I am a new BMW R1150RT owner! With LOTS of questions!

[FDMDEERE]

Hello, BMW Sport Touring! My name is Dave, my wife Laurie and I live in east Tennessee and we have recently purchased our first BMW motorcycle after 53 years of me owning almost nothing but Hondas (one Kawasaki ....). So I am a virgin in the European  and especially BMW world. We purchased a 2004 R1150RT with 45,000 miles from the second owner. Our primary reason for this purchase was because we want a competent mount to carry behind our motorhome when we travel (I've been retired since 2020) that can easily carry us both, be comfortable and is lighter, lower and easier for me to handle. This bike seemed like a logical choice. Our original plan called for us to carry our 2015 GL1800, and we did it once. That was enough to show me that I am no longer capable of managing a 930+ pound two wheeler, and in fact, after dropping it too many times, it is now a Roadsmith trike, which we love. But we can no longer carry it on the back of the motorhome on the bike carrier we installed. So, hello 1150RT!

 

I have been a mechanic about since I could hold a wrench and try to do as much of my own work as possible. It keeps me in tune with the machine and I enjoy it. This bike is in decent overall condition, but it's obvious the first owner (I am the third), who put 95% of the miles on this bike, used it and abused it somewhat as evidenced by the multiple signs of kissing the ground on both sides and damage of some kind to just about every panel on this thing. But, it did get the required service visits at BWM dealers or authorized service facilities so it seems to have been properly cared for mechanically. 

 

Now for some questions:

1). What are the common problem areas with these bikes? What do I need to know about it?

2). I'm finding that it is not nearly as easy to get service publications for this machine as with the Hondas. I found a good reproduction of the "Authorized Service Manual" and have purchased it, but find it is very limited in the information it provides. It pretty much tells you how to take it apart and put it together (for the most part) but not how to FIX it. There is no troubleshooting or wiring diagrams for example. Where and how do you, can you, get comprehensive service publications for one of these, or any BMW I guess?

3). I've put maybe 300 or so miles on this so far, getting familiar with how it runs, rides, operates and all that. Overall I'm quite impressed. It's a pretty fun bike to ride. But I'm noticing some things I can't quite figure out at this point. The fuel gauge so far is about useless. At first it was stuck at about 1/2 tank. After the first fill it went up to almost full, but still wouldn't go below about 1/2 but the low level light did appear to be about right as it took 5.6 gallons to fill it up (I understand at about 1 gallon left is when the light should come on). I then rode it over 220 miles to see how the system would behave. That wasn't quite far enough (great range!) to trip the low level, and again, the gauge didn't fall much if any below half. But on filling, it did go up to full this time. It appears this main quantity indication is a capacitance type system, correct? Should it eventually correct itself, or what? I do not know how long this bike sat unridden before we got it.

4). This bike has an oil cooler fan. Not sure when that came into existence, but it doesn't appear this is on all models of 1150. The wiring diagrams I have been able to locate do not show it. I presume, like any cooling fan like this, it is operated by a temperature switch somewhere in the system. However, the previous owner installed a small switch on the dash to control it. So either the temp switch has failed in the ON position or in some other way, or the owner decided to bypass it and install this switch. It looks to me like he tapped into the factory harness. The fan also runs backwards (in my experience) and blows the air out the front, and does not pull air through from the front. Is this correct? And how is this system supposed to operate and where is the thermostatic switch located?

5). As far as the way it is running, the main issue I see is a rough, irregular idle. Sometimes it's pretty smooth and where it should be (1100ish RPM) but most times it's more like 900-1000 and surging. Sometimes it will die at a stop. I think I found where and how you adjust the idle with air bleeds on the throttle bodies, and that seemed to help some. But it's still rough. Could this be from too much sitting? Would injector cleaner in the gas be worth the effort? 

6). So far, the biggest issue came when I filled it up for the second time. I had been riding it for an hour or so, some of that in town. It was running warmer than it had been, but no where near "hot" on the gauge, and it was a pretty warm day. I stopped and filled the tank to the bottom of the fill port. I then headed home about 15 minutes away. About two miles in I could feel it surging pretty badly going down a hill to a stop. At the stop it died. I got it restarted, but about another mile away, it felt like it was running out a gas and quit again. Dead. But again, it restarted. I was beginning to suspect a load of water in the gas. I got going again and it did the same thing at least two more times before I finally got it home and it died there, and would not idle, but it would start. I was quite distressed. The next day, I tore into it to try and see if it was water or what. I found out how to access the fuel lines and used the pump to pump out more than a quart of gas to look for water. There was none. No water, not a speck of dirt. Clean. So I put it all back together. It started and ran fine. I took it for a short ride in the neighborhood, and it ran fine. The next day (yesterday actually) I took it on a longer ride in to town, and it ran fine. So now I'm like, WTF??? Can someone explain what may have happened and what if anything I should do about it? 

