wethead owner maintenance

[Leon]

Wet head owner maintenance

 

Greetings,

I’m likely going to buy a new RT wet-head in the next month or two and plan to do all my own maintenance as I did for my current bike, an ’04 1150 RT. For the ’04 I didn’t find out about the brake flush requirement until after the purchase and would have had a harder time figuring it all out were it not for the considerable help available on this forum.

 

For the wet-head, are there any special procedures, special tools, problem areas, I should know about regarding its maintenance? I will, of course, obtain the service manual for the bike and follow its recommendations carefully, as I did for my oil-head.

 

BTW, except for one rear disk, two batteries, 4 indicator lamp bulbs (all failed within about 10 hours of each other about a year ago), one headlamp bulb, and gallons of Dot 4, the bike has been trouble free and relatively easy to maintain.

 

Leon

[mickeym3]

Great place to start would be this thread:

 

http://bmwsporttouring.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=917176#Post917176

 

Jim VonBaden also sells a great product, DVD's for this very purpose including the Wethead. Great product! See the thread..

[Chris in GA]

Prior to my 2014 R1200RT I had a 2002 K1200LT and did much of my own maintenance. Yes even the brake flushes (and brake line replacements), what a major PITA!

 

I have had a service manager at one dealership and a service tech at a different dealer tell me the same thing: "If you worked on that LT you will find this to be much easier, even the brake flush." But I know I'll take it in for a few things. I do see a GS911 in my future for this motorcycle though.

[Alfred02]

I owned a 2004 1150RT myself for a little while and did the maintenance myself as well. Bike ended up running far sweeter then when I originally purchased it.

 

But the Wethead is a whole different cattle of fish.

The everyday maintenance like engine oil/air-filter/brake fluid/final drive fluid changes are all well doable.

But after that, you might be in trouble.

The flyby wire throttle, highly computerized system with a myriad of sensors throughout the bike will make more involved maintenance very difficult for the home wrench monkey.

 

I hope I am wrong, but just want to make sure that you have some idea what you get yourself into.

From what I have seen so far, the GS911 is no where near ready for prime time maintenance on the Wetheads.

[Jim VonBaden]

I owned a 2004 1150RT myself for a little while and did the maintenance myself as well. Bike ended up running far sweeter then when I originally purchased it.

 

But the Wethead is a whole different cattle of fish.

The everyday maintenance like engine oil/air-filter/brake fluid/final drive fluid changes are all well doable.

But after that, you might be in trouble.

The flyby wire throttle, highly computerized system with a myriad of sensors throughout the bike will make more involved maintenance very difficult for the home wrench monkey.

 

I hope I am wrong, but just want to make sure that you have some idea what you get yourself into.

From what I have seen so far, the GS911 is no where near ready for prime time maintenance on the Wetheads.

 

Fortunately, all required maintenance can be done by the home wrench with no special tools needed other than the correct oil filter wrench. All the electro gizmos are self calibrating. If your bike is in good shape with no issues the GS911 is not needed with one exception, to reset the service reminder. It can do much more, but it is not strictly required for doing your own services. See the following links for more information:

 

http://www.jimvonbaden.com/Wethead%20600%206k%20&%2012k%20maintenance%20schedule%20sheets.pdf Maintenance schedules an requirements

 

http://www.jimvonbaden.com/Tool%20Lists%20R1200%20Wethead.doc Tool lists

 

http://www.jimvonbaden.com/Wethead%20Torques.xlsx Torque chart

 

Jim

[Leon]

Jim,

 

I saw your very well done video on accessing the airfilter on the wethead. Great job! If I get the bike I will definitely be one of your customers.

 

THanks again.

 

By the way, do you happen to know if there is an aftermarket highway pegs for the RT? I now have the Elfs on my '04 and quite like them except for the expense, and the ease with which I broke one off when I dropped the bike from rest once. Learned to always fold them in below 20 mph.

 

 

[Jim VonBaden]

Jim,

 

I saw your very well done video on accessing the airfilter on the wethead. Great job! If I get the bike I will definitely be one of your customers.

 

THanks again.

 

By the way, do you happen to know if there is an aftermarket highway pegs for the RT? I now have the Elfs on my '04 and quite like them except for the expense, and the ease with which I broke one off when I dropped the bike from rest once. Learned to always fold them in below 20 mph.

 

 

Thanks!

 

I have not seen anything like the Elf pegs for the Wethead. There is a decent looking crash bar that could support highway pegs though.

 

Jim

[Rob L]

check out Ilium bars & pegs. I bought their sidestand foot and they are a good company to deal with

 

[strataj]

I had an 02 RT, same maintenance as an 04 (only the extra spark plug). I think the WetHead is much easier, no throttle bodies, a swap out of shims vs the valve adjustment. No tank removal to flush brakes. No transmission fluid change. A GS911 or tape is needed to reset or cover up the service reminder. That's service. Get Jim's DVD it will make it easy

 

If you are looking at repairs it my be more difficult but I don't know. The computer does so much, the GS911 needs to come a long way to help other then find fault codes and clear them. It did help me with a horn fault, must of happen when installing the Air Horn.

 

Jay