dp-R1100RT Posted August 1, 2019 Posted August 1, 2019 Hello all, This is my third post, so please go easy on me. I scrolled through the oil head forum until my finger hurt, and then I did a search for "handling issues", so if I missed it - then please just point me in the right direction. Fair warning, this is going to be a bit of a long post: I bought a new to me 1999 R1100RT in "excellent condition" - Meaning that it is a one owner bike and that all work has been done on schedule by the local BMW dealership. The bike appears to be pristine. Aftermarket items include: braided steel brake lines, cats dropped with after market exhaust, and Hyper-Pro aftermarket shocks/springs installed with minor overall custom build lowering. The after market shocks have been rebuilt once. The previous owner seems clueless about actual mechanical work that his chosen BMW mechanic does not actively bring to his attention - such as 40,000 mile transmission input spline greasing, and he already told me that he had a clutch problem on the road that he "adjusted out" at the clutch lever... so, grain of salt here. To his credit he did seem to do everything that BMW recommended for the last 20 years, and he wasn't afraid to spend the money to buy good parts - or to have all major work done at the BMW dealership. I have minor handling issues. The (Stock Metzler Z6) tires are in need of replacement, but not completely worn out... cupping and wear patterns on the front - flat strip in the middle of the back tire. The suspension seems to sag a bit, and is very choppy over washboard. The main problem that I have is that the left grip pushes against my hand at slow speeds, and under deceleration. The handling seems strange at slow speeds. At higher speeds it seems pretty good. Here is the problem: I don't know what is normal for this type of suspension... Maybe they are all "difficult" at slow speeds. I am getting ready to do some tune-up related repairs, new tires, and minor suspension work - while I save major work like the transmission input shaft, new clutch, etc, for the fall tear down... I guess that my question is: is it normal for the left grip to push on your wrist at slow speeds? Do these bikes just handle "flakey" and need more rider input at slow speeds? Is there a know issue that I am missing, and I can easily fix while doing the minor overhaul for this season? Is there something that I am missing that I need to address during the major winter overhaul? During the winter rebuild I am looking at having the suspension rebuilt to the stock height, renewing and adjusting all bearings from end to end... Maybe some other custom modifications... Thanks in advance for any suggestions or comments.
dp-R1100RT Posted August 1, 2019 Author Posted August 1, 2019 Not sure why there does not seem to be a setting to automatically notify of any follow up - to comments or to original posts that I make... This is the second post where I notice that I have to do that manually --- just as I hit the post button. lol Sorry for any double posts as I work through the idiosyncrasies related to the board mechanics itself...
Rinkydink Posted August 1, 2019 Posted August 1, 2019 First and foremost...new tires. Z6 rear tires degrade very quickly after the dreaded flat spot shows up. Once you get new tires you can sort out any suspension woes you may or may not actually have. According to your weight difference with the original owner it could just be a preload/adjustment problem. Was he a bit heavier than you?Keep us posted. Oh, and welcome to the forum. 1 1
SAS Posted August 1, 2019 Posted August 1, 2019 dp, I have been a Michelin guy for quite a few years. That being said, I put a set of Michelins on my rig 96 R1100R, just after I bought it. At any speed I always got a pull to the left when I Iet go of the handle bars. Just thought that was part of the bike. After those tires wore out I could not find a matched set of Michelins. So I did some homework and found that Pirelli makes a matched set for my rig. I put those tires on (matched set) and I can totally let go of both handle bars at 70mph and the bike runs true down the road without any pulling, vibration or shaking. So the story of your rigs tires just might be a brand issue that will fix itself upon replacing the tires with a different brand. Also the Michelin front tire was very noisy. All the complaints went away with a different Brand choice. This choice was only by default as the Michelin matched sets were not available. By the way I got exceptional millage with the Michelins. I won't say how much as you may not believe me anyway. I have about 5k miles on the Pirelli tires and all is well. I know this could turn into I like, I like, I like, but this is just what has happened to me with my tire situation. I have spoke rims on my rig and it is getting harder and harder to find matched sets of quality tires.