7). Finally, what is the deal with the injection on this bike? It has a "choke", that isn't a choke but merely a fast idle mechanism. I get how to use it, but what other idiosyncrasies can I expect from it? 

 

Those are my main questions so far. I hope it's not too much. I would greatly appreciate any and all advice and input to help me become a better BMW owner/operator. I have always had a great respect for the quality and engineering of these machines, but just never had the opportunity to own one before this. This one has the "advanced ABS" system on it also and I must say, I've never ridden a bike of any kind with brakes that work like these do! Wow! I'm having to totally retrain myself on braking to keep from throwing myself off this thing! Thanks!

[dirtrider]

1 hour ago, FDMDEERE said:

 

 

 

Now for some questions:

1). What are the common problem areas with these bikes? What do I need to know about it?

2). I'm finding that it is not nearly as easy to get service publications for this machine as with the Hondas. I found a good reproduction of the "Authorized Service Manual" and have purchased it, but find it is very limited in the information it provides. It pretty much tells you how to take it apart and put it together (for the most part) but not how to FIX it. There is no troubleshooting or wiring diagrams for example. Where and how do you, can you, get comprehensive service publications for one of these, or any BMW I guess?

3). I've put maybe 300 or so miles on this so far, getting familiar with how it runs, rides, operates and all that. Overall I'm quite impressed. It's a pretty fun bike to ride. But I'm noticing some things I can't quite figure out at this point. The fuel gauge so far is about useless. At first it was stuck at about 1/2 tank. After the first fill it went up to almost full, but still wouldn't go below about 1/2 but the low level light did appear to be about right as it took 5.6 gallons to fill it up (I understand at about 1 gallon left is when the light should come on). I then rode it over 220 miles to see how the system would behave. That wasn't quite far enough (great range!) to trip the low level, and again, the gauge didn't fall much if any below half. But on filling, it did go up to full this time. It appears this main quantity indication is a capacitance type system, correct? Should it eventually correct itself, or what? I do not know how long this bike sat unridden before we got it.

4). This bike has an oil cooler fan. Not sure when that came into existence, but it doesn't appear this is on all models of 1150. The wiring diagrams I have been able to locate do not show it. I presume, like any cooling fan like this, it is operated by a temperature switch somewhere in the system. However, the previous owner installed a small switch on the dash to control it. So either the temp switch has failed in the ON position or in some other way, or the owner decided to bypass it and install this switch. It looks to me like he tapped into the factory harness. The fan also runs backwards (in my experience) and blows the air out the front, and does not pull air through from the front. Is this correct? And how is this system supposed to operate and where is the thermostatic switch located?

5). As far as the way it is running, the main issue I see is a rough, irregular idle. Sometimes it's pretty smooth and where it should be (1100ish RPM) but most times it's more like 900-1000 and surging. Sometimes it will die at a stop. I think I found where and how you adjust the idle with air bleeds on the throttle bodies, and that seemed to help some. But it's still rough. Could this be from too much sitting? Would injector cleaner in the gas be worth the effort? 

6). So far, the biggest issue came when I filled it up for the second time. I had been riding it for an hour or so, some of that in town. It was running warmer than it had been, but no where near "hot" on the gauge, and it was a pretty warm day. I stopped and filled the tank to the bottom of the fill port. I then headed home about 15 minutes away. About two miles in I could feel it surging pretty badly going down a hill to a stop. At the stop it died. I got it restarted, but about another mile away, it felt like it was running out a gas and quit again. Dead. But again, it restarted. I was beginning to suspect a load of water in the gas. I got going again and it did the same thing at least two more times before I finally got it home and it died there, and would not idle, but it would start. I was quite distressed. The next day, I tore into it to try and see if it was water or what. I found out how to access the fuel lines and used the pump to pump out more than a quart of gas to look for water. There was none. No water, not a speck of dirt. Clean. So I put it all back together. It started and ran fine. I took it for a short ride in the neighborhood, and it ran fine. The next day (yesterday actually) I took it on a longer ride in to town, and it ran fine. So now I'm like, WTF??? Can someone explain what may have happened and what if anything I should do about it? 

