Just introducing myself ....

[ScottocS]

Hey everyone! I'm new to BMW bikes. I have ridden many makes over the years with the last being an HD about a dozen years ago. I have always wanted a boxer and so found a 2002 R1150RT. 40k miles and in very nice shape. I have put about 200 miles on it last week and everything feels pretty good. This weekend I am planning to do a lot of the maintenance items, just to start from a known point, for my own sake, then I can get into a regular interval. I am planning to:

 

1. Tires change - Metzeler Roadtec Z8s
2. Oil and filter change
3. Air filter change
4. Transmission oil change
5. Final drive oil change
6. Brake pads
7. Alternator Belt change
8. Brake fluid flush
9. Valve adjustment
10. Valve gaskets replaced
11. Spark plugs
12. Spark plug wires
13. Spline lube
14. Throttle Body Sync

 

I have the Clymer manual and I am use. to doing most all of my own work. Is there anything I should add to this list? Is there any "gotchas" that I should be on the lookout for? 

[Michaelr11]

That's an ambitious list.  The spline lube is a major undertaking - 8 + hours, possibly 2 or 3 days.  The brake flush is not like typical brake systems. Needs special procedures and at least one piece of special equipment.  Good for you for planning to establish a baseline for the bike.  Looks great.

 

[dirtrider]

53 minutes ago, ScottocS said:

Hey everyone! I'm new to BMW bikes. I have ridden many makes over the years with the last being an HD about a dozen years ago. I have always wanted a boxer and so found a 2002 R1150RT. 40k miles and in very nice shape. I have put about 200 miles on it last week and everything feels pretty good. This weekend I am planning to do a lot of the maintenance items, just to start from a known point, for my own sake, then I can get into a regular interval. I am planning to:

 

1. Tires change - Metzeler Roadtec Z8s
2. Oil and filter change
3. Air filter change
4. Transmission oil change
5. Final drive oil change
6. Brake pads
7. Alternator Belt change
8. Brake fluid flush
9. Valve adjustment
10. Valve gaskets replaced
11. Spark plugs
12. Spark plug wires
13. Spline lube
14. Throttle Body Sync

 

I have the Clymer manual and I am use. to doing most all of my own work. Is there anything I should add to this list? Is there any "gotchas" that I should be on the lookout for? 

 

Evening ScottocS

 

That should be enough for the first service, you don't want to take on too much for your first service.

 

Due to the difficulty, time required, & needing to split the frame & remove the transmission from the engine  you might put off the spline lube until a later time so you don't tie your new motorcycle up for that amount of time.   Plus at a later time you will be WAY more familiar with that motorcycle's drive train.

 

In the mean time you might remove the starter, then with the clutch lever zip tied to the handlebar reach into the starter hole with a scribe or stiff pointed wire then lightly rotate the clutch disk to see how much clutch disk movement you have on the trans input splines (this can give you some idea on the condition of your trans input splines)  

[BamaJohn]

Welcome to the asylum!  Great bunch of folks are to be found here.

 

[MichiganBob]

Welcome ScottokS to a fine forum for Beemer enthusiasts. I had a 02RT for many years. It took me from Michigan to Alaska and back traveling the entire west coast on a six week trip without a hiccup. Although it was very reliable, I did encounter a major problem. My cutch slave cylinder seal malfunctioned ending up with a saturated and ruined clutch. I fixed it myself with a lot of help from the good folks on this forum. Search for this issue and the recommended precaution of drilling a weep hole as a preventative measure if the cylinder becomes compromised. Or consider just changing it with what I understand is a better slave cylinder sold by Beemer Boneyard. Also, the abs brake system is very complicated. I ended up putting speed bleeders on throughout the bike which made the brake bleed less of a hassle.    

[ScottocS]

Thanks for the replies. This is exactly what I was looking for. I will put off the spline lube. And do some research on the slave cylinder. 
 

I am not familiar with speed bleeders, so I will look into that as well. 
 

 

[TEWKS]

Nice looking RT!  

[ScottocS]

Thank you! It took me all of 20 miles to already love it more than any other bike I have owned. 

[MichiganBob]

And you want to be very regular with changing the brake fluid. That model ABS controller will set you back megabucks if it fails. Changing the fluid regularly, perhaps annually,  is no guarantee but it's important preventative maintenance for that model.

[dirtrider]

12 hours ago, ScottocS said:

 

I am not familiar with speed bleeders, so I will look into that as well. 

Morning ScottocS

 

You really don't need speed bleeders on the BMW 1150 I-ABS systems. 