dp-R1100RT Posted August 1, 2019 Author Posted August 1, 2019 Rinkydink, thanks for the welcome, and thanks for the speedy reply. I was thinking that the main problem might be related to worn tires, spring preload, and rebound settings. The front tire has some cupping (sides), and a definite high ridge or minor bulge in the middle. I could see it wanting to fall to one side of that. A little weaving in my lane releases the pressure, and the bike doesn't just head for the shoulder without constant pressure on the left hand grip. I actually got a new front tire with the bike, and I was going to buy a new Z6 rear to match, but alas, the Z6 has been discontinued and the rear tire is no longer available. So, put the new front tire on for this season and hope for the best, or find a new matched set of radials for both front and back... and I guess just sell the new front tire at a yard sale price? The suspension lowering is questionable in the first place due to the nature of the front suspension (plus the side stand doesn't fit anymore - to long) Harder to roll up on the center stand as well. (sigh) Adjusting the preload will just make it even more choppy/stiff. He has it set up for 200 lbs including saddlebags and trunk. I weigh just under 200, and I remove the saddle bags and trunk for around town riding, so the bike sprung weight is a bit low, and it still seems to be a bit saggy, and riding low - causing the steering geometry to be possibly a bit off. It is a problem that I don't want to just throw money at, because that money can go toward the winter rebuild. I will start with new tires as you suggest. I will probably try to raise the ride a bit with moderate spring preload... and work my way slowly from there. DO you have any suggestions on "affordable" tires for 60% touring and 40% light sport? Looking at a set of "burner" summer Shinkos, and put something better this winter at this point... Thanks again for the warm welcome, dp
dp-R1100RT Posted August 1, 2019 Author Posted August 1, 2019 3 minutes ago, SAS said: dp, I have been a Michelin guy for quite a few years. That being said, I put a set of Michelins on my rig 96 R1100R, just after I bought it. At any speed I always got a pull to the left when I Iet go of the handle bars. Just thought that was part of the bike. After those tires wore out I could not find a matched set of Michelins. So I did some homework and found that Pirelli makes a matched set for my rig. I put those tires on (matched set) and I can totally let go of both handle bars at 70mph and the bike runs true down the road without any pulling, vibration or shaking. So the story of your rigs tires just might be a brand issue that will fix itself upon replacing the tires with a different brand. Also the Michelin front tire was very noisy. All the complaints went away with a different Brand choice. This choice was only by default as the Michelin matched sets were not available. By the way I got exceptional millage with the Michelins. I won't say how much as you may not believe me anyway. I have about 5k miles on the Pirelli tires and all is well. I know this could turn into I like, I like, I like, but this is just what has happened to me with my tire situation. I have spoke rims on my rig and it is getting harder and harder to find matched sets of quality tires. Thanks SAS, I was thinking the same thing. I am going to do some research and find some other tires just for this summer. Not to get off subject, but I bought a set of BF Goodrich T/A tires for my Lexus SC400... I had always heard how great they were when they first came out, but they are just horrible... They may handle well, and handle high speeds, but they sound like full-on mud-grips going down the highway where I do most of my driving. lol Maybe they are great race car tires, but I am not driving a race car. Same thing with the R1100RT. My skill level does not require sport bike tires at this point. I want quiet tires that handle straight line miles, moderate sport type riding (even under heavy loads), last a decent distance, and handle consistently rain or shine.
Jim Moore Posted August 1, 2019 Posted August 1, 2019 I'd buy a Z8 for the rear and use the Z6 up front. I prefer to save a few bucks when I can. I also would worry about handling problems while riding on old tires. See how it feels with the new tires installed. How many miles on your bike? You seem excited to dig into the bike, but it may not be necessary. First, there is no 40,000 spline lube requirement. Second, there is an adjustment at the lever that can cause or alleviate a slipping clutch. maybe the PO knew what he was talking about, maybe not. In any event, there are some thing I would do to a 20-year-old bike, depending on the mileage. Let us know your miles and we'll come up with plenty of ways for you to spend money and time.