7). Finally, what is the deal with the injection on this bike? It has a "choke", that isn't a choke but merely a fast idle mechanism. I get how to use it, but what other idiosyncrasies can I expect from it? 

 

 

Afternoon  FDMDEERE

 

That is lot of questions for one posting, a lot to answer in one reply I will try to at least answer some of them.

 

1). What are the common problem areas with these bikes? What do I need to know about it?--  Main (critical) one is possible stripped transmission input shaft splines. The BMW 1150 6 speed had a number of issue in that area. Leaking clutch slave cylinder is another (that can quickly ruin the clutch disk). If you read through the oilhead forum on this site you will find others usually with suggested repairs.  You really should read as many old posts in the oilhead forum as you can (at least the heading that you are interested in, LOTS of good info there)

 

2). I'm finding that it is not nearly as easy to get service publications for this machine as with the Hondas. I found a good reproduction of the "Authorized Service Manual" and have purchased it, but find it is very limited in the information it provides. It pretty much tells you how to take it apart and put it together (for the most part) but not how to FIX it. There is no troubleshooting or wiring diagrams for example. Where and how do you, can you, get comprehensive service publications for one of these, or any BMW I guess?-- These are BMW copyright protected & were not released to the general public. I have a number of specific service bulletins but I will not post BMW protected info. If you have specific issues then I will usually look the info up & post the needed info but not the actual service bulletin.  

 

3). I've put maybe 300 or so miles on this so far, getting familiar with how it runs, rides, operates and all that. Overall I'm quite impressed. It's a pretty fun bike to ride. But I'm noticing some things I can't quite figure out at this point. The fuel gauge so far is about useless. At first it was stuck at about 1/2 tank. After the first fill it went up to almost full, but still wouldn't go below about 1/2 but the low level light did appear to be about right as it took 5.6 gallons to fill it up (I understand at about 1 gallon left is when the light should come on). I then rode it over 220 miles to see how the system would behave. That wasn't quite far enough (great range!) to trip the low level, and again, the gauge didn't fall much if any below half. But on filling, it did go up to full this time. It appears this main quantity indication is a capacitance type system, correct? Should it eventually correct itself, or what? I do not know how long this bike sat unridden before we got it.--  Could be many things on this  issue, first one that comes to mind is the fuel sender float is sticking in it's tube due to  a crushed sender float cause by the fuel tank sides sucking in due to a plugged tank vent or a plugged emission Evap canister. Or it could also be a wiring resistance issue (usually caused by high resistance in the brown fuel pump low (ground) wire.  There was a BMW service bulletin  on some 1100/1150 motorcycles to run a parallel ground wire from the fuel tank pump plate direct to the battery  negative post. 

 

4). This bike has an oil cooler fan. Not sure when that came into existence, but it doesn't appear this is on all models of 1150. The wiring diagrams I have been able to locate do not show it. I presume, like any cooling fan like this, it is operated by a temperature switch somewhere in the system. However, the previous owner installed a small switch on the dash to control it. So either the temp switch has failed in the ON position or in some other way, or the owner decided to bypass it and install this switch. It looks to me like he tapped into the factory harness. The fan also runs backwards (in my experience) and blows the air out the front, and does not pull air through from the front. Is this correct? And how is this system supposed to operate and where is the thermostatic switch located?-- The only 1150 motorcycles that came with a factory oil cooler fan were the Police motorcycles (you will need an RT-P (police bike) wire diagram to see that info).  But a number of riders added the police cooling fan with a manual on/off switch to control it under very hot conditions.

 

Factory cooling fan direction is front to rear but that blows very hot air on the rider, if the fan is ONLY going to be used in stop & go traffic then turned off once moving again then a rear to front will work as that prevents blowing all that hot air back on the rider. You could always add a (center off) double contact double throw switch instead of that on/off switch so you can also control air flow direction as well as turn it off.  

