Parts Reasonable Life Span, Preventative Maintenance Items

[Lucas2Bosch]

Parts Reasonable Life Span,

At what mileage should Preventative Maintenance items be addressed that are not covered under the standard 6/12 Maintenance Schedules other than tires, batteries, and brake pads? I know we feel they should ALL last forever, but I'm talking about the average for most riders, not the extremes.

 

Items off the top of my head (but not limited to)....

• Alternator Belt = [Defined as either 24k or 36k]
  
• Cables =
  
• Clutch (I know, up to the user, but average) =
  
• C02 Sensor =
  
• Fuel Injectors (Serviced and/or Replaced) =
  
• Fuel Pump =
  
• Shocks (Stock) = [Was it about 30k ?]
  
• Splines Lubed = [With clutch replacement ?]
  
• Timing Chains =
  
• Everything else missing
  

Expected Component Overhauls

• Alternater and/or Brushes =
  
• Brake Masters/Calipers (with proper maintenance) =
  
• Final Drive =
  
• Forks =
  
• Starter =
  
• Trans Bearing/shaft O rings/... (Average here) =
  
• Valve Guilds/Heads =
  
• Everything else missing
  

Again, averages here please.

[EffBee]

Don't hold me to them as no one can "predict" such life spans, but I've been on this board since almost its first days and here's what I've heard most often on this board. As always, YMMV.

 

Items off the top of my head (but not limited to)....

• Alternator Belt = [Defined as either 24k or 36k] 30K is a reasonably safe average. They have been know to wear out in 18K.
  
• Cables = On an RT, the only metal "cable" would be the clutch cable on the 1100RT. 36-50K is not unusual. As for the hydraulic brake cables, generally they'll last 100K or more.
  
• Clutch (I know, up to the user, but average) = 100-150K if you're smooth, quick, and use very little RPM on take-off. 20K if you're not. Practice.
  
• C02 Sensor = Not a wear item. They work or they don't. Mileage has little to do with it.
  
• Fuel Injectors (Serviced and/or Replaced) = Again, not a wear item. However, they can get dirty/clogged. Either use Chevron gas every couple of tanks, or run some Techron additive through on your last tank prior to an oil change.
  
• Fuel Pump = Haven't heard of many failures, so figure 100K+
  
• Shocks (Stock) = [Was it about 30k ?] All over the place. from 10K to 75K
  
• Splines Lubed = [With clutch replacement ?]BMW recommends every 40K. If you do it at 40/50K and do it right, you can go 60K the second time.
  
• Timing Chains = Timing (cam) chains have generally not been an issue. However the cam chain tensioner blocks do wear out eventually. Usually over 100K
   
   
  

Expected Component Overhauls

• Alternater and/or Brushes = Rebuild the alternator. Usually involved cutting the commutator. Can be done by any machinist with a diamond cutting bit. Usually an alternator shop. About $40. Maybe every 80-100K, but usually longer.
  
• Brake Masters/Calipers (with proper maintenance) = Haven't been an issue.
  
• Final Drive = Change the rear drive fluid using 75/90 GL-5 Synthetic every 6K and don't worry about it.
  
• Forks = Fork seals can go at any time. Then again, they can last for years. Don't sweat it. Not very expensive. And even if you have a leaker, your front suspension control is in the shock. The oil that's in the forks is for lubrication, not damping.
  
• Starter = Usually no less than 50-75K. Most often over 100K.
  
• Trans Bearing/shaft O rings/... (Average here) = Again, change the oil with 75/90 GL-5 Sunthetic every 6K and just ride it.
  
• Valve Guilds/Heads = Valve guides wearing out have not been reported very often. Don't sweat it.
   
  

[NormanFox]

My fuel pump went out at 63,000 miles.

 

Rgds, Norm

[T__]

Dave, you really should define it in hours (time) of operation not miles of operation.. City riding = lots of hours of use with few miles.. Hi-way riding = lots of miles but fewer hours or use per mile..

 

Being a motorcycle you should probably also define use per year (or other time frame) 50,000 miles in one year is not hard on most components.. 10,000 miles in 10 years is..

 

Twisty

[Paul Mihalka]

IMHO you can pick one of two ways. 1: Besides prescribed maintenance items like alternator belts, fix it when it breaks. 2: Get a new bike every two years or so. No wear and if something breaks it is under warranty. This is what Marty Hill and many others do. Things may change a bit if you are a very high mileage rider.

[ShovelStrokeEd]

You are asking us to define the mean time between failures of all these components. Nobody, probably including BMW, has valid data on this stuff. Even with the heavily concentrated bunch of users on this board, at best, all you will garner is some impressions based on a small sample of the number of bikes out there and that will be anecdotal evidence, often poorly described.

 

Fix it when it breaks or just get a new bike when the warranty runs out as has been already stated.

 

Just an example for one of your items, I use my clutch lever more times in my 8.3 mile commute to/from work as I do on a 600 mile travel day. Be kinda silly to determine wear life based on mileage wouldn't it? You would have to use number of cycles and, in the case of that component, less is worse and who counts?

[Bob_Minor]

Don't forget the rear pivot bearings. Most are loose and need adjustment if not replacement by 20K.

[Paul Mihalka]

Don't forget the rear pivot bearings. Most are loose and need adjustment if not replacement by 20K.

This is a good example of different opinions and experiences: I sold my R1100RT with over 170K miles and never touched the pivot bearings.

[Bob_Minor]

Did you ever check them?

[Bob Palin]

Front wheel bearings? Mine are 126K old, I'm thinking of having them changed this winter.

 

I changed the valve cover gaskets at about 70K because they were getting quite stiff.