AndyS Posted August 1, 2019 Posted August 1, 2019 2 things. Get new tyres. Set the tyre pressures to suit you best. The rear shock preload probably needs re-filling. This will probably bring the back end up to a better position. If that doesn't work, there are lots of good used stock shocks available out there. If your budget is flush, you could get some good aftermarket shocks, but can I suggest one step at a time.
dirtrider Posted August 1, 2019 Posted August 1, 2019 7 hours ago, dp-R1100RT said: Hello all, This is my third post, so please go easy on me. I scrolled through the oil head forum until my finger hurt, and then I did a search for "handling issues", so if I missed it - then please just point me in the right direction. Fair warning, this is going to be a bit of a long post: I bought a new to me 1999 R1100RT in "excellent condition" - Meaning that it is a one owner bike and that all work has been done on schedule by the local BMW dealership. The bike appears to be pristine. Aftermarket items include: braided steel brake lines, cats dropped with after market exhaust, and Hyper-Pro aftermarket shocks/springs installed with minor overall custom build lowering. The after market shocks have been rebuilt once. The previous owner seems clueless about actual mechanical work that his chosen BMW mechanic does not actively bring to his attention - such as 40,000 mile transmission input spline greasing, and he already told me that he had a clutch problem on the road that he "adjusted out" at the clutch lever... so, grain of salt here. To his credit he did seem to do everything that BMW recommended for the last 20 years, and he wasn't afraid to spend the money to buy good parts - or to have all major work done at the BMW dealership. I have minor handling issues. The (Stock Metzler Z6) tires are in need of replacement, but not completely worn out... cupping and wear patterns on the front - flat strip in the middle of the back tire. The suspension seems to sag a bit, and is very choppy over washboard. The main problem that I have is that the left grip pushes against my hand at slow speeds, and under deceleration. The handling seems strange at slow speeds. At higher speeds it seems pretty good. Here is the problem: I don't know what is normal for this type of suspension... Maybe they are all "difficult" at slow speeds. I am getting ready to do some tune-up related repairs, new tires, and minor suspension work - while I save major work like the transmission input shaft, new clutch, etc, for the fall tear down... I guess that my question is: is it normal for the left grip to push on your wrist at slow speeds? Do these bikes just handle "flakey" and need more rider input at slow speeds? Is there a know issue that I am missing, and I can easily fix while doing the minor overhaul for this season? Is there something that I am missing that I need to address during the major winter overhaul? During the winter rebuild I am looking at having the suspension rebuilt to the stock height, renewing and adjusting all bearings from end to end... Maybe some other custom modifications... Thanks in advance for any suggestions or comments. Morning dp-R1100RT I answered this in your other thread_____ https://www.bmwsporttouring.com/topic/93247-1999-r1100rt-handling-issues/?tab=comments#comment-1027315
dp-R1100RT Posted August 1, 2019 Author Posted August 1, 2019 11 hours ago, Jim Moore said: I'd buy a Z8 for the rear and use the Z6 up front. I prefer to save a few bucks when I can. I also would worry about handling problems while riding on old tires. See how it feels with the new tires installed. How many miles on your bike? You seem excited to dig into the bike, but it may not be necessary. First, there is no 40,000 spline lube requirement. Second, there is an adjustment at the lever that can cause or alleviate a slipping clutch. maybe the PO knew what he was talking about, maybe not. In any event, there are some thing I would do to a 20-year-old bike, depending on the mileage. Let us know your miles and we'll come up with plenty of ways for you to spend money and time. The bike has around 48,000 miles, so that is not that far outside of the 40,000 mile window. All BMW recommended service has been performed, and you are correct that there is no 40,000 mile recommended spline service from BMW. That particular recommendation comes from a retired BMW certified mechanic (Chris Harris) who has a You tube channel where he is building a public library of BMW service procedures. The input spline is a known issue for these bikes. He also has a video detailing the BMW procedure for clutch adjustment: The lever end is set to a specific measurement, and all adjustment is done at the clutch end. I highly recommend his channel for those who do their own work, or just want to know more about the mechanical procedures, etc. As a semi-retired auto-mechanic of 30-40 years, tearing into the bike is not really an issue for me once I have the correct procedures. Since my only cost is new parts and my time - renewing the clutch and 20 year old spline lube is cheap insurance vs buying a new input shaft, and rebuilding the transmission. The major overhaul will wait until fall. I am currently gathering parts and specialty tools for the minor upgrades: new tires, suspension adjustment, valve lash, tune-up, TB sync, installing a new O2 sensor and AF-XiED unit to deal with the know lean mixture condition, ignition timing advance, Redline heavy shock-proof in trans and diff, etc... Basically, the simple stuff that does not require a major tear-down.
