2011 K1300S: Tell me Everything!

[Guest Kakugo]

I have a friend who's looking at a fully loaded 2011 K1300S.

I know a bit about 1200 Wedge engines but I don't know much about 1300 models.

 

All I know is servicing is more time-consuming than on a boxer (and valve clearance checking requires a special tool to drain coolant) and there was a recall on the wiring harness to solve hot starting issues.

That would be the depth of my knowledge.

 

Anything I else I should tell him about, apart from the usual BMW idiosyncrasies (he's only owned Honda's since he started riding)?

 

Thanks!

[UberXY]

Hi. I'm a K12S owner, and I don't know if this applies to the 13, but BMW retro-issued a plastic cam chain guard to prevent the chain from skipping a tooth. It's a 6 dollar part, but it requires $35 worth of new aluminum bolts. Easy to do at home, maybe an hour tops, but you need a torque wrench that can do 26 foot-inches.

 

Btw, I've owned an airhead, two oil heads, an f800, an S1000RR,and now this K. For me personally, it's the best combination of ergonomics, utility, power, and handling.

[smiller]

Most of the slant-K issues were sorted out by 2011. The cam drive has been a known weakness on these bikes for some time and BMW eventually came up with fixes and if they are all installed then any 1200/1300 should be OK going forward. The subject bike may or may not have chain guard installed but there is a secret warranty on that and I believe it will now be done for free if requested (BMW dragged their feet on this so long that they even took the rare step of offering a parts refund for those owners who did it themselves.)

 

Maintenance is more complicated than on a boxer (almost any modern 4-cylinder bike requires more complex maintenance than a boxer) but nothing beyond what any intermediate-level home mechanic can do. Service intervals are far apart so the overall maintenance hours tend to even out. You will need a few special tools like the previously-mentioned vacuum fill tool for the coolant, but that's only about $100. And a GS911 (scan tool) is a good investment for any modern BMW model.

 

Beyond the above, just do the usual checks and due diligence (runs and idles well, clutch engagement is smooth, transmission shifts cleanly, etc.) and you should be fine.

[Guest Kakugo]

Thanks for your kind replies, they'll be surely passed on.

 

No need to worry about maintenance because my friend leaves all servicing to the dealer so he has enough money to pay the dealer with!

 

Another thing: did the K1300S came with a 190/50-17 rear tyre as standard or was it an option like on the 1200?

 

Thanks again.

[Urban Surfer]

I'm considering GT 1300. What are the maintenance intervals. Also are they as long lived as boxer twins

Probably the final drive are the usual nightmare.

[smiller]

I'm considering GT 1300. What are the maintenance intervals. Also are they as long lived as boxer twins

Probably the final drive are the usual nightmare.

The maintenance intervals have moved around somewhat over the years but basically engine oil and final drive fluids are 6k and 12k respectively like the oilheads. There is no separate transmission oil to change in the K bike. Since there's a fair amount of of disassembly required to service valves, coolant, spark plugs, etc. most do these all at the same time at 24k intervals, although the need for valve adjustments are pretty rare (many bikes have gone their entire life so far without needing even one) and so many stretch this interval out. As long as the cam drive updates are done, in terms of engine wear the K bikes are like most other BMWs in that you will probably wear out long before the engine does. Just like the boxers, short of some external factor the need for any internal engine work is rare.

 

The only significant issues were described in my earlier post and again most were sorted out by the later years, just make sure all updates have been done and that the clutch operates smoothly. The early bikes ate some final drives (just like the R-bikes) but that problem seems to have died down (just like the R-bikes.) Most of the other common issues (fuel strip failures, etc.) are similar in that they are the same regardless of R or K.

 

[fourteenfour]

at 36k the dealer quoted me about 900 bucks, what exactly would they be doing at 36k? Valves? If so, I would probably skip it. Never once had a inline four of any brand with valve issues... still I was a bit amazed at the cost

[Dennis Andress]

The K1300s got a bigger air box which along with a redesigned head fixed a lot of the K12's performance woes. The muffler is also lighter, and there is a now a flapper valve just before the muffler. The rear tire size is 190/55 17, making the tire a bit taller to help the bike turn easier. There is a hard starting problem where the engine won't crank offer when it is hot. I'm tending to agree with a thread in this forum which talks about larger diameter battery cables.

 

There is a lot of wind noise on this bike. We have two aftermarket windshields for our bikes and they both are louder than the sock one. (Though the one from Zero Gravity offers the best wind protection.) I recently bought a set of 43 liter Shad saddlebags for my bike. They make a huge difference in the still air pocket, and stop almost all of the wind noise.

 

Oil changes are easy. Oil is drained by unplugging the sight tube at its top and snaking it down between the oil tank and the exhaust until it reaches your drain pan underneath the bike. Just be sure to plug it with something like a soft foam ear plug until the tube reaches the drain pan. Removing the oil filter can require the removal of the shifter linkage but, there is a short version of the filter available that clears the shifter without much effort. Major services at 18K intervals are pricy. Ours were around $800 a piece.

 

The engine makes serious power anywhere above 3500 RPM. It makes REALLY serious power above 7K. Peak horsepower is at 9200 RPM, making redline at 11K kind of silly. I find that I seldom exceed 7K - above that things happen too fast for most traffic conditions. I've found that removing almost all of the slack from the throttle cables smooths on/off throttle transition. (The bike will lurch when coming on throttle before your hand feels the change...)

 

This bike feels and more like the R90S I sold 20 years ago then any of other K bikes I've owned. It's an easy bike to ride well. I hope your friend likes his as much as I like mine. And I hope he lets your ride it.

[smiller]

The big services can be expensive at the dealer because they are labor intensive, but they're nothing an owner can't do if he takes his time. Maybe a day's work, or a weekend if you want to go slow, plus a one-time cost of a couple hundred bucks for a couple of special tools. Beats $800+ And for a typical rider the big maintenances are 2-3 years apart so not all that bad really. For changing oil I like to use a vacuum evacuator, makes short work of the job and a lot less messy.

 

People love to talk about the problems with these bikes but the biggest problem is keeping your driver's license.

[Guest Kakugo]

Thanks for the heads up Dennis.

 

Maintenance is not a problem: despite being a university graduate engineer working for one of the world's largest engine manufacturers, my friend has no "spanner skills" so services would be a dealer-only operation.

 

The K bike is an option he's considering together with a Camhead R1200R. Currently riding a Honda VFR1200F he's not very satisfied with.

[Dennis Andress]

... The K bike is an option he's considering together with a Camhead R1200R. ....

 

Yeah, I look at the R1200 R and wonder if we could get a fourth bike into the garage, and the budget.