 

I have seen a few ABS modules with cracking in the fragile alloy  casting near the corner due to the speed bleeder thread sealer expanding the thin casting & cracking it.

 

The wheel circuits are bled using the power servo pumps so those push fluid out with force so all you need on those to bleed is a catch bottle. (leave the ignition key on when bleeding the wheel circuits so the servo pumps can run)

 

On the control side (bleeders on the ASB controller under the fuel tank), those are up high so you can easily reach the bleed screws with one hand or you foot) while opening/closing the bleed screws with the other hand. (have key OFF when bleeding these)

 

If you use a catch bottle on those (module bleed screws) you can just terminate the lower end of the bleed hose under the top of the fluid level inside the catch bottle then just leave the bleeder screw open as you pump the hand lever or foot pedal as the hose exit below the fluid  level acts just like a speed bleeder & prevent any back flow during the lever or pedal pumping. 

 

The thing to deal with on the BMW 1150 I-ABS systems is the  bleed screw access on the controller under the fuel tank. (bleeding the control side). A couple of those bleed screws are difficult to access without special bent wrenches (& even then not that easy) so it is easier to get to those bleed screws if the large wire harness connector on the ABS module is disconnected first.  (some do & some don't remove the harness connector). Personally I usually do disconnect it.

 

If you do decide to disconnect that harness connector then be darn sure to put a piece of duct tape over the open connector on the ABS module so no brake fluid can find it's way into the ABS module. 

[MichiganBob]

Dirt Rider had been spot on for me over the years so I suggest you follow his suggestons. 

[Jim Moore]

i wouldn't do a spline lube at all. if you have a good one you don't need it. If you have a bad one it won't help in the least. It would be advisable to check the condition of the splines by observing clutch disk movement looking through the starter hole. This give s you the idea, although I've always tied off the clutch lever then attempted to rotate the disk using a skinny screwdriver against the edge of teh disk.

 

 

[ScottocS]

This sounds like the way. 

[ScottocS]

I am trying to figure out what to use in the transmission oil and the final drive oil change.

 

The Clymer manual says:

Final Drive: SAE90 (or SAE 80W/90W as an alternative)

Transmission: SAE90 (or SAE 80W/90W as an alternative)

 

I have seen some places (youtube) recommending:

Final Drive: 80W/90 GL-5

Transmission: 75W/140

 

And in another place (Carl Kulow's Maintenance document):

Final Drive: Mobil 1 75W/90 Synthetic Gear Oil

Transmission: Mobil 1 75W/90 Synthetic Gear Oil

 

What are you guys using?

 

 

[dirtrider]

1 hour ago, ScottocS said:

I am trying to figure out what to use in the transmission oil and the final drive oil change.

 

The Clymer manual says:

Final Drive: SAE90 (or SAE 80W/90W as an alternative)

Transmission: SAE90 (or SAE 80W/90W as an alternative)

 

I have seen some places (youtube) recommending:

Final Drive: 80W/90 GL-5

Transmission: 75W/140

 

And in another place (Carl Kulow's Maintenance document):

Final Drive: Mobil 1 75W/90 Synthetic Gear Oil

Transmission: Mobil 1 75W/90 Synthetic Gear Oil

 

What are you guys using?

 

 

Afternoon ScottocS

 

That's a debatable question, 

 

On  the older 1100/1150 bikes for the final drive, my personal preference is an up-level (good quality) 80W/90 GL-5  conventional gear oil as that is the best way I have found to prevent pinion seal seepage. 

 

On the transmission that is an easy answer (use what shifts the best for the longest), my bike might shift better with one gear oil & yours's might shift best with another. 

 

The Mobil 1 75W/90 Synthetic Gear Oil is as good as any to start with (that will give you a good base line), then once you have a baseline you can try different gear oils to see if you can find something better.

 

Just keep in mind when reading most on-line gear oil suggestions for the transmission that most are posted shortly after they installed XXXX gear oil.  Almost  ALL gear oils shift good right after new oil is put in, it is the shifting at 3,000+ miles (after the oil has sheared down) that you need to pay attention to. 

[ScottocS]

16 minutes ago, dirtrider said:

Just keep in mind when reading most on-line gear oil suggestions for the transmission that most are posted shortly after they installed XXXX gear oil.  Almost  ALL gear oils shift good right after new oil is put in, it is the shifting at 3,000+ miles (after the oil has sheared down) that you need to pay attention to. 

That is a very good point. And it is easy enough and cheap enough to change if what I use feels worse in some way. Thank you for the reply.