dirtrider Posted August 1, 2019 Posted August 1, 2019 33 minutes ago, dp-R1100RT said: Redline heavy shock-proof in trans and diff, etc... Evening dp-R1100RT Your motorcycle is a single track vehicle so it doesn't have a differential it has a final drive. As to using Redline heavy shock-proof in the final drive, don't do that. That stuff if very thick when cold & the vent is close to the ring gear with a small vent hole , that heavy shock-proof will bridge the vent passage on a cold morning. That Redline heavy shock-proof is mainly designed to protect the ring gear/pinion gear teeth under very heavy loading. RING & PINION gear tooth wear is not a problem on the BMW 1100/1150 bikes (in fact find me one BMW 1100 bike that has or had gear tooth wear that didn't fail the crown bearing first?)-- You won't. On the other hand many crown bearing failures on the 1100 bikes, & for those, using Redline heavy shock-proof is moving in the wrong direction (motor oil would actually be best for crown bearing protection but that won't cut the mustard for gear tooth protection). For the BMW 1100 final drive you are best off using just plain old 80-90 GL-5 gear oil, don't even use synthetic 75-90 as that can give you a pinion seal seep (or more pinion seal seep as a lot of BMW 1100 bikes have a slight pinion seal seep).
Rinkydink Posted August 1, 2019 Posted August 1, 2019 I have a Z8 front and Michelin PR4 on the rear thanks to a nail at 160 miles on my 1200RT. It rides just fine. Get a Z8 for use with your Z6. Oh, and you’ll find that Dirtrider is one of the gurus here.
Selden Posted August 1, 2019 Posted August 1, 2019 @dp-R1100RT : I have owned the same model for 12 years. Do nothing until you get new tires. They have a reputation for "pull to the right" which would agree with your description of pushing on the left grip to go straight. There are two schools of thought about this: 1) Put weight in left side case 2) Remove the spacer disk between the wheel and hub I have tried both, and decided neither was worth the effort. It's possible that manufacturing variations mean that some do this more than others. You don't say how many miles are on your RT, but after 20 years, it's likely to need new or rebuilt shocks. A common problem is the rear shock losing some oil from the preload chamber. If it's low, then from minimum preload, the adjuster may have to be turned a turn or more before generating resistance. Mine came with Öhlins, so I cannot speak from direct experience with the OEM rear shock, but it should be possible to back out the preload all the way, remove the banjo bolt from the line that goes to the adjuster, then top it off by adding more oil (such as jack oil). Sounds more complicated that it actually is.
dp-R1100RT Posted August 1, 2019 Author Posted August 1, 2019 1 hour ago, dirtrider said: Evening dp-R1100RT Your motorcycle is a single track vehicle so it doesn't have a differential it has a final drive. As to using Redline heavy shock-proof in the final drive, don't do that. That stuff if very thick when cold & the vent is close to the ring gear with a small vent hole , that heavy shock-proof will bridge the vent passage on a cold morning. That Redline heavy shock-proof is mainly designed to protect the ring gear/pinion gear teeth under very heavy loading. RING & PINION gear tooth wear is not a problem on the BMW 1100/1150 bikes (in fact find me one BMW 1100 bike that has or had gear tooth wear that didn't fail the crown bearing first?)-- You won't. On the other hand many crown bearing failures on the 1100 bikes, & for those, using Redline heavy shock-proof is moving in the wrong direction (motor oil would actually be best for crown bearing protection but that won't cut the mustard for gear tooth protection). For the BMW 1100 final drive you are best off using just plain old 80-90 GL-5 gear oil, don't even use synthetic 75-90 as that can give you a pinion seal seep (or more pinion seal seep as a lot of BMW 1100 bikes have a slight pinion seal seep). Thanks dirtrider - always interesting and pertinent information. I very much appreciate you for sharing the experience of years of owning these bikes. Since the main reason for the Redline is to smooth the clunky transmission shifting issues anyway - I will be happy to try your advice regarding the final drive oil. Thanks for your invaluable assistance and advice to new BMW owners like myself. 1