 

5). As far as the way it is running, the main issue I see is a rough, irregular idle. Sometimes it's pretty smooth and where it should be (1100ish RPM) but most times it's more like 900-1000 and surging. Sometimes it will die at a stop. I think I found where and how you adjust the idle with air bleeds on the throttle bodies, and that seemed to help some. But it's still rough. Could this be from too much sitting? Would injector cleaner in the gas be worth the effort?-- Injector cleaner might help (Techron), also make sure that the o2 sensor pigtail wire in not running near the R/H spark plug wire, or that the wire pigtail is not hanging down on the cat converter. After riding it with some Techron if it still doesn't idle better then try unplugging the o2 sensor for a few test rides to see if that eliminates the problem (might be bad o2 sensor). If it is a twin spark engine then also look into a failing upper stick coil or an oil fouling lower spark plug.  

 

6). So far, the biggest issue came when I filled it up for the second time. I had been riding it for an hour or so, some of that in town. It was running warmer than it had been, but no where near "hot" on the gauge, and it was a pretty warm day. I stopped and filled the tank to the bottom of the fill port. I then headed home about 15 minutes away. About two miles in I could feel it surging pretty badly going down a hill to a stop. At the stop it died. I got it restarted, but about another mile away, it felt like it was running out a gas and quit again. Dead. But again, it restarted. I was beginning to suspect a load of water in the gas. I got going again and it did the same thing at least two more times before I finally got it home and it died there, and would not idle, but it would start. I was quite distressed. The next day, I tore into it to try and see if it was water or what. I found out how to access the fuel lines and used the pump to pump out more than a quart of gas to look for water. There was none. No water, not a speck of dirt. Clean. So I put it all back together. It started and ran fine. I took it for a short ride in the neighborhood, and it ran fine. The next day (yesterday actually) I took it on a longer ride in to town, and it ran fine. So now I'm like, WTF??? Can someone explain what may have happened and what if anything I should do about it? -- We will need more info on this to really help but start by making darn sure that your fuel tank is venting properly. Also make sure you don't have a failing upper stick coil (twin spark engine). Check the o2 sensor pig tail wire routing, try riding with the o2 sensor unplugged. 

 

If it had a dead battery at any time in it's recent past then also do a new TPS re-learn procedure (see below). 

 

7). Finally, what is the deal with the injection on this bike? It has a "choke", that isn't a choke but merely a fast idle mechanism. I get how to use it, but what other idiosyncrasies can I expect from it?-- Nothing as it is JUST a fast idle device. The cold start & cold engine fuel enrichening is controlled by the fueling computer & it's input sensors. But there are no idle steppers or  idle solenoid on the throttle bodies so the fast idle must be manually controlled. Basically same as holding the twist grip about 1/8 open at starting. There is also another setting on that choke (fast idle lever), once you put the lever into choke position there is another spring loaded position if you manually push the lever up farther (you need to manually hold it there). Caution: not allow the engine to run very long on fast idle  while sitting still as the exhaust heats up & can burn your plastics. 

 

If you want to dig deeper into any of the above posted areas, or follow up in way more detail on any of the above areas then please start a separate thread on each item to follow up on so we can keep each thread on one basic subject at  time. If multiple problems end up in one thread then it gets really difficult to keep track of the subject  & keep it on point.

 

 

  

___________________To do a TPS re-learn____________

 

(with choke OFF)

*Remove fuse #5 for about 5 minutes, then re-install the fuse.

Then

*Switch on the ignition switch. (do not start the engine)

Then

*Without starting the engine, fully open/close the throttle twice so that 
the Fueling Computer can register the throttle-valve position.

then

*Switch off the ignition.

 

That's it, that re-teaches the TPS where closed & open throttle is.

 

 

[FDMDEERE]

Thank you very much! Sorry for such a long post, but I wanted to get a lot off my mind at once. Your advice is well taken on the individual future postings and on reading the existing posts. I will do that. I'm disappointed that BMW is playing the "protected data" game as many manufacturers these days (Like John Deere) play to force you to use their service departments which isn't always practical or necessary. But I also understand in the case of the engine management and VERY complex brake system on this bike that it would be all to easy to totally screw it up if you just dove into it untrained. So hopefully those systems will continue to operate well and worry free. Can you elaborate more on the venting for the fuel tank? I have noticed when opening the tank a couple times it had either a vacuum or pressure on it. I couldn't tell for sure. Thanks again!

