10) from the factory with 12k miles looked clean, and had a nice color to the ceramic, but were already showing some electrode erosion and definitely needed replacement.  My normal procedure for the last 2 years is to use the less expensive and more readily available LMAR8AI-8 plugs and open up the gap to 1.0mm vs the 0.80mm that they are set to. 

 

6) Tires and Rims

   --- This bike had the 719 Option Rims that are MUCH better at mounting the difficult Dunlop Road Smart 4.  These rims have a much more defined, and deeper, drop center and that allows the bead of the tire to be mounted with relative ease on my NoMar tire fixture.  The rear tire and rim assembly required ZERO wheel weights.  There were none from the factory, none needed on the first Road 6, and now on the 3rd tire for this bike, no weights for the tire when mounted with the yellow dot at the TPMS.

 

7)  Cam Timing and Valve Clearances

   --- Cam Timing on both sides and Cam Trigger Timing was off and needed some adjustment.  I would say they were off a little more than what I see normally.  Cam timing adjustment was normal.

   --- Of the 8 Valves, all of them were set to INT 0.12mm and EXH 0.36mm.  2 EXH, and 1 INT valve clearances were right at the upper limit of the clearance range and were making this engine VERY noisy.  Now the engine is nice and quiet and starts easily on the first starter button push.  All the cam lobes looked like new and the follower DLC (Diamond Like Coating) showed no wear. I have seen some wear on the followers lately on WetHeads and am concerned about impending cam lobe wear because of it.   On several of the shims that I swapped out of the bike, I could still see the etched marks showing thickness from the factory, the oil is doing a good job lubricating the engine. 

 

This bike will be probably be ridden more than what an average BMW rider will do.  I'm hoping to be able to service this bike going forward to track trends and monitor everything without dealer servicing.   

 

Brad

 

 

 

[Boxflyer]

A couple more pics of the Cam Chain Tensioners side by side.

 

 

[wbw6cos]

Hi Brad, does that mean prior year models may need to use the latest CCT's?

[Boxflyer]

I think that the routine is that if you have an ongoing complaint with your BMW dealer about a noisy LH valve train on startup, that any of the earlier years of the R1250 ShiftHead can be retrofitted with this new style Cam Chain Tensioner.

 

I'm going to look into machining a small (8mm tall) spacer to put under the spring loaded piston on the LH CCT to achieve the same thing as the step on the new CCT.  This would have to be in the form of a ring that allows oil pressure to pass thru to the normal piston, but achieve the same increased spring pressure during startup.

 

More time in the shop on the lathe...FUN!

[phil H]

Very interesting!

[wbw6cos]

Thanks Brad.   I have yet to hear a noisy valve train on mine, but I hope I can recognize it when it does (if) occur.   You had a chance to hear the motor during FART tech day when you serviced it and it was not noticeable, I guess.

 

Cheers,

[Boxflyer]

William,

You have a good valve train that is not making noise...just like the majority of bikes that come from BMW...sure, there are a couple of concerns with these bikes, like anything, but these are GREAT machines!

They are not only fun to ride, but SOME of us have FUN turning wrenches on them!

 

Lemme know when you need another 12k Service done.

Brad

[wbw6cos]

I did the motor oil and final drive oil change (with spline check) last weekend.  I spent too much time installing a dual camera set-up last Sunday, so this weekend I will be checking the valve clearance (Clarence.)  Thanks for the offer.   I will view a few more Boxflyer videos and proceed with completing the service.   

[Boxflyer]

I got a note from a guy that had his R1250RT to my garage for a 12k service...also with the 2 screws missing from the Fuel Tank Side Panels.

 

He is dismantling his front body work to install LED lights and was following the Service DVD step by step and came across this note about the missing screws I observed on all the 1250RTs.

 

So, there is factory documentation that these screws "may not" be required...but I sure like them in place...it's up to you.

(Sorry this is a poor image...too many screen snapshots)

 

[wbw6cos]

I kept finding lots of no-shoulder screws in places for ones that require shoulders.  I have quite a collection going; not quite like Brad's own.  I will be bringing my collection to FART,  perhaps we can do some tradin'.  

[rounder jim]

HI Brad, I watched you remove the leads going to the stick coils on a 1250 at the seminar in Indy and again when you and I did the service on my bike. I'm doing my first 12k service by myself and can't get the leads out of the stick coils. I remember I have to pull the gray retaining clip up until it clicks but after doing that I can't pull the lead out. Since the procedure is different on the 1250 than the 1200 I thought I would ask on the forum so others can learn the trick and not get stuck like me.Thanks again for your help

[Hati]

8 hours ago, rounder jim said:

I remember I have to pull the gray retaining clip up until it clicks but after doing that I can't pull the lead out.

 

You then need to squeeze the grey clip and simultaneously  pull the plug out, much like more "regular" plugs that do not have the grey locking clip.

[rounder jim]

I feel alittle foolish.  My wife asked me to show her my problem.  She looked and saw that there is no separation in the middle of the connector, that the connector attaches directly to the side of the stick coil. It's a tight fit but I was able to pull it off.  I guess I should be wearing my reading glasses when working on the bike

[Boxflyer]

Jim, 

Looks like you needed help from your wife all along!

Brad

[MikeB60]

Jim, Please turn in your man card immediately!

[Boxflyer]

Mike, his MANHOOD can easily be verified by the fact that he’s at the 24k service on a bike he just got in June of this year I think…

[MikeB60]

Brad, sounds like a suspension rather than revocation of the man card is in order!

[Boxflyer]

Mike, his suspension better be VERY short!

He’s real, real close to his MILLION Mile Award on BMW’s

 

[Dave_in_TX]

On 8/1/2022 at 12:59 PM, Boxflyer said:

 

5) Spark Plugs

   --- The OEM plugs (LMAR8AI-10) from the factory with 12k miles looked clean, and had a nice color to the ceramic, but were already showing some electrode erosion and definitely needed replacement.  My normal procedure for the last 2 years is to use the less expensive and more readily available LMAR8AI-8 plugs and open up the gap to 1.0mm vs the 0.80mm that they are set to. 

 

 

Another option is to use LMAR9AI-10 plugs. These are also more readily available than the  LMAR8AI-10. I have been using the LMAR8AI-10 in my 2020 R1250GS for the last 55k miles without any problems. I originally switched because of the electrode erosion occurring with the LMARbAI-10. The LMAR9AI-10 doesn'tshow as much erosion as the LMAR8AI-10 but they still erode much faster than one would expect from an iridium plug

[rounder jim]

10 hours ago, Boxflyer said:

Mike, his MANHOOD can easily be verified by the fact that he’s at the 24k service on a bike he just got in June of this year I think…

Got the bike(2022 Triple black R1250 RT) June 1st. Doing the 24k service today alittle late at 26k. My 2015 RT that I had painted schartz has 224,800 miles now. I would have reached 1 million soon but when I rechecked my math and old bikes records I realized I forgot to deduct 13,900 miles for the used 2018 K1600 I bought that now has alittle over 95k. 

     Ted Moyer from the moa told me when I saw him at the 100,000 foot ride in Denver this summer that he thinks there are only maybe 6 others with 1 million . I am pretty sure there are more but they either didn't keep good records or never submitted the miles. But i will be proud if I'm in the top 10. Should reach it before Febuary I think.  I'll spend December up here until Christmas in Florida and then after the holiday there until Mid May