dirtrider Posted August 1, 2019 Posted August 1, 2019 15 minutes ago, dp-R1100RT said: Thanks dirtrider - always interesting and pertinent information. I very much appreciate you for sharing the experience of years of owning these bikes. Since the main reason for the Redline is to smooth the clunky transmission shifting issues anyway - I will be happy to try your advice regarding the final drive oil. Thanks for your invaluable assistance and advice to new BMW owners like myself. Evening dp-R1100RT Don't get tunnel vision on the Red Line being the ONLY answer on the BMW 1100 transmission shifting. On some 1100 bikes the Red Line heavy IS the answer but on other 1100 bikes it isn't. So on those something like Mobil 1 (75w140) actually shifts better, or even a straight 90 weight gear oil. I had an 1100 bike that the Red Line was the answer & had another that shifted like crap with the Red Line heavy. The early 1100 5 speed transmission had "O" rings on the free spinning gears to shafts for added drag (that really helped the neutral gear rattle) but hindered good shift quality. Heavy gear oil plus the "O" rings can lead to sluggish shift quality. Try an XXX gear oil, if it helps & you like it then stay with it, if you don't like it then try something else. Just keep in mind that most BMW transmissions will usually shift better (with ANY new gear oil) right after a gear oil change but slowly degrade as the gear oil shears, so only judge the shift quality after a couple of thousand miles of usage.
Jim Moore Posted August 2, 2019 Posted August 2, 2019 12 hours ago, dp-R1100RT said: The bike has around 48,000 miles, so that is not that far outside of the 40,000 mile window. All BMW recommended service has been performed, and you are correct that there is no 40,000 mile recommended spline service from BMW. That particular recommendation comes from a retired BMW certified mechanic (Chris Harris) who has a You tube channel where he is building a public library of BMW service procedures. The input spline is a known issue for these bikes. He also has a video detailing the BMW procedure for clutch adjustment: The lever end is set to a specific measurement, and all adjustment is done at the clutch end. I highly recommend his channel for those who do their own work, or just want to know more about the mechanical procedures, etc. As a semi-retired auto-mechanic of 30-40 years, tearing into the bike is not really an issue for me once I have the correct procedures. Since my only cost is new parts and my time - renewing the clutch and 20 year old spline lube is cheap insurance vs buying a new input shaft, and rebuilding the transmission. The major overhaul will wait until fall. I am currently gathering parts and specialty tools for the minor upgrades: new tires, suspension adjustment, valve lash, tune-up, TB sync, installing a new O2 sensor and AF-XiED unit to deal with the know lean mixture condition, ignition timing advance, Redline heavy shock-proof in trans and diff, etc... Basically, the simple stuff that does not require a major tear-down. The spline issue is a problem with the six-speed transmission. Your bike has the five-speed. The clutch on these bikes normally lasts well over 100K miles. There in no need to tear in to in unless it is slipping. If you simply MUST do something (I know the feeling) do a 12K tune-up, which involves the following: Oil change - Mobil 1 15-50 and an M1-102 filter. Transmission and final drive oil - Mobil 1 synthetic gear oil Valve adjustment (You'll laugh at how easy it is.) Throttle body synch (Make a manometer using ATF if you don't already have some Carb Stix or something like that) You might as well change the alternator belt as long as you have the front cover off, unless you know it's been done recently. If so, buy one and throw it in a saddlebag for a spare. You might consider changing the throttle cables and clutch cable, unless you know it's been done recently. It's not unheard of for those to break. I would also do three other things sooner rather than later, especially if you plan to go on any trips in the near future. Change or rewire the ignition timer (AKA HES), replace the brake lines with steel-braided lines, and replace all the fuel lines and the fuel filter. Lots of people send their HES to GSAddict on the Advrider board to be rewired. Tom Cutter (retired BMW mech) at the Rubber Chicken Racing Garage sells Spiegler brakes lines. Mike at the Beemer Boneyard sells very nice stainless steel quick disconnects for the fuel lines, and has a kit for replacing the internal lines (or used to). The 12K tune up can be done with the tank in place and only takes a few hours. the tank needs to come off for the rest of it, so maybe do the tune up while you're collecting parts for the bigger stuff. Jim Von Baden (also on Advrider) sells a CD showing all the R1100 maintenance procedures. I've never seen one, but people rave about it. I'd hold off on the fuel controller until you ride the bike for awhile. Some surge, some don't. If yours does, I'd try removing your cat code plug (in the fusebox) first. That changes the fuel map and make the bike run better in a lot of cases. Note there is some disagreement on this particular issue.