[dirtrider]

3 minutes ago, FDMDEERE said:

Thank you very much! Sorry for such a long post, but I wanted to get a lot off my mind at once. Your advice is well taken on the individual future postings and on reading the existing posts. I will do that. I'm disappointed that BMW is playing the "protected data" game as many manufacturers these days (Like John Deere) play to force you to use their service departments which isn't always practical or necessary. But I also understand in the case of the engine management and VERY complex brake system on this bike that it would be all to easy to totally screw it up if you just dove into it untrained. So hopefully those systems will continue to operate well and worry free. Can you elaborate more on the venting for the fuel tank? I have noticed when opening the tank a couple times it had either a vacuum or pressure on it. I couldn't tell for sure. Thanks again!

Afternoon  FDMDEERE

 

BMW is very protective of their service info of anything above basic rider maintenance. 

 

The BMM service manual & service bulletins/service advisories are written with a service tec in mind (not a home mechanic) as the manuals assume the user already knows how to find, fix, or repair the problem, the manual is just a quick guidance on how to properly disassemble, measure,  reassemble, torque & calibrate. One of the big problems with BMW motorcycle servicing & unit repair is BMW service info requires a large number of very expensive special tools. Most of us have found work-arounds for most of the special tools but obviously that isn't covered in the BMW manuals or bulletins. 

 

If it is on the BMW 1100/1150 motorcycle then someone on this web site has probably figured out a good way to repair it without BMW special tooling. 

 

The BMW 1150 is a fairly basic machine that is really not very complicated, in most cases it is not as complicated as most new fuel injected lawn equipment.

 

This web site has way more troubleshooting & diagnostic info than the best of the BMW manuals or bulletins. You have a problem then we will help you find it, figure it out, then repair it. 

 

   

[dirtrider]

52 minutes ago, FDMDEERE said:

Can you elaborate more on the venting for the fuel tank? I have noticed when opening the tank a couple times it had either a vacuum or pressure on it. I couldn't tell for sure. Thanks again!

Afternoon  FDMDEERE

 

That vacuum at fuel tank cap opening (after riding for a while)  almost assures you that you have tank venting issue.

 

If your motorcycle still has the factory evap canister (black can on right rear of motorcycle) then it is probably plugged. Once the tank vent plugs up then as fuel is used out of the fuel tank it can't replace that fuel with make-up air, so then the sides of the plastic fuel tank suck in.   

 

Most riders remove that evap canister then vent the the tank directly to atmosphere behind the R/H rider foot peg. Just keep in mind I am not recommending this myself as removing a federal emission control is illegal.   

 

If you do remove that evap can then vent directly to behind the riders foot peg, be sure to cut the lower end of that vent hose to a 45° angle so it doesn't suck road water into the fuel tank when riding on extremely wet roads. The evap purge solenoid can then be removed from the L/H side of the motorcycle (as well as the evap system hoses)  the vacuum nipple on each throttle body can then be plugged off.

 

If you think that your fuel gauge sender is crushed (decent chance it has if you have observed vacuum in the fuel tank) then the tube can be removed & then the dent removed (not easily though) as there are 2 very thin resistor wires inside the sender tube that the float rides up & down on. Very/very easy to ruin one of those resistor wires if the tube dent isn't removed with great care. This will probably take it's own thread to resolve. 

 

By the way diagnosing or repairing a dented fuel gauge sender is not in the BMW service manual.  

 

With a new (to you)  motorcycle then personally I would verify the fuel tank vent is working  (it can also plug up in the metal vent fitting going through the fuel pump plate)  so once it is functioning then just ride it for while (use the trip meter to tell you when to fill the tank).

You might (probably will) have to remove the fuel tank in the future anyway to make other repairs or do a proper brake bleed service so might as well wait to do all the tank removal related things at the same time. 

 

You should probably plan on replacing the fuel filter & pump intake sock, doing a complete brake bleed service (very important on the BMW I-ABS brake systems), replacing the in-tank fuel & vent hoses (a blown in-tank high pressure hose can leave you stranded) & those have high incidence of failure on older BMW 1100/1150 motorcycles,   

[FDMDEERE]

Ah. I suspected as much. Thank you again DR. I will look into that. I just went out and did the TPS reset as you prescribed. Immediate change in rideability! It is running smoother and there is hardly any after fire on decel now. There was a LOT before. Oh, I forgot to mention this has a Technik (sp?) SS muffler on it which I believe replaces the stock muffler and chamber and gives this twin a nice bark. Thank you for the input on the vent issue. I will get on to that and report back later. In the mean time, I will ponder my next individual posting :). My next action is to start reading the existing postings. I suspect I will learn a BUNCH from those!