[russell_bynum]

Fix it when it breaks or just get a new bike when the warranty runs out as has been already stated.

 

That advice is fine...until you get stranded in the middle of nowhere in the middle of a trip on a Saturday afternoon with the nearest BMW dealer (who is already closed and will not be open until Tuesday)is 300 miles away.

 

For those of us who don't want to buy a new bike every two years and who have very limited time off, sometimes it makes sense to spend a bit of extra time/money doing preventative maintenance. Ideally, I wouldn't replace anything unless I knew it was going to fail soon, but I'd rather spend a Saturday and a hundred bucks in parts replacing something so I don't waste half of my vacation sitting in a BMW dealership waiting for parts.

[smiller]

Don't forget the rear pivot bearings. Most are loose and need adjustment if not replacement by 20K.

This is a good example of different opinions and experiences: I sold my R1100RT with over 170K miles and never touched the pivot bearings.

And this is a good example of why you should 'fix it when it breaks' (well, colloquially at least, actually you should monitor the condition of your bike well and fix it just before it breaks.) For some reason there doesn't seem to be much consistency to the life of these items on different bikes, even of the same model, so usage patterns must matter a lot. All I can say is that I'm still going strong on many of the components that others insist must be replaced at 20-30k (or whatever) intervals. Go figure.

[peterbulgar]

Splines Lubed = [With clutch replacement ?]BMW recommends every 40K.

Where does BMW recommend this? I asked my dealer to advise about a spline lube at my 48k service. The service rep called back and said that BMW does not quote a service interval for spline lubes, only if there is difficulty downshifting. (At which point your splines are probably toast...) Since the 2-year/24k service (which includes ABS flush) was going to push $900 as it stood, I didn't press the matter. Besides, I still have 3 years left on my extended warranty...

Peter '73 R75/5, '04 R1150RA

[BFish]

add the quick disconnects to the list. easy, relatively cheap fix with muc hgreater life than the oem.

[russell_bynum]

add the quick disconnects to the list. easy, relatively cheap fix with muc hgreater life than the oem.

 

The OP has an R1100, so he doesn't have the failure-prone QD's.

[flars]

"but I'd rather spend a Saturday and a hundred bucks in parts replacing something so I don't waste half of my vacation sitting in a BMW dealership waiting for parts."

And which parts would you replace???? Or would you just walk down to the dealership and say "Gimme $100 worth of parts that might wear out some day?"

[russell_bynum]

"but I'd rather spend a Saturday and a hundred bucks in parts replacing something so I don't waste half of my vacation sitting in a BMW dealership waiting for parts."

And which parts would you replace???? Or would you just walk down to the dealership and say "Gimme $100 worth of parts that might wear out some day?"

 

Well, that's the point of this thread, isn't it?

 

From hanging out around here, I think I have a reasonable picture of what fails (and when) and what (generally) doesn't.

 

There's stuff like the final drive which seem to either fail early, or last a very long time. But then there's stuff like the HES sensor which seems to be a fairly common failure once you get up in the miles. If I had an oilhead with more than about 80K on it, I'd probably carry a spare HES on trips.

 

Another example: Changing the transmission/final drive oil every 6K like Fernando recommended...that isn't because the oil wear out in 6K, it is so you have a better chance of catching signs of impending failure before you wind up stranded 200 miles outside of Moosenuts, Montana in the middle of the night.

[ShovelStrokeEd]

I heard there might be a BMW dealer opening in Moose Nuts, MT.

 

I like doing my own maintenance and inspections on my bike. However, I rarely have the time to do it anymore. My current trip has encompassed 8K miles in 5 weekends and is still going. In that time, I have had to replace 2 rear tires, one front, a set of front pads, changed the oil and filter once and am now in need of a rear chain (got 18K out of this one and will replace this week). I'll find a dealer in the area, have him perform a general maintenance, change the oil and filter, change the chain, change the cam chain tensioner and maybe a brake and clutch fluid flush.

 

Bike has 60K on it now, original spark plugs, valves were inspected by me at 36K miles and all were in spec. When I get home in a couple weeks and probably another 3K miles, I'll do a second valve inspection and maybe even change the plugs. I have put 47K miles on this bike in 23 months and other than tires, chains, oil, I have not had to touch it. Oh yeah, one time but that was a ham fisted dealer mechanic who managed to damage my TPS sensor while changing an air filter. Come to think of it, it is time for another air filter. I'll do that when I get home.

 

The good news, it is a Honda, I can find a dealer damn near anywhere. If there isn't one, the local Kawi or Zuki dealer usually stocks normal maintenance parts or I can mail order from Ron Ayers and have anything I need delivered to my hotel.

[Lucas2Bosch]

And which parts would you replace???? Or would you just walk down to the dealership and say "Gimme $100 worth of parts that might wear out some day?"

Before you go on a long trip, if the tires on your bike have miles on them, it is recommended to have them changed. While I might not use them again, if while at home a tire gets waisted, I would use the old tire until it was time to get another.

 

For me, I finance a bike a part at a time. I also replace parts before they fail if I know that it has lived out it's useful life. I usually have almost another bike's worth of spare parts on hand like carbs, heads, trans, starters... all in good shape, and ready to rotate in when I feel a part is getting tired. I'll rebuild that part, and put it back on the shelf to rotate in the next go round.

 

You have to understand, I'm use to British bikes that may need a major repair between tire changes. I have also owned an Airhead that needed everything. Oilheads are new to me, the maintenance schedule only goes to 36k, and BMW seems tight lipped on things. EffBee was very helpful, and on target, thanks.