roger 04 rt Posted August 2, 2019 Posted August 2, 2019 43 minutes ago, Jim Moore said: I'd hold off on the fuel controller until you ride the bike for awhile. Some surge, some don't. If yours does, I'd try removing your cat code plug (in the fusebox) first. That changes the fuel map and make the bike run better in a lot of cases. Note there is some disagreement on this particular issue. Although Jim is correct that some surge more than others, every Oilhead runs stronger, with cooler exhaust and smoother with an AF-XIED & new O2, or Innovate LC-2 (tougher to install) richening the fueling. Most report running one gear higher around town from the extra low rpm torque. Depending on the state of your injectors, you might also appreciate the tills.de matched injector/adapter package, which for some, smooths the engine and results in easier starting. You could wait on the injectors until you put some miles on the AF-XIED.
dp-R1100RT Posted August 2, 2019 Author Posted August 2, 2019 9 hours ago, roger 04 rt said: Although Jim is correct that some surge more than others, every Oilhead runs stronger, with cooler exhaust and smoother with an AF-XIED & new O2, or Innovate LC-2 (tougher to install) richening the fueling. Most report running one gear higher around town from the extra low rpm torque. Depending on the state of your injectors, you might also appreciate the tills.de matched injector/adapter package, which for some, smooths the engine and results in easier starting. You could wait on the injectors until you put some miles on the AF-XIED. I've already got the AF-XiED and the new O2 sensor, so it will be going on soon anyway. Doing a little research before I get into changing the fuel filter, hoses, etc in the fuel system. I have seem an article somewhere related to changing the fuel pump, and possibly injectors. I will have to see what issue this is supposed to address, do a pressure test on the current fuel pump, etc. The other item that interested me was changing (advancing) the static ignition timing. This will also require a bit of research before I make any kind of decision on that, but my experience (automotive) has been that the factory timing is usually pretty conservative due to manufacturing tolerances, and the factory lean fuel mixture condition. It really depends on what the factory computer system does, and a few other factors. Some automotive computers will just compensate for any static changes, and some like my GMC 4.3 V6 have the camshaft position sensor in the distributor, and will throw a trouble code if things aren't at the factory specified position. It's a good thing that I actually enjoy reading tech manuals, and learning about these types of things. The fuel adjustment, new tires, and major tune-up should satisfy my need to tinker for awhile while I educate myself a bit more on this particular bike. I finished the fluid service today, and did a quick inspection of the swing arm for leaks. Something is leaking, but not too badly yet. Unfortunately, both the transmission and the final drive had red oil when I serviced them. Thanks to all who have offered advice and suggestions. If I didn't respond directly to someone's comment it was not because I didn't read, or appreciate your input and advice.
dirtrider Posted August 2, 2019 Posted August 2, 2019 44 minutes ago, dp-R1100RT said: The other item that interested me was changing (advancing) the static ignition timing. This will also require a bit of research before I make any kind of decision on that, but my experience (automotive) has been that the factory timing is usually pretty conservative due to manufacturing tolerances, and the factory lean fuel mixture condition. It really depends on what the factory computer system does, and a few other factors. Evening dp-R1100RT Be careful in advancing the ignition timing more than stock, the 1100 engine already has the capability of 43° of advance (that is a lot of advance for a basic air/oil cooled boxer engine). Not much of any gain in advancing the timing on the 1100 boxer engine. If you do play with advancing the ign timing then at least run a (warm engine) compression check first, a lot of those old 1100 boxers burned some oil in the early miles (they took a long time to fully seat the rings) so most of those old boxers have a significant amount of combustion chamber carbon, so most are clocking compression readings way above specs.