[dirtrider]

1 minute ago, FDMDEERE said:

Ah. I suspected as much. Thank you again DR. I will look into that. I just went out and did the TPS reset as you prescribed. Immediate change in rideability! It is running smoother and there is hardly any after fire on decel now. There was a LOT before. Oh, I forgot to mention this has a Technik (sp?) SS muffler on it which I believe replaces the stock muffler and chamber and gives this twin a nice bark. Thank you for the input on the vent issue. I will get on to that and report back later. In the mean time, I will ponder my next individual posting :). My next action is to start reading the existing postings. I suspect I will learn a BUNCH from those!

Afternoon  FDMDEERE

 

With most aftermarket mufflers it is about impossible to remove all of the dropped throttle post-fire popping. You can reduce the popping but if the muffler is an open (no actual blocking baffles) then exhaust reversion will push enough ambient air back up the muffler outlet to ignite any unburned fuel in the muffler giving you that popping. 

[Skywagon]

FDMDEERE....when you get ready to do the whizzy brakes, post back and I will share the procedure with you. It requires a certain procedure and sequence. My only concern, and DR should be able to answer, is if your bike is a Police bike, the procedure might be different than a civilian bike.   Look in the storage box on the left side of your tank.  Does it have a battery in it?

[FDMDEERE]

DR: I took a look at this aftermarket exhaust in detail, which I hadn't done. I bet that "chamber" is actually the cat as this has a pipe where that went and NO O2 sensor at all. So somehow the ECU must have been "fooled" into it's being there somehow. I think that may need to be the topic of another post....

 

And Skywagon, you must have read my mind as I looked at the back brakes while I was looking at the muffler and they look like they're getting close to time to replace. That was also going to be another post. Thanks dude.

[dirtrider]

6 minutes ago, FDMDEERE said:

DR: I took a look at this aftermarket exhaust in detail, which I hadn't done. I bet that "chamber" is actually the cat as this has a pipe where that went and NO O2 sensor at all. So somehow the ECU must have been "fooled" into it's being there somehow. I think that may need to be the topic of another post....

 

Afternoon  FDMDEERE

 

Before starting the new exhaust/o2 sensor thread look very closely that the exhaust system right after the front side pipes merge together (even up on top of the pipe).  The 1150 Ma 2.4 well run OK without an o2 sensor but the fueling will not be correct in all the fueling ranges. It won't light a dash light if no o2 present but the Ma 2.4 fueling computer will trap an o2  fault code.   

[FDMDEERE]

Roger that. It figures. I had all the plastic off yesterday...........

The fact is though, it really isn't all that hard to remove. Just lots of screws. I've done it three times already.......

I'll let you know what I find once I get back to it.

BTW, I've been doing as you suggested and reading older posts. Very interesting stuff. If I may ask, what is your background with BMWs? I see you on nearly every post I've read and one person called you the "guru" on these bikes. You seem like my kind of bike nut is why I'm asking, I am in no way questioning your information or experience, just curious as like I mentioned in the beginning, I'm really a Honda guy. Had a bunch of them over the years and currently have 4 (one will go away once I finally get it totally sorted out).

[dirtrider]

14 hours ago, FDMDEERE said:

Roger that. It figures. I had all the plastic off yesterday...........

The fact is though, it really isn't all that hard to remove. Just lots of screws. I've done it three times already.......

I'll let you know what I find once I get back to it.

BTW, I've been doing as you suggested and reading older posts. Very interesting stuff. If I may ask, what is your background with BMWs? I see you on nearly every post I've read and one person called you the "guru" on these bikes. You seem like my kind of bike nut is why I'm asking, I am in no way questioning your information or experience, just curious as like I mentioned in the beginning, I'm really a Honda guy. Had a bunch of them over the years and currently have 4 (one will go away once I finally get it totally sorted out).

Evening FDMDEERE

 

Look at your personal messages on this site. 

[46nto]

FDMDEERE -I’m new to the board & just recently picked up an 04 1150RT as well. I’ve ridden BMW K bikes before but this is my first R. It really is a fairly simple bike. I’ve put a little over 3600 miles on it since I picked it up a month ago. I got lucky as it’s a pristine example of this 20 year old machine. 
 

I’ve read dozens of trouble threads on this sub & DR no doubt knows his stuff. I’ve been a transport refrigeration mechanic for going on 30 years & recognize the wealth of knowledge he has as it’s similar to the knowledge I have for the machines I work on. I’m sure he knows a lot off the top of his head but if not, I’m sure he knows how to find the info. Anyway, he’s an invaluable resource!

 

On your bike, one of the first things I’d do if not done already is replace the rubber brake lines with stainless ones. Brakes are pretty important & I’ve been a victim of these lines on my K1100LT which blew a rear hose on the road. Swapping them out will give you a very good idea into the ABS system, how it’s plumbed & how it functions. It’s really not very complicated & I bled at calipers & ABS mod -it’s cake. 
 

I’m close to doing my first 6k service which looks pretty simple. Need some parts, gaskets, filter, etc. but plenty of aftermarket  suppliers like beemerboneyard. I also need to address the lean fueling on this thing, it just doesn’t run as well as it should & has a super snatchy throttle. The bike feels like it needs to be uncorked, actually. 
 

Hope you enjoy your 04 RT as much as I’m enjoying mine, I love this bike! 

[FDMDEERE]

Hi 46NTO, sorry I haven't replied sooner. I didn't realize this post was here. Thanks for the moral support! Having been a lifelong Honda guy, this Beemer is a bit intimidating having had NO experience on them. I worked with a guy for decades that was a dedicated BMW rider (and lover of all things German actually) and I know he's going to flip when he learns I've purchased this thing.

 

I've been reading the older posts (holy crap there's a lot of them!) and I can see the brake line issue is a serious one. I have had issues with old rubber lines on cars in the past as they are prone to the same thing so I totally get what happens. So I will put new lines on my "to do" list. Your reassurance that bleeding this system isn't really difficult is very helpful because I wasn't sure what that would entail. All the service manual says basically is "DON'T DO IT! Take it to an authorized service facility.....". And like you, I MUCH prefer to do my own work. Always have. Thanks again.

[46nto]

You’ll have no problems with the bleed. There are plenty of videos on YouTube detailing the process & some great tech write ups to be found, some in this forum. I got the funnel from Beemer Boneyard which has a fitting that screws in to the port threads on the ABS module. It’s was a big help but not totally necessary, especially if you’re using a brake fluid container that has a little hose on it. I think I read or heard those are from the RC car world but I’m not quite sure. 
 

I’ll be doing all the fluids soon & slicing in an AF-XieD thing that is supposed to help with the lean fuel issue. I’ll also do a valve adjustment & my first throttle body sync. I don’t anticipate any issues but if something comes up, I’ll start a new thread with a plea for help. 

 

 

[FDMDEERE]

I'll add that website to my list of "bike sites", thanks. Would you mind explaining what the AF-XieD thing is and what it's all about? I was reading a LONG post the other day from a guy that was having all sorts of quitting issues on his 1150 and DR talked about that unit a lot. Thanks.

[dirtrider]

18 minutes ago, FDMDEERE said:

I'll add that website to my list of "bike sites", thanks. Would you mind explaining what the AF-XieD thing is and what it's all about? I was reading a LONG post the other day from a guy that was having all sorts of quitting issues on his 1150 and DR talked about that unit a lot. Thanks.

Morning FDMDEERE

 

The AF-XieD goes between the o2 sensor & the fueling computer to modify the o2 signal & make the o2 sensor report a leaner condition back to the fueling computer than it really is. This then forces the fueling computer to add a little more fuel & richen the fuel/air mixture a little. The AF-XieD be set (adjusted)  to richen a little or actually richen too much.

[46nto]

1 hour ago, dirtrider said:

Morning FDMDEERE

 

The AF-XieD goes between the o2 sensor & the fueling computer to modify the o2 signal & make the o2 sensor report a leaner condition back to the fueling computer than it really is. This then forces the fueling computer to add a little more fuel & richen the fuel/air mixture a little. The AF-XieD be set (adjusted)  to richen a little or actually richen too much.

Mine should arrive later this week. I’m looking forward to getting it installed & set up. Also looking forward to doing the fluids, valve adjustment & tb synch -tinkering & maintaining were part of the reason I decided on an 1150RT. This winter, the rear end comes apart to check/lube trans input splines & clutch condition. I’ve been in there on a K100 & K1100 but this will be my first time on an R bike. 

[FDMDEERE]

Thanks guys. Sounds like something to consider in the future. 