dp-R1100RT Posted August 2, 2019 Author Posted August 2, 2019 2 hours ago, dirtrider said: Evening dp-R1100RT Be careful in advancing the ignition timing more than stock, the 1100 engine already has the capability of 43° of advance (that is a lot of advance for a basic air/oil cooled boxer engine). Not much of any gain in advancing the timing on the 1100 boxer engine. If you do play with advancing the ign timing then at least run a (warm engine) compression check first, a lot of those old 1100 boxers burned some oil in the early miles (they took a long time to fully seat the rings) so most of those old boxers have a significant amount of combustion chamber carbon, so most are clocking compression readings way above specs. Thanks DR. Would you happen to know if they are using a knock sensor? If they are, then they are probably pushing the edge of ignition advance anyway?
dp-R1100RT Posted August 3, 2019 Author Posted August 3, 2019 1 hour ago, roger 04 rt said: No knock sensor on the Oilheads. Thanks Roger. Well, I'll do the other work first anyway and see how it runs after a few hundred miles. There's no rush to play with timing or other issues before the AFXiED has settled in. I'll just continue to do research, and try to make full use of the wealth of valuable experience to be found on the forum. It's my first BMW and I'm only a month into it... I'm sure that my attitudes, and expectations will change once I have more actual hands on experience. The crank sensor hasn't given me any problems, but it would be good insurance to fix any known problems first.
dp-R1100RT Posted August 4, 2019 Author Posted August 4, 2019 On 8/1/2019 at 6:01 PM, dirtrider said: Evening dp-R1100RT Don't get tunnel vision on the Red Line being the ONLY answer on the BMW 1100 transmission shifting. On some 1100 bikes the Red Line heavy IS the answer but on other 1100 bikes it isn't. So on those something like Mobil 1 (75w140) actually shifts better, or even a straight 90 weight gear oil. I had an 1100 bike that the Red Line was the answer & had another that shifted like crap with the Red Line heavy. The early 1100 5 speed transmission had "O" rings on the free spinning gears to shafts for added drag (that really helped the neutral gear rattle) but hindered good shift quality. Heavy gear oil plus the "O" rings can lead to sluggish shift quality. Try an XXX gear oil, if it helps & you like it then stay with it, if you don't like it then try something else. Just keep in mind that most BMW transmissions will usually shift better (with ANY new gear oil) right after a gear oil change but slowly degrade as the gear oil shears, so only judge the shift quality after a couple of thousand miles of usage. Good afternoon DR, just a follow up on this topic. It looks like you nailed it again. I put the Redline in the transmission, and it shifts worse than the original oil. Original problem was a rough shift from neutral or second into first, and the other gears doing fairly well. After the Redline every gear shift is rough (like in a non-synchronized gearbox), so it looks like I will be changing out gear oil again. I'll try the Mobil 1 75w140 first, and see how that does. Luckily gear oil is cheap and easy enough to change, that experimenting to find the best one is not really an issue. Thanks again for the great advice, tips, and tricks.
dirtrider Posted August 4, 2019 Posted August 4, 2019 1 hour ago, dp-R1100RT said: Good afternoon DR, just a follow up on this topic. It looks like you nailed it again. I put the Redline in the transmission, and it shifts worse than the original oil. Original problem was a rough shift from neutral or second into first, and the other gears doing fairly well. After the Redline every gear shift is rough (like in a non-synchronized gearbox), so it looks like I will be changing out gear oil again. I'll try the Mobil 1 75w140 first, and see how that does. Luckily gear oil is cheap and easy enough to change, that experimenting to find the best one is not really an issue. Thanks again for the great advice, tips, and tricks. Evening dp-R1100RT If you have the time you might toss in some cheap 80w90 gear oil then ride it about 50 miles just as a flush. (who knows you might even like the shifting quality of that 80w90). That RedLine heavy is sticky as snot so you will be getting pink out of the transmission for the next 3 or 4 (or more) gear oil changes. With a quick gear oil flush you will at least get the majority of that pink snot out of your gearbox.
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