[dirtrider]

13 minutes ago, FDMDEERE said:

Thanks guys. Sounds like something to consider in the future. 

Morning FDMDEERE

 

Get your motorcycle all sorted then ride it for a while, you have 2004 1150 Ma 2.4 those are twin spark engines ( 4 spark plugs) so they run pretty decent once everything is adjusted correctly. 

 

If you want to do anything after it is all adjusted correctly then probably start with updated fuel injectors (better spray pattern), with a finer & better injector spray pattern you get better combustion from the fuel you are spraying in. So instead of spraying in more fuel (using an o2 spoofer) you are using the fuel that you do spray in in a more efficient manner. 

[FDMDEERE]

Thank you DR. I appreciate the info. That's kind of what I was thinking; ride it a while and see how it goes. It only has 45,000 miles on it, and has had regular maintenance at dealer level shops, so mechanically I think it's in pretty darn good shape. Now that the gas tank venting issue is straightened out, and since I did the TPS reset, it is running quite well. When it becomes necessary to remove the tank for some other maintenance I'll look into the fuel quantity indicator tube situation. I've run many bikes over the years without gauges, just using the trip meter once I know the MPG I'm getting (currently about 43) so that's no big deal. The support available on this site is phenomenal and I really appreciate all the help I've gotten in such a short time. 

[JamesW]

On 7/4/2023 at 6:54 AM, FDMDEERE said:

Hi 46NTO, sorry I haven't replied sooner. I didn't realize this post was here. Thanks for the moral support! Having been a lifelong Honda guy, this Beemer is a bit intimidating having had NO experience on them. I worked with a guy for decades that was a dedicated BMW rider (and lover of all things German actually) and I know he's going to flip when he learns I've purchased this thing.

 

I've been reading the older posts (holy crap there's a lot of them!) and I can see the brake line issue is a serious one. I have had issues with old rubber lines on cars in the past as they are prone to the same thing so I totally get what happens. So I will put new lines on my "to do" list. Your reassurance that bleeding this system isn't really difficult is very helpful because I wasn't sure what that would entail. All the service manual says basically is "DON'T DO IT! Take it to an authorized service facility.....". And like you, I MUCH prefer to do my own work. Always have. Thanks again.

 

Hello FDMDEERE,  When it comes to the brakes on the R1150RT if you get tired of the annual bleeding you can very simply and in an hour or two remove the ABS system and have normal and very good responding manual brakes.  I did this to my '04 R1150 when the ABS modulator began causing problems then I sold the modulator for a fair amount of pocket change.  Sold the '04 1150 in '16 when I found my '10 FJR.  Sometimes I kind of miss big blue.  Oh, and by getting rid of the fairly heavy ABS unit I could actually tell a difference in weight distribution as the bike was slightly less top heavy as well.  My 1150 had a slight tendency to surge with the fix being installation of a device called an AFXIED.  I went with a somewhat more complex device by Innovate Motor Sports referred to as an LC2.  This pretty much fixed the surging issue.  Now I have a very early oilhead that being a '93 R1100RSL which D.R. refers to as an outlier and I can't argue that. lol..lol..  Truthfully when it comes to oilheads I prefer the R1100 bikes over the 1150 for reasons I won't get into and especially the very early (outlier) bikes.  Enjoy your 1150 and don't you just love the dry clutch?  I sure do.

[FDMDEERE]

Hi James W. Thanks for the info on the brakes. I wondered about how these brakes would work without the modulator setup. Is the procedure you mentioned listed somewhere in the copious amount of posts on this site? I'd likely keep these as they are until they cause an expensive problem, so it's nice to know this is possible. Learning to properly use these brakes has been one of my bigger challenges with this machine as they are VERY sensitive and powerful! I'm looking forward to more time on this machine though. It's a fun ride.

[dirtrider]

3 hours ago, FDMDEERE said:

Hi James W. Thanks for the info on the brakes. I wondered about how these brakes would work without the modulator setup. Is the procedure you mentioned listed somewhere in the copious amount of posts on this site? I'd likely keep these as they are until they cause an expensive problem, so it's nice to know this is possible. Learning to properly use these brakes has been one of my bigger challenges with this machine as they are VERY sensitive and powerful! I'm looking forward to more time on this machine though. It's a fun ride.

Afternoon FDMDEERE

 

Check you messages as I sent you a detailed ABS removal procedure.